Favourite Albums & Songs of 2011
Favourite Albums Of 2011
2011 marked the “return of the album” in a huge way. I can’t remember the last time I fell in love with so many records from beginning to end!
- Wounded Rhymes: Lykke Li This record is overflowing with heartbreaking lyrics and aching melodies and haunting vocal arrangements but what really hits my heart is the percussion/drums. Bang bang she shot me down.
- The Belle Brigade – The Belle Brigade What sunshine and genius sounds like. A truly timeless, classic record. Zero filler.
- Born This Way – Lady Gaga I’m slow. After years of not understanding the Gaga phenomenon at all (aside from this genius), I finally got it. Devoured it. Ran to it. Edge of Glory is easily the best pop song of 2011. SAX!
- Bon Iver – Bon Iver The male singer/songwriter genre is generally a genre I steer clear of, mostly because of the inevitable wanking, but this record I loved from play (which never happens. Ask my friends). This record is art.
- 4 – Beyonce Every song on this record has different vibe (80s! 90s! Diplo!) and yet it all works together perfectly. I could do without the Irreplaceable knock off, but this is Bey at her most vulnerable and most relaxed, with only one or two club hits, and it’s her best record yet. (And I am not just saying this because I saw her perform the entire record live, in it’s entirety, up close and personal. Sorry, I had to.)
- Watch The Throne – Jay Z & Kanye West After the incredibly high bar Kanye set with his last two efforts, WTT was a little underwhelming at first. But then it grew and grew. There is nothing quite like being on the highway at night with this record on full blast. #thatshitcray
- Country Strong (soundtrack – pt 1 & 2) No joke. So many great, simple pop country songs. I listened to this record non-stop while writing songs for 1:1, striving for this kind of earnestness.
- Little Mirrors – Gotye My friend Rachael Cantu introduced me to this record on our recent trip to Disneyland and it was like magic. All the layers and styles. This is kind of record I dream of making.
Honourable mention
The King of Limbs – Radiohead The thing we have had to learn over and over again about post-OK Computer Radiohead is that they will never be the band we want them to be. But once we let go of our expectations and surrender to the music, they surprise us by being so so much better.
Favourite songs of 2011 (that aren’t on the albums listed above)
Niagara – Ohbijou
Stay Away – Charli XCX
Watch n’ Learn – Rihanna
Princess of China – Coldplay
Need You Now – Cut Copy
Dance (A$$) – Big Sean
Go – Santogold
This City – Patrick Wolf
Dust & Thinking About You – Frank Ocean
Take Care – Drake
Why Even Try – Theophilus London
Sing To Me Sweetly – Little Brutes
Amor Fati – Washed Out
Hard Times / Tennessee – Gillian Welch
