Favorite Album of 2011
Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes: When considering the top album of the year, it's important to ask yourself a few necessary questions. Have I listened to it more than 100 times? Is every song awesome? Does it provoke an emotional response? I would buy it on vinyl? And finally, did it exceed your expectations and change your thoughts about music? Well, there were certainly more than a couple of albums that answered yes to all those, but only one album that really changed the way I thought about music. Lykke Li's beautifully dark Wounded Rhymes.
Wounded Rhymes excels where others failed because of it's unrelentingly theme. A strong of foundation of bleakness and despair built upon black and white album art, emotional music videos of nervous breakdowns, and most importantly, music that explores the sadder parts of life while still remaining danceable and uplifting. The type of the music that silences the world around you and echos through your soul. Of all the all albums to come out in 2011, Wounded Rhymes is the most profound, coherent piece of work. Whether it's the doom-wop 50's number 'Unrequented Love' or the industrial & apocalyptic drone of "Silent My Song" everything about this album is impressive on levels few albums can reach.
Lykke Li - Love Out Of Lust by LykkeLi
Honorable Mentions
Feist - Metals: In the same why Lykke Li's album changed the way I thought about her, Metals showed me another side to Leslie Fiest I didn't know exsited. A brilliant piece of work that's also a bit on the darker side but with enough Broadway flash to consistanly excite you.
TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light: A sonic explosion of colors and shapes that folds and rotates into something you can't completely comprehend(like this description) in just one listen. It's futuristic art rock with hints of punk and R&B. Completely unique and inspiring in every way.
Favorite Song of 2011
"Montana" by Youth Lagoon(The Year of Hiberation): In my opinion, nothing's better than a lo-li bedroom project that reaches for the moon. This past fall, I got that with Youth Lagoon's uplifting piano rock ballad "Montana". Over the course of 4 minutes and 41 seconds, the echoy voice and pretty piano line continuously climb to higher levels slowing adding layers by layer of whistle-like synth, crashing tambourines, hand claps and a pounding kick drum that culminates into something so motivating exhilarating it makes me want to run out and change the world. Bonus points for a great music video.
Honorable Mentions
"Repatriated" by Handsome Furs(Sound Kapital): I'm a huge fan of any and all Wolf Parade side projects. So it comes as no surprise that when Dan Boeckner & his wife Alexei Perry returned with another minimal electronic indie rock album, titled Sound Kapital, I would automatically love it. "Repatriated" is probably my favorite song from said album.
"Intro" by M83(Hurry Up, We're Dreaming): If Anthony Gonzalez had Zola Jesus guest sing on every track of the epic Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, I think my speakers might melt. There is a lot to like M83's newest masterpiece, but the first song on the first disc, aptly titled "Intro" is by far my favorite.
Favorite Concert of 2011
Bright Eyes at Artpark (7/27/11): Conor Oberst is a polarizing musician. He's cocky, he wears skinny jeans, he writes songs about his 'feelings', etc. Most people who dislike his band Bright Eyes write them off as some sort of feminine indie folk group. But for those of us who know, Conor Oberst is a powerful front man, innovative song writer, and poetic genius the likes of which don't come around all that often. Well Bright Eyes was in full form that sunny evening this past summer, playing my favorite songs from uber political I'm Wide Awake It's Morning to the cocaine overdose electronic tunes of Digital Ash in the Digital Urn. As the night progressed and Conor loosened up, the songs tended to grow in length. By the time of the encore, each song had grown into a full on improvised jam complete with freak-out LED light rimmed glasses and psychedelic guitar solos. By far my favorite concert, and possibly summer night, this year.
Honorable Mention
NXNE: Although I only spent one night up in Toronto for the northern equivalent to South by Southwest, It was by far one of the best concert experiences of the summer. From the quick walk to see Cults on the main stage to discovering new bands and new bars all around our town, our neighbors to the north sure know how to throw a festival.
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