Here are the best albums of 2011 as chosen by our panel of “experts” (Woody, Shirk and I). I’m not a huge fan of ranking albums because my personal rankings are fluid and change depending on the time of year, my mood of the moment, and the album’s propensity to get played again and again over time.
Because we collaborated on the list, we each had to leave off some of our personal top 50′s. In the end, man-to-man mud wrestling prevailed and we compromised. The unanimous top album among all of us was Tamer Animals by Other Lives and our second choice was the most snubbed band on best of lists in 2011, The Deep Dark Woods. Get in there and let us know what we missed. You can also hit play on the mp3′s and they’ll play as a playlist. Sit back and enjoy!
If some of the comments don’t make sense, it’s because we’ve used posted our favorite albums to this list throughout the year so they could be outdated.
1. Other Lives – Tamer Animals
Other Lives – Tamer Animals (from the HearYa Live Session)
Other Lives – Dust Bowl III (from the HearYa Live Session)
2. The Deep Dark Woods – The Place I Left Behind
The Deep Dark Woods – West Side Street
The Deep Dark Woods – Ballad of Frank Dupree (from the HearYa Live Session)
The Deep Dark Woods – The Banks of The Leopold Canal (from the HearYa Live Session)
3. Centro-Matic – Candidate Waltz
4. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit – Here We Rest
Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit – Codeine
5. Elliott BROOD – Days Into Years
6. Gillian Welch – The Harrow & The Harvest
7. The Low Anthem – Smart Flesh
The Low Anthem – Boeing 737 (from our live session with The Low Anthem)
The Low Anthem – Love and Altar (from our live session with The Low Anthem)
8. The Decemberists – The King Is Dead
9. Wilco – The Whole Love
10. Bon Iver – S/T
11. My Morning Jacket – Circuital
12. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
13. Okkervil River – I Am Very Far
Okkervil River – Wake and Be Fine
14. Wye Oak – Civilian
15. Ryan Adams – Ashes and Fire
16. White Denim – D
White Denim – Anvil Everything
White Denim – Street Joy (from the HearYa Live Session)
White Denim – Keys (from the HearYa Live Session)
17. Charles Bradley – No Time For Dreaming
Charles Bradley – The World (Is Going Up In Flames)
18. WATERS – Out In The Light
19. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost
20. The David Wax Museum – Everything Is Saved
The David Wax Museum – Born With A Broken Heart
21. Mount Moriah – S/T
Mount Moriah – Reckoning (from the HearYa Live Session)
22. Megafaun – S/T
23. AA Bondy – Believers
AA Bondy – The Heart Is Willing
24. The Black Keys – El Camino
25. Drive-By Truckers – Go-Go Boots
Drive-By Truckers – Everybody Needs Love
26. Southeast Engine – Canary
27. Blitzen Trapper – American Goldwing
Blitzen Trapper – Love The Way You Walk Away
28. Middle Brother – S/T
29. Roadside Graves – We Can Take Care Of Ourselves
Roadside Graves – Double Feature
Roadside Graves – Love Me More
30. Ha Ha Tonka – Death of a Decade
31. Deer Tick – Divine Providence
Deer Tick “Main Street” by Partisan Records
32. The War On Drugs – Slave Ambient
The War On Drugs – Slave Ambient
33. Caveman – CoCo Beware
34. The Middle East – I Want That You Are Always Happy
The Middle East – Jesus Came To My Birthday Party
35. Dead Man Winter – Bright Lights
36. Caitlin Rose – Own Side Now
37. Brown Bird – Salt For Salt
38. Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears – Scandalous
39. Vetiver – The Errant Charm
40. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
41. Fruit Bats – Tripper
42. Little Hurricane – Homewrecker
Little Hurricane – Crocodile Tears
43. Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside – Dirty Radio
Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside – I Swear
44. The Milk Carton Kids – Prologue
The Milk Carton Kids – Michigan
The Milk Carton Kids – Milk Carton Kid
45. Alela Diane and Wild Divine
46. The Devil Whale – Teeth
47. Ponderosa – Moonlight Revival
48. She Keeps Bees – Dig On
2. She Keeps Bees – Saturn Return by wepromised
49. Country Mice – Twister
50. Seryn – This Is Where We Are
{ 62 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
J. Mascis – Several Shades of Why
Generationals – Actor-Castor
The Strokes – Angles
Gold Leaves – The Ornament
Floating Action – Desert Etiquette
Woody – Thanks for mentioning the O’Death omission. Liking it a lot!
I stumbled on this site and it has been the most enjoyable Sunday evening of music I have had in quite some time. Recently caught The Deep Dark Woods with REK in Wilmington NC and bought The Place I Left Behind on the 2nd song. It’s still in the player in the truck. THANKS!! I now have a wish list of music for my upcoming 55th birthday.
I may be starting out early with the best albums of 2012 but listen to Dr. John’s ‘Locked Down’ if you haven’t. It’s an absolute masterpiece of funk!
The fact that “Angles” didn’t even place makes this entire list invalid. Yeah, sure, it’s not the best album by The Strokes but it IS a wonderful work of art by THE STROKES nonetheless.
<3 M
I agree, and incredible album. Another great artist you should check out is Rebecca Ferguson. She is a singer from Liverpoolwho was discovered on The X Factor! You can check out a live version of “Glitter & Gold” here: http://vevo.ly/JOf5MA and keep up with her on Facebook here: http://on.fb.me/Mlw7oB
Glad you included Wye Oak, Fleet Foxes, and The Middle East! Those three are my favorites, man.
Black keys made it on the list! Seen them live in Liverpool loved every minute of it.
Cold Specks – I Predict A Graceful Expulsion. Hauntingly beautiful!
The Black Keys are my BROTHERS.
Jake Bugg – S/T – This 18 year old from Nottingham has put out an extraordinary debut record.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY0oPg1h8fQ
Where are the Hey Rosetta? Guys, I’m really disappointed.
← Previous Comments