Fishtonian.com

If young Tom Cruise, Mia Sara and that creepy-voiced elven fellow rode those unicorns into the sunset through a vaseline-blurred lens whilst the flowers of all the trees in the forest gently fell to the ground, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming would have to be the soundtrack. More epic and sprawling than its predecessors (but not necessarily better than them; I still hold the biggest torches for both Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts and Saturdays = Youth), this record is sonically joyful and mesmerizing. I highly recommend blasting it while driving along a country road through a pastoral scene. It is so choice.

22 Nostalgia, Ultra.

Frank Ocean

Free Mixtape

Where the hell did this guy come from? Seriously, the last thing I would ever expect to fall out of the Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All collective is smooth R&B. But Frank Ocean brings poignant, lush grooves with the some of the frankness (pun INTENDED!) of OFWGKTA infused in his lyrics, those very obviously written by a guy in his early twenties. Ocean told his label that was ignoring him to fuck off and released his first record as a free mixtape in one of the great “Fuck Big Labels” moments of 2011. The record shares some the darkness of The Weeknd’s 2011 releases, but Nostalgia, Ultra is much lighter in comparison, especially with his excellent sample choices (Coldplay, MGMT, Radiohead, Eyes Wide Shut, The Fucking Eagles) and production. Also, way to rewrite “Hotel California” and actually make it interesting! I like to think Ocean took his name from Billy and we’ve got ourselves a new ambassador of Smooth.

P.S. This record gets the My Good Lady Wife’s #2 Release of 2011 Award.
P.P.S. I also hate it when bitches be trippin’ about Radiohead.

21 Coin Coin Chapter One: Gens De Couleur Libre

Mantana Roberts

Constellation

2011: Year of the Experimental Concept Saxophone Album. Really? Apparently. I was turned on to this record through Christopher Weingarten’s excellent contributions to The Village Voice’s Yes In My Backyard Blog. Roberts’ improvisational, emotionaly naked portraits of female African-American characters throughout history are both heart-wrenching and startling, and her methods of mixing standard western notation with visual scoring is fascinating. It is equally fascinating to hear what the 16-piece ensemble makes of her fevered visions. The narrative snippets that Roberts weaves throughout this performance, in the style of walking through a character’s scattered memories, is truly inspired, as are the emotional responses delivered by the musicians. Coin Coin is slated to be just the first in a 12-part series, and I can’t wait to hear more.

20 Underneath the Pine

Toro y Moi

Carpark Records

Chaz Bundick of Toro y Moi got caught in the middle of a lot of “Chillwave” arguments last year, in which a lot of critics either praised the “scene” of reverb-drenched, murky artists or tore them a new asshole with a constant barrage of insults.
But Bundick is a prime example of the obvious error of slapping a broad label across a bunch of dudes just trying to record some tunes. Last year’s Causers of This was clearly (even to many of the critics deriding the “chillwave sound”) a step beyond offerings from prime targets like Neon Indian and (gasp!) Salem, but on this year’s Underneath the Pine, Bundick steps up his game, spotlighting his musicianship and delivering a wonderful record that seems to say, “Fuck the haters. Toro y Moi son!” These jams are Bachelor Pad Aphrodisiac, featuring slinky, danceable grooves and blistering basslines. His follow-up EP Freaking Out is equally enjoyable. Buy them both, and chill.

19 Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Fat Possum

One of my favorite aspects of music in 2011 is the exciting marriage of indie rock to Funk/Soul/R&B. Ruban Nielson’s one-man project under the UMO moniker was one of my most frequent listens of the year. Incredibly catchy and fun weirdo Psych-Funk featuring straightforward, raw drum grooves reminiscent of later-period Beatles Ringo Starr, funky bass breakdowns, strange vocals and well-written, highly dancable tunes. This record emits a heavy analog haze of pot smoke and tape hiss. Go take a stroll around the city with this on your headphones. Seriously . I’ll wait until you get back.

18 Harbors

All Tiny Creatures

Hometapes

It’s rare to hear “Prog,” “fun” and “upbeat” as descriptors for the same record, but All Tiny Creatures pull it off with this positive, Post-ish Proggy-Pop album that invokes the spirit of the 80s synth-driven incarnations of The Who & Rush. ATC is the brainchild of Thomas Wincek, a member of the Collections of Colonies of Bees/Volcano Choir/Bon Iver/Megafaun collective of exciting, adventurous musicians exploding out of the Midwest. Many of these musicians, including indie-Starchild Justin Vernon, contribute. Highly recommended for the prog/post/instrumental/experimental contingent, as are previous records from Collections of Colonies of Bees and Volcano Choir.

17 We Are The Champions

Jeff the Brotherhood

Infinity Cat Recordings

JEFF the Brotherhood is another hook-heavy, melodic psych-rock outfit with 90s DIY influences, whose We Are The Champions is top-of-the-heap, fuzzed out, Sabbath-leaning (in its best moments) stoner rock that goes good with weed smoked through a beer can. Not much else needs to be said here.

16 Strange Mercy

St. Vincent

Annie Clark’s 2011 release Strange Mercy reveals an artist at the top of her game. I was blown away by her debut, liked-but-didn’t-love her sophomore release, but this record has it all: it’s both melodic and angular, inviting and isolated, a display of Clark’s role as righteous guitar shredder, warm, chilly, and weird. Hey, prog dorks who’ve actually managed to land girlfriends – this may be your happy medium with that special someone who has tired of hearing your diatribes about Robert Fripp’s cascading, superfluous guitar theatrics ad nauseum. And to all of you indie hipster shmoes holding a candle to the quirky cuteness of Zooey Deschanel–your dumb annoying crush is so five minutes ago. Le sigh…

15 House of Balloons / Thursday / Echoes of Silence

The Weeknd

Free Mixtapes

Probably the most shining example of the 2011 marriage of Indie and R&B (is this R&B’s answer to the Alt-Country scene?), Abel Tesfaye and producers Doc McKinney, Illangelo and Zodiac create a dark, almost-Goth version of R&B records, going beyond surface-level sexual innuendo and delving into a much darker, carnal dungeon of substance abuse and debauchery while still maintaining mainstream sounds. Had these mixtapes been albums released on a big label, House of Balloons’ “Wicked Games” may have been the biggest selling and charting single of 2011. And what cover song better suits Weeknd’s style than Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana”? I hope this trend of flipping off the Mega-Ultra-Gi-Huge-ic Three-Headed Conglomerate and reclaiming music for the people continues. Who could have guessed that Toronto (also home to Drake) would host the true resurrection of smooth R&B?

P.S. This record gets the My Good Lady Wife’s #1 Release of 2011 Award.

14 Let England Shake

PJ Harvey

Vagrant Records

Hearing music that could be attributed to Man Man in the opening bars of “Let England Shake” was definitely an indicator that Miss Polly Jean had once again strayed pretty far from the farm, with stunning results. Naturally, after focusing on the piano on her previous album , Harvey would choose autoharp for her followup, right? So, a concept album largely about England’s disastrous battle of Gallipoli in World War I set to autoharp-driven music, playfully referencing songs like “Istanbul (Not Constantinople),” “Summertime Blues” and the “Regimental March” bugle call. I know what you’re thinking, and Ian Anderson is nowhere to be found here. Nor is Rick Wakeman available to produce it on ice. Instead of overblown and ridiculous, Harvey and her usual cohorts send up a haunting, blunt portrait of political violence. Leave it to PJ Harvey to put out the best anti-war record in the past 30-odd years. Also, count the rash of strong female artists producing prog-tinged records another pleasant surprise of 2011.

13 Smoke Ring For My Halo

Kurt Vile

Matador

Local boy done good! Local boy done good! OK, OK, I swear there’s no bias here, despite the excitement that much of Philadelphia is feeling that this shining talent is being recognized far beyond our borders since signing with Matador and becoming “a puppet for the man.” Both Vile’s wonderful acoustic fingerstyle playing and his hard Violators edge break through on this record, but the former dominates, often through a sheen of more modern sounds that push Vile’s sound forward instead of steeping it in the past. His stoned vocal delivery is enough to put anyone into a state of Zen, and clearly illustrates how he and War On Drugs’ Adam Granduciel got together in the first place. The pastoral, sun-drenched “On Tour” followed by the anthemic “Society Is My Friend” is a fine example of this record’s reach; Smoke Ring For My Halo is truly a culmination of all the excellent Kurt Vile releases that preceded it.

12 Relax

Das Racist

Self-Released

“I’M FUCKING GREAT AT RAAAPPING!” This much is true Heems. Das Racist tore Hip Hop two new assholes last year with mixtapes Shut Up Dude and Sit Down Man, and did not disappoint in 2011 with their first “official” release. Some people have slapped that useless, empty “hipster” label on Heems, Kool A.D. and Dap, criticizing them for apparently being too intelligent, but those people don’t know much about anything. If all you want to hear in Hip Hop is “I’m so rich; let me explain how rich exactly” or “I’m the best, everyone else is not, etc.” then by all means, avoid Das Racist. For brilliantly satirical insights about race, fame and popular music in America; rhymes that flow but are equally enjoyable read with a reference guide; and ridiculous, infectious beats; listen no further. Their Merry-Pranksta Rap (I need to trademark that shit) walks a thrillingly fine line, as some would consider songs like “Girl” and “Booty In The Air” jokes, solely poking fun at dance music, if they weren’t such good dance songs. Add a comic hypeman who operates behind the scenes as Das Racist’s spiritual and political advisor, and you have sealed the deal.

11 Horse Heaven

Creepoid

ian records

While listening to Philly upstart Creepoid’s Yellow Life Giver EP last year, I found myself digging the record but wanting something more. When I heard them live for the first time, I received it, and couldn’t get enough. And when they emerged from the studio with producer Kyle “Slick” Johnson and their debut LP Horse Heaven, the earth moved. All the essential elements collided, and the sound was that of a psych-rock-freak-folk juggernaut, relaxed yet kinetic, both the unstoppable force and the immovable object, poised to destroy any walls attempting to harness it. Their songs are skillful in their seduction but not afraid to clobber you in the head when going in for the kill. I’d love to hear more of the poppier tunage of The G, an earlier project featuring most of the Creeps, seep into future work, but either way, my guess is that Creepoid has been fed after midnight and will soon spread to infect the rest of an unsuspecting populace. Be ready.

10 Let It Beard

Boston Spaceships

GBV Inc

After the heartbreaking disbanding of Guided By Voices (who will NEVER reunite unfortunately), many wondered if Bob Almighty’s solo output would ever again retain the focus it did under the GBV moniker. After his first proper post-GBV release, the excellent From A Compound Eye, his projects steadily declined in quality (for me anyway). But while many rallied around his Boston Spaceships band as a true return to form, I just couldn’t feel it. With Let It Beard, I finally heard the light. In true classic rock form, this double LP is the perfect interweaving of all the best elements of GBV (catchiness, perfectly crafted rock anthems seemingly pulled right out of the air, both the lo-fi hissy nuggets and the polished latter-day productions), along with assorted snippets of Circus Devil weirdness, proggyness of the Pollard/Tobias collaborations, and the gentle pluck of an elder statesman occasionally taking it easy and kicking a back porch vibe. As I’m sure Tom Scharpling would agree, Boston Spaceships have earned their beards on this record. “Let it beard. And get all weird.”

9 W H O K I L L

tUnE-yArDs

Not gonna lie here, it took me a few listens to get past the some of the vocals on W H O K I L L, but the African polyrhythms yelled at me to persevere, and now I listen to this record and can’t imagine having ever been turned off by it. It’s filled with Merrill Garbus’ quirky yet sonically soaring vocals, rich rhythms and lo-fi-via-studio arrangements, plus the welcome addition of Nate Brenner’s rubber band basslines. There isn’t much else that sounds like this. Each listen introduces you to something new, and the marriage of complexity and fun is infectious.

8 Slave Ambient

The War On Drugs

I recently got to listen to this record on a road trip, which is really the way to go. As if “Americana” wasn’t expected to be frozen in a certain era, of Guthrie’s dust bowl and the subsequent Dylan-led revival, as if it was able to move with time and technology but still keep its core. Slave Ambient is also wonderful accompaniment while surveying our fair city, especially the scrap yards. On songs like “Come to the City,” listen as the bass line and drumbeat echo the voices trapped in the abandoned factories. The ramblin’ spirit of early Dylan and the sonic space-under-water exploratory spirit of Pink Floyd mesh in an increasingly unique way through War On Drugs’ work. Who knows what’s next? I can’t wait to find out.

7 Civilian

Wye Oak

Merge

Wye Oak, the Baltimore duo of sultry-voiced Jenn Wasner and is-he-drumming-AND-playing-organ? wunderkind Andy Stack, play songs full of dark, reflective and moody songs that build towards cathartic release. Much like Family Band’s 2010 release Miller Path, Civilian is music to cross the wasteland to. The AMC trailer creators sensed this when they featured the album’s titular track in their The Walking Dead second season sneak preview, and I’ll be damned if I don’t project to some migratory post-apocalyptic fantasy whenever I listen to it now. But this record has quite a few songs that paint such a picture, and I’m pretty sure Civilian would have conjured these daydreams regardless of the trailer. Wasner’s song craft has matured over the past couple years, and her gift of making haunting dirges out of any guitar part she plays is remarkable.

P.S. If you are not watching The Walking Dead, then what the hell is wrong with you? Get on that for Christ’s sake.

P.P.S. Wye Oak also get my Best Cover of 2011 award for their A.V. Club rendition of Danzig’s “Mother”:

Wye Oak covers Danzig

6 Ex Military

Death Grips

Mixtape

AAAAAARRRRRGGGHHHHHH! AGGRESSIVE RECORD OF 2011! When you open your mixtape with the insane ranting of Charles Manson, your ass is on the line to deliver, and Death Grips does so with the rawest mixtape of the year. Out of nowhere samples from Black Flag, Link Wray, Bowie, Syd-Barrett-freakout Pink Floyd, early Beastie Boys and (Holy Shit) The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, paired with the screaming-in-your-face, PCP-riddled delivery of MC Ride, Exmilitary is a shipment of old, damp dynamite, and it feels like you could get your hand blown off at any moment for fucking with it. If you injected Death Grips with a full political agenda to go with its already Public Enemy fury, the streets of America would be smoldering within weeks. And now…

5 Wit’s End

Cass McCombs

Domino Recording

…for something completely different. WARNING TO LISTENERS: Please do not listen to this record if you are suffering severe bouts of depression or are operating heavy machinery. Wit’s End is a warm blanket wrapped around a NyQuil-induced calm. But Cass McCombs works so deftly within it, crafting gorgeous sad-bastard pop songs, that you can’t close your eyes and let the record’s atmosphere knock you out cold. Finally, a Nilsson for MY generation! Best listened to whilst looking out a window at a gently falling rain. Worst listened to after a heartwrenching breakup. Seriously, don’t do that. Just give me a call, we’ll talk shit on her and go see a comedy. It’ll be fine. Stay away from the McCombs.

4 The Golden Age of Apocalypse

Thundercat

Brainfeeder

In a year full of sweet, funky, nimble bass grooves, none brought it more furiously than Stephen “Thundercat” Bruner, a GIANT in the realm of bass. Having spent most of his career playing for the likes of Erykah Badu, Suicidal Tendencies, Snoop Dogg, Bootsy Collins, and myriad others, he’s recently come into focus for lending his supreme chops and vocal talents to last year’s Flying Lotus masterpiece Cosmogramma, and he dropped The Golden Age of Apocalypse to acclaim this year. Oh, and he’s only 25. Jesus. For those of you who got way into Fusion through Miles Davis, the Weather Report, Return To Forever, et al., it’s your lucky day, because ol’ Thundercat has rescued the genre from the depths of its Kenny G dungeon and brought it up to date with the help of Flying Lotus’ production. Evoking the best elements of albums like Marvin Gaye’s I Want You and Mile Davis’ In A Silent Way, tGAoA is the kind of exciting artist debut that reveals more with each listen, and leaves musician-dorks like myself begging for followup after followup.

3 Apocalypse

Bill Callahan

Click here for The Best of The Year of the Rabbit, #50-26.

I was introduced to Callahan’s work by I Wish I Were An Eagle, his 2009 sparse, song-forged monolith of humanity’s cloying life questions. I loved it more with each listen, and it gradually rose to the tippy-top my favorite records list for that year. His followup is just as engaging and inquisitive, leaving behind the meticulously structured musical arrangements of its predecessor for looser, improvisational grooves and vamps which give this album more of a Tales of the American Road vibe, effectively rolling back the wave of Manifest Destiny to examine the American in its wake. Callahan has stated his meaning of the word “apocalypse” in the context of a revelatory awakening, which certainly comes across on this record. He is both critical of and empathetic toward this “wild, wild country / It takes a strong, strong / It breaks a strong, strong mind.”

2 New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges

Colin Stetson

Constellation

Seriously, there is more than one experimental saxophone record out this year? Stetson builds an epic Apocalyptic Fever Dream out of saxophone sounds, both played and incidentally created, circular breathing and the spoken word contributions of Laurie Anderson. When one hears about this record and how it was built, he or she cannot accurately imagine what it will actually sound like. Stetson’s interweaving and looping of sax playing, popping and striking creates the myth of some other captivating world, and Anderson’s apocalyptic poetry on tracks like “A dream of water” and “Fear of the unknown and The Blazing Sun” is chilling, adding a voice to the feelings and fears projected throughout Stetson’s layers of mirth. I sat slackjawed listening to this record, and it continues to block all else out and amaze me with each subsequent listen. The most thrilling and intriguing album of 2011 by far.

1 The Stepkids

Stones Throw Records

As usual, my Number One slot was ever-changing, as it will be after I post this list. But this album, more than any other, best captures the music I was into this year: Funky analog Soul grooves peppered with psychedelics and featuring accomplished musicianship. Also, fun. There’s a Zappaesque vibe to a lot of the vocals that adds the weird fun vibe that always pulls me in for the kill. I’m also of the mind that all current Soul music recorded with “analog” sounds and that sweet style that was born in the 60s does not deserve this “retro” label that so many attach to it. Yes, there are some artists that try to put it on like a flashy coat, using the style in an empty or gimmicky fashion (Raphael Saadiq comes to mind), but the fact is this style, slow-cooked to perfection by the likes of the Funk Brothers, Booker T & The MGs and the Memphis Horns, will always be a valid genre because of how earth-shatteringly good it is. Why feel the need to distance yourself from it because somebody didn’t come up with it on a laptop last week? Sure, add to it, mix it up, make endless permutations, but don’t abandon that incredible core. The Stepkids isn’t a perfect record, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s fun, it grooves, it has room for growth and improvement and the musicians that can rise to the task. I hope to hear a lot more from these guys in the very near future.

The Year of the Rabbit: Things What I Liked in 2011, 50-26

Arod McFoolish — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 18:35:39 +0000

Check out Fishtonian.com’s Spotify Playlist for The Best in The Year of the Rabbit.

50 Empros

Russian Circles

Sargent House

Instrumental outfit Russian Circles does a bang-up job conjuring an amalgam of epic sludge metal, post rock pacing and meticulous Prog arrangements in the fiery cauldron of doom known as Empros. Truly worthy of scoring a fierce Dungeons & Dragons campaign.

49 Conatus

Zola Jesus

Sacred Bones Records

In the past few years, there has been a grand resurgence of material with which I can soundtrack the oncoming Zombie Apocalypse that lives in my head. But nobody nails it quite like Zola Jesus. Nika Roza Danilova’s opera background informs the dark drama of her gothic, sullen anthems. A lateral move from 2010‘s top-of-the-heap EP. Good Goth for non-Goths, or perhaps just fans of Near Dark.

48 Eye Contact

Gang Gang Dance

When earth-bound people like myself have fun little daydreams about blasting off into space and floating around and eating space ice cream and being invited to dance parties with aliens and such, this is our soundtrack. “Hey, friendly pulsar! Excuse me Andromeda, coming through! This is awesome! Make me another space Mai Tai Gleep Glop!” What can I say? Gang Gang Dance is my Gleep Glop in an otherwise dreary terrestrial existence. Go take a rocket ride, Eye Contact-style.

47 The Wanting

Glenn Jones

Thrill Jockey

In the wake of acoustic fingerstyle guitar “Takoma School” god John Fahey, there is his young-apprentice-turned elder-master Glenn Jones. I’ve been a huge fan since Jones’ Cul de Sac days (check out China Gate for a very different surfy-post-space rock side of his earlier work), and when he went on to experiment with Fahey, guitar megadorks like myself listened all wide-eyed as they journeyed together, each teachng the other. Now, with The Wanting, Jones offers the kind of mesmerizing acoustic guitar and banjo work that can only come with embracing the instrument for close to 45 years. With the passing of Fahey, and more recently Jack Rose and Bert Jansch, it’s comforting to know someone like Glenn Jones has taken up the reigns and is riding adventurously forward.

46 Portamento

The Drums

Frenchkiss Records

I’ll be damned if this record doesn’t contain some of the catchiest tunes of 2011. The straight-ahead rhythm, synth flourishes and super-fun theremin riffs on this record lend themselves to lead singer Jonathan Pierce’s high, whiney vocals, delivering them from probably-unbearable to perfect accompaniment. The Drums are poppy earworms personified, and their sophomore LP contains twice the sugary joneses of its predecessor. In fact, the only song that can compete with the addictiveness of “Money” is probably…

45 The Double Cross

Sloan

Yep Roc

…”Unkind” from Sloan. These Canadian power-pop bruisers have been slugging it out for 20 years, and are still releasing gems. This record quenches the thirst of all those still foot-stomping to Big Star and early Cheap Trick. In my fantasy world, this is the record playing during last call at every bar in the country, whilst we all drink beers and fist pump. No wait, that’s Guided By Voices. Well, it’s up there on that list.

44 The Pl3dge

Killer Mike

SMC Recordings

The Pl3dge shouts to light the political/societal grievances of the “99%” that so many other Hip Hop artists are ignoring in favor of languishing in the “misery” of immense wealth. In doing so, he brings the Public Enemy vibe for 2011 while still maintaining playfulness and cockswagger by letting the great Ric Flair handle his boasting.

43 Magic Place

Julianna Barwick

Asthmatic Kitty

When I discovered Julianna Barwick through the Free Music Archive’s Live Dublab “Sprout Session” (P.S. PLEASE check out the FMA’s treasure trove of free content), I was floored by the angelic otherwonder that filled my head. “Angelic” is a tired and overused adjective, but it applies to her music like no other word can. This record sounds like heaven caught on strange looping recording cylinders. Her introduction of instruments other than her own voice is sparing and not at all overpowering. Music to fall from a tall building in slow motion to.

42 Badlands

Dirty Beaches

Zoo Music

Startling, jarring and haunted by dead greasers. “A Hundred Highways” is Little Peggy March’s “I Will Follow Him” hollowed out and reused in a rust sculpture, slowly enveloped by madness. A primordial Cramps vibe filtered through early Aerial Pink production, the record descends into horror by its closing, invoking the macabre playing on the tape recorder they lowered into the pit in House Of 1000 Corpses. Dirtysexycool.

41 No Time For Dreaming

Charles Bradley

Daptone Records

Another home run for the always-outta-sight-dyn-O-mite label Daptone Records, Charles Bradley and the stellar Menahan Street Band deliver with a record that should NOT be lumped in with other “retro R&B”-labeled stuff. Daptone is working hard to remind everyone that the sounds and recording methods of the past aren’t just a throwback campaign but a way of life, a circuit running straight to The One. Bradley’s strained, soulful yawp takes over, reminding all who listen of the rough soul that once ruled the airwaves. The recent rerelease also contains covers of Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold” and Nirvana’s “Stay Away” that are not to be missed. Hardcore musicians/music nuts make sure to check out the instrumental release as well.

40 You Are All I See

Active Child

Vagrant Records

White-boy indie R&B that strangely delivers. This year heard quite a few indie acts indulging in the swerve that is sultry-smooth R&B, and this record often walks a fine line but ultimately pulls it off while adding Tangerine-Dreamy landscapes to the mix. (PBR&B indeed.) Standout track “Playing House,” recorded with fellow pale R&B enthusiast How To Dress Well, is hot as fuck, and may be the Between-The-Sheets-Freak Jawn of 2011.

39 Bon Iver

Jagjaguwar

Now here’s a guy… talk about setting critics against each other with bubbling frenzy over the “Ironic?” argument, among other things. While just about anybody who digs acoustic music and melancholy found his debut LP (sickly… cabin… yadda yadda yadda…) magnificent (including myself), Justin Vernon has surprised many with the eclectic path he has wandered since. His interesting work with Volcano Choir, “Guilty Pleasure”-embracing GAYNGS, and of course the Yeezy excursion, is a long way from For Emma. And as much as I loved that record, I’m thrilled it is. It’s great to listen to an artist dive into so many sounds like an excited kid. But while I originally found the new record brilliant, the luster has worn with repeated listens. Largely indecipherable lyrics (Shake and bake and stick with her?) and dated guitar effects take away from an otherwise lovely collection of tone poem feels. “Beth/Rest,” the most divisive song on the LP, attempts to elevate the 80s “Adult Contemporary” sound to high art but falls rather short. Vernon’s on his way to finding something very special, but he’s not quite there yet.

38 Return Of 4Eva

Big K.R.I.T.

Free Mixtape

Return Of 4Eva hails to the musical Hip Hop that made me fall in love in the first place. Not what I expected from the MC who dropped “Country Shit” last year. Laid back beats and rhymes that make me yearn for barbecues. Easily the most spins out of all the Hip Hop I dug on this year. And it’s FREE people. Check it out.

37 Instrumental Mixtape

Clams Casino

Free Mixtape

This ridiculous producer’s mixtape of previously used beats seems to glide along a glacier, emitting uncharacteristically tranquil energy. It becomes hard to imagine MCs rapping over these soundscapes while you become caught up in their hissing loops. Definitely evocative of DJ Shadow’s Entroducing. I hope this Jersey boy continues to put out work as his own in addition to laying tracks down for the likes of Lil B and Main Attrakionz.

36 Wounded Rhymes

Lykke Li

Atlantic

This Swedish chanteuse has taken all of the obvious 60s-Phil-Spector-Girl-Group sounds that have become so retro-chic these days and used them to put forth a solid record. Did she lay the twisted groundwork for Lana Del Ray? Perhaps, but she owns it, and when critics deride her broken English lines like “Like a shotgun needs an outcome” it’s the same as shitting on “You can syndicate any boat you row.” The album is a bit too dependent on that 60s formula, but near the end she crawls out from under that blanket on “I Know Places,” hopefully giving us a peek at where she’s headed.

35 Kaputt

Destroyer

Merge

Being a huge New Pornographers fan, I have tried several times to get into Dan Bejar’s Destroyer to no avail, perhaps for the same reason I don’t care for the Mountain Goats: I’m not reading a book, and I’m not the suave epitome of literary sophistication. But Kaputt makes me feel like I’m the most sophisticated motherfucker in the room (word). Destroyer took the rusty Adult Contemporary tools Vernon & Co. left lying around after the Bon Iver sessions, polished them to a glowing sheen and meticulously chiseled Kaputt. And when Bejar lays down his enigmatic, SNL-era-Robert-Downey-Jr. lyrics, it’s like you’re lost in one of Patrick Bateman’s fever dreams.

34 Hot Sauce Committee Part 2

Beastie Boys

Capitol Records

It amazes me that these wiseasses have managed to age like a fine wine (Brass Monkey 1987 was a very good year). And on top of that, they bring youthful twentysomething swagger to this disc, along with irresistibly funky dance beats and even the rocking, fuzz-bass-heavy instrumentation that came in with Check Your Head. All I can think about when I hear this record is cardboard thrown down on a hot summer day and challenges being served. Speaking of which, the short film that Adam Yauch directed and released to coincide with this release, featuring a sequel to the events of “Fight For Your Right,” is perhaps the greatest thing I’ve ever seen. If you don’t watch it, I will dance battle you.

33 Rolling Blackouts

The Go! Team

Memphis Industries

One day I was wondering aloud, “What happened to The Go! Team? I miss those guys.” And sure enough they heard me, and put out a record in my honor. At least that’s what it sounds like. Nothing but joyous, cheerleading beats and horns at the pep rally of my life. Great guest spots too, and very fitting (especially Beth Constantino on album standout “Buy Nothing Day” and Deerhoof’s Satomi Matsuzaki on “Secretary Song”). If this record doesn’t make you feel good, congratulations; you’re dead inside.

32 For The Glory

Nacho Picasso

Free Release

Nice, way-laid-back rap grooves like your Nana likes. This very generous, double-album length mixtape features half rap record and half instrumental versions that in no way disappoint on their own. Also winner of my own coveted Best Album Cover of 2011 and Best Artist Name of 2011 awards, For The Glory was co-produced by Raised by Wolves and Blue Sky Black Death, a production duo whose 2011 release Noir was equally impressive with its spacious, extra-terrestrial, M83-ish beats (and Stand By Me sampling).

31 Shangri-La

Yacht

DFA

A dance record for the end of the world, in true DFA fashion, much more so than that Britney Spears track my Good Ladywife keeps spinning. Also, a positive record about kooky dance-punkers starting a new world. For someone who got into LCD Soundsystem too depressingly late, records like these are a sigh of relief. And like LCD’s ultimate This Is Happening, contains a lot of sounds that remind me of the Revenge of the Nerds soundtrack, which is always a good thing. These guys also make me want Oingo Boingo back. Not sure I know what this means. Dance!

30 James Blake

Universal Republic

Critics batted many opinions back and forth about this young James Blake character and “OH! What’s to be done with this Jimmy Blake and his bleeps and bloops!” and so on. It seems to me the general consensus is scorn from many “Dub” lovers who feel he’s applying an open mic singer stench to the genre. However, as someone who has been exposed to very little Dub, I fell in love with the record’s glitchy mantras, and especially with Blake’s minimal lyrics as they were processed and looped, through equally sparse sound collages, to expose the raw emotional nerve of their subjects and moods. Blake made mostly electronic, instrumental music before this record, and said his apprehension and inexperience in lyric writing led him to these minimalist phrases, which shine as this album’s strength. When considered along with the rest of his catalogue, Blake’s adventurous experimentation (much like Bon Iver’s) becomes more obvious, and I hope to see him branch off into 1000 different directions as time unfolds.

29 Mikal Cronin

Trouble in Mind Records

Acoustic strumming (especially the 12-string lines), along with charming harmonies, Leiber-and-Stoller drum hits make this a garbled, psyched out, modern Everly Brothers record. Also, props for throwing saxophones and Jethro Tulling flutes into this lo-fi pop-punk affair. Winner of the “Where Did THIS Guy Come From?” award for 2011, it turns out he’s friend and sometimes-bandmate of fellow garage-punker breakout Ty Segall. And while I really dug Segall’s Goodbye Bread, I was far more impressed by Cronin’s artfully crafted tunes. The best of the basement jams, or music to be 16 to, or for cronies like myself, music to remember being 16 to.

28 Several Shades of Why

J Mascis

Sub Pop Records

2011 turned out to be the year J Mascis finally nailed folk, and with the assistance of local-boy-done-good Kurt Vile to boot! That golden ol’ alternative spirit lives and breathes in these songs, like a much older, road-weary Jordan Catalano reflecting on all those Frozen Embryos. And despite the folky feel and all-acoustic output (transporting me to recording bedroom tunes into a busted karaoke machine at 16), Mascis sets aside time to actually shred on his steel-string. Seeing him live this year in support of the album at World Cafe was a highlight of a year that also bore TWO(!) Original Lineup GBV shows in Philly. To see the man slam a stompbox and acoustic-Maggotbrain a roomful of innocents in person was jaw-dropping.

27 Parallax

Atlas Sound

Click here for The Best of The Year of the Rabbit, #25-1.

I’m a late arriver to the indie darling that is Atlas Sound/Deerhunter. Hearing all the hype surrounding Bradford Cox, I was leery of tuning in for fear I’d be frustrated yet again by those hipper-than-hip tastemakersandbreakers (I’m still struggling with the “What are those hep cats sayin’?” bubble surrounding Animal Collective). But when I gave in and checked out both Deerhunter’s Halcyon Digest and Atlas Sound’s treasure chest free release of Bedroom Databank, Vols. 1-4 last year, I was comforted by the fact that sometimes a band is popular simply because the music is that good. Cox has embraced his gift for writing lovely pop songs, and is prolific in output and scattershot in influences as Robert Pollard. But while Pollard’s proggy influences come out more rock-heavy, Cox transmits Pink Floyd’s post-Syd, pre-Dark Side mellow haze. Hey, give an awkward skinny dude a guitar and a tape recorder and lock him in his bedroom. Then wait for the goods.

26 Black Up

Shabazz Palaces

Sub Pop Records

Bleep-Bloop Hip Hop has found its voice in Seattle, from an alumnus of the un-fucking-believable Digable Planets no less. And Ishmael “Butterfly” Butler manages to make futuristic robot beats jazzy. There’s a reason critics are fawning all over this record; it takes the futuristic reigns that have flowed throughout Hip Hop since Afrika Bambaataa injected Kraftwerk into breakbeats, brushes away the glitter of busier artists like Janelle Monae to reveal a sleek and curvaceous monolith, emitting sonics from a Solar Babies dystopia, that is if Solar Babies was 1000 times cooler than Jason Patric and Lucas Haas could ever hope to make it.

The Year of the Tiger: Things What I Liked in 2010

Arod McFoolish — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 18:48:36 +0000

50 Pickin’ Up The Pieces

Fitz & the Tantrums

Dangerbird Records

49 Fields

Junip

48 Dark Night Of The Soul

Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse

Capitol Records

47 How I Got Over

The Roots

Def Jam Recordings

46 Le Noise

Neil Young

Reprise

45 Disconnect From Desire

School of Seven Bells

Vagrant Records

44 12 Step Program

Panacea

Neosonic

43 Stars Have Shapes

Exploding Star Orchestra

Delmark Records

42 Book of Angels: Ipos Vol. 14

The Dreamers

Tzadik

41 Head First

Goldfrapp

40 All Day

Girl Talk

Illegal Art

39 Miller Path

Family Band

Unsigned

38 7AM

Teengirl Fantasy

True Panther Sounds

37 Travellers in Space and Time

The Apples in Stereo

Yep Roc

36 Mimicking Birds

Glacial Pace Recordings

35 Have One On Me

Joanna Newsom

34 My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky

Swans

Young God Records

33 Forget the Mantra

Nightlands

32 Pigeons

Here We Go Magic

31 Crystal Castles (II)

Crystal Castles

Motown

30 In Tension (EP)

Light Asylum

Self-Released

29 Future Weather

The War on Drugs

Olde English Spelling Bee

28 Four More Years

Teen Daze

Arcade Sound Ltd.

27 She Was Coloured In

Solar Bears

Planet Mu Records

26 I Learned the Hard Way

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

Daptone Records

25 American Gong

Quasi

Kill Rock Stars

24 Mare

Julian Lynch

23 You Never Did Anything Wrong To Me (EP)

Team Ghost

Sonic Cathedral

22 Warp Riders

The Sword

Kemado Records

21 Maniac Meat

TOBACCO

Anticon

20 Grinderman II

Grinderman

ANTI-/Epitaph

19 Halcyon Digest

Deerhunter

18 Blurry Blue Mountain

Giant Sand

Fire Records

17 Broken Dreams Club (EP)

Girls

True Panther Sounds

16 Astro Coast

Surfer Blood

Kanine Records

15 The Budos Band III

The Budos Band

Daptone Records

14 Clinging to a Scheme

The Radio Dept.

LABRADOR

13 Prophecy of the Black Widow

Umberto

Not Not Fun Records

12 The Suburbs

Arcade Fire

Merge

11 Crazy For You / Something In The Way (EP)

Best Coast

Mexican Summer

10 Cosmogramma

Flying Lotus

Warp

9 Shut Up Dude / Sit Down Man

Das Racist

Self-Released Mixtapes

8 Business Casual

Chromeo

Atlantic

7 Castle Talk / Singles (EP)

Screaming Females

Don Giovanni Records

6 Forgiveness Rock Record

Broken Social Scene

5 Sir Lucious Left Foot…The Son Of Chico Dusty

Big Boi

Def Jam Recordings

4 The ArchAndroid

Janelle Monae

Bad Boy/Wondaland

3 This Is Happening

LCD Soundsystem

Virgin

2 Relayted

Gayngs

Jagjaguwar

1 Before Today

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti

The Year of the Ox: Things What I Liked in 2009

Arod McFoolish — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 19:03:43 +0000

35 Beast Rest Forth Mouth

Bear in Heaven

Hometapes

34 …At The Moment Of Our Most Needing

Rock Plaza Central

Paper Bag Records

33 Beware

Bonnie “Prince” Billy

32 Tyvek

Siltbreeze

31 Run Rabbit Run

Sufjan Stevens, Osso

Asthmatic Kitty

30 Ode to the Inverse of the Dude

The High Strung

Park the Van

29 This I Will Remember

City Rain

Electronic Eel

28 The End of Things

Bachelorette

Particle Tracks

27 Wyllt

Black Math Horseman

Tee Pee Records

26 Merriweather Post Pavilion

Animal Collective

Domino Recording

25 Blood From A Stone

Hanne Hukkelberg

Nettwerk

24 Actor

St. Vincent

23 Veckatimest

Grizzly Bear

Warp

22 Bitte Orca

Dirty Projectors

Domino Recording

21 Crack The Skye

Mastodon

Reprise

20 xx

The xx

19 tPoBPaH/Higher Than the Stars EP

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Slumberland

18 Two Suns

Bat For Lashes

Astralwerks/Caroline

17 Fever Ray

16 Embryonic

The Flaming Lips

Warner Bros.

15 Monoliths & Dimensions

Sunn O)))

Southern Lord Recordings

14 The Happiness Project

Charles Spearin

13 My Maudlin Career

Camera Obscura

12 Invisible Cities

Nomo

Ubiquity

11 Album

Girls

True Panther Sounds

10 Noble Beast

Andrew Bird

Fat Possum

9 Years

8 Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Phoenix

Glassnote

7 Middle Cyclone

Neko Case

ANTI-/Epitaph

6 Ambivalence Avenue

Bibio

Warp

5 Childish Prodigy

Kurt Vile

Matador

4 Belly of the Lion

Ola Podrida

Western Vinyl

3 Timber Timbre

2 Floating Action

Park the Van

1 I Wish We Were an Eagle

Bill Callahan