The Top 50 Albums of 2011

The year 2011 did not set any new standards in music. It wasnot 2010. The top 3 albums from last year are easily better than anything fromthis year. But in many ways it was a year of new beginnings, as many newtalented artists released surprising debuts (James Blake, Katy B, Youth Lagoon,Cults, Washed Out) and seasoned artists pushed their music in new directions (M83,Beirut, Radiohead, Mates of State, Destroyer, Danielson).

This was the Year of Electronic Music. The seeds that weresown in 2010 bore fruit in 2011. James Blake is perhaps most symbolic of this trajectory,but the influence of electronic music can be seen everywhere. The rise ofdubstep as a legitimate and serious mode of pop music is perhaps the mostexciting development.

My pick for the most surprising album goes to Mates of Statefor Mountaintops. I’ve long been ahuge fan of their music, but the last few albums have been lackluster comparedto their earlier work. The new album does not retread old ground, but it bringsback a lot of the old magic. It is one of their best albums ever. My pick forthe biggest disappointment is an easy one: TV on the Radio, Nine Types of Light. After the stunningachievement of Dear Science, Iexpected something truly magnificent and groundbreaking for their follow-upeffort. Unfortunately, it is their least engaging and most uninspired product. Nodoubt the loss of bassist Gerard Smith on April 20 due to lung cancer was ahuge blow to the band. I can only hope that they are able to recover soon and fulfillthe promise of their earlier albums.

What follows are my top 50 albums of the year. Only the top 25are ordered in a way that I feel more or less confident about; the bottom halfare open to (nearly daily) revision.

1. M83, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

Each year seems to have at least one album that expands thedefinition of “epic.” In 2011, that album was the stunning two-disc work byAnthony Gonzalez.

2. Bon Iver, Bon Iver

Overrated? Hardly. But even if it is, it’s for good reason.Justin Vernon’s sophomore album does much more than merely assuage those worriedthat his debut might have been a lucky accident born out of an unrepeatablerevelatory experience in the Wisconsin woods. And if I hear one more complaintabout the cheesiness of the last song, I might lose it.

3. The Antlers, Burst Apart

The Antlers had a tough act to follow after their beloved Hospice, but this is, I think, thesuperior album. It might be the album I listened to most in 2011, and it willprobably be the one that has the longest listening life.

4. James Blake, James Blake

Blake came on the scene in a big way with three magnificentEPs in 2010. His self-titled debut brought his singular (post-)dubstep visioninto full focus. Of all the albums from this year, this one still strikes me asthe most artistically impressive.

5. Katy B, On a Mission

Katy B was for 2011 what Robyn was for 2010: a supremelytalented female artist producing club-ready music without the mainstreamrecognition that each deserve. Kathleen Brien was indeed on a mission this year,and it paid off beautifully.

6. Handsome Furs, Sound Kapital

The husband-and-wife duo of Dan Boeckner (of Wolf Paradefame) and Alexei Perry fulfilled their promise with their third album, Sound Kapital. This album did for mewhat Sleigh Bells did last year: it gave me total sonic bliss. It was as if someonehad extracted the magical kernel within Apologiesto the Queen Mary and dressed it within the garb of electronic indie pop.It was love at first listen.

7. Youth Lagoon, The Year of Hibernation

The debut album by Youth Lagoon, the stage name of TrevorPowers, was perhaps the biggest and most pleasant surprise of the year. His catchy,atmospheric, dreamy, shoegazy sonic concoction delivers some of the year’sbiggest musical thrills.

8. The Field, Looping State of Mind

Swedish minimalist techno artist, Axel Willner, doing whathe does best. His third album is his best yet.

9. Dominik Eulberg, Diorama

I want to live inside the landscapes of this album. It’s nosurprise that the German musical artist occasionally works as a park ranger. IfI had to pick a soundtrack for the year, it would be Diorama.

10. Cults, Cults

The Cults debut album—self-released in June—is just aboutthe perfect summer pop album. Its effortless blend of post-punk, power pop, andshoegaze makes me happy every time.

11. Beirut, The RipTide

12. Washed Out, Withinand Without

13. SBTRKT, SBTRKT

14. Arrange, Plantation

15. Cut Copy, Zonoscope

16. Lykke Li, WoundedRhymes

17. Fleet Foxes, HelplessnessBlues

18. Radiohead, King ofLimbs

19. Mates of State, Mountaintops

20. Gang Gang Dance, EyeContact

21. Destroyer, Kaputt

22. Girls, Father,Son, Holy Ghost

23. Thundercat, TheGolden Age of Apocalypse

24. Tim Hecker, Ravedeath,1972

25. Wild Beasts, Smother

26. Danielson, TheBest of Gloucester Country

27. The Horrors, Skying

28. Marissa Nadler, MarissaNadler

29. Richard Buckner, OurBlood

30. WU LYF, Go TellFire to the Mountain

31. AraabMuzik, ElectronicDream

32. John Maus,We Must Become the Pitiless Censors ofOurselves

33. Neon Indian, EraExtraña

34. Moonface, OrganMusic Not Vibraphone Like I’d Hoped

35. Nguzunguzu, ThePerfect Lullaby & Timesup EP

36. The War on Drugs, SlaveAmbient

37. Wilco, The WholeLove

38. Panda Bear, Tomboy

39. Real Estate, Days

40. Apparat, TheDevil’s Walk

41. Los Campesinos!, HelloSadness

42. Drake, Take Care

43. Beastie Boys, HotSauce Committee, Pt. 2

44. tUne-yArDs, WhoKill

45. Boom Bip, Zig Zaj

46. Iron & Wine, KissEach Other Clean

47. Shabazz Palaces, BlackUp

48. The Decemberists, TheKing Is Dead

49. Com Truise, GalacticMelt

50. Mountain Goats, All Eternals Deck