Top 25 Albums of 2011

It is impossible to not acknowledge the fact that 2010 was a much better year in music than 2011. My top five alone last year, not to mention the rest of my list, consists of records that I still found myself returning to throughout 2011. As I compiled my list for this year, I realized that either I was neglecting a lot of the new albums that came out, or maybe there just weren't that many that appealed to me. Every other year is usually an off year for music though, so perhaps 2011 was precisely that. Still, there were a bunch of albums I found myself coming back to over and over again this year, 25 of them to be exact:

25. The Cool Kids - When Fish Ride Bicycles --->DOWNLOAD

24. Ryan Adams – Ashes and Fire --->DOWNLOAD

23. Atlas Sound – Parallax --->DOWNLOAD

22. Radiohead - The King of Limbs --->DOWNLOAD

21. Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde --->DOWNLOAD

20. Cut Copy – Zonoscope --->DOWNLOAD

19. Wilco – The Whole Love --->DOWNLOAD

18. Real Estate – Days --->DOWNLOAD

17. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Mirror Traffic --->DOWNLOAD

16. Okkervil River - I Am Very Far --->DOWNLOAD

15. Bon Iver - Bon Iver --->DOWNLOAD

14. Beirut - The Rip Tide --->DOWNLOAD

13. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Belong --->DOWNLOAD

12. Handsome Furs - Sound Kapital --->DOWNLOAD

11. tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l --->DOWNLOAD

10. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming --->DOWNLOAD

09. Youth Lagoon - Year of Hibernation --->DOWNLOAD

08. The Antlers - Burst Apart --->DOWNLOAD

07. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost --->DOWNLOAD

06. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes --->DOWNLOAD

05. Eleanor Friedberger - Last Summer --->DOWNLOAD

04. Jay-Z and Kanye West - Watch The Throne --->DOWNLOAD

03. Yuck - Yuck --->DOWNLOAD

02. Wild Flag - Wild Flag --->DOWNLOAD

01. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy --->DOWNLOAD

Eric & Magill - Kick The Covers Vol. 1

Last October, Decibully's Ryan Weber and his former Camden bandmate, Eric Osterman, released All Those I Know, their debut album for Eric & Magill, the duo's new side project. Eric & Magill branched out from Decibully's straightforward indie rock sound with experimental recording techniques and a little help from Weber and Osterman's musical friends. Not only are Eric & Magill back to close out 2011 with a new video premiere and a remix, but their friends are back in the picture as well. This time around, Weber and Osterman decided to pay homage to the friends that so graciously contributed to their debut album by releasing Kick The Covers Vol. 1, an EP of them covering songs by their friends, specifically The Snake The Cross The Crown, Noon Duet, Via Tania, Faux Fir, and Shearwater. The covers are a great tribute to each original track, all while still holding true to Eric & Magill's aesthetic. They are masters at achieving an intricate to expansive sound, and despite the fact that these songs are not their original material, you would never be able to tell from how much of themselves they pour into each song. If you enjoyed All Those I Know, think of Kick The Covers Vol. 1 as a perfect Christmas present to close the year out on a great note.

DOWNLOAD: Eric & Magill - Kick The Covers Vol. 1
Recommended Tracks: "Maps," "Fields," "Whipping Boy."

Belated Fall Catch Up

Never go to grad school. Well, never go and expect to maintain your music blog simultaneously. Here are a few of my belated favorites from the fall.

Youth Lagoon - Year of Hibernation [Fat Possum] ---DOWNLOAD
Recommended tracks: "Posters," "Cannons," "Afternoon," "Daydream," "The Hunt."

The Drums - Portamento [Moshi Moshi] ---DOWNLOAD
Recommended tracks: "Book of Revelation," "Money," "Hard To Love," "Please Don't Leave."

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Mirror Traffic [Matador] ---DOWNLOAD
Recommended tracks: "Senator," "Stick Figures In Love," "Spazz," "Tune Grief," "Forever 28."

Wild Flag - Wild Flag [Merge] ---DOWNLOAD
Recommended tracks: "Romance," "Short Version," "Future Crimes," "Racehorse."

Wilco - The Whole Love [dBpm] ---DOWNLOAD
Recommended tracks: "I Might," "Dawned on Me," "Born Alone," "Standing O."

Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost [True Panther Sounds] ---DOWNLOAD
Recommended tracks: "Honey Bunny," "Alex," "Vomit," "Magic."

St. Vincent - Strange Mercy [4AD] ---DOWNLOAD
Recommended tracks: "Cruel," "Surgeon," "Northern Lights," "Champagne Year."

DJing at The Burlington Bar in Chicago on Aug. 16th!

The time has finally come. I, Annapocalypse, will be making my DJing debut at The Burlington Bar in Chicago this Tuesday, August 16th from 10pm to 2am. I'm going under the name DJ Annapocalypse (of course) and I'll be playing indie rock, oldies, and summer jams. If you live in or near Chicago, I better see your face at The Burlington on Tuesday. I will buy anyone a drink that comes up to me and mentions my blog. Okay, maybe not everyone, but at least a handful of people. Come hang out and watch me restrain myself from playing Watch The Throne on repeat for the entire time.

Summer Album Catch Up

Here are a few albums I've been digging this summer. They're just about perfect for the heatwave that is currently terrorizing Chicago and the rest of the country.

Chad VanGaalen - Diaper Island [Sub Pop] --->DOWNLOAD
One sentence review: One of the most underrated singer/songwriters, Calgary's Chad VanGaalen lets his folk side shine through on his oddly titled fourth album.
Recommended tracks: "Burning Photographs," "Heavy Stones," "Replace Me," "Freedom For A Policeman."

Vetiver - The Errant Charm [Sub Pop] --->DOWNLOAD
One sentence review: Vetiver hasn't changed their sound much since they released their debut seven years ago, but the wistful folk sound on their fifth album, The Errant Charm, prove that if it isn't broke, don't, well, you know the rest.
Recommended tracks: "Worse For Wear," "Can't You Tell," "Ride, Ride, Ride," "Faint Praise."

Beirut - The Rip Tide [Pompeii] --->DOWNLOAD
One sentence review: One of the most highly anticipated albums of the year, Zach Condon relies less on his world music influences and instead concentrates on making one of the best pop records you will hear all year long.
Recommended tracks: "Santa Fe," "East Harlem," "The Rip Tide," "Port of Call."

Washed Out - Within and Without [Sub Pop] --->DOWNLOAD
One sentence review: Whether you like it or not, chillwave doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon and Washed Out's synth-heavy new album serves as a pleasant reminder as to why it should continue to stick around--especially during the summer.
Recommended tracks: "Eyes Be Closed," "Amor Fati," "Soft," "Before."

The Cool Kids - When Fish Ride Bicycles [Green Label Sound] --->DOWNLOAD
One sentence review: When Fish Ride Bicycles may be a long time coming, but one listen is all it takes to show that The Cool Kids' debut album was well worth the wait.
Recommended tracks: "Rush Hour Traffic," "Sour Apples," "Penny Hardaway," "Swimsuits."

Braid - Closer To Closed EP

It has been eleven long years since Braid released new music, so to say I was eagerly anticipating this EP would be a grand understatement. It may only be four tracks, but each song is solid and sounds exactly what you would expect a more mature of Braid to sound like. Piano is sprinkled throughout a few songs, but Bob Nanna and Chris Broach's vocals still sound like they did during the Frame and Canvas days. If you're in Chicago this August, don't miss their reunion show at the Metro and be sure to pre-order the EP on sweet white vinyl like I just did.

DOWNLOAD: Braid - Closer To Closed EP [Polyvinyl]
Recommended Tracks: all four tracks!

Handsome Furs - Sound Kapital

Inspired by the '80s industrial/electronic music scene in Europe, Handsome Furs' newest album, Sound Kapital, was the first album of theirs to be written entirely on keyboards. As someone that was a huge fan of the Handsome Furs' guitar sound on 2009's Face Control, I was worried that this album might be too industrial for my liking. Luckily, it has just the right balance of electronica and fuzzed out guitars, as evidenced in the first two tracks, with the bouncy synth-driven "When I Get Back," and the hard-hitting guitar feedback of "Damage." With Sound Kapital, Dan Boeckner has pushed himself even further past Wolf Parade's limiting indie sound, to create an album that bridges together multiple genre perfectly. It may be too early to call it, but this might be the first great catchy album of the summer.

DOWNLOAD: Handsome Furs - Sound Kapital [Sub Pop]
Recommended Tracks: "When I Get Back," "Damage," "Bury Me Standing," "Serve The People," "Cheap Music."

Bon Iver - Bon Iver

To say this album is highly anticipated would be an understatement. After releasing one of the most acclaimed debuts of 2008 and achieving such mass amounts of fame that even Kanye West took notice, where is Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver) supposed to go next? Instead of letting his success go to his head, Vernon retreated once again to Wisconsin to work on his next album, a self-titled effort due out on June 21st. Instead of relying on his own talents, Vernon decided to hire bass saxophonist Colin Stetson and pedal-steel guitarist Greg Leisz, allowing for others to come in and shape his singer/songwriter sound. The end result is a incredible piece of work, with Vernon's uplifting voice taking on the role of conductor to a fleet of horns, guitars, and soft, thundering drums. Some early standouts include the the rumble of drums and bright, military-esque horns on "Perth," the intricate finger-picking guitar of "Minnesota, WI," the plinking piano melody on "Wash," and the fuzzy guitars of "Calgary." With Bon Iver, Vernon has moved past the bare bones sound of his debut into a new stage in his career, one that rightfully ditches his previous somber lyrics in favor of celebrating his triumphs and recent success.

DOWNLOAD: Bon Iver - Bon Iver [Jagjaguwar]
Recommended Tracks: "Perth," "Minnesota, WI," "Holocene," "Wash.," "Calgary."

Spring Album Catch Up - Part II

Spring semester is finally over and I can concentrate on more important things...like catching up on the five billion leaks I missed over the past few months. Although most of you have probably downloaded these already, I thought I'd highlight a few of my recent favorite albums in case you've missed out on any of them or have been stuck writing papers like I have.

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues [Sub Pop] --->DOWNLOAD
Recommended tracks: "Bedouin Dress," "Sim Sala Bim," "Battery Kinzie," "Helplessness Blues."

TV On The Radio - Nine Types Of Light [Interscope] --->DOWNLOAD
Recommended tracks: "Keep Your Heart," "Will Do," "Repetition," "Caffeinated Consciousness."

Okkervil River - I Am Very Far [Jagjaguwar] --->DOWNLOAD
Recommended tracks: "The Valley," "White Shadow Waltz," "We Need A Myth," "Show Yourself," "The Rise."

Decibully - Decibully [Listening Party] --->DOWNLOAD
Recommended tracks: "Who's Shadow," "Blood We Bleed," "God's Smile," "A Girl Like Her."

Panda Bear - Tomboy [Paw Tracks] --->DOWNLOAD
Recommended tracks: "Tomboy," "Last Night At The Jetty," "Alsatian Darn," "Friendship Bracelet."

The Antlers - Burst Apart [French Kiss] --->DOWNLOAD
Recommended tracks: "French Exit," "Parentheses," "Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out," "Putting The Dog To Sleep."

Spring Album Catch Up

Now that I'm on spring break from grad school, I figured it was time to catch up on all the new music that has been sitting untouched on my computer's desktop for the past month or so. Below is a sampling of some of my recent favorites that you should check out:

Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes [LL] --->DOWNLOAD
One sentence review: The Swedish songstress returns with a darker follow-up to her critically acclaimed debut album which utilizes primal-sounding percussion and more complex rhythms.
Recommended tracks: "Youth Knows No Pain," "Love Out Of Lust," "Get Some," "Rich Kids Blues," "I Know Places."

The Strokes - Angles [RCA] --->DOWNLOAD
One sentence review: Although Angles has gotten mixed reviews, longtime fans will admire The Strokes' infectious riffs and move towards a more electronic sound.
Recommended tracks: "Under Cover of Darkness," "Two Kinds Of Happiness," "Life Is Simple In The Moonlight."

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Belong [Slumberland] --->DOWNLOAD
One sentence review: Broolyn indie-poppers break out of a potential sophomore slump by bringing famed produced Flood on board to win fans over with another album brimming with bright songs about relationships gone awry.
Recommended tracks: "Belong," "Heart In Your Heartbreak," "Even In Dreams," "My Terrible Friend," "Girls of 1000 Dreams."

Yuck - Yuck [Fat Possum] --->DOWNLOAD
One sentence review: Despite the fact that they're from England and have one of the worst band names in forever, Yuck have somehow managed to precisely capture the spirit of the 1990s American indie scene on their debut album.
Recommended tracks: "Get Away," "The Wall," "Georgia," "Operation."

Radiohead - The King of Limbs --->DOWNLOAD
One sentence review: Radiohead close to their worst is still fifty billion times better than any other band's best.
Recommended tracks: "Bloom," "Morning Mr Magpie," "Lotus Flower," "Codex."

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Tao Of The Dead

Although Trail of Dead have yet to top their critically acclaimed 2002 album Source Tags & Codes, no one can say it's for a lack of trying. Tao of the Dead is their seventh full length and was recorded in only ten days. Stripping down to a quartet, Tao of the Dead showcases Trail of Dead's most guitar heavy sound in years. The galloping riffs of "Introduction: Let Us Experiment" set the tone for the rest of the album, as pounding drums and swirling guitars accent singer Conrad Keeley's voice on "Pure Radio Cosplay," and "Summer of All Dead Souls" and "Cover The Days Like A Tidal Wave" continue that trend with an even harsher punk rock-reminiscent delivery from Keeley and riffs that are as complex as they are catchy. Yes, it's true that Trail of Dead will probably never match their prior success, but Tao of the Dead is proof that maybe it's a good thing that they haven't given up on themselves just yet.

DOWNLOAD: ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Tao Of The Dead [Superball]
Recommended Tracks: "Pure Radio Cosplay," "Cover The Days Like A Tidal Wave," "The Wasteland."

Bright Eyes - The People's Key

For Bright Eyes' seventh album, and first since Conor Oberst took time off to start his Monsters of Folk project, Oberst has said that it will focus less on the folk and country sounds that made him famous and will have more of a rock and electronic tinge to it. Although it's clear from one listen of The People's Key that Oberst hasn't completely given up on folk-rock (see the alt-country twang of opening track, "Firewall"), he wasn't kidding when he said he wanted to make a more rock-sounding record. From the rapidfire lyric delivery of "Shell Games," to the catastrophic chiming guitars of "Jejune Stars," to the organ and crashing cymbals of "Triple Spiral," Oberst may be turning 31 this month, but he's not any less spirited than he was in his youth. Instead of settling down and making a pretty record, Oberst shows fans that he's still angry and the spoken word bits that are placed throughout the album encapsulate his feelings, especially this line from the opening track: "The problems of the future can be solved by mankind because we created them." As he did with 2007's Cassadaga, Oberst is moving away from writing about himself and expanding to a worldly viewpoint instead. Although his earlier work is some of his best, no one wants to hear a thirty-year-old whine about life, so Oberst's lyrical shift is clearly for the best. Thankfully, his music doesn't suffer and The People's Key proves to be another staple in his prolific catalog.

DOWNLOAD: Bright Eyes - The People's Key [Saddle Creek]
Recommended Tracks: "Shell Games," "Jejune Stars," "Haile Selassie," "Triple Spiral."

Cut Copy - Zonoscope

To say I was anticipating Cut Copy's third album, Zonoscope, would be a huge understatement. After 2008's In Ghost Colours became one of my favorite releases of the year, I was eager to see what the Australian trio had up their sleeves for their next album. Zonoscope finds Cut Copy retaining their dance sound that fans know and love them for, but relying more on disco beats instead of a shoegaze wall of sound that could be heard on some of their darker songs in the past. This isn't a bad thing though, just a band exploring another aspect of their sound. In this case, Cut Copy took a more positive outlook on Zonoscope and it shows in their optimistic lyrics and peppier beats, specifically on songs like "Take Me Over," "Where I'm Going," and "Sun God." To put it simply, there is no comparing Zonoscope to In Ghost Colours as both albums showcase a band at very different points in their career. While it still may take several listens for me to reach In Ghost Colours-like obsession status with Zonoscope, I'm willing to bet it will happen soon enough.

DOWNLOAD: Cut Copy - Zonoscope [Modular]
Recommended Tracks: "Take Me Over," "Where I'm Going," "This Is All We've Got," "Alisa," "Sun God."

Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

Although they will forever be one of the loudest bands I've ever seen live, Mogwai can't be dark and brooding all the time, especially when you consider that they've been around since 1995. On their seventh album, the awesomely titled Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will, the Scottish post-rockers dial down their dark tendencies and embrace a sunnier sound. The one-two opening punch of "White Noise" (with jubilant, chiming riffs) and "Mexican Grand Prix" (with robot voices and trancey guitars) both prove that Mogwai are able to step outside their immense soundscapes and experiment with different sounds every once in awhile. If you prefer Mogwai when they're moody, Hardcore still has its fair share of Mogwai's traditional sound, especially on "San Pedro" and the aptly named "Death Rays." Overall, Hardcore is definitely an album that needs a few listens to grow on you, but once it does, you'll find that there is something for every Mogwai fan on this album.

DOWNLOAD: Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will [Sub Pop]
Recommended Tracks: "White Noise," "Mexican Grand Prix," "George Square Thatcher Death Party," "How To Be A Werewolf."