Uncovering the best of the web, while pointing and laughing at the worst.
December 27, 2011 Leave a Comment
In case you missed our Best Music of 2011 series, here are all the links you need to catch up. Even if you don’t agree with our ranking, there’s a massive Spotify playlist you can use to peruse the selections!
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THE BEST MUSIC OF 2011 Introduction, Hon Mentions, Rap Hits and Pop Songs |
December 23, 2011 Leave a Comment
And here we are. The final installment of our countdown.
I’d like to take a moment to thank our panelists. They make this effort possible with their wisdom, commitment and knowledge.
Also, I need to share with you this amazing Flavorwire article that stereotypes you based on what your favorite album of the year is!
Our Best of 2011 Spotify playlist is now completely revealed. Enjoy, my friends.
Let’s bring this home!
Apparently I’m one of the few music junkies stateside who thought this album was insanely good, although it was very well-received in Britain and is the last of the many Mercury Prize nominees on this list. I was completely floored by The English Riviera and it hasn’t lost its luster after many, many listens.
Check out this cut, “Corrine,” which reminds me a little bit of vintage Eno:
The English quartet led by Joseph Mount has a reshuffled lineup for this album, with the notable and extremely welcome additions of Anna Prior on drums and vocals and Gbenga Adelekan on bass. Both dominate on songs like “Everything Goes My Way.” Metronomy knows the power of repetition in establishing a magnificent groove, and they aren’t afraid to dwell on a riff, bassline or refrain until the listener is transported to planet funk. Other amazing songs include “The Bay” and “She Wants,” but the highlight of the album for me is “Some Written,” which begins as a gentle melody and builds into a full blown jam.
I’m not so bold as to go out on a limb with a record that nobody on the panel (except me) voted for and name it the best of the year. But The English Riviera might be my personal favorite of 2011. I will wager that you’ll enjoy it too.
Two of the most esteemed members of our panel, Mikey Jones and DBuu, called Skying the best album of the year. Unless you are actually a member of The Horrors, they are cooler than you and I suggest you listen up when they start laying down the truth. I certainly did, and this album didn’t let me down.
Allow me to yield the floor to DBuu, who in my estimation nailed it: “I really gave The Horrors a hard time after they switched from being a horror garage punk band to being a, I guess, shoegaze-y post-punk band (that’s what it says on their wikipedia). But when you listen to their albums sequentially, you can see the progression, and Skying, however detached from their goth punk roots, is just a great album. The songs range from slower and atmospheric to upbeat and almost poppy, but everything makes sense. It has strong singles but can also be listened to in one continuous sitting, which to me is the sign of a good record. “
Skying might not be on your radar, but I picked out a couple of tunes for you to check out on Spotify, and the whole album is more than worth a listen. Get on it, people!
December 22, 2011 Leave a Comment
Thank you to everyone who has been following along with this series thus far. Your readership inspires the ROTI team to attack ambitious projects like this one. Here’s a little gift I found just for you: ASAP Rocky and his crew freestyling over a Nurses song.
Today, ten more great albums to delight you and expand your mind. Some have moved tons of units, some have been celebrated by every critic in the land, and some you might not have even heard of. There’s something for everyone here!
Once more, our Spotify playlist of The Best of 2011 has been enhanced to include the latest round of records.
This one is a little bit of a reach because many of the key songs were released earlier than 2011, but the compilation of the Drive soundtrack, the release of its score, and its unleashing upon the public occurred during this fine year, and so I’m allowing it to stand. This record was repped hard by a trio of Brooklyn masters, Mikey Jones, DBuu and Izzie B. If you want to step to them that’s your business, but I won’t be joining you.
So much goodness here. Cliff Martinez’ score evokes the handsome intensity of Baby Goose on a thrilling mission. Key tracks include Kavinsky’s “Nightcall” and College’s “A Real Hero.” The GTA: Vice City vibe that pervades this collection is really outstanding. The Boston Herald wrote that “The Drive soundtrack is such an integral part of the experience of the film, once you see it, you can’t imagine the film without it.”
But DBuu (of course) put it best when he said, “I loved this movie, and this soundtrack was a perfect companion to it. I would be lying if I said that I didn’t listen to these songs a few hundred times on my way out for an evening of adventure and thought that for that night, I was a real human being — dare I say, a real hero.”
I pretty much disagree with everyone in the world on this album. Some call it the best of the year (including Time and our panel’s @drewkolar). Others (wikipedia would put a “who?” here, but you know who you are) call it commercial crap. I believe that it is neither of those things!
Izzie B pushed to get this on the 2010 list with an eerie prescience, even before it dropped in the US in early 2011 and reigned over the charts all damn year. If you’re down with neo-soul, especially the UK variety, you can’t deny that this is a tremendous disc.
Basically, 21 is half a classic. It includes the two super-massive hits, “Rolling in the Deep” and “Someone Like You.” If you don’t know these songs, I assume you have been in “the hole” or some other type of forced seclusion. I thought these hit tracks were legit, but I wholly genuflected before two of 21‘s other songs, the Ryan Tedder-penned “Rumour Has It” and the rollicking “I’ll Be Waiting.” If you can’t get behind these tunes, go listen to some shoegaze or something, you snob.
Unfortunately, the rest of the album leaves a bit to be desired. The middle of the album bogs down with too many ballads. Although some of 21‘s tracks are legends in their own time, it’s hard to say that the album as a whole is truly classic.
But hey. As my own beloved Lady McGregor put it, “Adele is impossible to sing along to, because her voice is so good that you just end up realizing how mediocre your own singing voice is.” Respect to two of the best cords in all of vocal-dom. Read more of this post
December 21, 2011 2 Comments
OK. Now we’re getting into the REALLY good stuff.
Our Spotify playlist has been updated with choice selections from the next ten records in our countdown, and I’ve also embedded video selections to give you a sense of what to expect from each record. Because I love you.
Ready…Launch!
CALLING THE SOUL PATROL! This record is shrouded in mystery, but when GoGoMrPoPo gives an album his blessing, ROTI is obligated to check it out. And what I found was a magnificent tower of funk power.
From what I can gather, Mr. President, also known as Patchworks, is a musician and producer possibly operating in France. He’s put together a record of titanic grooves that might be all freshly recorded, all remixes, or just stuff he found while digging through crates. I honestly don’t know and his label’s website is pretty obscure on the subject!
But who gives a whit when this record packs such a tremendous punch. It’s jammed full of stone stompers that will turn your dial to full-funky. Dank horns and tight rhythm sections, sometimes paired with sweet vocals, make Number One an outstanding selection for your next dance party (or headphone party).
Okay…whew…breathe with me here, Generation Catalano. After watching the video below, I just sprouted a few gray hairs; these fresh-faced rockers are clearly way younger than the ROTI team. But like our musical wisdom, great rock and roll never ages. Even if the guys from Smith Westerns may not have been ALIVE in Teenage Fanclub’s heyday.
Smith Westerns’ sophomore disc landed the Chicago trio an opening spot on Arctic Monkeys’ ongoing tour. Funnily enough, though, I think this record is even better than Suck It and See!
Nils Coq au Vin put this one forth for consideration, dubbing it one of the year’s very best. It’s hard not agree with him when you hear Dye it Blonde‘s hooky blend. I especially enjoy “Only One,” a great and tuneful track that segues effortlessly from lite guitar riffs to beauteous chorus. I’m smitten with Smith Westerns and look forward to finding out what the future holds for this up-and-coming trio. Read more of this post
December 20, 2011 1 Comment
Our official countdown begins with albums 50 through 31. Although I was inclined to present these in groups of 10 with no particular order, that isn’t much fun. What’s the good of a Top 50 List if you can’t be totally outraged that a record ranked 47th instead of 34th?
So let the outrage begin!
As always, you can check out lots of music from this list on our Spotify playlist.
I thought Izzie B put it well in nom’ing this remix record of Gil Scott-Heron’s last album, and singling out “I’ll Take Care of U” for special appreciation. “Drake took that remix for Take Care, and while I really, really appreciate Rihanna’s vocals, I have to credit the original because the first time I heard that instrumental, I had chills up and down my spine.”
A great find by DBuu. He explains: “A collection of the first three 7″ releases about B-movies and freaks from this surf-ish punk band. There’s something about the songs and the style that remind me of music I got into when I was 15, sort of in that ‘touched for the very first time’ kind of way.”
This is an incredible record that Noish brought to my attention. Did you know that Butterfly from Digable Planets is not only still in the game — he’s dropping records as fresh as anything out there? Black Up is a pretty raw, rhyme-focused record that is way out on the experimental tip. It’s kind of tough to explain what’s going on with this one, so check out ”Swerve… the Reeping of All That is Worthwhile (Noir Not Withstanding)” on Spotify.
Wha-bamm! Punk rock Danes on a mission to slay. DBuu pointed out that Iceage’s hype exceeds their greatness at this juncture, but dubbed this a “solid listen.” Twelve tightly-packed, rapid and intense tracks make this album well worth checking out for fans of noisy rock.
Fresh off having his last album buried by the record label — apparently Blue Note dislikes F bombs? — this protege of American Idol’s Randy Jackson (it’s not as bad as it sounds) returned with a fury. This self-released collection of songs dwells on recession-era blues and the misery of modern life — but the tracks are tinged with an upbeat funk that’s tough to deny. Tracks like “A Time Machine is My New Girlfriend” bust out in all directions, making you work your mind and your head-nod all at once.
Cass McCombs released two full-lengths this year, and while WIT’S END has gotten more praise, I think Humor Risk is a more enjoyable record. This journeyman troubadour has been touring for a solid decade and his road-weariness translates straight into the music in a great way. Cuts like “The Same Thing” combine a propulsive groove with haunting harmonies. It’s a very impressive outing.
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