Album of the year / poll 2011
We’ve worked our writers hard at itm? and eventually they’ve come up with their choices for album of the year for 2011. So without further ado…
1. Martin John Henry – The Other Half of Everything
By turns subtle, majestic, haunting and joyous, this beautifully crafted album makes a compelling case for the ex-De Rosa frontman being the finest songwriter in Scotland right now. (GP)
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2. The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
Combining the punk spirit of the Ramones with the pop melodies of 60s girl groups, The Vaccines justified the hype and proved that credible guitar music can still make an impact on the pop mainstream. (GP)
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3. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
Sparse yet cinematic, this collection of understated tunes could easily be a ‘sleeper’ hit when words get round about the Philidelphia songwriter’s 4th album. (BB)
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4. Low – C’mon
The Minnesotan tree-piece take their own well-worn blueprint and move on, incrementally, as the band concentrate on making an album which rather than pushing sonic boundaries, instead makes for one of their most intimate and satisfying releases. (DB)
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5. Aidan Moffat & Bill Wells – Everything’s Getting Older
Taking Grumpy Old Men’s poster boy as he descends into old age and putting his musings over the funereal settings of Bill Wells’ ‘outsider jazz’ could have gone one of two ways. Its position in most year-end lists confirm that it’s a triumphant wallow in the bleakness of aging, the uneasiness and queasiness of love and life stripped to the bone. (BB)
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6. The Joy Formidable – The Big Roar
7. Twin Atlantic – Free
8. Wake the President – Zummutung!
This band are pop stars in waiting, but are still mysteriously obscure. If the quality of the songs on ‘Zummutung!’ are anything to go by, this won’t be the case for much longer. (GP)
9. United Fruit – Fault Lines
10. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
11. Bon Iver – Bon Iver
A brave departure from the intimate acoustic vibe of his debut, Justin Vernon enlists a full band and lush production values to stunning effect. (GP)
12. Rob St. John – Weald
13. Metromony – The English Riviera
14. White Heath – Take No Thought For Tomorrow
15. Shona Foster – The Moon and You
16. Dananananaykroyd – There Is a Way
17. Taking Back Sunday – Taking Back Sunday
An impressive self-titled comeback album from the New York punk rockers, featuring two monumental singles ‘Faith’ and ‘You Got Me’, plus an honorable mention for the astounding ‘This Is All Now’. (NS)
18. Adam Stafford – Build a Harbour Immediately
19. Gang Gang Dance – Eye Contact
20. We Were Promised Jetpacks – In The Pit of the Stomach
21. Wu Lyf – Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
Manchester’s Wu Lyf have come out of nowhere to produce one of the most bold, exciting and original LP’s of the year, combining guitar licks reminiscent of John Frusciante with unique, rasping vocals. It even has a Scottish connection, as it was recorded under the guidance of Paul Savage at Chem 19. (GP)
22. St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
23. King Creosote and Jon Hopkins – Diamond Mine
24. Maybeshewill – I Was Here For A Moment, Then I Was Gone
25. The Moth & The Mirror – Honestly, This World
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26. The Dear and Departed – Every Waking Moment
‘Every Waking Moment’ is an outstanding third album release from Los Angeles group The Dear and Departed. Stand out tracks include the exhilarating ‘Air Supply’ and powerful melody ‘Smile and Nod’ which features guest vocals from AFI’s frontman Davey Havok. (NS)
27. Crystal Stilts – In Love With Oblivion
28. Vessels – Helioscope
29. Pensioner – Yearlings
30. Remember Remember – The Quickening
Honourable mentions for the following acts, all bubbling under the all-important top 30:
The Fnords, Magazine, Evil Hand, Sucioperro, White Lies and Bwani Junction
Right, doubtless you’ll disagree with every single one of these choices. If so, stop silently whingeing and let us know – enter your choices below – up to 3 albums, and we’ll rank them. Or, comment in the Facebook box or other comment boxes, we’ll still count it. Whatever you like really.
Don’t forget to enter your email address otherwise your vote won’t count – multiple votes will be ignored.
This is for checking purposes only – tempting though it is, we’re not gathering email addresses this year either!
Words: Gavin Porter, Bernhard Bessing, Nicola Sharkey, Donald Bush
Stuart McHugh
