My fave albums of 2011
(no particular order)********
*
WHOKILL – Tune- Yards
standout tracks – Bizness, My Country, You Yes You
comment – experimental disjointed sound bites and hooks- its like electronic jazz!
*
Cinderella`s Eyes – Nicola Roberts
standout tracks : Cinderella`s Eyes, Gladiator, Say It Out Loud, Porcelain Heart, I
comment: who knows why they haven’t released the strongest tracks from a very strong pop album that is light years away from girls aloud?
*
Lioness - Amy Winehouse
standout tracks: Our Day Will Come, Like Smoke, Wake Up Alone, Best Friends
comment: fitting tribute - no new songs planned for the third album just outtakes, different versions/demos/original recordings and other projects from Frank and Back to Black era. Who knows what the planned third album songs sound like?
*
50 Words for Snow - Kate Bush*
standout tracks: Among Angels, Snowflake, Snowed in at Wheeler Street
comment: shards of warmth and comfort of old glories strangely overshadowed critically and commercially
*
Every Kingdom - Ben Howard*
standout tracks: Keep Your Head Up, Wolves, Black Flies
comment: sublime soul tingling vocals and melodies* – anthemic and altruistic
*
Ceremonials - Florence and The Machine
standout tracks: Only If for a night, Shake It Out, Lover to Lover
comment: gospel glory tinged shrieking siren (sounding better than ever) artist has been formed from the days of 2 lung songstress
*
Perfectionist - Natalia Kills
standout tracks: wonderland, mirrors, zombie, love is a suicide
comment: British pop artist delivers fame monster follow up themed album – full of catchy melody and edgy sounds and lyrics
*
Rendition - Slow Moving Millie
standout tracks – Love in The First Degree, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want, Power of Love
comment: late December discovery – beautiful melodies both piano and vocally driven breathing new emotional life in 80s songs
*
21 – Adele
standout tracks: Rolling In The Deep, Someone Like You, Rumour Has It, Turning Tables, Set Fire to the Rain
comment: rarely do critical acclaim and commercial success homogenise …but here we have a modern day classic.
*
*
Let England Shake – PJ Harvey
standout tracks: the last living rose, the glorious land, let England shake
comment: a concept album of deep dark proportions…difficult to listen to as individual tracks but holistically offers greatness and a deeper understanding
*
*
Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
standout tracks: rich kid blues, get some, I follow river, Unrequited Love
comment: melancholic sparkling voice to blues and hip hop beats in a metallic cowboy western style
*
Oh Land – Oh Land
standout tracks: Son of A Gun, White Nights, Rainbow, Wolf and I
comment: Scandinavian alternative pop at its best
*
Torches - Foster The People
standout tracks: Call It What You Want, Pumped up Kicks, Helena Beat
comment: this was the mgmt/gorillaz album people desperately wanted to hear… fresh, catchy and infectious. *
*
+ - Ed Sheeran
standout tracks: A Team, Lego House, Small Bump
comment: a great debut but after listening to unreleased/demo material before his record contract we know that there is even more greatness to come. A fantastic fusion between folk, grime and drum and bass. But it is his folk roots that shine although his hiphop roots reach popularity. Rhythmically diverse album.
*
Heaven – Rebecca Ferguson
standout tracks: shoulder to shoulder, mr bright eyes, glitter and gold, fighting suspicions,
comment: She has a really uniquely identifiable voice and on this album she channels Macy Gray, Gabrielle calibre of pop soul…Great choice as this album really gels and will gain both popularity from word of mouth and critical acclaim.
*
Feel It Break - Austra
One of the best new vocal talents and debuts – a new Bjork mould…. Great album that lacked that killer single edge but a refreshing stream of anguished soul. Best Tracks to check out:
*
Others Close but No Cigar but Notable Nods:
*
Sticks and Stones - Cher Lloyd
Surprisingly some great tracks and overall a cohesive collection. But Jagger Swagger was so annoyingly dreadful. Her vocals are strong in places and her pop promise is much higher than imagined to be. Best Tracks to check out: Beautiful People; Superhero
*
*Barton Hollow - The Civil Wars
Refreshingly harmonic folk that reminds me of
Tracks to check out:20 years, Ive got This Friend, Barton Hollow, Birds of a feather
*
El Camino - Black Keys
Superb follow up album that showcases further gospel/bluesy soul/rock. They are beginning to become everything that Kings of Leon could be. A little too late of a release for me to put as album of the year … but its great and doesn’t disappoint!
Tracks to check out: sister, lonely boy, hell of a season
*
How To Build a Rocket Boys! – Elbow
*Anthemic and Beautiful but its doesn’t have the playability of its predecessor
Tracks to check out:
*
Birdy – Birdy ( great buzz worthy singles released of a true talent but the album lacked cohesiveness)
Holiday Carole – Carole King ( mature voice that just suits they style like chestnuts roasting on a ....)
Mylo Xyloto -* Coldplay ( an electro synth pop affair .... great melodies lurk beneath the raw rock line.... Intriguing adventure for a band plagued with such high mainstream expectations)
Born This Way - Lady Gaga (so it wasn't the next messiah or second coming...and it did take the Madonna-copycat both visually and soundalike to the extreme for good and bad, but there was no denying that while it lacked consistency it was a definite grower and has the most plays of any of my albums this year !!!)
(no particular order)********
*
WHOKILL – Tune- Yards
standout tracks – Bizness, My Country, You Yes You
comment – experimental disjointed sound bites and hooks- its like electronic jazz!
*
Cinderella`s Eyes – Nicola Roberts
standout tracks : Cinderella`s Eyes, Gladiator, Say It Out Loud, Porcelain Heart, I
comment: who knows why they haven’t released the strongest tracks from a very strong pop album that is light years away from girls aloud?
*
Lioness - Amy Winehouse
standout tracks: Our Day Will Come, Like Smoke, Wake Up Alone, Best Friends
comment: fitting tribute - no new songs planned for the third album just outtakes, different versions/demos/original recordings and other projects from Frank and Back to Black era. Who knows what the planned third album songs sound like?
*
50 Words for Snow - Kate Bush*
standout tracks: Among Angels, Snowflake, Snowed in at Wheeler Street
comment: shards of warmth and comfort of old glories strangely overshadowed critically and commercially
*
Every Kingdom - Ben Howard*
standout tracks: Keep Your Head Up, Wolves, Black Flies
comment: sublime soul tingling vocals and melodies* – anthemic and altruistic
*
Ceremonials - Florence and The Machine
standout tracks: Only If for a night, Shake It Out, Lover to Lover
comment: gospel glory tinged shrieking siren (sounding better than ever) artist has been formed from the days of 2 lung songstress
*
Perfectionist - Natalia Kills
standout tracks: wonderland, mirrors, zombie, love is a suicide
comment: British pop artist delivers fame monster follow up themed album – full of catchy melody and edgy sounds and lyrics
*
Rendition - Slow Moving Millie
standout tracks – Love in The First Degree, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want, Power of Love
comment: late December discovery – beautiful melodies both piano and vocally driven breathing new emotional life in 80s songs
*
21 – Adele
standout tracks: Rolling In The Deep, Someone Like You, Rumour Has It, Turning Tables, Set Fire to the Rain
comment: rarely do critical acclaim and commercial success homogenise …but here we have a modern day classic.
*
*
Let England Shake – PJ Harvey
standout tracks: the last living rose, the glorious land, let England shake
comment: a concept album of deep dark proportions…difficult to listen to as individual tracks but holistically offers greatness and a deeper understanding
*
*
Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
standout tracks: rich kid blues, get some, I follow river, Unrequited Love
comment: melancholic sparkling voice to blues and hip hop beats in a metallic cowboy western style
*
Oh Land – Oh Land
standout tracks: Son of A Gun, White Nights, Rainbow, Wolf and I
comment: Scandinavian alternative pop at its best
*
Torches - Foster The People
standout tracks: Call It What You Want, Pumped up Kicks, Helena Beat
comment: this was the mgmt/gorillaz album people desperately wanted to hear… fresh, catchy and infectious. *
*
+ - Ed Sheeran
standout tracks: A Team, Lego House, Small Bump
comment: a great debut but after listening to unreleased/demo material before his record contract we know that there is even more greatness to come. A fantastic fusion between folk, grime and drum and bass. But it is his folk roots that shine although his hiphop roots reach popularity. Rhythmically diverse album.
*
Heaven – Rebecca Ferguson
standout tracks: shoulder to shoulder, mr bright eyes, glitter and gold, fighting suspicions,
comment: She has a really uniquely identifiable voice and on this album she channels Macy Gray, Gabrielle calibre of pop soul…Great choice as this album really gels and will gain both popularity from word of mouth and critical acclaim.
*
Feel It Break - Austra
One of the best new vocal talents and debuts – a new Bjork mould…. Great album that lacked that killer single edge but a refreshing stream of anguished soul. Best Tracks to check out:
*
Others Close but No Cigar but Notable Nods:
*
Sticks and Stones - Cher Lloyd
Surprisingly some great tracks and overall a cohesive collection. But Jagger Swagger was so annoyingly dreadful. Her vocals are strong in places and her pop promise is much higher than imagined to be. Best Tracks to check out: Beautiful People; Superhero
*
*Barton Hollow - The Civil Wars
Refreshingly harmonic folk that reminds me of
Tracks to check out:20 years, Ive got This Friend, Barton Hollow, Birds of a feather
*
El Camino - Black Keys
Superb follow up album that showcases further gospel/bluesy soul/rock. They are beginning to become everything that Kings of Leon could be. A little too late of a release for me to put as album of the year … but its great and doesn’t disappoint!
Tracks to check out: sister, lonely boy, hell of a season
*
How To Build a Rocket Boys! – Elbow
*Anthemic and Beautiful but its doesn’t have the playability of its predecessor
Tracks to check out:
*
Birdy – Birdy ( great buzz worthy singles released of a true talent but the album lacked cohesiveness)
Holiday Carole – Carole King ( mature voice that just suits they style like chestnuts roasting on a ....)
Mylo Xyloto -* Coldplay ( an electro synth pop affair .... great melodies lurk beneath the raw rock line.... Intriguing adventure for a band plagued with such high mainstream expectations)
Born This Way - Lady Gaga (so it wasn't the next messiah or second coming...and it did take the Madonna-copycat both visually and soundalike to the extreme for good and bad, but there was no denying that while it lacked consistency it was a definite grower and has the most plays of any of my albums this year !!!)
Hopefully with the 3rd single, Want U Back, more neutrals can be convinced that Swagger Jagger is a complete anomaly on Sticks + Stones. 
