Kingsoby2011 Notables finally
I didn't really have much time to make an in-depth post last year. Thankfully, my inability to pump this out in a timely fashion has given me a while to discover other 2011 gems. I'm pretty confident in this list now. Leaving off anything rated less than a 4 for now. Edit (5/15) just added my 3.5s. |
| 1 |  | The Weeknd
House of Balloons
Props to Jeremy Rose for revolutionizing R&B... and of course to Abel Tesfaye for stealing the credit and running with it. (5/5) |
| 2 |  | The Weeknd
Thursday
Thursday is a bit less subdued that its precursor, but it's interesting to hear the higher BPM iteration. (5/5) |
| 3 |  | The Weeknd
Echoes of Silence
The cover of MJ's Dirty Diana is worth the price. Oh wait it's free... (5/5) |
| 4 |  | Thursday
No Devolucion
It took Thursday's last album for me to crack... and I still don't like most of their discography. No Devolucion is dynamic and heartfelt; and there really isn't much to say beyond that. (5/5) |
| 5 |  | Blu
No York!
This is what I wanted Black Up to be, but it obviously wasn't. A genre bending hip-hop affair that blows Below the Heavens out of the water. I can't believe I missed this. (4.5/5) |
| 6 |  | *shels
Plains of the Purple Buffalo
I don't know where they have purple buffalo, but wherever it is, thanks for becoming the inspiration of this album? "Butterflies on Luci's Way" is so god-damn beautiful. (4.5/5) |
| 7 |  | Vektor
Outer Isolation
The most exciting metal album I've heard in a long time; Vektor have turned thrash on its head. Should probably be higher, but oh well you done good Vektor. (4.5/5) |
| 8 |  | Stateless
Matilda
A marked improvement for these guys. Awesome production and vocalist that makes me think of Jeff Buckley at times. Love this record (4.5/5) |
| 9 |  | Matana Roberts
Coin Coin Chapter One - Gens de couleur libres
It's difficult to find creative jazz post 70s, but here we are. Matana Roberts embodies real struggle with her compositions. (4.2/5) |
| 10 |  | Bon Iver
Bon Iver, Bon Iver
I was a hater at first, but this record is ridiculous. Complete stylistic shift from For Emma and even better for it. (4.2/5) |
| 11 |  | Foo Fighters
Wasting Light
How in the fuck are the Foo Fighters relevant in 2011? No one saw this coming. (4.2/5) |
| 12 |  | St. Vincent
Strange Mercy
Huge improvement here. Heavily influenced by Sufjan Stevens but maybe not as scatterbrained as his earlier work. (4.2/5) |
| 13 |  | Fleet Foxes
Helplessness Blues
I much prefer this to the self-titled record - it's a lot deeper compositionally and a bit more fun to listen to. (4.2/5) |
| 14 |  | Danny Brown
XXX
Improved from The Hybrid... the record is definitely worthy of being from Detroit. The beats go hard and Danny is ridiculous; I still remember when he came into my turntable room to play some tracks off this - what a great dude. (4.1/5) |
| 15 |  | Blue Sky Black Death
Noir
Some of the most talented dudes on the planet right here; almost anything they do is excellent. "Our Hearts of Ruin" is incredible. (4.1/5) |
| 16 | | Little Scream
Golden Record
Award for most amazing and unprecedented folk record of the year goes to Little Scream. Folk with hints of shoegaze. (4.1/5) |
| 17 | | The Dear Hunter
The Color Spectrum (Complete Collection)
It's really hard not to rate this higher. Some of the best songs of the year on this seventy jillion track long collection. Well, I guess it's not not hard to rate this right where it is. (4.1/5) |
| 18 |  | Panda Bear
Tomboy
I definitely fell out of infatuation with Tomboy. Excellent reverb-drenched Animal Collective-lite. (4.1/5) |
| 19 |  | East of the Wall
The Apologist
Well slept on progressive metal gem. I have a feeling these guys have an ace up their sleeve for the future. Sludgy, epic, proggy, so much more. (4.1/5) |
| 20 | | Kendrick Lamar
Section 80
TDE / the Black Hippy movement really took off this past year with Section.80 as its spearhead. Really good stuff, very lyrical. We'll hear a lot more from this cat. (4/5) |
| 21 |  | Jay-Z and Kanye West
Watch the Throne
Hyped beyond belief and didn't quite meet expectations. A very solid record nonetheless with some great singles. I can't believe these guys flew to Dubai for a private birthday party, throne in tow. (4/5) |
| 22 |  | Clams Casino
Instrumental Mixtape
One of the best up-and-coming producers around and the only reason I will ever listen to Lil B... or actually not, thanks for dropping the instrumentals. (4/5) |
| 23 |  | Frank Ocean
Nostalgia, Ultra
A very addictive listen - check "American Wedding" and try not shedding a single tear. Cat's got pipes. (3.9/5) |
| 24 |  | Pygmy Lush
Old Friends
The ex-pg.99ers are still pumping out quality material. In some ways this is better than Mount Hope. (3.9/5) |
| 25 |  | Fair To Midland
Arrows and Anchors
The vocals aren't as strange/ interesting/ unique as Fables. Still, these guys know how to write a rock song (3.9/5) |
| 26 |  | Pianos Become the Teeth
The Lack Long After
Post-whatever influenced screamo. Was addicted to this for a while, really good stuff. (3.9/5) |
| 27 |  | Touche Amore
Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me
3.8/5 |
| 28 |  | Ampere
Like Shadows
The master of the 5 minute LP. (3.8/5) |
| 29 |  | Bad Meets Evil
Hell: The Sequel
Em and Royce are at the top of their game here. Just ignore the Bruno Mars track (shudders...) (3.8/5) |
| 30 | | M83
Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
My kid (2.5 yrs old) loves Midnight City and asks for it every time we drive somewhere. After it finishes, he asks for it again. Sharp kid. (3.8/5) |
| 31 |  | ASAP Rocky
Live.Love.A$AP.
Clams Casino shows off here... Rocky is a solid rapper, but the production makes this record what it is. (3.7/5) |
| 32 |  | The Dodos
No Color
3.7/5 |
| 33 |  | Mastodon
The Hunter
3.7/5 |
| 34 |  | Cave In
White Silence
3.7/5 |
| 35 |  | Killer Mike
Pl3dge
3.7/5 |
| 36 |  | Onry Ozzborn
Hold on for Dear Life
3.6/5 |
| 37 |  | Random Axe
Random Axe
3.6/5 |
| 38 |  | Raekwon
Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang
3.6/5 |
| 39 |  | Astronote
Weapon of the Future
3.6/5 |
| 40 |  | Jehst
The Dragon of an Ordinary Family
3.6/5 |
| 41 |  | Schoolboy Q
Setbacks
3.6/5 |
| 42 |  | Drake
Take Care
3.5/5 |
| 43 |  | Crash of Rhinos
Distal
3.5/5 |
| 44 |  | Russian Circles
Empros
3.5/5 |
| 45 |  | La Dispute
Wildlife
3.5/5 |
| 46 |  | Dela
Translation Lost
3.5/5 |
| 47 |  | Ulcerate
The Destroyers of All
3.5/5 |
| 48 | | Paul White
Rapping With Paul White
3.5/5 |
| 49 |  | The Ocean
Anthropocentric
3.5/5 |
| 50 |  | Das Racist
Relax
3.4/5 |
| 51 | | Main Attrakionz
808s & Dark Grapes II
3.4/5 |
| 52 |  | Swarms
Old Raves End
3.4/5 |
| 53 |  | Explosions in the Sky
Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
3.4/5 |
| 54 | | Group Love
Never Trust a Happy Song
3.4/5 |
| 55 |  | Girls
Father, Son, Holy Ghost
3.4/5 |
| 56 |  | The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble
From the Stairwell
3.4/5 |
| 57 |  | Thrice
Major/Minor
3.3/5 |
| 58 |  | Wilco
The Whole Love
3.3/5 |
| 59 |  | SBTRKT
SBTRKT
3.3/5 |
| 60 |  | Jamie Woon
Mirrorwriting
3.3/5 |
| 61 |  | Amplifier
The Octopus
3.3/5 |
| 62 |  | Astronautalis
This is Our Science
3.3/5 |
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