|
User
Reviews 31
Approval 93%
Soundoffs 21
News Articles 4
Band Edits + Tags 1
Album Edits 10
Album Ratings 366
Objectivity 58%
Last Active 01-02-18 6:36 pm
Joined 11-28-09
Review Comments 1,526
| Swim's 2011
I was bored so I wrote this up. | | 10 |  | Bon Iver
Bon Iver, Bon Iver
When I first heard For Emma, Forever Ago a few years ago, I was startled
by how lonely the music was. It was as if there was a single fire burning in
the middle of a barren tundra, and that fire had one hell of a falsetto. With
his sophmore release, Bon Iver still has that fantastic voice, but instead of
a frigid atmosphere, he gives us a heaping helping of straight up indie,
while still holding onto everything that allowed For Emma to be such a
strong record. You can even hear some cautious optimism this time, and for
that we are thankful. | | 9 |  | Radiohead
The King of Limbs
It's never blatantly obvious exactly what Radiohead is trying to acomplish.
Leaning more to the electronic side of their sound, Radiohead surprised a
lot of people with The King of Limbs, especially when it followed the wildly
successful In Rainbows. Yet it's not what comes before or what comes after
that an album should be judged by, but rather by what it is in and of itself.
And by that logic, The King of Limbs is a fantastic (albeit brief) collection of
electronic-laced alternative rock that could easily stand out even among a
discography as heavy as Radiohead's. And I'm not just saying that because
Thom Yorke's dancing in the Lotus Flower music video is gorgeous. | | 8 |  | The Dear Hunter
The Color Spectrum (Complete Collection)
This was hard to digest at first. It seemed overwhelming, the sheer volume
of material released at once. But when you really started to break it down,
you could see that each one of these EP's, each color, was terrific. Couple
that with the fact that there was 8 (!) in total, and you can really see that
The Dear Hunter did something special here, and despite it's enormous
size, it really deserves repeated listens. | | 7 |  | Foo Fighters
Wasting Light
"Oh, the Foo Fighters released another album? News to me. And it's good?
Well, shit, I guess I'll listen to a little bit of it." Best decision I made all year.
Not only was the new Foo Fighters' album good, it ranks right up there with
the best albums they've released. Not one single track sticks out as
mediocre, something that has plagued the band in the past. Hard rock done
right, the Foo Fighters succeed where other bands in the genre fall short.
Plus they have Dave Grohl. That helps. | | 6 |  | Chevelle
Hats Off to the Bull
There's something to say here about progress. Following Chevelle through
the years has been rather predictable, as with every 11 track release we
get the same Chevelle, heavy riffs with Loeffler wailing his cryptic lyrics
giving each song a much needed melodic base. This is no different. Yet with
the lack of progress we get quite the refinement in songwriting. The
maturity of the band is clearly evident throughout, and it allows for that lack
of progress to be overlooked, and even preferred. Hats off to sticking to
your guns and learning to draw better. | | 5 |  | Thrice
Major/Minor
Being around the block as long as Thrice has, it's natural for a band to get
tired of trying to be something else every couple of years. Sometimes you
just want to sit back and make some tunes, and not reinvent the wheel.
That's what I see Major/Minor as for Thrice, a relaxing of the constraints for
a band that really just wants to make some rock music, and the result is
wonderful. The passion is back and the music is tight. It's just Thrice being
Thrice. | | 4 |  | Manchester Orchestra
Simple Math
When Manchester Orchestra released the title track from this album, Simple
Math, I was taken aback. It was an indie masterpiece, and certainly foretold
of an LP to match, right? Unfortunately, not quite. What Manchester
Orchestra delivered was an excellent album, nothing more, nothing less. It
cements them at the top of the alternative indie pile for years to come, to
be certain, it just didn't quite live up to what a few of the highlights
suggested it would be. Maybe next time. | | 3 |  | La Dispute
Wildlife
This is so freakin' depressing. It takes your soul and sucks it out, steps on it
a few times, defecates on it, and hands it back to you. And after all that,
you still can't help but thank it for being so damn wonderful. The
musicianship and cohesiveness has improved vastly from Somewhere at the
Bottom, and their story telling has elevated them to places few bands dare
to reach. This is one of those bands that at first repel with their
abrasiveness, but if you can see past it, there is a treasure underneath. | | 2 |  | Frank Turner
England Keep My Bones
I can't really put my finger on the reason I was hesitant to give Frank
Turner a shot. Something about his name I guess, reminded me of some
old, washed up "rock" star who was far past his prime. And there, my
friends, is where we finally find out that I'm a fucking idiot. He truly is a
gifted songwriter, and his folk-tinged rock'n'roll is clearly something that
deserves to be admired. While with this release he seems to move away
from his music-off-the-cuff style of previous albums and his development of
songs becomes more apparent, it still astounds me how real and geniune
he sounds. Of all the rock stars in the world, there is not one person I
would rather have a beer with than Frank Turner. | | 1 |  | Fair To Midland
Arrows and Anchors
RIKKI TIKKI. Even I laughed the first time I heard that, so don't be too
worried if you couldn't stifle your own. Regardless, this album was far and
away my most anticipated album of the year, and it sure as hell didn't
disappoint. It took all the expectations left by Fables and left them in pieces
on the floor. From start to finish, Arrows & Anchors is an ingenious venture
into alt, metal, and progressive euphoria that I have never seen rivaled.
Each song is crafted to perfection, creating a whirlwind of activity that re-
emerges new and exciting upon every spin. There is no way I could try to
describe it and do it justice, other than to say it is amazing. To put it simply,
it's the best album of 2011. | |
iswimfast
12.20.11 | Ah yes, look at that album art. | Cipieron
12.20.11 | 1 is aoty for me as well. kudos on the whole list really too | cb123
12.20.11 | good list man | iswimfast
12.20.11 | Thank you, kind sirs. | MalleusMaleficarum
12.20.11 | list is pure snore | Sleaper
12.20.11 | worst list ive seen so far, i dunno what could beat this. #3 & #10 are the only thing saving this from
being disastrous. | iswimfast
12.20.11 | D'awww thanks | Sleaper
12.20.11 | meh, just being honest. anyway no problem | iswimfast
01.17.12 | meh, all but 1 of mine made the 50 anyway : ) | Scoot
01.17.12 | gonna be really sputnik |
|
