I didn’t actually properly listen to as many albums as I had hoped I would this year. And because this is a personal site there are bound to be a few great albums missing from this list that I probably love, I just don’t know it. For example, on my ‘To Listen’ playlist on iTunes are 2011 albums from Girls, St. Vincent, Real Estate, Active Child, Fucked Up, Youth Lagoon, and Metronomy among many many others. What I can say however is that many of the albums I did listen to properly I absolutely loved. It may not have been the best year ever in terms of new albums, but it certainly was a pretty good one.
Anyway, now that I’m feeling suitably defensive, here are my favourite albums of the year. Set to shit haiku. Because why not?
#20
Truly intimate
Lofi music at its best
Deserves more credit
#19
Just pure folk music
Nothing more and nothing less
For better and worse
#18
Gentle and violent
Unlike most other dub step
This is real music
#17
Haters gonna hate
This album may be cliched
But it’s so pretty
#16
I do not speak French
But I like to think she sings
About life and love
#15
Da da di da da
Da di da di di di di
Da da da da di
#14
A fitting band name
But deceptive album name
I do trust these songs
#13
Still the same great band
We have come to know and love
Just they’re all grown up
#12
Cannot define this
At times challenging and tough
But always unique
#11
Daunting and stylish
It’s self-described as ‘epic’
And he has a point
#10
Unashamed fun
It’s not exactly subtle
But that is the point
#9
Despite the title
This is really summer music
But it’s also more
#8
Songs that could be plays
From a band unlike others
Old stuff’s better though
#7
Win Butler’s a fan
And it’s not hard to see why
These are stunning songs
#6
A debut album
Made in J. Boulet’s garage
Yet it’s so polished
#5
Subtle and nuanced
Music to lose yourself in
And never return
#4
A touching record
Songrwriting second to none
Too short but so sweet
#3
Perfect pop album
Much more than just ‘Pumped Up Kicks’
But mainstream as fuck
#2
No Kanye West here
Music more like poetry
That’s better than mine
#1
Record of the year
Nothing else even comes close
To this masterpiece
Some fantastic albums in your top 20. I haven’t listened to all of them but will be checking out Beirut and Los Campesinos on your recommendation.
Thanks man, both definitely worth checking out. The LC! one is a bit of a grower though.
This is a fantastic top 20.
Thank you very much!