Sexy Beast's Top 20 Albums of 2011

[Sexy Beast]

Hey everyone! Sexy Beast here with my 3rd annual top album list. The two previous iterations can be found below:

2010 Edition: http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155382
2009 Edition: http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=110189

This year I haven't listened to anywhere near as much music as I wanted. This is partially due to my embargo against most anything Pitchfork dubs "Best New Music" and partially because I didn't get the change to explore much music this year. So because of there will be a lot of albums that people will expect to be on the list that wont be...so if it's not please feel free to post it.

Anyway...


20: Arctic Monkeys - Suck it and See

Genre According to Wikipedia: Indie rock, post-punk revival, psychedelic rock

Why is this on the list?: After Arctic Monkey's second album Favourite Worst Nightmare, the band made a stylistic left turn airing to what I can only describe as a funky 70s rock sound thing, but that doesn't quite explain it all that well. This move shocked any fan who had not heard lead singer Alex Turner's side project The Last Shadow Puppets...which sounds pretty close to the bands new sound. For most fans anything after their second album falls into the love it or hate it territory, personally I like the change and I like this album. It is better than their last album Humbug and the sound is a little more refined.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1vYbHHhqYE[/ame]

 

[Sexy Beast]

19: Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials

Genre According to Wikipedia: Indie pop, indie rock, and baroque pop

Why is this on the list?: Florence's sophomore proves that she can belt it out with the best of them. Her bombastic popish-rock still sounds great even if her songs are a little less memorable this time out. As a whole though the album is definitely worth checking out. Though if you haven't heard her before I would recommend Lungs over this one.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbN0nX61rIs&ob=av2e[/ame]

 

[Sexy Beast]

18: Natalia Kills - Perfectionist

Genre According to Wikipedia: Pop, electropop, and dance-pop

Why is this on the list?: I was frankly surprised at the quality of this album. I expected it to be gimmicky throwaway pop and...well...it's almost just that, but the album manages to remain fun and very listenable throughout. If you like pop, then this one is worth your attention.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e-J7nViJU8[/ame]

 

[Sexy Beast]

17: Das Racist - Relax

Genre According to Wikipedia: Alternative Hip Hop

Why is this on the list?: On last years list Das Racist's two mix tapes made the #4 spot. So I was pretty excited for this album and for the most part I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. They have a pumped out an album that is very entertaining, funny, and incredibly listenable.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc__3nsfxwA[/ame]

 

[Sexy Beast]

16: Death Grips - Exmilitary

Genre According to Wikipedia: Yeah, I think its rap not entirely sure.

Why is this on the list?: I first learned about Death Grips while checking up on, Math-rock musician, Zach Hill's current projects...low and behold it was this. Now this isn't for anyone, heck I don't know who its for, but it's pretty fun to listen to or to force your friends to listen to.

Language Warning on this one!​

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqcTVVUFnKQ[/ame]

 

[Sexy Beast]

15: Eleanor Friedberg - Last Summer

Genre According to Wikipedia: Indie Rock

Why is this on the list?: I pick this one up on a lark and fell in love with it. Nothing more to say about this one, just that it's worth watching.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRUOoSKt6Kg[/ame]

 

[Sexy Beast]

14: TV on The Radio - Nine Types of Light

Genre According to Wikipedia: Art rock, indie rock, and funk


Why is this on the list?: These guys have had a pretty good run so far. Their second album, Return to Cookie Mountain, was amazing and their third album, Dear Science, incredible as well so to that expectations were incredibly high. Unfortunately this did not live up to those lofty expectations...if it did then this album would be sitting in the #1 spot. Instead we have a fine album that is catchy and well written both lyrically and musically, but just not a good as everyone wanted it to be...but that's a testiment to the quality of this band...even the worst album is better than most everyone one else.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXLpXu9T7j0[/ame]

 

[Sexy Beast]

13: Radiohead - The King of Limbs

Genre According to Wikipedia: Electronic music and experimental rock

Why is this on the list?: I remember when they first announced this one. It was like, we have a new album coming out in three days...hope you like it. Well for the most part the reaction was mixed. Even Pitchfork, who usually worships the ground that Radiohead walks, couldn't put it into BNM territory. The weird thing is that KoL sounds like the natural follow up to In Rainbow. I don't know what everyone else was expect KoL to be, but it was pretty much what I was expecting.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfOa1a8hYP8[/ame]

 

[Sexy Beast]

12: Lights - Siberia

Genre According to Wikipedia: Synthpop, new wave, and dubstep

Why is this on the list?: Here is an album that was a blind buy, I had not listened to a thing by this artist when I bought Siberia. Thankfully the album turned out to be one of the better albums of the year.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4Usa4EyR0U[/ame]

 

[Sexy Beast]

11: EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints

Genre According to Wikipedia: Folk-noise and Rock

Why is this on the list?: Remember when I said I didn't listen to any P4Ked BNM albums this year...yeah I sort of did. Though I didn't listen to them because P4K told me to...so that good right.

Anyway, it is hard for me to explain...which for a thread stating my favorite music is not a good thing. It's just such a hauntingly beautiful album that sounds a little like PJ Harvey mixed with a little Elliot Smith...that's a good thing.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BacPDrDeY8U[/ame]

 

[Sexy Beast]

10: St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

Genre According to Wikipedia: Art rock and baroque pop

Why is this on the list?: So I've been listening to St. Vincent since Marry Me and frankly she never disappoints. Actor was an all out brilliant album and this one is pretty much on par with the rest of her work. The strange thing about this album is how it changes, stylistically, as the album goes on. The the beginning of the album it sounds like it could have been on Actor, but morphs into something completely different. This is an all around solid album.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGIbR5jdA58[/ame]

 

[Sexy Beast]

9: Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972

Genre According to Wikipedia: Ambient and Drone

Why is this on the list?: Honestly it's on here because I did most of my studying last semester while listening to this album. It's a brilliant album, that taken as a whole, is simultaneously dark, sweeping, and beautiful.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE9mT4JaW_0[/ame]

 

[Sexy Beast]

8: Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes

Genre According to Wikipedia: Indie pop, indie rock, and indie folk

Why is this on the list?: Lykke Li never disappoint, he pop is well written and almost always sounds amazing. Wounded Rhymes is no exception. This is quite possibly the best Indie Pop album of the year.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu-b3u5jDiU[/ame]

 

[Sexy Beast]

7: Kendrick Lamar - Section.80

Genre According to Wikipedia: Hip hop

Why is this on the list?: When I first heard this one I knew it was going to be the Rap album to beat this year. Kendrick Lamar has created an album that flows well and the lyrics are damn fine too. If you're a fan of Hip-Hop and haven't taken a look at this album yet then you owe it to yourself the check this one out.

Language Warning​

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5yb2H7Fqi8[/ame]

 

[Sexy Beast]

6: The Men - Leave Home

Genre According to Wikipedia: The album isn't on Wikipedia...but it's various shades of rock.

Why is this on the list?: This album is strange awesome and amazing mix of various sub genres of rock. You have noise-rock, Shoe-gaze, Noise, Drone, Stoner Rock, Space Rock...etc. It the album sounds as if My Bloody Valentine, Sunn 0))), Shellac, Guitar Wolf, and the Sonic Youth all collaborated on this one. This ain't for everyone, but if you like rock then give this one a shot.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26psxrhO1hQ[/ame]

 

[bleblablueble]

Ive never heard or seen of any of these people. T_T I listen to a wide variety of music to..

 

[Sexy Beast]

Ive never heard or seen of any of these people. T_T I listen to a wide variety of music to..

There are a few artists on this list that you've probably should have come across. Arctic Monkeys and Florence you should have heard of at least...they're both pretty big. Then there is Radiohead...which if you haven't heard of them...then I don't know what to say.

 

[Sexy Beast]

5: Blue Sky Black Death - NOIR

Genre According to Wikipedia: Instrumental hip-hop, abstract hip-hop, and electronic

Why is this on the list?: Blue Sky Black Death usually help produce rap albums, but this time around they've managed to create the best sound scape of the year. The album almost has a whimsical and up beat feel to it, this is pretty much the electronic album of the year for me.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4qICd3ldLU[/ame]

 

[Sexy Beast]

4: Tom Waits - Bad As Me

Genre According to Wikipedia: Rock and experimental

Why is this on the list?: Tom Waits has been making music for almost 40 years now and this is his 17th album. Bad As Me is shows Waits in fine form with a sound that is seemingly reminiscent to my favorite album of his, Rain Dogs...which you should listen to if you haven't. This album is a great entry point for people who haven't heard his stuff before.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAjtkyGVDxc[/ame]


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6Ta3H-ck6s&ob=av2e[/ame]

 

[Sexy Beast]

3: Nicola Roberts - Cinderella's Eyes

Genre According to Wikipedia: Pop, electropop, and dance

Why is this on the list?: I've never really listened to Girls Aloud, actually I hadn't heard of them till after they imploded and everyone went off to make a solo-album. Don't ask me why I liked this album so much. It's fun to listen to and most of the songs are really catchy. If you don't like pop this one wont win you over, but if you're feeling adventurous then give this one a shot.


Apparently youtube doesn't have the song that I like for some strange reason...

http://hypem.com/item/1ey5y