Top 30 Albums of 2011: Part One (30-21)
by Jonathan Doyle, Neil Karassik and Ken Stuebing
30. Ducktails - Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics
Last January felt a little bit warmer with the release of this mellow gem from Real Estate guitarist Matthew Mondanile. Ducktails’ latest album sounds a lot like Mondanile’s other band -- before their slightly more polished sophomore LP (see our top 10) -- harkening back to their earlier, more fuzzed-out hooks, hazy vocals and other lo-fi trappings. Several of the standout tracks (“Killing the Vibe” and the Seinfeld-referencing “Art Vandelay”) would’ve been right at home on Real Estate’s debut, but perhaps they better suit Ducktails' consistently laidback track list, which makes this album stand out on its own. Comparisons between both of Mondanile’s projects are unavoidable, which is certainly not a bad thing, because they’re both exceptional. -- NK
29. Radiohead - The King of Limbs
When this album came out of nowhere as a digital download one Saturday morning in February, the consensus was swift: The King of Limbs is minor Radiohead. It’s a fair assessment, but it also seems like a reasonable summary of the band’s intention. Most of the tracks have a repetitive simplicity, forgoing the emotional sweep and aesthetic unpredictability of the band’s most celebrated work. But why did they see fit to release such a compact, no frills album? Were they unable to do something more challenging or were they simply imposing intriguing new boundaries on their work? If the latter is true – and all signs suggest that it is – the result is one of Radiohead’s most disciplined and cohesive albums, a work more interested in overall sensibility than standout tracks. The album form may be dying, but the contrarians in Radiohead remind us that a well-sequenced group of songs can function like a single, perfectly calibrated track. -- JD
28. Cass McCombs - Humor Risk
2011 was a big year for Cass McCombs. Back in April, he made a splash with the terrific Wit’s End, a moody collection of songs that exhibited impressive restraint and tonal uniformity. In some ways, that album makes for a more traditionally coherent collection than its successor, but the more shambling, playful Humor Risk has something just as important: unpredictability. Whereas Wit’s End almost lulls the listener to sleep with the consistency of its down-tempo vision, Humor Risk has a few more colors in its palette. “Love Thine Enemy,” “The Same Thing” and “Robin Egg Blue” all offer welcome counterpoint to McCombs’ more gloomy tendencies. Even a track like “The Living Word” -- which might have gelled with the songs on Wit’s End -- offers an elaborate, surprising melody that delivers musical pleasures unlike anything on its predecessor. Not everything on this album works, but the cumulative effect recalls the addictive properties of 2009’s Catacombs. -- JD
RELATED: Top 30 Albums of 2009
27. Deerhoof - Deerhoof vs. Evil
San Francisco's Deerhoof have been consistently inventive for over a decade and yet they continue to be criminally underrated. The band's modus operandi appears to be "defy expectations," which makes it difficult to explain why this, their eleventh (!) album is so worthy of your time. Given that they often explore multiple genres within a given song, their music can be jarring for the uninitiated, but amidst this controlled chaos, there's at least one constant: Greg Saunier's drumming is ever-pulverizing -- and often hilarious. In fact, Deerhoof may be the lone band that could sell t-shirts featuring only their drummer. Meanwhile, Satomi Matsuzaki's precious vocals approach twee levels of cuteness -- while retaining an intensely provocative edge -- and dueling guitar lines merge in and out of sync, spanning noise, art and pop. If you don't like a track on Deerhoof vs. Evil, wait twenty seconds for the tonal/tempo shift. Welcome experiments like the fun-with-harmonics "Must Fight Current" hit the mark, but the real winner is the "+ 81"-esque "Super Duper Rescue Heads," possibly the most upbeat superhero anthem of the year. Here's to another eleven albums of playful weirdness from Deerhoof. -- KS
RELATED: Deerhoof at the Phoenix (2011)
26. Sloan - The Double Cross
2011 was a big year of 20th anniversaries (including Pearl Jam's Ten and Nirvana's Nevermind), but it also marked the XX year (hence the title) for the ultimate Canadian cult band. Happily, this is one of the finest albums in Sloan's impressive catalogue. All the best of Sloan is here: the songs span many genres, the production is plush, the instrumentation is interesting (hooray, mellotrons!) and the microphone is shared democratically. As always, Chris Murphy's too-cute lyrics match his solid/strutting baselines, Patrick Pentland's impossibly catchy choruses promise to increase beer sales and Andrew Scott's literate musings class up the joint (see especially the Miles Davis-quoting "Traces"). But speaking as a longterm devotee, this album cements perhaps the clearest truth about Sloan: Jay Ferguson's songs are always the best. In 2011, "sublime" meant "Green Gardens, Cold Montreal" -- and this fan is grateful that they struck up a live arrangement of this perfect gem for their anniversary concerts in June. -- KS
25. Fucked Up - David Comes to Life
Rocking you like an Escher drawing, Fucked Up are Toronto's hardest-rocking pop group and/or poppiest hard rock band. After living with this album and catching the band live several times this year, I'm not so sure about the "hardcore" tag. Sure, Damien "Pink Eyes" Abraham's vicious vocals repel mainstream audiences (if the band's name didn't already suffice on that front), but beneath the punk rock veneer is stirring classic pop-rock meant to be embraced sincerely. David's is a circular tale of working class love and tragic loss that unfolds across 18 tracks, songwriting that's far closer in scope to Pete Townshend than Bob Mould. The album really is like Escher, unfolding as a densely constructed postmodern love story doomed to repeat itself. The high-concept lyrics are often quite moving and are leant extra support by classy guest turns, particularly Madeline Follin's inviting take on "Queen of Hearts." Unlikely but true, beneath the blood and heaving, hairy chest, Pink Eyes is simply one of the nicest fellows in Canadian rock, a front-man whose openhearted love for his fans is happily reciprocated. -- KS
RELATED: GATEFOLDING, Vol. 15 | Pink Eyes on The Year Punk Broke
24. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
For many breakthrough bands, the speedy success of their first album is often succeeded by a less satisfying follow-up. High expectations are rarely met, and that initial spark of novelty is often lost. When Fleet Foxes released their self-titled debut, they were immediately catapulted into indie superstardom, playing to sold-out crowds at massive concert venues, including Toronto’s historic Massey Hall. While not dramatically different, their sophomore full-length is just as good. The band’s infectious harmonies, bittersweet lyrics and guttural vocals are comparable, but also refined and more expansive in surprising ways. Like their debut, Helplessness Blues is a wonderfully sentimental rock odyssey that grows in value with repeat listens. It’s likely that in the next six months we’ll dig this album even more. -- NK
23. The Horrors - Skying
Skying? Really? The awkwardness of that title aside, everything soars in this ode to sixties-psychedelia-by-way-of-nineties-Madchester. The Horrors don't break much new ground -- these tunes wouldn't feel out of place on a classic Ride album -- and Faris Badwan's drolly-crooned lyrics are more or less irrelevant to the album's charms. What works is the band's ability to strike the perfect midtempo groove, wherein colossal beats and rolling basslines dance around layered guitars and synths. Within this thick, mesmerizing barrage, majestic melodies grab hold. These are dense slabs of dramatic, mind-expanding rock that provide the ideal soundtrack for hazy summer evenings. The album peaks midway with "Still Life," a catchy eighties throwback seemingly designed to make you double-check that you're not actually listening to the Simple Minds. With Skying, these five ambitious Brits have set their sound on "transfix" and the result is frequently stellar. -- KS
22. Yuck - Yuck
This London-based foursome's self-titled debut not only does a terrific job of evoking such indie-grunge-noise nineties acts as Sonic Youth, Pavement and Dinosaur Jr., they’ve also managed to be more than just a nostalgic revival band by totally rocking in their own right. Appalling cover art notwithstanding, Yuck was one of the most appealing and, believe it or not, refreshing new acts of the year. Nearly every deceptively simple track on this record is a keeper, consistently delivering catchy guitar hooks and smart songwriting. Like their old-school influences, Yuck may sound like slacker rock, but there’s nothing lazy about their execution. If they keep this up, it shouldn't be long before bands start paying homage to them. -- NK
21. Washed Out - Within and Without
Given the promise of last year's Life of Leisure EP, Washed Out's first full-length LP was highly anticipated. While Within and Without is not the world's most thrilling record, it proves that sonic architect Ernest Greene has arrived. There are plenty of acts that will cater to those who insist that their music be aggressively provocative. Washed Out is not one of them. Instead, Greene delivers mostly mellow, hypnotic grooves designed to soothe and ease one's troubled mind. Like other chill-wavers, Washed Out proudly flaunt the influence of Animal Collective -- particularly Panda Bear -- albeit in a far more comforting form. This is therapeutic music, specifically designed to raise, not ruffle, the listener's spirits. The soaring choruses and bright melodies come coated in a thick, impressionistic gauze. On repeat listens, the lyrics of the most successful songs ("Amor Fati," "Soft") remain inaudible, but their infectiously upbeat spirit comes through crystal clear. -- KS
20-11 | 10-1 | Top 30 Albums of 2009 | Top 30 Albums of 2010
