Tuesday Top Ten: Albums of 2011

I would have posted this earlier, but I was awaiting the arrival of a couple albums from 2011, which I have now received and had time to digest.  Thus, I am now in a position to rank my top ten albums of 2011.  As with my rankings every year, this list includes only albums that I own, and I only bought 16 albums that were released last year. Also, it does not include live albums or EPs (I bought one of each –- Def Leppard's Mirror Ball – Live & More and Gary Clark, Jr.'s The Bright Lights EP, respectively -- both of which I recommend), which knocks the pool of options down to 14.

I thought 2011 was a decent year for music, or at least the albums I bought were pretty good as a whole.  Below are my ten favorite, with my favorite song from each.

Others purchased:  Artic Monkeys - Suck It and See; Cage the Elephant - Thank You Happy Birthday; The Sheepdogs - Learn and Burn; The Vaccines - What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?

10.  Diarrhea Planet - Loose Jewels

If you can get past the name (which I don't mind, but then again, I'm also insane), you will find a short (19 minutes) but sweet album chockfull of fuzzy, frantic, lo-fi garage punk.  For a more in-depth review of the album, click here.

Favorite song:  "Juggernaut!"

9.  The Strokes – Angles

The first Strokes album in five years wasn't as good as I had hoped, frankly.  That said, it's still pretty good.  It's a little bit of a departure from their prior albums, with some of the songs having kind of a more synth-y feel to them, like they were listening to a lot of Duran Duran (which isn't necessarily a bad thing).  Of course, several of the songs remind you why they vaulted into stardom a decade ago -- catchy, crunchy, and frantic.  The album is very good, but top-to-bottom, I don't like it as much as their first three albums.  I was going to say this albums sounds like it was influenced by the band Hockey, but as I was writing it, it occurred to me that it's probably the other way around.

Favorite song:  "Under Cover of Darkness"

8.  The Black Lips - Arabia Mountain

Garage-y goodness, with a Ramones meets Exile On Main St.-era Stones feel to many of the songs.  The songs are short and catchy, and there are a lot of songs that, if you didn't know they were put out in 2011, you might very well think they were from the mid to late '60s.

Favorite song:  "Modern Art"

7.  Those Darlins - Screw Gets Loose

If you mixed The Ramones, Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, The Raveonettes, The Andrews Sisters, '60s girl groups, and The Detroit Cobras or Ko & The Knockouts together, the result might be Those Darlins.  They play good, catchy garage punk with a splash of Nashville.

Favorite song:  "Hives"

6.  Rival Sons - Pressure and Time

This is just good, old fashioned, straightforward, booze-soaked rock and roll.  You should listen to this music in a bar or in a car with rear-wheel drive with the windows rolled down, no matter the temperature.  Unfortunately, I missed these guys when they came through town last year, but hopefully they will hit Chicago again.

Favorite song:  "All Over the Road"

5.  Township - One More Summer

One of my favorite bands has released another fantastic, '70s rock-influenced album.  One More Summer is darker than the band's prior albums, but rocks just as hard.  The influences I hear (whether they were actually influences or not) include Thin Lizzy, Black Sabbath, '70s Aerosmith, and UFO.  It's another solid offering, and I hope these guys make it to Chicago this year because they put on a great live show.

Favorite song:  "Arrow"

4.  Jeff The Brotherhood - We Are The Champions

Label mates of Diarrhea Planet, Jeff The Brotherhood is the latest in a long line of duos that produce a lot of sound (White Stripes, Black Keys, etc.).  Jeff The Brotherhood play a fuzzy, yet catchy, brand of rock and roll that incorporates elements of hard rock, garage rock, pop, '60s psychedelic rock, metal, punk, and new wave.

Favorite song:  "Diamond Way"

3.  The Black Keys - El Camino

Akron's favorite sons (apologies to Ripper Owens) have again teamed up with Danger Mouse with excellent results on their seventh studio album (Danger Mouse also produced 2008's Attack & Release).  Unlike some other bands, I feel like The Black Keys have progressed as they've gone along.  I love all of their albums, even if they are different from one another.  El Camino has elements of hard rock, soul, early rock and roll, glam, and, of course, garage rock.

Favorite song:  "Lonely Boy"

2.  Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

In my opinion, Foo Fighters are the best hard rock band since they released their debut album in 1995.  Wasting Light is a great album with an edge and snarl that some of their previous albums haven't had (not that any of their previous albums are bad).  It has a garage metal feel to it (as it was, in fact, recorded in a garage).  Some reviewers have said that the album sounds influenced by Nirvana, which I don't necessarily agree with (although it was produced by Nevermind producer Butch Vig).  I hear more of a Queens of the Stone Age influence (Dave Grohl worked with QotSA lead singer Josh Homme on their side project Them Crooked Vultures), along with early '80s metal.  One thing is certain:  no matter the influence, the album kicks ass.

Favorite song:  "These Days"

1.  Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears – Scandalous

I have come to the conclusion that it is impossible to hate good soul music.  I understand the reasons why people might not like other genres (not that I agree with these).  Metal is too loud and evil.  Jazz is too convoluted and inaccessible.  Punk is too angry and talentless.  Country is too "rural."  Rap and hip hop are too "urban."  Indie rock is too pretentious.  Top 40 pop is too commercial.  The blues are too depressing.  Techno and disco are too X-y and fake.  But soul music -- and I mean classic '60s soul like Otis Redding, James Brown, and Wilson Pickett -- is impossible to dislike.  It just penetrates you, dare I say it, to your soul.  That's exactly what this album is, with some garage rock mixed in.  Is garage soul a genre?  If it is, these guys rule the roost.  You can't go wrong with a horn section.  The band's second album destroys any worries of a sophomore slump.  If you like Stax/Volt soul –- and based on my theory, you must -- then you will like this album.  From the beginning to the end of the album, you can't help but nod your head or tap your feet.  It has fast-paced songs that make you want to dance and slow songs that make you want to make sweet love.  Buy it.  Love it.  LIVE it.

Favorite songs (tie):  "Black Snake," "Mustang Ranch," and "You Been Lyin'"


Any other albums from 2011 I should check out?