Best Albums of 2011 (So Far)

This year has been a phenomenal year in music so far. It’s pretty crazy to think that releases such as Okkervil River’s I Am Very Far , Smith Westerns' Dye It Blonde , and Cut Copy’s Zonoscope couldn’t sneak their way onto my list. I also haven’t given some key albums a listen yet, mainly the new Man Man…I know, shame on me. So as I catch up and the staying power of certain albums either grows or fades, this list will change, but as of now, here are my favorites from 2011:

Honorable Mentions
Dawes – Nothing Is Wrong
Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
August Burns Red - Leveler
Curren$y - Covert Coup EP
William Fitzsimmons - Gold In The Shadow
Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean

2011 First Half Top Ten Albums (Joey D)

Here's my take on the best of first half 2011's albums. Sorry I didn't post links to the songs, but you can youtube em! Top 10 after the jump.

Honorable Mentions:

Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
The Antlers – Burst Apart
Moving Mountains - Waves
Atmosphere – The Family Sign
Middle Brother – Middle Brother

La Dispute, Defeater, and Native at Altar Bar, 5/20

There is a lot wrong with the current state of hardcore. I could write a whole ‘nother piece on what is shitty about the hardcore scene these days, but it really just boils down to unnecessary violence and lack of creativity. At shows, too many innocent bystanders are getting punched in the face during the same tired, “brutal” breakdown. It’s enough to turn people away from shows in the genre, and perhaps even the genre altogether. But luckily, there are still bands that represent what was wonderful about hardcore from the beginning, and on Friday night I had the chance to see three of those bands play this new wave of creative, emotional hardcore live.