2011 Review: Top 50 Songs: Top 10!

After a 4 day journey through 40 songs, we've arrived at the top 10. Thanks for reading and listening and make sure you take a look back at the other songs in the top 50 if you missed them. Enjoy!

2011 Review: 25 Great "Rock" Releases (The Honorable Mention)

This year had so many great albums that a singular top 10 was just not quite enough; too many other albums deserved at least a mention. There was the Top 10 hiphop/R&B list posted earlier this week and this here is essentially an extended honorable mention for the other rock albums this year. An overall top 10 is coming later this month with proper write ups and in an effort to preserve the suspense, none of those albums will be included. In the meantime, enjoy this list and give a listen to some of these excellent albums if you haven't already.

Artist Profile: Gold Leaves

The new(ish) project from Seattle singer-songwriter Grant Olsen, Gold Leaves places folky instrumentation into an ambient backdrop and then adds in soaring vocal harmonies. I saw Grant Olsen and his band open for A.A. Bondy this past week at the Bowery Ballroom and was enthralled by their sound. Seeing them on stage felt like watching one of the earliest incarnations of Robin Pecknold and Fleet Foxes (the Seattle connection and bearded front man certainly aided the comparison) and this band has the potential to create equally beautiful music without being a copycat.

Olsen released the Gold Leaves debut, The Ornament on Hardly Art this past August and the album sounds just as promising as their live show. Check out the title track below and then go out and get the album. Enjoy!

Exciting new albums are streaming!

The great year in music continues in September with a lot of great releases coming up. Many of these albums have been made available for streaming so that you can preview them before you buy. Get the list of albums and links after the jump. Enjoy!