2011 Review: Top 10 Albums

I still can't get over how incredible 2011 has been in terms of music. There were so many exciting new artists bursting onto the scene (WU LYF, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Yuck, ASAP Rocky) while many other well already established artists expanded on and experimented with their sound to create something completely different (The Antlers, Bon Iver, Toro Y Moi).

And while its already been noted in various other publications, one can't help but draw parallels between the current climate of the music world to the current climate of the world. With exciting, democratic uprisings occurring the world over (Arab Spring, Occupy Movement), the people are joining together in search of change. Similarly, the "underground" has seemingly taken over the established norm and the major, corporate labels no longer rule the music industry. With all of the social networking devices, artists can build a brand for themselves without any need for the big budget that comes with a major label contract. As long as their willing to work, artists can find some sort of audience and without the meddling of big businesses worried about sales figures, the art is more pure and the listeners are reaping all of the benefits.

And now, without further ado, out of all the hundreds of albums and all the thousands of songs, here are the top 10 albums of 2011!

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

Top 10 Albums of 2011 (So Far)

Please Note: This list will probably look a lot different when the end of the year lists come out but as of today, June 28th, these are my top 10 albums of the year. Top 10 after the break:

Honorable Mention (in no particular order):
Dawes - Nothing Is Wrong
The Decemberists - The King is Dead
Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean
Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
Okkervil River - I Am Very Far
Yuck - Yuck

Daytrotter Sessions: Middle Brother

What can Middle Brother do next to make me love them even more? I think a Daytrotter Session would do the trick. Wait, what's that? They recorded two, back-to-back? Hot damn! Click here to get your download on. Enjoy.

Middle Brother

Middle Brother is 3 of the most talented (and underrated) singer-songwriters in folk rock today: Matt Vasquez of Delta Spirit, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes and John McCauley of Deer Tick. The project started in 2010 at South By Southwest when the three performed an impromptu set at an Austin, Texas bar.

Middle Brother, Dawes and Deer Tick recently toured the United States and made two stops in New York City. I was lucky enough to catch the show at Bowery Ballroom and the true collaborative spirit of the band was there for all to see. While each band played played their own individual sets, it was more like a backyard party with a rotating cast of musicians and instruments. The highlight was Dawes' closer where at least 15 people were on stage singing and playing. The energy radiated to the crowd and culminated in one very loud, very powerful singalong to "When My Time Comes."


Below is Middle Brother performing the title track from their self-titled debut for Rolling Stone. Check out the video and pick up the album. Enjoy!