My Year in Lists: Favourite Albums of 2011

2011 was one of the strongest years with respect to albums that I can remember. I could have easily turned my traditional top ten list into a top twenty, and I am aware that there are a lot of acclaimed albums that I missed out on this year, because, well, my pesky job gets in the way of me consuming music as much as I'd truly like.

As always, I'd like to mention that this list reflects the albums that played the biggest part in my year. Music becomes woven into my life and into my favourite moments, so sentimentality often plays a big part into which albums are my favourites. In addition, I go to a lot of shows, and seeing songs from an album live often just makes them all the more special to me. My top ten list are quite simply the top ten albums that were the soundtrack of my life in the year 2011.

Since it was such a strong year, here are my honourable mentions:

Honeymoon Punch - Jenn Grant
Siberia - Lights

People & Things - Jack’s Mannequin

Wasting Light - Foo Fighters
Lights of Endangered Species - Matthew Good
Codes & Keys - Death Cab for Cutie

Now for the top ten!

10) Ceremonials - Florence & The Machine

I’d forgotten to check out this album until I saw Florence & The Machine’s performance on SNL. Florence has such a powerful voice, and is able to craft truly captivating songs that suit it. Each song on this album is powerful and empowering at the same time. This is one of my favourite albums to listen to all the way through on a subway ride, or on a train, or just while reading or cleaning at home. Florence’s voice and the gorgeous arrangements on each song make you thankful just to be listening.



Favourite songs: Only If for a Night and Shake It Out



9) Summer of Lust - Library Voices


Who doesn’t like intelligent poppy catchy songs? Seriously, who doesn’t? I most certainly do, and that’s why I like this album so much. I think I just discovered this Saskatchewan band this year, and downloaded their previous album Denim on Denim earlier in the year, and then waited for the August release of Summer of Lust with some excitement. I wasn’t disappointed with Library Voices’ sophomoric effort. There are horns galore, and each and every song easily embeds itself in your consciousness so you’ll find yourself humming it later on in the day. As I said, the songs are smart. References are made to atoms, Parliament, Coupland, Murakami, and my favourite song title by far is Reluctant Readers Make Reluctant Lovers.

Favourite songs: The Prime Minister’s Daughter and Regina, I Don’t Want to Fight



8) Collapse Into Now - R.E.M.

This album would make my list on its merit alone, but I have to admit that my sentimental heart gave it a lot of clout: this is the last time I’ll get the opportunity to put an album by R.E.M., a band who I’ve loved since I was eight, on my end-of-year list since they are going on permanent hiatus after a 31-year career.

There are those out there who got away from R.E.M. after a couple of lackluster records at the beginning of the last decade. However, I have thoroughly enjoyed their last two records, especially this one. I love how R.E.M. can maintain an early alternative sound to their work, even though they are an older band. The songs on this album are strong, and the album comes full circle with the closer Blue (featuring Patti Smith) that echos the opener Discoverer. Collapse Into Now is an album that allows R.E.M. to end their career on a high note.

Favourite Songs: Alligator Aviator Autopilot Antimatter and Blue



7) Seeds - Hey Rosetta!

I am always very pleased when some little Canadian band that I discover randomly ends up garnering wide critical acclaim. I think I like the feeling that my tastes are validated, but moreover, I’m elated that they are experiencing such success. Just like with their debut, Hey Rosetta! earned a place on the Polaris Prize shortlist for their follow-up. The acclaim is well-deserved for this six-piece band from Newfoundland. Seeds opens with the bombastic eponymous track, and keeps up the pace for the duration of the album. One of my favourite songs on this album, Young Glass, just makes me think of Catcher in the Rye for some reason. I think it’s the shout out to Central Park that might do it. Random tidbit: Seeds is one of my favourite driving albums.

Favourite songs: Seeds and Young Glass



6) Hello Sadness - Los Campesinos!


For those of you who keep track of my year-end album lists (i.e. myself, that’s who I’m referring to... I have no delusions), you may remember that LC’s 2010 album Romance is Boring was my favourite album of that year. It’s quite impressive that this band is so prolific with two new albums in two years. Hello Sadness is a great album too; I think the reasons why it didn’t place as high as its predecessor is firstly that the “soundtrack of my life” factor always plays a part when I make these lists, and secondly, Hello Sadness is such a sad album. Of course, a sad LC album still means that you have insanely catchy songs, but the lyrics of this one make me feel sad. The fact that this album makes me feel so sad is a testament to how good this album really is.

Favourite songs: The Black Bird, The Dark Slope and Songs About Your Girlfriend



5) The Double Cross - Sloan


There are four reasons why this album made my list:



a) This album has THE BEST THREE FIRST SONGS of any album I’ve ever encountered. There is something about the trilogy of Follow the Leader/The Answer is You/Unkind that is EPIC. EPIC. The rest of the album is great too but those three songs are special and fit together perfectly.



b) This album is called The Double Cross in tribute to the fact that this is Sloan’s twentieth year as a band. (Double Cross = XX = 20, awww, they are clever!) For a band to rock this hard after twenty years is epic.

c) The three Jay Ferguson songs on The Double Cross (The Answer Was You, Green Gardens, Cold Montreal, and Beverley Terrace) melt my little heart. Jay is my favourite.

Favourite songs: The first three, of course



4) Metal Meets - Ohbijou



I loved this album so much that I bought at least four copies of it as Christmas presents since I like to support local bands. The sound on Metal Meets is big with beautiful strings, bass, keyboards and vocals. One of my favourite moments of 2011 was seeing Ohbijou perform songs from this album in a tiny record store.


Favourite songs: Niagara and Sligo



3) Oh Fortune - Dan Mangan


This is another album that I purchased multiple copies of as Christmas presents. Dan Mangan has cemented himself as one of Canada’s emerging singer/songwriting talents with his previous album, the Polaris Prize long-listed Nice, Nice, Very Nice, and with its strong follow-up. Dan’s songs continue to be evocative, and after seeing him live, I love how he surrounds himself with wonderful musicians who help bring his songs to life.

Favourite songs: About As Helpful As You Can Be Without Being Any Help At All and Post-War Blues



2) Bon Iver - Bon Iver


I decided not to pay attention to Bon Iver’s previous album For Emma, Forever Ago because that's what I sometimes do with albums that get a lot of hype. However, when this album came out, I decided to check it out, and I fell in love. It’s one of those albums where each song just washes over you. It’s best listened to all in one go, and makes the perfect background music for a rainy night in while reading. One of my favourite moments of this year was seeing Bon Iver perform this album live.

Favourite songs: Holocene and Perth



1) Metals - Feist


This album is 2011 for me. I was highly anticipating this album ever since Feist mentioned last year that she was going to start working on a follow-up to The Reminder. Of course, as with any highly-anticipated follow-up to an excellent album, you wonder, will the artist be able to do it?

And, of course, Ms. Leslie Feist did. How did she do it? On her own terms, of course. She continued to collaborate with her friends, and instead of gearing this album to the pop-friendly audience she might have garnered with The Reminder, she went a bit dark and away from the mainstream with Metals. And it works wonderfully.

I love the variety of songs that this album has. The opener, The Bad in Each Other, sounds dark and powerful, and includes great background vocals from Bry Webb. Things start off quiet on the second track, The Graveyard, but quickly turn into a sing along during the chorus. Later on in the album A Commotion turns a broken heart into a wonderful cacophony. Even though some songs are complex, there are some quieter simple moments such as the song Bittersweet Melodies. The album ends with the lovely Get it Wrong, Get It Right where Feist ends the album singing “get it right, get it right” and she certainly did with this album.

Favourite songs: The Bad in Each Other and Caught A Long Wind