Well, it’s that time of year again, when we stop and reflect on album releases over the last six months. In order to do this, we asked the AU review contributors to submit their votes on what they thought to be their favourite albums of 2011 and why…
If you’re frantically looking for your favourite album and it didn’t make the cut; never fear. There’s always the chance that it might appear in our end-of-year Top 40 Albums of 2011 list. Stay tuned!
In the meantime, I present to you the Top 10 Albums of 2011… so far.
#10. Battles – Gloss Drop
“Ever since Battles released Mirrored in 2007 we have been eagerly anticipating their follow-up. It took them 4 years, saw them lose founding member Tyondai Braxton, but I’m glad to say this was an album well worth the wait. Led by the impeccable single “Ice Cream”, Gloss Drop is their most exciting work to date – Tyondai is a notable absence, but not enough to keep this from being the most exciting release of 2011 to date. And the inclusion of “Sweetie and Shag”, forever immortalising the FBi Radio duo in Sydney, is beyond cool.” – Larry Heath
#9. Beastie Boys – Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
“From the undeniable party-starting “Make Some Noise” to the mind-blowing “Too Many Rappers (New Reactionaries Version),” HSCII not only boasts the most enjoyable jams of the year, but proves that one of the most iconic hip-hop groups, after over two decades, can still capture the sound that made them famous back in 1986 while at the same time appealing to the fans of more modern hip-hop.” – Chris Singh
#8. Death Cab for Cutie – Codes and Keys
“The album turns away from their typically melancholic lyrics and guitar-centric music, towards a more whimsical and electronic sound. The songs are bright, suggesting that Death Cab have finally found the missing piece that they have yearned for in past LPs.” – Cara Sayer-Bourne
#7. Arctic Monkeys – Suck It and See
“I liked “Suck It and See” as it shows a real evolution from the band who broke out in 2006 with snappy tales about adolescent nights out in Sheffield. Alex Turner has really matured as a song writer but has still managed to keep his signature wit along the way. They’ve managed to find the perfect mixture between the British veneer from their first two albums and the American grunt from Humbug. I think it’s this album that says they’re going to be around for years to come, as a lot of the tracks have a timeless class to them.” – Perri Cassie
#6. Does It Offend You, Yeah? – Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You
“Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You is a triumph for Does It Offend You, Yeah?. Having to break free from their major label constraints in order to release a record that was meaningful to them was an achievement in itself and that sense of freedom permeates throughout the music. They’ve produced the perfect blend of dance and rock, with inspired samples and a few gorgeous pop moments thrown into the mix. One of my favourite releases of 2011 solely for the many opportunities it provides to grind at random, inappropriate moments.” – Kat Mahina
#5. Seeker Lover Keeper – Seeker Lover Keeper
“Music can surely be mathematical, as the sum of all the talent on this Seeker Lover Keeper record makes for songs that are beautiful without Seltmann, Throsby or Blasko being overly dominant. It’s the sharing of these combined musical talents that shines through equally.” – Philippe Perez
#4. Adele – 21
“I think Adele’s album will be a classic in future years.” – Amelia Barnes
#3. Manchester Orchestra – Simple Math
“Manchester Orchestra can do no wrong. Powerful, moving and it give me chills every time I listen to it.” – Karina Carroll
#2. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
“Because “Wasting Light” was recorded on tape, it gave that classic rock sound that albums have been missing over the last few years.” – Anthony Crosetta
#1. Bon Iver – Bon Iver
“To me, Bon Iver is what magic sounds like. Their music is like an open portal to solace and their latest album was like a ‘welcome home’, back to this feeling.” – Zayra Dolores
