Best of 2011 Countdown: Top 40 Albums – Part 1: 40 – 31

Today we kick off our top 40 countdown for Albums of 2011. This was a hotly contested race, and much like the top 40 tracks of 2011, it’s a highly eclectic mix of the year’s finest local and international releases. This list was voted on by the contributors of the AU review and compiled by Christine Khalil. Read on!

Toro Y Moi – Underneath The Pine

“It was on repeat whilst I studied during first semester and has such a calming yet effortlessly cool vibe to it. Big love!” – Travis Banko

The Weeknd – House Of Balloons

“Whether you classify him as R&B, neo-soul or some new form of hipster-soul, The Weeknd has made an undeniable impact with his one-of-a-kind voice and his penchant for making great music. One listen to his voice and it’s hard to not pay attention to this promising young man. While he has caught the eyes of talent such as Florence & The Machine and Drake, The Weeknd is yet to make a huge dent on the charts, look for his name to be ubiquitous in 2012 – he damn sure deserves it.” – Chris Singh

Dream Theater – A Dramatic Turn of Events

“The Kings of the Prog Rock scene are back, and with a vengeance telling us that they are not going anywhere for a long, long time. And there is no other album more worth while than this album as my number one on 2011.” – Dave Roberts

The Getaway Plan – Requiem

Requiem is the newest album from Alternative rockers The Getaway Plan after the bands reformation in late 2010. With a notably more mature sound and with eclectic additions of orchestral instruments and choirs, The Getaway Plan stepped out of their alternative/hardcore boundaries, with the experimentation showcasing just how talented the young band are. From the climatic ‘The Reckoning’ to the haunting ‘S.T.A.R.S’, radio friendly ‘Move Along’ and ‘Flying Colours’ to the guttural screams that end the album on title track ‘Requiem,’ The Getaway Plan have risen to all new levels on their second LP, and proved they are back bigger and better than ever.” – Tahlia Pritchard

Mutemath – Odd Soul

“I had to go with Odd Soul in my number one slot (though I agonised over it because Incubus is my favourite band ever) because it was just so refreshing to hear something completely different. ’70s style fuzzed out blues guitar licks and Hammond organs mixed with techno synths and beats like clockwork (which is a Mutemath trademark)… Wow. “Prytania” is a standout track – it was stuck in my head for weeks. I love a band that reinvents their sound with each new release, and Mutemath haven’t disappointed me yet. I’m so excited that they’re finally making their mark on Australia!” – Erin Smith

Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes

Wounded Rhymes is Li’s best work to date. The album showcases her already appreciated voice with improved diversity in the content of her lyrics. If you can withstand the repetitive drum beats, you’ll love this album.” – Amelia Barnes

Lanie Lane – To The Horses

“I’m really impressed with Lanie’s style and how well she has managed to capture the sound she was going for. She’s one of the few in the Australian music industry tackling the niche she’s managed to grab by the balls… I have a huge respect for her.” – Liz Elleson

Jebediah – Kosciusko

“They scaled their own Everest and after a long hiatus have more than come up with the goods. Trumping their previous efforts and giving music journos plenty of pun-tastic slights at mountaineering and the like it was a return to the Jebediah of old without basking in nineties glories. These kids have left home and graduated but they still know how to rock and roll in the NDC-indie scene!” – Natalie Salvo

Grinderman – 2

“Filled with messy, rock-filled riffs, driving bass lines and dark lyrics, the band manage to create an album full of more sex, more drugs, and more rock & roll than a band half their age. The raw energy that is created from the messy guitar work and Nick Cave’s booming voice is only enhanced from the swell of violins and multitude of other instruments on tracks like “When My Baby Comes”, which is a highlight on the album. A joy to listen from start to finish, with memorable tracks such as “Heathen Child”, “Kitchenette” and the driving opener “Micky Mouse and The Goodbye Man”, Grinderman 2 will leave you feeling dirtier than a one night stand from the dark, dingy club on the wrong side of town.” – Stephen Heller

Editors Note: It’s been noted that this album was in fact released in September 2010. Unfortunately those who voted on this didn’t put this into account nor did those compiling the list, nor did we spot it when we were putting it online. Poor form. I suppose all this talk of their break up had us down in the dumps. Though it was not technically a 2011 release, as this did not make our 2010 countdown we won’t be changing the list… though we’ll add on an extra album as “#41” later in the countdown, to ensure there are 40 albums on this list, released in 2011. Apologies!

Cold War Kids – Mine Is Yours

“Despite being released back in January, this is the one album that still gets repeated listens 12 months on. There is not a bad track on this album. The album is light, sombre, poppy and emotional. It is a true emo album. No tortured screaming, just a man who lays bare his heart with raw, melodic honesty. A nice surprise to come out of this year.” – Jason Strange

Stay tuned for part two when we go through tracks 30 to 21…