2011

Up until this year, I got most of my new music recommendations from end of the year blog lists. This meant that on a good year, I'd find 5 to 10 albums I actually liked. This year I made a commitment to actively seek out new releases for myself, which was quite a huge undertaking. I've been seriously listening to everything I've been able to get my hands on, which has amounted to me sifting through roughly a thousand albums this year.

I can't tell if it's the fact that I've listened to so much or if we've just hit a high point, but this has been an exceptional year for music. I've compiled a list of albums that have resonated with me the most. They are listed alphabetically as opposed to a rating system because how am I supposed to rate Charles Bradley in the same category as Thee Oh Sees or The Caretaker? This is just a list of great albums, all of which should be listened to with as much enthusiasm as the other.

I try to limit my mixes to an hour and 20 minutes, so only half of the 50 albums below made it into the mix, but don't let that deter you from checking out the rest.

A.A. Bondy - Believers

The Advisory Circle - As The Crow Flies

Alabama Shakes - Alabama Shakes EP

Amen Dunes - Through Donkey Jaw

Atlas Sound - Parallax

A Winged Victory For The Sullen - A Winged Victory For The Sullen

Bass Drum Of Death - GB City

Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2

Björk - Biophilia

The Black Angels - Phosgene Nightmare EP

Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Scandalous

Black Lips - Arabia Mountain

Booker T. Jones - The Road From Memphis

The Caretaker - An Empty Bliss Beyond This World

Cass McCombs - Humor Risk

Charles Bradley & The Menahan Street Band - No Time For Dreaming

Danger Mouse & Daniel Luppi - Rome

Dávila 666 - Tan Bajo

Eric Copeland - Waco Taco Combo

Feist - Metals

FIDLAR - DIYDUI EP

The Flaming Lips - The Flaming Lips With Neon Indian EP

Frank Fairfield - Out On The Open West

J Mascis - Several Shades Of Why

Joseph Arthur - The Graduation Ceremony

Kitty, Daisy & Lewis - Smoking In Heaven

Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo

Michael Kiwanuka - Tell Me A Tale EP

Mikal Cronin - Mikal Cronin

Nirvana - Live At The Paramount Theatre

Noveller - Glacial Glow

Other Lives - Tamer Animals

Paley & Francis - Paley & Francis

Radiohead - The King Of Limbs: Live From The Basement

Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin'

The Raveonettes - Raven In The Grave

Richard Swift - Walt Wolfman EP

Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire

Seasick Steve - You Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks

Secret Cities - Strange Hearts

Son Lux - We Are Rising

The Strange Boys - Live Music

Thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler/The Dream

Thee Oh Sees - Castlemania

Tim Hecker - Dropped Pianos

Tom Waits - Bad As Me

Ty Segall - Goodbye Bread

Various Artists - Fania Records 1964-1980

Wilco - The Whole Love

Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile - The Goat Rodeo Sessions

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