2011 in music.

[RPS]

I don't think EWB has been graced by my rambling anger over how awful James Blake is yet. It's too "dense" (read: needlessly dreary) to be sexual, his voice is sub-Michael McDonald, and his lyrics say nothing to me. There's been way better musical experimentation, and way less pure grating this year.

I disagree with the rest of your post, but it's your opinion. However, I'm genuinely interested in the bolded bit. I don't think James Blake is really all that experimental, but what would you classify as way better musical experimentation that was released this year?

Edited January 5, 2012 by RockPaperScissors

[SRN]

Well, I agree to a certain extent; James Blake was sort of the catalyst that drove that style of electronic music out in the open but, for me, he wasn't the most interesting guy to crawl out of the hole. His debut album was a good listen, yes, but personally, I'd rate guys like Nicolas Jaar or Abel Tesfaye of The Weeknd to be more interesting and experimental, honestly.

[METALMAN]

James Blake's EPs (minus the one with the awful Joni Mitchell cover) are a million trillion miles better than his album. His album is okay though.

[ROC]

I don't think EWB has been graced by my rambling anger over how awful James Blake is yet. It's too "dense" (read: needlessly dreary) to be sexual, his voice is sub-Michael McDonald, and his lyrics say nothing to me. There's been way better musical experimentation, and way less pure grating this year.

I disagree with the rest of your post, but it's your opinion. However, I'm genuinely interested in the bolded bit. I don't think James Blake is really all that experimental, but what would you classify as way better musical experimentation that was released this year?

The Weeknd is up there. I mean, I don't know. Battles had a really fun record this year, and that's definitely more in the vein of being alienating. Frank Ocean wasn't a personal fave, but he hit way more at sexuality plus alienation and didn't do a shitty Feist cover at it. But I don't know. My experimentation limit seems to be Huntsville rappers rapping over Beach House beats (G-Side's "How Far"), so I might just be whining to be contrarian, I guess.

[RPS]

No, I don't think you are being a contrarian, I think it's a fair thing to say about James Blake. I really like the album, but I don't think it's really all that experimental at all. There was former more experimental and adventurous records from other bass artists like Africa Hitech, Rustie, Andy Stott, Egyptrixx, SBTRKT, Shlohmo, 2562, Machinedrum. James Blake, in my opinion, just made his big crossover and opened up a lot of people's minds. There is a universality to his records that other bass artists don't have.

EDIT: And I think his weakest tracks on the album seem to be the ones that get universal praise. That Feist cover is so dull and Wilhelm Scream isn't overly amazing.

Edited January 6, 2012 by RockPaperScissors

[tristy]

Why Don't You Call Me? is my favorite song.

Also I like that Joni Mitchell cover, fuck you metalman.

[RPS]

That whole EP is best forgotten. As I have said before, that duet with Bon Iver is the worse thing released by a major act this year. The Joni Mitchell cover is pretty horrendous too.

[tristy]

I'm not into the Bon Iver collaboration, but I like everything else off of the EP. I do like the EPs that came before his album more, but then again, I really really love that album too. I guess I'm just a James Blake fanboy.

[Jimmy]

New Summer Camp album is really good and growing on me. I need a bunch of new stuff to listen to, I might give M83 a try, I've heard a lot of good things about that album.

[Liam]

I pillaged this thread. Between this thread and the news of ATDI and Refused's reforming, I've got a shit load of additional stuff on my MP3 player. Cheers squires.

[Jimmy]

The Veronica Falls album is fantastic. I really, really like it. Cults album is also pretty good - seems I have a thing for bands with female leads at the moment. New Maccabees album ain't bad, but this whole 'growing up' stuff has sucked the fun out of their music. It's like the Horror's new album, musically and critically it's probably better - but it just isn't anywhere near as fun as their old music.

[tristy]

Cults on Yo Gabba Gabba is awesome.

[SRN]

I pillaged this thread. Between this thread and the news of ATDI and Refused's reforming, I've got a shit load of additional stuff on my MP3 player. Cheers squires.

I think this is a good idea.

Totally get all of my recommendations.

[RPS]

Subtle, SRN.

Also, gotta around to listening to three amazing albums that I highly recommend - Escort's self titled album, Dro Carey's Journey with the Heavy and Machinedrum album Room(s). All electronic stuff, but great. Escort is straight up disco revival, Dro Carey and Machinedrum's albums are more a mix of recent trends in music (dub-step/garage, house and r&b). All great high recommendations from me.

[SRN]

Subtle, SRN.

It is what I am known for.

[livid]

Finally had the time to finish my best of 2011 lists. It was actually pretty difficult because 2011 was a pretty great year for music.

Top Albums

1. Mr. Gnome - "Madness in Miniature"

2. Youth Lagoon - "The Year of Hibernation"

3. The Black Keys - "El Camino"

4. The Antlers - "Burst Apart"

5. The Weeknd - "House of Balloons"

6. Childish Gambino - "Camp"

7. Still Corners - "Creatures of an Hour"

8. The Horrors - "Skying"

9. The Men - "Leave Home"

10. Feist - "Metals"

11. Alex Clare - "The Lateness of the Hour"

12. Cosmo Jarvis - "Is the World Strange or Am I Strange?"

13. TV on the Radio - "Nine Types of Light"

14. "Drive" (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

15. A$APRocky - "LiveLoveA$AP"

Honorable Mentions:

Bon Iver - "Bon Iver"

Astronautalis - "This is Our Science"

The War on Drugs - "Slave Ambient"

Okkervil River - "I Am Very Far"

Implodes - "Dark Earth"

Trap Them - "Darker Handcraft"

Young Widows - "In and Out of Youth and Lightness"

Top Songs

1. Mr. Gnome - "House of Circles"

2. Youth Lagoon - "Seventeen"

3. The Black Keys - "Little Black Submarines"

4. Mr. Little Jeans - "The Suburbs (Arcade Fire Cover)"

5. Feist - "The Bad in Each Other"

6. Alex Clare - "Damn Your Eyes (Etta James Cover)"

7. The Antlers - "Parentheses"

8. Childish Gambino - "Bonfire"

9. Cosmo Jarvis - "She Doesn't Mind"

10. Astronautalis - "Dimitri Mendeleev"

11. M83 - "Midnight City (Trentemoeller Remix)"

12. Still Corners - "I Wrote in Blood"

13. The Irrepressibles - "In This Shirt (Royksopp Remix)"

14. Silver Swans - "Anyone's Ghost (The National Cover)"

15. The Weeknd - "High for This"