SPoken Nerd’s favorite albums of 2011
My 10 favorite albums from 2011.
I discovered Sally Seltman as I was checking out the Arts &
Crafts roster. Being a fan of Broken Social Scene and Stars led me to
my favorite album this year. Sally has a certain innocence in all of
her music, there is nothing pretentious about it. This album is
stocked full of beautiful love songs and puts me a good mood every
time I put it on. I really can’t say enough about it but I feel that
this one should speak for itself.
http://www.sallyseltmann.com/
2. Children of Spy - IYQ
Children of Spy’s IYQ is an album of real substance. The songs
seem to theme around being yourself and letting go of the past. Great
instrumentation and lyricism go along way throughout this 9 song
masterpiece. Frontman Nicholas Naoti has a very diverse range between
soft singy verses on the title track and his epic soulful shouts on
Cannot go back.
http://childrenofspy.bandcamp.com/
3. Cantalouper - Mandrakes
Cantalouper was a big surprise for me. Good shoegaze is hard to
come by these days and I wouldn’t have known to look for it in
Columbia, MO. One of my biggest problems with a lot of these types of
bands is that they sound really cool but don’t really hold up as good
songs. Levi Dolan holds the songwriting end of the bargain up well
with great concepts and lyrics like, “If you only knew. There were
telephone wires higher then you and no one gets away without being
electrocuted in flames”.
http://cantalouper.bandcamp.com/
4. Sole and the Skyrider Band - Hello Cruel World
Hip hop is always fun but how often do we get a hip hop album
that’s truly listenable all the way through? Sole and the Skyrider
really pull this off with Hello Cruel World. Having been a fan of
Sole for many years this album is refreshing to me because it is more
personal. Beats are unique with an industry/twee feel. This is
Sole’s best work yet in my opinion and I look forward to his continued
progression.
http://www.circleintosquare.com/item/hello-cruel-world
5. Astronautalis - This is our Science
This is our Science is the climatic Astronautalis album I’ve been
waiting for since I first saw him in Nashville touring Pomegranate.
The album is high energy and generally upbeat throughout. Secrets on
our Lips is my favorite song on the album in which he raps about
falling asleep while making out with the love of his life in the space
behind a vending machine.
http://astronautalis.com/
6. Mansions - Dig up the Dead
Seattle based grunge outfit Mansions is quotable on nearly every
other line. “I hae never been free but I have always been cheap”.
Mansions answers the question of what it would sound like if Kurt
Cobain had survived the 90’s, got sober and started making Cathartic
Pop music. Awesome!!!! Ironically…It also answers my question of
what Deathcab for Cutie would sound like had they got drunk and had
never seen success. Awesome!!!!
http://burninghouserecords.bandcamp.com/album/dig-up-the-dead
7. New Madrid - Stangle the Bird, Burn the Bush
New Madrid is downright awesome southern rock. Think of Low-FI
but well produced Meat Puppets. If you ever get a chance to see them
live do yourself a favor and make that happen. Even though the music
has a care free drunken feel the lyrics are quite insightful and have
a spiritual undertone.
http://newmadridmo.bandcamp.com/album/strangle-the-bird-burn-the-bush
8. The first Teenager Ever - Horse EP
The Fist Teen will make you smile with song titles like Truckload
of Guts and Mister Hands, guitar riffs that will remind you of
Dinosaur Jr. (Greenmind era) and lyrics like, “Take off your dress and
lay on the couch. Your giving me something to think about. It’s not
the same, it never is. It’s a hard thing to do to fall in love with
you”. This is not a band you want to have coffee with this is a band
that you hear and want to party with.
http://thefirstteenagerevermusic.bandcamp.com/
* I’ve actually had coffee and breakfast with them on more then one
occasion. It was quite pleasant.
9. Hushpad - Captain Autumn
With the soft warm love songs of Hushpad in the background you might just have yourself a romantic dinner after all. The albumcloses with an 11 minute live version of Fairy Girl. You’ve got togive the boys props for that alone. Songs are somewhat in the vein ofBob Welch with a 60s feel and an all around good vibe.
http://hushpad1.bandcamp.com/
10. Beards - We grow Old
We grow old is an all around great folk album. It features some
amazing lead guitars by John Shearer that give the album a deep
anthemic feel. Ian Lincoln’s songs have a maturity about them that
earns the epic band name and the appropriate album title. Nashville
needs more artists like this.
http://hotlullaby.bandcamp.com/album/we-grow-old
