HT Staff’s 25 Best Albums Of 2011: #15 – #11

Here at Hidden Track, compiling our end of the year list of the 25 best albums has been eerily similar to the process of devising another top 25 list – the college football top 25. When we started four years ago, we attempted to devise a quantitative methodology that systematized the rankings and took the individual biases out of the equation, while still incorporating the collective views of everyone involved at HT. Well, that was sort of our BCS. This year we’re going back to the old school and running it AP Top 25 style. In other words, every writer on staff submitted their own personal top 25, and then we compiled the final list based  on a simple tally of votes.

Who knows, there may still be a few kinks to work through in future editions, but you can rest assured of one thing that will always make our list a cut above the rest: we consider everything. Our submissions include all styles of music from bluegrass to jazz, jam to indie, electronica to rap, as well as everything in between (but sorry Nefertiti’s Fjord it just wasn’t the year for lesbian-Afro-Norwegian-funk music). At the end of the day, we’re a music blog. Everyone is encouraged to write about what they like with no motives, no editorial biases, and no strings attached. We hope that comes across in our picks.

We’ve hit the mid-point of our week-long countdown of the 25 best albums of 2011, let’s check out numbers 15 through 11…

15) M83Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

Key Tracks: Midnight City, Reunion

Sounds Like: Dreamy trip to the ’80s led by a modern spirit-guide

The Skinny: When Anthony Gonzalez moved to Los Angeles this year, he was feeling lonely and nostalgic for his cherished childhood and wanted to make a record that paid homage to those emotions and memories. The result is a 23 track masterpiece that ranges from arena-sized ’80s synth rock to deep ethereal sound scapes. The ambient pieces tie the monster vocal tracks together and combine to tell a heart-felt and vivid story from one of the world’s most underrated producers. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming is the perfect marriage of sparse and gigantic, much like the heart of its protagonist child subject.

– Wade Wilby

14) The DecemberistsThe King Is Dead

Key Tracks: Rox In The Box, Don’t Carry It All, This Is Why We Fight, All Arise!

Sounds Like: Tom Petty channeling Fairport Convention and the Grateful Dead

The Skinny: It’s safe to say we’re all very thankful that The Decemberists are back after their ill-advised dalliance into the world of prog-rock with The Hazards Of Love. The bloated song-cycle, while certainly ambitious, strayed away from what they did best: the rollicking thesaurus rock of  smartly-written sea shanties and history-referencing story songs. Their latest is a return to form and arguably the band’s best album to date, as they deliver an exquisite set of bouncy Americana-tinged tunes while recruiting the Queen of Americana herself Gillian Welch to sing on seven of album’s tracks to give even more of an authentic feel.

– Jeffrey Greenblatt

13) Beastie BoysHot Sauce Committee Part 2

Key Tracks: Make Some Noise, Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament, Too Many Rappers

Sounds Like: What your parents didn’t want you to listen to in 1998

The Skinny: If the Beastie Boys were any more true to themselves, you’d think they were faking it. After having to shelve the original release of Part One when Adam “MCA” Yauch was diagnosed with cancer in 2009, The Hot Sauce Committee Part Two does exactly what Part One would have done, and then some. Had they simply released it as scheduled in 2010, the rejuvenation and excitement may not have been as apparent as it was after Yauch’s cancer went into remission, even though the track listing between Parts One and Two are nearly identical and the overall feel of the album is lifted straight from the summer of ’98, which itself was a rehash of their 80s sound. Ad-Rock even calls themselves out when he rhymes “Oh my God / Just look at me / Grandpa been rappin’ since ’83,” but that’s exactly why THSC is as successful as it is. They are belligerent and absurd, but absolutely comfortable making this sound, and Beastie fans ask for nothing more.

– Jonathan Kosakow

12) Paul SimonSo Beautiful Or So What

Key Tracks: Rewrite, So Beautiful or So What

Sounds Like: Sonic equivalent of a muscle relaxer kicking in during a hot shower.

The Skinny:  Paul Simon has a knack for fusing two incongruous elements together on his studio albums. Whether melding African rhythms and zydeco melodies on Graceland or weaving salsa and doo-wop on the underrated Capeman LP, Simon took the best elements of those styles and adds a dash of American folk for which he is best known. For his latest album, So Beautiful or So What, the Rock Hall of Famer delivered one of his best albums yet by meshing a bit of each of the styles he’s worked into his music over the past five decades in a cohesive way. Lyrically, he masterfully explores the themes of love, redemption and mortality with the storytelling flair that has made him one of our nation’s musical treasures.

– Scott Bernstein

11) Ryan AdamsAshes & Fire

Sounds Like: A perfect late afternoon in California

Key Tracks: Dirty Rain, Ashes & Fire, Chains Of Love

The Skinny: Prolific chameleon Ryan Adams “unretires” with the gorgeous 11 song, mostly-acoustic Ashes & Fire.  Ryan’s distinctly powerful voice and songwriting are the cornerstone of this record, augmented by sparse piano (from the amazing Norah Jones); swirling, perfectly-complementary B3 organ (from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers master Benmont Tench); bass, drums and strings.  The material sounds fresh, focused, and unforced making it arguably his strongest complete thought since Heartbreaker.

– Joel Berk

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4 Responses

  1. As someone who put the Beastie Boys album high on his list, I’ll say that I keep coming back to Hot Sauce every few weeks, which is always a great sign. I thought it has the classic BBoys formula of gritty beats, hilarious pop culture references and a standout instrumental jam. It’s also the perfect soundtrack for a party. All in all a return to late ’90s form for them, imho. To each their own.

  2. I bought 5 copies of Buzz Universe’s new CD to give out for stocking stuffers this year, no album has lifted my spirits like that one all year. Alot of great albums this year though, Paul Simon’s being right up top for me too!

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