As another year comes to an end, I dug through the trash to find a few jems that made 2011 a pretty good year for music. If you're even the least bit curious as to why I chose these albums, PLEASE ask. I'd love to annoy and talk your ear off in order to explain why my musical taste is superior -I joke :)
1. Suck It & See –Arctic Monkeys
2. 21 –Adele
3. Dye It Blonde –Smith Westerns
4. Ceremonials –Florence + The Machine
5. Father, Son, Holy Ghost –Girls
6. Skying –The Horrors
7. Blood Pressures –The Kills
8. Strange Mercy –St. Vincent
9. Let England Shake –PJ Harvey
10. Wounded Rhymes –Lykke Li
11.El Camino –The Black Keys
12. King of Limbs –Radiohead
13. What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? –The Vaccines
14. Bon Iver –Bon Iver
15. Wild Flag –Wild Flag
16. Lioness: Hidden Treasures –Amy Winehouse
17. Only In Dreams –Dum Dum Girls
18. Mirror Traffic –Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
19. Smoke Ring for My Halo –Kurt Vile
20. Watch The Throne –Jay-Z & Kanye West
21. Hurry Up We’re Dreaming –M83
22. Helplessness Blue – Fleet Foxes
23. Little Hell –City & Colour
24. Wasting Light –Foo Fighters
25. Wild Flag – Wild Flag
26. All At Once –Airborne Toxic Event
27. Cat’s Eyes –Cat’s Eyes
28. The Rip Tide –Beirut
29. 4 –Beyonce
30. As If EP –Sky Ferriera
31. Wild One –North Highlands
32. Colour of the Trap –Miles Kane
33. Last Summer –Eleanor Friedberger
34. Year of Hibernation –Youth Lagoon
35. Rome –Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi
If you're curious as to why Angles by The Strokes did not make this list, it's because -after listening to the album OBSESSIVELY since March and having a small Albert Hammond, Jr intervention in early October -I realized that the 5 PRETTY GOOD songs on Angles can not outdo the other 5 HORRIBLE songs. Also, my favorite Strokes album is Room On Fire -and that's a LOT to live up to.
12/26/11
12/6/11
Album Review: El Camino -Black Keys
El Camino’s lead-off single, “Lonely Boy” opens with what sounds like a purring el camino about to take off -go figure. It’s 3 minutes of hip-shaking accompanied by soulful “oh oh’s” and the story of a love that keeps singer Dan Auerbach waiting. If the instant, viral success of the track’s video wasn’t enough to keep you tuned in, listening to this song turned all the way up will. The following, “Dead and Gone” is reminiscent of the polished sound of Brothers’ “Tighten Up.” What stands out on both of these tracks is the furious restraint in Patrick Carney’s drumming. It’s hard, but controlled, adding just enough to each song to make it standout on its own.
“Gold on the Ceiling” features a bass/keys riff similar to last year’s “Howlin’ for You.” Auerbach’s slightly muffled vocal provide the track with a garage sound and is bound to be a single. El Camino’s standout track is “Little Black Submarines.” Dare I compare it to Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven?” Maybe I won’t be so bold, but the song structure is there. The slower, acoustic beginning that makes the listener feel that they may be at a Renaissance fair, then slowly the drum kicks in, a soft organ adds climatic effect, and finally Auerbach’s heavy guitar –bringing the song into the 21st century. Clocking in at 4 minutes, it’s also the longest song on the record –but it’s worth listening to every second.
Tracks like “Money Maker,” “Run Right Back,” and “Nova Baby” are nods to the sexy, ‘70s tracks by rock giants like T.Rex and ZZ Top. What the Black Keys and producer Danger Mouse did was glam up what the band was already great at producing –real rock and roll for a society that has “club-ready” dance tracks take over radio waves and television sets. El Camino oozes confidence and sex appeal that wasn’t as apparent in the band’s previous efforts. Right now, this is the right sound for the Black Keys and the glam and polish on their retro, garage rock suits them well. **9.2/10
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