It's already February, but it took me some time to inventory everything (well, of course there’s a lot I am still oblivious to) that was released last year. So here it is: The best of 2011.
2011 was an exciting year. There was a lot of outstanding and sometimes innovative hip hop. Think Common, CunninLynguists and Kendrick Lamar. There was some good indie as well. Think Cults, Veronica Falls, Best Coast. And then there was Trash Talk, Cerebral Ballzy and the likes who made 2011 worthwhile for punk and hardcore. It’s always hard to compare, say, Havok to The Weeknd, and Wye Oak to Evidence. So before I am going to try to make a real top 10, I’m surveying the year per genre. More or less.
I’ve enjoyed a lot of hip hop released last year. Like Elzhi’s take on Nas’ classic Illmatic. Aptly titled Elmatic, the Detroit rapper redid the whole album. No ripping off, just worship and pure musicality. Instrumentally, the compositions are kept intact by the band Will Sessions, but they twist it a bit to their own fashion. While Elzhi spits his clever rhymes using the rhythm of Nas on the original. Great tribute and although it can’t compete with Illmatic, it’s a great release on its own. Futhermore, Evidence from Dilated Peoples dropped his new album Cats & Dogs. Reks released another true homage to ‘real hip hop’. NY´s A$AP Rocky impressed with his bass heavy LiveLoveA$AP. CunninLynguists’ new record Oneirology came out, offering their unique take on the genre once again. Kendrick Lamar, a young Compton native, gave us Section.80, another inimitable effort. The Roots delivered the solid Undun. I also have to mention the hip hop equivalent of fast food that excited me as well, especially on the dance floor: (certain songs from) Waka and Gucci’s Ferrari Boyz, Lil Wayne’s Carter 4 and Ace Hood’s Blood, Sweat and Tears. Lex Luger deserves kudos for his trunk shakers in particular. And last but not least, the legendary Common dropped his monumental new album The Dreamer, The Believer. Oh, and maybe I slept on Big K.R.I.T....
Best hip hop of 2011:
1. Reks – Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme
2. Common – The Dreamer, The Believer
3. Evidence – Cats & Dogs
4. Elzhi – Elmatic
5. CunninLynguists – Oneirology
6. Kendrick Lamar – Section.80
7. A$AP Rocky – LiveLoveA$AP
8. Random Axe – s/t
9. Pete Rock & Smif-n-Wessun – Monumental
10. The Roots - Undun
There were bands too. Post punk beats and female vocals all over the place, but I’m a sucker for it. Best Coast re-recorded some songs for their iTunes Sessions. Turned out to be their best recordings to date. The songs have a much better sound, and especially the vocals improved a lot. Bethany sounds lazier than ever, which is a good thing in my opinion. Ok, the cover on this thing sucks, but the quality of the remainder evens that out. Especially the versions of Something in the Way and Our Deal on this release are exceptionally good.
It took some time, but after some spins and a live show, they stuck with me: Blouse. Dreamy indiepop from Portland with a strong eighties vibe. Really good, especially the songs Into Black, Roses and Videotapes. Furthermore, the UK struck hard with debut LP’s by Veronica Falls (one of the best records of the year) and Summer Camp. Then there was the Cults LP with killer songs like Abducted and You know what I mean with this great sixties vibe. And of course, the new The Pains of Being Pure at Heart should be mentioned too. Although it’s more polished, lacks the magic of the first one and has two songs on it that I skip, it’s definitely not bad. Oh, and Wye Oak, EMA and Chelsea Wolfe should be top ten candidates as well, but this year's been too crazy.
Last but not least, there was also plenty of loud music in 2011. Best efforts include the snotty unadulterated eighties hardcore punk of Cerebral Ballzy, the epic screamo/emotional hardcore of La Dispute and Title Fight's new record Shed, which adds a certain depth to their catchy and emotional hybrid of melodic hardcore and punkrock. Then there's Awake, the fierce new EP by Trash Talk, displaying a more straightforward punk approach to their signature anger. Five songs, highly addictive. Trap Them, known for their tendency to forge Stockholm sounds with Converge's brand of hardcore, came with their best record so far. And Havok's Time is Up is one of the most solid thrash metal releases I've heard in a while.
So what's -according to me- the best record of 2011?
Time for a countdown.
Final list of 2011:
15. Kendrick Lamar – Section.80
14. Havok – Time is Up
13. La Dispute – Wildlife
12. CunninLynguists – Oneirology
11. Elzhi – Elmatic
10. Blouse – s/t
9. Evidence – Cats & Dogs
8. Cerebral Ballzy – s/t
7. Title Fight – Shed
6. Trap Them – Darker Handcraft
5. Common – The Dreamer, The Believer
4. Trash Talk – Awake
3. Reks – Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme
2. Best Coast – iTunes Sessions
1. Veronica Falls – s/t
And finally some other songs that deserve to be heard:
