TUMBLR

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Dec 14, 2011

My Listening Year, 2011

Ten great albums I listened to this year:

Jay Z & Kanye West, Watch The Throne (2011) If Decoded was my gateway drug to Jay-Z, this album was the gateway drug to Kanye. Favorite musical memory this year was listening to it driving around Maui in a rental SUV. (Appropriate setting + vehicle.)

Rick James, Street Songs (1981) This album was my Prozac in 2011. I can’t stand still when “Give It To Me Baby” comes on.

Tune-Yards, WHOKILL (2011) It’s really when I saw her play these songs live that everything clicked for me.

Bill Callahan, Apocalypse (2011) Bill Callahan pretty much can do no wrong at this point. The last half dozen albums of his have been played constantly at our house. Favorite tracks: “Drover” and “Baby’s Breath.”

Destroyer, Kaputt (2011) Another favorite around Chez Kleon. Saw him live at the Mohawk this year, and he was terrific. Favorite tracks: “Kaputt” and “Chinatown.”

Atlas Sound, Parallax (2011) Here’s what happens: whatever Bradford Cox puts out, I listen to it for about 3 weeks straight. Standout track: “Mona Lisa.”

Thao & Mirah, Thao & Mirah (2011) Standout track (with TuneYards): “Eleven.”

Kurt Vile, Smoke Ring For My Halo (2011) This album didn’t click, and then it did. Favorite track: “Runners Up.”

The Nerves, One Way Ticket (1974-1978) They wrote “Hanging On The Telephone.” ‘Nuff said.

Jonathan Richman, You Must Ask The Heart (1995) This was our Sunday driving music this year—we listened to this pretty much every time we went out to breakfast.

Other albums I liked: I Break Horses, Hearts; M83, Hurry Up We’re Dreaming; Twin Shadow, Forget; Crocodiles, Sleep Forever; Cults, Cults; Panda Bear, Tomboy; PJ Harvey, Let England Shake; Ty Segall, Melted; and The War On Drugs, Slave Ambient.