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Best Albums of 2011: January-June

The halfway point of the year is just about upon us, so what better time than now to look back on what the first had on offer? Looking back over the list of albums I've heard this year so far, 126 at last count, I was surprised by just how many I'd classify in the great-to-excellent category. Sure, there were a few duds here and there (White Lies, Lupe Fiasco, Ulver - I'm looking at you guys), but overall I've been really pleased with what I've heard this year. So here's a list, in no particular order beyond alphabetical, of the twenty-five best albums I've heard in the first six months of the year.

Battles - Gloss Drop (Warp)
While I didn't find this to pack the initial visceral punch that the excellent Mirrored did, this is nonetheless a thrilling album that finds Battles recovering nicely from the departure of Tyondai Braxton. This is a playful, vibrant bunch of songs with an energy level that never flags, bolstered by some great guest vocals turns by the likes of Gary Numan and Yamantaka Eye of Boredoms. The Matais Aguayo fronted "Ice Cream" is a bit too silly though, representing the only minor misstep on an otherwise winning album.

Black Lips - Arabian Mountain (Vice)
This record has only been out for a couple of weeks, but its already more than earned a spot on this list. I've been a fan of these garage rockers since 2005's Let It Bloom, but I've found their last two highly-hyped records to be a little too hit-or-miss. With the help of celebrity producer Mark Ronson (who really adapted himself well to the band's vibe), they knocked this one out of the park by loading it with 100% killer tunes from start to finish. If this record doesn't give them the wider attention they deserve, well, maybe people don't deserve these guys.

Crystal Stilts - In Love With Oblivion (Slumberland)
These guys came to my attention with their Slumberland full-length debut a couple years ago, although they were overshadowed, in my mind, by the excellent work of labelmates The Pains of Being Pure of Heart. This, their sophomore LP, is a marked improvement thanks to the band's slight swerve off into unexpectedly darker, murkier directions. Lead singer Brad Hargett is still the big draw (and stumbling block for many detractors), but you'll stay for the dense, menacing atmosphere that breathes new life into a band that was in danger of trends passing them by.

Destroyer - Kaputt (Merge)
I've really enjoyed watching Dan Bejar evolve his Destroyer project over the years, particularly as he's expanded his scope and vision by incorporating elements of midi-pop, jazz, and prog. For those that didn't pay attention to the EPs he released between Trouble In Dreams and this one, the headfirst dive into 1980s sophistipop may have been a bit of a shock. Steely Dan and yacht rock may not be the most obvious of reference points in 2011, but Bejar wisely uses them as a launchpad rather than a crutch, birthing one of 2011's most engaging albums in the process.

E-40 - Revenue Retrievin': Graveyard Shift / Overtime Shift (Heavy on Grind)
E-40 quietly spent the last two decades cementing his legendary reputation as one of the best lyricists in hi-hop, even as he watched newcomers rise and fall around him. His hardworking grind served him well when he dropped the first two stunning entries in the Revenue Retrievin' series last year. While it was a surprise to hear that he had another two(!) full albums worth of material to drop a mere twelve months later, it was an even bigger surprise to find out they were just as good as the first pair. If you've been sleeping on E-40 all this time, for whatever reason, you've know got four essential albums to pick up. And how many other rappers can say that over an entire career, let alone within twelve months?

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop)
The pressure on Robin Pecknold and his band to equal their breakthrough debut album was so intense that they apparently had to scrap one recording session and completely start over. While I hate to with that intensity level on any musician I love, it sounds like it may have paid off this time around. By reaching further back into their parents' dusty record collections to spend time with CSN&Y and English folk, Fleet Foxes have given us a folk-pop epic record, the kinds of which we haven't seen in a long time. Other, less well-known bands have managed to hit on one essential piece of the folk-pop puzzle over the years (Midlake and Espers come immediately to mind), but none have done it as effortlessly as these guys have.

Friendly Fires - Pala (XL)
The first real surprise of 2011 as far as I'm concerned. I liked the singles off of their 2008 self-titled debut well enough, but I found myself returning to the Aeroplane remix of "Paris" more than anything off the record itself. I almost didn't buy this follow-up, but fortunately I came across a copy at a great price. This is exactly the dance-pop record that Cut Copy promised, but only partially delivered on. New Order gets thrown out a lot as an influence to any band that incorporates big basslines and dance beats, but in this case the descriptor is more than apt. An unexpected pleasure, to be sure.

Fucked Up - David Comes to Life (Matador)
A punk rock concept album. If that phrase has you cringing while visions of Green Day pop into your head, fear not, this is a far more intelligent, engrossing, and visceral punk rock concept album than anything else you've heard before. Those who have paid attention to Fucked Up as they've evolved already know they are capable of great things, but this puts the band on a whole new level. Not only is their trademark slash-and-burn all over this record, but there are some surprisingly huge hooks and pop gems. It isn't necessary to engage with this as a whole, the individual songs really are that strong, but the fact that is all coalesces into a coherent, exciting, and meta story makes it even all the more thrilling.

Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact (4AD)
It's been interesting to witness Gang Gang Dance's slow evolution to the band they've become for this, their 4AD debut. To the delight (and chagrin) of many fans, the band's sound has grown more and more "accessible" with each release and this is certainly no exception. In fact, Eye Contact is easily the most listener friendly thing they've ever done. Which doesn't mean they've abandoned the delightful synthy and spacey explorations of albums prior, it just means they're more likely to get stuck in your ear (just check out "Adult Goth" if you don't believe me).

The Gates of Slumber - The Wretch (Metal Blade)
These crushing Indiana metalheads return to their doom roots with this one, toning down the traditional heavy metal nods of the previous two records to great results. This is a ferocious, rip-roaring album from beginning to end, playing to each and every one of the band's strengths. If you need some straightforward doom in your life, do yourself a favor and throw this thick slab of it into your player and get stomped.

Nicolas Jaar - Space is Only Noise (Circus Company)
Its a damn shame this gem is going to be overlooked this year, thanks to the overshadowing hype of the two other boy producer wunderkinds, James Blake and Jamie Woon, because this effortlessly outclasses either album by the other two. To be fair, Jaar is obviously exploring different territory than his peers and not aiming for pop success, but his explorations make for a far more engaging listen. Expertly weaving a rich tapestry of sample sources, jazz meanderings, and playful programming, this will be an album that envelops you.

The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar (Atlantic)
The 90s alternative rock revival has been hinted at for the last couple of years, as retro-minded bands flipped through their record collections and pulled out the early 90s shoegaze and indie pop kings for a closer look. This North Wales trio skips all that bedroom stuff though, and aims right for 1994 and 1995, when alt-rock ruled the airwaves thanks to bands like Smashing Pumpkins. In fact that particular band comes up frequently in reference to The Joy Formidable, but for good reason. Lead singer and guitarist Ritzy Bryan isn't afraid to rip off a blistering guitar solo right in the middle of an otherwise tame indie-pop tune, much like obvious inspiration Billy Corgan. Bryan's sweet vocals play nicely off the overdriven, guitar-based attack, making this an obvious choice for those of you missing the glory days of alt-rock radio.

KEN Mode - Venerable (Profound Lore)
Speaking of 90s throwbacks, here is another band that reaches back to the Clinton decade, but from a far different end than the radio-friendly approach of The Joy Formidable. Canadian's KEN Mode take inspiration from the metallic post-hardcore era bands like Botch and Converge birthed (this album is, coincidentally, produced by Converge's Kurt Ballou), an era that is often imitated but rarely improved upon. KEN Mode, however, manages to add another worthy entry in the canon with their throat-shredding, pummeling attack.

Krallice - Diotima (Profound Lore)
When guitar shredders Mick Barr (Orthrelm, Ocrilim) and Colin Marston (Dysrhythmia, Behold... The Arctopus) originally formed Krallice in New York City back in 2008, it seemed like just another in a long series of exiting projects involving the pair. But as Krallice has evolved into a full-time concern, it has evolved into one of the most essential and consistently jaw-dropping black metal bands in the United States. This third full-length is the most dynamic yet, with Marston and Barr tightening their approach to the point of even plowing ahead on the same riff at times, relying less on the complex interplay of records past and more on the subtle impact of focus. If you haven't been yet, it's time to start paying attention to one of America's most essential metal bands.

Lady Gaga - Born This Way (Interscope)
It seems to be increasingly rare in this ever-fractured world of our when one of the biggest-hyped and over-saturated pop albums of the year also ends up being one of its best, but that is exactly the case with Gaga's latest. The uplifting anthem "Born This Way" and the eighties montage scoring "The Edge of Glory" are both inescapable and inexplicably great, but they represent just the tip of the iceberg here. Plowing through styles, influences, and fads, Gaga has given her monsters a massive case of pop overload. Given her level of fame, this isn't exactly a surprise, but what is, is just how fun so many of these songs are. From the Mutt Lange produced "You and I" (that steals more than a little bit of Shania swag) to the German technopop of "Scheiße", Gaga is having her cake and eating it too. If you are looking originality, this isn't it. But if you want to maximize your fun around the pool this summer, this will be your jam.

Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes (Atlantic)
While both "Little Bit" and "I'm Good, I'm Gone" received frequent spins around here, I never completely embraced the debut album by this Swedish darling. I found Youth Novels to be nice enough, but I didn't seem to be as won over by her as the rest of the internet. But by the time I finished my second play of this, her sophomore disc, she had won me over for good. Wounded Rhymes is packed with pop hooks and brilliant ides, each of its ten tracks is a pure joy to listen to, from the sexually empowering "Get Some" to oddly endearing "Sadness is a Blessing". I can know see that Li was deserving of all of the accolades and now I can't wait to see where she goes next.

Liturgy - Aesthetica (Thrill Jockey)
The reception this album has been getting all over the internet nicely illustrates one of the most frustrating aspects of the metal fan community in 2011. Because these guys come from Brooklyn and are signed to legendary indie label Thrill Jockey, Liturgy is being routinely dismissed and ignored as not being "true" metal and labelled a bunch of dilettante hipsters dabbling in music they don't have a right to be into. Which, beyond being the exact type of elitist crap that turns people off of new bands, is completely ridiculous. Aesthetica finds Hunter Hunt-Hendrix (originally the sole figure behind Liturgy) using black metal as a launching point, but pushing it into entirely new directions. Anyone dismissing these guys as "false" or "hipster" metal is, in addition to being willfully stupid, missing out on the second best United States black metal-influenced album of the year (behind the Krallice).

Mars Classroom - New Theory of Everything (Happy Jack)
By this point, it is no longer noteworthy that Robert Pollard is still cranking out songs, albums, and side projects at a prolific rate. So far in 2011 he has released two albums under his own name, one under the resurrected Lifeguards project with Doug Gillard, and this one, a brand new collaboration with guitarist Gary Waleik of Big Dipper and Bob Beerman of instrumental rockers Pell Mell. This resulting album is chock full of jangly indie-pop tunes anchored by Beerman's drums and brightened by Waleik's angular guitar work. Pollard's been on a bit of a winning streak over the last few years, but this injects even more fresh blood into his body of work and makes for the most fun front-to-back listen of his four so far this year.

Moon Duo - Mazes (Sacred Bones)
Between this, his side project with keyboardist Sanae Yamada, and his main band Wooden Shjips, Eric "Ripley" Johnson has been busy putting out some of the best kraut-inspired experimental rock this side of Berlin over the past couple of years. Considering an impressive back catalog that includes killer records like Dos and Escape, it really means something to say that Mazes just might be the best one yet. By toning down the exploratory meanderings of the Shjips and incorporating an easy-going vibe, Johnson and Yamada show off an entirely new groove for fans of psychedelic pop.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Belong (Slumberland)
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart burst onto the scene two years ago with a thrilling debut record that harkened back to the glory days of C86 indie-pop bands, you could just hear the chunky glasses and faded cardigans in the twee-inspired lyrics and hummable choruses. It wasn't particularly original, but the tunes were impossible to deny and the band's entire approach was utterly endearing on songs like "Young Adult Friction" and "A Teenager in Love". This time around they've broadened their sound, drenching the lovelorn tunes in feedback and distortion, recalling early 90s shoegaze and the arena-filling rock of the Smashing Pumpkins. Which makes sense, considering this was produced by Flood and mixed by Alan Moulder (the brains behind Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness). Its a great look for these kids.

Ringo Deathstarr - Colour Trip (Sonic Unyon)
And, speaking of shoegaze, I've yet to hear a better My Bloody Valentine imitation than the sound of the guitars that open the lead track here, "Imagine Hearts". Countless bands have, over the last two decades, claimed that they are channeling the spirit of MBV, but those guitars are the closest I've heard. Fortunately the rest of the song is just as good. It may sound dismissive, but I like to consider Ringo Deathstarr as "record collection rock". In other words, they're a band with their influences on their sleeves, but fortunately they weave them together in such a way as to avoid rote imitation. But with influences as great as MBV, Jesus and Mary Chain, A Place to Bury Strangers, The Smiths and The Cure, you realize that sometimes comforting nostalgia can be plain old fun.

The Skull Defekts - Peer Amid (Thrill Jockey)
I have to admit that this record was my first exposure to these Swedish post-punk inspired noise rockers, but it was good enough that I immediately went out and picked up their two previous records. This made for an interesting entry point, because this record marks the first made with former Lungfish vocalist Daniel Higgs. Taut with nervous energy, Peer Amid bounces and roils through extended drones, wiry attacks, and hypnotic rhythms. If you enjoy stuff on the noisier end of the post-punk spectrum (The Ex, knottier versions of The Fall), do yourself a favor and seek this out.

Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde (Fat Possum)
These Chicago kids made a big splash with their self-titled debut, thrashing and riffing through garage-inspired rock that put the "lo" in "lo-fi". Much like fellow Midwesterners Times New Viking, Smith Westerns buried their pop gems in layers and layers of fuzz and distortion, making it all the more worthwhile when you pulled the hooks out of the mire. Thankfully, they decided to not make you work so hard for the payoff this time around. The youthful exuberance is still in full force, but these songs have been given the old spit and polish and gussied up with more than a little glam stomp that would make Marc Bolan sit up and take notice. One of the sunniest garage-pop records of the year.

tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l (4AD)
It takes a really fantastic record to overcome a horrible band name that looks like a MySpace casualty circa 2006 and a marketing campaign that ticks off precious hipster signifiers left and right. I'd been purposely avoiding anything to do with this band since they started getting buzz for 2009's BiRd-BrAiNs, but a well written New Yorker piece by Sasha Frere-Jones made me question that decision. It turns out that Merrill Garbus, the woman behind tUnE-yArDs, had a lot more going for her than I was willing to admit. This is the sort of intelligent, well-written, engrossing pop that only comes around so often. Often built around self-made instrumental loops the musical beds are engrossing enough on their own, but when Garbus uses her stunning vocals to sing about issues of race, gender, and body image, this stuff more than proves its worth.

Zombi - Escape Velocity (Relapse)
Synth and drum duo Steve Moore and Anthony Paterra have quietly built up a serious following over the past decade as some of America's finest purveyors of instrumental music. Taking equal inspiration from classic horror soundtracks, progressive rock, metal drumming, ambient, and krautrock, Zombi crank out epic zoned-out track after epic zoned-out track. This time around they're leaning a little more heavily on the synth-end of things, adding a healthy dose of Giorgio Moroder to the mix, resulting in a spacy, minimal groove that will soundtrack your next neon-lit job around the space station.