CATCHY: The Shins -- "Simple Song"

I can't believe it's been five years, but James Mercer is back and he and the band sound better than ever. The forthcoming album, Port of Morrow, will be out March 20th. Til then, "Simple Song," the first single from the record, will be on loop.

The Soft Bulletin Documentary

Pitchfork Classic just released a short documentary about the filming of The Soft Bulletin, an absolutly ageless modern classic. I highly suggest you watch the whole thing:

http://pitchfork.com/tv/pitchfork-classic/1885-the-flaming-lips-the-soft-bulletin/

2011: Greg's Albums of the Year

In the first half of the year I really wasn't all too impressive with this year's music. However, I have come to realize in this latter part of the year that there were tons of truly brilliant and inspired albums. What made it so tough to realize this (and what made it so difficult to pick albums of the year) was how many great albums there were. For me, it came down to what I really thought this year represented: the return of adults making fantastic records (e.g. Kate Bush, Wilco, Feist, Paul Simon, J Mascis, Thurston Moore, PJ Harey) or the year of amazingly crafted sounds on records (e.g. The Weeknd, Julianna Barwick, James Blake, Bon Iver, Shabazz Palaces, The War on Drugs). Interestingly enough, it seems that my top records of the year are some how a combination of both of what I just mentioned: superb sounding concept records with a little bit of wisdom. Enjoy! Have a great new year!



Honorable Mentions
Deerhoof -- Deerhoof vs. Evil

Paul Simon -- So Beautiful or So What

Wild Flag -- Wild Flag

WU LYF -- Go Tell Fire to the Mountain

Zola Jesus -- Conatus 

TV On the Radio -- Nine Types of Light

SBTRKT -- SBTRKT

Sandro Perri -- Sandro Perri



50 - 26
50.) My Morning Jacket -- Circuital 

49.) Tim Hecker -- Ravedeath, 1972

48.) Mother Mother -- Eureka

47.) Jay-Z & Kanye West -- Watch The Throne

46.) Oneothrix Point Never -- Replica

45.) Youth Lagoon -- The Year of Hibernation

44.) Modeselektor -- Monkeytown

43.) The Streets -- Computers & Blues

42.) Megafaun -- Megafaun

41.) Tyler, The Creator -- Goblin

40.) The War on Drugs -- Slave Ambient

39.) Death Cab for Cutie -- Codes & Keys

38.) Fountains of Wayne -- Sky Full of Holes

37.) The Decemberists -- The King Is Dead

36.) Cloud Nothings -- Cloud Nothings

35.) The Field -- Looping State of Mind

34.) Nicolas Jarr -- Space Is Only Noise

33.) Colin Stetson -- New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges

32.) Los Campesinos! -- Hello Sadness

31.) Shabazz Palaces -- Black Up

30.) The Mountain Goats -- All Eternals Deck

29.) Smith Westerns -- Dye It Blonde

28.) Destroyer -- Kaputt

27.) Feist -- Metals

26.) Kurt Vile -- Smoke Rings For My Halo



Top 25

25.) The Roots -- Undun

24.) Cults -- Cults

23.) Bill Callahan -- Apocalypse 

22.) J Mascis -- Several Shades of Why

21.) Nerves Junior -- As Bright As Your Night Light

20.) Unknown Mortal Orchestra -- Unknown Mortal Orchestra 

19.) James Blake -- James Blake 

18.) DJ Diamond -- Flight Muzik

17.) Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx -- We're New Here

16.) PJ Harvey -- Let England Shake

15.) St. Vincent -- Strange Mercy 

14.) Atlas Sound -- Parallax

13.) Bon Iver -- Bon Iver 

12.) The Antlers -- Burst Apart

11.) Fleet Foxes -- Helplessness Blues

10.) Radiohead -- The King of Limbs

Radiohead -- "Codex"

9.) King Creosote & Jon Hopkins

King Creosote & Jon Hopkins -- "Bats in the Attic"

8.) Real Estate -- Days

Real Estate -- "Wonder Years"

7.) Yuck -- Yuck

Yuck -- "Georgia"

6.) Girls -- Father, Son, Holy Ghost

Girls -- "Honey Bunny"

5.) Wye Oak -- Civilian

Wye Oak -- "Civilian"

4.) The Weeknd -- House of Balloons

The Weeknd -- "The Morning"

3.) Julianna Barwick -- The Magic Place

Julianna Barwick -- "Vow"

2.) tUnE-YarDs -- w h o k i l l

tUnE-YarDs -- "Killa"

1.) Wilco -- The Whole Love

Wilco -- "The Whole Love"

2011: Top 10 Productions on an Album

10.) Tim Hecker -- Ravedeath, 1972
9.) My Morning Jacket -- Circuital
8.) Feist -- Metals

7.) Nicolas Jarr -- Space Is Only Noise

6.) King Creosote & Jon Hopkins -- Diamond Mine
5.) The Weeknd -- House of Balloons 

4.) Shabazz Palaces -- Black Up

3. ) The Field -- Looping State of Mind
2.) Colin Stetson -- New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges

1.) Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx -- We're New Here

2011: Top 10 Drumming Performances on an Album

10.) Unknown Mortal Orchestra -- Unknown Mortal Orchestra
9.) Girls -- Father, Son, Holy Ghost
8.) Megafaun -- Megafaun
7.) The Roots -- Undun
6.) tUnE-YarDs - w h o k i l l
5.) Wilco -- The Whole Love

4.) Wild Flag -- Wild Flag

3.) Wye Oak -- Civilian

2.) The Psychic Paramount -- II

1.) Liturgy -- Aesthetica