Remember when I used to be a writer? That was awesome, right? 2011 was a really intense year for me, so my “career,” unfortunately fell by the wayside. However, I never stopped listening, so here are my favorite records of 2011. Before I get started, I want to give shoutouts to a couple people. Thanks to Nick Jackson and Kelly Lavelle for making my site look so incredible. If you want an amazing website, get in touch with these two. They know what they are doing, and they put up with my impossible demands. Thanks, guys. I really appreciate your help and I am in your debt.
I also want to say that Mixtape Muse is one of the best blogs on the web, run by my buddy Quinn S., whose skills are lightyears beyond mine. It’s already blowing up, but it’s going to be the blog to watch in 2012. Plus, he writes cool power pop songs, and the world needs more of those.
But enough of my yakking, let’s boogie!
1. Anthrax: Worship Music (Thrash ain’t dead!)
2. The Roots: Undun (Gold, Jerry)
3. Real Estate: Days
4. The Biters: All Chewed Up
5. Butch Walker and the Black Widows: The Spade
6. Mastodon: The Hunter
6. Dum Dum Girls: Only in Dreams
7. Smith Westerns: Dye it Blonde
8. Fucked Up: David Comes to Life
9. Sloan: The Double Cross
10. Wye Oak: Civillan
Honorable Mentions
Florence and the Machine: Ceremonials
The Copyrights: North Sentinal Island
Motorhead: The World is Yours
Megadeth: Thirteen
Drive-By Truckers: Go-Go Boots
The Horrible Crowes: Elsie
The Happen-Ins: s/t
TV On the Radio: Nine Types of Light
Ryan Adams: Ashes and Fire
Will Dailey and the Rivals: s/t
Favorite Box Set:
The Beach Boys: Smile
Favorite Reissues:
Elvis is Back! (shocking, no?)
The Rolling Stones: Some Girls
Biggest Disappointment:
Lady Gaga: Born This Way (Where did the hooks go, Germanotta? WHERE DID THE HOOKS GO?!)
Most Inessential Album:
Justin Bieber: Under the Mistletoe (I’ll take A Christmas with Shaun Cassidy, thank you very much.)
Way to be Ahead of the Curve, John (Albums I Discovered This Year)
Superdrag: Regretfully Yours
Sunny Day Real Estate: Diary
The Jayhawks: Hollywood Town Hall
Rose Tattoo: s/t
The Undertones: s/t
Mission of Burma: Signals, Calls and Marches (I know, and you can all shut up)
Count Basie: The Atomic Mr. Basie
Sam Cooke: Live at the Harlem Square Club (Thanks to Scott Mullins for that one)
Waylon Jennings: Lonesome On’ry and Mean
Kinks: Kinda Kinks
Audio Comfort Food
Cheap Trick: At Budokan
Iron Maiden: Anything, but usually Powerslave, Live After Death or Somewhere in Time
The Ramones: Anything, but usually It’s Alive!
Rush: Moving Pictures
The Faces: Five Guys Walk Into a Bar
The Marvelous 3: ReadySexGo!
Pretty Boy Floyd: Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz
Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run
Superchunk: No Pocky For Kitty
Al Green’s Greatest Hits
From Elvis in Memphis
The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan
David Bowie: Young Americans
The Clash: Give Em Enough Rope
Elton John’s Greatest Hits
Guns n’ Roses: Appetite for Destruction
The Gaslight Anthem: The ’59 Sound
Rod Stewart (who is AWESOME, despite what certain people think) Every Picture Tells a Story
Frank Sinatra: Songs for Swingin’ Lovers!
The Replacements: Tim
Poison: Look What the Cat Dragged In
I told you the extra lists would be super fun. Feel free to comment and let me know that I have no taste. See you in 2012