Best Albums of the Year 2011

[Rainey]

I was surprised that a similar thread hadn't already been made. Here are some of my favourites:

Ben Howard - Every Kingdom

http://www.addictmusic.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Ben-Howard-Every-Kingdom-300x300.jpg

The Weeknd - House of Balloons

http://the-weeknd-xo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/TheWeeknd_HouseOfBalloons1-300x300.jpg

Bon Iver - Bon Iver

http://cdn.pastemagazine.com/www/articles/2011/06/20/bon_iver_bon_iver.jpg?13085864 94

James Vincent McMorrow - Early In The Morning

http://commonfolkmeadow.files.wordpre ss.com/2010/01/james-mcmorrow-early-in-the-morning.jpg?w=300&h=300

A$AP Rocky - Live Love A$AP

http://onethirtybpm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ASAP-Rocky-LiveLoveASAP-630x579-300x300.jpg

Honourable Mentions:
The Kills - Blood Pressures
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
The Low Anthem - Smart Flesh
Alexander - Alexander

[Hunter]

Lil B - I'm Gay

http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/9192/imgay.png (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/844/imgay.png/)


Kanye West & Jay-Z - Watch The Throne

http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/4796/watchthethrone.png (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/546/watchthethrone.png/)

[Mjällharth]

Found these quite enjoyable:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y_KIKrjZkTI/TnTDtMm-M6I/AAAAAAAABWU/RNXl7iYhrrs/s1600/The-Kills-Blood-Pressures-Album-Cover.jpg
http://assets.rollingstone.com/assets/images/album_review/548fbb26a340900961ee10e24039ee 41c295892c.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-43Z8bWISKC4/TqhEAe-20oI/AAAAAAAAH4U/MsGuLleZHe8/s1600/The_Black_Keys_El_Camino.jpg
http://edge-img.datpiff.com/md7c4b69/Frank_Ocean_Nostalgiaultra-front-large.jpg

Haven't acquainted myself with any jazz records of the year yet.

Will get back to you on hip-hop.

[Dragonfly]

The Weeknd - House of Balloons

http://the-weeknd-xo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/TheWeeknd_HouseOfBalloons1-300x300.jpg

Just gave this a listen. Incredible piece of work.

My favourite of the year is:

http://static.nme.com/images/gallery/ArcticMonkeysSuckItAndSee600Gb 200411.jpg

I've listened to this incessantly. It's my favourite of theirs and it's just so much fun!

[Rainey]

Just gave this a listen. Incredible piece of work.

House of Balloons probably contains 4 of my top 30 songs of the year as well. It's such a cracking album, so are the other two that they released last year, but HoB is the stand out one for me.

[TheAlchemist]

I found the latest one the best, Echoes of silence. More cohesive with better beats. I did like the Dirty Diana cover, until I played it back to back with the original.

For the purposes of the thread

http://www.google.co.uk/url?source=imglanding&ct=img&q=http://cdn.hiphopdx.com/images/freddie-cold.jpg&sa=X&ei=67YHT7ToL8XA8QO0penJAQ&ved=0CAsQ8wc&usg=AFQjCNED7PGHfUyAnJGrqY1Ku4 9vCOe3pQ
http://www.google.co.uk/url?source=imglanding&ct=img&q=http://media.prefixmag.com/site_media/uploads/images/review/c/curreny/covert-coup-coverjpgw468h450_jpg_300x300_c rop-smart_q85.jpg&sa=X&ei=Z7cHT-_NOI2x8QO8iNDRAQ&ved=0CAsQ8wc&usg=AFQjCNHrtHHJ8IQcGkz904N3OO vm0EQ8LA
http://www.google.co.uk/url?source=imglanding&ct=img&q=http://www.cultureblues.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/XXX-300x300.jpg&sa=X&ei=mrcHT9fRKY63hAfR5cGgCQ&ved=0CAsQ8wc&usg=AFQjCNGqd3sbUHWc7SOznaL1vY kDE0TNdw
http://www.google.co.uk/url?source=imglanding&ct=img&q=http://www.fresh-grind.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/rubba-band-business-2-juicy-j-lex-luger.jpg&sa=X&ei=3rcHT7vSHMik8QOIrtC0AQ&ved=0CAsQ8wc&usg=AFQjCNGACt9YSTx95Ou7EpwDLW Gk9cHKLg

Plus a few more.

A good year for good hip hop music.

[Mjällharth]

My take on hip-hop last year can be found in the Hip-Hop thread, but just for good measure:

http://static.okayplayer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/TheRoots_UNDUN_cover_6001.jpg
http://assets2.subpop.com/assets/images/main/9144.jpg
http://f0.bcbits.com/z/33/45/3345141714-1.jpg
http://blogs.dailyprincetonian.com/intersections/files/2011/04/4eva.gif