My Top Musical Finds of 2011

I crave end of year top 10 lists.  I set out to make my own and have been stumped.  I think part of my problem this year is that I've spent so much time hunting for new music that I haven't latched onto many records and immersed myself in them.  Instead I'll list my top musical discoveries of 2011.  Some will be new records but some will include older stuff that I'm just now discovering.


1.  I have to top my list with Thrice's Major/Minor.  

Since I discovered them with The Artist in the Ambulance from 2003 they've become my favorite band.  I've only had a chance to see them live twice and am sad to hear they're going on a hiatus after a tour in Spring of 2012.  I'll surely plan to see them if they hit a city REMOTELY near Nashville.  Regarding Major/Minor, a band that toured with them said it's the most "Thrice sounding record since the band Thrice".  It's their own sound which has developed from their punk/post hardcore beginnings and matured into straightforward rock with dirty groove, complex rhythms and intricacies to be discovered as I hear the songs again and again.  Highlights on the album are Disarmed, Words in the Water and Yellow Belly.  This is music you can worship to.  


2.  Simple Math from Manchester Orchestra  

A lot of the music I've discovered is in the Thrice family tree (kind of like the Bill Parcells coaching tree in football - you know it's quality stuff if it's Thrice approved).  I slept on this band for a long time - to the point of saying I simply didn't like them.  Simple Math is an instantly likeable record and allowed me to go back and give prior records a chance, which I now love.  I saw them live in Nashville about a month ago and their set was spectacular.  Highlights on the album are Simple Math, Deer, and Virgin.  


3.  The Hunter by Mastodon.  

I've always had an appreciation for them as a metal band whose music is VERY technical.  This is their most mass-appealing record...featuring shorter songs with more hooks and grooves.  Records before this featured a sound that to some would be chaos - and a drummer that can't seem to go a few measures without hitting some crazy fills.  Highlights are The Hunter, Curl of the Burl and All of the Heavy Lifting. 


4.  Garden Window from O'Brother.  

Back to the Thrice family tree.  This is a band from Atlanta that just released their first full length record and has been touring with Thrice and Manchester Orchestra.  Their sound to me is sludgy and heavy, but with bright tones throughout - really a dichotomy of sounds.  It's not going to be for everyone, but the feeling and heaviness in the songs really hits home with me.  Seeing them live sealed it.  Check out Machines Part I and II, Sputnik and Lay Down.  


5. The King of Limbs from Radiohead.  

Another self produced/self released album from Radiohead, a band who really does march to the beat of a different drummer...or 2 of them.  They're still hanging on to plenty of their weirdness, but getting back to crafting some songs that stick with you.  One of the best songs I've ever heard is on this record - Codex.  It's a must hear song.  Other highlights are Little by Little and Separator. 


6.  El Camino from The Black Keys.

This has only been out for a few weeks but it will surely end up being regarded as one of the best albums of 2011.  I didn't get into The Black Keys until last year's Brothers.  They're a garagey, dirty, bluesy rock band that has learned to write pop songs without losing their dirtiness and bluesiness...and are now Nashville's proud to claim them as citizens.  This is music that anyone can like - your parents, babies would dance to it...anyone.  Standout tracks are Lonely Boy, Gold on the Ceiling, and Sister...and probably the rest of it.


7. Adele - all of it.

We've all heard her I'm sure.  She hit mass appeal with the song Chasing Pavements, which I didn't get at the time and still don't get now - just don't care for the song.  With her new record 21 I started taking a listen to some songs and she's really grown on me.  I'm not to the point yet where all of her songs are in hot rotation, but she deserves a spot on the list as a top find for me in 2011 - not that I had to look hard to "find" her.  Standout tracks are the pop hit Rolling in the Deep and He Won't Go.


8. La Dispute

These guys toured with Thrice this Fall and I like to "study" the openers for concerts so I can get familiar with them before seeing them.  At first listen I called my son Griffin in the office and said "check out this guy's voice".  It IS very different, but as I listened to it more their first 2 records have grown on me immensely.  The best way I can describe it is hardcore that isn't heavy.  The vocals are spoken to the point that they're almost rapped, but in a tone that constantly sounds like he's near tears.  It surely won't be for everyone, but the musicianship and song structure is gripping to me.  Their live set was awesome.  For a band I thought was unknown it was cool to see their fans crowd up and scream along with every word.  Also - La Dispute has some serious girl problems.  I listed the band and not their latest record, Wildlife, as a top find of 2011 because I don't love Wildlife yet.  But their first two records are in hot rotation right now.  


As I'm looking through my list of other releases from 2011 nothing else is jumping out at me as being something I need to put into top 10...or separating itself from the pack.  There were lots of good releases and a lot I'm still going through.  Other discoveries I think other people should check out: 


Balance & Composure - Sad I've never heard of this band until about a week ago.  Right in my sweet spot.


Brontide - I hadn't heard of them until Riley from Thrice mentioned them in his Hermitology blog.  An instrumental band from England (I think).  Unlike most instrumental bands that get hung up on playing difficult/complex music - theirs is both of those things but with some of the sickest grooves I've heard.  I'd LOVE to see them live and would in fact LOVE for it to be on Thrice's Spring tour.


All Get Out - They're an up and comer from South Carolina and are in the Manchester Orchestra family tree, which to me puts them in the Thrice tree.  Very reminiscent of Manchester Orchestra and a band I think is very underrrated.  The Season is a killer record.  


Bon Iver - I've had to make an effort to like his/their music and I'm starting to...but it's been an effort.  I can see the quality in it, but not to the extent and depth that others gush about.  Maybe I need to hear it in headphones and listen to it sometime when I can tune everything out but the music.  I think this could be said about a lot of music.  The Prayer Chain's Mercury will always stick out to me as a record I discovered in headphones.


Sainthood Reps - This is a band on Tooth & Nail records, which I have a long history with.  When the record was coming out Thrice, O'Bro, Manchester and others were gushing about it so I assumed it must be passing the quality test.  This one has also taken some effort, but I'm liking this band now.  Their sound is a throwback to grunge.  Maybe it's that I never liked the grunge sound that's causing me to be slow to catch on.


There's others I'm not mentioning here but this is where I'd LOVE to get input from others.  What were your top records of 2011?  What am I leaving out?  I'd love to have some interaction via this blog or Twitter regarding music, etc.