Fucking Nostalgic Presents: Our Top 10 Albums, Shows, and Whatever Of 2011

Beth Gibbons of Portishead crowdsurfing at ATP

Welcome to FN's semi-obligatory Top 10 of 2011 post! It's been a fun first year on the blog, due in no small part to the truly amazing shows we've been to and albums we've enjoyed. Some of our favorite veteran artists put out reissues that reminded us of why we love them in the first place along with new albums that prove that they'll continue to kick ass for many years to come. And on the flipside, a select few newer artists have put out work that made us stand up and take notice as they become the future nostalgic artists we'll be keeping an eye on.

You'll see a good sample of the latter artists below in my Top 10 picks for 2011, which is a good indication that great music will continue to be made in the years to come. We'll definitely watch out for these and more musicians, and we thank you for coming along for coming along for the ride with us.

-- Damien, News Editor


The Top 10 Albums of 2011: Damien's Picks


10. Real Estate -- Days (Full Album On Spotify)

I believe that when I first described this album I called it something like “the aural equivalent of riding your bike through the streets of your hometown on a hazy summer afternoon.” Many, many listens later, that weird little metaphor still holds up – the Jersey indie band’s sophomore album Days is fully evocative of the kind of nostalgia we tend to truck in at Fucking Nostalgic. Laidback chords meld with layered vocals to create an unhurried but still skillful set of tracks that would have been at home on a dusty record collection in a den a couple of decades ago. Definitely no sophomore slump here, and the sign of a band to watch out for in the coming year.

Standout Track -- "It's Real"


9. Fucked Up -- David Comes To Life (Full Album On Spotify)

Hahahahaha

Have we made it clear yet that we love Fucked Up? Few bands worked as hard or rocked as much as these Toronto hardcore punkers, and David Comes To Life is the output of a band that’s got energy and creativity to burn. Regardless of whether you remember the full backstory and plot of this concept album, the music spoke for itself: confident, incendiary punk that never fails to make you want to mosh into the nearest person or couch as you blast it on your stereo. Which I may or may not be doing right now.

Standout Track -- "The Other Shoe"


8.  Beastie Boys -- Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 (Full Album On Spotify)

Was there any more badass album reveal than that of Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 back in April, when the legendary Beastie Boys streamed the whole thing from a boombox on the floor of Madison Square Garden? We didn’t quite know what to expect from the three MCs and one DJ given their fully-instrumental previous album and Adam Yauch / MCA’s ailing health, but Hot Sauce turned out to be an awesome return to form for New York City’s hip hop heroes and native sons. Melding their signature flows with hot beats, occasional guitar licks, and some slick cameos from Nas and Santigold, the B-Boys made it clear they’re still bringing the fire over 30 years into their career.

Standout Track -- "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win (Feat. Santigold)"


7. Yuck -- Yuck (Full Album On Spotify)

Easily the best ‘90s rock album of 2011, the self-titled LP from British indie rockers Yuck seemed tailor made to strike a chord with people who came of age during the original ‘90s rock renaissance (such as, uh, us). They wore influences like Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth on their sleeves, but even so managed to go beyond crafting merely a loving tribute to a bygone era and create a solid contribution to a genre music we totally revere. Definitely looking forward to their next album of course, but if Yuck also serve as a gateway for another generation of fans to check out the works of earlier indie / noise / shoegaze titans, so much the better.

Standout Track -- "Georgia"


6. Kurt Vile -- Smoke Ring For My Halo (Full Album On Spotify)

Kurt Vile @ Williamsburg Waterfront

I tend to shy away from albums and musicians that have what feels like a ridiculous amount of buzz about them, as buzz tends to be the currency of flavor-of-the-moment bands that no one will remember in a year. That unfortunately kept me from taking a chance on Kurt Vile’s latest work Smoke Ring For My Halo until later this year, but I’m happy to say he completely exceeded my expectations with this rich, folky album that somehow sounds equally atmospheric and dense throughout. More than enough reason to go back and check out his previous albums, and definitely someone I won’t miss out on when he does another show in NYC.

Standout Track -- "Jesus Fever"

And now for the reviews you probably skipped ahead to read anyway!


5. Atlas Sound -- Parallax (Full Album On Spotify)

Not just any band can make me even remotely question Radiohead's position as my favorite band, but with each new release Atlanta's Deerhunter is definitely making a serious run at the throne. This is due in no small part to the chaotic genius that is frontman Bradford Cox, who under his solo side-project moniker Atlas Sound released some of his best work to date with Parallax. Moreso than his previous solo work, this is a fully-realized atmospheric trip of an album that pulls from sci-fi fantasies and lo-fi classic rock with equal ease. As Atlas Sound and in Deerhunter, at a mere 29 years old Cox has come into his own as a truly great musician whose future output will continue to be nothing short of mindblowing.

Standout Track -- "Mona Lisa"


4. tUnE-yArDs -- W H O K I L L (Full Album On Spotify)

"Holy Shit." That's pretty much the gist of every conversation I've had about Merrill Garbus (a.k.a. tUnE-yArDs) over the course of 2011. I've seen her epic and rightfully storied live performances twice this year - outside overlooking the Hudson River as fireworks went off and inside at Le Poisson Rouge to a packed house - and made it a point to check out her many, many in-studio performances at stations like NPR and KCREW. The root of this fandom? Her second album, W H O K I L L, basically slapped me in the face at first listen, as it careened this former bedroom recording artist into a studio with a proper backing band that fed upon her ingenious loops and African chants and polyrhythms and resulted in a crazily endearing album unlike any I'd heard all year. Merrill Garbus thoroughly kicked ass in 2011 and is on the verge of even bigger things in the years to come.

Standout Track: "Bizness" 


3. PJ Harvey -- Let England Shake (Full Album On Spotify)

PJ Harvey has won England's most prestigious prize for original music twice in her career, the second coming just a few months ago in honor of her work on Let England Shake. And even after your first listen, it's easy to see why: the result of over two years of work in an old church in Harvey's native Dorset, it's an emotionally wrenching and powerful tribute to her homeland of England. Not necessarily a love letter - it's riddled with rightfully caustic reproaches of the nation's past and present involvement in wars and global political strife - but one that reflects her justified concern for her nation and the world at large. It's a simultaneously beautiful and startling album focused on bloodshed and death, and one that rightfully earned the ongoing respect of fans and critics alike.

Standout Track: "In The Dark Places"


2. Radiohead -- The King Of Limbs (Full Album On Spotify)

Honestly, at this point all I have to say to all the people who have been hating on this album all year is: you're total idiots. Radiohead have been about nothing but pushing musical boundaries throughout their entire career and transmuting their influences into their own classic tracks, and The King Of Limbs keeps with that tradition entirely. Precision beats, guitar effects, and Thom Yorke's intense wail build each song on the album into its own deep and rich well of secrets waiting to be unpacked, and I'm still finding new things to love about it with each listen. Trees take time to grow, and over time The King Of Limbs became one of my most rewarding listens of 2011. Seeing them rock this live in concert was pretty damn sweet, too.

Standout Track -- "Little By Little"


1. St Vincent -- Strange Mercy (Full Album On Spotify)

It's apparent from the first minute of album opener "Chloe In The Afternoon." The bolts of guitar feedback, the tenuous yet commanding voice singing over chaotic lyrics about a secret sexual escapade: St. Vincent (a.k.a. Annie Clark) finds her oasis in wholly and almost uncomfortably candid tales.

The juxtaposition of her timidly soaring vocals and raw, thrashing guitar maintains this tension through the entirety of Strange Mercy and sees St. Vincent at a new height in her musical prowess. Each track brings out a new aspect of her talent and makes you hang on for every cool twist in melody or vocal turn of phrase. Strange Mercy drips with the kind of emotional input and connection you rarely get out of any album, and it's a sure indication that St. Vincent is an artist we'll be talking about fondly for a long time to come.

 Standout Track: "Surgeon"

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Top Ten Albums of 2011: Chris's Picks


10. Beastie Boys -- Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2

9. St. Vincent -- Strange Mercy

8. Atlas Sound -- Paralax

7. Eleanor Friedberger -- Last Summer

6. Radiohead - The King of Limbs

5. The War On Drugs -- Slave Ambient

4. Stephen Malkmus -- Mirror Traffic

3. Real Estate -- Days

2. Fucked Up -- David Comes To Life

1. Yuck -- Yuck


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Top Ten Concerts of 2011: Chris's Picks


10. The Vaccines @ Bowery Ballroom - January 20, 2011

The much-hyped and mysterious first US appearance of a band no one had heard of two months prior made for an exciting night at Bowery Ballroom in the dead of winter. I was skeptical on the legitimacy of the Vaccines, if only for the fact that NME would not shut up about them and they had only released two songs at that point. All skepticism was shot down the moment the band launched into "Wrecking Ball" with the precision of the Ramones and the ferocity of Minor Threat. The Vaccines were the real deal. I got to cover the show for BrooklynVegan, and you can check out my initial thoughts and photos over here.

9. Beach House @ Webster Hall - February 23, 2011

The dreamy, shoegazey duo Beach House made one of the best albums of 2010 (Teen Dream), but up until this show I hadn't seen them live. I endlessly discuss how disappointed I am with bands who refuse to up the ante with their live shows, but Beach House pulled it off by doing the unthinkable... *gasp* they hired a live drummer. Note to The Kills and Sleigh Bells: playing guitar over the guitar-less version of your album is beyond lame. Beach House sounded just as great as you would expect them to: loud, dreamy, somber and beautiful. The way a live show should be. Check out my photos over at BrooklynVegan.

8. Dead Milkmen @ Warsaw - April 9, 2011

One of the very first shows we featured on Fucking Nostalgic, and one of the craziest shows I've ever seen, The Dead Milkmen are just out of control live. As Jen and I entered the venue there was a sign that explicitly said "Moshing Not Allowed." I'm still not sure if that was some kind of sick joke or not, but not a second passed where the mosh pit died down in the least bit. If you haven't seen the legendary punk rock band live yet, do yourself a favor and make sure you do in 2012 because you will have one of the greatest times of your life. Check out more photos and a review over here.

7. Superchunk/OFF! @ House of Vans - July 14, 2011

God dammit, I love OFF! And holy shit, I love Superchunk. Put them on the same bill and chaos ensues. You'd think a hardcore punk band opening for a more pop-influenced band would result in a clash of the titans. That's simply not the case anymore. Everyone at House of Vans that night shared a mutual love for the two acts, which was more than evident when Superchunk returned for an encore with Keith Morris on lead vocals to cover "Gimme Gimme Gimme" by Black Flag and "Where Eagles Dare" by the Misfits. Um... I got kicked in the head multiple time. Check out the full set of photos and review over here.

6. The Olivia Tremor Control @ Le Poisson Rouge - September 21, 2011

Few words can describe my love for the brilliant Oliva Tremor Control, but I'll try my best. In 2005, fresh out of college, my brother and I attended an Olivia Tremor Control show at Bowery Ballroom and it changed my entire perspective on music. I quickly became obsessed with Dusk at the Cubist Castle and have listened to it countless times since then. So to say I was excited at the announcement that the band would be playing more shows and releasing new material is an understatement. Their show at Le Poisson Rouge was jaw-droppingly good, playing practically every song you'd ever want to hear OTC play, not to mention their latest epic three part song "The Game You Play is in Your Head, Parts 1, 2, 3" in its entirety. Check out more photos and a review by Mike Koene over here.

5. Sonic Youth @ Williamsburg Waterfront - August 18, 2011

Knowing that this may have very well been the final New York City Sonic Youth show ever makes this show all the more special, but that doesn't mean we weren't blown away as soon as they finished their set on a hot summer night in Brooklyn. Digging deep into their catalog, Sonic Youth played a show for their most hardcore fans, ignoring singles such as "Kool Thing" and "100%" in favor of "Kill Yr. Idols" and "Ghost Bitch." When Thurston Moore began screaming into the microphone during "Inhuman," wrapping the cord around his neck and convulsing on stage during their third encore, it became evident that Sonic Youth are perpetually youthful and without a doubt the most definitive New York City noise-rock band. That will never change. Check out more photos and a review by Colin Fitzgerald over here.

4. All Tomorrow's Parties I'll Be Your Mirror @ Asbury Park - September 30 - October 2, 2011

It's hard to pinpoint a highlight of this epic three day festival, but I'll try to narrow it down. First, seeing Portishead for the first time (and twice in one weekend) was nothing short of awe-inspiring. I've been a fan of the band, and have heard stories of their incredible live show, but actually experiencing it is an entirely different story. With full band in tow, Portishead proved to be one of the finest touring bands around, and the perfect act to curate a festival such as ATP.

Second, Public Enemy is awesome. Like, seriously fucking great. Forget the fact that Flavor Flav is more well known for being an idiot on VH1... he was born to be onstage in front of an audience. Though they were billed to simply play Fear of a Black Planet, Mogwai's unexpected cancellation led to Public Enemy being given a two hour timeslot, and allowed them to play pretty much every PE song you'd want to hear. Yep, it was pretty great.

Lastly, one of the few performances I can say truly gave me chills, Jeff Mangum was without a doubt the most anticipated set throughout the weekend. And the hype was well-paid off. Mangum's reemergence in the world of music is a blessing to many indie music fans, and one that no one actually expected to happen. I saw him twice that weekend, and honestly the second performance sticks out more in my mind because of the unexpected appearance of A Hawk and a Hacksaw who accompanied Mangum on "The Fool," but the first time was just so surreal and somewhat shocking that it's hard to forget.

Oh, and getting Mangum to draw in my passport was one of the coolest moments of my life.

m'passport

Check out more photos and a recap of Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 and Portishead.


3. Dinosaur Jr. / OFF! / Fucked Up @ Terminal 5 - June 23, 2011

Generally shows at Terminal 5 are nothing short of frustrating (due to how incredibly shitty that venue is), but that can all be ignored when the lineup is as good as this show. Of course, OFF! is the perfect band to have open for you if you want your crowd good and rowdy, and that's exactly what Keith Morris and co. did here. And then hot on the heels of releasing the excellent hardcore punk opera David Comes To Life, Fucked Up played a phenomenally great set, playing most of that album and causing a near riot in the crowd.

But the real highlight of this show was seeing Dinosaur Jr. plow through their third album Bug in its entirety, matching the greatness and energy of the decades-old band in their prime. I believe this was the eighth show on the Bug tour, and Lou Barlow had already completely destroyed his voice by screaming the lyrics to "Don't," so at each show he had a fan come on stage to sing it for him. Of course, some kid with a huge afro did just that, and it was incredible. Check out more photos and Jennifer's review of the show over here.

2. Meat Puppets @ Le Poisson Rouge - November 4, 2011

Perhaps it was because I wasn't expecting the show to be so amazing, or perhaps because it was just so absolutely fucking amazing, the Meat Puppets show at LPR was a seriously great show. I've been a fan of the band for some time now, and this was my first time seeing them, so I was in awe of just how perfect a live band they were that night. Especially when you read stories of just how fucked up Cris Kirkwood was a mere ten years ago. Seeing the guy cleaned up, with a perpetual smile on his face, playing bass onstage with his brother Kurt was just a beautiful thing.

Oh, and "Lake of Fire" blew everyone away. Check out more photos and Colin's review over here.

1. LCD Soundsystem @ Madison Square Garden - April 2, 2011

Taken at the Philly Naval Cruise Terminal last year

It's probably inevitable that one of your favorite bands of the past decade playing their final show at one of the world's most famous arenas is going to top your concert list for the year. This show, however, tops my all time concert list. Playing for close to four hours to a very sold out crowd dressed entirely in black and white, LCD Soundsystem proved to be more than just a popular dance-punk act--LCD are the Talking Heads of our generation, and this was their Stop Making Sense.

 

Even though I had seen them play nearly an identical set three nights earlier at Terminal 5, there was something truly special about watching them get all of MSG jump around like maniacs during "Dance Yrself Clean," "Tribulations" and the highlight of the night, "All My Friends." When this show is released on DVD (why hasn't that happened yet?), be sure to pick up a copy. And be on the lookout for seven maniacs losing their shit in GA Section 8. Didn't take photos at this show, but that probably just made it all the better.

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Top 10 Concerts of 2011: Damien's Picks


10. Les Savy Fav @ Bowery Ballroom

9. Cut Copy @ Terminal 5

8. The Rapture @ Webster Hall

7. TV On The Radio @ Radio City Music Hall

6. tUnE-yArDs @ Pier 54 & Le Poisson Rouge

5. Deerhunter @ Webster Hall

4. Sonic Youth @ Williamsburg Waterfront

3. Patti Smith @ Webster Hall

2. Radiohead @ Roseland Ballroom

1. LCD Soundsystem @ Madison Square Garden

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We also asked our contributors to submit their favorite things of 2011, and here they are. Be sure to click on their names to see what they wrote about and/or took photos for us throughout the year!

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Debbie Chou (writer, photographer, weirdo)


Favorite shows of the year:

10. The Cars @ Roseland Ballroom

9. Sharon van Etten @ SXSW (and SXSW in general)

8. Cibo Matto @ Brooklyn Bowl

7. Yuck @ MHOW

6. Cat Power @ Webster Hall

5. Deerhunter @ Webster Hall

4. Mission of Burma @ Maxwell's, Bell House, Beekman Beer Garden

3. Beach House @ Webster Hall

2. The Antlers @ Webster Hall

1. LCD Soundsystem @ MSG

Shows I wish I had seen:

Portishead
The Cure

Radiohead

Favorite new band of year:
Yuck

Favorite albums of the year:
Yuck -- Yuck
Thurston Moore -- Demolished Thoughts
The Antlers -- Burst Apart
Radiohead -- The King of Limbs

Biggest disappointment:
Two canceled Mogwai shows

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Chloe Lee (photographer) 

Television:

Breaking Bad
Parks and Rec
Community
Misfits
Louie

Boardwalk Empire

Music
Fleet Foxes -- Helplessness Blues
The Antlers -- Burst Apart
St. Vincent -- Strange Mercy 
Atlas Sound -- Parallax
Cut Copy -- Zonoscope

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Nadia Chaudhury (photographer)

Top 15 albums of 2011:

15. Explosions in the Sky -- Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
14. EMA -- Past Life Martyred Saints
13. Wilco -- The Whole Love
12. Yuck -- Yuck
11. Cut Copy -- Zonoscope
10. Beirut -- The Rip Tide
9. tUnE-yArDs -- w h o k i l l
8. Bon Iver -- Bon Iver
7. Pains of Being Pure at Heart -- Belong
6. Fleet Foxes -- Helplessness Blues
5. Girls -- Father, Son, Holy Ghost
4. Eleanor Friedberger -- Last Summer
3. Wye Oak -- Civilian
2. Wild Flag -- Wild Flag
1. St. Vincent -- Strange Mercy

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Josh Kurp (writer)

Top 20 albums of 2011:

#20. Unknown Mortal Orchestra by Unknown Mortal Orchestra
#19. The Rip Tide by Beirut
#18. Nine Types of Light by TV on the Radio
#17. New Brigade by Iceage
#16. Zonoscope by Cut Copy
#15. Bon Iver by Bon Iver
#14. Kaputt by Destroyer
#13. Past Life Martyred Saints by EMA
#12. Wounded Rhymes by Lykke Li
#11. The King Is Dead by the Decemberists
#10. Last Summer by Eleanor Friedberger
#9. Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes
#8. Belong by the Pains of Being Pure at Heart
#7. Wild Flag by Wild Flag
#6. Father, Son, Holy Ghost by Girls
#5. Civilian by Wye Oak
#4. Days by Real Estate
#3. Yuck by Yuck
#2. Strange Mercy by St. Vincent
#1. David Comes to Life by Fucked Up

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That about wraps it up for 2011. By general consensus, it appears that our favorite albums were Strange Mercy by St. Vincent and Yuck's excellent debut album, and our favorite show by a longshot was LCD Soundsystem's final show at Madison Square Garden.

Thanks for reading this year, and look forward to much, much more in 2012. HAPPY NEW YEAR!