Saturday, January 21, 2012

Caleb's Favorite CAlbums of 2011

Not only do I make music but I occasionally listen to it. And as such I thought I would make a list of my favorite albums of 2011 with brief annotations. In no particular order.

Undun
The Roots

A concept album, the album begins with the protagonists death and continues into memories and ruminations of an ultimately sad and criminal life. There are many thoughtful insights from a very well painted album, possibly because the artists themselves knew persons like the protagonist; and escaped a similar life themselves.

Bad as Me
Tom Waits

Tom Waits. Enough said.

This is our Science
Astronautalis

Possibly the album which I have listened to the most of all of these. It has a smart rustic hip hop force. There are many allusions, most to scientists, many of which I have yet to discover.

Cinematropolis
Blue Scholars

Blue Scholars were the group that inspired my love of underground hip hop. This album is probably my least favorite of all of theirs but nevertheless it quite dope.

Are You Gonna Eat That?
Hail Mary Mallon
Hail Mary Mallon is a threesome of Aesop Rock, Rob Sonic, and DJ Big Wiz. This album is excessively obscure and abstract, and seems to have been put together rather quickly. But nevertheless these attributes are beneficial and representational of the overall project; one, which I think, barely belongs on this list.

Space Is Only Noise
Nicolas Jaar
Beautiful ambient album. Perhaps the most beautiful, sensual album on this list.

ISAM
Amon Tobin
Another electronica album. This one contains butterfly robot space music. It bumps, twists, and raptures.

No Kings
Doomtree

Doomtree is a group of P.O.S, Sims, Dessa, Cecil Otter, Mike Mictlan, and Lazer Beak. All of these fellows are very talented in whatever they do. All complement each other brilliantly. The beats are very nicely electronic as well.

Did I miss anything?