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Celeb News: Pitchfork's top albums of 2011
Member Since: 10/29/2010
Posts: 29,249
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Pitchfork's top albums of 2011
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Twenty albums that didn't make our Top 50 but deserve another listen.
Andy Stott - Passed Me By / We Stay Together
Big K.R.I.T. - Return of 4Eva
Blut Aus Nord - 777 Sect(s) / The Desanctification
Cass McCombs - WIT'S END
Dirty Beaches - Badlands
Eleanor Friedberger - Last Summer
Gil Scott-Heron / Jamie xx - We're New Here
Grouper - A I A: Alien Observer / A I A: Dream Loss
Holy Ghost! - Holy Ghost!
John Maus - We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
Marissa Nadler - Marissa Nadler
The Men - Leave Home
Neon Indian - Era Extraña
Nguzunguzu - The Perfect Lullaby
The Psychic Paramount - II
Thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler / The Dream
Wild Beasts - Smother
Wolves in the Throne Room - Celestial Lineage
Yuck - Yuck
Zola Jesus - Conatus
50. Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation
49. Wild Flag - Wild Flag
48. Toro Y Moi - Underneath the Pine
47. Sepalcure - Sepalcure
46. Cults - Cults
45. Kendrick Lamar - Section.80
44. Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges
43. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
42. SBTRKT- SBTRKT
41. Liturgy - Aesthethica
40. AraabMuzik - Electronic Dream
39. The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient
38. Sandro Perri - Impossible Spaces
37. Iceage - New Brigade
36. Kate Bush - 50 Words For Snow
35. Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra.
34. Katy B - On a Mission
33. ****ed Up - David Comes to Life
32. Panda Bear - Tomboy
31. Ty Segall - Goodbye Bread
30. Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972
29. DJ Quik - The Book of David
28. Cut Copy - Zonoscope
27. Beyoncé - 4
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If you're one of the most successful and talented people in the world and are married to another one of the most successful and talented people in the world, there's danger in releasing an album about how awesome your relationship is. But 4 works thematically because Beyoncé isn't bragging; she's singing about how she feels happy, at ease, and loved. Since that's all anybody really wants, who could be mad at it? Beyond that, the record is a showcase of what Mrs. Carter-Knowles does so well, which is collecting great beats, singing her lungs out over top of them, and offering something for everybody along the way. You've got the so-thumping-it's-almost-silly club banger ("Countdown"), the even-your-mom-loves-it tearjerker ("1+1"), the empowerment jam ("Best Thing I Never Had"), and a few more heaters. Personal contentment, it seems, has done wonders for her artistic restlessness. --Joe Colly
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26. The Field - Looping State of Mind
25. Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
24. Julianna Barwick - The Magic Place
23. Bill Callahan - Apocalypse
22. The Caretaker - An Empty Bliss Beyond This World
21. Jay-Z / Kanye West - Watch the Throne
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At a time when economic disparity seems to bisect every cultural and political paradigm, the least sensitive thing you could possibly do-- aside from declare pizza a vegetable-- would be to release a record that often reads like a Kardashian sister's letter to Santa tucked into a gold-embossed Riccardo Tisci envelope. But remember, we're dealing with two professionals here, both smart enough to know that rap as reality is as important as rap as escapism. Watch the Throne may have felt wretchedly excessive at times, but as anyone who can attest to getting down to "*****s in Paris" seven or eight or nine (or ten!) times in a row can tell you, it's sure fun to play dress-up to. Maybe there was something in the more relatable elements presented here-- ruminations on the price of fame, fatherhood, and race-- that lead us to take momentary respite from this embarrassment of riches and try to grasp the bigger picture. Maybe not: For these guys, overblown excess is a rewarding means unto itself. --Zach Kelly
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20. Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise
19. Danny Brown - XXX
18. Atlas Sound - Parallax
17. Clams Casino - Instrumentals
16. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
15. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
14. Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
13. EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints
12. James Blake - James Blake
11. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
10. The Weeknd - House of Balloons
09. Real Estate - Days
08. Drake - Take Care
Quote:
"Weezy and Stunna my only role models/ Hef and Jordan my only role models." On "Lord Knows", Drake toasts to four absurdly rich and successful assholes who are by all accounts manipulative, emotionally unavailable, and altogether miserable human beings. So while they might be Drake's peer group, they are not the men he aspires to be on Take Care. Boasting more complex songwriting, vastly improved mic skills, and an astounding curatorial ear, Drake opened himself up to pretty much everything the human condition has to offer.
With partners Noah "40" Shebib and the Weeknd in tow, Take Care integrates dubstep, house, blaring Young Money boasts, New York City thunder, quiet storm, and cloud rap to form the dark center of 2011's pop universe. And yeah, "I blew six million on myself and it felt amazing" isn't something any of us will relate to any time soon, but the elemental sensations underpinning the mood swings connecting the title track's wounded heart, the stunning emotional bottom of "Marvins Room", and the earned triumph of "Underground Kings"-- intoxication, depression, friendship, hatred, jealousy, empathy, lust, loneliness, ego, doubt-- make Drake's experience no more contradictory and complex than our own. In fact, the only emotion that might be missing from Take Care is contentment-- closer "The Ride" might sound like a victory lap for his sophomore album, but then Drake promises "my junior and senior will only get meaner-- take care." So what do you give the man who has it all? The gift of thinking he doesn't. --Ian Cohen
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07. tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l
06. Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
05. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
04. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
03. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
02. Destroyer - Kaputt
01. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
SOURCE: http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-...lbums-of-2011/
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Member Since: 9/25/2001
Posts: 26,816
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31. Ty Segall - Goodbye Bread
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My band and I are opening up for him on January 14th. 
Anyways, congratulations to Bey, Ye, + J 
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Member Since: 6/7/2011
Posts: 22,128
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Congratulations to Beyonce. 
I think 4 is better than Watch the Throne, though. 
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Member Since: 8/24/2008
Posts: 40,932
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I've started listening to this album.
Lately I've been in the mood for it, like late at night while I relax, idk it's wierd.
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Member Since: 5/17/2010
Posts: 21,708
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48. Toro Y Moi - Underneath the Pine
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Member Since: 7/15/2010
Posts: 3,610
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"Countdown" was #7 on their BEST SONGS OF THE YEAR. "1+1" was top 30 or something, too.
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Member Since: 10/28/2009
Posts: 26,465
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Member Since: 4/24/2011
Posts: 17,221
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34. Katy B - On a Mission
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Member Since: 4/17/2011
Posts: 6,399
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Member Since: 10/29/2010
Posts: 29,249
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Bey's first time on the list. Only mainstream female so far 
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Member Since: 1/3/2010
Posts: 21,098
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Yay, Bey! 
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Member Since: 8/29/2011
Posts: 9,504
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Quote:
Originally posted by KoreanDream
Congratulations to Beyonce.
I think 4 is better than Watch the Throne, though. |
I was about to say the same thing 
but that doesn't take away from her accomplishment!
I'm not tryna be one of those trolls that complains about end of year lists lol
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Member Since: 6/25/2011
Posts: 28,853
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Quote:
Originally posted by DG1
Bey's first time on the list. Only mainstream female so far |
Could it be any other way? 
4 is a GEM. It didn't have to sell like her previous efforts because it has opened so many eyes and ears that didn't think she was deep or worthy of her attention before. Haters can say anything about sales, but this her worst era out of 4. Just wait for her next era. I don't want any apologies when the fools saying the things they are now feel the wrath next time.
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Member Since: 10/29/2010
Posts: 29,249
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HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Twenty albums that didn't make our Top 50 but deserve another listen.
Andy Stott - Passed Me By / We Stay Together
Big K.R.I.T. - Return of 4Eva
Blut Aus Nord - 777 Sect(s) / The Desanctification
Cass McCombs - WIT'S END
Dirty Beaches - Badlands
Eleanor Friedberger - Last Summer
Gil Scott-Heron / Jamie xx - We're New Here
Grouper - A I A: Alien Observer / A I A: Dream Loss
Holy Ghost! - Holy Ghost!
John Maus - We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
Marissa Nadler - Marissa Nadler
The Men - Leave Home
Neon Indian - Era Extraña
Nguzunguzu - The Perfect Lullaby
The Psychic Paramount - II
Thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler / The Dream
Wild Beasts - Smother
Wolves in the Throne Room - Celestial Lineage
Yuck - Yuck
Zola Jesus - Conatus
50. Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation
49. Wild Flag - Wild Flag
48. Toro Y Moi - Underneath the Pine
47. Sepalcure - Sepalcure
46. Cults - Cults
45. Kendrick Lamar - Section.80
44. Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges
43. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
42. SBTRKT- SBTRKT
41. Liturgy - Aesthethica
40. AraabMuzik - Electronic Dream
39. The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient
38. Sandro Perri - Impossible Spaces
37. Iceage - New Brigade
36. Kate Bush - 50 Words For Snow
35. Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra.
34. Katy B - On a Mission
33. ****ed Up - David Comes to Life
32. Panda Bear - Tomboy
31. Ty Segall - Goodbye Bread
30. Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972
29. DJ Quik - The Book of David
28. Cut Copy - Zonoscope
27. Beyoncé - 4
Quote:
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If you're one of the most successful and talented people in the world and are married to another one of the most successful and talented people in the world, there's danger in releasing an album about how awesome your relationship is. But 4 works thematically because Beyoncé isn't bragging; she's singing about how she feels happy, at ease, and loved. Since that's all anybody really wants, who could be mad at it? Beyond that, the record is a showcase of what Mrs. Carter-Knowles does so well, which is collecting great beats, singing her lungs out over top of them, and offering something for everybody along the way. You've got the so-thumping-it's-almost-silly club banger ("Countdown"), the even-your-mom-loves-it tearjerker ("1+1"), the empowerment jam ("Best Thing I Never Had"), and a few more heaters. Personal contentment, it seems, has done wonders for her artistic restlessness. --Joe Colly
|
26. The Field - Looping State of Mind
25. Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
24. Julianna Barwick - The Magic Place
23. Bill Callahan - Apocalypse
22. The Caretaker - An Empty Bliss Beyond This World
21. Jay-Z / Kanye West - Watch the Throne
Quote:
|
At a time when economic disparity seems to bisect every cultural and political paradigm, the least sensitive thing you could possibly do-- aside from declare pizza a vegetable-- would be to release a record that often reads like a Kardashian sister's letter to Santa tucked into a gold-embossed Riccardo Tisci envelope. But remember, we're dealing with two professionals here, both smart enough to know that rap as reality is as important as rap as escapism. Watch the Throne may have felt wretchedly excessive at times, but as anyone who can attest to getting down to "*****s in Paris" seven or eight or nine (or ten!) times in a row can tell you, it's sure fun to play dress-up to. Maybe there was something in the more relatable elements presented here-- ruminations on the price of fame, fatherhood, and race-- that lead us to take momentary respite from this embarrassment of riches and try to grasp the bigger picture. Maybe not: For these guys, overblown excess is a rewarding means unto itself. --Zach Kelly
|
20. Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise
19. Danny Brown - XXX
18. Atlas Sound - Parallax
17. Clams Casino - Instrumentals
16. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
15. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
14. Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
13. EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints
12. James Blake - James Blake
11. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
10. The Weeknd - House of Balloons
09. Real Estate - Days
08. Drake - Take Care
Quote:
"Weezy and Stunna my only role models/ Hef and Jordan my only role models." On "Lord Knows", Drake toasts to four absurdly rich and successful assholes who are by all accounts manipulative, emotionally unavailable, and altogether miserable human beings. So while they might be Drake's peer group, they are not the men he aspires to be on Take Care. Boasting more complex songwriting, vastly improved mic skills, and an astounding curatorial ear, Drake opened himself up to pretty much everything the human condition has to offer.
With partners Noah "40" Shebib and the Weeknd in tow, Take Care integrates dubstep, house, blaring Young Money boasts, New York City thunder, quiet storm, and cloud rap to form the dark center of 2011's pop universe. And yeah, "I blew six million on myself and it felt amazing" isn't something any of us will relate to any time soon, but the elemental sensations underpinning the mood swings connecting the title track's wounded heart, the stunning emotional bottom of "Marvins Room", and the earned triumph of "Underground Kings"-- intoxication, depression, friendship, hatred, jealousy, empathy, lust, loneliness, ego, doubt-- make Drake's experience no more contradictory and complex than our own. In fact, the only emotion that might be missing from Take Care is contentment-- closer "The Ride" might sound like a victory lap for his sophomore album, but then Drake promises "my junior and senior will only get meaner-- take care." So what do you give the man who has it all? The gift of thinking he doesn't. --Ian Cohen
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07. tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l
06. Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
05. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
04. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
03. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
02. Destroyer - Kaputt
01. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
SOURCE: http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-...lbums-of-2011/
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Member Since: 12/17/2010
Posts: 10,073
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Lookie that a bunch of people no one knows.
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Member Since: 10/3/2010
Posts: 50,276
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08. Drake - Take Care
Another place on a year end list for Drake!
People doubted him and said he would fade, obviously not.
One of the most critically acclaimed albums of the year!
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Member Since: 7/19/2009
Posts: 16,809
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 8/24/2011
Posts: 6,860
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