5. - Neil Young & The International Harvesters - A Treasure
Okay. Another cheat here.
But one well worthy of inclusion on this list. This compilation of live performances from one of Neil Young's many genre-hopping experiments during the "lost eighties" — for his ongoing Archives Performance Series — actually lives up to its name as a lost treasure of sorts.
Performing with the expanded International Harvesters band during his country phase, Neil Young offers up surprisingly radical takes on obscure chestnuts like "Southern Pacific" and "Flying On The Ground Is Wrong," in addition to previously unreleased gems like "Amber Jean." The song "Grey Riders" also rocks as convincingly as anything from Crazy Horse.
4. Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning
On his second solo album, the two CD Grace For Drowning, Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson serves up little bits and pieces of everyone from Joy Division and King Crimson, to Brian Eno and Radiohead in the mix.
Wilson also gets a little help from Dave Stewart and original Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett. But what you mostly hear on this record is Steven Wilson himself, offering up a crash course in modern-day prog-rock, that ranges from the swelling mellotron, wildly swirling saxes, flutes and clarinet of "Reminder The Black Dog," to the epic Crimson-esque prog of "Raider II." This is textbook modern prog, and absolutely great sounding stuff, courtesy of Wilson's expert production.
3. Kate Bush - 50 Words For Snow
Kate Bush's first album of new original material since 2005's Aerial is one of those weird little records that creeps up on you slowly, and then really starts to get under your skin. Taken on its surface, the seven songs on this album are quietly reflective pieces — either performed solo by Kate on piano, or with a small trio of bass and drums — revolving around the central theme of snow.
But a deeper listen reveals a more layered lyrical experience, where the songs are populated by ghosts — not to mention a certain snowman — stranded in a purgatory of romantic longing, and almost impossible loneliness and regret. Since the first time I heard it, I have yet to get the simple, but hauntingly catchy "Misty" out of my head. Damn you, Kate.
2. Tom Waits - Bad As Me.
Despite being one of our greatest songwriters, Tom Waits hasn't made an album with this many great and unexpectedly accessible songs in years. On what is easily his best record since Rain Dogs, Tom Waits revisits many of the same questionable haunts, inhabited by the usual cast of shady characters, that he has for going on a half century now. But there are some surprising new twists.
Article comments
1 - Donald Gibson
But even with Adele's huge commercial and critical breakthrough this year, this was still not enough to solidify 21 as the odds-on choice for Album of the Year.
What are you drinking??? What more could Adele have done, knock on ten million doors and sing for each and every one of them? She's not "one of many" female artists who basically did much of the same thing. She's one woman who far surpassed what any other woman or man had achieved this year.
She's the rare artist who achieves massive commercial success with critically acclaimed music. (I'm one of those critics acclaiming her.) How often does that happen?
I think your year-end survey must go something like this: no Springsteen this year, no (new) Neil Young this year, no (new U2) this year... "There were no winners this year."
2 - Triniman
Good list. Did you manage to hear the new Destroyer album? It stood out for me as one of the year's best.
3 - Glen Boyd
Donald,
Yes, she (Adele) was the odds-on artist of the year. No question.
BUT...(and this is a big "but"), in scanning all the year-end critics lists out there, she doesn't top that many of them. She makes them, yes. But PJ Harvey's album tops a lot more of them (and, she didn't even make mine).
It's nowhere near the runaway for Adele in 2011, that it was for Arcade Fire last year (at least not in terms of a music critics landslide).
Did she make the biggest impact this year? I would say without question that she did. But her impact was also multiplied by the other big female voices out there like Florence Welch (which is why I mentioned her in this article). This is, in my view, is definitely a good thing by the way. Anything that will get music out of its present state of pop candy hell has to be considered a good thing.
Not that either Adele or Florence was a constant on my own CD player this year. But in no way do I minimize their impact.
-Glen
4 - Donald Gibson
But are you making your Top 10 list based on what you believe the best were of 2011, or just what you agree on with the largest consensus of critics? You shouldn't have to can other critics' lists if you know what you liked and what you believe what among the best of the year.
5 - Glen Boyd
My list is based solely on what I liked the most in 2011. Agree or disagree, that's the criteria here. Which is why I included the Beach Boys and Neil Young albums, even though they were made up of what can only be described as "old" (if previously officially unavailable) music. That's how I did my list. People like Steven Wilson and the Jayhawks for example barely registered a blip in the larger universe of music and pop culture. But they did rock my world.
On the other hand, as a "music critic," I would certainly be remiss (at the very least) of not recognizing a phenomenon like Adele.
But did she spend the same hours on my personal playlist this year as Wilco, Kate Bush, or Tom Waits? No, she did not.
-Glen
6 - El Bicho
I don't know. Adele's album came out in January and Rolling in the Deep last year. Both were smash hits before Winehouse died in July. Not sure I see the connection nor how any other female had an influence on Adele's success. Foster the People's song did more than anything by Florence.
Beach Boys and Stones 50th anniversaries next summer are much bigger news then Bruce going out yet again.
7 - Glen Boyd
I would agree with your assessment about the Stones and the Beach Boys, Bicho. But I'm much more intrigued with how Bruce plans on pulling off the E Street tour without the Big Man. Color me a fan that way, I guess.
-Glen
8 - thrasher
Always nice to see Neil Young on a Top 10 list. The Treasure is a nice tribute to the late Ben Keith and a treasure indeed looking back at another time & place so far away from the music of today.
9 - Glen Boyd
thanx Thrasher.
-Glen