Critics Picks 2011

The criterion for my top 25 was pretty clear: are these albums I’ve consistently listened to from start to finish? So much of my listening is via shuffle to playlists but these releases demanded that I pay attention. 

1. The Black Keys – El Camino 
   No waste or fraud involved. Just the most fun released this year.  11 songs and 38 minutes of pure rock n roll rush.
2. Hayes Carll - Kmag Yoyo (& Other American Stories)
   The Americana album of the year from a guy who knows a good turn of a phrase when he writes one.
3. Wild Flag – Wild Flag
   Big guitar songs and the best pure rock album I heard this year.
4. Tedeschi Trucks Band – Revelator
   An 11 piece band that fuses modern blues, soul and rock into a heady brew of music.
5. Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion - Bright examples
   A folk rock album in the tradition of the Jayhawks. A charming and wonderful record.
6. The Feelies – Here Before
   It’s only been 20 years since their last album. They return with a surprisingly strong mix of eclectic songs and electric guitars. A welcome return let’s not wait another 20 years.
7. Paul Simon – So Beautiful or So What   
   Shouldn’t he be recycling the hits on the theater circuit? Instead Simon refuses to rest on his laurels and releases his best album in years. A late career renaissance.
8. Lydia Loveless – Indestructible Machine
   Garage rock meets country music on this impressive debut.  If Neko Case fronted a garage rock band it would sound like this.
9. Drive-By Truckers - Go Go Boots / Live at Third Man
   One the great American bands. Go Go Boots is dominated by acoustic guitars and Live at Third Man is the band in all it’s live glory. Combined they show a band that is comfortable in it’s own skin.
10. Adele – 21 / Live At Royal Albert Hall
    Sure she sold millions of records and that is usually enough to stop me from putting it the top 10 but damn that girl can really sing. Looking forward to how her career evolves.

And now the close calls:

1. Real Estate – Days
2. Gregg Allman - Low Country Blues    
3. Yuck - Yuck
4. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead / Long Live The King
5. Gillian Welch – The Harrow & The Harvest
6. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin
7. Wilco – The Whole Love
8. Bon Iver – Bon Iver
9. Dave Alvin – Eleven Eleven
10. Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials
11. R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
12. North Mississippi Allstars - Keys to the Kingdom
13. The Belle Brigade – S/T
14. Leeroy Stagger & The Wildflowers – Live at The Red River Saloon
15. Charles Bradley – No Time for Dreaming

Reissue of the year:  Rolling Stones – Some Girls
Guilty pleasure: The Pretty Reckless – Light Me Up
Disappointment of the year:  The Felice Brothers – Celebration Florida
Bootleg of the year: Patti Smith – NY Webster Hall 9.8.11

Blues
Gregg Allman             Low Country Blues
Gary Clark Jr. – The Bright Lights EP
North Mississippi Allstars          Keys to the Kingdom
Tab Benoit - Medicine
Marcia Ball  - Roadside Attractions
The Duke Robillard Band – Low Down & Tore Up