Critics Picks 2011

Here it is. And no, I didn't spend much time or thought on my brief comments. That's how I roll.
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01 R.E.M. "Collapse Into Now"
[The best album released this year was The Beach Boys "SMiLE Sessions"...but since this is widely considered a reissue I decided to go with the sentimental choice instead. If for no other reason than this will be the last time I can vote for R.E.M. in the new release category. It is pretty good, though...]

02 Yuck "Yuck"
[Dinosaur Jr. meets Sonic Youth meets The Pixies meets a ton of other bands I loved in the 80s.]

03 The Feelies "Here Before"
[The great beast awakes from a 20 year hibernation - a little grayer and perhaps more mature. Yet it's as if they never went away.]

04 Davila 666 "Tan Bajo"
[Puerto Rican garage rock with heavy doses of The Velvets, Sonics and The Jesus & Mary Chain. So good it doesn't even matter that I can't understand one word they're singing.]

05 The Magnolias "Pop the Lock"
[Another surprise reunion after 15+ years away. Balls to the wall R'N'R.]

06 Deer Tick "Divine Providence"
[Very Replacements-influenced with the Stones and early mixed in for good measure.]

07 Fucked Up "David Comes to Life"
[Billed as a punk rock opera, I wouldn't have known if I hadn't read this to be fact a good hundred or so times. Instead it's just great, tuneful punk rock]

08 Social Distortion "Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes"
[More Stones/Hank Williams than punk rock these days...but Mike Ness still writes incredibly memorable tunes.]

09 Wild Flag "Wild Flag"
[Sleater-Kinney is back...more or less.]

10 Thee Oh Sees "Carrion Crawler/The Dream EP"
[Weird and scary-ass garage rock. This thing howls.]

Just Missed:
Black Lips "Arabian Nights"
Ty Segall "Goodbye Bread"
The Fleshtones "Brooklyn Sound Solution"
Ringo Deathstarr "Colour Trip" LP
Mannequin Men "Mannequin Men"
J. Mascis "Several Shades of Why"
The Smithereens "2011"
Beastie Boys "Hot Sauce Committee Part Two"
Tommy Stinson "One Man Mutiny"
The Cynics "Spinning Wheel Motel"

Most Disappointed By:
Wilco "The Whole Love" [BORING]
The Jayhawks "Mockingbird Time" [A couple of decent tracks does not make up for a lot of uninspired filler]
Real Estate "Days" [This is NOT early R.E.M. meets The Feelies as advertised]

Reissues:
The Beach Boys "SMiLE Sessions" (5CD/2LP Box Set)
The Jesus & Mary Chain (2CD/DVD reissues)
Screaming Trees "Last Words: The Final Recordings"
Big Star "III" (Test Pressing Box)
R.E.M. "Life's Rich Pageant" (2CD Box)
Mudhoney "Head on the Curb"
The Monkees "Instant Replay" (3CD/7" Box)
Rolling Stones "Some Girls" (2CD)
Nerve Breakers "We Want Everything!"
The Jayhawks "Tomorrow the Green Grass" (2CD)