We Begin at the End (Again)

What a year. Not to just say that in an obligatory manner, but this year truly was an elevation from last. I rated almost twice as many albums, changed formats to something more palatable and finally got to do a year-end list my way, albeit with significant setbacks (Eh, nobody’s perfect).

I can’t help that my ambitions can exceed my ability, (read: tolerance to sit at a computer and write about music for hours and hours and hours at a time) but rest assured that 2012’s going to be just as incredible with perhaps even MORE music accounted for. And to think I might actually write about them this time! Wouldn’t that be something? Starting today, I’m going to be keeping abreast of the music of 2012 with reviews and such of the like. By my estimation, I already have about nineteen albums in the cannon to listen to over the next three months. So, needless to say, I’ll be keeping myself busy. Look forward to it.

But, besides a promise for the future, there is something I must mention that unfortunately may become a requisite of the yearly Modicums. You see, in order to prepare for them, I have to stop any submissions to my lists at the beginning of November, so the lists that I post don’t represent the recommended records and songs that come out in that glorious month and the one that follows. So, here I’ve posted my updated list of Greatest Albums and Songs of 2011. (The singles list actually wasn’t changed by year’s end, but I’ll include it for posterity.) Also, I’ve listed the recommended albums of November and December. And, because I’m self-depreciating, I’ve also enclosed a list of the records that I had intended to listen to but never got around to. Hope you enjoy the new submissions (and slight order changes), and have a great New Year. The weather’s been so nice lately, it would be pretty hard not to.

Oh, also, in case you were wondering, the live album of the year was Shining’s Live Blackjazz and the worst album of the year was the new Nickelback record. (My apologies Lulu anti-fans.)

CYM’s 50 Greatest Albums of 2011:

1.   Frank Turner – England Keep My Bones

2.   Cunninlynguists – Oneirology

3.   La Dispute – Wildlife

4.   Kate Bush – 50 Words for Snow

5.   Gang Gang Dance – Eye Contact

6.   Over the Rhine – The Long Surrender

7.   PJ Harvey – Let England Shake

8.   Tom Waits – Bad As Me

9.   Matana Roberts – Coin Coin Chapter One: Gens de couleur libres

10. Moonsorrow – Varjoina kuljemme kuolleiden maassa

11. E-40 – Revenue Retrievin’: Overtime Shift

12. The Twilight Singers – Dynamite Steps

13. Danny Brown – XXX

14. Julianna Barwick – The Magic Place

15. The Joy Formidable – The Big Roar

16. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

17. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost

18. G-Side - iSLAND

19. James Blake – James Blake

20. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – Here We Rest

21. Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver

22.  Delicate Steve – Wondervisions

23. Cymbals Eat Guitars – Lenses Alien

24.  A$AP Rocky – LiveLoveA$AP

25. Destroyer – Kaputt

26. Septic Flesh – The Great Mass

27. Fucked Up – David Comes to Life

28. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light

29. Balam Acab – Wander/ Wonder

30. The Dear Hunter – The Color Spectrum: The Complete Collection

31.  Shabazz Palaces – Black Up

32. Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde

33. Miranda Lambert – Four the Record

34. The Mountain Goats – All Eternals Deck

35. M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

36. Beastie Boys – Hot Sauce Committee Part Two

37. Little Dragon – Ritual Union

38. The Weeknd – House of Balloons

39. When Saints Go Machine – Konkylie

40. Trivium – In Waves

41. Richard Buckner – Our Blood

42. The Psychic Paramount – II

43. Vektor – Outer Isolation

44. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring for My Halo

45. St. Vincent – Stranger Mercy

46. Killer Mike – Pl3dge

47. The Go! Team – Rolling Blackouts

48. Mark McGuire – Get Lost

49. Prefuse 73 – The Only She Chronicles

50. Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers – Teenage and Torture

CYM’s 50 Greatest Songs of 2011:

1.     Tyler, the Creator – “Yonkers”

2.     Frank Turner – “Glory Hallelujah”

3.     Lil Wayne – “6’7’ (feat. Corey Gunz)”

4.     Cunninlynguists – “Enemies with Benefits (feat. Tonedeff)”

5.     Lana del Rey – “Video Games”

6.     James Blake – “Limit to Your Love”

7.     Gang Gang Dance – “MindKilla”

8.     James Blake – “I Never Learnt to Share”

9.     The Joy Formidable – “Whirring”

10. Girls – “Vomit”

11. La Dispute – “King Park”

12. Thomas Giles – “Medic”

13. Fleet Foxes – “Helplessness Blues”

14. The Weeknd – “House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls”

15. M83 – “Midnight City”

16. Gang Gang Dance – “Glass Jar”

17. Destroyer – “Bay of Pigs (Detail)”

18. Over the Rhine – “Infamous Love Song”

19. Egyptrixx – “Recital (A Version)”

20. Lady Gaga – “Judas”

21. Bon Iver – “Perth”

22. Das Racist – “Michael Jackson”

23. Girls – “Honey Bunny”

24. Beastie Boys – “Make Some Noise”

25. Spank Rock – “Nasty (feat. Big Freedia)”

26. Hayes Carll – “Grateful for Christmas”

27. Gucci Mane – “Brrrr (Supa Cold)”

28. Tom Waits – “Hell Broke Luce”

29. Jay-Z & Kanye West – “Niggas in Paris”

30. Gang Gang Dance – “Adult Goth”

31. Paul Simon – “Love and Hard Times”

32. St. Vincent – “Cruel”

33. Little Dragon – “Ritual Union”

34. Cymbals Eat Guitars – “Rifle Eyesight (Proper Name)”

35. Shabazz Palaces – “Swerve… the reeping of all that is worthwhile (Noir not withstanding)”

36. The Go! Team – “Buy Nothing Day”

37. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – “Belong”

38. St. Vincent – “Surgeon”

39. Thrice – “Anthology”

40. WU LYF – “Heavy Pop”

41. Tyler, the Creator – “Window (feat. Domo Genesis, Frank Ocean, Hodgy Beats & Mike G)”

42. Cunninlynguists – “Murder (feat. Big K.R.I.T.)”

43. Patrick Wolf – “The City”

44. Pistol Annies – “Hell on Heels”

45. Battles – “Ice Cream (feat. Matias Aguayo)”

46. Wilco – “One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley’s Boyfriend)”

47. Wild Flag – “Romance”

48. When Saints Go Machine – “Kelly”

49. Ill Blu – “Meltdown”

50. Florence + The Machine – “Only if for a Night”

November / December Recommendations:

Action Bronson & Statik Selektah - Well Done

A$AP Rocky – LiveLoveA$AP

Kate Bush – 50 Words for Snow

The Dear Hunter – The Color Spectrum: The Complete Collection

G-Side – iSLAND

Steve Hauschildt – Tragedy & Geometry

Miranda Lambert – Four the Record

Los Campesinos! – Hello, Sadness

Thee Oh Sees – Carrion Crawler / The Dream

Vektor – Outer Isolation

Albums Missed:

Big Dee – Regifted Light

Circle of Ouroborus – Eleven Fingers

Country Mice – Festival

Curren$y – Muscle Car Chronicles

Endless Boogie – The Skinless Ogress Revolution, Which Feeds on Human Sacrifice

Escort – Escort

The Fall – Ersatz G.B.

Hammers of Misfortune – 17^th Street

Lil B – BasedGod Velli

Lil B – Black Flame

Lil B – Blue Eyes

Lil B – Gold House

Lil B – I Forgive You
Lil B – Keep Your Eyes Open 2

Lil B – The Silent President

Mouse on tha Track – Swagga Fresh Freddy

Sandro Perri – Impossible Spaces

Bruno Pronsato – Lovers Do

Rome - Die Æsthetik der Herrschaftsfreiheit

The Skull Defekts – 2013-3012

Sloan – Is That All I Get? Sloan: Live 20.09.1993

Sun Araw – Ancient Romans

Sun City Girls – Gum Arabic

Cliffie Swan – Memories Come True

Trucebaldazzi – Odio la Scuola

We Begin at the End (Again)