OTR's Favorite Albums of 2011 :: Part 2

Miracle Fortress :: Was I the Wave?

MP3: Everything Works - Miracle Fortress

The Kills :: Blood Pressures

Really solid album from the Kills this year. Crunchy and gritty all the way through. Impressed! RM


MP3: Satellite - The Kills

PJ Harvey :: Let England Shake

MP3: Let England Shake - PJ Harvey

Casa Del Mirto :: 1979

I'm not sure if this came out at the end of 2010 or right in the beginning of 2011. Amazon says January 15th so I'm gonna have to include it on here. A great chillwave record that works well on road trips. RM


MP3: The Haste - Casa Del Mirto

Generationals :: Actor-Caster

I don't think there is a single album that got more listening out of it for me during the summer of 2011 than the Generationals' Actor-Caster. The New Orleans band puts out very straight forward, upbeat indie rock that song after song is addictive and catchy, probably none more so than the albums opener "Ten-Twenty-Ten". MU


MP3: Ten-Twenty-Ten - Generationals

Fleet Foxes :: Helplessness Blues

I realize that folk rock of this caliber is a bit of an acquired taste. But no one can deny that this album deserves its place in the years Best Of list. It is a highly skillful work and probably Fleet Foxes most creative/experimental effort yet. These guys are true artists and tracks like the albums namesake "Helplessness Blues" demonstrate their brilliance. MU


MP3: Helplessness Blues - Fleet Foxes

Neon Indian :: Era Extraña

While Neon Indian has always had skills in electronic noise-pop, Era Extraña is a much more of a refined work than it's predecessor Psychic Chasms. He has maintained, yet edited and sculpted, his experimentalism into this well produced album that makes masterpieces out of reverb soaked vocals and deep layers of electronic bleeps and bloops. MU


MP3: Polish Girl - Neon Indian

Twin Sister :: In Heaven

In Heaven is a really fun album full of dreamy indie-pop gems. While my favourite Twin Sister song still has to be "Lady Daydream" from their 2k10 release Color Your Life, this, as the band's debut full length, really explores their unique sound. A prime example of which is its track Bad Street, which is a quirky fun pop jam. MU


MP3: Bad Street - Twin Sister

Lykke Li :: Wounded Rhymes

Lykke Li is a true artist. Her pop sensibility really shines in this dark, heart-break themed yet often musically upbeat album. Tracks, like "Sadness Is a Blessing" have not only enchanted us throughout this year, but have also given us some of the most amazing accompanying music videos showing the extent of the lovely Swede's creative prowess. MU


MP3: Sadness is a Blessing - Lykke Li

Girls :: Father, Son, Holy Ghost

MP3: Honey Bunny - Girls

Cults :: Cults

MP3: Go Outside - Cults

Florence and the Machine :: Ceremonials

MP3: Spectrum - Florence and the Machine

Nurses :: Dracula

MP3: So Sweet - Nurses

Tune-Yards - W H O K I L L

MP3: Powa - Tune-Yards

Class Actress :: Rapprocher

"Weekend" is one of the funnest indie dance singles of the year. Perfect for getting ready for that most fun time of the week. RM


MP3: Weekend - Class Actress

Holy Ghost! :: Holy Ghost!

They made us wait a long time, but Holy Ghost! finally gave us an album after years of only singles here and there and it was worth the wait! So many great dance tracks on here "Wait and See", "Hold My Breath", "Say My Name". I definitely played these out tons in my DJ sets throughout the year. RM


MP3: Wait and See - Holy Ghost!

Little Dragon :: Ritual Union

MP3: Ritual Union - Little Dragon

Peter, Bjorn & John :: Gimme Some

Another album kinda like The Strokes that didn't quite catch on this year despite being classic PB&J indie pop and having one of the coolest album art works around. RM


MP3: May Seem Macabre - Peter Bjorn & John

Panda Bear :: Tomboy

MP3: Surfer's Hymn - Panda Bear

 Tennis :: Cape Dory

Can't believe I almost left this one out! With Its January of 2011 release, Tennis' album 'Cape Dory' was so early in the year it was easy to confuse it with a 2010 release. However, this one was easily one of the best albums of the year. Like a breathe of fresh sea air, it is from start to finish a whimsy throwback nautical summer vacation in sound, which is funny considering the duo is from Denver. Cape Dory is the ultimate get-away album that has accompanied me on many a road-trip throughout the year! MU


MP3: Seafarer - Tennis

Black Lips :: Arabia Nights

MP3: Bicentennial Man - Black Lips