#25)  Oh Land - Self Titled This is the sort of pop album a teenage girl would certainly like, and yet I'm not even a little ashamed to admit that I think it's a pretty great effort.  Granted, it took me months to get myself to say such a thing, but surely that just shows the record's staying power, right? :Oh Land - Sun Of A Gun:

#24) Charles Bradley - No Time For Dreaming Daptone Records always puts out stuff that makes my year-end album list, so this disc from the incredible Charles Bradley shouldn't be a surprise pick.  When you turn on this soul-filled listen, be sure to grab a stiff drink (or four) and dial the lights down low. :Charles Bradley - I Believe In Your Love:

#23) Radical Dads - Mega Rama While the name Radical Dads still makes me laugh in the eye rolling way that it did when I first read it, I've grown rather attached to their album.  It's got a very 90s-esque indie rock thing going on, but if that's something you like then I think you'll dig Mega Rama as much as I do. :Radical Dads - Walking Wires:

#22)  Alexander - Self Titled This album from the guy who normally runs around with Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeroes ended up being a pleasant surprise for me.  It's got a nice bit of the folk stylings you'd expect from him, but there's also some stuff that's borderline soul music.  I hope he does a follow up. :Alexander - Bad Bad Love:

#21)  Okkervil River - I Am Very Far If my expectations for this hadn't been so high, it probably would have landed higher on this list.  Still, it's a great effort from the folks in Okkervil River, and so many of the songs sound spectacular live.  Now get out, buy the album, and see them as soon as possible. :Okkervil River - Wake And Be Fine:

#20)  Cults - Self Titled As I've said a few times before, Cults have this weird, generic approach to stuff that I think is a turn-off to most people.  However, this is a great retro pop-filled effort that you will love if you take the time to listen to it all the way through at least once. :Cults - Abducted:

#19) Thao And Mirah - Self Titled While there's something that feels oddly disjointed about this album, it's full of good tracks from beginning to end.  I suppose that's not much of a surprise, though, as both of the ladies involved are stellar songwriters.  Too bad a follow up seems highly unlikely. :Thao And Mirah - Folks:

#18) Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes On Lykke Li's debut there were a few glimpses of the adventurous artist that she could be.  On Wounded Rhymes, she's clearly come into her own.  From here I can only assume that she'll be hovering much closer to the top of some year-end album list of mine in the future. :Lykke Li - Youth Knows No Pain:

#17)  Beirut - The Rip Tide This is such an ear-pleasing album.  There were quite a few moments in 2011 where I just wanted to listen to something well crafted, and nearly every time my first choice was this effortlessly beautiful album.  I hope they return to Austin soon so that I can hear some of The Rip Tide live. :Beirut - East Harlem:

#16)  We Were Promised Jetpacks - In The Pit Of The Stomach I was very happy that this turned out to be a natural follow-up to their debut, These Four Walls.  Sometimes young bands will go too high concept on whatever they do next, and I was a little worried these guys would muck up their moody indie rock ways.  They didn't.  We win. :We Were Promised Jetpacks - Circles And Squares:

#15)  The Bandana Splits - Mr. Sam Presents The Bandana Splits I greatly adore lady-lead retro pop, so I think I was about two-songs into my first listen of this effort when I knew it would have a spot on this list.  I know this sort of stuff isn't for everyone, but you should at least give it a shot.  I believe you'll find yourself hooked before it's all over. :The Bandana Splits - My Love:

#14) My Morning Jacket - Circuital This is a good album with some nice songwriting, but I think it stuck with me throughout 2011 because of how weird it is.  On occasion I get the impression that these songs shouldn't even be together.  But they are.  And it works.  Jim James is just playing with us all. :My Morning Jacket - Victory Dance:

#13) Generationals - Actor-Castor Here's an album that essentially plays around with two forms of pop - retro and experimental.  Thankfully, the band is rather good at both, and there's an interesting listening experience that comes out of the back and forth between the two styles. :Generationals - Ten-Twenty-Ten:

#12)  AgesAndAges - Alright You Restless Fortunately, my favorite song of the year happens to come from an album that's also worthy of being championed.  If you like warm, well crafted pop that feels loose and inviting, then this is a release you should make an effort to pick up as soon as possible. :AgesAndAges - No Nostalgia:

#11)  Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost To be honest, I didn't think Girls had an album like this in them.  For just about their entire existence I've thought of them as overrated, but this is an undeniably fantastic release that's turned me into a fan.  I'm now anxiously waiting to see what they do next. :Girls - Honey Bunny:

#10)  White Denim - D Over the years White Denim have gone from a band I didn't think all that much of to one I absolutely adore.  You could throw this jam-worthy effort on and stroll off to do something else, but I highly recommend headphones and all the attention you can give it.  I promise the effort put in will be worth it. :White Denim - Drug:

#09) Explosions In The Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care For whatever reason this band tends to be given a hard time for continuing on as the best post-rock act around.  I don't get it.  Hopefully, they never change a damn thing and will continue on doing instrumental music in a way that leaves everyone else wondering why they can't be as good. :Explosions In The Sky - Trembling Hands:

#08) Cymbals Eat Guitars - Lenses Alien In 2009 this band landed at the very top of my year-end album list.  I didn't find this effort to be as great as Why There Are Mountains, but it's certainly still a very worthy follow up.  You need to get this if at any point in your life you've liked indie rock. :Cymbals Eat Guitars - Another Tunguska:

#07)  Wild Flag - Self Titled Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss are back together.  I'd probably put the LP on this list solely because of that, but thankfully they made it easy by churning out the sort of big, confident rock music that just isn't around as much as it used to be.  Here's hoping we get more than one album out of the band. :Wild Flag - Future Crimes:

#06)  Jeff The Brotherhood - We Are The Champions I had planned on just putting this somewhere near the bottom of my year-end album list, and then I realized it had to be much higher.  Why?  Because it's an LP that straight up punches you in the ear.  There wasn't much that I had more fun blaring in the car in all of 2011. :Jeff The Brotherhood - Shredder:

#05)  Tune Yards - WHOKILL Merrill Garbus is one of the more creative people on the planet, and I was super thrilled to see that she finally figured out a way to channel that crazy brain of hers into something that's accessible to everyone.  There's something for you on this experimental wonder, you just need to give it a shot. :Tune Yards - You Yes You:

#04) St. Vincent - Strange Mercy It's no secret that I adore Annie Clark, so her presence in the top five of this list shouldn't be surprising in any way, shape, or form.  With that being said, I don't see how you can listen to this and not just want to high five the hell out of her for all the nifty guitar work that fills Strange Mercy. :St. Vincent - Cheerleader:

#03) Yuck - Self Titled This band seems to be stuck in some sort of bizarre 90s indie rock backlash movement, but I think they've done an absolutely stellar job of paying tribute to that particular sound of yesteryear.  If you snatch up this effort be sure to grab the special edition for all the awesome bonus tracks. :Yuck - The Wall:

#02)  Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks - Mirror Traffic While I would have given my left arm for a new Pavement album, I was more than a little thrilled to see Malkmus put out such an inspired solo effort.  I think you'd be rather hard pressed to find anything else in 2011 that's as easy to like as Mirror Traffic. :Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks - Brain Gallop:

#01)  Yellow Ostrich - The Mistress The Mistress was the album I listened to the most in 2011.  I love the strange vocal loops, the warmth that fills every track, and the fact that there isn't a single moment on the album that doesn't have the ability to get lodged in your head for days.  I'd be surprised if I didn't dig this effort forever. :Yellow Ostrich - Hold On:

- John Laird -



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