5 Under-Appreciated Albums of 2011
Forget Me: Demo: http://forgetme.bandcamp.com/album/demo
I’m not including this because I am in a band with the singer. It’s the other way around. Powrful female I Hate Myself-style vocals.
Jordan Knecht: Ashveville 7”, Slow Walker Split, Summer Sessions 2011, AND Live at Woodworks: http://jordanknecht.bandcamp.com/
One of the hardest working people I know (see his tumblr if you don’t believe me). Reminiscent of The Mircophones/Mount Eerie, but more dynamic and with better lyrics.
NPR: Sound and Silence: Remembering Sept. 11 at the Temple of Dendur: http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2011/09/07/140265002/remembering-september-11-a-live-concert-webcast-from-the-temple-of-dendur
I believe all of the works performed at this concert (which are all incredible) have been released before 2011, but there’s a debut of a pretty great live orchestration of William Basinski’s first piece from The Disintegrations Loops, one of my favorite albums.
Nicolas Jaar: Don’t Break My Love EP: http://www.clownandsunset.com/cs/november1st.html
2011 was great for detail-oriented electronic music, from James Blake and Nicolas Jaar’s excellent debut full-lengths to Burial, Four Tet, and Thom Yorke’s collaboration, even to tracks like “Marvin’s Room” from Drake’s Take Care. One of my new favorites in the electronic world, Nicolas Jaar’s recent EP is both his busiest and demands the most patience, but pays off very well.
Burial - Street Halo EP: http://soundcloud.com/listenbeforeyoubuy/burial-street-halo , http://soundcloud.com/listenbeforeyoubuy/burial-stolen-dog
More of Burial’s beautiful, dark headphone music, but less beat-heavy this time around. The A-side is great, but “Stolen Dog” is what really does it for me.
