into the last quarter of the year so why not a current top 5 of 2011...

5. cults - s/t
4. woodshedders - o dig
3. st. vincent - strange mercy
2. bill callahan - apocalypse
1. pj harvey - let england shake

in no particular order

Destroyer - Kaputt
Raveonettes - Raven in the Grave
White Denim - D
JEFF the Brotherhood - We Are the Champions
Dum Dum Girls - Only in Dreams
TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light
The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient
A.A. Bondy - Believers
Wanda Jackson - The Party Ain't Over
Toro Y Moi - Underneath the Pine
My Morning Jacket - Circuital


need to spend more time with:
Akron/Family
Panda Bear
Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Wilco

No particular order for me either...I think those days are over with.

The Strokes - Angles
Royal Bangs - Flux Outside
Yuck - Self-titled
TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light
My Morning Jacket - Circuital
Disappears - Guider
Drive-By Truckers - Go Go Boots
Male Bonding - Endless Now
Obits - Moody, Standard and Poor
Apex Manor - The Year of Magical Drinking
The Black Lips - Arabia Mountain
Telekinesis - 12 Desperate Straight Lines
The Ettes - Wicked Will
Royal Headache - Self-titled
Those Darlins - Screws Get Loose
The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient


Need to listen to more camp:

St. Vincent
Wilco
A.A. Bondy

I like all of these:

The Strokes - Angles
American Babies - Flawed Logic
Anal Major - The Year of Magical Drinking
Centro-Matic - Candidate Waltz
Jason Isbell - Here We Rest
Hayes Carll - KMAG YOYO
Glossary - Long Live All of Us
Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean
Raphael Sadiq - Stone Rollin'
Charles Bradley - No Time For Dreaming
Lucinda Williams - Blessed
Wilco - The Whole Love
The War On Drugs - Slave Ambient
Gillian Welch - The Harrow & The Harvest
Stephen Malkmus - Mirror Traffic
Tommy Stinson - One Man Mutiny
Daniel Romano - Sleep Beneath The Willow
Cowboy Junkies - Demons
Middle Brother - Middle Brother
The Poison Control Center - Stranger Ballet
Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde
TV On The Radio - Nine Types of Light
White Denim D
Deer Tick - Divine Providence

These I like, but a little less:

Drive-By Truckers - Go-Go Boots
My Morning Jacket - Circuital
The Band of Heathens - Top Hat Crown & The Clapmaster's Son
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Rival Sons - Pressure & Time
Sheepdogs - Learn & Burn
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee
Destroyer - Kaputt
Dawes - Nothing Is Wrong

These (and a couple dozen more), I need to hear more of:

A.A. Bondy: Believers
Faces On Film: Some Weather
Vetiver: The Errant Charm
The Rosebuds - Loud Planes Fly Low
Jill Sobule & John Doe - A Day At The Pass

yeah, i can't really be bothered to break down the rankings like i used to.

for me, these are the GREAT albums of the year so far:

bon iver - bon iver, bon iver
iron & wine - kiss each other clean
fleet foxes - helplessness blues
the war on drugs - slave ambient

VERY GOOD:

wye oak - civilian
yuck - s/t
vetiver - the errant charm
alela diane - alela diane & the wild divine
laura marling - a creature i don't know

GOOD -

the cave singers - no witch
charles bradley - no time for dreaming
the decemberists - the king is dead
gillian welch - the harrow & the harvest
j mascis - several shades of why
jessica lea mayfield - tell me
kurt vile - smoke ring for my halo
my morning jacket - circuital
okkervil river - i am very far
pj harvey - let england shake
tv on the radio - nine types of light

need more listens to Wilco, AA Bondy, Ryan Adams and Meg Baird (all 4 most likely will make the lists above), + Malkmus, Tinariwen and Vieux Farka Toure deserve more attention as well.

i've liked several more that are not on these lists as well -- it's been a strong year IMO. i hope to make some time for an individually ranked year-end list.

ME LIKEY A LOT

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks 'Mirror Traffic'
Little Barrie 'King of the Waves'
The Kills 'Blood Pressure'
P. J. Harvey 'Let England Shake'
Black Lips 'Arabia Mountain'
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears ' Scandalous'
King Creosote & Jon Hopkins 'Diamond Mine'
Laura Cantrell 'Kitty Wells Dresses'

I'll update my list after I digest the new Joe Henry that comes out next week.

Other things that will make the list for the first time:

Norman Blake (probably at #2)
John Doe
Nick Lowe (a relative disappointment but will still probably make the cut)
Archie Shepp

I gave this another listen this morning while having breakfast:



I really hate it and wish Jack White would stay the f away from artists that I otherwise like.

albums I really like:

Yuck
The War on Drugs
Smith Westerns
Ron Sexsmith
Richard Buckner
Raveonettes
The Phoenix Foundation
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Nicole Atkins
Middle Brother
James Vincent McMorrow
Frank Turner
Fleet Foxes
Dum Dum Girls
Dolorean
Destroyer
Decemberists
Dawes
Daniel Romano
Cults
Cass McCombs
Bon Iver
Apex Manor

Will pretty surely be on the list:

Mastodon
Cults
Ringo Deathstarr
Yuck
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Iron & Wine
Gillian Welch
Low
Arctic Monkeys

some albums i guess i can't even be bothered to name them they'll probably be (in no order (actually pretty much in order (not really)));

that band with the loud noise stuff that you all hate
that one guy
those others
something
i forget
blah blah who cares BNM 9.6!!!!!!!!!!!
Kanye West and Jay-Z feat. Drake w/ Odd Future Ironic Wolf Shirt Teenage Rape Team
shit you've never heard of motherfuckers
some faggy west coast pseudo black metal jackoffs
that girl band
that lo-fi band from 2009 that went on to make a polished studio record that sounds like Oasis
that one boring songwriter guy
that other boring songwriter guy with the bleeps and goobly dubstep who gives a shit
some band still doing the arcade fire thing
'90s retro mid-fi band with one good song
band that sounds like a bland amalgamation of all of the above
band that sounds like a safer version of that band
your kid's band
my kid's band
that opera singing kid my dad has a weird obsession with
some other weird shit
something else i forgot

(I'll get my list updated in a day or two)

Sounds like a great year Drink!

9.6 BEST NEW YEAR!!!!

I'm sad you typed all that out.

Don't be!

I'm going to post a real list soon, but I wanted to listen to a couple of things a few more times first.

I'm j/k. I always look forward to your lists/updates even if they do sometimes read (to me) more like the list you posted above.

all made my list

Just don't let him get together with k

Good year so far. I really like all of these ones:

Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient
13 & God - Own Your Ghost
The Phoenix Foundation - Buffalo
Joe Henry - Reverie
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Belong
Destroyer - Kaputt
The Drums - Portamento
The Generationals - Actor Caster
Daniel Romano - Sleep Beneath the Willow
Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring for my Halo
Eleanor Friedberger - Last Summer
The Joy Formidible - The Big Roar
Craft Spells - Idle Labor
Cut Copy - Zonoscope
The Antlers - Burst Apart
The Veils - Troubles of the Brain
Papercuts - Fading Parade
Yellowbirds - The Color
J Mascis - Several Shades of Why
Elbow - Build A Rocket Boys

Have to hear more: Wilco, AA Bondy, TVOTR, Malkmus

Saw him open for Drums and Tuba once.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcmrYhDq9ms

Awesome year so far.

Really fuckin' lurve:

Daniel Tashian - Arthur
Giuda - Racey Roller
Dum Dum Girls - Only in Dreams
Miles Kane - Colour of the Trap
King Louie's Missing Monuments - Painted White
Redondo Beat - Meet Redondo Beat
Oh Mercy - Great Barrier Grief
The Booze - At Maximum Volume
Anal Major - The Year of Magical Drinking
Yep - Once
The Kills - Blood Pressure
Skybombers - Black Carousel
Watts - On The Dial
The Van Buren Boys - Up All Night
The Breakdowns - The Kids Don't Wanna Bop Anymore
Butch Walker - The Spade
Locksley - Locksley

Really fuckin' like:

The Dead Trees - Whatwave
Chewy - Bravado
Joe Henry - Reverie
Robbers on High Street - Hey There Golden Hair
Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde
Sun Wizard - Positively 4th Avenue
Generationals - Actor-Caster
Bing Ji Ling - Shadow to Shine
Ponderosa - Moonlight Revival
The Handcuffs - Waiting for the Robot
Eulogies - Tear the Fences Down
Black Rabbits - Hypno Twist
The Viatones - Introducing the Viatones
Cute Lepers - Adventure Time
Wiretree - Make Up
kd lang & the Siss Boom Bang - Sing It Loud
The Feelies - Here Before
Dozen Dimes - Get Real Gone
The Krayolas - Tipsy Topsy Turvy
Everybody Else - Wanderlust
The ACBs - Stona Rosa

Really sorta just fuckin' okay, I guess:

Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
American Babies - Flawed Logic
Centro-Matic - Candidate Waltz
The Fire Apes - A Life In Letters
Hayes Carll - KMAG YOYO
Glossary - Long Live All of Us
Cowboy Junkies - Demons
Big Talk - Big Talk
The Poison Control Center - Stranger Ballet
Grouplove - Never Trust A Happy Song
The Features - Wilderness
Ringside - Lost Days
Foster the People - Torches
The Cave Singers - No Witch
Nicole Atkins - Mondo Amore
Beady Eye - Different Gear, Still Speeding
Phoebe Killdeer & the Short Straws - Innerquake

Really fuckin' disappointing:

Nick Lowe - The Old Magic
Title Tracks - In Blank
Telekinesis - 12 Desperate Straight Lines
The Ettes - Wicked Will
Wire - Red Barked Tree
Diamond Dogs - The Grit and the Very Soul
Tommy Stinson - One Man Mutiny
Those Darlins - Screws Get Loose
Vetiver - The Errant Charm
Over the Rhine - The Long Surrender
Raveonettes - Raven in the Grave
Eddie Spaghetti - Sundowner
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

Really fuckin' meh:

Deer Tick - Divine Providence
Lucinda Williams - Blessed
Destroyer - Kaputt
Raphael Sadiq - Stone Rollin'
Jacuzzi Boys - Glazin'
Wilco - The Whole Love
John Fratelli - Psycho Jukebox
TV On The Radio - Nine Types of Light
Daniel Romano - Sleep Beneath The Willow
Siskiyou - Keep Away the Dead
My Morning Jacket - Circuital

Really fuckin' deleted and totally fuckin' shitty:

Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring for my Halo
Stephen Malkmus - Mirror Traffic
Okkervil River - I am Very Far
Wanda Jackson - The Party Ain't Over
Royal Bangs - Flux Outside
Yuck - Yech
The Strokes - Angles
Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Belong
Jason Isbell - Here We Rest
Jill Sobule & John Doe - A Day At The Pass
Bon Iver - Bon Iver
Drive-By Truckers - Go-Go Boots
Dawes - Nothing Is Wrong
Ty Segall - Goodbye Bread
Sheepdogs - Learn & Burn
The Band of Heathens - Top Hat Crown & The Clapmaster's Son
Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Feist - Metals
Gauntlet Hair - Gauntlet Hair
The Kooks - Junk of the Heart
Shimmering Stars - Violent Hearts
The War On Drugs - Slave Ambient
Middle Brother - Middle Brother
JEFF the Brotherhood - We Are the Champions
Radiohead - King of Limbs
A.A. Bondy - Believers

Agreed



<----- Shakes fist vigorously.

Actually, I probably wouldn't expect you to like the Daniel Romano or Eddie Spaghetti (although I obviously do). I'm surprised you don't like that Isbell though. I think it's pretty great and I haven't been that impressed with his other albums.

I have a strange reaffirmation that my list and Rads deleted list share many titles.

Albums

Tier 1 (Very good to great, the stuff I'm really happy with)
01. The Psychic Paramount – II: 9/10
02. Bill Callahan – Apocalypse: 8.5/10
03. Cut Hands – Afro Noise I: 8.5/10
04. Chad Vangaalen – Diaper Island: 8/10
05. Times New Viking – Dancer Equired: 8/10
06. Shabazz Palaces – Black Up: 8/10
07. Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1972: 8/10
08. The Men – Leave Home: 8/10
09. Gang Gang Dance – Eye Contact: 8/10
10. Ponytail – Do Whatever You Want All the Time: 8/10
11. Snowman – Absence: 8/10
12. Panda Bear – Tomboy: 8/10
13. Dope Body – Nupping: 8/10
14. Toro Y Moi – Underneath the Pine: 8/10
15. Cymbals Eat Guitars – Lenses Alien: 8/10
16. Iceage – New Brigade: 8/10
17. Mike Watt – Hyphenated-Man: 8/10
18. Tune-Yards – W H O K I L L: 8/10
19. Mikal Cronin – s/t: 8/10
20. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – s/t: 8/10
21. Racebannon – Six Sik Sisters: 8/10
22. Deerhoof – Deerhoof vs. Evil: 8/10
23. The Feelies – Here Before: 8/10
24. Low – C’mon: 8/10

Tier 2 (Pretty good, worth hanging onto)
25. Battles – Gloss Drop: 7.5/10
26. Destroyer – Kaputt: 7.5/10
27. Yuck – s/t: 7.5/10
28. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake: 7.5/10
29. Wilco – The Whole Love: 7.5/10
30. Neon Indian – Era Extraña: 7.5/10
31. Thundercat – The Golden Age of Apocalypse: 7.5/10
32. Male Bonding – Endless Now: 7.5/10
33. Washed Out – Within and Without: 7.5/10
34. Vladislav Delay Quartet – s/t: 7.5/10
35. Wild Beasts – Smother: 7.5/10
36. Africa Hitech – 93 Million Miles: 7.5/10
37. Man Man – Life Fantastic: 7.5/10
38. Nicolas Jaar – Space Is Only Noise: 7.5/10
39. The Dodos – No Color: 7.5/10
40. Grouper – A I A: Alien Observer: 7.5/10
41. Dirty Beaches – Badlands: 7.5/10
42. The War on Drugs – Slave Ambient: 7.5/10
43. Pure X – Pleasure: 7.5/10
44. Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde: 7/10
45. Radiohead – The King of Limbs: 7/10
46. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost: 7/10
47. Cults – s/t: 7/10
48. St. Vincent – Strange Mercy: 7/10
49. Timber Timbre – Creep On Creepin’ On: 7/10
50. Thurston Moore – Demolished Thoughts: 7/10
51. Grouper – A I A: Dream Loss: 7/10
52. Colin Stetson – New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges: 7/10
53. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring for My Halo: 7/10
54. Sightings – Future Accidents: 7/10
55. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues: 7/10
56. Akron/Family – S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT: 7/10

Tier 3 (OK to meh to awful)
57. WU LYF – Go Tell Fire to the Mountain: 6.5/10
58. Ford & Lopatin – Channel Pressure: 6.5/10
59. Zomby – Dedication: 6.5/10
60. Curren$y – Weekend at Burnie’s: 6.5/10
61. Bon Iver – s/t: 6.5/10
62. EMA – Past Life of Martyred Saints: 6.5/10
63. Crystal Stilts – In Love with Oblivion: 6.5/10
64. The Antlers – Burst Apart: 6.5/10
65. Julianna Barwick – The Magic Place: 6.5/10
66. Braids – Native Speaker: 6.5/10
67. James Blake – s/t: 6.5/10
68. The Weeknd – House of Balloons: 6/10
69. Sic Alps – Napa Asylum: 5.5/10
70. Araabmuzik – Electronic Dream: 3.5/10

(need more listens to rank)
Wolves in the Throne Room – Celestial Lineage
Liturgy – Aesthethica
Mastodon – The Hunter

EPs, Singles, Splits, etc
01. Echo Lake – Young Silence: 7.5/10
02. The Fresh & Onlys – Secret Walls: 7.5/10
03. Women/Cold Pumas/Fair Ohs/Friendo – Split 7”: 7.5/10
04. Deerhunter – iTunes Live from Soho: 7.5/10
05. Pure X – You’re in It Now: 7/10

Forgot Girls. It's in there.

i should really do a thread picking out all of the straight up garbage that's been released this year, and oddly, is included in quite a few lists posted in this thread.

good lord. what the fuck is wrong with you guys?