Boogie Staff Picks: The Year in Music [2011]

DAVE’S PICKS

1. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
The Foos have a formula for songs. They wrote another album of these songs. They’re catchy and I sometimes have some of the power choruses in my head for days. In my book it doesn’t get much better than that.

2. Chris Cornell – Songbook
Chris Cornell did an unplugged album with a track list spanning Soundgarden, Audioslave and solo career. His Zeppelin cover (Thank You) proves that at some point he should be in a Zeppelin cover band. It’s his vocal range. I mean Audioslave’s Cochise was basically Whole Lotta Love anyway. Listen to them side by side. Anyway, his take on John Lennon’s Imagine wasn’t bad, but seriously people- stop covering that song. Overall, the album shows that Cornell doesn’t need distorted chaos behind him to captivate an audience.

3. Beach Boys – The Smile Sessions
This makes the list because it was technically released this year despite being recorded before I was born. Superfans and anyone who has ever recorded or tried to record music should listen to every track on this extended release. Just listening to Brian Wilson give instructions to performers is life changing.

4. Machine Head – Unto the Locust
The world needs metal to cancel out the Biebers of the world. Machine Head delivered this year. This album is flat out kick ass. There’s a children’s choir, crazy riffs, screaming, singing, and it sounds great when play loud.

5. Amy Winehouse – Lioness: Hidden Treasures
Yeah, I’m riding the nostalgia train again this year. Repeat after me, musician + junkie + 27th birthday = chart topping records for years to come. It’s tragic, it happened, being subtly insensitive is as tactful as I can be. At least I didn’t write the review that compared this release to the 10,000 Tupac albums after he died. Whatever was wrong with her can’t take away from the fact that Winehouse had a stellar voice.

6. Lady Gaga – Born this Way
Okay, I’m gonna get shit for putting this on my list. I don’t care. Gaga stories have gotten Boogie more traffic this year than anything else. If the late Clarence Clemons found the album worthy of a giant sax solo, it’s good enough for me. No clue what any of the lyrics are, but that’s okay. See review of Wasting Light for my opinion of catchy pop hooks. Basically if you can hum it all day, it’s golden.

HOLLY’S PICKS

1. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
Finally, they’ve picked up where The Colour and the Shape left off. A sincere kudos, my hero…

2. We Are Augustines – Rise Ye Sunken Ships
This album is full of gritty rock and raw, earnest vocals. If these guys aren’t big in a year, I’ll eat this blog.

3. Phantogram – Nightlife EP
Hot and hypnotic, as previously discussed here.

4. Fionn Regan – 100 Acres of Sycamore
A gorgeous hidden gem of 2011, filled with captivating lyrics and lovely melodies.

5. Bon Iver – Bon Iver
Another solid, chill album in their back pocket. “Holocene” is brilliant.

6. We Were Promised Jetpacks – In the Pit of the Stomach
This album hits the ground running with “Circles and Squares” and sprints through the next ten tracks, with Scottish fire. Take a deep breath and enjoy the ride.

7. Radiohead – The King of Limbs
I don’t completely understand it, but does anyone? In my top ten for the lyrics (which I initially had to google, as I am not fluent in Yorke)

8. The Rural Alberta Advantage – Departing
Their sophomore album is just as hyperlocal and catchy as their debut; you can’t go wrong with a xylophone.

9. The Head and the Heart – The Head and the Heart
This album is full of feel good folksy fun. Absolutely a must for the kitchen dancer.

10. The Joy Formidable – The Big Roar
In my top ten, if for no other reason than “Whirring,” the song that rocked the hardest this year. It’s what we all really wanted when Metric became popular a few years ago.