best of 2011. trust me.

35 is a weird number, i know. 20 wasn't enough and i could have easily gone to 50, but that would just be boring to read. and yes, call me crazy, but i left out fleet foxes, bon iver and even thurston moore and kate bush. i love them (especially kate), but they're all on enough lists. i actually left out a lot of albums that i liked...lots of competition this year, people. gotta get it together. 

ready? here it is. in 10 words or less.

BEST ALBUMS OF 2011*

after the jump. 

35. M83: Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

• they make saxophone solos work. SO worth the wait.
  

 Critical Track: "Midnight City" 

34. Puro Instrinct: Headbangers in Ecstasy

•  baby shoegaze + best coast comparisons. ariel pink loves them.

 Critical Track: "Lost at Sea"

33. Elite Gymnastics: Ruin

• super textured chillwave. name comes from a Whitehouse song. awesome.
  

Critical Track: "Omamori"

32. Metronomy: The English Riviera

• taking themselves more seriously. it will grow on you.

Critical Track: "The Look"

31. PJ Harvey: Let England Shake

• i'm thinking no explanation should be required. 
  

Critical Track: "The Last Living Rose"

30. Love Inks: E.S.P.

•  not just another female vocalist. prime for good remixes.
  

Critical Track: "Skeleton Key"

29. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: Belong

• fuzzy, blissy, 90s-y. also kicking ass at songwriting.

Critical Track: "Heart in Your Heartbreak"

28. Class Actress : Rapproacher

• i really tried not to write the words "electro pop".
  

Critical Track: "Keep You"

27. The Kills: Blood Pressures

• if i was a lesbian: alison mossheart. definitely.
  

Critical Track: "Baby Says"

26. Wilco: The Whole Love

• "wilco's my favorite alt/rock/punk/country/jam/blues band."
  

Critical Track: "Born Alone"

25. Twin Sister: In Heaven

• 80's lounge music for the rest of us.
  

Critical Track: "Stop"

24. Veronica Falls: S/T

• lots of reverb. tambourines are involved. awesome follow through.
  

Critical Track: "Veronica Falls"

23. Toro Y Moi: Underneath the Pine

•  less ambient, more melodic than before. occasional touch of MJ.
  

Critical Track: "Light Black"

22. Lykke Li: Wounded Rhymes

• "i'm your prostitute, you gon' get some". 'nuff said.

Critical Track: "I Follow Rivers"

21. Destroyer: Kaputt

• synth done so very right. PLEASE come dance with me.
  

Critical Track: "Kaputt"

20. Shabazz Palaces: Black Up

• first hip hop at sub-pop. digable planets. do the math.
  

Critical Track: "an echo from the hosts that profess infinitum"

19. Unknown Moral Orchestra: S/T

• i bet they listen to beck. i like it. weirdos.
  

Critical Track: "FFunny FFriends"

18.White Fence: Is Growing Faith

• jangly, lo-fi  rock. and. roll. 

Critical Track: "Growing Faith"

17. Real Estate: Days

• "floating on an inner tube in the sun"

Critical Track: "Green Aisles"

16. Charles Bradley: No Time for Dreaming (Reissue)

• raspy soul. this is the real fucking deal.
  

Critical Track: "I Believe in Your Love"

15. Jay Z and Kanye: Watch the Throne

• no one thought i would leave this off, right?

Critical Track: "That's My Bitch"

14. Cass McCombs:  Humor Risk

•  definitely the better of 2011's two albums. squeaky clean melodies.
  

Critical Track: "The Living World"

13. Cults: Cults

• made myself sick on this. bet you will too.
  

Critical Track: "Oh My God"

12. The Beach Boys: Smile Sessions (Reissue)

• hi, have we met?
  

Critical Track: "Surf's Up"

11. Youth Lagoon: The Year of Hibernation

• chillwave revival. if it ever left. otherwise just good chillwave.
  

Critical Track: "Afternoon"

10. John Maus: We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves

• at times, minimal/electro/lo-fi joy division. other times, awesome.
  

Critical Track: "Hey Moon"

9. Panda Bear: Tomboy

•  makes animal collective seem like the side project.
  

Critical Track: "Last Night at the Jetty"

8. Woods: Sun & Shade

• real instruments. real harmonies. 60s vibes. another solid woods record.

Critical Track: "Pushing Onlys"

7. Caveman: Coco Beware

• twinkly guitars. smooth melodies. way underrated. 
  

Critical Track: "Old Friend"

6.  Beirut: The Rip Tide

• zach condon is way more productive than you.
  

Critical Track: "Santa Fe"

5. Phantogram: Nightlife EP

•  good for dancing or thinking. that's success.
  

Critical Track: "16 Years"

4. Girls: Father, Son, Holy Ghost

• raw, ruthless, heart wrenching. believe the hype. 

Critical Track: "Jaime Marie"

3. Atlas Sound: Parallax

• this year's halcyon digest. bradford never disappoints. incredible. 

Critical Track: "The Shakes" (and all of them)

2. Jonathan Wilson: Gentle Spirit

• listen straight through. as loud as possible. fucking amazing. 

Critical Track: "Desert Raven" (and all of them)

1. Kurt Vile: Smoke Ring for My Halo

• this record is absolute fucking perfection. 

Critical Track: "Jesus Fever" (and all of them)

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Cut Copy: Zonoscope

Little Dragon: Ritual Union

Strfckr: Reptilians

J. Mascis: Several Shades of Why

EMA: Past Life Martyred Saints
Memory Tapes:  Player Piano

High Highs: S/T EP

Nicolas Jaar: Space is Only Noise

MMG Presents: Self Made, Vol. 1

Sleeping Bag: S/T

St. Vincent: Strange Mercy

Frank Ocean: Nostalgia Ultra

The Black Keys : El Camino

MMJ: Circuital

Vivian Girls: Share the Joy

*o  *Only the top 10 are in order, so no one yell at me for putting M83 "last".