The Best Records Of 2011

It's been a big year for the recording industry which is celebrating that this is their best music year since 2000 or so it seems.  And that CD sales only declined by 3.5 percent which means they are celebrating that music is finally turning around for them.  But digital downloads have increased by about 80 percent from last year and vinyl is 20 percent more than last year.  Which makes great cause for the return of music as we know it?

Hardly.  Problem is vinyl costs too much.  Most of the stuff I see is around 18 to 20 dollars, some classic stuff goes for as low as 12.99 but another problem is that you can't find a bricks and mortar store within walking distance.  Digital downloading is great for on the go, but for myself who wants the actual product in hand not so much.  You can't study a digital download or read the liner notes.  Even on CDs it also cheapens the product if you have to access the internet for liner notes and other assorted bullshit (case in point: Sony Music's Playlist or Setlist comps).  Teddy Thompson also had this problem on his great Piece Of What You Need CD, that instead of reading who did what, you have to go to the website and access it there.  And there's some folk out there that don't have a computer yet.

Musically speaking 2011 was an improvement over last year although once again there's nary a band that can derail the classic rock sounds of your favorite bands.  There's plenty of 20th anniversary collections that came out, Nirvana for one and Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs got a 40th revamp although I still like the 20th version better.  The world got to see and hear The Beach Boys Smile Sessions in 2 cd or the big box of everything to it.  Someday I'll get around to hearing The Smile Sessions but for my money the best box set was the Ray Charles Singular Genius or The Complete ABC singles not that it was better than Smile or Layla or Nevermind 20, it was that I grew up listening to Ray Charles on ABC in my long ago and far away youth.  Other notable reissues was Pink Floyd going into the Digipak moment, Sony/Legacy taken control over Paul Simon's back catalog and Wounded Bird giving the world The Fugs on Reprise albums.  And Legacy reissued the Neil Diamond Bang Singles on a nifty little package that will make my top ten of the year despite that being a digipak.    In fact, this was the most workout we have seen Legacy have done as well as new Columbia artists such as The Vaccines or Cults.  Rick Rubin might be a great producer and rock guru but as record company head he may have been one of the worst ever to head a label.  I'm sure Doug Morris will set Sony straight.

Last month we have seen the four majors morph into three with EMI being sold off to Sony Music and Universal.  And things won't be the better for it.  We saw Sony Music decided to end the life and times of Arista Records.  As well as Jive Records and J Records.  We also seen the closing of yet another music book store in Borders.  Which leaves Barnes & Noble as the only alternative here to Best Buy/Wal Mart/Target.   And REM decided to call it a career.  Every band has a beginning and an end and perhaps having a third good album in a row contributed to that decision.  As for the REM overview Part Lies,Truth etc. etc. I really don't see a need for it since I got the IRS import Best Of REM and the In Time REM of a few years back but if you want a good overview, the hits and that cruddy digipak by all means go for it.

On the radio here it's Cumulus changing the format of 107.1 from oldies classic rock to top forty.  Like the world needs another top forty showcase for autotuned rap and crap American Idol rejects. But the problem isn't that but rather Cumulus continuing the play the usual 500 safe songs on their selective stations and not give any chance to any new band trying to make it, if that's a possibility anymore.  But then again all the stations sound the same with their format and music style.  You are probably more better to get satellite radio to hear anything new or not on the radio but even that format is getting too damn familiar with the same ole same old.

Like the previous years, there are some new good acts to go with the dinosaur acts that refuses to go away.  YES and Journey gave us new albums with new singers and although the new YES was okay, the new Journey may have been their most prog rockish ever.  The Status Quo rocked the world with a new album and so did ole Christopher Cross, both on Eagle Records which is the decade's new retirement home for the classic rock acts of long ago and far away.   Bad Company and Foreigner rehashed their hits on yet another live setting and basically the world does not need another live Foreigner either.  Joe Bossamassa was by far the most busiest, putting out five albums, two solo, another Black Country Communion album and live DVD and something with Beth Hart all with Kevin Shirley behind the controls.  And like the first BCC album, the second had some good moments, some great and the rest overbearing with screamer Glenn Hughes, a person that tends to overstay his welcome for these ears.  But I still believe that Black Country Communion would sound at home on the hard rock stations or even classic rock, if classic rock radio would get out of that 1985 playlist which has been playing the same 500 songs over and over per day.

To consider what's the best for me for this year, the majority of them all seem to be veteran bands or bands that get overlooked from Pitchfork or Spin or Rolling Stone although I have been known to review things on their recommendations.  Most are forgettable or disposable and perhaps having two albums out may have the masses being burned out on Miranda Lambert, who made a great album with the Pistol Annies and perhaps her least successful Four The Record, which hit the charts in the top five and then four weeks later been flying down the wrong part of the charts.  Which is a shame knowing the fair weather folk have already abandoned ship but for me whatever Miranda puts out, I'll be happy to listen to.  Don't look for me to jump on the Bon Iver bus anytime soon.  I am not even sure that I'll be listening to half of what I have for the top ten of this year either.  But the 10 that stand out will probably see more airplay than last year's or the year before.  And my selection of the best ever turned out to be one of the hardest albums to find which kinda irked the lead singer of that band.  To work and pour your heart out on a album that nobody knows about is as discouraging as it gets but then again my favorite albums from bands long ago didn't have much impact on the buying public, except on the blogs to which those who read would go try to seek out these lost classics.  I don't expect my top ten best of 2011 list will go beyond the readership that I have right now and I have resigned that I'll never be rich and famous or well known as Robert Christgau or Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone but I can live with my cult following and 800 to 1,000 views of the month, weather permitting or when inspiration comes around. I take my chances with what I find that will entice me and sometimes buying albums can be a mistake in itself (Stevie Nicks, Sin-Narta, Saga comes to mind).  I tend to be more trusting in Billy F Gibbons than Rob Sheffield or even Christgau himself when it comes to the best of 2011.  And Billy came through big time this year.

The Best Of 2011

1.   61 And 49-Mike Eldred Band (Zoho Roots)   Blues Rock is in short supply nowadays and even though the blues are still the most genuine music out there.  You can't auto tune the blues.   And I can sense the frustrations when Mike left me a comment about how much time and effort he put into this record and nobody heard it or find the CD when it came out on a small label.  And the only place that had it was at Half Priced Books.  It could have been the praise from Billy F Gibbons of ZZ Top or it could have been the rhythm section that was The Blasters but Mike Eldred put together a fine classic album of boogie and blues, helped by a couple tracks by Ike Turner and Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos helping out too.  A tip of the hat to Stevie Ray (Jake's Blues   She's A Rocket) plus Lonnie Mack and Jimmy Vaughn figures but I also think that when I first heard For A Girl I thought that Greg Allman was doing the vocals but it was Mike himself.  Even on the slow blues burner  Ruby's Blues Eldred shows the world of the praises of Gibbons.  Nothing against Joe Bossamassa, I like him fine, but Mike Eldred's 61 and 49 is down and dirty good time rock n blues.  And Mike only did it on one album too.

2.  Rockpile Live At Montreaux 1980 (Eagle)   As much as I give credit to Nick Lowe for changing the rules of the game and going with a more MOR direction on his latest it just didn't rock enough for me to care much about it.  Good songs here and there but as a whole the album was kinda boring.  But with the reissue of this 1980 live setting, it shows the world that Nick Lowe back then, paired with Dave Edmunds that they were the best of rock and roll and too bad that Lowe got bored with the whole shebang.  Even after the breakup Edmunds and Lowe made great albums but that tension between them was missing until 1990's Party Of One the last time Nick would ever work with Edmunds again.  Certainly there have been bootlegs of live Rockpile but this is the best one.  Of course the secret weapon was Billy Brummer who would sing on a couple songs that Edmunds sang on his solo albums.  Thank your lucky stars and Eagle Rock for finally giving us a legit live document of this band, still in their raging glory.

3.  Neil Diamond-The Bang Years (Columbia/Legacy)   The recent Neil Diamond very best tries to give the best overview of what Neil has done over the years and finally having all of his stuff from Bang to Uni/MCA to Columbia to Capitol does the best its can but leaving off certain hits.  Neil has done it all but for me his best years was at Bang Records when Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich produced and sang background to his hits which were many.  This is where it all begins, this is where the legend of Neil begins.  He got weirder when he moved to Uni and then went down the middle of the soft rock road. at Columbia.  The Bang singles are gold forever and remains the reason why Neil Diamond went into the rock and roll hall of fame.

4.  The Vaccines-What Do You Expect From The Vaccines (Columbia)  Funny thing about alternative rock this year was that the bands that I listened to that came from Columbia/Sony Music was how they used a lot of echo and lot of Jesus And Mary Chain's sound of feedback and more echo.  Cults was one band although they owed more to Phil Spector than the Reid Brothers of JAMC and although they were good, they were not good enough to make the top ten best of.  The Vaccines owed a lot to The Smiths or Morrissey for that matter (Post  Break Up Sex beats Morrissey at his game)  but for me they were a lot more fun, owing to one minute ditties such as Norgaard and Wrecking Bar (ra ra ra) that recall The Ramones if they were inspired by Jesus and Mary Chain.  They do come on their own on Wet Suit, probably my favorite song of the year and the lyrics oh so true.  And so personal too.

5.  Status Quo-Quid Pro Quo (Ear Music/Eagle)
6.  Face To Face-Laugh Now, Laugh Later  (Antagonist)
7.  George Thorogood & The Destroyers-2120 South Michigan Ave (Capitol)

Sometimes it's best to do the things that you're good at.  Satisfy the fans with your type of music and you'll hit the top ten more often than not.  I give you three examples of this:  The Status Quo, who for 40 years have been cranking out boogie rock and roll and never changed their style although they did get a couple new drummers along the way and John Edwards from Climax Blues Band on bass.  Quid Pro Quo is no different from any other album but on this effort, they seemed to be more into the music this time.  Credit Mike Paxman for coming back to produce and telling the boys to keep it simple.

Face To Face, for 20 years have been making their blend of Southern Cal punk rock and after a 9 year layoff Trever Keith returns with most of their classic lineup (with a new drummer) and picks up where he left from How To Ruin Everything.  The only misstep of their lifetime was the ambitious but frustrating Ignorance Is Bliss,  Laugh Now, Laugh Later is just like Don't Turn Away or the 1996 S/T A & M effort.  It's fast, it's loud and you can sign along to it.  While most of Face To Face comtemperies have moved on to other things, FTF returns with a South Cal Punk vengeance to which only the hardcore fans and audiophiles know about.

George Thorogood like the above two bands is been Old Reliable when it comes to blues and party tunes.  On this album he pays tribute to the Chess Records label and the artists that influenced him and me (Howlin Wolf, Chuck Berry, Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter and of course Bo Diddley).  I suspect that I might be the only one that put his album on the Best of 2011 but that's the beauty of Best Of lists.  I tend not to go over towards the biggest fads and flavors of the month or year, but rather remain faithful to the artists and bands that got me through the 80s or the 90s or the last decade.  It may cost me any chance of contributing to Pitchfork but hey, I don't abandon the bands that I grew up with.  And George will still around longer than the flavors of the year, Bon Iver included.

8. Pistol Annies-Hell On Heels (Columbia)
    Miranda Lambert-Four The Record (RCA)

Miranda Lambert has had a heck of a ride to the top of the country charts and her album of 2009 Revolution gave her the big country hit and all the kudos from the papers and trade magazines but she had her shit together on Crazy Ex Girlfriend.  She may have spread herself thin on Four The Record since she was busy writing and recording with the Pistol Annies on Hell On Heels and that album is the better of the two.  In fact, it's still the most honest country album this side of the trailer court (case in point: Trailer For Sale). With The Annies, Lambert teams up with Ashley Monroe & Angaleena Presley and all three write and sing the songs that associated with Loretta and Tammy in the heartaches and revenge factor, and Lambert writes the most biting songs (Takin Pills, Boys From The South, Trailer For Sale again) but Presley and Monroe figure greatly into this.

Miranda may have spread herself too thin since on Four The Record she relies more on outside songwriters than in the previous three but even if they are covers, the covers are tailor made for Lambert.  She even gets Blake Shelton to duet on Better In The Long Run (written by Monroe and others, not Miranda though) and Blake helps co write on Over You. The most Miranda song to me is Same Old You (written by Brandi Carlisle), even though she didn't write it, she makes is sound like she did.  The Deluxe Version gives you one extra song which is okay and the DVD is one of those viewed once deals but the original album ends with the beautiful Alison Moorer's Oklahoma Sky.  Four The Record is the least of Lambert's record output but like the rest of her music, it remains steller.  A lesser Lambert album was always trump over most of anything Carrie Underwood has out.  Underwood may have the voice but Lambert has the attitude and the ability to write a song about life in general.

9.  Tommy Keene-Behind The Parade (Second Motion)  The last three albums of Keene's I was really beginning to wonder if he lost his power pop magic touch.  They were okay but they didn't rock hard enough for me to be interested.  And maybe he was uninterested, after all he lost his long time drummer to The Gin Blossoms but on Behind The Parade, Keene leads off with one of his best songs ever (Deep Six Saturday) and the next two songs were just as good although the instrumental almost made me wonder.  But side two leads off with the superb Running For Your Life, showing the world that when Keene writes a great song,  you'll remember it.  Can't say that this is his best since Songs From The Film, his long ago forgotten 1987 album for Geffen but I assure you that Behind The Parade is his best since 1997's Ten Years After.

10.  Samantha Fish-Runaway (Ruf)  The final installment was a replacement cuz when I heard this album later in 2012 I found that Samantha Fish was too good to leave off any best of.  A young 21 year old with a vocal like Bonnie Raitt and playing guitar like Susan Tedeschi Fish is more blues driven than most of the autotuned pop divas that's playing on radio anywhere.  The major labels couldn't figure out what to do with her but Thomas Ruf, saw something in her to record her with Dani Wilde earlier with Girls With Guitars and then give her the chance to do her own record.  She's up and coming and here's hoping a new generation of girls out there will find this record and be inspired enough to do their own blues album.  She's amazing!

The Next Noteworthy

11.  Sunny Sweeney-Concrete (Republic Nashville)  A Texas singer songwriter who might be the next in line to the Miranda Lambert throne.  She has some great songs but sadly, her record label saddles her with a country corn producer (Brett Beavers) and he adds too many fiddles and slide guitars and a Keith Moon drummer wannabee.  Had a minor hit with From A Table Away.  Stick her with Frank Liddell and she might be better known.

12. Diplomats Of Solid Sound-What Goes Around Comes Around (Pravda)  Long standing Iowa City band keeping the Booker T and The MG's sound alive, plus having Sarah Cram and Kathy Ruestow adding vocals to make it work even better.

13.  Dawes-Nothing Is Wrong (ATO)  Bob Lefsetz loves these guys and it's easy to see why.  They have that good timey southern cal easy rock that recalls CSN and Jackson Browne, who appears on a track.  The lyrics might be a bit trite as our friends at Farce The Music says but this is good music to go driving on the highway with.

14.  Social Distortion-Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes (Epitaph)  Getting more closer to Rolling Stones than Ramones on the new album but I also think this is Mike Ness' best effort since Somewhere Between Heaven And Hell.

15.  REM-Collaspe Into Now (Warner Bros)  They ended their career in style, with their third straight very good album.  Credit a better effort, or perhaps Bill Rieflin on drum or Gareth Lee's production.  Even guest star Peaches is tolerable on this.

The Rest:
16.  Dirt Drifters-This Is My Blood (WB)
17.  Fountains Of Wayne-Sky Full Of Holes (Yep Roc)
18.  Killing Joke-Absolute Dissent (Spinefarm)
19.  Blink 182-Neighborhoods (Interscope)
20.  Ricky Scaggs-Country Hits Bluegrass Style (Skaggs Family/Fontana)
21.  Foo Fighters-Wasting Light (RCA)
22.  Cults (Columbia)
23.  Whitesnake-Forevermore (Frontiers)
24.  Chickenfoot 3 (E1)
25.  Ryan Adams-Ashes And Fire (Capitol)

Reissue Of The Year
Ray Charles-Singular Genius-The Complete ABC Singles (Concord)

In the old days, my 45 collection was filled with Ray Charles singles and they were played so much that the grooves wore through the next side.  Certainly collecting all these singles do have some dated material but it's so nice to hear The Train or The Cincinnati Kid without it sounding like a scratchy old 78 with their grooves worn through.  This collects the very first ABC Paramount single My Baby (I love her yes I do) to his b side of Ring Of Fire.  You can sense the development of Ray as he goes from jazz to country to soul to lush ballads in a instant.  The Ralph Burns arranged vocals are dated as the 60's and Charles recorded way too many Beatles ballads but the B sides often had some great songs from Percy Mayfield and Jimmy Holiday later on.  His America The Beautiful remains the best National Anthem (sorry Whitney) ever.

Runner up.
The Fugs-Tenderness Juction, It Crawled Into My Hand, Honest, Belle Of Avenue A, Golden Filth (Wounded Bird)

Before Frank Zappa, there was The Fugs and even though their first two albums weren't on Reprise, they did set the tone and style for Frank Zappa and The Mothers.  They were guaranteed to offend anybody and perhaps that was the intent.  When they got to Reprise, they still offended the establishment as Tenderness Junction did.  It Crawled Into My Hand, Honest reunited them with Richard Alderson who produced the second Fugs album (which to me is their shining moment) but the side 2 suite can be a bit much to sit through.  Belle Of Avenue A is the less essential as most of the album is Ed Sanders and a guitar player but the best songs came from Ken Weaver (Four Minutes To Midnight).  Golden Filth is the finale and shows the Fugs in concert playing bawdy songs and singing the praises of slum goddess and Joan Crawford on the offensive CCD song.  Rhino Handmade put all four albums into a boxset along with the aborted Atlantic Sessions and still very pricey (as it is out of print).  Wounded Bird reissued the Fugs Reprise albums as standalone titles.

These are my picks for the Best Of 2011.  You'll note that I didn't include some such as Tom Waits-Bad As Me or The Beach Boys Smile Sessions.  That's because that I didn't buy them.  I'm sure at some point in time I'll probably get The Smile Sessions in one form or another. Again, the quote of so much music, so little time is also the other reason.  We are bombarded with so much music in this day and age is that one really cannot sit through all that is out there.  And of course as time goes on the best of this year, some of the selections may disappear from my collection, not that they aren't bad, but outlived their usefulness.  I know for a fact that some stuff from previous years that didn't make the top ten do get some play on my stereo.  Tastes vary and I'm sure a year from now or five years from now,  most of the best of 2011 may not be in my player.  But for the moment in this place and time these are the best of 2011 and maybe a few might enlighten and entertain should you see them in the sale bins or dollar bins at your local junkshop.

Thanks for reading.