What's so good?
By Lauren Sloss | December 22nd, 2011
I’ve kind of become the resident “classic guitar-driven indie rock” writer here at Indie Shuffle, and I happily shoulder the responsibility. I love me some LCD, will paint my face with the best of them for tUnE-YaRdS, and have been known to dance on stage with Girl Talk… but when it comes to my day-to-day, give me a guy, a guitar, and the kinds of hooks and melodies that just don’t get old.
In that spirit, here are my 10 favorite indie rock albums of 2011 — from the punk rock-influenced to the folk, these are the tunes I just can’t get out of my head.
If you’re the kind of person who likes to compare lists, check out our Best of 2010: Back to Basics – Indie Rock playlist.
Listen to more Best of 2011 playlists here.
Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire - "Ashes & Fire"
Where has Ryan Adams been? Making a really stellar, country-saturated guitar-rich album, apparently. Ashes & Fire has me hoping he's got more up his sleeve.
Download from:
iTunes
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
Tom Waits - Bad As Me - "Bad As Me"
Tom Waits has to be one of the most bad-ass original indie rockers. And with Bad As Me, he comes back growling and snarling as wonderfully as ever. If you're not yet on the Waits train, it's high time you got on board.
Download from:
iTunes
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
Middle Brother - Self-Titled - "Middle Brother"
Middle Brother, a super group consisting of the front men of Deer Tick, Dawes, and Delta Spirit, manage to accomplish the ideal super group balance — they allowed the talents of its members to shine without toning down the spirit that makes the individual bands great. Plus, you can tell they had a blast making
this album.
Download from:
iTunes
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
War On Drugs - Slave Ambient - "Baby Missiles"
I consider
Slave Ambient one of the more solid full album efforts that I heard this year. Every track ebbs and flows into the next, making for a seamless, incredibly thoughtful listening experience. Plus, I really dig their Americana with a layer of fuzz sound.
Download from:
iTunes
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
WIlco - The Whole Love - "Art of Almost"
I won't call it a comeback, but Wilco's
The Whole Love showed a return to pulse-racing musical innovation and a fluidity with their style that allowed them to segue from apocalyptic meltdown to pop rock in a beat.
Download from:
iTunes
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues - "Helplessness Blues"
Lush, orchestral, and jaw-droppingly beautiful -- with their
sophomore album, Fleet Foxes proved that they've got the musical prowess to stick around for a while.
Download from:
iTunes
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
My Morning Jacket - Circuital - "Victory Dance"
Give me a dose of southern rock that pairs well with a glass of bourbon and skinny jeans wearing hipsters. My Morning Jacket can melt your face and melt your heart in the space of a song, and
Circuital showed the breadth of their mad skills.
Download from:
iTunes
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
The Decemberists - The King Is Dead - "All Arise!"
The King Is Dead is a more rootsy approach from The Decemberists, and it works like a charm. Thoughtful, tender, and a whole lot of fun, I've had this album on repeat lately, with no sign of stopping.
Download from:
iTunes
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
Bon Iver - Bon Iver - "Holocene"
Bon Iver really blew my mind with their eponymous
second album. Adding layers of horns and slide guitar, Justin Vernon has taken Bon Iver's sparse, haunting sound and emboldened it.
Download from:
iTunes
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
The Black Keys - El Camino - "Gold On the Ceiling"
Sometimes, I worry that I'm becoming to predictable. The Black Keys come out with a new album, and oh, look -- it's my top pick of 2011. What can I say? I freaking love this band. I love that they manage to evolve their sound while still maintaining their distinct flavor. And
El Camino, with its glam rock, metal, and funk influences, is as bad ass and excellent as anything I could hope for. I can handle being predictable, as long as The Black Keys stay this good.
Download from:
iTunes
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
I'm a San Francisco based-writer with Brooklyn ties and a taste for adventure. I am music-obsessed, live show addicted, and more often than not can ...learn more →
