Top 25 Albums of 2011 (#25-21)
25.) Blindside - With Shivering Hearts We Wait
Blindside is a band that means a lot to me. “King of the Closet” was one of the first Hardcore songs I loved. When I was 15, Silence came out and I listened to that album over and over again. Over the next few years I bought every release they had put out, and finally had a chance to see them live in 2005 as they opened up for Trapt (I left as soon as they were done.) That same year, The Great Depression was the last album they put out. The band grew silent like many Scandinavian bands that had come before them. I thought the band had broken up, without mentioning to their fans. So when I found out that they were planning a new album, the 16 year old me got really excited. But when I heard the first single “Monster on the Radio”, I was heartbroken. That song sucked so much, and was a completely different sound than I had grown up listening to. Luckily the band released a teaser video that featured a clip of a different song. This one sounded like the Blindside I knew and loved. So after six long years we finally had a new album. After that kind of build up, how did it sound? It’s fucking awesome! Sure it’s not as intense as A Thought Crushed My Mind, or as perfectly crafted as Silence, but easily tops every other album they put out. If you aren’t familiar with the band, their sound can be described as Hard Rock with a Post-Hardcore edge too it. For fans of the band, it feels like a continuation of The Great Depression with the somber tone of Silence. It has been a long time, and this new album makes me realize how much I had missed them.
24.) The Aquabats! - Hi-Five Soup!
The world is about to find out who The Aquabats! are. After years of attempting to get a television show, The Aquabats! will be premiering their new show sometime in 2012 on the Hub network. For many people though, they’ve known about The Aquabats! for quite a while now. After all this is their fifth full length album. Gone are the Ska elements, and the band has evolved into a Power Pop group. Last year saw the band releasing an EP called Radio Down!. This was meant to be a teaser for the full length due out in 2011. Thankfully Hi-Five Soup! is better than Radio Down! (though the song of the same name is here again.) Naturally since the band is about to star in their own childrens program, the music had to come down a bit. This isn’t too hard to do considering how the band were never very serious to begin with. Songs about best friends, hugs, and popping a wheelie probably appeal to kids more than adults. Fortunately the actual songs are so damn catchy, you could care less what they are singing about. “The Shark Fighter!”, “In My Dreams!”, “Just Can’t Loose!”, and “Luck Dragon Lady!” have some of the most powerful choruses the band has ever written. If you were a fan of Charge!! and Myths, Legends, and Other Amazing Adventures! Vol. 2 then this album will be right up your alley.
23.) Amateur Party - Truncheons In the Manor
Mike McKee continues to be one of the coolest vocalists in Punk Rock today. Not only did he front the legendary Kill the Man Who Questions, and shares vocal duties in Armalite, but he has his own current band. Amateur Party is a little different than those other bands though. They play close to Indie/Garage Rock with a strong Punk influence. The album starts off with some riffs that could be mistaken for a blues song. It then morphs into an excellent Minutemen meets The Clash. In fact the guitars on this album have a D. Boon vibe all over them, jangly yet melodic. My favorite tracks have to be “Simpatico” for it’s choppy rhythms, “Kerri Writes Websites” features some really nice organ and handclapping, and the title track is a blistering album closer. I haven’t seen this album show up on many people’s end of a year list, which is a shame because this is an excellent album by an often overlooked band.
22.) Caves - Homeward Bound
2011 has been a good year for the Britol, U.K. three-piece. The band saw the release of Collection, a compilation of their first 7” as well as two songs from a split they did in 2010 and 2 unreleased songs. They also put out an excellent split with Richmond, VA band Sundials, which I included on my best splits of 2011 list. Homeward Bound marks the third release for 2011, and their first full-length. All their trademarks are here, the raw Pop Punk sound, the guy and girl vocals, the whoa-oh’s. One negative thing you can hear on the album is the production quality. Nothing is really recorded at it’s best, but in it’s own way, it fits. The guitar playing isn’t perfect, and vocalist Louise doesn’t have the strongest voice, so why would you want the music to sound polished? This is a raw album by a rough band, and it couldn’t be better.
21.) Restorations - Restorations
Restorations are a pretty unique band. One would think that the combination of Post-Rock, Alt. Country, and Punk would not got together at all. But Restorations are a band that seems to defy expectations. The sounds of lush orchestration with down home twang and gruff vocals work so well together it’s surprising. The self titled album has shown up on many other end of a year lists, making it one of the best reviewed albums of 2011. If you are a fan of Explosions in the Sky, Lucero, and The Gaslight Anthem, then you really need to give this album a listen. Throw in an awesome album cover, and the package is perfect.
