Bunny Gamer's Top Albums of 2011. Part Four: 25-11.

The second-to-last section of my list is finally complete. It's been a long journey, but we're almost there, and I hope you enjoy the lists. I know that a lot of the content doesn't fit in with the regular theme of this blog, but we will be back to normal posting just as soon as the final part of the list is posted. Until then, click on the 'look' button down there (or the title of this post) to view part four of my top albums of 2011!

25. James Blake - 'James Blake'
Genre: Dubstep/Singer-Songwriter
Country of Origin: England
James Blake's first full-length album was one of the most divisive records of the year. This struck me as incredibly odd, as I was so struck by his minimalistic take on combining his dubstep origins with singer-songwriter stylings that it was my favourite album of the year until mid-May. Since then, it's grown off me a bit and I've started to understand the criticisms better, but the fact still remains that James Blake has put forward a jaw-dropping work here. His honestly gorgeous voice floats above the music with an almost ethereal quality as bare-bones synths and dubstep beats back him up, building off of his silences to intense crescendos. His melodies are beautiful, his vocals and song-building some of the most unique things around today, and his use of silence and minimalism is staggering. This is the kind of music which simply exudes mastery, and he's still only in his early twenties. If his first album is this fantastic, just imagine what's in store.
Top tracks: The Wilhelm Scream; Limit to Your Love
Listen.

24. Thursday - 'No Devolución'

Genre: Post-Hardcore/Post-Rock
Country of Origin: USA
Thursday's evolution since their inception in the mid-late '90s has been truly interesting to watch. From their humble beginnings as a raw post-hardcore band, they've slowly evolved into something more esoteric and hard to pin down, yet still firmly indebted in the genre. Their latest (and, as per their almost-simultaneous announcement of indefinite hiatus along with fellow band Thrice, final) album almost entirely tears down their previous influences in favor of an almost post-rock sound, with a significantly less aggressive tone, and keys and bass taking the foreground over guitars and vocals. Watching 'No Devolución' unfold over its runtime is truly wonderful, as Thursday have created a truly powerful, atmospheric album which subtly ebbs and flows into gentle, gorgeous climaxes, communicating its emotion simply flawlessly. If this truly is the end for Thursday, they've gone out on the best note possible.
Top tracks: A Gun in the First Act; Sparks Against the Sun
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23. *shels - 'Plains of the Purple Buffalo'
Genre: Post-Rock
Country of Origin: England/USA

Now this is how you kick a genre's ass. Post-rock has always been all about the crescendos, and boy does 'Plains of the Purple Buffalo' have 'em. On their second album, *shels pretty much crush the whole idea of the post-rock climax, with massive guitars, bombastic horns, screams, and everything in between. This album's sense of melody and scale outdo just about anyone but the absolute best of the genre, and even then it challenges the kings. When the glorious horns rise above the crashing guitars, or a glorious piece of vocals segues into a truly well-earned explosion of sound, it's hard not to feel almost paralyzed by how huge it can be. The power housed in these songs practically defies description, and there are few mistakes bigger than overlooking *shels or writing them off as 'just another post-rock band,' because dear God, they are so, so much more than that. It might be a bit hyperbolic, but I honestly feel confident in my appraisal of 'Plains of the Purple Buffalo' as the best album to come out of genre since Godspeed You! Black Emperor's famous double-album dropped back in 2000, and if that doesn't say it all, I don't know what else will. This is a magnificent album which grabs you the second it starts and never lets go, and no one should miss out on it, full stop.
Top tracks: Journey to the Plains; Crown of Eagle Feathers
Listen.

22. Weekend Nachos - 'Worthless'
Genre: Hardcore/Power Violence
Country of Origin: USA

Weekend Nachos are basically the hardest band in the world. I'm pretty sure that's been scientifically proven. On their latest album, the group melds their insanely fast-paced power violence with some of the heaviest, sludgiest moments to be put on record by a hardcore band. Weekend Nachos' refreshingly humorous attitude doesn't get in the way of making 'Worthless' heavy as all hell, and when they slow the breakneck songs down into a sludgy stomp, it's almost overpowering. This is essentially the most over-the-top album by the most over-the-top band around, and it works perfectly. If you like hardcore, 'Worthless' will knock you off your feet--there's even a hard as fuck guest vocal spot by Patrick Stump of all people on Jock Powerviolence. Fun, funny, and insanely heavy, this is Weekend Nachos' crowning moment, and one of the best hardcore records released, full stop.
Top tracks: Old Friends Don't Mean Shit; Jock Powerviolence
Listen.

21. Patrick Stump - 'Soul Punk'

Genre: Pop
Country of Origin: USA

Following the hiatus of Fall Out Boy, the various members went on to various mediocre post-band projects and kind of fell by the wayside. Their singer, however, decided to hole up in a studio and create an album literally entirely by himself. Every second of 'Soul Punk' was recorded, engineered, produced, mixed, mastered, and all the rest by Patrick Stump himself. This is doubly remarkable when you see how insanely polished and sexy the album is--this is pop music at its absolute finest. Patrick's virtuosic voice absolutely shines across the songs on display here, practically begging to be the next Michael Jackson. The instruments are smooth, clean, and wonderfully varied, presenting just about the best pop instrumentals around. But it all gets tied together by Patrick Stump's fantastic songwriting prowess, creating ten absolutely joyous pop tunes with stunning vocal delivery and remarkably deep-and-depressing lyrical content, turning 'Soul Punk' into a simultaneously fun-as-hell and actually in-depth listening experience. But in the end, it's all about the songs, which have a caliber of pop songwriting almost impossible to find. Simply one of the greatest male pop albums ever made, this is not a piece to miss, period.
Top tracks: Run Dry (X Heart X Fingers); Explode
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20. Boris - 'New Album'
Genre: Shoegaze/Experimental Pop
Country of Origin: Japan
The first of three albums released by Boris in the first half of the year, 'New Album' is also one of Boris's many crowning achievements. For a band who have done everything from hardcore to drone doom to shoegaze, it's hard to be truly surprised by anything that the Japanese trio put out at this point. However, when 'New Album' dips into straight-up J-rock and pop at times, it's about as surprising as it can get. Of course, these things are all done with characteristic Boris quirkiness, and the creativity, emotion and complexity are all in full swing on 'New Album.' The heavy electronic moments and the shoegazey sheen over everything make the album's diverse influences all work together beautifully, and the sheer diversity at play here is simply staggering. Despite being (yet again) a completely new direction for the band, the record feels almost like the most Boris-esque album yet, and everything simply fits perfectly into place for an endlessly enjoyable and incredibly compelling listen.
Top tracks: Pardon?; Flare
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19. Touché Amoré - 'Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me'
Genre: Hardcore/Skramz
Country of Origin: USA

Anyone who has seen Touché Amoré live will tell you that they are nothing if not dedicated. It's been years since the last time frontman Jeremy Bolm's voice was anything short of completely blown out, and you can hear exactly why on their second full-length album. Touché Amoré are nothing if not passionate, but in the years since they burst onto the scene, the band has masterfully honed and focused that passion into something intense and personal, but also well-made and brilliantly pieced together. 'Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me' is concise and surprisingly to-the-point, with only one song breaking the two-minute mark, but it says everything it wants to in its short runtime. The band's tight, forward performance backs up Jeremy's brilliantly-penned lyrics and immense vocals to show why Touché Amoré are pretty much the best emotional hardcore band out there. 'Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me' cements the band as the front-runners for the resurgence of the genre, and there's no doubt as to why: this album is a masterpiece, through and through. It's just icing on the cake that you can listen to it three times in an hour.
Top tracks: The Great Repetition; Home Away From Here
Listen.

18. LIGHTS - 'Siberia'
Genre: Pop
Country of Origin: Canada

On her second full-length, LIGHTS has truly grown up. This may seem a bit silly, as 'Siberia' is an album of synth-pop anthems (and a nine-minute noise track as the closer, curiously enough), but the simple noodlings and sometimes-vapid lyrics of 'The Listening' are long gone. That's not to say that her sophomore record is any less fun and catchy, but these songs feel incredibly developed and honest. The lush synth textures and masterful choruses turn 'Siberia' into a frankly fantastic record, with the music flexing and crescendoing perfectly to match the mood. When the choruses swell up in the many late-album highlights, it's honestly astonishing--but that's not to say the more downtempo tracks don't have their moments too. As LIGHTS stretches her voice and production techniques, the music grows far beyond pop music into something truly remarkable, and absolutely wonderful if you're willing to take your music with a spoonful of sugar. Among all of the honestly fantastic pop music to come out this year, 'Siberia' takes the cake for doing the genre perfectly straight-faced and still turning it into a massive accomplishment.
Top tracks: Flux and Flow; Siberia
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17. The Devin Townsend Project - 'Ghost'

Genre: Ambient/Progressive Rock
Country of Origin: Canada
The opening seconds of 'Ghost' might be some of the most stunningly beautiful moments in music. That's the way the album tricks you, though: you think it's just a fantastic opening, but then it turns out the entire damn album is like that. The final album (and one of two released this year) of Devin Townsend's four part genre-spanning project, 'Ghost' sees a man famous for his crazed, tongue-in-cheek metal music calming down and releasing a simply gorgeous record of semi-ambient progressive rock. Flute melodies dance between serene guitar parts with Devin's incredible voice floating above it all. Just about every second of the album is flat-out sublime, and there are few records out there so immediately captivating no matter what mood you're in. The beauty of this album is something almost difficult to comprehend, but it all simply makes sense when you listen to the album--everything just fits into place so perfectly, and all of the different elements and moments combine to make 'Ghost' one of Devin Townsend's best records yet.
Top tracks: Feather; Fly
Listen.

16. Holy Other - 'With U'

Genre: Witch House
Country of Origin: England

Holy Other's warped and twisted pop music is pretty much the perfect reason to take witch house seriously.  His debut EP is a dark, haunting take on atmospheric electronic music, and the chopped up vocal samples and thick, slow beats mesh with the sparse keyboard lines to make it surprisingly hard-hitting. The evil atmospheres of 'With U' complement its brooding textures perfectly to make one of the most emotionally enveloping albums of the year. The way that the samples and melodies build off of each other to create something more is truly stunning, and Holy Other's depressing take on the witch house genre is refreshing and inspiring to the highest degree. Plain and simple, this is an EP everyone should hear.
Top tracks: With U; Know Where
Listen.

15. Balam Acab - 'Wander/Wonder'

Genre: Witch House/Ambient Electronic
Country of Origin: USA
Witch house is a wonderful genre for man reasons, but one of the most interesting is the fact that it is so young that it has barely even begun to really develop limits and definitions. That fact makes it all the more remarkable that on his first full-length album, producer Balam Acab still manages to completely push the boundaries of the genre. 'Wander/Wonder' is a subtle, liquid album boasting immense beats, gorgeous samples and dense textures. The underwater theme of the record is perfectly executed, and it really does feel like you're resting in an underwater cave looking up at that sliver of light depicted on the cover. The way the songs slowly morph and twist into things of such pure beauty is hard to top, and the album really does stun from the very first second. Simply one of the most straight gorgeous albums of the year, full stop.
Top tracks: Welcome; Motion
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14. The Dear Hunter - 'The Color Spectrum (Complete Collection)'

Genre: Progressive Rock
Country of Origin: USA
The Dear Hunter have been pretty damn ambitious over the course of their existence. They are currently halfway through a six-part concept series, and they decided to take a break from that to release no less than nine EPs based on the different colours in the rainbow, with black and white as bookends. With four songs per EP, they manage to keep each 'colour' succinct, yet notable. The sheer scope of the thirty-six songs on display here is remarkable as it is, but the fact that each EP remains distinct from the others and perfectly represents its colour without a single sub-par song in the whole bunch is simply insane. Yes, it's a long, long album, but at no point does 'The Color Spectrum (Complete Collection)' feel like it drags. From the dark electronics of Black through the way that the music slowly evolves from rock to folk over the course of Red, Orange, Yellow, and Green to the minimalistic textures of Blue and the ambient touches of Indigo before closing it all off with the theatrical flourishes of Violet and the epic-yet-subdued finale of White, every single moment of the album is sublime and unique from the last. The 'top tracks' that I provide could never do justice to the scope and mastery of this work, and I can't urge you to go deeper enough into this piece. Not only is it an incredibly interesting and ambitious project, but it is also executed perfectly, and for something this massive, that says it all.
Top tracks: This Body (Black); Progress (Indigo)
Listen.

13. The Weeknd - 'Echoes Of Silence'
Genre: Electronic/R&B
Country of Origin: Canada

The Weeknd opens his third and final release of the year with a cover of a Michael Jackson song. That might seem a bit silly, but the fact is that Abel Tesfaye has the voice to take a song by the King Of Pop and completely outsing him and twist the song into one of the most impressive pieces around. The conclusion to The Weeknd's Balloon Trilogy is easily the darkest part of it, which is remarkable if you've been following it since the beginning. But 'Echoes Of Silence' has everything The Weeknd has become known for since his first release in early 2011, multiplied by twelve. The absolutely jaw-dropping vocals, the hedonistic lifestyle, the dark tones, the almost-evil main character are all here, but so much more so. As Abel's voice soars over the massive beats and synths, the oppressive atmosphere finally begins to close in on the main character as his lifestyle pushes him over the edge. The way that The Weeknd's music twists and turns through the frankly evil pop songs presented on 'Echoes Of Silence' is intense, terrifying, powerful, and huge, and if there's one album which grabs you and amazes you from the first second and refuses to let go until the end, this is it.
Top tracks: D.D.; Next
Listen.

12. The Milk Carton Kids - 'Prologue'

Genre: Folk
Country of Origin: USA
Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan are a pretty special duo. Their debut album as The Milk Carton Kids is not only free, but one of the most truly touching albums of the year. The way their voices and acoustic guitars combine to make one beautiful unified sound is commendable on its own, but the emotions that 'Prologue' stirs up from the very first second make it almost a classic album. It's concise, but not too short, and the album communicates exactly what it sets out to in the half-hour that it's playing. The pure beauty and simplicity of these songs is incredible, but the feelings that they bring up in the listener are almost unparalleled. This is the kind of album that says everything you ever wanted to say, and is pretty much impossible not to relate to. The joy and the sadness contained within The Milk Carton Kids' debut pushes it to the forefront of the folk music scene, and the fact is that 'Prologue' is one of the most human and affecting folk albums of the year, and is absolutely not to be missed.
Top tracks: Michigan; I Still Want A Little More
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11. The Devin Townsend Project - 'Deconstruction'
Genre: Progressive Metal
Country of Origin: Canada
Devin Townsend has always been one of my favourite musicians around. From the crazed metal of Strapping Young Lad to the progressive beauty of pieces like Synchestra, it's hard for me to believe he could really do anything truly wrong. That said, his latest four-album project could easily be his best works yet, spanning all different genres with different sets of musicians on each album. The third album in this project, 'Deconstruction,' really tops them all though--and that says a lot. Finally bringing back HevyDevy's crazy, silly, and intense form of progressive metal, 'Deconstruction' is truly an achievement. Besides the ridiculous amount of big-name guest musicians and vocalists present on the album, the music here is simply incredible. The songs are heavy, powerful, and incredibly creative. The way that the songs grow and climax is stunning, and the massive explosions of sound Devin can create are amazing. The songs on this albums build and change with an urgency that's hard to find in modern music, and the over-the-top choirs and orchestral sections only add to this. This is the kind of record I could ramble on about for hours, from the crazy concept (it's an album that follows a man who travels to Hell to try to find the meaning of the universe, at which point the Devil presents him with a cheeseburger, saying that it is the true meaning of the universe. Too bad it turns out the main character is a vegetarian!) to the incredibly complex instrumentation and emotions that run through it, but suffice it to say that this album is an immense masterpiece, even by Devin Townsend's standards, and no one who even slightly enjoys metal should go without it.
Top tracks: Praise the Lowered; The Mighty Masturbator
Listen.


PART ONE | PART TWO | PART THREE | PART FOUR | PART FIVE