top ten albums of 2011

This year’s list was one of the toughest I’ve ever compiled — most of the bands I follow released an album and almost all of them were top-notch.

Anyways, here’s my pick for the top ten albums of 2011:

10. All Things Bright and Beautiful - Owl City / Listen on Spotify

I don’t care what anyone says, Owl City is great. Maybe not the deepest or most artistic music on this list, but just good. Definitely got a ton of plays this summer and is one of the more infectious albums on this list.

Favorite tracks: “Deer in the Headlights,” “Galaxies,” “The Yacht Club”

9. Codes And Keys - Death Cab for Cutie / Listen on Spotify

Codes And Keys was one of the most anticipated albums on this list since it’s the first release since 2008’s Narrow Stairs (and notably lighter in subject matter than most of their other releases). Great album from start to finish.

Favorite tracks: “Doors Unlocked and Open,” “You Are a Tourist,” “Underneath the Sycamore”

8. Ghosts Upon The Earth -Gungor / Listen on Spotify

Amazing, fresh perspective on worship. Fully orchestrated and perfectly listened to from track one to track twelve. Definitely one of the most intricate albums on this list and fully deserving of its Grammy nomination.

Favorite tracks: Tough, since it’s best listened to as a full album (most on this list are anyways), but probably “Crags and Clay,” “This Is Not the End,” and “Every Breath”

7. Mylo Xyloto - Coldplay

No surprise that this is on the list, but it’s really, really good. In my opinion, way better than Viva la Vida. With Brian Eno producing, some of these songs have the hugest sound of any Coldplay songs ever. Awesome. It’ll be a classic.

Favorite tracks: “Paradise,” “Charlie Brown,” “Don’t Let It Break Your Heart”

6. Be Lifted High - Bethel Live / Listen on Spotify

If I had to pick an album on this list that had the most effect on me throughout the entire year, this would be it. Seriously, one of my favorite worship albums ever. There are so many prayers and anthems of praise on here that strike a chord.

Favorite tracks: All of them.

5. Vice Verses -Switchfoot / Listen on Spotify

Honestly, from this (number five) down to number one, everything’s tied in my mind. It was tough to determine these. Vice Verses is the definitive Switchfoot record and a great follow up to 2009’s Hello Hurricane (although, I still like that album better than this one). Huge guitars, lyrics in the vein of Hello Hurricane, and an awesome flow from song to song. This release was definitely a huge highlight (and even better with the accompanying Hello Hurricane Live album).

Favorite tracks: “The War Inside,” “Restless,” “Rise Above It”

4. Odd Soul - Mutemath / Listen on Spotify

So sick. This album rocks more than any other on this list. So, so much more solid than 2009’s Armistice. I had the chance to see them perform most of it live on the Odd Soul Introduction Tour this fall — their show never gets old, even after seeing them three times in the past few years. Really like the subject matter on this album too — real and honest.

Favorite tracks: Really tough, but “Blood Pressure,” “All Or Nothing,” and “In No Time”

3. Major/Minor -Thrice / Listen on Spotify

This album completely surprised me. I didn’t think Thrice could top 2009’s Beggars, but I think this does. Just as straightforward as Beggars in structure and lyrical content, but with more of the edge of some of their older albums. So good. And it’s definitely been one of the most influential non-worship albums for me this year. Dustin Kensrue’s lyrics tie his faith in Christ into the music really uniquely and the themes of this album really met me where I was this year.

Favorite tracks: “Promises,” “Cataracts,” “Listen Through Me” (but they’re all awesome)

2. Economy - John Mark McMillan / Listen on Spotify

Yet another amazing collection of worship songs with an unconventional and necessary perspective. I had the privilege to hear a lot of the songs on this album live early this year, and the album does not disappoint. Such fresh worship songs on here.

Favorite tracks: “Economy,” “Who Is This,” “Chemicals”

1. Aftermath - Hillsong United / Listen on Spotify

Picking a number one album for this year was super tough. Really, the top five are all the number one album, but this one makes it simply due to the play count it received over the course of the year. I listened to this album more than anything else this year. Awesome worship album with a ton of layered intricacy since it’s a studio release. These songs have been anthems for this year, especially along with Be Lifted High. I also had the chance to finally see United live at the end of the summer — definitely one of the best worship nights I’ve been a part of. There’s nothing quite like singing praises in the midst of thousands of brothers and sisters in Christ.

Favorite tracks: I honestly couldn’t pick a favorite on this one.

RUNNERS UP

Since this year had so many good releases, I couldn’t leave these out. They only barely missed making the list.

5. Kingdom - Micah Massey / Listen on Spotify

I’m biased because a lot of friends of mine played on this album, but it’s great. Definitely check it out. Solid songwriting.

4. Dive - Tycho / Listen on Spotify

So good. Somehow, I hadn’t heard of Scott Hansen’s design work or music until this year, but it’s awesome. Some of the best instrumental electronic music I’ve ever heard.

3. The Great Awakening - Leeland / Listen on Spotify

Really solid album. There are some tracks on here that really have some of the same energy from Sound of Melodies and the album as a whole is more expansive than their past two releases. Leeland’s always been one of my favorite worship artists.

2. Anthem Song - Aaron Gillespie / Listen on Spotify

It’s really cool to see what Aaron Gillespie has done since leaving Underoath a couple years ago, and this album is no exception. Great collection of worship songs.

1. Yearbook -Sleeping at Last / Listen on Spotify

It was a difficult decision to leave this off the top ten list, but it made it last year too. One EP every month for a year. If you haven’t heard any of this, you need to.

HONORABLE MENTION

And yet, there’s more. These are a handful of other 2011 releases that have gotten a lot of plays and are worth recognizing.

(from left to right)

Labor Pains - Sinai Vessel / Newly discovered artist of the year. Seriously, you should check it out. Solid lyrics over great, simply recorded music. Grab a copy from his Bandcamp while it’s free until the end of the year and donate if you like it.

Pala - Friendly Fires / Second only to All Things Bright and Beautiful in catchiness. Such a great album full of retro new wave/dance melodies and tons of (good) pop sensibility (not the top 40 kind…)

Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. - M83 / One of my favorite M83 albums. Expansive and eclectic. In my opinion, better as a whole than Saturdays=Youth.

Emergency - The Ember Days / Great worship album. Tough to beat the Finger Painting EP from last year as far as spontaneous and instrumental worship goes. Still, some of my favorite Ember Days songs and a solid release.

Love, War & The Sea In Between - Josh Garrels / Definitely one of the most eclectic and unique albums in this post. Everything from folk to electronic and rap. You just need to check it out for yourself. He’s giving it away all year on his Bandcamp.

Leveler - August Burns Red / Heavy album of the year, for sure. Right now, probably my favorite album of theirs. The lyrics are solid.

Self-Titled - Deas Vail / A good release, but pales in comparison to the thematic mastery of Birds and Cages. Still worth a purchase for sure. Great music for driving.

Long Story Short - Jonathan David Helser / Another awesome North Carolina-based worship leader. Most of these songs have appeared on earlier releases of his, but these recordings are really great. Some of the most real, pure worship music I’ve heard.

Young Love - Kye Kye / Produced by Eric Owyoung from Future of Forestry. Best electronic worship music I’ve heard.

NOTABLE NON-2011 RELEASES

Finally, these are albums that didn’t come out this year, but got a lot of plays.

Tourist History - Two Door Cinema Club / Can you say infectious?

All The Bright Lights - All The Bright Lights / Number one non-2011 release, easily. Got to see them with John Mark McMillan in March. Awesome.

In Character - Blood and Water / Found out about this band when Bleach announced their reunion tour this year. So good.

The Art of Letting Go - AJ Cheek / Technically both a 2010 and 2011 release, but awesome nonetheless.

Dosage - Collective Soul / Hey, 1999 still sounds good.

TRON: Legacy Official Motion Picture Soundtrack - Daft Punk / One of my favorite soundtracks, for sure.

Glo - Delirious / Rediscovered this album this year. Pretty sure it was underrated for its time.

Twilight - Future of Forestry / Never gets old.

Beautiful Things - Gungor / Nuff said.

Rehab - Lecrae / Represent.

Home - Mike Mains and the Branches / You need to hear this album.

The One and Only - Plankeye / Still rocking like it’s 1998. But seriously, I don’t think I ever appreciated this album as much as I did this year listening to it years later.

Antidotes - Foals / Math rock.

Beggars - Thrice / One of my all-time favorite Thrice albums

Props to you if you made it all the way to the end of this list. Definitely my most exhaustive one to date. Such a good year of music though.

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