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23Dec/110

Best Albums of 2011

I'm still an avid music buyer. Whether it's in my preferred format of CD, my emerging choice of vinyl when available or the last resort of digital, I've come across a lot of albums in 2011. This particular list is always the most challenging to compile at the end of the year because it usually involves me having had listened to a lot of music. Not even just listen to it but get to know the songs that make up these collections. The end result is a top 30 based on the records that I've heard, first of all. But those that I've listened to the most, enjoyed the most and most anticipate enjoying again into the future.
Unlike previous year's lists (which you can find here), this year's final 30 consist only of albums that I got in 2011. Some were released in 2010 but were otherwise new to me this year so there are no holdovers from last year. Had there been, I would have included Robyn, Ray LaMontagne and Nicki Minaj, among others on this list.
These are the 30 albums added to my collection this year that make up my favourite music of 2011.

#30

Serena Ryder - Live

Serena Ryder releases a lot of energy with the strength of her voice that a studio recording is unable to fully capture. Her Live EP contains a few key performances that shows her incredible vocals including All For Love and Little Bit Of Red. There's also a new studio recording with fellow vocal powerhouse Melissa Etheridge to top it off.

#29

Bad Meets Evil - Hell: The Sequel

Blazing out more rhymes and verses with Eminem but this time he's not alone. Royce da 5'9" holds his own on this record and a lot of the time actually steals the spotlight from Eminem.

#28

Jenn Grant - Honeymoon Punch

Jenn's newest record takes the higher ground as she shows a happier side, complete with additional electro undertones on many of the album's more upbeat tracks.

#27

KT Tunstall - Live At The Wiltern

An awesome setlist makes up this live recording made exclusive to iTunes. The better halves from KT's first two records are present here for a great mix of fun live music. Read my review here.

#26

Lucinda Williams - Blessed

The Godmother of the broken heart can finally mend hers on her newest record. Lucinda is feeling Blessed with this collection of songs that hold her signature sound but show that she's as pleased as we are.

#25

Serena Ryder & The Beauties - EP

Just four songs, all covers, from this collaborative record between Serena Ryder and Toronto band The Beauties. They take a chance at doing Kylie Minogue's Slow, Jordin Sparks' No Air, Hank Williams' Ramblin' Man and a particularly wonderful cover of the Band of Horses' The Funeral.

#24

Gavin DeGraw - Sweeter

Providing much of what made his first album sweet with a dash of the second record's slightly rockier sound results in this pop/rock record from Gavin DeGraw that everyone can relate to in some way. Read my review here.

#23

Kelly Clarkson - Stronger

Stronger builds on Kelly's last album with more power pop anthems and signature ballads. A few key tracks on this record may stand the test of time where most of the record likely won't but Stronger is a good pop album. Read my review here.

#22

Jack's Mannequin - People And Things

Delivering the same style of lighter rock in the vain of the lack two albums, Jack's Mannequin is dependable for filling that niche between the need for something lighter that still counts as rock but that doesn't quite qualify as pop.

#21

Blue October - Any Man In America

Providing accounts of real life from the last couple of years, Any Man In America is a sort-of concept album representing fathers who's children have been taken from them. The songs represent different scenarios along the timeline from custody battles to promising to always be there. Read my review here.

#20

Chemical Brothers - Soundtrack: Hanna

One of the strongest aspects of Hanna was in the backdrop with the score. The music, provided by the Chemical Brothers, helped to emphasize the scenes perfectly and build the anticipation and intensity with ease.

#19

Avril Lavigne - Goodbye Lullaby

Departing the saucy bratty persona of her last album for the most part, Avril Lavigne combines the sounds of her first two records for Goodbye Lullaby, resulting in a nice mixture of the catchy melodies from Let Go with the themes like those from Under My Skin. Read my review here.

#18

Hey Rosetta! - Seeds

Further developing their own place on Canada's music scene, Seeds presents the sound of Hey Rosetta as being unmistakably their own. They move beyond the standard east-coast sound by implementing instruments that aren't traditionally associated with rock including their use of strings with very pleasant results.

#17

Kate Maki - Moonshine

Kate Maki once again proves you don't need high-tech equipment and computer software to capture musical magic. Kate and her band record live off the floor in the house with the result being great country ballads and jamming tunes. Read my review here.

#16

Nicole Atkins - Mondo Amore

Imagery supported by dark layers of music and Nicole's haunting voice reverberate through the headphones while this record plays. Mondo Amore is chilling, sometimes intense, sometimes sad but there's never a dull moment with Nicole Atkins. Read my review here.

#15

Tony Bennett - Duets II

If there's one thing Tony Bennett is capable of on Duets II is his ability to bring out the best in all of the vocalists he duets with on this record. Singers one might not expect to be able to deliver alongside this legendary crooner surprise even the biggest doubter. Read my review here.

#14

Whitehorse - Whitehorse

Husband and wife collaborate musically by contributing songs, singing and playing together on this roots/rock album. Both bring out the best in each other as they emphasize their best qualities on these recordings. Read my review here.

#13

Brandi Carlile - Live At Benaroya Hall

It's amazing how fresh and interesting a symphony can make familiar songs sound. Brandi Carlile with the Seattle Symphony are together doing songs from her last two albums and a few covers including an awesome one of Sixty Years On (Elton John). It's the recreations of her own songs that sound so natural though like Pride And Joy and Before It Breaks. Read my review here.

#12

Amy Winehouse - Lioness: Hidden Treasures

If there's one thing this collection of songs by Amy Winehouse showcases is that she was authentically talented throughout her entire short recording career. From the recordings that preceded her first record to the most recent ones, her vocals were spot on and eased the soul and life that she lived. Read my review here.

#11

Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

Never having been ones to give up the sound that made them one of rock's more reliable bands, the Foo Fighters further emphasized their recording process with Wasting Light. Despite the waning of rock music in recent years, they continue to rock on with one of the year's best albums. Rock lives! Read my review here.

#10

Lissie - Catching A Tiger

Lissie blends a lot of the sounds that make up many other great singers and bands into this one album. There are hints of folk, pop, country and rock on Catching A Tiger. Read my review here.

#9

Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch The Throne

Without saying that everything Kanye touches is gold, Watch The Throne is gold. Right from the album cover down to the music that emits from the speakers. Haunting classic rhythm & blues samples, middle eastern influences and sharing the spotlight with Jay-Z all make for a strong rap record. Read my review here.

#8

Lindi Ortega - Little Red Boots

Flying under the radar with a great country record reminiscent of greats like Dolly and Emmylou. Little Red Boots is hopefully just the beginning for Lindi Ortega, who sounds like she lives and breathes country music judging by the album's versatile tracks. Read my review here.

#7

Decemberists - The King Is Dead

Adopting more of a traditional folk rock sound on The King Is Dead, featuring backing vocals by Gillian Welsh on many of the tracks, the Decemberists come out with a much more easy-to-digest album that might be their best one yet. Read my review here.

#6

Sarah Slean - Land & Sea

Two discs, one consisting of Sarah's signature piano pop with production by Joel Plaskett, and one placing her intricate songwriting over a classical backing. Each disc accentuates two of Sarah's strong points, the imagery in her writing and catchy melodies, and they meet with her vocals. Read my review here.

#5

Lori McKenna - Lorraine

I lied about having no carryovers from last year's list. Lori McKenna did have a placement in last year's Top 30 but Lorraine was officially released in January 2011. The album contains striking lyrics that offer perspective during specific periods of life, death and family. Read my review here.

#4

Catherine MacLellan - Silhouette

Catherine MacLellan expanded on her folk sound from her previous record by building on her ability to create memorable melodies and mixing them with more developed and detailed recordings. She does this without sacrificing those aspects that made her previous recordings so wonderful. Read my review here.

#3

Lady GaGa - Born This Way

No matter how polarizing Lady GaGa is, Born This Way will become a standard of music marketing for years to come, both with what can be done during promotion and perhaps what not to do. Even if the record failed to live up to its nearly impossible expectations, the message and delivery is still impossible to ignore. Lyrically simplistic but musically fascinating, Born This Way has many qualities that make it a fantastic record. It and some of its songs will eventually be placed within the contexts of pop culture and music history. Read my review here.

#2

Adele - 21

The year's biggest success story comes in the form of one first name: Adele. 21 is an album of heartbreak that has broken records and received monumental amounts of attention since its release in early 2011. Her strongest point is with her vocals that can show off what she needs to fully reveal the meaning behind the lyrics. Each song on the record has the potential to become its own individual classic not unlike albums like Tapestry and Rumours. Read my review here.

#1

Florence & The Machine - Ceremonials

Trying to find anything against Ceremonials is a difficult task. Detailed production, flawless vocals, songs that work together as a cohesive record yet can also stand alone as distinct individual tracks. In a year where the best record was tough to choose, the final choice goes to the one that has the most consistency and fewest flaws. Ceremonials is an instant classic and may provide the basis for the next era of mainstream pop music. Read my review here.

Tagged as: 2011, best of, charts, lists, Music, year in review, yearend No Comments

22Dec/111

Best Movies of 2011

I have never considered myself a big movie buff...ever. While I haven't changed this year, I have actually seen enough movies this year to justify being even partially excited about the upcoming award season, especially the Oscars. Until then, the best of the year in movies are being revealed in lists from critics and blogs all over the internet. Having had seen and reviewed a lot of movies this year, I feel like I can come up with such a list of my own.

While I'm not a huge fan of movies, I do typically enjoy what is put in front of me. This year, I've been able to develop a bit of a critical eye when it comes to what I'm watching. I know when I like something or when I don't. I've been able to narrow down all of the films I've seen this year down to the ten best movies of 2011 and they are as follows:

10.

Puss In Boots

Creative qualities and witty lines that make up the basis of a familiar storyline with one of the Shrek franchise's most memorable characters, Puss In Boots.
In a year void of a good Pixar film, DreamWorks delivers well to fill that with the year's top animation. (read my review here)

9.

Super 8

While the promotion leading up to the release of this anticipated J.J. Abrams/Steven Spielberg production was a bit misleading, the end result was a good film showing the value of friendship despite growing tension based on the odd events occurring.
"Super 8 is a beautifully filmed movie with gentle visual movements despite the growing apprehension of the events building up around them." (read my review here)

8.

The Muppets

Taking the original well-known and beloved characters from their heyday and placing them in today's culture without sacrificing the unique personalities each character is known for. The Muppets win at providing an account of "where are they now?" using them as the celebrities they once were presented in the same form that made them popular in the first place. (read my review here)

7.

Beginners

Provides evidence for how nostalgia and holding on to the past can influence actions of the present and future.
The Beginners intimately tells the story of the final memories of Oliver's father's lively final years and his coming out to him at age 75. (read my review here)

6.

The Debt

The Debt gives many different levels of imprisonment, both in the common sense of the word during the capture of a Nazi doctor, and the resulting forms of being prisoner to secrets and lies that get carried through time. (read my review here)

5.

Hugo

One of the more spectacular images on film this year are presented in the detailed visuals of Hugo.
"You're no longer merely watching the movie on the screen, you're experiencing it firsthand." (read my review here)

4.

Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows: Part 2

The end of an era. The final chapter of the final part in 7-part epic story of Harry Potter. While not as strong as the first half of the Deathly Hallows, this film gives a more-than-suitable conclusion of the tales in Hogwarts. (read my review here)

3.

Hanna

Hanna is a sharp film with an interesting style of presentation. Purposeful comedic scenes, suspenseful chase scenes, sensitive moments between Hanna and her father Erik and great action. A fascinating and captivating movie that follows Hanna from her home in the middle of a Finnish forest to civilization. (read my review here)

2.

The Help

For a film to walk so many fine lines with the issues involving race and history, The Help tells its story with tact without pushing the focus too far in either unwanted direction. (read my review here)

Bridesmaids Poster

1.

Bridesmaids

Hands down, Bridesmaids the funniest film of the year and deserving of a place amongst the funniest films of all time. Kristen Wigg is one of Saturday Night Live's strongest actors in years and her first major role outside of the late-night scene proves that she's more than a wonky five-minute character. In addition to Kristen as the strong lead, there's also an equally strong supporting cast. The one-two-three punch, scene after scene, provides constant laughs, not only the first time seeing the movie, but the second, third and fourth time. (read my review here)

Tagged as: 2011, Beginners, best of, Bridesmaids, charts, Hanna, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Hugo, lists, Movies, Puss In Boots, Super 8, The Debt, The Help, The Muppets, year in review, yearend 1 Comment

21Dec/110

Best Songs of 2011

Every year I compile a list of songs that I think best represents the year from my perspective. The songs that make up this list do so if I think they're very well written, are irresistible ear worms, had a major impact in music or pop culture, hold some sentimental personal value or simply because I just really liked them. It's difficult to actually order them based on so many different criteria but like every other year, I manage to do it. The end result is a mix of genres, generations, living status and popularity.
In this list there are songs from the late Amy Winehouse, singer/rapper Nicki Minaj and Florence Welsh. Locals from Canada's East Coast Hey Rosetta, Jenn Grant and Catherine MacLellan. Some of my reliable favourites Sarah Slean, Sondre Lerche and Imogen Heap. And of course, Lady GaGa and Adele.
These aren't necessarily all my favourite songs but the ones that I think help to define the year in some way, therefore the ones that make up the Top 50 Best Songs of 2011.

Body And Soul by Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse is #44

50. Jenn Grant - Getcha Good

49. Teddybears & Robyn - Cardiac Arrest

48. Imogen Heap - Lifeline

47. The Band Perry - If I Die Young

46. Avril Lavigne - Push

45. Beady Eye - The Roller

44. Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse - Body And Soul

43. Lucinda Williams - Seeing Black

42. Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks

Red Flags by Sondre Lerche is #38

41. Lloyd featuring André 3000 & Lil'Wayne - Dedication To My Ex (Miss That)

40. Brandi Carlile - Sixty Years On

39. Mumford & Sons - The Cave

38. Sondre Lerche - Red Flags

37. Katy Perry & Kanye West - E.T.

36. Blue October - The Feel Again (Stay)

35. Amy Winehouse - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?

34. Decemberists - All Arise!

Change The Sheets by Kathleen Edwards is #29

33. Robyn - Call Your Girlfriend

32. Adele - Rolling In The Deep

31. Marina & The Diamonds - Shampain

30. Lissie - Cuckoo

29. Kathleen Edwards - Change The Sheets

28. Britney Spears - Till The World Ends

27. Sarah Slean - Amen

26. Nicki Minaj - Super Bass

25. Kings Of Leon - Back Down South

24. Kate Maki - Golden Thorns

23. Röyksopp - I Wanna Know

The Decemberists are #34 and #13

22. Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs - New York City's Killing Me

21. Florence & The Machine - Seven Devils

20. Lori McKenna - The Luxury Of Knowing

19. The Chemical Brothers - The Devil Is In The Details

18. Grouplove - Tongue Tied

17. Nicole Atkins - My Baby Don’t Lie

16. Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa - Well, Well

15. Caro Emerald - That Man

14. Lady GaGa - Scheiße

New Day by Jay-Z and Kanye West is #12

13. Decemberists - This Is Why We Fight

12. Jay-Z & Kanye West - New Day

11. Catherine MacLellan - Stealin'

10. Hey Rosetta! - Welcome

9. Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs - For The Summer

8. Florence & The Machine - What The Water Gave Me

7. Catherine MacLellan - Eastern Girl

6. Lady GaGa - The Edge Of Glory

5. Lori McKenna - That's How You Know

4. Adele - Someone Like You

3. Martin Solveig & Dragonette - Hello

2. Adele - Don't You Remember

1. Lady GaGa - Born This Way

Tagged as: 2011, best of, charts, lists, Music, year in review, yearend No Comments

20Dec/110

2011 in Review: coming all week

With the year coming to a close, I have a whole slew of posts coming this week to account for the end of the year and a review of some of what shaped the year. As I mentioned a few entries back, I generally love this time of year when reading newspapers and blogs and looking back on what happened over the last 12 months. Lists, photos, figures, etc. It's fun!

Last year on this blog, I dedicated a few entries to various year-in-review articles. This year, I'm doing the same. The blog entries will be posted over the next couple of days with my picks for the Top 50 Songs of the year to be posted tomorrow afternoon, December 21st. Top 10 Best Movies of the year will come the day after, December 22nd. I also have a list of my favourite albums of the year and a few entries involving news, entertainment and for those interested in the person behind the blog, some personal reflections on the year as well.