Top 30 or So Albums of the First Half of 2011

In no particular order, may I present my favorite albums of the first half of 2011. While these are in no particular order, I will offer up that my top 5 in some order are almost definitely, Kurt Vile, James Blake, Fucked Up, Tuneyards, and Destroyer. Beyond that, it's a real crap shoot. I think it's also pretty safe to say that before the end of the year Beirut's new album and The Rapture's new album will find a pretty lofty perch on the list. Anyway... on to the listing



Shabazz Palaces – Black Up
Bon Iver – Bon Iver
Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Belong
Tuneyards – who kill
Dinosaur Feathers – Fantasy Memorial
Wild Beasts – Smother
White Denim – D
Fucked up – David Comes to Life
Cults – Cults
Tyler the Creator – Goblin
Tennis – Cape Dory
Telekinesis – Twelve Desperate Straight Lines
Smith Westerns – Dye it Blonde
Mountain Goats – All Eternals Deck
Rural Alberta Advantage – Departing
Okkervil River – I am Very Far
Low Anthem – Smart Flesh
Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring for my Halo
James Blake – James Blake
J. Mascis – Several Shades of Why
The Weeknd - House of Balloons
Fresh and Onlys – Play it Strange
Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
Destroyer – Kaputt
Decemberists – The King is Dead
Cut Copy – Zonoscope
John Maus – We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
Holy Ghost – Holy Ghost
Battles – Gloss Drop
Gil Scott Heron/Jamie XX – We’re New Here
Yuck – Yuck
Young Galaxy - Shapeshifting