Our top 10 favorite albums of 2011 thus far – Nr. 8

This is our favorite albums of 2011 so far countdown! So just us saying which albums have been doing it for us in the first half year of 2011. I love scouring lists like these as there is so much music coming out I find it impossible to keep track of everything. And these lists indicate what people really have been enjoying, and sometimes you agree, sometimes disagree, and sometimes it tips you on a future favourite. So hence this list, and hope you find some stuff to enjoy in there!

Our previous entrees: Nr. 10 - Nr. 9 

Ilse: Nr. 8. The Mountain Goats – All Eternals Deck (Merge Records)
John Darnielle is definitely one of the most amazing lyrical songwriters of the past two decades and has therefore righteously been compared to poetic veteran musicians like Bob Dylan and Tim Buckley. He is capable of mixing depressing harshness and heartbreak , bringing up not the most cheerful of topics, while at the same remaining witty and at times even hilarious. Apart from this he is also a master of storytelling, drenching his lines in interesting imagery and religious and cultural references. On this record these references comprise of (among others) Liza Minelli, Charles Bronson, Hotel California and Judy Garland. John Darnielle’s voice is remarkably distinctive; at times, this voice is filled with anger, and passionately rages and spits out the songs into your ears. Such as is the case with ‘Estate Sale Sign’. At other times he is more gentle and moderate, and on occasions I’d  even go as far as calling it ‘warm’, especially this record in comparison to his older work. Though ‘All Eternals Deck’ is not as completely mindblowing as ‘Tallahassee’, ‘All Hail West Texas’ or ‘The Sunset Tree’, it’s certainly another solid Mountain Goats album, offering a variety of excessive instrumentation, gripping atmospheres and great storytelling. Yup, Darnielle can definitely keep them coming.

Random track to listen to: ‘Never Quite Free’

Linda: Nr. 8. EMA - Past life martyred saints (Souterrain Transmissions)

I’ve dealt a lot with the EMA this year, so I’m glad they’ve managed to release an album. Unfortunately, the EMA I’ve been dealing with is also known as the European Medicines Agency and not Erika M. Anderson, who is the one that has actually released this beauty. It’s probably for the best though, as I don’t think the EMA are particularly musical and Anderson has already proved herself with her previous band Gowns. Album opener ‘The Grey Ship’ is perhaps the best example of why this is such an amazing solo debut: the tempo changes, the build up, the lush voice, just the right balance between a lo-fi sound and an actual production team. But maybe that was to be expected as her album has been released on the label responsible for Zola Jesus’ European releases (the same one that urged her on to expand her fantastic Stridulum EP to a full album). I like the darkness that looms through most of these tracks, much in the same way as they did on Zola’s EP/single release streak from last year. She might miss out a bit with regards to singing ability in that comparison but she makes up for that by using some interesting song structures and by not being younger than me.

Random track to listen to: 'The Grey Ship'

Stef: Nr. 8. Motor City Drum Ensemble – DJ Kicks (!K7)

Saw this guy play at the SoulDrum night at a local venue here, and he sure knows how to play a good mixture of deepish house tracks without going to deep or minimal, but without succumbing to easy sing-a-longs either. It starts quite vocally with Sun-Ra’s ‘Door to the Cosmos’ and ‘Again’ by Electric Wire Hustle. His African and jazzy influences show especially in the start of the mix. But slowly the beats start protruding, and when they have completely taken over they won’t be letting up any time soon. Some old school house guys come by like Mr. Fingers and Robert Hood, and the middle delivers some deep house. However, out of those depths Motor City Drum Ensemble (aka Danilo Plessow) churns his own L.O.V.E. track. How, amidst all those great artists, he can peak with a track of his own is mind boggling to me, but that track with those vocals is a TUNE. If that drops at Incubate later this year I cannot envision any other image than a crowd going wild. Great beats, great flow, never the easy way out, mixed properly, and a nice eclectic batch of songs and musicians with a great original cut in there as well. Fabulous turn by Motor City Drum Ensemble in the DJ-Kicks line.

Random track to listen to: ‘L.O.V.E.’