My favorite music of 2011 (68 albums, but who's counting?)

Those readers who are patiently waiting for the "Best Books I Read in 2011..." post (and I hope they are countless in number), will not have to wait much longer; it will be up on Ignatius Insight tomorrow. But, first, let's strike up the band, pick a tune, and tap our toes.

Back in early August, I listed a number of new CDs that had caught my listening ear in 2011. Now I'm ready to wrap up 2011 with a listing of favorite music from the entire year, drawn from a decent-sized tub of tunes (that can expand, of course, if listeners will only   

I've already written a post about my favorite CD of the year, Burlap to Cashmere, which continues to hold that place of honor. Here are my other picks, roughly categorized by genre and according to the whims of my musician-wanna-be heart.

Jazz:

• "James Farm" by Joshua Redman, Aaron Parks, Matt Penman, Eric Harland. My pick for best jazz CD of the year. Redman has long been a favorite, and Parks is an astounding young pianist. Highly recommended.

• "Personalities" by Fabian Almazan. Another top jazz pick for the year. Wonderfully produced and inventive music from the young Cuban-American pianist/composer.

• "Across The Way" by Brad Shepik Quartet. Exceptional, tasteful jazz guitar that is soothing but never saccharine.

• "Songs of Mirth and Melancholy" by Branford Marsalis & Joey Calderazzo. Telepathic horn and piano duets from two of the best players (saxophone and piano, respectively) working today.

• Three Stories" by Eldar Djangirov. A piano virtuoso shows he has both artistry and technique. Sometimes a bit over the top, but always in a good way.

• "The Lost and Found" by Gretchen Parlato. Delicate, shaded singing, with artistry to spare. Her version of "Holding Back the Years" is quite stunning.

• "Caribbean Rhapsody" by James Carter. An ambitious and rousing meeting of jazz and classical. Carter's organ trio also released a new CD, which is getting good reviews, but I've not gotten to it yet.

• "Voice" by Hiromi. More dazzling, high-spirited keyboard magic by the dimunitive virtuoso.

• "Faithful" by Marcin Wasilewski. One of the finest, most erudite piano trios performing today. Lyrical purity.

• "Skala" by Mathias Eick. Another excellent ECM release, something of a Scandinavian neo-fusion album; recommended for those who claim they don't like jazz!

• "When the Heart Emerges Glistening" by Ambrose Akinmusire. A strong, expressive release by the young trumpet player.

• "Seven Seas" by Avishai Cohen. An intriguing, winsome mixture of Israeli songs and propulsive chamber jazz.

• "Bird Songs" by Joe Lovano Us Five. Lovano can play anything, and he always does so with originality and a deep respect for the tradition, in this case, the work and person of Charlie Parker.

• "'round Midnight" by Karrin Allyson. Allyson has a deft touch but her voice has just enough darkness to dig into the mournful edges of these songs. Perfect for late night listening, as the title indicates.

• "In the Moonlight" by Sophie Milman. Milman's voice is smooth and silky yet with a knowing toughness that belies her age. One of the best jazz vocalists around today. Exceptional album.

• "The Good Feeling" by Christian McBride Big Band, and "Ron Carter's Great Big Band" by (who else?) Ron Carter. Carter is one of the greatest bass players ever, having appeared on dozens of great (and several classic) releases over the past five decades. McBride is arguably the finest bass player of his generation, working in all sorts of settings since the early 1990s. Recommended for anyone who loves big bands with a modern flair.

• "Rio" by Keith Jarrett. Whereas some of Jarrett's recent live solo albums have been filled with abstract and sometimes dense, difficult workouts, this harkens back to his early '70s albums, incorporating elements of country and gospel, resulting a far more joyful, engaging album.

• "A Moment's Peace" by John Scofield. One of jazz's most versitile guitarists claimed that until recently he couldn't play ballads well or correctly. He surely can now, as this gorgeous, reflective album proves many times over.

• "Rocket Science" by Bela Fleck & The Flecktones. Who knew that jazz this fresh, wild, tight, and wide-ranging could be based around a banjo?

Singer/Songwriter/Eclectic and Sometimes Eccentric Type of Stuff:
 
• "Live At Benaroya Hall With The Seattle Symphony" by Brandi Carlile. A big voice that ranges from sweet to snarling as few can. We saw her in concert in August, and it was a raucous, grinning delight. 

• "Barton Hollow" by The Civil Wars. Outstanding harmonies and songwriting from Joy Williams and John Paul White about life and love (the "civil wars" refers to romantic relationships). One of the year's best.

• "100 Lovers" by Devotchka. Balkan music meets American folk. In Denver. Often haunting, sometimes epic, and always good.

• "Spark" by Alain Johannes. A relatively short but nearly perfect album of acoustic songs that celebrate the life and mourn the death of Johannes late wife, Natasha Shneider.

• "Follow Me Down" by Sarah Jarosz. Exceptional neo-bluegrass; contains a really fine version of Radiohead's "The Tourist".

• "Hard Bargain" by Emmylou Harris. One of the most great American voices in top form in a hushed, dusky performance.

• "Love & War & The Sea In Between" by Josh Garrels. An eclectic Christian artist who avoids clichés and evades classification, with elements of folk, jazz, rock, blues, and (gasp) rap.

• "A Creature I Don't Know" by Laura Marling. A superbly-crafted sleeper by a very young English folk singer/guitarist who writes and plays well beyond her years.

• Chris Isaak, "Beyond the Sun". A spirited and downright fun homage to the early Sun records, recorded live in the famous Memphis studio where Elvis, Johnny Cash, and company made music history. 

• "Seeds We Sow" by Lindsey Buckingham. I've never been much of a fan of Fleetwood Mac, but have found Buckingham's solo work much more intriguing. This is no exception, with Buckingham's unique guitar playing and quirky, intense songwriting at the fore.

• "Ashes & Fire" by Ryan Adams. I either really like or really dislike Adams' albums. I thought his previous release, "III/IV", was shoddy and unfocused. This is a fine return to form, and Adams has never sounded better vocally.

• "Stranger Me" by Amy LaVere. Quirky. Catchy. Twangy. Strange. Did I mention quirky? Definitely file under "somewhat warped music that facilitates toe tapping and head bobbing".

• "Alela Diane & Wild Divine" by Alela Diane. Songs of longing tinged with country and folk but resisting easy classification, sung with confident understateness.


A Little Bit of Pop:

• "Best Of Vegas" by Frank Sinatra. A compilation of Sinatra from the '60s in Sin City. Do I really need to explain how good this is? No, of course not.

• "Music Is Better Then Words" by Seth MacFarlane. I never thought I'd like this album of Capitol-era Sinatra-influenced tunes by the creator of "Family Guy". I'm happy (and rather stunned) to say it is one of the best releases of the year.

• "21" by Adele. Not my usual cup of tea, but what a voice! Probably the most commercially successful album on my list, but there's no shame in that, especially when the music is this good.

• "Covers 80's" by Duncan Sheik. I was suspicious, but it works. Really well. Sheik gets to the quiet and substantive heart of hits such as "Shout" and "Hold Me Now", with revealing results.

• "LP1" by Joss Stone. A stripped down singer-songwriter-oriented album that is most agreeable, especially if you like Stone's raspy, reaching vocals as much as I do.

• "Destroyed" by Moby. His strongest, most melodic effort in several years. Featuring numerous washes of cascading synth, plenty of electronic beats, and slightly detached, icy vocals.

• "Mylo Xyloto" by Coldplay. I didn't want to like this album, especially when it features an annoying duet with Rihanna ("Princess Of China"). Yet the rest of the CD is, as my sister rightly noted, the perfect album for a long drive on open roads.

• "Ceremonies" by Florence + The Machine. The word that comes to mind is "anthemic". Big production, big vocals, big hooks. If you like big, you'll like this sophomore effort.

• "Hymns from Nineveh" by Hymns from Nineveh. This Danish group creates self-described "devotional folkpop", with songs "of longing and doom, songs of joy and despair, faith and agony". One of the best of 2011.

• "Modern Love" by Matt Nathanson. This talented singer/songwriter has more hooks than a professional fly fisher. But Nathanson songs are more than just catchy as his lyrics go above and beyond the usual fare.

Moving on to Prog and Strange Rock!

• "Grace For Drowning" by Steven Wilson. My pick for best prog album of the year. Widely acclaimed as Wilson's finest solo work, this album uses the entire sonic spectrum, from hard to soft, dark to light, pensive to anguished. Stunning.

• "Ursus" by Albatros. I can't speak to the lyrical content as I don't speak or understand Spanish, but the sound is unique (in part because of the foreign language) and fresh, driven by exceptional guitar work.

• "Weightless" by Animals As Leaders. Speaking of exceptional guitar playing, the freakishly talented Tosin Abasi has made yet another album of music that is equally hard, sophisticated, and melodic.

• "Revolu$ion" by Nemo. Adventurous, energetic French (that's right—I don't dislike everything French) prog-rock with great guitar work.

• "The Color Spectrum" by The Dear Hunter. It's difficult to classify this group, headed by Casey Crescenzo. Let's just say that it covers a lot of group: alternative, emo, progressive, pop, electronic, folk, and country. No joke. And it's all good.

• "The Ground Cries Out" by Jeff Martin. The brooding singer/guitarist, tears into new material that sounds quite a bit like his former band, The Tea Party, which is just fine by me. Think Jim Morrison meets Led Zep meets lots of Middle Eastern influences.

• "Impressions" by Lunatic Soul. An interesting change of pace by the Polish group. True to its name, this album is a collection of heavily electonic, impressionistic pieces that vary from songs to aural studies.

• "Road Salt Two" by Pain of Salvation. "Road Salt One" has some fine moments, but this is a far more cohesive and less grim outing. Daniel Gildenlöw continues to prove that is one of prog's premiere vocalists and song writers.

• "Moments From Ephemeral City" by Caligula's Horse. First, that's a great band name. Secondly, that's a good album title. Third, the music is just as inventive and attention-grabbing. Finally, the 12-minutes song "Alone in the World" is one of my favorite songs of the year. Check it out!

• "Odd Soul" by MuthMath. Still processing this release, which is a definite change of pace for this talented band. Funky, soulful, raw, and sprawling.

• "Lover's End", by Moon Safari. How, exactly, to describe the music of this Swedish group? It has elements of prog (notably, an early Yes influence), but at times sounds like the Beach Boys. The vocal harmonies are stunning, and the songs have a sunny quality that is not found in many other places.

The Good Stuff That Fits Nowhere Else:

Some of the following weren't released in 2011 (when not from 2011, I note the year). Many of these picks don't fit in the categories above. All of them have something going for them.

• "The Seven Last Words, Op.51", by Haydn, performed by the Emerson String Quartet (2004). I listen to this on a regular basis; it is one of the most sublime pieces of music ever written.

• "His Love Remains" by Collin Raye. A beautiful album of Catholic songs by a signer in top vocal form. It's to Raye's credit that the more modern hymns do not sound saccharine or tepic (as they often do at Masses).

• "Ghost On The Canvas" by Glen Campbell. The (reportedly) last album to be produced by Campbell, who is suffering from Parkinson's. A really moving, often gut-wrenching, album by one of the final pop/rock vocalists of his generation.

• "50 Words For Snow" by Kate Bush. A very muted, slow-moving, and delicate album that reveals its depths slowly. Bush has always charted her own course, and it's always worth seeing where she is and where she is going.

• "Lady & Gentlemen" by Leann Rimes. I've paid little attention to Rimes' music over the years. However, this is the sort of mature, confident country music that deserves a listen. Rimes is a stunning vocalists who not only hits the notes but inhabits the lyrics.

• "Live On I-5" by Soundgarden. Actually recorded in 1996. Grunge at its live best. Raw, sometimes dark, and powerful. But also very much anti-rock, in its own weird way, as Cornell and crew seem far more intent on attacking their fears and demons than being rock gods.

• "Songbook" by Chris Cornell. Yes, there is the voice, which is unbelievable. But here's the little secret that people are just starting to acknowledge: Cornell is one of the best songwriters and lyricists of the past twenty years. And this stripped-down set (just Cornell and a guitar) demonstrates that in spades.

• "Anna Calvi" by Anna Calvi. Think female Jeff Buckley. This is not an "on the fence" album; listeners either hate it for being supposedly pretentious and affected, or like for being audacious and, well, audacious. I'm in the latter camp.

• "Mind Bokeh" by Bibio. Electonic pop of the highest order. What? Don't think such a thing exists? It does! Neither deep or life-changing, but perfect for a summer day.

• "The Majestic Silver Strings" by Buddy Miller. If you like traditional music, this is one for you. A trip through the past with the diverse and restless guitarist/vocalist.

• "Fathers Be Kind" (EP) by Ivan & Alyosha. This folksy group from Seattle combines a bit of Beatles with a Northwest vibe, making for great singalong tunes that have a palpale sense of joy and humor.

• "A Tri-Fi Christmas" by Tri-Fi. My favorite new Christmas CD of the year, by a jazz trio that finds the perfect balance between respect for traditional songs and classy improvisation.

• "An Appalachian Christmas" by Mark O'Connor. The prolific fiddling genius (yes, he's a genius) is joined by a host of friends for a tasteful, bluegrass-flecked Christmas album.

• "That's All" by Mel Torme (1959). The more I listen to Torme, the more I'm convinced that he'll never be given his proper due. This is one of his greatest albums (which is saying something). His breezy "I've Got You Under My Skin" and the plaintive, soaring "Hang On To Me" are worth the price admission alone.

Comments

[Peter l]

You certainly know and love your Jazz.I never really gave Jazz a try to be honest,i just never seemed to come across it much.Hmmm.

Adele is a breath of fresh air and i am glad to see the beautiful and talented Joss Stone get's a mention,she has a cracking voice.Her single "Gotta right to be wrong" came on the radio one day and i thought,who is this singer,brilliant.

[Paul H]

Hi Carl,

As always, I enjoy reading your musical lists. And as always, I don't know how you find the time to digest so much new music!

I find that I have only seven releases from 2011, and several of those were free downloads from www.livephish.com. The three that I actually paid for are the following:

Kurt Elling - The Gate: A very good jazz vocal album, though not Elling's best in my opinion. (Still very much worth getting though, if you like jazz vocalists.)

Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers - Rare Bird Alert: Steve Martin still may be a better actor than a musician, but nevertheless he is a pretty darn good musician, and a good songwriter. It also helps that he is working with a great band. All in all this is a nice bluegrass album, though some of their live performances are even more impressive, such as this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VkGWPlK_A8

Yes - Fly from Here: This is an interesting album by Yes. It is only the second album they have ever recorded without lead vocalist Jon Anderson, the first one being 1980's Drama. So it is appropriate that this album features nearly the same line-up as Drama, and features at least one unreleased song from the Drama sessions. It lacks some of the intensity of Drama, and it also lacks some of the proggy goodness that Jon Anderson brings, but it is worth a few listens. I would say it is a good album for serious Yes fans, but others probably should pass.

[Fr. Bryan]

Take Care, Take Care, Take Care, by Explosions in the Sky was pretty wonderful if you like instrumental post-rock.