TR's music highlights from 2011

Some major changes have taken place in my life in the past few years. Moving to a small town in Tennessee and beginning a career as an Academic Librarian has not allowed me to consume music as voraciously as I did when I was an angst driven grad student. In addition, the way that I consume music is now different. I have gone almost entirely to streaming and only buy the music when I know that I love it. NPR Music, Rdio, Spotify, Pandora and Grooveshark have become the ways that I discover and listen to new things. I live in a town with no good record store and so I am unable to just spend some time browsing album covers and listening. The music industry has undergone a revolution and I have changed with it. In a year when my body has forced me to stop running, stop striving my taste in music has mellowed a bit as well. I have gravitated away from alt-country, alt-rock and indie music and embraced a more subdued electronic sound. In a year in which old favorites like Ryan Adams, The Decemberists, Bright Eyes, Bon Iver, Wilco, Beirut and Iron & Wine released new albums I am somewhat indifferent to most of them. (The Bon Iver record was the exception and actually really good. I was moved by it.) Here are a few of the bright spots for me from 2011.

Julianna Barwick
On Asmathic Kitty, Barwick loops cathedralesque contemplative choral arrangements that inspire and yet calm.  Her album, Magic Place, has been on repeat lately for me. Here is an interview with her.


Aloe Blacc
Technically Blacc's album "Good Things" was released in 2010 but I discovered it this year and have loved the through back Marvin Gay like sound. I normally don't listen to a great deal of hip hop but I actually set this song as my alarm in the mornings so I would wake up smiling.

James Blake 
James Blake's album was my favorite of the year. His sparse electronic arrangements are packed with emotion.  It has been a go to album for me all year long.


Cults
To me The Cults have a fun 80's sound that you can dance to. Their song abducted blew me away when I heard it this year.



Radiohead
The reason that Radiohead is the most important band of my lifetime is that they have constantly progressed and innovated with their music. Thom York can f*&)ing dance as well!



Bon Iver
I really didn't think that Justin Vernon could ever do anything like For Emma Forever Ago. After listening to that album over and over again for all of 2008 I really didn't expect to hear anything from Bon Iver again. This new release was great though! It didn't take me back to a snowy cabin in the woods but rather a more soaring even mature place. Calgary was breathtaking when I first heard it.