Hurts and Azari and III

7. Hurts- Happiness

I have been singing praise for Hurts for a long time, and they finally made a record to make my top 10 list. With this release, the duo finally made my dreams come true. Out of the fog of all of the poseur mediocrity of bands that claim to create 80s/dance/synth pop inspired music, Hurts delivers. It is smart, stylish and actually taps into what the original bands were bringing to the table. Brooding, intelligent, sexy and calculated, they are the true heirs to the best of Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Erasure, Scritti Politti, and Spandau Ballet. But Hurts don't stoop to cheap design and obvious covers. They instead gain my respect through well written songs with excellent production. This is good music made by smart people, who get it.




8. Azari & III- EPs

Much like the 80s poseur bands that Hurts put to shame, Azari and III do the same to most acts trying to claim that they are real house music. Even acts that have put out enjoyable and passable house inspired songs in the last 5 years or so, still miss the mark. There is no sense of urgency, no sex, no snap and no mood. Azari and III have all of the above in excess. Listening to "Manic" for the first time made me ecstatic. It was all of the fun and energy and underlying power of real house music. It was the first record since the first Basement Jaxx record to remind me of how amazing good real house music can be.

The Vaccines and King Krule

5. The Vaccines- What Did you Expect from The Vaccines?

This might be one of my biggest surprises for 2011. I did not expect to enjoy this record anywhere near as much as I did. I figured the initial high of the catchiness of the tunes would be euphoric but short lived. Seeing The Vaccines live also put a dapper on things. Not that they are bad live, but their look and overall demeanor is a bit bland. But in the end, good songwriting will always win out, and compared to most pop/rock records of 2011, this record has the sharpest hooks and tightiest compositions by far.

It seems that as more bands try to churn out "summery west coast surf rock 50s pop," the more inspired this record seems. This is how it's done. It's garage rock, it's the Everly Brothers meets the Kinks, it's the kind of rock music that will never die. It's about youth, love, loss, heartbreak, fun, and it usually comes in a tight 3-minute package. This is how it's supposed to sound.




6. King Krule- King Krule EP
Somehow this record flew under my radar for a few months after it's August release, and barely made it onto this list, but I'm very glad I found it. The best thing about this record is the fact that it sounds like nothing else out there, and is terribly difficult to describe without seemingly short changing it. From one angle, it's a dub inspired paranoid nightmare, from another angle it's a jazz fusion beatnik poetry record with a dash of electronic flourishes. It's an old sound filtered through fresh ears, and hopefully is the start of a new synthesis that will bring even more invention.

Additionally, the lyrics ooze of lost frustrated British youth with too much education/medication and not enough to do. It seems like a great bookend for the last ten or so years with the Streets "Original Pirate Material" at one end and this at the other, as both give people a true sonic representation of the mind of the UK teen right at the moment of their release.

Jamie XX & Gil-Scott Heron and S.C.U.M

3. Jamie XX & Gil-Scott Heron- We're New Here

When I heard the Jamie XX version of the Gil-Scott Heron record, I knew it would be on my top 10 for the year. Not because I immediately enjoyed it, or that I heard big "hits" on it, but mostly because it immediately sounded important. It didn't sound like a gimmick. It didn't sound like a youngster trying to help a "forgotten legend." It sounds like art. Good, meaningful, heartfelt and emotional art, begging to be listened to.

The addition of Jamie XX's production isn't an add on, and GSH's original material is not an afterthought. This is what happens when two extraordinary musicians create something new. (And yes it drives me crazy that Drake uses Take Care of You as a... No, I'm not going to call it a sample because they didn't even do that. It's not a cover, it's not a sample, it's just abuse. And legions of kids are not going to hear this record and instead will think Drake is a genius. There is no justice in the world.)





4. S.C.U.M- Again Into Eyes

First of all, this is the record The Horrors should have made. It is the next progression from the sound the brought on their last record (which ranked very highly in last year's top 10).

Secondly, what makes this record so good, is that it represents perfectly the difference between imitation and inspiration. S.C.U.M have taken the litany of 80s and 90s British goth synth shoe gaze art rock and brought it back to life, but without stumbling over the tropes and signifiers. They look right, they sound right, and they have the perfect attitude about the whole thing. It should serve as a great record for kids who fit the profile and need this as solace in their most frustrating years, but also will serve to remind older people who were there the first time, why they loved this kind of music in the first place. I hope this record inspires a hundred pretenders.

The AEC Top 10 for 2011

1. Arctic Monkeys- Suck It and See
2. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
3. Jamie XX & Gil-Scott Heron- We're New Here
4. S.C.U.M- Again Into Eyes
5. The Vaccines- What Did you Expect from The Vaccines?
6. King Krule- King Krule EP
7. Hurts- Happiness
8. Azari & III- EPs
9. The Horrors- Skying
10. The Duke Spirit- Bruiser

I have had this list ready for a few weeks now, but am finally sitting down to give it some editorial. I also don't want to short change your wait, so I will give you the full top ten now, and will fill in some extra insight to each one hereafter.

1. Arctic Monkeys- Suck It and See
I'm pretty sure I have made it fairly clear that I love this band. For most of the year I was sure this was going to be my #1, but Noel almost came in and made me rethink that. But that moment was short lived and after reflecting on this year, Suck It and See was by far the most interesting record this year and the one that I gave the most listens. I won't rehash all the praise I gave it before, but again, to me this is the perfect statement by Alex and company about who they are, what they can do and how much they embody and deliver the best rock n roll music in 2011.



2. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
More than any other record this year, the release of this record filled me with fear. After Beady Eye, I had the lowest of expectations for Noel's solo debut. Much to my delight, all of my fears were proved unfounded. Unfettered by his brother and the weight of the Oasis name, Noel somehow found a level of freedom that not only made good on his recent shortfalls, but even proved he could better his past bests. For the first time, Noel produced ideas and depth and lyrics that resonated on a deep level and even delivered (gasp!) romantic sentiments that actually make stop every time I hear them. Sometimes, you just have to keep the faith.





Next up, #s 3 & 4...