The best of 2011 - #8-10

So... about timing.

I had originally intended to spread these posts out, and have them finished by the wrap-up of the year, but instead of that, I decided that I would give people something to read in the doldrums of early January, so that's why I'm doing the bottom chunk of my top 10 today, and then I'll devote a bit more space to #6 and #7, and then give each of the top 5 their own posts, and rightly so, because they're all rad.

Yeah... that's the way it went. It completely wasn't that I just forgot to get on these posts early enough. Nope. Not that at all.

Anyway, so here are the bottom three of the best 10 albums of 2011. They're good stuff. I'm including a video for one stand-out track for each, but as you might imagine, you don't get on a top-10 list without having more than one awesome song, so I'd recommend giving the entire albums some serious listening time and attention. Do it. You know you want to.

Without further ado -

#10: Social Distortion - Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes

Listen to this pretty much anywhere, but make sure you slap it on while you're driving at least once.

Good old fashioned rock and roll - heavy guitars, great licks and anthemic choruses - without the rampant Nicklebackishness that drives so many people to schmaltzy indie "rock" lately.

Presenting: Bakersfield.



#9: Hugh Laurie- Let Them Talk

Man... is there anything Hugh Laurie can't do? From British comedy genius (do yourself and your unsplit sides a favour and spend some time with Fry and Laurie and Blackadder) to prime time American medical drama crusty genius to blues great.

He's always been an awesome musician, and all of House's reflective piano diddling has been Laurie himself rocking out, so for people who've been paying attention, there's no surprise that this album is great, but with the collection of classic gospel/jazz/blues tunes, and the selection of talented guests, Laurie's got himself an awesome offering in this one.

Presenting: St. James Infirmary



#8: Cake - Showroom of Compassion

Have you ever tried to describe Cake's music to anyone? It's really, really hard.

"Well... the singer sortof talks, but he's singing, and there's a trumpet, but no ska or shout choruses, and there's a lot of percussion, but usually only stuff that's used once or twice per song... here. Just listen."

That tends to be how it goes. Yes, it's hard to describe a lot of bands' music with ease and do it justice, but something about Cake has always been distinctly other from other bands active at the same time, which results in a timeless quality to their tunes. You hear a solid Cake track for the first time, and the next time you hear it, it's like you've always been listening to it.

Presenting: Sick of You