2011 Top Ten Albums; 1 Through 5

Here are my top 5 albums for the year, plus the album I found that lived at the top of my playlist all year..

Album - Artist

5 - A Creature I Don't Know - Laura Marling - Enchanting is the word that comes to mind for this album. While Mumford and Sons and Noah and the Whale seem to get all the attention, Laura Marling is the best of the British nu-folk movement.  Quiet and creative, it is always engaging.
4 - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two - Beastie Boys - I took my time getting to this album.  It was recommended to me over the summer, but I didn't get to it until the end of the year.  They are highly skilled and make great music.  It is very much a Beastie Boys album.  Big, bright beats with inventive rhymes.
3 - 21 - Adele - This came out in January.  I assumed it wasn't very good, otherwise, they would have held it out until later in the year, so it wouldn't be forgotten in the awards.  It owned summer radio. 
2 - build a rocket boys! - Elbow - They are probably the best band in the world.  I watched their streamed performance from Coachella and it was captivating.  The previous album dealt with large issues and emotions.  This album captures the smaller day to day pieces of life.  It was going to be my first choice until November and Ceremonials.
1 - Ceremonials - Florence + The Machine - I heard the first single and I thought it sounded good, but, no way was it going to be as good as the first album.  Then I heard the next song and the next.  They did it. They took a really good debut and made a better album.  They have harnessed the power of her voice and made an album of surprising depth.

1372 Overton Park - Lucero - Last year, I mentioned Rebel, Rogues and Sworn Brothers as an album from a few year's back that I enjoyed.  This came out in 2009 and it is their first major label release. They have added horns to the mix which has rounded out their Memphis sound.  This album lived at the top of my iPod all year.  The show in Bellingham was spectacular and I plan to see them when they come through in March.  They aren't ever going to be big, but they might be the best bar band in the country. My apologies to the Hold Steady, but, I've found someone else.