Undertheradar's Best of 2011

As 2011 draws to a close music media everywhere are frantically drawing up their lists of noteworthy releases. We can never resist getting in on the action and have picked a few Top 5s and also chosen our favourite shows of the year.

Listed in no particular order....

Best Albums  - International

Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
(Matador)
The Beach Boys – SMiLE
(EMI)
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
(Universal)
Wooden Shjips - West
(Thrill Jockey)
St Vincent - Strange Mercy
(4AD)

Best Albums - Local

Beastwars – Beastwars
(Self-releseased)
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
(Seeing Records)
god bows to math – god bows to math
(Muzai Records)
The Vietnam War – The Vietnam War
(Roundtrip Mars)
Tiny Ruins – Some Where Meant For Sea
(Spunk)

Beach Pigs – Beach Pigs EP
(Self-released)
X-Ray Fiends – Tsunami EP
(Self-released)
Leno Lovecraft – EP#1
(A Low Hum)
Glass Vaults – Into Clear
(Sonorous Circle)
Ghost Wave – Ghost Wave EP
(Arch Hill Recordings)

Gig Highlights
(okay so we couldn't quite get this one down to five...)

Laneway Festival 2011
Monday 31s January, Aotea Square

Yeasayer - Foals - Ladyhawke - Deerhunter - Blonde Redhead - Children’s Hour - Warpaint - Beach House - Ariel Pink’s Haunted Grafitti - Lawrence Arabia - Holy Fuck - An Emerald City

Les Savy Fav
Tuesday 1st February. Kings Arms Tavern

Best crazy frontman ever!
Sufjan Stevens
Monday 7th February, Bruce Mason Centre
Melvins and High On Fire
Saturday 19th February, Kings Arms
Kyuss Lives
Saturday 14th May, The Powerstation

So much man love.

Nunvember - Flying Nun's 30th Anniversary Tour

The Clean - The Bats - Solid Gold Hell - HDU - Shayne P. Carter - The Subliminals - X Features/Fetus Productions - The Verlaines - F In Math - Sharpie Crows - Popstrangers - Dear Time's Waste - Badd Energy and many, many more.

Kurt Vile, Kings Arms Tavern
Thursday 1st December

 

And that's it from us, feel free to include your Top 5 releases or shows by commenting below.

Here's a round up of some of the other best of lists about the place...

Girls new album Father, Son, Holy Ghost was oh so close to making our top 5 and have rightfully featured in heaps of best of lists taking out the number one spot in Stereogum's Top 50 Albums of 2011.

 Bon Iver's second effort features in most end of year lists and topped Einstein Music Journal's 20 best releases as well as Pastes' Top 50 albums.

PJ Harvey's  Let England Shake deservedly sits at the top of many lists taking out NME's  Best 50 albums of 2011 and Uncut's Top 50 albums.

Fucked Up's rock opera David Comes To Life is the number one pick in Spin's Top 50 albums of the year and number five in FasterLouder's Top 50.


The Weeknd's House of Balloons frequents lists everywhere including Gorilla vs Bear's Top 30 , Forbes Best Free Albums of 2011 and it took out the number eight spot of The Guardian's Top 50 which is still in countdown mode.

 
All eyes are on Pitchfork now who have yet to reveal their Top 50 albums but have listed their Honourable Mentions and Top 100 Tracks of the year.