As the end of the year rolls around, lists populate the pages of magazines and websites. At this point it is more or less a tradition for music magazines to voice their choices for the best albums of the year. As sort of a summation of the entire year, lists serve multiple functions. A controversial choice for a number one slot is sure to get people arguing, while other lists serve as an attempt to make the author appear hip.
Reflecting the subjective nature of music, this list is presented without a ranking system. With the digitalization of music, many artists have become singles-oriented. The albums included here are in the tradition of great albums that work better as a cohesive whole rather than a collection songs.
Albums of the Year
- Amanda Palmer-Who Killed Amanda Palmer?
While this album was initially supposed to be a low-key release, the album only occasionally quiets down and gives the listener a breather. While many solo albums tend to dip in quality whe compared with the main acts, Palmer shows herself to be a consistent artist. Album highlights include "Astronaut," 'Leeds United," and "Guitar Hero."
- Horse Feathers-House With No Home
Not veering far from the formula from their debut album, Horse Feathers creates an album without a single weak song. Heather Broderick, brother of original member Peter Broderick, joins the band for this album, and she makes her presence known.
- Why?-Alopecia
Every song on the album sounds different, yet they all sound distinctly like Why?, which is quite the accomplishment for any band. From the angst-rock of "The Hollows" to the hip-hop of "By Torpedo or Crohn's," the band manages to make all of its disparate influences work together.
- Marnie Stern-This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That
Beyond winning the longest album title of the year, Marnie Stern has also crafted one of the most technically complicated records of the year. This is not to say that she sacrifices any amount of listenability; though this album does not have a single song as strong as “Grapefruit,” it is as a whole a more cohesive album.
- Love is All-A Hundred Things Keep Me Up at Night
Hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden, Love is All makes music that is meant to be blared at headache inducing levels. This doesn't mean that they don't know how to slow down and write the occasional ballad, such as "When Giants Fall" and "A More Uncertain Future." Their most valuable asset, though, is singer Josephine Olausson, who shows herself to be on par with Karen O and PJ Harvey.
List Problems
The inevitable problem with lists of the best albums of the year is that they leave out other deserving artists. Some groups write songs in more of a singles oriented manner, and their albums as a whole might not be considered to be as strong.
Also, ep's are generally never placed on lists of these sorts, though sometimes artists might have put out their best work in years on these brief releases. For better or worse, people either love lists or love to hate lists.
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