The Bay Area absolutely smashed it in 2011, with some of our favorite artists releasing amazing albums, EPs and cassettes that we’ve been listening to endlessly this year. It was incredibly difficult to cull the past 12 months to our favorite 15 releases, but we did it anyway. Check them out below and let us know what you think in the comments.
15 The Sandwitches // Mrs. Jones’ Cookie
mp3:
The Sandwitches // “Lightfoot”
The Sandwitches // “Joe Says”
14 Bare Wires // Cheap Perfume
mp3:
Bare Wires // “Cheap Perfume”
Bare Wires // “Ready to Go”
13 King Lollipop // Woodland Whoopee Songs
mp3:
King Lollipop // “Cheeseburger and Fries”
King Lollipop // “You Will Never Find Me”
12 Pamela // Pamela is Hungover
mp3:
Pamela // “Lie Down (Eye Contact)”
11 Weekend // Red
mp3:
Weekend // “Hazel”
Weekend // “Sweet Sixteen”
10 Wet Illustrated // Wet Illustrated
mp3:
Wet Illustrated // “Gypsy Town”
Wet Illustrated // “Claws”
09 Ty Segall // Goodbye Bread
mp3:
Ty Segall // “Goodbye Bread”
Ty Segall // “You Make the Sun Fry”
08 Swiftumz // Swiftumz
Hunx collaborator Christopher McVicker managed to release one of the most understated albums of the year under the moniker Swiftumz. “Don’t Trip” is an immersive collection of hazy, moving jams that transcends the limits of bedroom pop.
mp3:
Swiftumz // “4EVA”
Swiftumz // “Angelita”
07 Rank Xerox // Rank Xerox
Rank/Xerox // “Sterile Regions”
Rank/Xerox // “Nausea”
06 Blasted Canyons // Blasted Canyons
Never before has an ode to weed and ice cream sounded so raw, explosive and all-together effortless.
mp3:
Blasted Canyons // “Ice Cream Man”
Blasted Canyons // “Death and a Half”
05 White Fence // Is Growing Faith
mp3:
White Fence // “And By Always”
White Fence // “Lillian (Wont You Play Drums?)”
04 Ty Segall // Singles 2007-2010
mp3:
Ty Segall // “Bullet Proof Nothing”
Ty Segall // “The Drag”
03 Wax Idols // No Future
The debut LP by Wax Idols features singer/songwriter Hether Fortune elevating the charming pop sensibilities found on her earlier work to a complete full-length, with lyrics veering from the lovesick to the macabre.
mp3:
Wax Idols // “Gold Sneakers”
Wax Idols // “Dead Like You”
02 Mikal Cronin // Mikal Cronin
This scuzzed-out compilation of pop songs marked a solid debut album from Moonhearts/Ty Segall collaborator Mikal Cronin. Unexpectedly wistful and incredibly catchy, this is a record we’ve been spinning endlessly.
mp3:
Mikal Cronin // “Get Along”
Mikal Cronin // “Apathy”
01 Thee Oh Sees // Carrion Crawler/The Dream
Thee Oh Sees scorched through 2011, releasing two mind-blowing full-length albums and a singles only double-LP all while maintaining a frenetic touring schedule that recently concluded (with Total Control). Carrion Crawler/The Dream was announced only a few weeks after Castlemania, and proved to be the “pummeling” record John Dwyer promised it to be. An instant classic and our unequivocal favorite record of 2011.
mp3:
Thee Oh Sees // “The Dream”
Thee Oh Sees // “Carrion Crawler”
*_* s i c a l p s *_*
This is awesome - so much great stuff coming out of SF these days. Can’t stop listening to Cronin.
damn son, that is a powerhouse of a list. i was digging for gold and hit the goddam motherlode!