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:

14 Bare Wires // Cheap Perfume

mp3:

13 King Lollipop // Woodland Whoopee Songs

mp3:

12 Pamela // Pamela is Hungover

mp3:

11 Weekend // Red

mp3:

10 Wet Illustrated // Wet Illustrated

mp3:

09 Ty Segall // Goodbye Bread

mp3:

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:

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:

05 White Fence // Is Growing Faith

mp3:

04 Ty Segall // Singles 2007-2010

mp3:

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:

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:

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:

Here are our top 10 favorite artist - our favorite source of high-quality streamable music - all of which we have written about before. Let us know if we’ve missed anything:

1. Features: Free download(s); full-album stream; extensive discography.

2. Features: Full-album streams; extensive discography; memories.

(see Part Time @ Thee Parkside this Thursday)

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

-

Extremely stoked to announce the following: Positive Destruction is partnering with our friends at to throw our first Presents event Thursday, September 15th. The line-up features some of our favorites, including Mexican Summer-signed artist , the new Splinters side-project (it’ll be there party), ex-Young Prism Jason Hendardy of — and the San Francisco-premiere show for Stockton band . DJing will be own Byron Blum.

. Tickets at the door will be $7. Show time at 9pm — and since every band playing is amazing in their own right, you will want to get their early. 21+

RSVP at the Facebook event page .

mp3:

Truly psyched to premiere the downloadable version of this track from the eagerly-awaited debut EP from one of our favorite bands so far this year, SF-trio . Listen to it below:

mp3:

Pamela is Hungover is limited to 100 copies on NYC cassette label and can be pre-ordered (includes digital download) for 5 bucks. Look for a 7″ from our friends over at soon too.

[]

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Sleepy Sun, Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound, w/ Secret Guest TBA // Engine Works (17th x Capp), 9pm $5

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Anything else?

—

stream:
Pamela // “Nobody (Cold Shoulders)”

Pamela (formed by members of The Splinters and Lilac/Wet Illustrated) put up another entry on their Bandcamp, a clashing, cathartic 90-second jam that crescendos with a sort of failed plea: “I want to open you up/But I can’t.” Look for a 7″ soon via (August 15th?), and catch them tonight @ Thee Parkside in support of POW! and The Bummers (w/ Ty Segall) with Rock Ceremony — tickets . In addition, they will be supporting the Brilliant Colors record release show, July 30th at Hair Salon (487 14th Street / cross street Guerrero) with Swiftumz and Dream Homes. More info on that show .

New track from , a side-project formed by members Ashley Thomas and Courtney Gray.

stream:
Pamela // “Too Late (Blind)”

EDIT: As Anonymous notes in the comments, guitarist Chris Nodyl from / has been added to the bands’ roster. A 7″ will also be released shortly, via our friends at in addition to a 6-song tape via Brooklyn-based Whoa Whoa. Read our interview with Rob, the label-head of Southpaw, here.