The BEST and WORST of 2011 Biggest Indie Albums of 2011 Father, Son, Holy Ghost: Girls
5/5 stars
This second full-length studio album from San Francisco based band Girls evokes a feeling of nostalgia in its
listeners, while sounding distinctly different from any album that has been released yet. The themes on the album— love, lust, forgiveness, and sorrow—are not new ideas by any means. Front man Christopher Owens’ interpretation of these themes, however, is what sets the band’s sophomore album apart from everyone else. Every song on the album is perfection, and the guitar solos are nothing short of mesmerizing, but the real standout track is “Vomit” which will, without a doubt, be a strong contender for song of the year. Girls’ sophomore effort is staking their claim as the undisputed Indie-Rock Gods. Amen!
Helplessness Blues: Fleet Foxes
4.5/5 stars
“In that dream I could hardly attain it/all my life I will wait to attain it” sings Robin Pecknold on “Grown
Ocean” the closing track of Helplessness Blues. The folk group from Seattle has completely defied any notion of the “sophomore jinx” that plagues its other musical counterpoints with their most recent release. Filled with the same intricate melodies and collective harmonies that the group provided on Fleet Foxes, the band takes it a step further with this album, exploring new territories while remaining true to their original sound.
Bon Iver: Bon Iver 4.5/5 stars
More musically advanced than its predecessor, Bon Iver captures the same sentiments that were captured
in debut For Emma, Forever Ago, such as a longing for escapism, but takes them in a new direction that hasn’t been seen from the group before. Vernon isn’t moping anymore—and we’re okay with it. He seems to be too.
Worst Albums2/5of the Year: Tha Carter IV: Lil Wayne stars
Sober, prison-free, and presumably hungry, Lil Wayne had all the ammunition he needed to deliver the
classic album hip hop fans have been patiently waiting 10+ years for. What resulted was an embarrassing shit-show of played-out metaphors, lazy production value, and a laughable track order. Wayne got so incompetent with this album that he transformed Rick Ross’ 2010 banger “I’m not a Star,” into essentially the same song, even using a Rick Ross verse on the track! He then proceeds to put all of his guests on tracks that he doesn’t include himself on, an obvious sign that even Wayne knows he cannot hang with Hip Hop’s heavyweights.
Born This Way: Lady Gaga
2/5 stars
The reason Lady Gaga was popular to begin with is because she was unique, but now that we’ve been
exposed to it, she almost seems ordinary. “Born This Way” may have sold a ton of albums, but musically the songs are unoriginal and too similar to all her other works. There are a few glimpses of a new direction, through the use of a saxophone, some guitars and pianos, but it’s mostly just more of the same styled dance tracks with sexual lyrics and electronic pop beats.
Issue 7, December 2011
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