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Obscure Sound's Best Albums of 2011

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LIST SUMMARY
List Rating: 81
Based on 508 album ratings

Genre Breakdown:
Experimental (7), Folk (6), Electronic (5), Indie Rock (5), Chillwave (3), Indie Folk (3), Hip Hop (2), Experimental Rock (2), Lo-Fi (2), Indie Pop (2), Electropop (1), Rock (1), Blues (1), Dubstep (1), Alternative Rock (1), R&B (1), Black Metal (1), Singer-Songwriter (1), Post-Rock (1), Drone (1), Power Pop (1)

1. Destroyer - Kaputt

Destroyer - Kaputt
MUST HEAR
Released: Jan 25th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock
Overall Rating: 87


2. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost

Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
MUST HEAR
Released: Sep 13th, 2011
Genre: Indie Pop
Overall Rating: 86


3. Tom Waits - Bad as Me

Tom Waits - Bad as Me
Released: Oct 25th, 2011
Genre: Blues
Overall Rating: 85


4. Atlas Sound - Parallax

Atlas Sound - Parallax
MUST HEAR
Released: Nov 8th, 2011
Genre: Experimental
Overall Rating: 85


5. The Wind - Harum-Scarum

The Wind - Harum-Scarum
Released: Nov 12th, 2010
Genre: Power Pop
Overall Rating: NR


6. Real Estate - Days

Real Estate - Days
MUST HEAR
Released: Oct 18th, 2011
Genre: Lo-Fi
Overall Rating: 80


7. Shabazz Palaces - Black Up

Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
Released: Jun 28th, 2011
Genre: Hip Hop
Overall Rating: 89


8. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
MUST HEAR
Released: Sep 13th, 2011
Genre: Indie Pop
Overall Rating: 88


9. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
MUST HEAR
Released: Feb 15th, 2011
Genre: Alternative Rock
Overall Rating: 90


10. Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde

Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde
Released: Jan 18th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock
Overall Rating: 85


11. Toro Y Moi - Underneath The Pine

Toro Y Moi - Underneath The Pine
Released: Feb 22nd, 2011
Genre: Chillwave
Overall Rating: 79


12. The Field - Looping State of Mind

The Field - Looping State of Mind
Released: Oct 11th, 2011
Genre: Electronic
Overall Rating: 85


13. Junior Boys - It's All True

Junior Boys - It's All True
Released: Jun 14th, 2011
Genre: Electronic
Overall Rating: 78


14. Julianna Barwick - The Magic Place

Julianna Barwick - The Magic Place
Released: Feb 22nd, 2011
Genre: Experimental
Overall Rating: 83


15. Wolves in the Throne Room - Celestial Lineage

Wolves in the Throne Room - Celestial Lineage
Released: Sep 13th, 2011
Genre: Black Metal
Overall Rating: 83


16. Wild Beasts - Smother

Wild Beasts - Smother
MUST HEAR
Released: May 10th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock
Overall Rating: 82


17. The Weeknd - House of Balloons

The Weeknd - House of Balloons
MUST HEAR
Released: Mar 21st, 2011
Genre: R&B
Overall Rating: 84


18. Kate Bush - 50 Words for Snow

Kate Bush - 50 Words for Snow
Released: Nov 21st, 2011
Genre: Singer-Songwriter
Overall Rating: 84


19. The Antlers - Burst Apart

The Antlers - Burst Apart
MUST HEAR
Released: May 10th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock
Overall Rating: 82


20. James Blake - James Blake

James Blake - James Blake
MUST HEAR
Released: Feb 8th, 2011
Genre: Dubstep
Overall Rating: 85


21. Washed Out - Within and Without

Washed Out - Within and Without
MUST HEAR
Released: Jul 12th, 2011
Genre: Chillwave
Overall Rating: 70


22. Cass McCombs - WIT'S END

Cass McCombs - WIT'S END
Released: Apr 26th, 2011
Genre: Folk
Overall Rating: 77


23. NewVillager - New Villager

NewVillager - New Villager
Released: Aug 16th, 2011
Overall Rating: 65


24. The Black Keys - El Camino

The Black Keys - El Camino
Released: Dec 6th, 2011
Genre: Rock
Overall Rating: 76


25. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Wolfroy Goes to Town

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Wolfroy Goes to Town
Released: Oct 4th, 2011
Genre: Folk
Overall Rating: 72


26. Grimes & d'Eon - Darkbloom

Grimes & d'Eon - Darkbloom
Released: May 17th, 2011
Genre: Electronic
Overall Rating: 72


27. Timber Timbre - Creep On Creepin' On

Timber Timbre - Creep On Creepin' On
Released: Apr 5th, 2011
Genre: Folk
Overall Rating: 71


28. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Released: May 3rd, 2011
Genre: Indie Folk
Overall Rating: 85


29. Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972

Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972
Released: Feb 15th, 2011
Genre: Drone
Overall Rating: 87


30. Russian Circles - Empros

Russian Circles - Empros
Released: Oct 25th, 2011
Genre: Post-Rock
Overall Rating: 83


31. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
Released: Oct 18th, 2011
Genre: Electronic
Overall Rating: 77


32. Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges

Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges
Released: Feb 22nd, 2011
Genre: Experimental
Overall Rating: 83


33. Cass McCombs - Humor Risk

Cass McCombs - Humor Risk
Released: Nov 8th, 2011
Genre: Folk
Overall Rating: 76


34. Panda Bear - Tomboy

Panda Bear - Tomboy
Released: Apr 12th, 2011
Genre: Experimental
Overall Rating: 82


35. mr. Gnome - Madness in Miniature

mr. Gnome - Madness in Miniature
Released: Oct 25th, 2011
Genre: Experimental
Overall Rating: 50


36. Marissa Nadler - Marissa Nadler

Marissa Nadler - Marissa Nadler
Released: Jun 14th, 2011
Genre: Folk
Overall Rating: 81


37. Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver

Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver
MUST HEAR
Released: Jun 21st, 2011
Genre: Indie Folk
Overall Rating: 84


38. Cut Copy - Zonoscope

Cut Copy - Zonoscope
MUST HEAR
Released: Feb 8th, 2011
Genre: Electropop
Overall Rating: 79


39. Drake - Take Care

Drake - Take Care
Released: Nov 15th, 2011
Genre: Hip Hop
Overall Rating: 81


40. The Mountain Goats - All Eternals Deck

The Mountain Goats - All Eternals Deck
Released: Mar 29th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock
Overall Rating: 82


41. Beirut - The Rip Tide

Beirut - The Rip Tide
Released: Aug 30th, 2011
Genre: Indie Folk
Overall Rating: 79


42. Neon Indian - Era Extrana

Neon Indian - Era Extrana
Released: Sep 13th, 2011
Genre: Chillwave
Overall Rating: 74


43. Man Man - Life Fantastic

Man Man - Life Fantastic
Released: May 10th, 2011
Genre: Experimental Rock
Overall Rating: 75


44. Bill Callahan - Apocalypse

Bill Callahan - Apocalypse
Released: Apr 5th, 2011
Genre: Folk
Overall Rating: 81


45. John Maus - We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves

John Maus - We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
Released: Jun 28th, 2011
Genre: Experimental
Overall Rating: 78


46. Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact

Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
Released: May 10th, 2011
Genre: Experimental Rock
Overall Rating: 83


47. Matthew Herbert - One Pig

Matthew Herbert - One Pig
Released: Oct 11th, 2011
Genre: Electronic
Overall Rating: 70


48. Quichenight - Quichenight I

Quichenight - Quichenight I
Released: May 31st, 2011
Overall Rating: NR


49. Moonface - Organ Music Not Vibraphone Like I'd Hoped

Moonface - Organ Music Not Vibraphone Like I'd Hoped
Released: Aug 2nd, 2011
Genre: Experimental
Overall Rating: 66


50. Dirty Beaches - Badlands

Dirty Beaches - Badlands
Released: Mar 29th, 2011
Genre: Lo-Fi
Overall Rating: 82


Recommend:

Original Source: http://obscuresound.com/2011/12/best-albums-of-2011-50-to-41/

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BEST ALBUMS OF 2011 BY GENRE
Alt-Country
Alternative Rock
Ambient
Chillwave
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Dream Pop
Drone
Dubstep
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