2011 has been a very successful year for me. I have had tons to do, and, sadly, was seldom in the mindset to listen to new music and to be experimental about it. Last year’s Top Ten were very electro-, breakcore- and indie-oriented. This year, I found myself returning to metal a lot. Got some input by dear friends and festivals, though. But mostly, 2011 has been a reunion with albums I haven’t heard in a long time. And with a long time, I mean up to ten years. So again, like last year, this Top Ten is not about new releases, but what I listened to frequently and fervently. And because it is 2011, you get 11 tracks and albums instead of just ten!
11 Pigface – Fook
This is such a strange album. It’s terribly diverse and the song you are hearing is in no way representative. Sort of industrial garage rock. Strange cover art! You’re in for a treat.
10 Soft Cell – Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
My daily dose of the 80s.
9 Tying Tiffany – Undercover
Cute electro riot girly album. Saw her / them at M’era Luna, convincing performance, nice attitude. I have been walking to an fro a lot this year, so a lot of the music I listened to was rather groovy and adrenalizingly dancy, like this album is.
8 Therion – Secret of the Runes
Epic album. Got a live version of it. It has choires and an orchestra and everything. Totally forgot. Goes nicely with frosted conifers and mead.
7 Gary Numan – Jagged
Gary Fucking Numan.
6 Blind Guardian – Tales from the Twilight World
Yeah. The one and only reason to be proud of my home town: Ball-wrenching 90s power metal! I dug their albums out of a section of my CD collection I haven’t touched since I was 15. Still know all the lyrics. Welcome to Dying!
5 The Devin Townsend Project – Deconstruction
Devy is getting soft with age, but in no way less great! He still is the master of the universe. Saw him at Grünspan this year, nearly cried.
4 Knorkator – Ich hasse Musik
Who goes on stage in underwear, records nun choirs in some country you have never heard of and samples samurai swords as drums? These guys. Whenever I need a kick in the ass, this album is the right choice.
3 Big Business – Here come the Waterworks
I rediscovered this album because Thias pointed out to me that the lyrics are unexpectedly good. Big Business have always rocked and I have been listening to this and other albums, but never really bothered to read the lyrics, which are truly skillfully done. I guess the rest distracted me. Anyway, this song is set in a medieval village and people are gossiping about this weird guy. If you can guess what he sings in the chorus, you get a beer.
I heard he dabbled into witchcraft, I heard occult
Oh, theyre pretty much the same
I guess he was adopted, or raised by wolves
Thats ridiculous to say…
2 Atari Teenage Riot – Is this Hyperreal?
New ATR album – who would have thought? I saw them live twice this year, one time was awesome (M’era Luna 2011) and one time was rather shitty (Grünspan). Nevertheless, they’re still kicking.
1 Daft Punk – TRON Legacy OST
Wow, a soundtrack made it in the list. And it made first place, too. I’m a bit surprised myself. Please do get it in a better quality and listen to it LOUD.
headbugz 