Showing posts with label Top Albums. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Top Albums. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Top Baltimore Albums of 2011

Celebration
2011 has come and almost gone, and with it came another hearty selection of music releases from Baltimore. While we lost some historic bands this year (Double Dagger, Ponytail, Thank You), 2011 continued Baltimore's outpour of quality records.

Narrowing this down to a list was difficult - taking into account vinyl wear and tear, digital play counts, love, and the release's meaning to a continually thriving scene.

There is one release from a Swedish band. This gets a pass because the record features a lineup with lead vocals from Daniel Higgs. It also gets a pass because it's amazing. Also, there are a handful of records on here that I helped release via Friends Records.

Here are my top 25 music albums from Baltimore, Maryland in 2011.

25. Daytime - Daytime's Serendipity
24. Each Others - Lately Now
23. Roomrunner - Roomrunner
22. Holy Ghost Party - Holy Ghost Party
21. Vlonde - The Grief of O
20. Romantic States - Still Petals
19. Inflatable Mattress - Pumped Up
18. Arbouretum - The Gathering
17. Dog Leather - Greezy Man and Stinky Man Meets Smutty Ranks On Tarantula Hill
16. Ken Seeno - Invisible Surfer On An Invisible Wave
15. Witch Hat - Brown in a Dog
14. Adventure - Lesser Known
13. Skull Defekts - Peer Amid
12. Moss of Aura - Wading
11. Run DMT - Dreaming


10. Zomes - Earth Grid


9. Thank You - Golden Worry


8. White Life - White Life


7. Co La - Dial Tone Earth


6. Ponytail - Do Whatever You Want All The Time


5. Microkingdom - Three Compositions of No Jazz


4. Dope Body - Nupping


3. Wye Oak - Civilian


2. Future Islands - On The Water


1. Celebration - Electric Tarot: Hello Paradise

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Top 20 Baltimore Albums of 2010


Below is a list of my favorite records released by artists from Baltimore in 2010. Before I began to ponder these albums, I had to decide whether or not to include work released through a local label that got started up this year, Friends Records.

I've never considered Bmore Musically Informed a proper form of journalism, but I still feel uneasy about endorsing records on this list that I have personally been involved with releasing (re: Height, Sri Aurobindo, Weekends, Celebration, and other friends). While I have chosen to leave them off this list, my affection for them is already pretty clear.

Again this year there was a long list of amazing releases to come out of Baltimore, churning in all kinds of diversity to invade your ear-space. Hear for yourself...



20. Holy Ghost Party - Prog Parents // Wtr Clr



19. Pfisters - Narcicity // Fan Death



18. Crazy Dreams Bands - War Dream // Holy Mountain



17. Lizz King - All Songs Go To Heaven // Ehse



16. Rapdragons - Featuring Baltimore // LTD Comp



15. Dead Drums - Fashion Defense // Self-released



14. Raindeer - Raindeer EP // Self-released



13. The Art Department - Paperwork / Birdwork // Gen Pop



12. Romantic States - Romantic States // Tater Junction



11. Do While - Do While // Wigflip



10. Mickey Free - Last of the Tight Wiggers // Self-released



9. Happy Family / Run DMT - Banana Split // Wigflip



8. Daniel Higgs - Say God // Thrill Jockey



7. Jason Urick - Fussing & Fighting // Thrill Jockey



Wye Oak - My Neighbor / My Creator // Merge



5. Double Dagger - Masks // Thrill Jockey



4. Beach House - Teen Dream // Sub Pop



3. Dustin Wong - Infinite Love // Thrill Jockey



2. Lower Dens - Twin Hand Movement // Gnomonosong



1. Future Islands - In Evening Air // Thrill Jockey