The Sounds of 2011

[Rob McCow]

With only 2-3 weeks left in the year, perhaps it's time to look back at the sounds of 2011, where we can realise that most of the people on Planet Skaro have zero music compatibility with each other!

For me, the top album this year has been 'Hotel Shampoo' by Gruff Rhys.

It's thirteen achingly lovely songs on one album. It's a lot like the Super Furry Animals at their best, but the emphasis is on pure song-writing rather than gimmicks. And it's marvelous.

Recently, I've quite enjoyed 'We Can't Fly' by Aeroplane, which was a pretty upbeat album.

Kate Bush gave us her '50 Words For Snow', which is very nice but not nearly as good as Arial, at least not yet. Maybe it'll grow.

There was the soundtrack to 'The Social Network', by Trent Renzor and Atticus Ross, which I absolutely adored.

Neil Finn put forth another album under the guise of 'Pajama Club', which was great in a typical Neil Finn/Crowded House kind of way!

And this is where the tragedy begins, because I'm hard pushed to think of any more good, new albums that I've got hold of this year. The Feeling weren't great. R.E.M. I haven't even bothered with. Elbow's comeback was broadly OK, but not particularly exciting.

Come on people! Who's been rocking your little world?

[Si Hunt]

Since I got "Pink Friday" by Nicki Minaj for my birthday, I've been listening to it constantly. She's just hilarious, and some of it is beautifully poignant too.

Si.

[Rob McCow]

Well... I could dial "Pink Friday" up on Spotify for a quick check out!

[Si Hunt]

I may be wrong but I don't think you'd like it. It's mainly rap, but she's so funny. If you do, "Last Chance" and "A Moment For Life" are the touching ones, and "Super Bass" was the big hit so is probably the one you should try first.

Si.

[Rob McCow]

I liked The Streets! At the time.

But you're probably right.

[Perry Vale]

I've bought over 200 new cds this year (if you include multi-disc boxsets), and only two of them were recorded this year. And they're both by Kate Bush.

Having said that, at work I've enjoyed listening to new albums by Real Estate, Half Man Half Biscuit, Little Dragon, Gang Gang Dance, PJ Harvey and John Maus.