The top ten post-rock albums of 2011
10
Explosions in the Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
Explosions in the Sky doing more of what they do best: rocking out (as quitely as possible). It honestly isn't that much different from their other albums, but Take Care, Take Care, Take Care is nonetheless another strong, moving entry to their impressive discography, and it'll definitely satisfy anyone's post-rock kick.
9
Cloudkicker - Let Yourself Be Huge
Proving that he is not yet out of tricks, Ben Sharp returned to his post-rock roots in order to write his latest album, Let Yourself Be Huge. It's every bit as cathartic and moving as his metal excursions while transferring his already impressive creative energies to lighter, more acoustic material. The result is his most beautiful-sounding album yet.
8
Long Distance Calling - Long Distance Calling
Long Distance Calling have turned down their heaviness slightly, extended their jams just a pinch, yet retained their modest progressive influences that made them such a standout band in the first place. And then they went ahead and got John Bush to do some vocals, too. The result is their excellent eponymous third album, another strong entry to their growing catalgoue.
7
Charts and Maps - Dead Horse
I really am being quite generous in deeming Charts and Maps' album Dead Horse post-rock, given what a clusterfuck of genres it draws from in the first place. But it's undeniably creative, flippant, and epic all at the same time. Featuring incredible musicianship skills during their frequent jamming digressions and songwriting unparalleled, this album will never tire.
6
sleepmakeswaves - ...And So We Destroyed Everything
Australians sleepmakeswaves have released what is probably the most unapologetically purest post-rock album ever. Featuring just a hint of indie rock and a mess of song titles about as concise as the text of Atlas Shrugged, ...And So We Destroyed Everything is blissfully happy, expressive, and playful through and through.
5
UpCDownC - Calaveras
Striking a happy medium between stripped-down hard rock and drawn-out ambiance, UpCDownC's fourth album Calaveras reconciles all of the stylistic experimentation that's defined their career up to this point. It swings back and forth between soft and chaotic, but most importantly, the entire album is enjoyable from beginning to end.
4
Dead to a Dying World - Dead to a Dying World
This album is really too beautiful for words to describe accurately. And that's not just because the songwriting is fantastic; this album literally sounds like a work of art. It's impeccably recorded, and everything about it will leave you floored with its pristine quality, from the clear-as-day strings to the impeccable vocal performances. Definitely an album for the audiophiles.
3
Battles - Gloss Drop
They may be incredibly kitschy and they may have the most annoying guitar tones in the world, but it's hard to deny that math rockers Battles are not an incredibly fun band to listen to. Their first album without Tyondai Braxton, Gloss Drop shows without a doubt that Battles are far from over. Though they may never recapture the original brilliance of Mirrored, Battles have forged a new path for themselves, and with an impressive list of guest performers, the end result is immensely satisfying.
2
Efrim Menuck - Plays "High Gospel"
Though before he may have been just one person in a large ensemble, Efrim Manuel Menuck has proven with his first solo album, Plays "High Gospel", that he is not just along for the ride. Featuring the incredible songwriting that made A Silver Mt. Zion and Godspeed You! Black Emperor famous in the first place, Menuck's incredibly heartfelt ode to his family and his hometown is one of the strongest offerings he's made with any band to date.
1
Dirge - Elysian Magnetic Fields
French noise metallers Dirge already have an impressive catalogue behind them; the fact that 2011's Elysian Magnetic Fields is their frostiest, most sonically-overpowering album yet is only a testament to their inability to ever slow down anything but their tempo. Filled with thick, blaring, cathartic layers of guitars and drums, not to mention the immensely unforgiving droning, almost nothing about this album could be more perfectly executed.
Words: Matthew Sarah
