Cougar Microbes

As the end of the year approaches, it’s time for us to look back at the past twelve months and decide what have been our favourite albums of the year. This time it hasn’t been an easy task because let’s face it, 2011 has definitely not been a great year for music, and personally, I will forever remember 2011 as the year my all-time favourite artist released an album I was ashamed of.

However, in defence of 2011, we could say that it was put in a particularly delicate position by 2010, which generated excellent albums such as LCD Soundsystem‘s ‘This is Happening‘, Arcade Fire‘s ‘The Suburbs‘ or Beach House‘s ‘Teen Dream‘ amongst many others… and ended majestically with Kanye West‘s ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy‘ …

Overall, 2011 seems to be more a year of nostalgia and remembrance than a year of creation, with the release of The Beach Boys‘ Smile Sessions, the remastering of Pink Floyd‘s ‘Dark Side of the Moon‘, the 10 year anniversary of Nirvana‘s ‘Nevermind‘, the end of R.E.M or LCD Soundsystem… and finally the deaths of Miss Amy Winehouse, DJ Mehdi and pioneer Gil Scott-Heron , we seem to have embraced the past rather than the present ( this said there wasn’t much to embrace really)…

So yes.. I am disappointed by 2011, but I have to acknowledge that good albums were also released, whilst promising new artists broke through. Let’s hope in 2012 there will be a focus on quality over quantity.

Without further ado check out the Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2011 as we unveil the albums we loved over the past year.

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Forward by Olivia

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Back in March we got a little excited about the possibility of a new LCD Soundsystem album coming out. Kenny had them riding high on his list of top albums saying:

LCD Soundsytem did everything possible to stop ‘This is Happening‘ being leaked before its time. And that only added to the hype surrounding their third studio album. It is testament to the project’s reputation amongst bloggers that – on the whole – their pleas were answered favourably.

This album only reaffirms their status as kings of a genre. Filled with electro-indie goodness and wit this album is a peach. We can but hope that James Murphy – Mr LCD – backtracks on his plans to make this the last full-length from the legendary outfit.

Meanwhile Cougar Microbes caught them live at Brixton Academy for a sold out show back in April.

TRACKS:

NEXT: #13 Cougar Microbes Top Albums Of 2010: The National – High Violet

PREVIOUS: #15 Cougar Microbes Top Albums Of 2010: Kopecky Family Band – The Disaster

Hailing from Hemel Hempstead, a stones throw from London, The Dufflefolks are not your average peddlers of Casio infused art.

True; the four-piece layer synthesised drum patterns, with laidback melodies and minimalist instrumentation. However they do so with an effortless nod to The Postal Service, LCD Soundsystem, Passion Pit and Fenech-Soler and without a hint of formulaic predictability.

This lot are yet another exciting British prospect to keep a very close eye on. Enjoy.

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Post written by Kenny the Ref hater

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TRACKS:

The Dufflefolks – Thomas Crapper

The Dufflefolks – Homegrown

Warsaw based trio The Car Is On Fire are a little known gem, one of those bands you are smug to know about first. They are, for all intents and purposes a slightly jazzy Passion Pit…. with balls. Garage rock mixed with electro, heated with the warm fuzz of front man and bass player Kuba Czubak‘s lilting tones.

Following the success of the band’s self titled release in 2005 and its followup Lake and Flames in 2006, the band made a name for themselves in their native Poland and surrounding Europe. Their latest album release is an effort for the mainstream; In the best possible way of course.

With expert producer John McEntire at the helm, OMBARROPS! boasts strong songwriting and excellent melodies with a backing of angular guitars, synthesisers and a mixture of analog and digital percussion. Their creative blend of electro and analog instrumentation sounds are sure to grab the Listener’s attention.

Vocally the band are reminiscent of Lexy Benaim, of Harlem Shakes fame, nasal but colourful punk shouts, against a backdrop of optimistic electro-pop; Tracks like ‘Manuel‘ and the up-beat ‘Cherry Cordial‘ are highlights of this familiar, yet fresh sound.

The album bubbles into action with a low synth and marching beat before the familar TCIOF pop hooks begin combined with playful chants and xylophones. I think playful is a good term to describe this bands new body of work. Whilst keeping their claws firmly sunk into the under belly of pop the band demonstrates a childlike innocence in their creative approach.

The album’s title track is the track that you will be continuing to hear, with it’s catchy chants, keyboard pips and off-beat drum and bass grooves. Match this up with a video that can be described as positively surreal and you are on to a winner.

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Post courtesy of the fantastic Mr Wicks
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TRACKS:

The Car Is On Fire – Ombarrops!

Last week LCD Soundsystem had everybody buzzing after unleashing ‘Drunk Girls’ from their forthcoming, as yet unnamed, third album. A couple of days later a snippet from another track off the album apparently entitled ‘Pow Pow’ started floating around. A clamber for mp3s ensued. Not many acts who experience the level of success enjoyed by LCD are still able to generate this amount of underground hysteria. The album is due out on the 17th of May in the UK and it’s gonna be a biggy.

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Post by Kenny the protester

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TRACKS:

LCD Soundsytem – Drunk Girls

George Pringle first appeared on my horizon when a superb demo rendition of her track ‘Carte Postale’ was posted online quite some time ago. Despite a considerable google effort the “artist” behind the song remained a mystery. I am glad those early recording caught someone else’s attention because that meant I was able to receive her album ‘Salon De Refuse’ through my letterbox just as my initial curiosity was beginning to wane.

This debut is a collection of spoken word treats sprinkled over a series of understated garageband beats and backdrops. This is not the kind of thing that will sell out stadiums any time soon (and frankly I doubt George would want that) but if you, like me, have been in or around your 20s sometime in the last 10 years you will probably find something to relate to in her musings.

With savvy observations and knowing references to anything from MSN, Patti Smith and The Virgin Suicides this is really more akin to poetry than it is to songwriting per se and Miss Pringle is happy to reiterate that at some point she “stopped playing guitar, let her fingers grow soft and her nails grow”. With half the tracks taking on a melancholic turn its hard not to be sucked in to her upper/middle class accent and detached monologues and imagine you too are listening to techno and shoegaze alone in your room.

‘Salon De Refuse” is out now on Deth To Fals Metal Records

TRACK:

George Pringle – Carte Postale