The best albums of 2011, so far

The best albums of 2011, so far
Flickr/Fernando Messino
The best albums of 2011, so far
Flickr/Fernando Messino

The best albums of 2011, so far

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(Flickr/Fernando Messino)

In honor of this past weekend’s “Mid-Year Best-Of” episode of Sound Opinions, here are my top-five albums of 2011 so far, listed in no particular order.

1. Le Butcherettes, “Sin Sin Sin” (Rodriguez Lopez Productions)

2. Bewitched Hands, “Birds and Drums” (Look Mum No Hands)

3. The Decemberists, “The King Is Dead” (Capitol)

4. Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi, “Rome” (Capitol)

5. The Feelies, “Here Before” (Bar None)

OTHER CONTENDERS/STILL IN HEAVY ROTATION

Ponytail, “Do Whatever You Want All the Time” (We Are Free)

Damon & Naomi, “False Beats and True Hearts” (20-20-20)

Raphael Saadiq, “Stone Rollin’” (Columbia)

Fleet Foxes, “Helplessness Blues” (Sub Pop)

Beastie Boys, “Hot Sauce Committee Part Two” (Capitol)

tUnE-yArDs, “WHOKILL” (4AD)

Gorillaz, “The Fall” (Virgin)

Clive Tanaka, “Jet Set Siempre No. 1”

TV on the Radio, “Nine Types of Light” (Interscope)

Lykke Li, “Wounded Rhymes” (Atlantic)

Screeching Weasel, “First World Manifesto” (Fat Wreck Chords)

Lupe Fiasco, “Lasers” (Atlantic)

Lucinda Williams, “Blessed” (Lost Highway)

Radiohead, “The King of Limbs” (self-released)

Drive-By Truckers, “Go-Go Boots” (ATO)

North Mississippi Allstars, “Keys to the Kingdom” (Songs of the South)

Smith Westerns, “Dye It Blonde” (Fat Possum)