Albums of 2011: The Horrors - Skying

Moving on from the Krautrock of Primary Colours, the latest album from The Horrors wanders into dreamlike, synth territory with great effect - even if singer Ferris sounds a little bit too much like him out of Simple Minds at times.

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Albums of 2011: The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar

The Joy Formidable manage to create epic soundscapes that are reminiscent at times of Arcade Fire, which is quiet the achievement for a three piece.

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Albums of 2011: Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo

Kurt Vile's 4th album draws comparisons to other great US singer-songwriters like Springsteen, Petty and Dylan, but with with a lo-fi stoner haze that surrounds this collection of mainly acoustic songs.

You can listen to my Top 10 Albums of 2011 on Spotify by clicking here

Albums of 2011: REM - Collapse Into Now

With their final album, REM managed to nail the mix between their classic sound of the college rock years and the Automatic For the People stadium fillers that they became.

You can listen to my Top 10 Albums of 2011 on Spotify by clicking here

Albums of 2011: Rival Schools - Pedals

Its been well over a decade since the last Rival Schools album, but Pedals sounds like they've never been away - Walter Schreifels' wisdom and melody blow away anything else within the genre.

You can listen to my Top 10 Albums of 2011 on Spotify by clicking here

Albums of 2011: Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Mirror Traffic

Malkmus cuts out the jams and experimentations that made most of his solo work hard going and makes his best album since the Nineties.

You can listen to my Top 10 Albums of 2011 on Spotify by clicking here

Albums of 2011: Yuck - Yuck

It may sound like it was made in the early 90s, but the simple, catchy songs means the Yuck album always sounds fresh and modern.

You can listen to my Top 10 Albums of 2011 on Spotify by clicking here