FEATURE:
2011: The Limbs of a Shaking Nation
IN THIS PHOTO: PJ Harvey (photoed in 2011)/PHOTO CREDIT: Max Marcocia
The Best from a Fantastic Musical Year
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THIS series is designed to celebrate years in music…
IN THIS PHOTO: Radiohead (captured in 2011)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
post-2000 - and the fact this century can rank alongside the last in terms of the best music. There are some who claim music peaked by the end of the 1990s and we have not seen anything as good. I have already focused on a couple of years from the twenty-first century and there are few as strong as 2011. From superb efforts from the likes of Laura Marling and Kate Bush to stunners from James Blake and Beastie Boys; PJ Harvey and Radiohead – quite an exceptional and varied year. You cannot claim 2011 lacks bite and, to my mind, it can rank alongside most years in terms of its sheer brilliance. Have a look at the records below and recall all the wonder we saw seven years ago. 2011 remains one of those years that…
IN THIS PHOTO: Beyoncé/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
HAS yet to be touched.
ALBUM COVERS: Getty Images
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PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
Released: 14th February, 2011
Label: Universal Island Records
Genres: Alternative-Rock; Folk-Rock; Folk
Radiohead – The King of Limbs
Released: 18th February, 2011
Label: XL Recordings
Genres: Alternative-Rock; Electronic; Experimental
St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
Released: 12th September, 2011
Label: 4AD
Genres: Indie-Rock; Post-Punk; Art-Pop; Baroque-Pop
Florence + the Machine – Ceremonials
Released: 28th October, 2011
Label: Universal Island Records
Genres: Alternative; Indie; Pop
Bon Iver – Bon Iver
Released: 17th June, 2011
Label: 4AD
Genres: Indie-Rock; Folk
Tom Waits – Bad as Me
Released: 21st October, 2011
Label: Anti-
Genres: Rock; Blues
Kate Bush – 50 Words for Snow
Released: 21st November, 2011
Label: Fish People
Genres: Art-Pop; Jazz; Chamber-Pop
Beyoncé – 4
Released: 24th June, 2011
Labels: Parkwood, Columbia
Genre: R&B
James Blake – James Blake
Released: 4th February, 2011
Label: Interscope Records
Genres: Dubstep; Soul; Experimental; Electronic
The Black Keys – El Camino
Released: 6th December, 2011
Label: Nonesuch
Genres: Blues; Blues-Rock; Garage-Rock
Lady Gaga – Born This Way
Released: 23rd May, 2011
Labels: Streamline, Kon Live, Interscope
Genre: Dance-Pop
Björk – Biophilia
Released: 5th October, 2011
Label: Universal International
Genres: Electronic; Experimental; Trip-Hop; Glitch
Wild Beasts – Smother
Released: 9th May, 2011
Label: Domino Recording Company
Genres: Indie-Rock; Indie-Pop; Dream-Pop
Beastie Boys – Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
Released: 27th April, 2011
Label: Capitol Records
Genres: Hip-Hop; Alternative Hip-Hop; Post-Punk
Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know
Released: 9th September, 2011
Label: Virgin Records
Genres: Folk; Folk-Rock