Tour De Vaap

Here at Tour De Vaap we’re constantly searching for great music from the past and present to show our viewers.  2011 marked a year of many great new bands, albums, EPs and even the prominence of some new genres.  This list comprises just a few of our must-hear albums and EPs of 2011.  We hope you enjoy and that you find some great new artists to listen to.  Thanks for helping our first year as a blog go so well and we hope you keep reading in 2012.  Check out our reviews after the break.

-The Collective Tour

Iron and Wine broke new ground in 2011 with Kiss Each Other Clean, his fourth studio album. While earlier works featured mostly acoustic guitar and Sam Beam’s vocals, this new album revealed Iron and Wine’s ability to weave together various instruments and samples without losing the beauty and purity of earlier works. After seeing this album performed live on tour, it’s impossible to overlook while considering the best of 2011. While I was first unsettled by Iron and Wine’s departure from his usual acoustic and somber tones, I quickly came to love his new sound. It’s eclectic nature, at times serious while at others funky and upbeat, make Kiss Each Other Clean an emotional and powerful adventure that deserves to be listened to on your very best headphones. A track that stands out on this album is “Tree By The River,” a beautiful and harmonious song track that still retains the simplistic beauty that made me love Iron and Wine.Iron & Wine – Tree By The River

Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

I was especially on edge while waiting for the release of Helplessness Blues, Fleet Foxes second album, as I wasn’t sure they would be able to keep up with the success of Fleet Foxes, their debut album. Luckily, not only did Fleet Foxes match the bar they set for themselves, they raised it. With magical tracks such as “Blue Spotted Tail” and “The Cascades,” Fleet Foxes both expanded on their previously established fantastic and harmonious sound and stepped out of their comfort zone. For any fan of their previous work this album is a must, and for any who are new to Fleet Foxes I highly recommend you check this album out and give it a full listen. One of my favorites is their title track “Helplessness Blues,” which is both a philosophical and auditory masterpiece.Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

Birkwin Jersey – Time Doesn’t Exist, Clocks Do

2011 marked the first year I really tried to listen to electronic music and it brought me to some amazing bands like Gold Panda, Crystal Castles, Four Tet and Birkwin Jersey.  While Birkwin Jersey is the youngest of the bunch, he already has a unique sound all his own.  His mellow electronic samplings of folk and soul music make for an irresistible album, but what really gets me is his lyrical work.  In songs like “The Lost, The Looking” and “Your Big Day II,” Graeme Coop (a.k.a. Birkwin Jersey) uses his soothing voice to show that electronic artists can produce great samples and lyrics.  You can download this for free online and check out one of my favorites below.Birkwin Jersey – Sixes and Nines

The Black Keys – El Camino

The Black Keys have changed a lot over the years, shifting from a straight-up blues-rock duo into a full-fledged rock band with new members and co-producer Danger Mouse.  Sometimes I miss the pure low-fi sound of early Black Keys records like their debut or Rubber Factory.  At first, their latest album had me longing for their past sound, but that quickly changed.  El Camino is a straight-up rocker from start to finish.  After my first listen, I found myself listening over and over…and over again.  For this album, The Black Keys truly perfected their sound, creating a high-energy album where any song could’ve been released as a hit single.  What a great way to wrap up the year.The Black Keys – Little Black Submarine

How to Dress Well - Just Once EP

This year, we’ve seen a lot of bands take the classic R&B sound and blend it with different genres to create some very unique sounds (see The Weeknd).  Tom Krell, a.k.a. low-fi R&B act How to Dress Well fits snugly into this category.  Although I admit I’m not always a fan of Krell’s rough sounding albums, his Just Once EP is easily the most beautiful EP I’ve ever heard.  His falsetto voice dances delicately around strings and percussion as he takes some of his old songs, as well as some new ones, and transforms them into four soft heartbreaking tunes.  Just try listening without getting a little teary eyed yourself.How to Dress Well – Decisions

James Blake - James Blake

James Blake, formerly known as the British electronic club producer Harmonimix, arrived in 2011 with his own self-titled debut album that took his strong electronic roots and blended them with his own personal history of paino playing and soul singing. Blake announced himself to the global indie scene with his cover of Feist’s “Limit to Your Love” which eloquently shows off his own personal genre-defining style of “post-dubstep”. With minimalistic drums, heavy bass, glitchy tones and R&B vocals, James Blake (the album) allows for many repeat listens with its own unique style of simply put yet beautifully intelligent electronic music.James Blake – Measurements

The Weeknd – House of Balloons

The Weeknd is this year’s favorite internet-made Canadian R&B artist. Releasing a trilogy of free mixtapes throughout the year, the Weeknd has created crazy buzz on the net. Portraying the dark scene of late nights, attractive women, and heavy drug usage, the Weeknd’s music brings you to a place of ugly situations in beautiful ways. Releasing remixes for Florence and the Machine and Lady Gaga, along with being featured on Drake’s Take Care album, the Weeknd has made his way around the music scene this year. Although he has released a lot of work this year, his prized work is still his debut, House of Balloons, released in March. Taking some Beach House samples along with the story of a crazy night, the Weeknd created an aural masterpiece.The Weeknd – Loft Music

ASAP Rocky – LiveLoveA$AP

Its no surprise to say that there has been a drastic change in the rap game. It feels like every talked about rapper nowadays has 1. a wild personality; 2. a movement they are trying to push; 3. an entourage of “weed-carriers”. This makes it seem like rap in 2011 is about how wild your personality can be and how flashy you can display yourself. While some may say that this has always been the essence of hiphop, in my mind, these qualities have just become more and more extreme. This is not to say that these “rappers” don’t have talent though. This brings me to A$AP Rocky and his A$AP Crew. Bringing “swag” rap to another level, A$AP Rocky has all 3 of those qualifications above down to a tee. Releasing his debut mixtape, LiveLoveA$AP, on Halloween, his heavily Houston-inspired rap music, takes Texas’s spaced-out purple cup sipping with Harlem’s historical lyricism to truly define the word “Swag”. Swag Swag Swag.ASAP Rocky – Purple Swag

Okkervil River – Golden Opportunities 2

Sometimes a cover song works, and sometimes it doesn’t.  But in the rare case of Okkervil River, every cover song is a masterpiece.  This is the only cover album to make it onto our list, but it’s well deserved.  Okkervil River found some hidden gems, lost in the scrap bin of the past, dragged them out and polished them with their own brand of indie rock until each one shined.  This EP is shows that Okkervil River are true masters of the cover song.  Highlights include “It Is So Nice To Get Stoned” and “One Soul Less On Your Fiery List.”  Great for any fan of Okkervil River or good ol’ fashioned hazy rock n’ roll.Okkervil River – One Soul Less On Your Fiery List

Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire

Ryan Adams’ latest album is powerful and classic, perfecting the sound made famous by folk acts like James Taylor and other greats of his generation.  This album showcases Adam’s vocal skills on tracks like “Dirty Rain” and “Ashes & Fire” as well as his music prowess (the solo on “Do I Wait” gets me every time).  From the upbeat tracks to the soft ballads, this is nostalgic folk at its best.  If you needed any reminder of Adam’s skills as an artist, look no further than Ashes & FireRyan Adams – Lucky Now

WU LYF – Go Tell Fire To The Mountain

One part Explosions in the Sky, one part gravely almost incomprehensible chanting and a cultish band and you have some idea of what you’re going to get when you hear WU LYF’s debut Go Tell Fire To The Mountain.  Self described as “Heavy Pop,” this band delivers some powerful rock unlike any other band out there.  It’s full of an energy that you don’t hear in many bands today.  This album has the rare property of being powerful and danceable.  Not to mention WU LYF may be the first rock band to sample 2pac in a song.WU LYF – LYF

Of Monsters And Men – My Head Is An Animal

As far as I’m concerned, Iceland cannot produce a bad band and Of Monsters and Men are a strong testament to that fact.  This six piece folk band create song after catchy song full of longing lyrics and animal references on their debut My Head Is An Animal.  Although not yet released in the United States (it’s due for release sometime in 2012), I had to include this album on our best of the year list for its sheer pop genius.  Every song is full of so much love and energy it’s impossible not to have a smile on your face after listening to this album.  An impressive feat considering most of the songs are over four minutes and often shift in melody as they progress.  If you haven’t heard it yet, here’s “Little Talks,” featuring a beautiful back and forth between the two lead singers that’s sure to get you up and dancing.Of Monsters And Men – Little Talks

Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver

The sophomore album of 2011’s indie super-star Bon Iver, entitled strangely Bon Iver, Bon Iver, broke away from the folk-lore of being heart-broken in a log-cabin in the woods and expanded the sounds and feelings to a magical stadium feel. Sticking with his famous falsetto vocals, Justin Vernon branched out on this album to include a wide range of synths and horns to create a wall of sound,  very unlike his first album, For Emma… Forever Ago. But this change did not hinder any part of Vernon’s genius. Maybe his time spent with Kanye West has rubbed off a bit, because Bon Iver, Bon Iver has brought Vernon great success in 2011, but no part of it was unwarranted.Bon Iver – Calgary

The Roots – Undun

For their 11th release, The Roots tried their hands at a concept album to great success.  The album tells the story of Redford Stevens (taken from a Sufjan song) from death to birth living in a poor urban area.  This album is great because it is very catchy and upbeat musically compared to some of The Roots earlier releases while still featuring the deep significant lyrics of Black Thought, as well as countless guest rappers with amazing flow.  If you’re only going to listen to one rap album from 2011, I highly recommend you consider Undun.  It’s tight production and catchy beats are a reminder of how good rap can be.The Roots – Kool On