TK's Top 10 Albums of 2011: Recap and #1

Recap (click on any # below to open new window with full review):

#10: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Hysterical

#9: The Vaccines - What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?

#8: The Caretaker - An Empty Bliss Beyond This World

#7: Emperor X - Western Teleport

#6: Beirut - The Rip Tide

#5: Woods - Sun and Shade

#4: Caveman - Coco Beware

#3: The War On Drugs - Slave Ambient

#2: Destroyer - Kaputt

.... and ...

#1 - Hospital Ships - Lonely Twin

Maybe it was just a case of right place, right time, but this was the album that made the biggest impression on me in 2011. I met this album on a solo road trip from Milwaukee to Athens (via Dayton) in July. I had already fallen for its cousins (the Minus Story albums released between 2003-2006), so I wasn't exactly surprised when it hijacked my being for a short time and sticks with me to this day.

It was the first thing I listened to when I settled into my hotel room in Dayton on a Friday afternoon, the first album I played upon departing Dayton on a bright Sunday morning, and the album I listened to as I approached Athens later that day. I had the majority of my music library at my disposal at the time, but nothing else sounded as intriguing, or real, or appropriate to me at the time. I just wanted to keep listening, wanted to make myself more familiar with the songs.

Of the 11 tracks on Lonely Twin, 8 of them have been my favorite on the album at some point. And they all revealed themselves to me at different times, during different plays - the true sign of a great album.

Carry On was the first to strike. I had to replay it (and then re-replay it) immediately. This:

Well, the world doesn't care if you're in it or not. 
Just a little point of steel into the beast you were shot.
But the whale's going to dive, he will pull the lines taut.
And when you're gone, carry on, carry on.

I could go more into why the other songs are all great, but I feel like everyone just needs to hear this album. Jordan Geiger poured his heart out into this one, and it's a bit discouraging to see the lack of its presence on year-end lists. Since you have been gracious enough to read my ramblings, I would like nothing more than to buy this record for you. I suggest the vinyl (beautiful packaging, free mp3 download, plus a gorgeous vinyl-only song called Dani, Love Of Mine), but I can buy you the mp3 download too, if you'd prefer. Just let me know. Leave a comment or email me. I just want people to hear this one. Seriously. It'll make me happier than you'll know.

 HOSPITAL SHIPS Galaxies by isa_menon@yahoo.fr