Best CD I've heard so far 2011.........

Richard, Bill Callahan has evolved into one of most original voices out there, but perhaps Apocalpse is too far out there for most in here. His last one, "Rough Travel for a Rare Thing"(live) is just as great & more accessible.

Thanks, Richard. I've been on the fence about buying the new Mountain Goats LP, and will now proceed.

Among recent releases, Low "C'Mon" and Panda Bear "Tomboy" are high water marks for both artists. These and new Foo Fighters are fine vinyl.

Ditto Fleet Foxes. On first listen new TV on the Radio is mostly a flop. Keep hoping they'll top Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes.

New Eleventh Dream Day, The Walkmen, Low Anthem.

Hot Tuna "Steady as She Goes" is a welcome surprise from Levon Helm's Woodstock studio. Well crafted at moments nervy combo of electric & acoustic blues Tuna, softened in spots by Jorma's country heart persona. With aging the voice is less reedy and more broadly expressive-- some may miss the tougher Tuna of yore. Casady's wonderfully fat bass tone anchors the entire enterprise, including a couple of extended solos that get jumpin' jack off his chair with eyebrows twitching. Not to be missed by anyone who ever cared about the better half of the Airplane.

If this is love I want my money back,
I want an honorable discharge. JK

The James Blake album is a hynoptic lullaby-- the best accompaniment to an afternoon cat-nap since Susanna "Flower of Evil".

Treasure is an excellent live performance from Neil Young's underrated early '80s archive. Unfortunately the CD sounds closed in and not much better than bootleg quality. Does the expensive three-sided LP sound any better?

Jakszyk, Fripp, and Collins: A Scarcity of Miracles
--A King Crimson ProjeKct

As Fripp writes in the liner notes, for the first time since 1981 an unexpected 4:1 English:American DNA..."more is going on than could be predicated merely on what has gone before. Yet, once more there is familiarity; like meeting a close member of the family for the first time."

Alpass, Scarcity of Miracles is something of a throwback to '70s KC. A very smooth & lyrical album. Mel Collins's alto & soprano sax is great and reminiscient of Andy Mackay's sound with Roxy Music. Tony Levin is righteous.

Brian Eno's Drums Between the Bells. If you can meet him half way on the spoken poetry accompaniment-- well composed and electronically enhanced, btw-- Eno has brought his full palette to the music. Well worthwhile.

Somehow the May release of Urge Overkill's first album since '95 slipped past me. Rock & Roll Submarine is pretty fine, particularly on LP. UO is a missing link to the grunge scene that never got deserved recognition.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9GymQ2QAkk

DG

I haven't been able to locate the new Calexico locally on vinyl(my preferred medium), but hopefully will do so.

One of the best late arrivals in 2011 was Atlas Sound/Parallax. This is a Bradford Cox(Deerhunter) side project. It has the exotic shifting timbres of Deerhunter but better songcraft, a fascination with Fender single-coil sound like Tom Verlaine, and a stubborn individualism like Frank Black.