Top 20 Albums of 2011 So Far

What a girl enjoying cool new music may look like.

It's already July in 2011 and half the year is over. Where has the time gone? It's obviously been spent listening to lots of awesome new music. This is not an original blog post and you are going to see every major and minor blogger post their favorite albums of 2011 so far. This list is not based on sales or popularity but on my honest opinion and the number of spins and listens my precious time has been devoted. I have not included any of my own music releases because that would be really lame and douchey, although they would sit well alongside any of these great albums. So, here is my Top 20 Albums of 2011 So Far, starting with:

1) Ringo Death Starr - "Colour Trip"

2) The Black Lips - "Arabia Mountain"

3) CULTS - "CULTS"

4) Raphael Saadiq - "Stone Rollin"

5) The Raveonettes - "Raven In The Grave"

6) Belong - "Common Era"

7) Beady Eye - "Different Gear, Still Speeding"

8) Wire - "Red Barked Tree"

9) Puro Instinct - "Headbangers In Ecstasy"

10) Unknown Mortal Orchestra - "Unknown Mortal Orchestra"

11) Psychedelic Horseshit - "Laced"

12) James Pants - "James Pants"

13) Cat's Eyes - "Cat's Eyes"

14) Lykke Li - "Wounded Rhymes"

15) DOM - "Sun Bronzed Greek Gods" EP

16) Toro y Moi - "Underneath The Pine"

17) Washed Out - "Within and Without"

18) Foster The People - "Torches"

19) Beastie Boys - "Hot Sauce Committee Part Two"

20) Tyler The Creator - "Goblin"

Of course, there were several great releases that didn't make my top 20 and there are many releases to look forward to this year. It could be possible that some of these albums may not make my final best of 2011 list. For now, these albums get lots of plays at my abode and work and I recommend them to anyone with discernible taste in music. What albums would be included in your Best of 2011 So Far lists?

- Mike