Turnbull's Top 10 Albums of 2011

Tens of thousands of albums have been released this past year, so P&B are taking on the arduous task of breaking down our very own Top 10 Albums of 2011 List. This is the first of a 2-part series (Turnbull's first, with Paqman's to follow). We'll break down the albums, EPs, and mixtapes, etc, that made for quintessential listening throughout the year. If you don't see something on here that you feel should've made the lists, feel free to leave a comment or send us an email about it!

10) Theophilus London - Lovers Holiday

Amongst a couple of mixtapes, and a major label debut that I found somewhat disappointing, this 5-track EP captured the true essence of this debonnair Brooklyn MC/singer-songwriter, who sights Prince, Mike J, and The Smiths as his key influences.  London is a fashion savvy street rebel who struck gold with this short yet solid set of tracks.

P&B Approved Cuts: Strangelove, Wine & Chocolates

9) Bon Iver (s/t)

Truth be known, I didn't know what to make of this album when I first heard it, but it certainly has grown on me over time.  This record serves less as an album, and more as a collection of lush 'soundscapes' that conjure up the same feelings of isolation shown on Bon Iver's critically acclaimed debut album For Emma, Forever Ago.

P&B Approved Cuts: Perth, Holocene, Towers

8) TV On The Radio - Nine Types of Light

This was the highly anticipated follow-up to TVOTR's breakthrough album Dear Science, which topped my list of albums from 2008.  This one didn't match the quality of its predecessor, but it still slammed nonetheless.  These guys continue to be the torchbearers of the Brooklyn 'art-rock' sound.

P&B Approved Cuts: Second Song, Killer Crane, Will Do

7) Danny Brown - XXX

The most intriguing character in the new hip hop underground, Detroit's Danny Brown doesn't make sense in a major-label driven music world: a black guy who rocks a Ramones t-shirt with a half-shaved/half-straightened haircut, and who cites Joy Division's Closer as the main inspiration for his rap album.  But the result is an incredible mixtape that reflects the roller coaster ride of a drug binge, and it has some of the sharpest, wittiest rhymes of any release this year.

P&B Approved Cuts: XXX, Radio Song, Monopoly

6) Urban Noize - Brooklyn-Chicago-London - The Remixes

This "remixtape" was put together by the up-and-coming Urban Noize production crew outta Miami, FL. It takes some of the best obscure verses from Ye and Hov's respective catalogues (i.e. Kanye's underrated guest verse from Slum Village's 2004 joint "Selfish"), and drops them over vocal splices of Adele tracks from both her 19 and 21 albums.  This tape satisfies both your girl's desire to hear a female artist she can identify with, and will also let the fellas hear rhymes from the 'Batman & Robin' of hip hop.  Really dope!

P&B Approved Cuts: Hometown Glory, Cold Shoulder, Never Chasing Pavements

5)  Black Keys - El Camino

Most of my thoughts on this album where captured in my previous review.  The Keys took a further step into the mainstream spotlight with this one, but the music still has swagger and teeth to it.  The songwriting's quick and clever, plus they've added some glitz and glam to their sound.  This hardworking band deserves all their success.

P&B Approved Cuts: Little Black Submarines, Sister, Stop Stop

4) Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two

Just when you thought the Beasties were all washed up, they drop this banger of an album!  The beats are slammin', rhymes are tight, and the overall vibe is just mad fun. They even venture into new musical territory with the reggae-tinged track "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win."  This album was a very pleasant surprise for me this year.

P&B Approved Cuts: Make Some Noise, Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win, Lee Majors Come Again

3) Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch The Throne

Although this album caused me the most frustration of any other on my list, it still deserves to be near the top based on how much I obsessed over it.  I truly feel it could have been so much more than it was.  There's no questioning the quality of the production, and Jay-Z is once again ridiculously sharp with his punchlines.  Kanye has a couple of moments here and there too.  Overall, Watch The Throne was an inconsistent, yet eventually enjoyable album for me.

P&B Approved Cuts:  Lift Off, Welcome to the Jungle, Murder to Excellence

2) Elzhi - Elmatic

Trust me, I reacted the same way you did when I first heard about this record: There's no place for a "cover" album in the realm of hip hop music, especially when it comes to covering an unquestioned classic like Nas' debut LP Illmatic.  But Elzhi does not play copy-cat ...... He reinvents the tracks by adding fresh new rhymes and get some additional help from Detroit live music scene legends Will Sessions, who breathe new life into the instrumentals.  Hands down, one of the best mixtapes of 2011.

P&B Approved Cuts: Genesis, The World is Yours, Represent

1) Frank Ocean - nostalgia, ULTRA

If they still made cassettes, this mixtape would've popped and shredded inside my tape deck a long, long time ago!  I wore the shit outta this record because I just couldn't help it ...... such a musically compelling and highly addictive listen.  Frank Ocean is poised for takeover, so enjoy him now before a major-label gets their hands on him and ruins everything that makes him unique.

P&B Approved Cuts: Novacane, Songs for Women, Lovecrimes, Swim Good

-Turnbull