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

J Mascis - "Several Shades of Why" - Dinosaur Jr is my favorite (extremely loud) rock band of the last 20 years. J Mascis puts down his electric guitar (except for a couple of leads), turns the amps down from 11 to 6, and turns in a gem.

The Hampdens - "The Last Party" - Delicate acoustic rock from Australia.

Thurston Moore - "Demolished Thoughts" - No electric guitars, not even any drums, just beautiful songs from the Sonic Youth front man.

Gillian Welch fans should like the new one. Probably not up to the masterpiece Time, and perhaps not quite up to the excellent Revival and Soul Journey, but very fine. The standout may be "The Way it Goes," which exemplifies her trademark understated creepiness.

John

Incubus.

Marcin Wasilewski Trio, "Faithful", on ECM. Wonderful spacious and melodic jazz trio (piano, double-bass, drums). Great talents and musicianship (of course, its on ECM). If you enjoy any of the Keith Jarrett trio work, you'll love this recording (even more perhaps than KJ). I also recommend their 2008 release, "January", on which they do a terrific interpretation of Prince's, "Diamonds and Pearls". Sublime. Superb.

Gillian Welch fans should like the new one. Probably not up to the masterpiece Time, and perhaps not quite up to the excellent Revival and Soul Journey, but very fine. The standout may be "The Way it Goes," which exemplifies her trademark understated creepiness.

Agreed - it's a good album, but does not reach the same heights as previous efforts. It has a slower pace and is not quite as dark. I'm going to see her tonight in concert and will be curious to see how some of this translates to live performance. Rawlings is always amazing to watch regardless - can't believe the sounds he gets from the Epiphone sometimes.

Someone introduced me to a powerful album in another forum. Not from this year, but this was my introduction to him. An entirely a capella recording of Nimrod Workman, a Kentucky cole miner, singing his own and traditionals. Stark and unsettling at times, and also quite lovely. He must have been in his 80's or 90's when this was recorded. The album is called, I Want to Go Where Things Are Beautiful, and came out in 2008, posthumously. If you like authentic Appalachian traditionals, definitely check this out.