Gordon’s Top 11 (This List Goes To Eleven) by Gordon Elgart
1.) Not a Trampoline / Rob Cantor
The former yellow-tie member of Tally Hall put out a solo album this year, and while he made his mark with some clever viral videos, the album has his old band’s signature mix of expertly produced pop songs full of silly whimsy and sadness, often at the same time.
2.) The Take Off and Landing of Everything / Elbow
Another classic from my favourite band. Guy Garvey is the best singer.
3.) Hungry Ghosts / OK Go
You keep watching the videos, I’ll keep listening to the creative power pop they’re putting on their records.
4.) Royal Blood / Royal Blood
Just guitar and drums have never sounded this good. Sorry to everyone else who does this, you’ve been bettered.
5.) Brill Bruisers. / The New Pornographers
The pop all star band returns, and from the very first measure, they produce their finest album yet.
6.) More Than Any Other Day / Ought
Part Violent Femmes, part Talking Heads, part Television, part Dismemberment Plan, part Pavement part …..
7.) Burnt Offering / Budos Band
Sounds like the old forgotten personal soundtrack for the coolest person that’s ever existed.
8.) Some Nightmares Take You Aurora Rainbow Darkness / Vampillia
A weird, avant-garde classical, prog rock song suite that starts sweetly, descends into chaos and comes back out the other end.
9.) Distant Satellites / Anathema
This is prog rock songwriting at its finest, sung beautifully. The most mainstream band in prog, albeit one that the mainstream will never listen to.
10.) Impressions. / Music Go Music
More ABBA than ABBA ever were.
11.) Dissed and Dismissed / Tony Molina
It’s an 11-minute “album,” and while I admit that is super gimmicky, it is no less great for being a gimmick.
Click here to see Staff Writer & Photographer Michelle Viray’s Top 14
