ALbum of the Year for 2011

I love music. I give it all a chance, classical, country, hip hop, pop, alternative, I do no care what genre some media hack puts it into, if it is music I'll give it my time. There is a whole lot of brilliant music coming out into this world these days. It is so easy to produce an album and the technology allows for depth and experimentation without a large budget.

For my tasting what separates the good from the great albums and the great from the masterful is the degree of risk mixed with  determination with a side of vulnerability. There are few albums that I consider classics. Ones that will be with me for many years that I will return to and play over and over again. I love Glen Goulds Goldburg variations or Joni Mitchell's Blue. I listen to Pink Floyds Wish You Where Here and Bon Ivers For Emma and Forever Ago. There are many that I cherish and will have with me my entire life.

One new addition to the masterful list is Feists Metals. Holly shit is this a layered album with class, vulnearability, and brilliant song construction. It is new, and old, fresh and familiar. It carries me on journeys and allows me to check in and out. I was listening to this album recently and making dinner, I caught myself, more then once, stopping what I was doing and listening to the music. That is important in a masterful album, getting me out of task and pulling me into the moment.

Now I do have a bit of a crush on Feist. If I saw here in person I would have a mini panic attack. I have found the calmness within myself to talk to anyone without getting nervous but feist is one who would chalenge me on that point.

I truly believe that Feist is this generations Joni Mitchell. What a gift.

Have a listen  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnj8_aDBJT8