We've cogitated, coagulated and masticated over the very best that 2011 had to offer, and whittled down the 12,302 albums released this year into a list of the 50 very best. Each of these albums is a shining example of what makes it great to be living through such a culturally rich time in our musical heritage.
1. That PJ Harvey one.
Now, without further ado, The Plague Doctors are very proud to present our 50 favourite Albums of the Year of Our Lord 2011:
1. That PJ Harvey one.
2. Jay-Z/Kanye
3. What else did I buy this year?
4. There must have been something...
4. There must have been something...
5. Can't think what it was.
6. I meant to buy the Nicola Roberts album.
7. But I didn't.
8. I didn't even like the Jay-Z and Kanye album, it was pretty rubbish, there was, like, one good song on it.
9. That PJ Harvey album was pretty samey as well, it only had about three good songs on it.
10. This is embarrassing.
11. I listened to bits of the Stephin Merritt obscurities album on Spotify, does that count?
12. No.
13. I must have heard more than two albums that were released this year.
14. No, I didn't.
15. This 50 best albums of the year thing could take a while, couldn't it?
16. It's going to need some padding out.
17. Just stick some albums from 2001 in, no one will notice.
18. Andrew WK - I Get Wet
19. Spiritualized - Let It Come Down
20. Jay-Z - The Blueprint
21. The Strokes - Is This It
22. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
23. 2001 was pretty good, wasn't it?
24. Yes.
25. Were you an NME reader in 2001, by any chance?
26. Maybe.
26. Maybe.
27. You missed off Amnesiac.
28. No I didn't, it's rubbish.
29. There must have been something else you bought this year. Kate Bush?
30. No.
31. Adele?
32. Nope.
33. Radiohead?
34. That was even worse than Amnesiac.
35. You heard it though? That means it can go on the list.
36. Oh. Okay.
37. Radiohead - The King of Limbs
38. Oh! I thought of another one!
39. Lady Gaga - Born This Way
40. I really wanted to like that, but it was no good. Sad face.
41. Do you think this lack of good records is indicative of the death of the album?
42. What?
43. Has mp3 culture equipped us all with short attention spans, meaning we no longer have the patience or desire to sit through an entire album in one sitting? Are people no longer interested in the idea of a record as a cohesive artistic statement? More worryingly, have years of picking and choosing our favourite two or three songs and thoughtlessly discarding the rest prompted artists to give up on the idea of the very concept of the long player?
44. Sorry, didn't read that, it looked boring.
45. Yeah, it was bollocks, don't worry, you didn't miss anything.
46. I think the reason there weren't any good albums this year was just because there weren't any good albums this year. There were LOADS last year, I bet there's loads next year as well.
47. The Plague Doctors album is due out next year as well, isn't it?
48. Yep.
49. I hope this whole top 50 nonsense hasn't just been a shameless plug.
50. Err...
THE PLAGUE DOCTORS - CORNFLAKES AND FLESH
COMING 2012
