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North Shore News critics name their favourite albums of 2011

Alysa Lechner Top 10 Albums 1. Danny Brown XXX (Fools Gold) 2. Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop) 3. Kurt Vile Smoke Ring For My Halo (Matador) 4. Mr. Muthaf___in eXquire Lost in Translation (Mishka) 5. The Black Lips Arabia Mountain (Vice) 6.

Alysa Lechner

Top 10 Albums

1. Danny Brown XXX (Fools Gold)

2. Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop)

3. Kurt Vile Smoke Ring For My Halo (Matador)

4. Mr. Muthaf___in eXquire Lost in Translation (Mishka)

5. The Black Lips Arabia Mountain (Vice)

6. Jay-Z and Kanye West

Watch The Throne (Roc-A-Fella, Roc Nation, Def Jam)

7. Ty Segall Goodbye Bread (Drag City)

8. Frank Ocean Nostalgia, Ultra (Def Jam)

9. Beyonce 4 (Columbia)

10. Das Racist Relax (Greedhead)

Erin McPhee

Top 10 Albums

1. Bon Iver Bon Iver (Jagjaguwar)

2. Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop)

3. Handsome Furs Sound Kapital (Sub Pop)

4. The Decemberists The King is Dead (Rough Trade)

5. Black Keys El Camino (Nonesuch)

6. Beirut The Rip Tide (Pompeii)

7. Radiohead The King of Limbs (TBD Records)

8. Feist Metals (Arts & Crafts)

9. Destroyer Kaputt (Merge)

10. Tennis Cape Dory (Fat Possum)

Terry Peters

Top 10 Albums

1. The Kills Blood Pressures (Domino)

2. Drive-By Truckers Go-Go Boots (RED Distribution)

3. Raphael Saadiq Stone Rollin (Columbia)

4. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Here We Rest (Lightning Rod Records)

5. Greg Allman Low Country Blues (Rounder)

6. Adele 21 (XL Recordings)

7. Kings of Leon Come Around Sundown (RCA)

8. Little Dragon Ritual Union (Peacefrog)

9. Street Sweeper Social Club

The Ghetto Blaster (Street Sweeper)

10. James Blake James Blake (Universal Republic)

Anja Weber

Top 10 Albums

1. St. Vincent Strange Mercy (4AD)

2. Wild Flag Wild Flag (Merge)

3. Wye Oak Civilian (Merge)

4. An Horse Walls (Mom & Pop Music)

5. Thao & Mirah Thao & Mirah (Kill Rock Stars)

6. The Kills Blood Pressures (Domino)

7. Telekinesis

12 Desperate Straight Lines (Merge)

8. Jessica Lea Mayfield Tell Me (Polymer Sounds)

9. Braids Native Speaker (Kanine Records)

10. Eleanor Friedberger Last Summer (Merge)

John Goodman

Top 10 Albums

1. Motor City Drum Ensemble DJ Kicks (!K7)

2. Handsome Furs Sound Kapital (Sub Pop)

3. M83 Hurry Up, Were Dreaming (Mute)

4. Drawn Ship Low Domestic (Scratch Records)

5. Tinariwen Tassili (Anti)

6. Drive-By Truckers Go-Go Boots (RED Distribution)

7. Ximena Sariñana Ximena Sariñana (Warner Music)

8. PJ Harvey Let England Shake (Vagrant)

9. Sevara Nazarkhan Tortadur (Sevaramusic)

10. Tim Hecker Ravedeath, 1972 (Kranky)

John Goodman

Favourite Reissues/remixes/archival releases

1. This May Be My Last Time Singing:

Raw African-American Gospel on 45 RPM 1957-1982

Various Artists (Tompkins Square 3CD)

2. Van Dyke Parks Arrangements Vol. 1 (Bananastan)

3. Nirvana Nevermind (Universal)

4. Marvin Gaye Whats Going On (Motown)

5. Sebadoh Bakesale (Sub Pop)

6. Monomono Give the Beggar A Chance (Tummy Touch)

7. Lee Scratch Perry The Return of Pipecock Jackson (Honest Jons)

8. Smashing Pumpkins Gish/Siamese Dream (EMI)

9. Can Tago Mago (Mute/Spoon)

10. Dome 1-4+5 (Editions Mego, 1980-99)