Artists’ picks of 2011

Carlo van Putten (Dead Guitars)
1. Low Roar – Debut
2. The Boxer Rebellion – The Cold Still
3. Black Swan Lane – Staring Down The Path Of Sound
4. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
5. Low – C’Mon
6. Washed Out = Within & Without
7. Marianne Faithful – Horses and High Heels
8. Black Whales – Shangri-La Indeed
9. Carter Tanton – Freeclouds
10. Screaming Lights – Like Angels
Carlo has been in various bands most notably as lead singer with The Convent and now Dead Guitars . He has also collaborated with Mark Burgess and the late Adrian Borland on the project White Rose Transmission . The recent Dead Guitars album Stranger featured strongly in our Editors Pick of the year.
Patrick Fitzgerald . (Stephen Hero)
In no particular order:
PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
Rizzle Kicks – Stereo Typical
Gavin Friday – catholic
The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
The Horrors – Skying
Bill Wells/Aidan Moffat – Everything’s Getting Older
The Unthanks – Last
REM – Collapse Into Now
Pete Astor – Songbox
Josh T Pearson – Last Of The Country Gentlemen
For ten years Patrick fronted the seminal Kitchens Of Distinction . (See Classic albums revisited.) Now returned to his first profession, healthcare, Patrick still finds time to make music under the guise of Stephen Hero . The haunting last album Apparition in the woods was an absolute stunner.
Evi and Stevie (Evi Vine)
In no particular order:
Low – C’Mon
Roots Manuva – 4EvaRevolution
James Blake – James Blake
Zola Jesus – Conatus
PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
The Horrors – Skying
Josh T Pearson – Last Of The Country Gentlemen
Downliners Sekt – avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing
Mogwai – Harcore Will Never Die, But You Will
Wild Beasts – Smother
Radiohead – The King of Limbs
Evi Vine is a goth-tinged vocalist (and guitarist) whose compositions are saturated with emotions. If you missed the album, And so the morning comes go check our review without delay.
Jeff Runnings twelve daze of Christmas.
1. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Heart in Your Heartbreak
2. EMA – Milkman
3. I Break Horses – Winter Beats
4. M83 – ‘Midnight City
5. BLOUSE – Into Black
6. Weekend – Sweet Sixteen
7. Veronica Falls – Bad Feeling
8. Battles – Ice Cream (Featuring Matias Aguayo)
9. The Drums – Let’s Go Surfing
10. Small Black – Camouflage
11. Dum Dum Girls – Bedroom Eyes
12. Chapel Club – Surfacing
Jeff is frontman with Lincoln Nebraska dreampop act For Against . Their last album Never Been scored highly in our review.
[sic] thanks Jeff, Evi, Patrick and Carlo.