The Can You Hear This Countdown: Album of the Year

Picture Perfect: 2011’s best (according to Henry, Michael, Jonah and Bal) albums

Ho, ho, ho. Welcome to the second installment of the Can You Hear This Countdown (we’re going to work on a better name for next year but as I am editing this at 2:00 am that’s what you’re getting- Merry Christmas.) We’re moving on from single of the year to album of the year now. Since I started writing for Can You Hear This, I’ve noticed how much more I listen to albums as a whole. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with just listening to singles (hell, most of my favourite artists are probably classified as singles artists) but when you hear 10 or so tracks back to back, it can lend individual songs more coherency. Of course, it can also make something seem even more incongruous but I crave context. And in 2011, albums like 4 and Take Care only really come into their own when heard as a whole. So there you go, my new years resolution: Listen to more albums. I’m a man of ambition, you can see. Final installment’s on Friday (Friday, Friday.)