Portland’s Favorite Records of 2011

AS THE CLOCK runs out on 2011, it’s that time of year for making lists—and we asked many of the hundreds of talented folks in the Portland music scene for their top five favorite records of the year. Musicians, bookers, label heads, and more all sent in their favorites, which have been painstakingly compiled and presented to you here.

Not surprisingly, the album most Portlanders voted for was Bon Iver’s self-titled album, but it was also nice to see tUnE-yArDs and Kurt Vile rounding out the top three. The favorite local albums of the year were Blitzen Trapper and Unknown Mortal Orchestra, with Yob, Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside, Wild Flag, and Red Fang not far behind.

Reassuringly, Lou Reed and Metallica’s Lulu was nowhere to be found on anyone’s top five, proving that in addition to scads of talent, Portland’s music scene boasts excellent taste.

Agree? Disagree? In the comments below, you can also share your top five faves of 2011. And be sure to visit our music blog, End Hits, where, starting Monday and through New Year’s, we’ll be posting Portland’s favorite musical moments all week long.

Terry Currier (Music Millennium)
1. Dolorean—The Unfazed
2. Fountains of Wayne—Sky Full of Holes
3. Ralph Covert and the Bad Examples—Smash Record
4. Ian Moore and the Lossy Coils—El Sonido Nuevo
5. Viva Voce—The Future Will Destroy You

Aaron Beam (Red Fang)
Yob—Atma
Danava/Earthless/Lecherous Gaze—split EP
Lord Dying—demo
Graveyard—Hisingen Blues
Mastodon—The Hunter

Benoît Pioulard
1. Belong—Common Era
2. Kyle Bobby Dunn—Ways of Meaning
3. Nils Frahm—Felt
4. Factums—Gilding the Lilies
5. The Caretaker—An Empty Bliss Beyond This World

Jake Morris (The Jicks/Nightmoves/Hookers)
1. Destroyer—Kaputt
2. Ty Segall—Goodbye Bread
3. Anika—Anika
4. Real Estate—Days
5. Grails—Deep Politics

Emil Amos (Grails/Holy Sons)
1. Oneohtrix Point Never—Replica
2. MF Doom—Operation Doomsday (lunchbox edition)
3. Kourosh Yaghmaei—Back from the Brink
4. Eberhard Schoener—Bali-Agúng
5. Nate Young—Stay Asleep (Regression Vol. 2)

Matt Brown (Bladen County Records/Bunk Bar)
A.A. Bondy—Believers
Unknown Mortal Orchestra—Unknown Mortal Orchestra
The War on Drugs—Slave Ambient
Centro-matic—Candidate Waltz
The Light Pines—Into the Night

Ryan Northrop (Sons of Huns)
1. Real Estate—Days
2. Danava—Hemisphere of Shadows
3. Thee Oh Sees—Castlemania
4. Battles—Gloss Drop
5. Red Fang—Murder the Mountains

Matt King (Mississippi Studios)
1.  Gross Magic—Teen Jamz EP
2.  Ponytail—Do Whatever You Want All the Time
3.  Future Islands—On the Water
4.  Generationals—Actor-Caster
5.  EMA—Past Life Martyred Saints

Ken Cheppaikode (Dirtnap Records/Green Noise Records)
Black Lips—Arabia Mountain
The Midwest Beat—Gone Not Lost
Barreracudas—Nocturnal Missions
Night Birds—The Other Side of Darkness
Shannon and the Clams—Sleep Talk

Jeremiah Hayden (Amigo/Amiga Recordings)
1. David Bazan—Strange Negotiations
2. The War on Drugs—Slave Ambient
3. Das Racist—Relax
4. Wild Flag—Wild Flag
5. Tom Waits—Bad as Me

Leif Anders & Jessica B. (Orca Team)
1. Fungi Girls—Some Easy Magic
2. Psychic Feline—”Blood Dolphin” 7-inch
3. Nucular Aminals—Nucular Aminals
4. Witch Gardens—”Rain Delay” 7-inch
5. Puberty—”Invitations” 7-inch

Dave Depper (Fruit Bats/The Ram Project)
1. Vetiver—The Errant Charm
2. Toro y Moi—Underneath the Pine
3. Bill Callahan—Apocalypse
4. Twin Shadow—Forget
5. Au Ras Au Ras—Au Ras Au Ras

Ezra Ace Caraeff (The Old Gold/Portland Mercury)
1. EMA—Past Life Modern Saints
2. tUnE-yArDs—w h o k i l l
3. Charles Bradley—No Time for Dreaming
4. Bon Iver—Bon Iver
5. Young Galaxy—Shapeshifting

Devin Gallagher (Typhoon/High Scores and Records)
1. Nurses—Dracula
2. Balam Acab—Wander/Wonder
3. Pictureplane—Thee Physical
4. Tyler, the Creator—Goblin
5. Zola Jesus—Conatus

Terry Groves (Pickathon)
1. The War on Drugs—Slave Ambient
2. Little Wings—Black Grass
3. Bill Callahan—Apocalypse
4. Robert Ellis—Photographs
5. Gillian Welch—The Harrow and the Harvest

Anthony Stassi (Haunt!)
1. Little Dragon—Ritual Union
2. Battles—Gloss Drop
3. tUnE-yArDs—w h o k i l l
4. Radiohead—The King of Limbs
5. Gil Scott-Heron/Jamie xx—We’re New Here

Carly Henry (Starbird Booking)
1. Helms Alee—Weatherhead
2. 400 Blows—Sickness and Health
3. Rabbits—Lower Forms
4. Grayceon—All We Destroy
5. Indian—Guiltless

Alex Arrowsmith (The Shaky Hands)
1. Wilco—The Whole Love
2. The War on Drugs—Slave Ambient
3. Coldplay—Mylo Xyloto
4. Cults—Cults
5. Washed Out—Within and Without

Lisa Molinaro (Talkdemonic)
1. Timber Timbre—Creep on Creepin’ On
2. Kurt Vile—Smoke Ring for My Halo
3. Handsome Furs—Sound Kapital
4. Crooked Fingers—Breaks in the Armor
5. Radiohead—The King of Limbs

Jeremy Petersen (OPB Music)
1. PJ Harvey—Let England Shake
2. The War on Drugs—Slave Ambient
3. Eleanor Friedberger—Last Summer
4. tUnE-yArDs—w h o k i l l
5. Point Juncture, WA—Handsome Orders

Seth Montfort (Rabbits)
1. Craft—Void
2. Alaric—Alaric
3. Midnight—Satanic Royalty
4. Yob—Atma
5. Arctic Flowers—Reveries

Ryan Feigh (Portland Mercury)
1. Various artists—Frsh Slcts & Ante Up PDX Present: This Is Portland Vol. 1.5
2. Luck-One—King of the Northwest
3. Illmaculate x G_Force—The Green Tape
4. Cloudy October—The Metal Jerk
5. Hives Inquiry Squad—Edifice

Skyler Norwood (Point Juncture, WA/Miracle Lake Studios)
1. Blind Pilot—We Are the Tide
2. Wilco—The Whole Love
3. Petoskey—Bombs Away
4. Talkdemonic—Ruins
5. Bon Iver—Bon Iver

Jim Brunberg (Mississippi Studios/Live Wire!)
1. Typhoon—A New Kind of House EP: “I love Kyle and the 506 members of this singular, compassionate, earnest (but hold the cheese) band. Ten gorgeous inches.”
2. Wilco—The Whole Love: “Their best album in, like forever. Fearless, patient, songy.”
3. Feist—Metals: “Sigh. Why? Why am I not Feist’s guitar player? Don’t answer that.”
4. Priory—Priory: “Songs and arrangements that rock the pop.”
5. AgesandAges—Alright You Restless: “Sounds like a happy Badfinger, if they had found a secret portal to tortured bliss, not hung themselves, invited all the cool members of the Beach Boys to group therapy (that’s pretty much everyone except Mike Love), and went to a party during the making of Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk, and stayed up all night making this record.”

Trevor Solomon (MusicfestNW)
1. Adele—21
2. Bon Iver—Bon Iver
3. Frank Ocean—Nostalgia, Ultra
4. The War on Drugs—Slave Ambient
5. Crooked Fingers—Breaks in the Armor

Maggie Vail (CASH Music/Hurry Up)
1. Comet Gain—Howl of the Lonely Crowd
2. Zola Jesus—Conatus
3. The Men—Leave Home
4. Wild Flag—Wild Flag
5. Veronica Falls—Veronica Falls

Evan Way (The Parson Red Heads)
1. Blitzen Trapper—American Goldwing
2. Wilco—The Whole Love
3. Comet Gain—Howl of the Lonely Crowd
4. The Feelies—Here Before
5. Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter—Marble Son

Auggie Rebelo (Everyday Music)
1. Blood Beach—Return of the Curse of the Creature’s Ghost
2. SBTRKT—SBTRKT
3. The Drums—Portamento
4. Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside—Dirty Radio
5. Nurses—Dracula

Christopher Michael (BOOM!/Guantanamo Baywatch)
1. Therapists—Hate Sweats
2. Shannon and the Clams—Sleep Talk
3. Tandoori Knights—Curry Up It’s the Tandoori Knights
4. Skinny Jesus—God Damn Saviour
5. Night Beats—Night Beats

Matt Sheehy (Lost Lander)
1. M83—Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
2. Akron/Family—S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinto TNT
3. James Blake—James Blake
4. Bon Iver—Bon Iver
5. Ane Brun—It All Starts with One

Chris Cantino (Archers/Portland Mercury)
The Woolen Men—How I Learned to Shave
John Maus—We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
Oneohtrix Point Never—Replica
Grouper—A I A
Martin Newell—Songs for a Fallow Land (reissue)

Tyler Keene (Log Across the Washer)
The Charts/Besties—Eggy Records split tape
Burial—Street Halo EP
The Polyps—Ants on the Golden Cone
Gross Magic—Teen Jamz EP
Parenthetical Girls—Privilege, Pt. IV: Sympathy for Spastics EP

Sara Lund (The Corin Tucker Band/Hungry Ghost)
1. Red Fang—Murder the Mountains
2. Ty Segall—Goodbye Bread
3. Darondo—Listen to My Song: the Music City Sessions
4. Crock—Grok
5. Grimble Grumble—September Sun

Matt Caldwell (End Hits)
Lanu—Her 12 Faces
Dan Mangan—Oh Fortune
Fleet Foxes—Helplessness Blues
tUnE-yArDs—w h o k i l l
Vetiver—The Errant Charm

Will West (Will West and the Friendly Strangers)
Tom Waits—Bad as Me
Vagabond Opera—Sing for Your Lives
Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Chris Thile—The Goat Rodeo Sessions  
Radiohead—The King of Limbs
Panda Bear—Tomboy

Lisa Schonberg (The Secret Drum Band)
Marisa Anderson—The Golden Hour
tUnE-yArDs—w h o k i l l
Coasting—You’re Never Going Back
Wild Flag—Wild Flag
Deerhunter—Halcyon Digest: “I know it is a 2010 release, but I listened to it so much this year.” 

Scott Magee (DJ Cooky Parker/Y La Bamba/Monarques/Nick Jaina)
1. AgesandAges—Alright You Restless
2. Beyoncé—4
3. Death Songs—Death Songs EP
4. Jay-Z and Kanye West—Watch the Throne
5. Feist—Metals

Aris Wales (Portland Mercury/Order of the Gash)
1. The Devil’s Blood—The Thousandfold Epicentre
2. Vektor—Outer Isolation
3. Graveyard—Hisingen Blues
4. Nasalrod—On a Trainset
5. Opeth—Heritage

Luck-One
1. Elzhi—Elmatic
2. Scribes—What Was Lost
3. Havi Blaze—Purple & Gold: The Balance
4. Cocaine 80s—The Pursuit
5. “I’m gonna leave #5 blank because I honestly can’t say there was another disc listened to in 2011 front to back more than once other than [Drake’s] Comeback Season and that came out in like ’07, hahaha.”

Erik Abel (Gen.Erik/Animal Farm)
1. Pharoahe Monch—W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)
2. Serge Severe—Back on My Rhymes
3. (tie) Cool Nutz—The Cook Up
3. (tie) Luck-One—True Theory
5. Iame—Lame

Ryan Tobias (Oregon Rocks!/FlatMass Media)
1. The Beach Boys—The Smile Sessions
2. Frank Ocean—Nostalgia, Ultra
3. Lava—Cool World
4. Nicolas Jaar—Space Is Only Noise
5. Kelli Schaefer—Ghost of the Beast

Mary Brabec (Billions)
1. My Brightest Diamond—All Things Will Unwind
2. Shabazz Palaces—Black Up
3. Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside—Dirty Radio
4. Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Segal—Chamber Music
5. Wye Oak—Civilian

Rachel Demy (tour manager)
1. Adele—21
2. St. Vincent—Strange Mercy
3. Fleet Foxes—Helplessness Blues
4. Drake—Take Care
5. Wild Flag—Wild Flag

Isaac Slusarenko (Jackpot Records)
1. Boston Spaceships—Let It Beard
2. Real Estate—Days
3. Blitzen Trapper—American Goldwing
4. Red Fang—Murder the Mountains
5. Wilco—The Whole Love

Robert Ham (freelance writer)
1. Battles—Gloss Drop
2. James Elkington and Nathan Salsburg—Avos
3. The Dirtbombs—Party Store
4. Pulse Emitter—Spiritual Vistas
5. Toxic Holocaust—Conjure and Command

Guantanamo Baywatch
1. The Therapists—Hate Sweats
2. Penis Papa and the Pussy Moms—Penis Papa and the Pussy Moms
3. Shannon and the Clams—Sleep Talk
4. Unkle Funkle—Picture of My Dick
5. Katy Perry—Teenage Dream

Peter Vaughan Shaver (Sound Advice)
1. Tom Waits—Bad as Me
2. Vacant Fever—Heparin & Saline
3. Charles Bradley—No Time for Dreaming
4. Various artists—This May Be My Last Time Singing: Raw African American Gospel on 45RPM 1957-1982
5. Stonecreep—The Deathmarch Crushes On

Joan Hiller (Riot Act Media)
1. Fleet Foxes—Helplessness Blues
2. Wye Oak—Civilian
3. tUnE-yArDs—w h o k i l l
4. Wild Flag—Wild Flag
5. St. Vincent—Strange Mercy

Rob Taxpayer (The Taxpayers/Useless State Records)
1. Walter Mitty and His Makeshift Orchestra—Overwhelmed and Underdressed: “Eight songs and 15 minutes of brilliant, catchy, heartfelt punk rock acoustic pop.”
2. Andrew Link—Impromptu Insanity: “Classic and poignant country music with a wacky heart of gold.”
3. Potsie—EP: “The best band in Portland, in my opinion. Sloppy lo-fi garage pop punk in the vein of the Bananas and Abi Yoyos. Potsie represents everything good about DIY music, and puts on a damn good live show.”
4. Lee Corey Oswald—Moon Songs: “A smattering of rock and roll from punk’s version of Simon and Garfunkel.”
5. Various artists—Mix It Up, Fuck It Up 2: “Mix It Up, Fuck It Up again delivers a smorgasbord of amazing local music, from punk to dance to hiphop to metal to everything in between. This comp is also amazing because all proceeds go to benefit Portland’s one and only show guide, pc-pdx.com.”

Cloudy October
1. Danny Brown—XXX
2. Open Mike Eagle—Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes
3. Milo—I Wish My Brother Rob Was Here
4. Remember Alwayz—Prodigal
5. Molina—Build 2020: Manifesto

Mistina La Fave (The Prids)
1. The Drums—Portamento 
2. The Raveonettes—Raven in the Grave
3. David Bazan—Strange Negotiations 
4. Zola Jesus—Conatus 
5. Crystal Stilts—In Love with Oblivion 

Jared Mees (Tender Loving Empire/Jared Mees and the Grown Children)
Fleet Foxes—Helplessness Blues 
Kanye West—My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
tUnE-yArDs—w h o k i l l
Body Parts—On Purpose
The Decemberists—The King Is Dead

Jon AD (Losonofono/LoDubs/Anthem Records)
1. Nicolas Jaar—Space Is Only Noise: “A sprawling record one gets lost in, which bears as many of the hereditary traits of Tuxedomoon and/or Bohren and Der Club of Gor as it does Wolfgang Voigt.”
2. Swarms—Old Raves End: “140 tempo atmospheric bass music that does as much for furthering the sound of Burial as My Bloody Valentine.”
3. Hyetal—Broadcast: “What M83 would possibly sound like had he been influenced by the purple sound of Bristol.”
4. John Haughm—”+46 17′ 36.30″, -124 4′ 20.13″ 7-inch: “The frontman of Agalloch channeling Ash Ra Temple in a lush guitar arrangement inspired by a mushroom trip and a yurt.”
5. BMMB—Dirty Seconds: “The skweee supergroup consisting of Randy Barracuda, Micheal Black Electro, and Mesak. From a parallel universe where Prince was born in Finland.”

Gabe Vodicka (Portland Mercury)
1. Grouper—A I A
2. Bill Callahan—Apocalypse
3. Tim Hecker—Ravedeath, 1972
4. Thurston Moore—Demolished Thoughts
5. Oneohtrix Point Never—Replica

Carolyn Berk, Emily Kingan, and Kerby Ferris (Lovers)
Fleet Foxes—Helplessness Blues
R.E.M.—Collapse into Now
Des Ark—Don’t Rock the Boat, Sink the Fucker
Bon Iver—Bon Iver
Austra—Feel It Break

Matthew McLean (Monqui)
1. The Rural Alberta Advantage—Departing
2. Destroyer—Kaputt
3. White Denim—D 
4. Bon Iver—Bon Iver
5. Hanni El Khatib—Will the Guns Come Out

Nathan Walker (Riot Act Media)
1. Timber Timbre—Creep on Creepin’ On: “Imagine Screamin’ Jay Hawkins for the 21st century. It’s at once spooky and soulful and was on repeat at my house since the first time I listened [to it].”
2. Austra—Feel It Break: “A heartbreakingly beautiful voice set against music that even makes my stone legs dance.”
3. Peaking Lights—936: “The sound of sun warming your limbs while you lie in the grass. It’ll warm you on the darkest of days.”
4. The Dirtbombs—Party Store: “Mick Collins asked the universe, ‘What would Nathan Walker’s perfect party record be?’ The answer came back and it was Party Store.”
5. Jacuzzi Boys—Glazin’: “F.U.N.—pure and simple.”

Zac Jacobson (Wax Fingers)
1. Justice—Audio, Video, Disco
2. Atlas Sound—Parallax
3. Drake—Take Care
4. Future Islands—On the Water
5. Radiohead—The King of Limbs 

Ross Beach (PDX Pop Now!/Ross and the Hellpets)
1. The Decemberists—The King Is Dead
2. Starfucker—Reptilians
3. R.E.M.—Collapse into Now
4. Bright Eyes—The People’s Key
5. Nick Jaina—The Beanstalks That Have Brought Us Here Are Gone

Neal Morgan
1. Bill Callahan—Apocalypse
2. Kate Bush—50 Words for Snow
3. Fleet Foxes—Helplessness Blues
4. Nurses—Dracula
5. Anonymous—To My: Long Lost Love: “The LP can be found around town; the most fully realized heartbreak album of all time.”

Saxon Baird (Prefix/Afropop Worldwide)
1. Shabazz Palaces—Black Up
2. Kurt Vile—Smoke Ring for My Halo
3. FOKN Bois—The FOKN DunaQuest in Budapest
4. Random Axe—Random Axe
5. Andy Stott—Passed Me By

Zachary King (Garageland/Zach’s Books/Burning Yellows)
1. Pink Reason—Shit in the Garden
2. Kurt Vile—Smoke Ring for My Halo
3. Psychedelic Horseshit—Laced
4. Kitchen’s Floor—Look Forward to Nothing
5. Milk Music—Beyond Living EP

David Hutchinson (fuckbadmusic.com)
1. Young Dro—Equestrian Dro
2. Mike Simonetti—Capricorn Rising
3. Mark McGuire—A Young Person’s Guide to Mark McGuire
4. Tim Hecker—Dropped Pianos
5. Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka Flame—Ferrari Boyz

Sean Spellman (Quiet Life)
1. Blitzen Trapper—American Goldwing
2. The Mother Hips—Days of Sun and Grass
3. Seth Petterson—Skate Away EP
4. Dolorean—The Unfazed
5. Star Band de Dakar—Vol. 1

Rob Simonsen (A to Z Media)
1. Veronica Falls—Veronica Falls
2. JEFF the Brotherhood—We Are the Champions
3. Cloud Nothings—Cloud Nothings
4. Los Campesinos!—Hello Sadness
5. Turf War—Years of Living Dangerously

Jason Leonard (Loch Lomond)
1. Fleet Foxes—Helplessness Blues
2. Cass McCombs—Wit’s End
3. Au Ras Au Ras—Au Ras Au Ras
4. Hauschka—Salon des Amateurs
5. Sonny and the Sunsets—Hit After Hit

Nathan Jr. (Duover/Fruit Bats)
1. Vetiver—The Errant Charm: “I somehow had never heard Vetiver until I was lucky enough to be on the same bill with them. Their entire catalog is a perfectly curated lesson in the beauty of timing and restraint, no doubt informed by a beyond categorization knowledge of music history and millions of hours searching and listening. Do yourself a favor.”
2. Blitzen Trapper—American Goldwing: “I don’t think BT will ever be out of my top five in an album release year. They’re pretty much my favorite band. Always amazing. This one is classic out of the gates, as usual.”
3. Paper/Upper/Cuts—Illa Killa Yellow: “A source of constant spiritual inspiration. David ‘Papi’ Fimbres elevates my spirit with music as pure as the virgin universe. He is energy.”
4. Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside—Dirty Radio: “I first saw them at an ice cream stand (Junior Ambassador, R.I.P.) and knew they were gonna go far. This record just validated my first instinct. Great!”
5. Dave Depper—The Ram Project: “A mind-bending testament of devotion to Macca. I am awed by this.”

Mo Troper (Your Rival)
1. Devon Williams—Euphoria
2. Telekinesis—12 Desperate Straight Lines
3. Girls—Father, Son, Holy Ghost
4. Wild Ones—You’re a Winner EP
5. Lee Corey Oswald—Moon Songs

Chris Bigalke (Showdeer Presents)
Oneohtrix Point Never—Replica
Wu Lyf—Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
Ducktails—Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics
Unknown Mortal Orchestra—Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Peaking Lights—936

Jason Leivian (Oregon Rocks!/Lava/Floating World Comics)
1. The Field—Looping State of Mind
2. Clams Casino—Instrumentals
3. The Weeknd—House of Balloons
4. Cults—Cults
5. Panda Bear—Tomboy

Gina Altamura (Holocene)
1. Gardens and Villa—Gardens and Villa
2. Unknown Mortal Orchestra—Unknown Mortal Orchestra
3. tUnE-yArDs—w h o k i l l
4. Yuck—Yuck
5. The Weeknd—House of Balloons

Gavin Castleton
1. Frank Ocean—Nostalgia, Ultra
2. Feist—Metals
3. The Stepkids—The Stepkids
4. St. Vincent—Strange Mercy
5. Kelli Schaefer—Ghost of the Beast

Scott Flaster (Seventh Rule)
1. Alaric—Alaric
2. Rabbits—Lower Forms
3. The Dirtbombs—Party Store
4. Yob—Atma
5. Deathcharge—Love Was Born to an Early Death

Justin Ready (Pigeons/Petoskey)
1. Richmond Fontaine—The High Country
2. Denver—Denver
3. Paper/Upper/Cuts—Illa Killa Yellow Space
4. Point Juncture, WA—Handsome Orders
5. Jared Mees and the Grown Children—Only Good Thoughts Can Stay

Natasha Kmeto
1. Shabazz Palaces—Black Up
2. tUnE-yArDs—w h o k i l l
3. Matthewdavid—Outmind
4. Fleet Foxes—Helplessness Blues
5. Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx—We’re New Here

Ryan Hyaes (Hurtbird)
1. Shabazz Palaces—Black Up
2. St. Vincent—Strange Mercy
3. Atlas Sound—Parallax
4. Loch Lomond—Little Me Will Start a Storm
5. Timber Timbre—Creep on Creepin’ On

Dana Valatka (AU)
A Winged Victory for the Sullen—A Winged Victory for the Sullen
Seun Kuti and Egypt 80—From Africa with Fury: Rise
Esmerine—La Lechuza
The Necks—Mindset
Serengeti—Family and Friends

Greg Glover (94.7 FM/Arena Rock Recording Company)
1. The Horrors—Skying
2. Megafaun—Megafaun
3. The Drums—Portamento
4. Wild Beasts—Smother
5. Washed Out—Within and Without

Mark Lore (Portland Mercury/thedaysoflore.com)
1. Koko and the Sweetmeats—Sacrifice
2. Unknown Mortal Orchestra—Unknown Mortal Orchestra
3. Old 97’s—The Grand Theatre, Vol. 2
4. Anthrax—Worship Music
5. Thee Oh Sees—Carrion Crawler/the Dream

Jacy McIntosh (Themes)
1. The Velvet Teen—No Star EP
2. Feist—Metals
3. Tom Waits—Bad as Me
4. 13 & God—Own Your Ghost
5. Fugazi—Live Series

Ashia Grzesik (Ashia and the Bison Rouge/Vagabond Opera)
1. My Brightest Diamond—All Things Will Unwind
2. Rachel Taylor Brown—World So Sweet
3. Tom Waits—Bad as Me
4. Vladimirska—Night Trains
5. Björk—Biophilia

Corrina Repp (Tu Fawning)
1. PJ Harvey—Let England Shake
2. tUnE-yArDs—w h o k i l l
3. Cass McCombs—Wit’s End
4. Timber Timbre—Creep on Creepin’ On
5. Gang Gang Dance—Eye Contact

Sara Hernandez (The Angry Orts)
1. David Bazan—Strange Negotiations
2. Jared Mees and the Grown Children—Only Good Thoughts Can Stay
3. Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside—Dirty Radio
4. Red Fang—Murder the Mountains
5. Blitzen Trapper—American Goldwing

Zack Osterlund (Breakfast Mountain)
1. Rustie—Glass Swords
2. Pictureplane—Thee Physical
3. Unicorn Kid—Tidal Rave EP
4. Clams Casino—Instrumentals
5. M83—Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

Chris Hnat (230 Publicity)
1. Joyce Manor—Joyce Manor
2. Black Lips—Arabia Mountain
3. Action Bronson—Dr. Lecter
4. Thee Oh Sees—Carrion Crawler/the Dream
5. Unknown Mortal Orchestra—Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Beau Sorenson (engineer/producer/musician)
1. Destroyer—Kaputt
2. PJ Harvey—Let England Shake
3. St. Vincent—Strange Mercy
4. All Tiny Creatures—Harbors
5. Tim Hecker—Ravedeath 1972

Andrew R Tonry (Portland Mercury)
1. Cass McCombs—Wit’s End & Humor Risk
2. Charles Bradley—No Time for Dreaming
3. Nurses—Dracula
4. Caveman—Coco Beware
5. Action Bronson—The Program EP & Dr. Lecter

Ryan J. Prado (Just Out/Oregon Music News)
1. 31Knots—Trump Harm<
2. St. Vincent—Strange Mercy
3. Holcombe Waller—Into the Dark Unknown
4. Deerhoof—Deerhoof vs. Evil
5. Turbo Perfecto—”The Song” (single)

Connie Wohn (Stylus 503)
1. The Black Keys—El Camino
2. The Roots—Undun
3. Frank Ocean—Nostalgia, Ultra
4. Adele—21
5. (tie) St. Vincent—Strange Mercy; Wye Oak—Civilian

Kevin O’Connor (Talkdemonic)
1. Kurt Vile—Smoke Ring for My Halo
2. Neon Indian—Era Extraña
3. Jay-Z and Kanye West—Watch the Throne
4. Timber Timbre—Creep on Creepin’ On
5. Pure X—Pleasure

Lana Rebel
1. Ben von Wildenhaus—Great Melodies from Around
2. Bad Assets—I-84
3. Otherly Love—Spit That Plan
4. Naim Amor—Soundtracks, Volume IV
5. Drunken Prayer—”It’s Christmastime” 7-inch

The Incredible Kid
1. Anirudh Ravichander and Dhanush—”Why This Kolaveri Di”
2. Major Lazer—Original Don EP
3. Devi Sri Prasad featuring Benny Dayal and Baba Sehgal—”Dhenam Dhenam”
4. Shazalakazoo—Karton City Boom
5. Saini Surinder—”Thor”

Blood Beach
Big Black Cloud—Shitty Vibrations
Bombino—Agadez
Nucular Aminals—Nucular Aminals
Oneohtrix Point Never—Replica
Psychic Feline—”Blood Dolphin” & “Headache” b/w “Vampires” 7-inch

Anna Jensen (Doug Fir)
1. Bon Iver—Bon Iver
2. Alabama Shakes—Alabama Shakes
3. Wye Oak—Civilian
4. Dum Dum Girls—Only in Dreams
5. The Coasts—The Coasts

Sarah Fennell (Lost Lander/What Hearts)
1. Cults—Cults
2. Team Evil—Mad Reciprocity
3. Blind Pilot—We Are the Tide
4. Bon Iver—Bon Iver
5. Cataldo—Prison Boxing

Scott McLean (Holocene/Rough Trade)
1. Kurt Vile—Smoke Ring for My Halo
2. Alela Diane & Wild Divine—Alela Diane & Wild Divine
3. Silver Dapple—English Girlfriend
4. The Weeknd—House of Balloons
5. Carter Tanton—Freeclouds

Krist Krueger (Self Group/Southerly)
1. Tom Waits—Bad as Me
2. David Bazan—Strange Negotiations
3. Radiation City—The Hands That Take You
4. Appetite—Scattered Smothered Covered<
5. Gospel Music—How to Get to Heaven from Jacksonville, FL

Ingrid Renan (Exploding Green)
Wye Oak—Civilian
Middle Brother—Middle Brother
Kurt Vile—Smoke Ring for My Halo
Alela Diane & Wild Divine—Alela Diane & Wild Divine 
tUnE-yArDs—w h o k i l l

Nathan Carson (Witch Mountain/Nanotear Booking/DJ Nate C)
1. Virus—The Agent That Shapes the Desert
2. Yob—Atma
3. The Wounded Kings—In the Chapel of the Black Hand
4. Ulcerate—Destroyers of All
5. Vektor—Outer Isolation

Tope (Living Proof/TxE)
1. OverDoz—Live For, Die For
2. Drake—Take Care
3. Kendrick Lamar—Section.80
4. James Blake—James Blake
5. Frank Ocean—Nostalgia, Ultra

Keegan Meyer (KPSU)
1. Givers—In Light
2. M83—Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
3. Unknown Mortal Orchestra—Unknown Mortal Orchestra 
4. Charles Bradley—No Time for Dreaming
5. Real Estate—Days

Dylan Magierek (Badman/Type Foundry/Scenic Burrows)
1. “Haven’t found it yet.”  
2. Veronica Falls—Veronica Falls: “Songs about finding love in a graveyard: every young goth’s dream.”
3. Bon Iver—Bon Iver: “Really unique variations of vocals and music passages while maintaining a consistent mood on this one. Emotionally moving record production.”
4. The Black Keys—El Camino: “I just started listening but they are too easy to like, so I know it’ll be a favorite already. Wish they were still a power duo, though.”
5. Desertshore—Drawing of Threes: “Mixes up wild electric, acoustic, and soundscape guitars, piano, some percussion and Mark Kozelek singing on half of the album. Soothing.”

Roxy Epoxy
1. Alice Bag—Violence Girl (book)
2. Girl in a Coma—Exits and All the Rest
3. Survival Guide—7-inches
4. Sharp Objects—Sharp Objects
5. Le Butcherettes—Sin Sin Sin

DJ Anjali
1. JK—Gabru Panjab Dha
2. The Bant Singh Project—Word Sound Power
3. Cornershop and Bubbley Kaur—Cornershop and the Double-O Groove Of
4. Original soundtrack—Delhi Belly
5. Schlachthofbronx—Mudders EP & Nasty Bass EP

Stephanie Ryan (Mississippi Studios/Laura Veirs’ assistant)
1. Bon Iver—Bon Iver
2. A.A. Bondy—Believers
3. Jessica Lea Mayfield—Tell Me
4. Anika—Anika
5. Wye Oak—Civilian

Nilina Mason-Campbell (photographer/Jill-of-all-trades)
1. Bon Iver—Bon Iver
2. Jay-Z and Kanye West—Watch the Throne
3. Rihanna—Talk That Talk
4. Britney Spears—Femme Fatale
5. Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside—Dirty Radio

Ned Lannamann (Portland Mercury)
1. Neil Diamond—The Bang Years
2. Turf War—Years of Living Dangerously
3. Hudson Bell—Out of the Clouds
4. Centro-matic—Candidate Waltz
5. BOAT—Dress Like Your Idols

Jeff Urquhart (Branx/Rotture)
1. Polar Bear Club—Clash Battle Guilt Pride
2. La Dispute—Wildlife
3. Rival Schools—Pedals
4. Moving Mountains—Waves
5. Sloths—demo

Michael Deresh (Tea for Julie)
1. Kurt Vile—Smoke Ring for My Halo
2. PJ Harvey—Let England Shake
3. Fleet Foxes—Helplessness Blues

Dan Galucki (Run on Sentence)
1. M83—Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
2. The Range of Light Wilderness—The Range of Light Wilderness
3. Kurt Vile—Smoke Ring for My Halo
4. R. Kelly—Love Letter
5. Panda Bear—Tomboy