Sometimes artists don't come anywhere close to delivering on the hype of an upcoming album. Other times, they've proven themselves so greatly with previous releases that we can't help but feel let down when a new record isn't all we hoped it would be. And worst of all, there are once-great artists who consistently let us down again and again with each new release. Either way, there's no denying that we excitedly devour new releases that fall way short of our expectations.
The following list of ten albums are not necessarily the worst albums of the year, nor are they the most critically unsuccessful. Instead, here are ten albums that left us feeling bummed out and let down.
Exclaim!'s Top 10 Most Disappointing Albums of 2011:
10. DJ Shadow
The Less You Know, the Better
(Verve)
Waiting for a return to form is a recurring theme on this list, but no one is as guilty of this as DJ Shadow. After releasing a groundbreaking trip-hop album with 1996's Endtroducing, dude has done everything in his power to avoid revisiting the reason we all fell in love with him in the first place. It's a discussion that comes up every time he ruins hyphy or tries out indie rock on a new LP, but it was no less valid in 2011 with the hugely disappointing The Less You Know, the Better. Even if he was pulling off this constant genre-bending, which he usually isn't, DJ Shadow still manages to let us down with each new release.
9. Gucci Mane & Waka Flocka Flame
Ferrari Boyz
(Warner)
After Waka Flocka Flame's cult classic Flockavelli and pretty much most of Gucci Mane's work, Ferrari Boyz should have been a dumb-rap masterpiece. Both dudes are capable of brainless, testosterone-pumping thug anthems and hilarious non-sequiturs, but Ferrari Boyz mostly came across like a collection of mixtape throwaway tracks rather than the anticipated album it was promised as. It wasn't all bad, of course, but the album fell way short of expectations. Also, Waka didn't hilariously repeat his name over and over again like on "Bustin' At Em."
8. Hercules and Love Affair
Blue Songs
(Moshi Moshi)
In 2008, Hercules and Love Affair emerged with the sexed-up house music of their self-titled debut. The smash record put them at the forefront of dance-friendly electronic pop, making them arguably the second largest act on DFA Records aside from James Murphy's LCD Soundsystem. Instead of following it up with an even grander statement, however, Blue Songs saw the group retreat to a batch of less engaging ideas and an overall smaller-sounding release. Like so many albums on this list, it wasn't a terrible record, but it just may have been the death knell for the group's lasting cultural impact.
7. Lil Wayne
Tha Carter IV
(Young Money)
Everything about Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV set it up as one of the most anticipated rap projects of the year, from his lengthy prison stint prior to its release to the fact that Tha Carter III did so damn well. He didn't hand in a bad record, either, but Tha Carter IV demonstrated Weezy on autopilot in so many places. His punch lines were typically more hokey than funny, and he didn't exhibit any pent-up energy from his stint in the slammer. There are some excellent tracks on Tha Carter IV, including the underrated T-Pain-assisted breakup anthem "How to Hate," but Wayne added very little to his already impressive discography.
6. Radiohead
The King of Limbs
(TBD Records)
Maybe we're spoiled, but a new Radiohead album has always meant an event to change the face of modern music. From OK Computer and Kid A to that zeitgeist-y price model for In Rainbows, a new Radiohead album usually comes with all sorts of excitement. The King of Limbs wasn't really a bad album in any way, but it was also pretty forgettable and even -- gasp -- boring at times. For any other group, this would be no big deal, but Radiohead are at a level where they'll disappoint every time they don't leave our jaws on the floor.
5. Lupe Fiasco
Lasers
(Atlantic)
For years, Lupe Fiasco had promised big things with his Lasers album. He also publicly discussed much of the label drama he was having as the suits tried to interfere with his creative vision in favour of pop potential. One listen to the final product, and it's clear who won. The record is full of unwanted AutoTune and obnoxious choruses more suited to a B.o.B record. Worst of all, "The Show Goes On" took Modest Mouse's "Float On" and turned it into one of the worst pop radio hooks we've ever heard. Here's hoping Lupe made some serious money off this record, because he bankrupted himself creatively.
4. Metallica and Lou Reed
Lulu
(Warner Bros.)
To include Lulu in this list might seem misguided since the album was such an obviously terrible idea doomed to failure since it was first announced, but Metallica and Lou Reed's collaborative album disappointed in a different way. Those looking for a so-bad-it's-good experience were left looking elsewhere. Sure, Lulu is fucking terrible, but the horrendous lyrics and disgusting riffs only pay off in LOLs every once in a while. The rest of the time, it's just bloated and uncomfortably long. The album would have been better if it was just a little bit worse.
3. Justice
Audio, Video, Disco
(Ed Banger)
In 2007, Parisian dance duo Justice brought a sense of danger back to the dancefloor with the brain-pounding electro anthems of . Since then, everyone has questioned whether the duo could reclaim their glory. In short, they didn't. Audio, Video, Disco not only lacked the wide-eyed excitement induced by a listen to , but it also showed the group delving into an unwanted prog-rock influence. There are some undoubtedly interesting ideas on Civilization, but those looking for more of that mind-blowing club music were short-changed.
2. Blink-182
Neighborhoods
(Geffen)
For a specific age group, Blink-182 were the perfect gateway band -- a suburban-angst-fuelled pop punk trio who snuck a tiny bit of edge into their radio pop songs. The lyrics were idiotic and the songs were entirely fun, but secretly they were also incredibly well-written. When Blink-182 broke their hiatus and announced a new album, it was impossible to know how they'd bounce back. The trouble is that, instead of the stupid fun that made them both endearing and enduring, they traded in dick jokes for a self-seriousness that meant off-kilter songs more suited for Tom DeLonge's consistently embarrassing Angels and Airwaves project.
1. The Strokes
Angles
(RCA)
After the general misstep that was the Strokes' third album First Impressions of Earth, we had hoped that the suave New York quintet would have hung up their experimenting hats and returned to the bullshit-free rock'n'roll that characterized their first two albums. Lead Angles single "Under Cover of Darkness" only lifted our hopes that much more, all thanks to playful guitars, an uptempo rhythm section and frontman Julian Casablancas's inimitable croon. Unfortunately, the rest of the album didn't come anywhere near those heights, opting instead for weird new wave excursions and more of that boring experimentation. It's not an insult, but a fact -- the Strokes are only good within certain parameters, and they'll keep disappointing until they return to form.
The following list of ten albums are not necessarily the worst albums of the year, nor are they the most critically unsuccessful. Instead, here are ten albums that left us feeling bummed out and let down.
Exclaim!'s Top 10 Most Disappointing Albums of 2011:
10. DJ Shadow
The Less You Know, the Better
(Verve)
Waiting for a return to form is a recurring theme on this list, but no one is as guilty of this as DJ Shadow. After releasing a groundbreaking trip-hop album with 1996's Endtroducing, dude has done everything in his power to avoid revisiting the reason we all fell in love with him in the first place. It's a discussion that comes up every time he ruins hyphy or tries out indie rock on a new LP, but it was no less valid in 2011 with the hugely disappointing The Less You Know, the Better. Even if he was pulling off this constant genre-bending, which he usually isn't, DJ Shadow still manages to let us down with each new release.
9. Gucci Mane & Waka Flocka Flame
Ferrari Boyz
(Warner)
After Waka Flocka Flame's cult classic Flockavelli and pretty much most of Gucci Mane's work, Ferrari Boyz should have been a dumb-rap masterpiece. Both dudes are capable of brainless, testosterone-pumping thug anthems and hilarious non-sequiturs, but Ferrari Boyz mostly came across like a collection of mixtape throwaway tracks rather than the anticipated album it was promised as. It wasn't all bad, of course, but the album fell way short of expectations. Also, Waka didn't hilariously repeat his name over and over again like on "Bustin' At Em."
8. Hercules and Love Affair
Blue Songs
(Moshi Moshi)
In 2008, Hercules and Love Affair emerged with the sexed-up house music of their self-titled debut. The smash record put them at the forefront of dance-friendly electronic pop, making them arguably the second largest act on DFA Records aside from James Murphy's LCD Soundsystem. Instead of following it up with an even grander statement, however, Blue Songs saw the group retreat to a batch of less engaging ideas and an overall smaller-sounding release. Like so many albums on this list, it wasn't a terrible record, but it just may have been the death knell for the group's lasting cultural impact.
7. Lil Wayne
Tha Carter IV
(Young Money)
Everything about Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV set it up as one of the most anticipated rap projects of the year, from his lengthy prison stint prior to its release to the fact that Tha Carter III did so damn well. He didn't hand in a bad record, either, but Tha Carter IV demonstrated Weezy on autopilot in so many places. His punch lines were typically more hokey than funny, and he didn't exhibit any pent-up energy from his stint in the slammer. There are some excellent tracks on Tha Carter IV, including the underrated T-Pain-assisted breakup anthem "How to Hate," but Wayne added very little to his already impressive discography.
6. Radiohead
The King of Limbs
(TBD Records)
Maybe we're spoiled, but a new Radiohead album has always meant an event to change the face of modern music. From OK Computer and Kid A to that zeitgeist-y price model for In Rainbows, a new Radiohead album usually comes with all sorts of excitement. The King of Limbs wasn't really a bad album in any way, but it was also pretty forgettable and even -- gasp -- boring at times. For any other group, this would be no big deal, but Radiohead are at a level where they'll disappoint every time they don't leave our jaws on the floor.
5. Lupe Fiasco
Lasers
(Atlantic)
For years, Lupe Fiasco had promised big things with his Lasers album. He also publicly discussed much of the label drama he was having as the suits tried to interfere with his creative vision in favour of pop potential. One listen to the final product, and it's clear who won. The record is full of unwanted AutoTune and obnoxious choruses more suited to a B.o.B record. Worst of all, "The Show Goes On" took Modest Mouse's "Float On" and turned it into one of the worst pop radio hooks we've ever heard. Here's hoping Lupe made some serious money off this record, because he bankrupted himself creatively.
4. Metallica and Lou Reed
Lulu
(Warner Bros.)
To include Lulu in this list might seem misguided since the album was such an obviously terrible idea doomed to failure since it was first announced, but Metallica and Lou Reed's collaborative album disappointed in a different way. Those looking for a so-bad-it's-good experience were left looking elsewhere. Sure, Lulu is fucking terrible, but the horrendous lyrics and disgusting riffs only pay off in LOLs every once in a while. The rest of the time, it's just bloated and uncomfortably long. The album would have been better if it was just a little bit worse.
3. Justice
Audio, Video, Disco
(Ed Banger)
In 2007, Parisian dance duo Justice brought a sense of danger back to the dancefloor with the brain-pounding electro anthems of . Since then, everyone has questioned whether the duo could reclaim their glory. In short, they didn't. Audio, Video, Disco not only lacked the wide-eyed excitement induced by a listen to , but it also showed the group delving into an unwanted prog-rock influence. There are some undoubtedly interesting ideas on Civilization, but those looking for more of that mind-blowing club music were short-changed.
2. Blink-182
Neighborhoods
(Geffen)
For a specific age group, Blink-182 were the perfect gateway band -- a suburban-angst-fuelled pop punk trio who snuck a tiny bit of edge into their radio pop songs. The lyrics were idiotic and the songs were entirely fun, but secretly they were also incredibly well-written. When Blink-182 broke their hiatus and announced a new album, it was impossible to know how they'd bounce back. The trouble is that, instead of the stupid fun that made them both endearing and enduring, they traded in dick jokes for a self-seriousness that meant off-kilter songs more suited for Tom DeLonge's consistently embarrassing Angels and Airwaves project.
1. The Strokes
Angles
(RCA)
After the general misstep that was the Strokes' third album First Impressions of Earth, we had hoped that the suave New York quintet would have hung up their experimenting hats and returned to the bullshit-free rock'n'roll that characterized their first two albums. Lead Angles single "Under Cover of Darkness" only lifted our hopes that much more, all thanks to playful guitars, an uptempo rhythm section and frontman Julian Casablancas's inimitable croon. Unfortunately, the rest of the album didn't come anywhere near those heights, opting instead for weird new wave excursions and more of that boring experimentation. It's not an insult, but a fact -- the Strokes are only good within certain parameters, and they'll keep disappointing until they return to form.
