End 2011 -  
Dubious Ranger
Found Recordings From The Panda Valley Mining Company c.1931
Sparse reverby guitar pieces, cling, clangy percussion and warm vocals that delve into the occassional Tom Waitesish rasp. (Oct '11)
 Quilt
Quilt
Nice jangly, reverb drenched guy/girl pychedelic twee folk. Reminder us of early Essex Green. (Nov '11)
Case Studies
The World Is Just A Shape To Fill The Night
sparse, baritoney singer songwriter sings against multi-girl harmonies in our favorite record of the year. (Aug '11)
 Milagres
Glowing Mouth
"Hear to Stay" is a great combo of guitar rock meets new wave over a soaring chorus. (Sept '11)

Mid 2011 -

The month of May 2011 really had it going on for strong new releases.

  
King Creosote & Jon Hopkins
Diamond Mine
Lovely, lonely, slow Scottish seaside story and soundscapes. Stellar. (May '11)
 Fleet Foxes
Helplessness Blues
Not spectacular, but solid. The song Helplessness Blues is probably the best on the disc. (May '11)
The Exciting Sounds of Savo
Festa
Featuring Carter, Hirko, O, this release is a gem. (May '11)
 The Antlers
Burst Apart
Typical slightly haunting, atmospheric, dark Antlers disc until you hit the soulful Rolled Together and realize how good this band could be. (May '11)
Beginning 2011  
Akron/Family
S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT
the lonely guitar man wails
 Other Lives
Tamer Animals
Not quite as good as their debut, but still a pleasant release. (May '11)
The Decemberists
The King is Dead
Pretty standard Decemberists disc. (Jan '11)
 The Civil Wars
Barton Hollow
Guy-girl harmonies over some nice Americana strumming. (Feb '11)