2011 was the year Anthony Gonzalez of M83 found himself.  Or, better yet, the world finally found M83.  The French musician’s ambitious double album, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming wasn’t a game-changer.  It didn’t redefine sonic boundaries or place indie-synth pop in some new levels of artistic proportion – it was just a really fucking good album.  It...

Last year was quite good for Anthony Gonzalez. The French musician known as M83 released Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, an absolutely breathtaking album that stole the hearts (and ears) of bloggers and music fans around the globe, deeming it one of the top records of 2011. In addition, the LP’s first single, “Midnight City,” was named one of the top s...

Editors Note: As a special for the last week of 2011, BestNewBands.com is running lists of our writer's top-5 albums of 2011. Because it's the end of the year and because we want to find out what our writers really like, these albums are not restricted to "New" bands. Here are Kelly Knapp's top albums of the past year. 5. Washed Out, Within With...