Best CD I've heard so far 2011.........

Paul Simon doesn't quite get it for me. Part of it is excellent and new, some not so much; but really - only 38 minutes of music there????

OK, my entry here and it was a big surprise to me:
Tedeschi Trucks Band: Revelator.
I'm a big DT fan, he's a youngin' with the greatness of the historical greats. Mark my words 25 years from now! His "voice" on guitar is uniquely his own, and instantly recognizable no matter who he is playing with.
This album marks a high spot so far for his playing in it's sweetness and emotionality, IMHO. And I've BEEN a big fan.
Susan Tedeschi - she'll get berated for sounding like Bonnie Raitt. Fair enough - I can see that. I've been a loyal follower of BR since the mid 70's. Her music has been a big part of big parts of my life. I've seen her waaayyy too many times to remember! I don't think Susan's delivery is much at all like Bonnie's. There is similarity in the tone and articulation.
This album is the most engaging I've ever heard Susan on, and I've owned a few and listened to her for a while now. Never a HUGE fan though. This album she has an intensity, a fire in the belly if you will, that I haven't heard from Bonnie in quite a while.Quite a while.
Maybe it's the chemistry thing, like Plant/Krauss.
Must be the chemistry thing.

Just spun up a new one: Pete Thorn's "Guitar Nerd".

Peter Thorn is a top shelf LA session guy (Don Henley, Hole, Alicia Keyes, Melissa Etheridge, etc., etc.) who's just released his first solo album. It's a self indulgent, instrumental guitar strut that screams "look at me". But....

The music is better than you have any right to expect and the playing is pretty damn stunning. Definitely one of the few new artists who really barks up my preferred tree.

Marty

New remaster of Peter Tosh's Equal Rights.

I should add one caveat on the Pete Thorn recommendation:

On a subtlety/nuance scale of 1 to 10, this rates a zero. Just some "in yer face" guitar fun, old school style.

Marty

J Mascis - "Several Shades of Why" - Dinosaur Jr is my favorite (extremely loud) rock band of the last 20 years. J Mascis puts down his electric guitar (except for a couple of leads), turns the amps down from 11 to 6, and turns in a gem.

The Hampdens - "The Last Party" - Delicate acoustic rock from Australia.

Thurston Moore - "Demolished Thoughts" - No electric guitars, not even any drums, just beautiful songs from the Sonic Youth front man.