Top Albums of 2015: #11 thru #25

January 6, 2016

#25) George Clanton – 100% Electronica

37951-100-electronicaFormerly known as Mirror Kisses, this is the first release from Clanton under his own name which he released on Bandcamp through his own record label. I like to describe it as a poor man’s LCD Soundsystem mixed with the chillwave vibe of Washed Out. Clanton clearly has a love of 80’s music as there’s a nostalgic feel throughout the album, most notably on the albums final two tracks, which close out a stretch of 5 songs as strong as anything you’ll hear in 2015.

[“Bleed” – 100% Electronica]

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#24) Chastity Belt – Time To Go Home

25768-time-to-go-homeThe second album from the Seattle girl group sees the band use their fuzzed out but catchy DIY post-punk songs as avenues to describe their fed up feelings with mansplaining (“Drone”) and slut shaming (“Cool Slut”), among many others topics with feminist undertones, making it one of the year’s most slyly confident and on-point releases.

[“Joke” – Time To Go Home]

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#23) Youth Lagoon – Savage Hills Ballroom

36659-savage-hills-ballroomOnce again Youth Lagoon releases one of the more underrated albums of the year. Even though Savage Hills Ballroom can’t quite match the fragile vulnerability of Wondrous Bughouse (which finished 2013 in my top 10), I still come away impressed with the songwriting chops of Trevor Powers, who seems to have memorable melodies in abundant supply.

[“Highway Patrol Stun Gun” – Savage Hills Ballroom]

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#22) Royal Headache – High

35004-highThe second album from Australian punk rockers is the year’s finest punk album, full of throwback garage-punk tunes as catchy and confident as any album you’ll hear in 2015, but with enough skuzz that its authenticity can’t be questioned. What sets it apart for me are Shogun’s lead vocals which are some of the best punk rock pipes I’ve heard in quite some time; soulful and full of range that allow these 10 tracks to truly become something special.

[“High” – High]

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#21) Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Style

40251-teens-of-styleReally more of a compilation (so yeah, I guess I’m kinda breaking my rules here), Teens of Style is the first release for Seattle’s do it yourselfer Will Toledo on Matador Records, who signed Toledo to put out this album of some of his reworked lo-fi melodic indie rock songs from his 11 (!) self-released Bandcamp albums, and then follow it up with an album of brand new material in early 2016. Toledo is only 22 years old, but is a fantastic songwriter with no shortage of great ideas, and emerged as one of 2015’s best new artists.

[“Strangers” – Teens of Style]

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#20) Kamasi Washington – The Epic

32329-the-epicThe debut album from the Los Angeles jazz saxophonist is perhaps the most appropriately titled album of the year as this nearly 3 hour long triple album is indeed best described as epic. Now I’m no jazz expert, so it’s hard for me to say what makes a great jazz album or what makes a bad one, but I do know that collection of easy listening accessible but boundary pushing modern jazz tunes is easily among the best 25 albums I heard in 2015.

[“The Rhythm Changes” – The Epic]

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#19) Viet Cong – Viet Cong

23647-viet-congEmerging from the ashes of the band Women, Viet Cong’s debut album (and Polaris Music Prize shortlisted) is a visceral album of 7 post-punk songs which paint industrial soundscapes of immense but not overwhelming magnitude. It’s a rewarding listen that presents itself as vital throughout. These guys will reportedly return in 2016 with their follow up, albeit with a different name.

[“Silhouettes” – Viet Cong]

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#18) Deerhunter – Fading Frontier

39173-fading-frontierOne of the most consistent bands going, Deerhunter’s seventh album may also be their most accessible. Aside from funky lead single “Snakeskin”, the tunes on Fading Frontier have a dreamy quality to them and as a whole feel cleaner and lighter than anything Deerhunter has produced, while in no way being less substantial.

[“Living My Life” – Fading Frontier]

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#17) Julia Holter – Have You In My Wilderness

36433-have-you-in-my-wildernessJulia Holter’s fourth album of avant-garde pop is a personal yet approachable release full of gorgeous songs that manage to carry a sense of grandiosity despite being so intimate. Holter’s style exudes subtle experimentation that adds to the appreciation upon repeat listens, but somehow doesn’t come across as challenging for the casual listener.

[“Feel You” – Have You In My Wilderness]

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#16) The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die – Harmlessness

39171-harmlessnessOne of the bands I featured in my 2013 Honorable Mentions post regarding the emo revival returns with their sophomore album and it just shows a great leap in quality that legitimizes this as not just an emo front runner, but a band that should be paid attention to across all genres. Granted, it is still something that will grab emo purists first and foremost, but with Harmlessness the group has gone though some lineup changes that allowed for a more focused and cohesive indie rock album while retaining their emo soul.

[“January 10, 2004” – Harmlessness]

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#15) Natalie Prass – Natalie Prass

24227-natalie-prassReleased all the way back in January, the self-titled debut from the Richmond, VA based artist had some major staying power as one of my favorite albums of the year, thanks to impeccable songwriting, exquisite voice, and lush production. This is sophisticated pop from a musician who’s staying power is going to be much longer than just one year if she can continue to pump out songs as stunning as album bookends “My Baby Don’t Understand Me” and “It Is You”, the latter of which sounds like the best Disney song not actually written for Disney.

[“It Is You” – Natalie Prass]

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#14) Titus Andronicus – The Most Lamentable Tragedy

32265-the-most-lamentable-tragedyI don’t think Titus Andronicus will ever be able to match the epic scale of The Monitor (my 2010 album of the year) but they sure aren’t going down trying as evidenced by the 29 track, 90-minute, rock opera The Most Lamentable Tragedy. When announced I wasn’t sure if they were joking around, and if it wasn’t an exercise in self-indulgence, but they pulled it off with this concept album full of their patented punk-rock and highly literate lyrics.

[“Dimed Out” – The Most Lamentable Tragedy]

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#13) Susanne Sundfør – Ten Love Songs

27235-ten-love-songsMost people give Björk credit for creating the year’s best breakup album, but Norwegian artist Susanne Sundfør’s sixth album is where I’ll stake my claim. While lyrically it may not match the raw emotion of Vulnicura, Ten Love Songs is inventive baroque-pop music masquerading as club bangers, friendly enough for the radio but with a surprisingly dark core.

[“Kamikaze” – Ten Love Songs]

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#12) Joanna Newsom – Divers

38822-diversA victim of a stacked 2015, Joanna Newsom finds her album Divers just outside my top 10 which is in no way an indication of a drop in quality as compared to her previous releases. If anything, Newsom’s 4th release is arguably her most musically ambitious record yet, but by eschewing epic triple albums and long run times for 11 brisk (at least for her) chamber-folk songs, it’s also perhaps her most accessible.

[“Leaving The City” – Divers]

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#11) Chvrches – Every Open Eye

36804-every-open-eyeOne of the year’s most anticipated releases came from the Scottish electro-pop band Chvrches and their follow up to their brilliant 2013 debut. There is absolutely no let down with Every Open Eye, as the trio polished their crystalline sound to diamonds, while Lauren Mayberry somehow managed to improve her already dynamic vocals. If song of the year contender “Clearest Blue” is any indicator, this is a group that seems to be gelling into an absolute powerhouse and if they can continue to harness their skills, a true masterpiece very well may be on the way.

[“Clearest Blue” – Every Open Eye]

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Top Albums of 2015: Honorable Mentions

January 5, 2016

Honorable Mentions

Let’s get things started with my honorable mentions for 2015. These are not necessarily albums 26-30, but rather just some albums that I think deserve extra attention for one reason or another. Also featured is a dishonorable mention as well as a few other awards.

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Shamir – Ratchet

28913-ratchetOn the heels of 2014’s Northtown EP, Ratchet was one of the year’s most anticipated debut albums, as Shamir Bailey’s genre bending version of dance-pop stood out as something new and weird and impossible to classify. The Las Vegas native’s countertenor voice is easily the most striking thing you first notice, full of vulnerability in sound and lyrics, while the songs are relentlessly catchy in all their glitchy glory.

[“On The Regular” – Ratchet]

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Speedy Ortiz – Foil Deer

26429-foil-deerOnly two albums in and Sadie Dupuis has already established herself as one of the go-to voices in the recent uptick of female empowerment dialogue found in today’s indie music scene. Dupuis scathing lyrics are on full display on the excellent Foil Dear, and musically the aggressive rock tunes serve as a perfect backdrop for all the angst Dupuis seems to have bottled up.

[“Raising the Skate” – Foil Deer]

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Beach Slang – The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us

38736-the-things-we-do-to-find-people-who-feel-like-usAt 10 songs and just 26 minutes, Beach Slang’s debut album provides a non-stop barrage of anthemic punk rock songs Japandroids would be proud of. This quartet from Philadelphia (which, by the way, is on fire right now) seems to have no shortage of hooks and fist-pumping sing along jams announcing Beach Slang as one of 2015’s breakout acts.

[“Bad Art & Weirdo Ideas” – The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us]

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Torres – Sprinter

26855-sprinterThe best 90’s grunge record of 2015 comes courtesy Mackenzie Scott and her second album as Torres. Following up her self-titled debut, Sprinter was one of my more highly anticipated releases of 2015, and the Nashville rocker didn’t disappoint with a powerfully dense album showcasing her passionate songwriting akin to a heavier rock version of Sharon Van Etten.

[“Sprinter” – Sprinter]

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Turnover – Peripheral Vision

29366-peripheral-visionThe second album from the Virginia Beach quartet often classified as pop-punk is so much more than that unfortunate designation. Sure, these guys recently opened for New Found Glory, but Turnover elicits an indie-rock version of pop-punk more in line with the emo stylings of The Appleseed Cast fused with the dream-pop of Real Estate. Peripheral Vision is a pleasant and infectious collection of 11 songs that does well to break away from its peers.

[“Cutting My Fingers Off” – Peripheral Vision]

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Most Underrated Album: Twin Shadow – Eclipse

24571-eclipseLet’s call this my most underrated album that didn’t finish in my top 25, because my actual most underrated album probably a good bit higher. While this is certainly a step down from the 80’s tinged Confess, I still find enough enjoyable with Eclipse that I don’t see it as quite the disaster many critics seem to think it is. Twin shadow has always been cheesy, melodramatic, and over the top and Eclipse is just taking that to the mainstream and modern arena-pop levels.

[“To The Top” – Eclipse]

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Biggest Surprise: Wilco – Star Wars

36854-star-warsLikewise, my actual biggest surprise is probably up in my top 25 somewhere, so I’ll call this my biggest surprise that didn’t make my top 25. Surprising for not only its out of nowhere (and free!) release, Star Wars also happens to be the best Wilco album since 2004’s A Ghost Is Born. Jeff Tweedy seems rejuvenated on these 11 songs, and the short 33-minute run time allows the group to cut the fat that has marred their last few albums.

[“Random Name Generator” – Star Wars]

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Dishonorable Mentions

Only one Dishonorable Mention this year, but also included is my most overrated album, and my biggest disappointment.

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Refused – Freedom

32123-freedomFile this one under disappointing and bad. Though to be fair, my expectations weren’t super high for this album considering it’s rare for a band to come back at the top of their game after a 17 year layoff (although Faith No More seemed to handle it pretty well), but Freedom failed to meet even those paltry expectations by delivering an album of watered down stadium rock. Following up a classic like The Shape of Punk To Come was never going to be an easy task, but reuniting to release an album that seems to have no direction and full of fake conviction doesn’t necessarily tarnish the legacy of the Swedish band, but does raise the question of what was so important that they couldn’t just remain dead.

[“Elektra” – Freedom]

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Most Overrated Album: Girlpool – Before The World Was Big

29181-before-the-world-was-bigI get why this album was a critical darling: it’s a debut album full of stripped down emotionally raw folk/punk songs from a duo whose 2014 EP gave them a little bit of hype. And it’s a fine album, but it’s essentially Kimya Dawson, which outside the quirkiness of a cute indie movie comes across more irritating than charming.

[“Chinatown” – Before The World Was Big]

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Biggest Disappointment: Mew – +-

26320-plus-minusAnother return from a Scandinavian band, this one from Denmark’s Mew with their first album since 2009’s No More Stores…. Mew’s prior albums had a great sense of majesty that for whatever reason just didn’t connect with time this time. I’m not sure if that’s a Mew problem or a Me problem, but the spark seems be missing from +- which causes it to sound a little more phoned-in and lacking the inspiration of their previous two releases.

[“The Night Believer” – +-]

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Top Albums of 2015: Eligible Albums

January 4, 2016

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Well that was one helluva year of music, now wasn’t it? Coming off an uninspiring 2014, I had high hopes for 2015, and boy did it deliver. Having said that, I do think this year’s list is going to be, well, boring. My top 10 is pretty much chalk from what you’ve been seeing on other lists (though the order may differ), as opposed to last year which was so weak that it allowed some not necessarily universally acclaimed albums to find their way up my rankings. I do think this is my strongest top 25 to date, and am probably more excited to share the #11-#25 albums since there may be some stuff in there that shakes things up a little bit (and in other year’s probably would’ve cracked my top 10 in many cases.)

For 2015, the theme or trend I kept noticing over and over again was the impact of female artists. As the year when on, I was blown away how many of my favorite albums were from female singer/songwriters, female groups, or female fronted bands. It’s very good to have this variety in music, no doubt, and while these were great albums in their own right, many of them became so much more thanks to the voices of female empowerment basically calling bull-shit on the double standards and many social norms in our male dominated society. I found it inspiring, and I think you’ll see that reflected as I unveil my rankings over the next few days. As always, I like to start off by listing the albums eligible.

This past year I purchased, in some form, 88 albums, 82 of which are eligible. I do not include EPs, reissues, soundtracks, live albums, holiday Albums, or b-side/rarity type releases as eligible for my list, and this year 6 of my purchases were EPs. As always, there’s plenty of albums that I never got around to procuring, so yes, there’s going to be very worthy albums that don’t make my list. So if you have a question as to why your favorite album isn’t on my list, well it’s because I either didn’t get it, or just plain didn’t care for it as much as you, simple as that. After the jump, you can see the list of all albums I purchased, in order of release date. Also, over to the right, you can see the schedule over the next few days as I continue the countdown.

Continue Reading >>

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A Round of Sound: 2014 Mixtape

January 16, 2015

BW 2014

Now we come to my annual playlist that caps off my list. I find it way to difficult to do a ranking of songs, so this is my way to capture the tracks that defined the year. As always, I try to make a concise playlist that fits on a standard CD-R, so a bit outdated, but DEAL WITH IT. Keep in mind these aren’t necessarily my favorite songs of the year, but rather a mix that I think is a good look at what 2014 had to offer. Also, the order is based on how the songs show up on their respective albums, and is in no way an order of a rank.

This year’s mix consists of 20 songs, which has been typical the last few years, but is a little more varied from year’s past. Seven of the songs come from albums in my top 10, with seven songs from albums in my 11-25 range, leaving the remaining six from those outside my top 25. The lowest ranked album to have a song featured is I Never Learn from Lykke Li, which despite some great moments was an album I found a little too melodramatic for my liking, rendering it 51st in my rankings.

Below, you’ll see the tracklist as well as the Spotify playlist. I’ve also created Rdio playlist if that’s more your bag. And finally, this is the 7th straight year Amy Boyd Runner has provided my album art for the mix. It really is a highlight for me every year having her help out, and this year is no different. Great stuff.

2015 is already off to a fast start, and promises to be a freaking HUGE year for music. I can’t wait.

1) “Transgender Dysphoria Blues” – Against Me! :: Transgender Dysphora Blues
2) “Seasons (Waiting On You)” – Future Islands :: Singles
3) “Goshen ’97” – Strand of Oaks :: HEAL
4) “No Rest For The Wicked” – Lykke Li :: I Never Learn
5) “Water Fountain” – Tune-Yards :: Nicki Nack
6) “Archie, Marry Me” – Alvvays :: Alvvays
7) “Murmurs” – Hundred Waters :: The Moon Rang Like A Bell
8) “Queen” – Perfume Genius :: Too Bright
9) “Red Eyes” – The War On Drugs :: Lost In The Dream
10) “Just One Of The Guys” – Jenny Lewis :: Voyager
11) “Two Weeks” – FKA twigs :: LP1
12) “Alexandra” – Hamilton Leithauser :: Black Hours
13) “Your Love Is Killing Me” – Sharon Van Etten :: Are We There
14) “Do You” – Spoon :: They Want My Soul
15) “Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)” – Run The Jewels :: Run The Jewels 2
16) “War On The East Coast” – The New Pornographers :: Brill Bruisers
17) “Digital Witness” – St. Vincent :: St. Vincent
18) “Words I Don’t Remember” – How To Dress Well :: “What Is This Heart?”
19) “Coffee” – Sylvan Esso :: Sylvan Esso
20) “I’m Not Me”  – Cloud Nothings :: Here And Nowhere Else

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Top Albums of 2014: The Top 10

January 15, 2015

#10) Sun Kil Moon – Benji [Caldo Verde; released 2/11/2014]

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I’ve never been in a huge fan of Mark Kozelek, musically or personally, but in 2014 he at least impressed me by the former (while still being his usual dickish self thanks to his bizarre feud with The War On Drugs, so halfway there) with Benji, a beautiful collection of songs that pull off the rare feat of being personal yet immensely relatable.

#9) Parquet Courts – Sunbathing Animal [What’s Your Rupture?; released 6/3/2014]

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The follow up to last year’s breakout Light Up Gold, Sunbathing Animal is the first of two releases for the band in 2014 (the other as Parkay Quarts) and shows a group maturing, while still retaining the DIY garage-rock ethos. This is a more ambitious album, but as intelligent and catchy as their previous work.

#8) Run The Jewels – Run The Jewels 2 [Mass Appeal; released 10/24/2014]

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The year’s best hip-hop album, RTJ2 is the second album from Killer Mike and El-P, who seem to bring the best out of each other whenever they team up. This is a visceral listen, an angry airing of grievances largely needed after the civil unrest that unfortunately defined much of 2014.

#7) Strand of Oaks – HEAL [Dead Oceans; released 6/24/2014]

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A similar album, in spirit, to last year’s album of the year Muchacho from Phosphorescent, labelmate Strand of Oaks has created a cathartic gem full of rock ‘n’ roll songs dealing with personal turmoil and nostalgia for the transformative power of rock music.

#6) Against Me! – Transgender Dysphoria Blues [Total Treble; released 1/21/2014]

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The first release from the group since lead singer Laura Jane Grace came out as transgender, is as courageous an album as I’ve ever heard. 2014 was a defining year for the transgender community – Jared Leto’s Oscar winning portrayal, Laverne Cox’s Emmy nomination, the Grantland fiasco, the success of Transparent, etc. – and Grace’s honesty shown in these 10 punk-rock songs shines as a beacon of hope for those involved in the movement, as well as those struggling to understand.

#5) Cymbals Eat Guitars – LOSE [Barsuk; released 8/26/2014]

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In what I consider 2014’s most underrated album, the New Jersey based quartet’s third, and best, release uses their 90’s indie-rock style to take a spirited look at life and loss in the eyes of someone entering their quarter-life. It’s nine songs of guitar drenched rock, with a heart that elevates this album to astonishing heights.

#4) Spoon – They Want My Soul [Loma Vista; released 8/5/2014]

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The first release since their under appreciated 2010 album Transference, the Austin indie-rockers return to form with an album that better fits alongside 2007’s Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, generally thought of as the band’s best work. They Want My Soul is one of 2014’s most consistent records with not a dud in the bunch appeasing all those that felt betrayed by Transference’s deviations.

#3) Sharon Van Etten – Are We There [Jagjaguwar; released 5/27/2014]

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An absolute monster of an album, Sharon Vet Etten has created gut-punch of a record full of personal songs that make this the most emotionally draining release of 2014. Self-produced by Van Etten, who felt she had something to prove after 2012’s breakout Tramp was lauded largely due to Aaron Dessner’s involvement, Are We There establishes Van Etten as a monumental voice in indie-rock.

#2) St. Vincent – St. Vincent [Loma Vista; released 2/25/2014]

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Using David Byrne inspired theatrics, the fourth, and possibly best, album from Annie Clark is another incredible release from my favorite artist. Clark has always been able to pair her anxious skittishness with accessible pop tunes – while shredding on guitar, of course – and St. Vincent is no different, only this time showing even greater ambition and innovation from one of the most talented songwriters and musicians we have today.

#1) The War On Drugs – Lost In The Dream [Secretly Canadian; released 3/18/2014]

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In what should come as no surprise, my album of the year is the majestic and stunning Lost In The Dream, the third album from Philadelphia band The War On Drugs. Adam Granduciel has crafted his masterpiece, 10 meticulously constructed Springsteen and Petty inspired classic-rock songs, serving as an expression of Granduciel’s demons, all the while being completely devoid of pretensions. With half the tracks over 6 minutes long, most build up to a climax of various proportions, whether they involve an emphatic “Woo!” and guitar solos of my song of the year “Red Eyes” or a Bruce Hornsby styled saxophone solo of “Eyes To The Wind”, but all do so organically. There’s no contrivances here as this is real, life-affirming, stuff which invites the listener to come as you are and get out of it whatever you feel you need.

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Top Albums of 2014: #11 thru #25

January 14, 2015

#25) Wild Beasts – Present Tense

The second time these English rockers have found themselves at #25 on my list, with their singular experimental rock sound that can be mistaken for no other band. Present Tense is an album that was largely forgotten by the time the end of the year came around but was indeed one of the year’s best. Perhaps no 2014 release had better bookend tracks than “Wanderlust and “Palace”.

#24) Tune-Yards – Nicki Nack

Merrill Garbus remains one of the most creative artists today with her follow up to 2011’s excellent Whokill. This album doesn’t quite reach the heights of that release, but Nicki Nack still exudes the eccentric songwriting techniques that make Tune-Yards such a unique an adventurous listen.

#23) The Hotelier – Home, Like Noplace Is There

The sophomore album from the Massachusetts quartet is the best we’ve gotten from any so-called emo revivalist to this point. Home, Like Noplace Is There is 9 hook-laden, energetic, and yes, emotional tracks with not a wasted moment to be found.

#22) Jenny Lewis – Voyager

Her best work since her Rilo Kiley days, Lewis has crafted a collection of lush pop songs that shows mastery of an assortment of styles, from classic-rock to alt-country, all the while showcasing some of the most personal lyrics of her career. Also, my favorite album art of 2014.

#21) A Sunny Day In Glasgow – Sea When Absent

As hard to classify as any album in 2014, the genre busting Sea When Absent contains 11 songs of experimental pop that despite their unconventional structures are still accessible and create a captivating listen.

#20) How To Dress Well – “What Is This Heart?”

A surprisingly divisive album among fans and critics, Tom Krell’s third album is another example of the burgeoning indie-R&B scene with this collection of slow jams highlighted by “Words I Don’t Remember”, one of 2014’s finest tracks.

#19) Cloud Nothings – Here and Nowhere Else

Follow up to 2012’s breakout is a continuation of that album’s raw melodic rock leanings, but at an even more intense pace, largely thanks to a rejuvenated rhythm section which takes the energy to an even greater level.

#18) Owen Pallett – In Conflict

When he wasn’t explaining the genius of pop music using music theory, Pallett was busy releasing another excellent collection of his patented chamber-pop  songs, which, as usual, is accessible while being intelligently crafted.

#17) Angel Olsen- Burn Your Fire For No Witness

One of my most listened to albums in the early part of the year that got shuffled to the back as the year went on, Olsen’s second album eschews the folk singer songwriter stigma for a more inspired sound that places her in more rarefied air.

#16) The Antlers – Familiars

Long since one of my favorite bands, what Silberman has done with Familiars is partner the band’s pop stylings of Burst Apart with the intimacy and atmospherics that the trio has always done so well. The album is a grower, but it’s as textured and stirring as anything they’ve produced.

#15) Future Islands – Singles

Breakout album from the Baltimore synth-pop band – largely thanks to song of the year contender “Seasons (Waiting On You)” and their performance on Letterman – is a dark, cathartic album hidden beneath a plethora of pop hooks. As unassuming of an album as the artists behind it.

#14) FKA twigs – LP1

This is the debut album from the mysterious British artist formerly known as twigs (hence the FKA) and it features a masterwork of minimalistic R&B using experimentation, all the while displaying a confident intimacy and fragility that makes this the year’s best debut.

#13) Perfume Genius – Too Bright

The powerful third album from the Seattle singer-songwriter is an absolute gorgeous collection of subtle pop songs that reminds me in spirit of Antony and The Johnson’s The Crying Light, a similarly themed look at LGBT culture, and is just as vulnerable and majestic.

#12) Sturgill Simpson – Metamodern Sounds In Country Music

I wouldn’t expect a country album to ever have reached this high on my list, but this isn’t the radio friendly pop-country you’ll find on one of the 19 country music award shows (heck, even the Grammy’s call this Americana), but rather the country that fits along side that of the Highwaymen. Simpson’s style includes a bit of experimentation, but even when he doesn’t, this is country music I can get behind.

#11) White Lung – Deep Fantasy

A fist-pumping and heart-pounding release from the Canadian quartet is 22 minutes of passionate, catchy as hell punk rock songs that leave no time to relax.  Perfect Pussy was this year’s punk darlings, but if you ask me, it’s White Lung and the exhilarating Deep Fantasy that deserve the praise.

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Top Albums of 2014: Honorable Mentions

January 13, 2015

Honorable Mentions

Let’s get things started with my honorable mentions for 2014. These are not necessarily albums 26-30, but rather just some albums that I think deserve extra attention for one reason or another. Interestingly enough, these are all debut albums from these artists, although that wasn’t intentional on my part. Also featured is a dishonorable mention as well as a few other awards.

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Sylvan Esso – Sylvan Esso

Mountain Man’s Amelia Meath and Megafaun’s Nick Sanborn teamed up to create this electronic album full of pop gems that also retain the folk sensibility of the duo’s main projects. “Hey Mami” and “Coffee” are two of the year’s best songs.

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Pup – Pup

Toronto quartet’s debut album which was nominated for the Polaris Music Prize, and with good reason. It’s full of infectious and intelligent punk rock tunes, that while not breaking new ground, is a refreshing and reaffirming listen.

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Alvvays – Alvvays

Pronounced Always, this Toronto band specializes in indie pop tunes in the same vein as Camera Obscura, or a lo-fi version of Eisley. “Archie, Marry Me” is the best example of how great this group can be, and reaches the heights of their contemporary’s best work.

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Fear of Men – Loom

Another indie-pop group, this one from Brighton UK, features a bit more darkness and melancholy in their tunes as compared to their peers. The maudlin and almost vengeful subject matter keep this trio from falling into the twee-pop trap and allows the dreaminess of their songs to come to the forefront.

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St. Paul & The Broken Bones – Half The City

Seven-piece soul band with gospel roots from Birmingham wears their influences on their sleeve, but Paul Janeway’s vocals take the band to a level not to be expected upon first glance. They aren’t there yet, as Janeway’s vocals could use a little restraint here or there, but this is a very promising debut.

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Most Underrated Album: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Days of Abandon

Let’s call this my most underrated album that didn’t finish in my top 25, because my actual most underrated album of the year is quite high on my list. This is certainly the worst of TPOBPAH three albums, as the band continues to move away from the fuzz-pop that made their early work so charming, but these are still very good twee-pop songs that I believe deserve the benefit of the doubt considering the lineup turnover this band has gone through last few years.

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Biggest Surprise: Braid – No Coast

Likewise, my actual biggest surprise is probably up in my top 25 somewhere, so I’ll call this my biggest surprise that didn’t make my top 25. This is the first LP from the emo band in 16 years, after reuniting in 2011 to release an EP, which ended up being really bad. So, expectations were low, but I was pleasantly surprised at how strong this album was from start to finish. The songs feel like a natural progression of what we could’ve expected from this band had they not gone their separate ways a decade and a half ago.

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Dishonorable Mentions

Only one Dishonorable Mention this year, but also included is my most overrated album, and my biggest disappointment.

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Christopher Owens – A New Testament

How the mighty have fallen. Just three years ago Owens was responsible for my album of the year as frontman of the band Girls. This is his second solo album and follow up to the underwhelming Lysandre, but this album may be even worse. Owens’ new found alt-country leanings do not work for him no matter how sincere they may be. The heart and soul that made Girls so affecting has been completely lost by the cheesiness of these tunes, and while I’m thankful of his Girls catalog, he’s probably lost a fan in me.

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Most Overrated Album: Real Estate – Atlas

Another band who just three years ago found itself in my top 5 with the fantastic Days, Real Estate has returned to their boring forgetful tunes that made me think they were overrated when they debuted in 2009. Sure, there are a couple very good songs on this album and it’s beautifully produced and musically tight as ever, but as a whole, it’s completely devoid of memorable melodies, and makes me think Days is going to turn out as a fluke for these guys.

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Biggest Disappointment: The Gaslight Anthem – Get Hurt

These guys exploited their blue-collar punk image to create three straight fantastic albums in The ’59 Sound, American Slang, and Handwritten, however, with Get Hurt they’ve devolved into an arena rock band while trying to retain their blue-collar image and it now just screams of pandering.

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Top Albums of 2014: Eligible Albums

January 12, 2015

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2014 has come and gone, so time again for my Top Albums countdown. I didn’t find 2014 to be a great year for music, as it only had a few, what I’d call, elite releases. It was, however, a fairly deep year for albums, in that while there weren’t many that blew me away, I did find there to be a large amount of good albums that made choosing my #5 to say #35 albums quite a chore. Now, it’s always hard to come up with a theme for the year, and kind of a pointless exercise, but what I did notice about many of this year’s releases is how cathartic they were for the artists. Many of this year’s albums were records that the artist needed to make, not necessarily just wanted to make. So you’ll notice that theme coming up a good bit in many of the albums I’m featuring here. That said, I’m not going into quite as much effort this year in actually writing about the albums. I might have a sentence or two for each, but don’t expect more beyond that. Today is, as always, when I present the list of albums eligible for my countdown.

This past year I purchased, in some form, 83 albums, 80 of which are eligible. I do not include EPs, reissues, soundtracks, live albums, holiday Albums, or b-side/rarity type releases as eligible for my list, and this year three of my purchases were EPs. As always, there’s plenty of albums that I never got around to procuring, so yes, there’s going to be very worthy albums that don’t make my list. So if you have a question as to why your favorite album isn’t on my list, well it’s because I either didn’t get it, or just plain didn’t care for it as much as you, simple as that. After the jump, you can see the list of all albums I purchased, in order of release date. Also, over to the right, you can see the schedule over the next few days as I continue the countdown.

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A Round of Sound: 2013 Mixtape

January 18, 2014

2013 Mixtape

Finally, it’s time for the annual playlist that caps off my countdown. Rather than do a ranking of favorite songs, I choose to compile what I think is a good representation for the year in music, all on an 80 minute CD-R. Per the norm, plenty of my favorite songs couldn’t find their way on here due to length, or production techniques of the track, so in some cases I’ve got songs on here that aren’t even my favorite from its respective album.

Other notes: I managed to squeeze 20 tracks onto this years mix, same as last year. This is a very top 25 heavy playlist, as only two songs show up from albums outside my top 25. Those songs being The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die’s “Gig Life” and Tegan and Sara’s “Closer” from their very nice album Heartthrob, my #35 album of the year, which is the lowest ranked album to find a song on my playlist in 2013. Of the remaining tracks, 10 come from albums in my #11-#25 range, and 8 from albums in my top 10. The only top 10 albums that don’t have a representative on my mix are Sunbather and Reflektor. As always, the order of the Mixtape is not a ranking, but rather an order based on how the song appears on its respective album.

Below, you’ll see the tracklist, and after the jump you can listen to every track if you so choose. I’ve also created Rdio and Spotify playlists, the latter of which is embedded below. (Note, “new you” isn’t available on either service.)  There’s also my Amazon.com list which has my entire top 25 albums of the year, nice and neat in a one page form (and access to my all my lists since 2001). And last but not least, this is the 6th straight year Amy Boyd has stepped up to provide me my album art. She actually spent part of her birthday working on this, but that’s why she gets paid the big bucks. (Disclaimer: there are no bucks being transferred, much less big ones.)

2013 was a great year for music, and a very tough act to follow. Let’s see what you got, 2014.

1) “Closer” – Tegan and Sara :: Heartthrob
2) “You & I” – Local Natives :: Hummingbird
3) “The Mother We Share” – Chvrches :: The Bones of What You Believe
4) “KV Crimes” – Kurt Vile :: Wakin On a Pretty Daze
5) “Backyard Skulls” – Frightened Rabbit :: Pedestrian Verse
6) “Counting” – Autre Ne Veut :: Anxiety
7) “Song for Zula” – Phosphorescent :: Muchacho
8) “Borrowed Time” – Parquet Courts:: Light Up Gold
9) “Royals” – Lorde :: Pure Heroine
10) “Step” – Vampire Weekend :: Modern Vampires of the City
11) “The Wire” – Haim :: Days Are Gone
12) “Byegone” – Volcano Choir :: Repave
13) “Sea of Love” – The National :: Trouble Will Find Me
14) “Dropla” – Youth Lagoon :: Wondrous Bughouse
15) “new you” – My Bloody Valentine :: m b v
16) “Hold On, We’re Going Home” – Drake :: Nothing Was The Same
17) “Avocado, Baby” – Los Campesinos! :: No Blues
18) “She Will” – Savages :: Silence Yourself
19) “Gig Life” – The World Is A Beautiful Place… :: Whenever, If Ever
20) “Doin’ It Right”  – Daft Punk :: Random Access Memories


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Top Albums of 2013: #1 thru #5

January 17, 2014

#5) Haim – Days Are Gone [Columbia; released 9/30/2013]

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“Because I’m sorry what I did, but it came naturally.”

“The Wire”

Perhaps the year’s most addictive album belongs to Haim, the trio of sisters hailing from Los Angeles whose brand of pop is played with such spirit and sincerity that it’s impossible not to be wrapped up in its genuine enthusiasm. Often, when a girl rock/pop group is introduced, there’s an expectation of jaded angst, and I certainly wasn’t expecting something so polished and mature, but these girls are having fun and aren’t afraid to show it these 11 not-a-clunker-in-the-bunch pop songs, played with a spunky arrogance evident in their live shows and day to day escapades. Frequently compared to Fleetwood Mac, there are clear 90’s soft rock and R&B influences that come to the forefront that I liken more to an Amy Grant, most notably on tracks “If I Could Change Your Mind” and “Honey & I” which follow possibly the best trio of songs to open an album all year long. When they do venture out in different directions like on “My Song 5” and its disjointed beats, the results are no less stunning. But what’s most impressive about these ladies, in addition to showing excellent songwriting prowess, is that even with their influences all over their sleeves, the songs have a distinct Haim flavor brimming with confidence making Days Are Gone the year’s best and most auspicious debut.

[“Falling” – Days Are Gone]

#4) The National – Trouble Will Find Me [4AD; released 5/21/2013]

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“I am secretly in love with everyone who I grew up with.”

“Demons”

Consistency isn’t exactly considered a sexy quality when it comes to a band’s discography and rarely moves the needle from release to release, which is what makes The National’s steady stream of excellent albums such an impressive, but overlooked, feat. What The National do so well is create songs with elaborate structures and production techniques all contained in an easily accessible package. Here we have Trouble Will Find Me, as Nationally as The National get, but perhaps their most refined record with complex time signatures and subtle tweaks – the harmonica on “Sea of Love” is possibly my favorite moment of any song in 2013 – and a production value that is quickly making Aaron Dessner one of the most sought after producers in indie rock. Yet this is all stuff that can go completely unnoticed and have no effect on the casual listener enamored by the powerfully warm anthems and all their majesty. This is largely why The National’s albums are considered such growers, as the nuances rise to the surface upon repeated listens to allow for a deeper appreciation. With Trouble Will Find Me, the Brooklyn five-piece has released their 4th straight stone-cold classic album, as relatable and fixated on life’s mundanities as anything in their repertoire, but in no way routine in and of itself.

[“Demons” – Trouble Will Find Me]

#3) Deafheaven – Sunbather [Deathwish; released 6/11/2013]

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“I want to dream.”

“Dream House”

Not in a thousand years would I have thought a metal album would ever crack my Top Albums list, but here we are. Deafheaven is a black metal band from San Francisco featuring all the shrieking and double bass pedals one would expect from the genre, and it’s perhaps the most immediately striking and visceral album released in 2013. The vocals are of course the most polarizing part of any black metal band, but Deafheaven does a nice job with the mix by blending George Clarke’s vocals quite well with the backing music so they’re not too overwhelming, while still managing to come across passionate. Though it’s musically where Sunbather truly shines, by fusing metal, post-rock, hardcore and shoegaze all into a mind-blowing end product that most importantly gets the listener to feel something, anything, about life. Each song is a journey, but none better than album opener and song of the year contender “Dream House”, a 9-minute masterpiece featuring Explosions in the Sky type musicianship paired with Clarke’s screams that build to a breathtaking climax shocking in how moving it is. With many of Deafheaven’s metal peers, the music is so dense that all’s to be done after listening is to close yourself off and contemplate life, whereas with Sunbather, you want to press repeat and go live it.

[“Dream House” – Sunbather]

#2) Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City [XL; released 5/14/2013]

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“Though we live on the US Dollar, you and me, we got our own sense of time.”

“Hannah Hunt”

It may seem simple, but there is actually a pretty involved process for making this list. The most basic thing I do, of course, is to listen to every single album again starting sometime around Thanksgiving. In listening to each album, I keep a running playlist in iTunes of the best songs of the year. When it came time to spin Modern Vampires of the City, Vampire Weekend’s third – and best – album, it took every part of me to not just grab the whole damn album and drop it in that playlist. No album in 2013 has the amount of pure pop bliss displayed in Modern Vampires – and considering Days Are Gone, that’s quite impressive. But this album is so much more, with an added depth that hasn’t really ever been present on Vampire Weekend albums, at least not in as cohesive and thoughtful of a manner.

I’ve always thought Vampire Weekend was underrated in the lyrics department, perhaps off-putting to some in their cleverness, so it’s no surprise to me to see the songwriting abilities of Ezra Koenig finally grab the listener in ways previous albums just couldn’t quite do. Paired with Koenig’s vocals is the music of Rostam Batmanglij, who’s the real star of the show with songs as sophisticated as anything in the New York quartet’s catalog, which is saying something considering the group has been one of the torchbearers for sophisticated chamber pop since their inception. Supposedly, this album wraps up the trilogy that was the band’s first three releases, so it’ll be interesting to see what the future holds, but with songs as expertly crafted as these, Vampire Weekend has earned our trust.

[“Unbelievers” – Modern Vampires of the City]

#1) Phosphorescent – Muchacho [Dead Oceans; released 3/19/2013]

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“Then I saw love disfigure me into something I am not recognizing.”

“Song for Zula”

You’ve heard the story before: guy loses girl, retreats into solitude, and emerges with a cathartic release that results in an accomplished album of profound proportions. Such is the story of Matthew Houck, the Brooklyn by-way-of Georgia by-way-of Alabama singer/songwriter who with Muchacho has released the best album of his career, an impassioned juggernaut which will go down as 2013’s lyrical masterpiece and for me, album of the year. But there’s more to this story than just getting over a breakup. After a grueling tour in support of 2010’s Here’s to Taking Easy, Houck returned to New York hoping to recharge only to find he was being evicted from his recording space and in a relationship beyond repair. Houck withdrew, debating his future as Phosphorescent, and retreated to Mexico for a sabbatical of sorts. So much of Muchacho is inspired by those events, not only in lyrics but also the backing music which is at times folk, at times alt-country, and at times southwest americana, but never not gorgeous.

I shouldn’t get ahead of myself though, because nothing about this album can be said without first mentioning the stunning track “Song for Zula”, which while not the album opener, thanks to bookends “Sun Arise (An Invocation, An Introduction)” and “Sun Arising (A Koan, An Exit)”, serves as the best introduction to what Houck is doing with Muchacho. The honesty and heartbreak is palpable on “Song for Zula”, which despite having no real chorus doesn’t merely plod along, but rather is a beautifully crafted song with flavors of Tom Petty at his peak. It’s my song of the year, as chill inducing as anything I heard in 2013, with its staggering imagery and wounded lead performance.

 From there the album moves on to more upbeat and immediate tracks like “Ride On / Right On” and “A Charm / A Blade” which despite their subject matter convey a little bit of hope and joy with their spontaneous hoots and hollers, a welcome sight for an album that could be considered too bleak and sorrowful. Throughout all the tracks, Houck employs pedal steel, strings, piano, and horns to give a Mexican-cantina sound, as Houck likes to put it, all with a tinge of experimentation which is a testament to the songcraft on display here. But plenty of artists have the ability to create music this enjoyable, though very few have the heart to take it to transcendent levels, which is why it all comes back to “Song for Zula”, a track so magnificent and resonant that it elevates everything around it to heights few albums can ever hope to achieve.

[“Song for Zula” – Muchacho]

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