Albums of the year 2015

[linkous]

tick tock, tick tock ..........

[dime in the gutter]

probably a few omissions.


promised land sound/for use and delight (favorite by a long shot...the rest inpo)





uncle acid/night creeper
the sword/high country
kurt vile record
dwight yoakam/2nd hand heart
dbt live

[Gang Green]

Titus Andronicus - The Most Lamentable Tragedy - my number one, personally I think he's the new Bruce Springsteen, and not just because he's from New Jersey.

The rest in no particular order

Kurt Vile - b'lieve I'm Going Down - Probably second fav, and not just because he's from Philly
Sufjan Stevens - Carrie and Lowell - consumed the first part of the year, songs also great live
JD McPherson - Let the Good Times Roll - old school
The Silks - Last American Band - hard old school
John Moreland - High on Tulsa Heat
T. Hardy Morris - Drowning on a Mountaintop
Jason Isbell - Something More than Free - what can I say, I liked it
Guantanamo Baywatch - Darling it's Too Late - Old school
Mikal Cronin - MCIII - Ty Segall's side kick, a bit more accessable than Ty, pop
Alex G - Beach Music - Another Philly, and Temple product psychodolic, low-fi pop, will be playing at the Union Transfer
Turnpike Troubadours - Turnpike Troubadours - They're just good fun
The Dave Rawlings Machine - Nashville Obsolete - just as I was getting sick of Shovels and Rope and Houndmouth, these guys and Gillian came around
Lucero - All a Man Should Do - Seemed a little too clean for Lucero at first, but hung in there and now I love it
Blitzen Trapper - All Across This Land
Nathaniel Rateliff And the Night Sweats
Phil Cook - Southland Mission - Saw him play with Hiss Golden Messenger, very jam band type show, Phil Cook was smoken
Wimps - Suitcase - old school punk/new wave, brings me back to my music listening glory years
Negative Scanner - Negative Scanner - old school punk/new wave, don't look at the album cover, also brings me back, and very similar to the Wimps
Balam Acab - Child Death - I did a feature on this guy two or three years ago, new album finally out, but only through Band Camp, I love it, but as I recall, Luther Justin was the only one who liked this

[jr29]

First tier......
Turnpike Troubadours-S/T. Favorite tunes- "The Bird Hunters", "Time Of day", "Down Here".
Quail hunting, Oklahoma, drinking, relationships, casinos....I love this album.

The Bottle ROckets- South Broadway Athletic Club. Fave tunes- "Ship It On The Frisco", "Building Chryslers", "XOYOU".
Brian Henneman produces the goods every time and the Bottle Rockets are my favorite band. I also love the fact that THE St. Louis band recorded in their hometown.

McMurtry- Complicated Game. Fave tunes- "Carlisle's Haul", "You Got To Me", "Forgotten Coast".
Listened to this most of the spring.

Dwight Yoakam- Second Hand Heart. Fave tunes- "Second Hand Heart", "V's Of Birds", "Dreams Of Clay".
My favorite Dwight record in years and years. very cool tidbit..."V's Of Birds" was written by former International Harvester, Anthony Crawford.

Second Tier.....
Kevin Gordon-Long Gone Time. Fave tunes-"Walking On The Levee", "Crowville", "Shotgun Behind The Door".
I-20 boogie. If there is one person who I think should get more 3DD love it's Kevin Gordon. If you like McMurtry, Lucinda, etc....you should like Kevin.

Keith Richards- Crosseyed Heart. Fave tunes-"Robbed Blind", "Blues In The Morning", "Trouble".
A great mix of tunes and most all were hits for me.

Mark Edgar Stuart- Trinity My Dear. Fave tunes- "We Were In Bloom", "Joe Is Enough", "Myra Gail".
The coolest music being made in Memphis is courtesy of Mr. Stuart. Totally unique style.

Donnie Fritts- Oh My Goodness. Fave tunes- "Errol Flynn", Tuscaloosa 1962", "Them Old Love Songs"
I expected to like the album but I ended up loving. VERY heavy North Alabama flavor...David Hood, Isbell, Secret Sisters, Spooner Oldham etc etc. Reggie Young is on guitar on one of the tracks too.

Third tier....
Lucero- All A Man Should Do. Fave tunes- "Baby Don't You Want Me", "Can't You Hear Them Howl", "Young Outlaws"
Ben Nichols only played acoustic guitar and I like the outcome. (Not to disparage Ben's guitar playing) Brian venable's guitar stands out more and the hooks hit me a little harder. Recorded in the heart of midtown Memphis at the legendary Ardent Studios.

Brent Best- Your Dog, Champ. Fave tunes-"You Shouldn't Worry", "Aunt Ramona", "Robert Cole".
Very personal, very powerful tunes.

Ray Wylie Hubbard- The Ruffian's Misfortune. "Too Young Ripe, Too Young Rotten", "Stone Blind Horses", "All Loose Things".
Clams has summed this one up quite well.

JD Mcpherson- Let The Good Times Roll. Fave tunes- "Let The Good Times Roll", "Shy Boy", "Precious"
"Let The Good Times Roll" was probably my favorite song of the year. I'd love to hear Little Richard take a swing at a few of these tunes.

Fourth tier....
Jason Isbell- Something More Than Free. Fave tunes- "Children Of Children", "Palmetto Rose", "Speed Trap Town".
The highs are very high.

Chris Stapleton- Traveller. Fave tunes- "Might As Well Get Stoned", "Was It 26", "Parachute".
The album got the credit it deserved. If this is the direction Nashville is headed, I am onboard.

Corb Lund- Things That Can't Be Undone. Fave tunes- "Weight Of The Gun", "Alice Eyes", "Washed-Up Rock Star Factory Blues".
Probably would have rated it a little higher if I had more time with it.

John Moreland- High On Tulsa Heat. Fave tunes-"Heart's Too Heavy", Cherokee", "You Don't care Enough For Me To Cry"
Much like Isbell's album....the highs are very high.

I also enjoyed the Jimbo Mathus and Don Henley records.

[Smitty]

[Zip City]

1. / - The Decemberists - What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World / Florasongs EP

After a four year hiatus, The Decemberists returned to the studio (and the road). The follow up to the Americana/R.E.M.-esque "The King is Dead" pulled back from the band's historical/literary songwriting, instead looking inward. For the first time, Meloy opened himself up as a songwriter, reflecting on the birth of his son, the loss of innocence, and the power of love. "Florasongs" is an EP of five cuts that didn't make the album, all amazing in their own right, but definitely out of sync with the story that "Terrible World" told.

Album Highlights - "Lake Song" (a look back on the innocence of youth in love), "Carolina Low" (a Jay Farrar-esque guitar ballad) and "The Harrowed and the Haunted" (an EP track musing on long distance yearning)


2. - Houndmouth - Little Neon Limelight

This Indiana band's sophomore album brought everything they've learned on the road into the studio, producing a loose, fun collection of rock n roll. Combining the aesthetic of The Band, The Beatles and Faces, the quartet bring great harmonies and a ton of fun. Dave Cobb lets them loose in the studio, recording most of the tracks "live", warts and all. This one band that will always bring a smile to my face.

Album Highlights - "Gasoline", "By God, "My Cousin Greg"

3. - My Morning Jacket - The Waterfall

MMJ win some fans back with their strongest record since Z. I'm not an Evil Urges or Circuital hater like some of y'all, but The Waterfall is easily their most consistently good effort in years. The accompanying tour, which featured multi-night stops in smaller venues, saw the band as tight and focused as ever (their two night stand here in Columbus was the concert highlight of my year).

Album Highlights - "Tropics (Erase Traces)", "Thin Line", "In Its Infancy (The Waterfall)"

4. - Wilco - Star Wars

Surprise, (free) new Wilco record! Bigger surprise, its their best album in years! Like MMJ, Wilco roared back to the forefront of the rock scene with a revitalized set of songs. Star Wars is a short record, but there isn't a wasted moment on it. The band is tight, the songwriting fantastic. Can't wait for them to do a full tour on this material.

Album Highlights - "Random Name Generator," "Pickled Ginger", "Cold Slope"

5. - Hamilton - Original Broadway Cast Recording

In my sphere of friends, family and coworkers, there were two things that were hyped like crazy this year; Star Wars, and Hamilton. Surprisingly, both not only lived up to the hype, but exceeded it. Hamilton is the brainchild of the McCarthy Genius Award winning composer/lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda, a Tony winner for "In the Heights". It's a story about Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, a story about the birth of America, and a story about history itself. And it's told through the lens of modern hip-hop and R&B music. In Miranda's own words, "It's the story of America yesterday told by America today." It's a brazenly brave project to even try, and the fact that its been so universally acclaimed and popular (performances are sold out through August of 2016) is a testament to the power of its music and its story.

Album Highlights - "Alexander Hamilton", "Satisified", "It's Quiet Uptown"

6. - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Chasing Yesterday

The aptly titled album is a great piece of 90's throwback rock. It's Gallagher's best songwriting since Oasis' "Being There", and Noel's new band is up to the task. Noel's two post-Oasis albums show that despite brother Liam garnering the (often negative) headlines, it was Noel's songwriting that made Oasis one of the biggest rock bands in the world.

Album Highlights - "Riverman", "The Girl with X-Ray Eyes", "Freaky Teeth"

7. - Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free

I really like this album, but it has one problem: it will forever be compared to "Southeastern". It's the curse of an artist who has set the bar so high for himself, that he's bound to fail to live up to his own standards. Still, this is rock-solid songwriting from a guy who is brimming with confidence. Is every song a success? No, but the highlights are VERY strong. I haven't had a chance to see these songs live yet, but all I hear is that they're that much better in person.

Album Highlights - "Children of Children", "Hudson Commodore", "To a Band That I Loved"

8. - Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly

Kendrick's previous album, "good kid/M.A.A.D. city", is one of my favorite hip hop albums of all time. It was a tale of a young man growing up in Compton, a generation after NWA. The kid wanted to be a rapper, not a gangster, but he became a victim of his surroundings. At the end, there was hope. "To Pimp a Butterfly" is an angry album. Lamar is seeing the world, and he's not having it. A such, though these songs are great (sometimes brilliant), it's not a FUN album to listen to. It's challenging. I have to be in the right mood to listen to it. Its kind of like Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"; an unbelievably good book that I'm not rushing to read over and over again.

Album Highlights - "King Kunta," "Institutionalized", "The Blacker the Berry"

9. - Israel Nash's Silver Season
Last year, Kudzu suggested Israel Nash here at 3DD, and I fell in love immediately. Something about the songwriting, the arrangements, and the production just pushed all of my buttons. As such, I had "Rain Plans" as my #3 record of 2014. "Silver Season" is another strong effort, but it's taken me longer to warm up to it. It feels like Nash is shedding his cut-and-paste Neil Young style while retaining what makes him good. Are the songs as strong? I need to spend more time with it to tell.

Album Highlights - "LA Lately", "Rag and Bone Man", "A Coat of Many Colors"

10. - Built to Spill - Untethered Moon

BTS is a band that I've been aware of for years, but had never bothered checking out. When this record came out, I had it recommended on a few different sites so I decided to check it out. Turns out its one of the best pure rock records of the year. It definitely has a 90's rock feel, but doesn't feel like a period piece. "All Our Songs" is one of my favorite tracks of 2015.

Album Highlights - "All Our Songs", "When I'm Blind", "Some Other Song"

11. - Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear

Ok, I'll admit, I HATED this record when it came out. I really loved FJM's first album, mostly because it had that jangly, care-free 70's singer/songwriter vibe. It reminded me of watching "The Electric Company" as a kid. So when "Honeybear" came out, the change in aesthetic was so jarring that my reaction was mostly negative. But I gave it time, and as I began to understand this new direction, something clicked and I was hooked. Listen, its a weird record: hairy hippy guy sings songs about fucking to Phil Spector style 70's arrangements. It shouldn't work, but it does (well, "True Affection" doesn't, but still....).

Album Highlights - "The Ideal Husband," "I Went to the Store One Day", "When You're Smiling and Astride Me"

12. - Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color

Or as I like to call it, "The Sizzle and the Fizzle". After being introduced to the band via DBT, I found the band's appeal to wear off quickly, and I had dismissed them out of hand. This new one hit me like a ton of bricks....until Side 2. I find the first 5 songs on this album to be outstanding, groundbreaking, genre-defining. But the drop off on the second half of the album is so steep that I find myself moving on to something else before I reach the end. I can't think of another record that does this. Some tracks on the back half have grown on me, but that first five....breathtaking

Album Highlights - "Dunes", "Future People", "Gimme All Your Love"

13. - Dr. Dre - Compton

While this isn't so much a Dr. Dre album as it is a Dre-produced, multi-artist collaboration, "Compton" is a surprisingly good, surprisingly relevant record. The guest spots are great (Kendrick, of course, shines). It doesn't sound like vintage, 90's Dr. Dre, but it still has his fingerprints all over it. Nice to see that a 50+year old MC still has it.

Album Highlights - "One Shot, One Kill", "Genocide", "All In a Day's Work"

14. - Milk Carton Kids - Monterey

Milk Carton Kids do one thing, but they do it very well. With their third album, they stay true to their sound: two acoustic guitars, two voices, and nothing more. They're like a mix of Simon & Garfunkel and the Louvin Brothers, moving between songs of love, observations of the world, and fun, upbeat stompers.

Album Highlights - "Freedom", "High Hopes", "Shooting Shadows"

15. - Elle King - Love Stuff

I first heard Elle King' "Where the Devil Don't Go" on a local NPR music show. I was immediately grabbed by the rawness and energy of the music. I bought the album and was impressed by the variety and versatility of King's music, especially on a debut album. It seemed kinda punk, but very accessible. That said, it was a surprise when "Ex's & Oh's" blew up as a radio hit (and now Grammy nominated song).

Album Highlights - "Where the Devil Don't Go", "Kocaine Karolina", "Ain't Gonna Drown"

16. - Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit

Barnett is one of the great up and coming voices in rock and roll. Quirky, funny, smart, with a great band to boot. It's one of those albums that I don't often seek out, but I enjoy the hell out of it when I do.

Album Highlights - "Pedestrian at Best", "Aqua Profunda!", "Nobody Really Cares If You Don't Go To the Party"

17. - David Gilmour - Rattle That Lock

Despite being a huge, huge Pink Floyd fan, I went into this record with extremely low expectations. Gilmour's last album was extremely uneven, and "The Endless River" project (I refuse to call it an album) was an uninspired mess. So maybe its with those expectations that I found "Rattle That Lock" to be a pretty good album. It's 0% Pink Floyd, so leave that thought at the door, but Gilmour's guitar playing is great, and his recent drift towards a more French aesthetic is well served.

Album Highlights - "In Any Tongue," "Faces of Stone", "The Girl in the Yellow Dress"

18. - Buxton - Half a Native

Seems like every year I have an album or two that I discovered solely by scrolling/sampling through Spotify's "Discover" page. Buxton is that band this year. They are like a mix of Israel Nash, Water Liars, and Old 97's. Bands that have that mythical, unquantifiable "Laurel Canyon Sound" seem to push my buttons.

Album Highlights - "Old Haunt," Miss Catalina 1992", "Good as Gone"

19. - Shovels & Rope - Busted Jukebox Vol. 1

Another "surprise" album of 2015, this record dropped with short notice. Born out of a series of festival dates this summer where S&R played with the same bands over and over, they put together a collection of cover songs that they had played with their new friends. Some work, some don't, but the record is care free and fun.

Album Highlights - "Unknown Legend (w/ Shakey Graves)", "(What's So Funny About" Peace, Love and Understanding (w/ Lucius)", "Perfect Day (w/ Preservation Hall Jazz Band)"

20. - Ryan Adams - 1989

It started as a joke, then as a dare, and next thing you know, it's a fully produced album (and Adams' best seller to date). The source material is of varying quality, and certainly not all of it works, but its so much better on record than it was on paper. And I can listen to it with the kids and they know all the words....

Album Highlights - "Bad Blood", "Blank Space", "Style"

[StormandStatic]

(well, "True Affection" doesn't, but still....)

Favorite song on the album.

[allisonsdc]

My favorites of 2015:

1. Will Johnson - Swan City Vampires
2. Elder - Lore
3. Anderson East - Delilah
4. Houndmouth - Little Neon Limelight
5. Monolord - Vaenir
6. James McMurtry - Complicated Game
7. Kurt Vile - B'lieve I'm Goin Down
8. Jason Isbell - Something More than Free
9. Israel Nash - Silver Season
10. Ryan Adams - 1989
11. Fuzz - II
12. John Moreland - High on Tulsa Heat
13. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
14. All them Witches - Dying Surfer Meets His Maker
15. Gary Clark Jr., The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim

[Gaetzi]

I didn't get a ton of new releases this year but in some sort of order:

DBT- It's Great to be Alive
Blitzen Trapper- All Across this Land
Kendrick Lamar- To Pimp a Butterfly
Keith Richards- Crosseyed Heart
Jason Isbell- Something More than Free
Wilco- Star Wars

Blitzen Trapper has gotten the most play recently. Reminds me of the Traveling Wilburys. Or maybe its that the lead singer sounds like a George Harrison/Dylan hybrid? Regardless, great album.

[claretkid]

Not counting live albums, my ten are:

1. Hand. Cannot. Erase - Steven Wilson
2. Yours, Dreamily - The Arcs
3. The London Sessions - Umphrey's McGee
4. Something More Than Free - Jason Isbell
5. Constant Bop - Bop English
6. Transgression - Theo Travis' Double Talk
7. Psychic Warfare - Clutch
8. The Picnic Sessions - Ian Siegal
9. Ol' Glory - JJ Grey & Mofro
10. The Epic - Kamasi Washington

[hanklow]

1. James McMurtry - Complicated Game
2. Noel Gallagher's Flying Birds - Chasing Yesterday
3. John Moreland - High on Tulsa Heat
4. Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color
5. Six String Drag - Roots Rock n Roll

[TW_2.0]

Patterson's lists: http://drivebytruckers.com/news.html#15list

[dogstar]

Below is my list of favourites from last year. I seem to have been drawn to the noisier end of the spectrum this year.

1. Jim O'Rourke - Simple Songs
This was recommended to me by the guy that owns my local record shop as something I might like. It combines (Randy) Newmanesque pop songs with extreme vitriol and arrangements that shift around all over the place. It's the album I played the most this year even though I own it on vinyl and can't play it in the car, which is where I do most of my listening.

2. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
For ages I had this at number one. There is something about the combination of Stevens' voice, his way with a simple melody and his lyrical genius that gets to me. This is the only album released this year that had a song that made me cry (actually it had two) and that is really what the whole game is about.

3. Low - Ones and Sixes
Someone else wrote about Low that they've been making the same album for the whole of their career. It's true but this is one of their best and the added electronic atmospherics raised this to a new level.

4. Kasey Musgrave - Pageant Material
Country Pop fun. This is the guilty pleasure on my list and I don't care because it makes me smile when I listen to it.

5. Bop English - Constant Bop
White Denim were on hiatus this year, while Josh and Austin were off writing and producing for Leon Bridges (a fine retro soul album) James produced this tasty morsel. It sounds very English to me. Also one of my favourite live shows of the year.

6. Wilco - Star Wars
Their best album since a Ghost is Born. They had me as soon as the squall of noise on 'EKG' started and the songs that followed were some of Tweedie's best Beatles songs yet.

7. Will Johnson - Swan City Vampires
Another album that starts with a load of noise. I love the way his records sound even though I have no idea most of the time what he's mumbling about.

8. Ryley Walker - Primrose Green
British folk music (kind of) from Chicago. Who would of thunk it. Heavily in debt to Jansch, Martyn and Fahey this was an unexpected pleasure. Lyrically not the best but the playing is stellar. He did two great live shows last year, one solo and one with a band, that were both fantastic; he's back in February this year playing with Danny Thompson.

9. Alela Diane & Ryan Francesconi - Cold Moon
This is a another very English (folk) sounding record. Francesconi brought what he usually adds to Joanna Newsom's records to Alela Diane's words and produced a better album than Newsom did. Not Alela Diane's best work ever but a fine follow up to About Farewell (which was on my 2013 list)

A few more things

I've been listening to the Kamasi Washington album 'The Epic' for the last week or so. This should be in the top ten somewhere but there's so much music on the album to process I haven't worked out where it should go.

I can tell the Kendrick Lamar album is a great album but it's just not my sort of hip-hop album and so doesn't make my list of favourites.

The most overrated album was the Father John Misty abomination. What an over-indulgent wankfest (see also my comments on Bill Callahan's Dream River back in 2013)

[linkous]

Below is my list of favourites from last year. I seem to have been drawn to the noisier end of the spectrum this year.

2. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
For ages I had this at number one. There is something about the combination of Stevens' voice, his way with a simple melody and his lyrical genius that gets to me. This is the only album released this year that had a song that made me cry (actually it had two) and that is really what the whole game is about.

3. Low - Ones and Sixes
Someone else wrote about Low that they've been making the same album for the whole of their career. It's true but this is one of their best and the added electronic atmospherics raised this to a new level.

6. Wilco - Star Wars
Their best album since a Ghost is Born. They had me as soon as the squall of noise on 'EKG' started and the songs that followed were some of Tweedie's best Beatles songs yet.

The most overrated album was the Father John Misty abomination. What an over-indulgent wankfest

Three great albums, three vastly different albums, and career highs for Sufjan and Low. (which takes some doing for Low, given how great the back catalogue is). That Star Wars is not even top 3 Wilco tells you how brilliant this band is.

Totally agree about Father John Misty. Luckily I have only been subjected to two or three songs on the radio.

An album that I should like is Sleater Kinney's No Cities to Love, but hard as I try I just can't last all the way through it. The music is great, if a bit Sonic Youth-y (no bad thing), but that girl cannot sing!! I can only imagine what she would be like to live with if her whiney, wailing, whinging voice is anything to go by.

Still the critics love them, ADM has their album as the 3rd best reviewed of the year behind Kendrick and Sufjan.

http://www.anydecentmusic.com/articles/ ... -2015.aspx

[Zip City]

Judging an entire album on "two or three songs on the radio" is lazy

[linkous]

Judging an entire album on "two or three songs on the radio" is lazy

Perhaps if you were a wet behind the ears 14 year old teenager with hardly any musical knowledge behind them, judging an artist this way might be considered lazy. Somebody who didn't have 45 years worth of obsessive music listening behind them, yep, that too might be lazy. Somebody who just listens to one type of music, and isnt open to, or doesn't have a vast collection of multiple genres of music, including the type of music FJM makes, judging an album that way might be lazy. If Father John Misty made Polka music, music I have no knowledge of, and I dissed it after a few listens - agreed that would be lazy.

So who you calling lazy?


That said, I realise that we are not sitting in a bar, a place where time isn't tight, and a place where we could elaborate and qualify our statements. So with that in mind, I heard FJM's last album and thought it was shit, I am therefore avoiding this one. The "two or three songs" I have heard on the radio - I have heard them several times unfortunately, and they are presumably considered by the artist and record company to be representative of the album. They are also shit.


ps , just be thankful I didn't pick on The Decemberists

[Zip City]

Pick on anyone you want. I don't take it personally

[linkous]

Pick on anyone you want. I don't take it personally

Aww come on Honeybear, you know I love you!!

But really, isn't that the whole point of you endlessly bitching about me, you do seem to take it personally that I diss the music you like. I can assure you it's just co-incidence and nothing personal

[Zip City]

Pick on anyone you want. I don't take it personally

Aww come on Honeybear, you know I love you!!

But really, isn't that the whole point of you endlessly bitching about me, you do seem to take it personally that I diss the music you like. I can assure you it's just co-incidence and nothing personal

No, you've missed the point entirely

I don't care what you like or don't like

I only care when you're a dick about it

[linkous]

Pick on anyone you want. I don't take it personally

Aww come on Honeybear, you know I love you!!

But really, isn't that the whole point of you endlessly bitching about me, you do seem to take it personally that I diss the music you like. I can assure you it's just co-incidence and nothing personal

No, you've missed the point entirely

I don't care what you like or don't like

I only care when you're a dick about it

Examples please, thanks.

ps - I can only assume you have chosen to ignore dogstar's far more vitriolic comments about the album because you thought he wasn't being a dick about it?

[StormandStatic]

Judging an entire album on "two or three songs on the radio" is lazy

Perhaps if you were a wet behind the ears 14 year old teenager with hardly any musical knowledge behind them, judging an artist this way might be considered lazy. Somebody who didn't have 45 years worth of obsessive music listening behind them, yep, that too might be lazy. Somebody who just listens to one type of music, and isnt open to, or doesn't have a vast collection of multiple genres of music, including the type of music FJM makes, judging an album that way might be lazy. If Father John Misty made Polka music, music I have no knowledge of, and I dissed it after a few listens - agreed that would be lazy.

Def not being a dick here.

[linkous]

Judging an entire album on "two or three songs on the radio" is lazy

Perhaps if you were a wet behind the ears 14 year old teenager with hardly any musical knowledge behind them, judging an artist this way might be considered lazy. Somebody who didn't have 45 years worth of obsessive music listening behind them, yep, that too might be lazy. Somebody who just listens to one type of music, and isnt open to, or doesn't have a vast collection of multiple genres of music, including the type of music FJM makes, judging an album that way might be lazy. If Father John Misty made Polka music, music I have no knowledge of, and I dissed it after a few listens - agreed that would be lazy.

Def not being a dick here.

Whoa!! Stormandstatic is it? No way I'm messing with somebody with a tough guy name like that. So can I just say that you have great taste in music, and may all your shits be golden.

[Zip City]

I only care when you're a dick about it

Examples please, thanks.

Whoa!! Stormandstatic is it? No way I'm messing with somebody with a tough guy name like that. So can I just say that you have great taste in music, and may all your shits be golden.

[linkous]

I only care when you're a dick about it

Examples please, thanks.

Whoa!! Stormandstatic is it? No way I'm messing with somebody with a tough guy name like that. So can I just say that you have great taste in music, and may all your shits be golden.

Previous examples please Honeybear, thank you.

[StormandStatic]

Perhaps if you were a wet behind the ears 14 year old teenager with hardly any musical knowledge behind them, judging an artist this way might be considered lazy. Somebody who didn't have 45 years worth of obsessive music listening behind them, yep, that too might be lazy. Somebody who just listens to one type of music, and isnt open to, or doesn't have a vast collection of multiple genres of music, including the type of music FJM makes, judging an album that way might be lazy. If Father John Misty made Polka music, music I have no knowledge of, and I dissed it after a few listens - agreed that would be lazy.

Def not being a dick here.

Whoa!! Stormandstatic is it? No way I'm messing with somebody with a tough guy name like that. So can I just say that you have great taste in music, and may all your shits be golden.

I'll give you regular updates until the situation changes.

[linkous]

Def not being a dick here.

Whoa!! Stormandstatic is it? No way I'm messing with somebody with a tough guy name like that. So can I just say that you have great taste in music, and may all your shits be golden.

I'll give you regular updates until the situation changes.

Cheers. Just goes to show how misleading a message board name can be, you seem like a nice guy to me.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

In all my years of listening, I'd say it takes more than 3 songs to fairly assess an album. Hell, on many occasions I've found that one listen isn't even enough. I can't begin to list the albums I would have missed out on if I had given up after spinning them just one time. Then again, there's folks out there that will judge an album based solely on 12 second snippets or worse, the cover art alone.

[Tequila Cowboy]

In all my years of listening, I'd say it takes more than 3 songs to fairly assess an album. Hell, on many occasions I've found that one listen isn't even enough. I can't begin to list the albums I would have missed out on if I had given up after spinning them just one time. Then again, there's folks out there that will judge an album based solely on 12 second snippets or worse, the cover art alone.

I have a (mostly) strict rule, if I've cared enough to give a record one listen I give it three regardless of what I thought the first two times. If I didn't do that I would have missed out on records by, to name a few, Alabama Shakes, My Morning a Jacket, Kendrick Lamar, Chris Stapleton and Sleater-Kinney all of which found their way into my top twenty on repeated listed. Hell, Centro-Matic is in a close tie as my favorite band of the last twenty years and the first time I listened to a recor from them, Fort Recovery, I really only liked one song. It took listen after listen for their greatness to be revealed to me.

[bellevillemusic]

Best of 2015

jd mcpherson - let the good times roll
the grip weeds – how I won the war
father john misty - I love you honey bear
houndmouth – little neon limelight
sarah shook & the disarmers – sidelong
jessica pratt – on your own love again
liam hayes – slurp
cosmic rough riders – chrome cassettes
the delines – scenic sessions
six-string drag - roots rock n roll
calexico – edge of the sun
roger lion – roger lion
james mcmurtry – complicated game
pugwash – play this intimately
leon bridges – coming home
ryley walker - primrose green
tobias jesso jr – goon
ryan bingham - fear and saturday night
the bottle rockets – south broadway athletic club
jose gonzalez - vestiges and claws
blitzen trapper – all across this land
whitehorse - leave no bridge unburned
tami neilson - dynamite!
reno bo – lessons from a shooting star
unknown mortal orchestra – multi-love

[beantownbubba]

Always nice to see you, belleville, rare as it is.

Are those cosmic rough riders the same guys who did Enjoy the Melodic Sunshine a million years ago?

More generally, I haven't really been following this thread since I have nothing to contribute but there's some really good stuff here and some albums I'll try to follow up on. Worth wading through the zip/linkous dialogue, which is saying something.