As mentioned in the "2015 album releases" thread it might be time to start posting our albums of the year. There is a good chance that perhaps one or two albums might be released before the year ends that we may wish to include (Coldplay anybody ), if so I don't see any problem in posting an amended list. So here goes with mine............
1. The Fall - Sub Lingual Tablet
2. Protomartyr - The Agent Intellect
3. Low - Ones and Sixes
4. Robert Forster - Songs To Play
5. Public Image Ltd - What The World Needs Now
6. Deerhunter - Fading Frontier
7. Mbongwana Star - From Kinshasa
8. Roots Manuva - Bleeds
9. New Order - Music Complete
10. Wilco - Star Wars
11. Kendrick Lamarr - To Pimp a Butterfly
12. Will Johnson - Swan City Vampires
13. Hot Chip - Why Make Sense
14. Kurt Vile - B'lieve I'm Going Down
15. Chemical Brothers - Born In The Echoes
16. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
17. Leftfield - Alternative Light Source
18. Destroyer - Poison Season
19. Craig Finn - Faith In The Future
20. Yo La Tengo - Stuff Like That There
After a really bad start to the year I now reckon this has been the best year for new albums since this millenium began.
I'm not including live albums, so DBT do not make the cut, and neither am I including Dylan's Bootleg series vol12 because it's not technically a new album, but they are without doubt amongst the best records I have bought this year.
Clams wrote:Okay so then I'll transfer my question to this thread.... is the DBT's' Great to be Alive eligible for our best-of lists or are live records off limits?
I would say people can include it if they wish, no problem. I just said I was choosing not to include DBT and Dylan even though they are technically "new " albums. Greatest Hits albums are also technically "new" albums but I didn't include the likes of "Ugly Buildings, Whores, and Politicians" in my list from 2011 either.
IIRC, in years when we've had formal, scored voting, live albums were allowed. I see no reason not to allow them. My impression is that people who exclude live albums, greatest hits albums and the like do so mostly for the convenience of shrinking the pool of eligible albums to make it easier to compile a list, not because there's an inherent reason they should be excluded. That's not a criticism, I've done that myself. The reason to exclude live albums this year would be to attempt to create some suspense/interest in #1, but that's the same as assuming that DBT would be at or near the top of everyone's list, which gets kind of circular. Maybe the question to ask is what's the #2 album?
FWIW, I have no skin in the game because I won't be posting a list. I've listened to fewer new albums this year than in any year since I started to listen to music so there's not much point to the exercise, though I will be reading others' lists w/ interest.
What used to be is gone and what ought to be ought not to be so hard
Zip City wrote:I'd say people can include it, but if we "keep score", it shouldn't count
I like that idea. Personally, I prefer not to include live albums in my list since it's hard to judge them against original work. Seems like the standard is lower for a live album.
1. Alabama Shakes - Sound and Color...Just throwback enough to be comforting and familiar, just futuristic enough to surprise you. The production on this album is incredible, foregrounding all of AS's strengths (Britney's vocals, the band's versatility) while burying their weaknesses (the lyrics). Patterson said it best: it sounds like they skipped their second album and made their 4th instead. If you're curious, try: "Future People"; "Gimme All Your Love"; "Don't Wanna Fight No More"
2. Roadside Graves - Acne/Ears...The long-awaited followup to 2011's We Can Take Care of Ourselves. These guys are criminally underrated. They've never made a bad album, and this might be their masterpiece. Every second is packed with hooks and other musical details that gradually reveal themselves with each listen. IYCT: "Clouds"; "Contact High Alumni"; "I Thought We'd Last"
3. Hardy & the Hardknocks - Drownin' on a Mountaintop...Grunge country? Country grunge? Crunge? Whatever it is, I like it. IYCT: "Shit in the Wind"; "The Starting Gun"
4. Phil Cook - Southland Mission...Debut solo album from the Megafaun and Hiss Golden Messenger sideman and multi-instrumentalist. If you're in a bad mood, I defy you to put this on and not feel better within the first few bars of "Ain't It Sweet." IYCT: "Great Tide"; "1922"; "Sitting on a Fence Too Long"
5. Josh Ritter - Sermon on the Rocks...Another great album of literate, intelligent songwriting from a guy who has made a lot of them. IYCT: "Getting Ready to Get Down"; "Henrietta, Indiana"; "Young Moses"
6. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think...
7. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie and Lowell
8. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Chasing Yesterday
9. James McMurtry - Complicated Game
10. Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free
11. Kurt Vile - b'lieve i'm goin' down
12. Sleater-Kinney - No Cities to Love
13. Chris Stapleton - Traveller
14. John Moreland - High on Tulsa Heat
15. Calexico - Edge of the Sun
16. My Morning Jacket - The Waterfall
17. Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers - Loved Wild Lost
18. Built to Spill - Untethered Moon
19. Seth Avett and Jessica Lea Mayfield Sing Elliot Smith
20. Wilco - Star Wars
21. Israel Nash's Silver Season
Last edited by Duke Silver on Tue Nov 17, 2015 1:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Zip City wrote:I'm also not interested in the DBT record being the landslide "album of the year"
Since it's a DBT board, it would be cool to have their releases left out of the running since it's pretty much a given that they're going to pop up in almost everyone's list but this suggestion tends to fall on deaf ears.
It would be great to see one-sentence descriptions if anyone's up for it. I'm interested in new music, but don't have time to randomly listen to everyone's top 20. I guess I can just start with top 5 and expand from there... So far I'm up on 4 of Duke's top 5, but surprisingly none of Linkous's. So there's 6 records I'll try to spotify tonight while sanding kitchen cabinets, or whatever subset is on spotify anyway...
lotusamerica wrote:It would be great to see one-sentence descriptions if anyone's up for it. I'm interested in new music, but don't have time to randomly listen to everyone's top 20. I guess I can just start with top 5 and expand from there... So far I'm up on 4 of Duke's top 5, but surprisingly none of Linkous's. So there's 6 records I'll try to spotify tonight while sanding kitchen cabinets, or whatever subset is on spotify anyway...
I think my two favorite records from this year are Courtney Barnett (Sometimes I Sit and Think...) and the Bottle Rockets (South Broadway Athletic Club). Both are pretty much straight up rock/pop records. Courtney's lyrics tumble out in a stream-of-consciousness kind of way and her sound is bluesy and grungy and her band totally rocks. Like right out of an Australian garage. Depreston might be my favorite song of the year. The B Rox new record has a Tom Petty/The Byrds jangly vibe and I think it's one of the easiest records to listen to and enjoy that I've heard in the last few years - short and to-the-point guitar rock songs, smart lyrics and great hooks. Building Chryslers is another competitor for favorite song of the year (Isbell's Children of Children will round out the top 3). Check em out.
My favorite album of 2015 was actually released in 2014, Frazey Ford's Indian Ocean. I didn't discover it until this past spring when the video for "Done" dropped. Though she used to be with the twangy/folky Be Good Tanyas, her sound on this record is firmly grounded in Memphis, though there are also a few songs where she hearkens back to her roots with Be Good Tanyas. Highly recommended.
1. James McMurtry "Complicated Game"
2. Turnpike Troubadours "Turnpike Troubadours"
3. Phil Cook "Southland Mission"
These are clear and settled for me. The next 7 rounding out the Top 10 for me are tough to rank, so the number is just arbitrary.
4. The Bottle Rockets "South Broadway Athletic Club"
5. Blitzen Trapper "All Across This Land"
6. Craig Finn "Faith in the Future"
7. Charlie Parr "Stumpjumper"
8. Ryan Adams "1989"
9. Lucero "All A Man Should Do"
10. Corb Lund "Things That Can't Be Undone"
HM:
Wilco "Star Wars"
Roadside Graves "Acne/Ears"
Jason Isbell "Something More than Free"
Houndmouth "Little Neon Limelight"
Dawes "All Your Favorite Bands"
John Moreland "High on Tulsa Heat"
I'll try to add brief descriptions and maybe a suggested track or two as I have time this week. Good suggestion...lists by themselves are only so useful!
1. My Morning Jacket: The Waterfall - The first time I gave this a spin, I went through it three times in a row. Easily their best album in a long time. It blends a lot of the ideas they've done on past albums together is a very consistent way. Standout tracks: Pick one, any one.
2. Heartless Bastards: Restless Ones - This is a band that consistently creates well crafted albums, and this is no different. It rocks and is fun, but it also gets introspective and singer/songwriter like. The songs translate well live too. Standout tracks: Pick one, any one. Well, maybe not Tristessa.
3. Local H: Hey Killer - For the first time in a while Local H has put out an album that is not a concept album (although Biblical imagery shows up a lot), and just delivers a kickass rock album. There's no plot line to bog down the material here, just solid songwriting and hot performances. This is an album made to be played loud. Standout tracks: Just about anything, but The Last Picture Show In Zion, John The Baptist Blues, Gig Bag Road, Leon And The Game of Skin, and I Am A Salt Mine are the ones I would choose as the standouts, with the rest of the album close behind.
4. Clutch: Psychic Warfare - ROCK! They keep the lean and mean Earth Rocker vibe going, but bring back some of the funk undetones that were lacking on that album. The album could have benefited from some more space in the arrangements though. Standout tracks: A Quick Death In Texas, Our Lady of Electric Light, Son of Virginia, and Noble Savage.
5. Los Lobos: Gates of Gold - A solid, well-rounded album, as one would expect from Los Lobos. There is great songwriting and guitar work throughout. Standout tracks: Made To Break Your Heart, Mis-Treater Boogie Blues, Too Small Heart, and Gates of Gold.
6. Steven Wilson: Hand.Cannot.Erase - There is a haunting beauty to this album. I just became familiar with Mr. Wilson's work earlier in the year when I picked up some Porcupine Tree albums, and this was the first of his solo albums I picked up. Hopefully the others are of the same caliber and quality. I just wish I had I bought this album two weeks earlier, then I probably would have caught one of his shows. Standout tracks: It's a concept album, set aside 67 minutes and enjoy the whole thing.
7. Faith No More: Sol Invictus - Faith No More finally made their 2009 reunion about something more than nostalgia. It's eclectic and challenging, but not their most difficult album to get into. It says something when people feel the album wasn't off kilter enough. Nevertheless, it is a solid album that goes all over the place. Standout tracks: Superhero, Matador, and Separation Anxiety.
8. Iron Maiden: Book of Souls - Epic is the word for this album. Its a long album and with long songs. I'd put this one between Brave New Word and A Matter of Life And Death in ranking the three guitar Maiden albums. Standout tracks: The Red And The Black, Book of Souls, and Tears of A Clown.
9. Chris Cornell: Higher Truth - A signer/songwriter album with drum machines and some synths. I'm liking this one more than Carry On. It's
different from Soundgarden, but it should be. Not sure I'd want to hear any of these songs in that context anyway. Standout tracks: Before We Disappear, Circling, Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart, Bend In The Road, and Worried Moon.
10. Howlin' Rain: Mansion Songs - Ethan Miller changed lineups again, and created what seems like Howlin' Rain's version of Led Zeppelin III. The band's sonic assault has been tamed with quieter acoustic sounds. It's a departure that had to grow on me, but is rewarding nonetheless. Standout tracks: Big Red Moon, Meet Me In The Wheat, and Ceiling Fan.
11. Big Sugar: Calling All Youth - Rock, reggae, and dub mixed with thick guitar tones is what's defined this band since their second album and that is true here too. A fun album, but there are a few clunkers mixed into it. Standout tracks: Calling All The Youth, Natty Dread Rock, Heavy Manners, and Just Can't Leave You Alone.
12. T. Hardy Morris: Drowinin' On A Mountaintop - I wasn't a big fan of Audition Tapes, but this is more my speed. I still prefer his work in Dead Confederate, but it's good for a talented writer to have multiple outlets for different voices. Mr. Morris definitely qualifies as a talented writer. Excellent tunes are throughout this album. Standout tracks: Drownin' On A Mountaintop and Painted On Attitude.
13. Jimbo Mathus: Blue Healer - After a string of killer albums, Jimbo seems to be dragging with this one. He still writes great tunes, but something seems lacking this time around. Still a good listen. Standout tracks: Blue Healer and Shoot Out The Lights.
14. Umphrey's McGee: The London Session - I had heard of these guys, but never heard anything by them prior to this album (which was purchased on a whim). At times it made me think of moe. I found the album captivating and interesting enough to look into more of their catalog. Standout tracks: Cut The Cable, Out of Order, Rocker Part 2, and a killer cover of I Want You (She's So Heavy).
15. Wilco: Star Wars - A fun album from Wilco, that sounds like a fun album from Wilco. They've been a hit or miss band for me, but this album clicks for the most part. Standout tracks: King of You, Random Name Generator, The Joke Explained, and You Satellite.
16. Built To Spill: Unteathered Moon - It's Built To Spill, it rocks. Although, it is odd that the long jammed out tune on the album is the "meh" moment. These guys normally shine with those tunes. Standout tracks: All Our Songs, Living Zoo, Never Be The Same, and So.
17. Alberta Cross: Alberta Cross - Less rock than the last two albums and more singer/songwriter based. It's a clear progression from Songs of Patience. Petter Ericson Stakee has a great voice and can put together some good songs. Still, it would have been nice to get a song or two in the vein of ATX, Broken Side of Time, or Crate of Gold. Standout tracks: Ghost of Santa Fe, Western State, and Isolation.
18. Gary Clark Jr: The Ballad of Sonny Boy Slim - Hey this is a good old fashioned soul album! It took a couple of listens to appreciate this album for what it is, rather than wonder what happened to the blues rock with tons of guitar. It is refreshing to find an artist not willing to be pigeon holed, although I do like the guitar heavy blues tunes from the previous album. Standout tracks: Church, Grinder, and The Healing.
19. Vintage Trouble: 1 Hopeful Rd. - Soulful, with a hint of funk. There's a nice retro-vibe going on here. This album makes me want to see these guys live some time. Standout tracks: Run Like The River, Strike Your Light, Before The Tear Drops, and Another Man's Words.
20. Jackie Greene: Back To Birth - Another singer/songwriter album. It's not American Myth or Giving Up The Ghost, but is more engaging than Til The Light Comes. Even when this one rocks, it's got a mellow vibe. Standout tracks: Light Up Your Window, Silver Lining, and Trust Somebody
21. Blitzen Trapper: All Across This Land - An enjoyable album. Kind of lost interest in these guys, but this album may help change that. It seems more consistent that VII. Standout track: All Across This Land
22. Swervedriver: I Wasn't Born To Lose You - Their first album in a long time, and picks up where 99th Dream left off. I really dug this one when it first came out, but its all blended together now.
Others that didn't warrant inclusion above:
Blackberry Smoke - Holding All The Roses
David Gilmour - Rattle That Lock
JJ Grey & Mofro - Ol' Glory
Warren Haynes: Ashes & Dust
London Souls - Here Come The Girls
The Sword - High Country
Widespread Panic - Street Dogs
Neil Young - Monsanto Years
1. Julia Holter - Have you in my wilderness
2. Kendrick Lamar - To pimp a butterfly
3. New Order - Music Complete
4. Tame Impala - Currents
5. Jim O'Rourke - Simple Songs
6. Bill Ryder Jones -West Kirby County Primary
7. Songhoy Blues - Music In Exile
8. Mbongwana Star - From Kinshasa
9. Sleaford Mods - Key Markets
10. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
Your Dog Champ- Brent Best is my favorite album released in 2015. I know it may not be anyone else's but Aunt Ramona and Clotine are top shelf to me, Robert Cole and Career Day just hit the right spot for me.
2.Courtney Barnett- Sometimes I ...
3.Grace and Tony- Phantasmagoric. This album is just like nothing I've heard before.
4. The Yawpers- American Man. Just raw and awesome and some other positive adjectives.
5. Craig Finn- Faith in the Future. As an unapologetic Hold Steady fan, it was different enough from a HS album, to make me really excited for the next HS album. Craig is a great lyricist, nailing and making interesting some things that may seem silly and mundane. Going to a show and I was doing fine shine to me.
Uncut magazine top 10 albums of the year. Fairly similar content to Mojo's top 10, even if not exactly identical in actual position within the top 10 - although the top 2 are identical.
1. Julia Holter - Have you in my wilderness
2. Kendrick Lamar - To pimp a butterfly
3. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
4. Riley Walker - Primrose Green
5. Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear
6. Tame Impala - Currents
7. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think....
8. Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass
9. Sleaford Mods - Key Markets
10.New Order - Music Complete
I wouldn't expect you would get long odds that Kendrick Lamar's album will win both Pitchfork and Village Voice's Pazz and Jopp album of the year polls.
Still trying to put my list together, but in the mean time, here are my past AOTY winners:
2014: The GOASTT - Midnight Sun
2013: Jason Isbell - Southeastern
2012: Patterson Hood - Heat Lightning Rumbles in the Distance
2011: The Decemberists - The King is Dead
2010: Ray LaMontagne & the Pariah Dogs - God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise
2009: Jay Farrar and Ben Gibbard - One Fast Move and I'm Gone
And I knew when I woke up Rock N Roll would be here forever
linkous wrote:Mojo magazine's albums of the year 2015
1. Julia Holter - Have you in my wilderness
Uncut magazine top 10 albums of the year. Fairly similar content to Mojo's top 10, even if not exactly identical in actual position within the top 10 - although the top 2 are identical.
1. Julia Holter - Have you in my wilderness
I've been trying with this for a few weeks and it hasn't clicked at all.
Got a load of listening/revisiting to do before I put a list together.
"Guitars talk. If you really want to write a song, ask a guitar." Neil Young
My list is at 40 of albums I've spent time with this year and looking at y'all's list I think I've missed a few I should give a listen to. Actually ranking them is daunting. the first 4 or 5 are virtually interchangeable as are the next 4 or 5 and the 4 or 5 after that. This may take a bit.
We call him Scooby Do, but Scooby doesn’t do. Scooby, is not involved
Tequila Cowboy wrote:My list is at 40 of albums I've spent time with this year and looking at y'all's list I think I've missed a few I should give a listen to. Actually ranking them is daunting. the first 4 or 5 are virtually interchangeable as are the next 4 or 5 and the 4 or 5 after that. This may take a bit.
I'm in the same boat. No clear cut #1, but about 20 that could be top 5
And I knew when I woke up Rock N Roll would be here forever
some of my favorite songs this year:
depreston - Courtney Barnett
aunt Ramona - Brent Best
Dust Bunnies - Kurt Vile
Maggie I've been searching for our son - Craig Finn
Carslise's Haul - James McMurtry
No Comprehende - Low
Spring (Among the Living) - Mmj
v's of birds - Dwight yoakam
magnetized - wilco
box of Spiders - dbt
cherokee - John Moreland
Tequila Cowboy wrote:Actually ranking them is daunting
I just can't.
Here's thirty, alphabetical by album title. Some of these are vastly ahead of others. The list does not include It's Great To Be Alive which might be a self-stated "best" album on a Drive-by Truckers fan message board - and, also as a live album would not necessarily make a list of new material, etc.
Warren Haynes Ashes & Dust
Kurt Vile b'lieve i'm goin down
James McMurtry Complicated Game
Keith Richards Crosseyed Heart
Amy Helm didn't It Rain
Calexico Edge of the Sun
Craig Finn Faith In The Future
Brandi Carlile The Firewatchers Daughter
North Mississippi Allstars & Anders Osborne Freedom & Dreams
Los Lobos Gates of Gold
John Moreland High on Tulsa Heat
Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams
Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers Loved Wild Lost
Heartless Bastards Restless Ones
Jason Isbell Something More Than Free
Courtney Barnett Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit
The Word Soul Food
Alabama Shakes Sound & Color
The Bottle Rockets South Broadway Athletic Club
Phil Cook Southland Mission
Wilco Star Wars
Richard Thompson Still
Will Johnson Swan City Vampires
Steve Earle Terraplane
Mark Knopfler Tracker
Built to Spill Untethered Moon
My Morning Jacket The Waterfall
Joey Kneiser The Wildness
American Aquarium Wolves
Brent Best Your Dog, Champ
), if so I don't see any problem in posting an amended list. So here goes with mine............
