Your Favorite Albums of 2015

[jmood88]

Yes, we still have 20 days left in the year but it's close enough to the end of 2015 that I think we can start discussing favorite albums of the year. Plus, people may find some new music to put on their list before the year is up.

Phony Ppl- Yesterday's Tomorrow

Why iii Love The Moon
Take A Chance

Lupe Fiasco- Tetsuo & Youth

Blur My Hands
They.Resurrect.Over.New.

Sammy Johnson- The Sammy Johnson EP

Hey
Take Me

Fashawn- The Ecology

To Be Young
It's A Good Thing

Tuxedo- Self Titled

The Right Time
Number One

ishDarr- Old Soul, Young Spirit

Too Bad
Only You

TUT- Preacher's Son

Corner Stories 2
Kairos (The Trip)

Sidewalk Chalk- Shoulder Season

Vibration
Get It Right

Oddisee- The Good Fight

Meant It When I Said It
Book Cover

Hiatus Kaiyote- Choose Your Weapon

Breahting Underwater
The Lung

Jared Evan- The Artform Of Whatever

Cookie Dough

Skyzoo- Music For My Friends

Civilized Leisure
Luxury

The Internet- Ego Death

Special Affair
Get Away

Kiwini Vaitai- Roses & Thorns

Cruella De Vil
Roses & Thorns

Renz Young- 2975

Mannequin
Wit It

Tiron & Ayomari- The Great New Wonderful

Them Wallflowers
Umbrella Song

Ainslie Wills- Oh The Gold

Drive
Hawaii

Mr.J.Medeiros- Milk and Eggs

Catch As Catch Can pt. 3

GoldLink- And After That, We Didn't Talk

Dance On Me
New Black

Tennyson- Like What EP

Beautiful World

Big Grams- Big Grams EP

Goldmine Junkie
Born To Shine

Foreign Exchange- Tales From The Land Of Milk And Honey

Body
Disappear

[Watson]

Re: Your Favorite Albums of 2015

Well whale wail what a coincidence. Today I posted my list over on ATVS.

Honorable Mentions (no order)
How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful | Florence + The Machine; AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP | A$AP Rocky; In Color | Jamie xx; Surf | Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment; Emotion | Carly Rae Jepsen; Our Love | Caribou

#10: 2.0 | Big Data

Spoiler

#10 is a 10 track debut from Big Data, spearheaded by the bass-heavy Dangerous. This is a feature heavy piece, but that's far from a bad thing, especially when your feature list includes Joywave, Jamie Lidell, Rivers Cuomo, and Twin Shadow. Dangerous is the standout of the album, but Snowed In and Perfect Holiday are not far behind. Every song on this album sounds so incredibly distinct (due in no small part to the different features for vocals), but at the same time so coherent. The best way I can describe this album is what you think electronic music should sound like, very bold and purposeful, yet intricate and layered.

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#9: Kindred | Passion Pit

Spoiler

This is without a doubt Passion Pit's worst offering, and that speaks volumes. After Lifted Up (1985) and Where The Sky Hangs, my excitement for this album was through the roof. In return, I only got the 9th best record of the year. What a shame. More downtempo and happier than previous Passion Pit (much of which has to do with front man and songwriter Michael Angelakos' bout with bipolar disorder), Kindred offered a more personal touch than Manners or Gossamer, which helps balances out the departure from the traditional Passion Pit style. Dancing On The Grave serves as the most intimate and well...passionate look into Angelakos' psyche where he begs the listener to "come and celebrate, we're dancing on the grave".

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#8: Something More Than Free | Jason Isbell

Spoiler

Jason Isbell, formerly of the Drive By Truckers, reached widespread critical acclaim with his previous album, Southeastern. Two years later, and Isbell produced something just as great. For my money, this is what country could and should be and is the runaway country album of the year. If you're from a small town like I am, Speed Trap Town is likely the most relatable song you've heard all year, down to the 5A bastards running a shallow cross. There's also Flagship, a future first dance song that's just absolutely beautiful. It's not all slow songs, Isbell flashes a little DBT flavor with Palmetto Rose, a song about Charleston that had the misfortune of being released just a month after the shootings.

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#7: To Pimp A Butterfly | Kendrick Lamar

Spoiler

No, this isn't a typo. Kendrick's third album did not take my spot for AOTY. It was near impossible to follow up the success of good kid, m.A.A.d city, which I consider to be one of the three best rap albums of all time, and really Kendrick proved that by making an amazing, all encompassing record...that ended up being the worst of his three attempts. What a Greek tragedy, K dot's worst album is the 7th best of the year it came out in. Loving you is complicated, Kendrick. Really, TPAB deserves all the praise it gets though, from the live version of his smash single i to the funky fresh and demanding King Kunta and including the highly underrated u, every song on Butterfly in undeniably great and like GKMC, carries the narrative in form of the poem. The only thing holding To Pimp A Butterfly back to me is the fact that despite Kendrick's best efforts, it comes off a little, just a touch too preachy and paternalistic. Everything he says carries weight and purpose, but it just doesn't have the execution of good kid, m.A.A.d city or Section.80.

Also, the "**** don't change till you get up and wipe your ***" thing. That wasn't good. But the drunk verse on u more than makes up for it.

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#6: Sometimes I Sit And Think, Sometimes I Just Sit | Courtney Barnett

Spoiler

The debut album from Australian rocker Courtney Barnett is brutally honest and lacks polish on purpose. Lost in Barnett's monotone drone are thoughtful lyrics that cut to the chase. If it wasn't for the song to be named later, Pedestrian At Best, a song where Barnett has an auction of negativity, would be the runaway song of the year. Barnett carves out a distinctive style with her straight faced listing of facts, such as Nobody Really Cares If You Don't Go To The Party, but she proves she's well worth her salt as a guitarist, as displayed in the hollow, meticulous strumming in Small Poppies.

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#5: Currents | Tame Impala

Spoiler

The opening track on Currents, Aussies Tame Impala's third album, Let It Happen, is a thesis for the rest of the album. Clocking in at just shy of 8 minutes, it's more synth based than previous Tame Impala releases, directly embracing the future and the changes it holds, and featuring a scale of growing and escalating skips that eventually reaches a climax so well executed it makes the listener think there's an error on their end. Currents isn't just an album, it's a confession. Bass-driven The Less I Know The Better, a song about liking a girl who likes somebody else, features the best line on the album when the perspective suddenly shifts (or does it?) and Kevin Parker rings out "come on Superman, say your stupid line" when our hero gets the chance to finally get his girl. 'Cause I'm A Man bluntly slams the truth on the table in this tale of changing with a stretched out chorus and guitars that don't fit the rest of the song perfectly.

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#4: Summertime '06 | Vince Staples

Spoiler

Clocking in at 20 tracks long, Summertime '06 is a story about Los Angeles rapper Vince Staples' childhood halcyon days, only it isn't. Gripping, intense, and featuring Staples' slightly off-key delivery and sharp lyricism, this is really a double album that's a story of how Vince's childhood directly lead him to become the person he is today without directly referencing his childhood. Highlighted by the impossible not to yell out NORTH SIDE LONG BEACH hook of Norf Norf, Vince displays a raw flow that wasn't met this year. Even the album's token song about sex, Loca is a track that Vince shines on and features a spanglish chewing out that's actually pretty hilarious and well placed. And as a cherry on top, Future jumps on the hook for Señorita, lobbing up an alley oop that Staples breaks the backboard bringing down.

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#3: Every Open Eye | CHVRCHES

Spoiler

If you know me, you know I absolutely love CHVRCHES. Their debut album, The Bones Of What You Believe was only outshined in 2013 by Run The Jewels wrecking shop with their debut album. CHVRCHES is the posterchild for synthpop, frosty as hell and highly energetic. The trio from Scotland burst on the scene with Bones, an album that exuded an underlying sense of doubt. After battling sexism and just being a general badass, Lauren Mayberry and CHVRCHES shed their doubt and became more fearless and bold, stating resiliently on the opening track Never Ending Circles that "I am braced for words that never come, but I choose to decide that I don't regret it", snapping out of the break of the song. There are really 5 songs I could talk about to no end, because CHVRCHES are simply that good, but the one song that stands above the rest out is Clearest Blue, a song that's about compromise Lauren doesn't expect to happen featuring a build up that is eventually released into a frenzy of synths that I have yet to not dance to. High Enough To Carry You Over showcases how much the band has grown since Bones when backup vocalist Martin Doherty takes over and proves there are no weak points in this band, with a continuation of the consistent sound CHVRCHES established throughout the entire record as well as set the stage for the second half. Contrast that to TBOWYB where Doherty's Under The Tide was the album's most noticeable low point.

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#2: We Cool? | Jeff Rosenstock

Spoiler

Remember when I praised Courtney Barnett for being brutally honest? Jeff Rosenstock starts off We Cool? by singing softly "when your friends are buying starter homes with their accomplishments, drinking at a house show can feel childish and embarrassing" on the track's best song, Get Old Forever. Accompanying this honestly is a seamless transition between punk and rock, sometimes making the switch almost unnoticed in the middle of the song. This is placed on display on the second track of the album, You, In Weird Cities which starts off with a rapid fire and simple lyric structure that is influenced by Rosenstock's punk background before throwing it into reverse and driving into a rock-style breakdown with an echoed out backstrain. Hey Allison!, Rosenstock's humble attempt at a love song is short and to the point, almost incomplete, but that fits Rosenstock's direction. He's single in his 30's for a reason, this record is a look back at the life he's lived/is living dripping with honest sarcasm to drive home the point. He didn't get here by being a sappy, long winded romantic.

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#1: Another Eternity | Purity Ring

Spoiler

I had no idea they had it in them.

Purity Ring's 2012 debut album Shrines was met with acclaim and by all measures it was a good album, so good it spawned it's own genre (ok, Grimes help too) called Future Pop. Shrines was a shrilly album that featured deep electronics and shy, quiet Megan James on vocals sprouting nearly nonsensical lyrics. That was fine, because they found a way to make it sound good.

In the two years between 2012 and 2015, Megan James spun a cocoon and entered a metamorphosis before Another Eternity. Almost immediately James sings louder and more proudly than she did with Shrines, with the busy and thriving instrumentals of Corin Roddick supporting her. James doesn't hit any Florence or Adele notes, but she bleeds confidence that was nowhere to be found on Shrines. Every song is James painting songs with emotion, making you go back in you library and check Wikipedia that this was the same band. Repetition is the song Drake wishes he could make, with my personal favorite lyrics of the year, featuring James claiming that watching her "is like watching fire take your eyes from you", hoping that it isn't repetition, "cause it's the only thing that keeps and takes you". Shrines Megan James would have never uttered that thought.

Oh, and Corrin Roddick is ridiculous as well. He completely steals the show on Stranger Than Earth, matching a snare count with a deep, towering bass, all while James reminds us there are no lessons in magic, there are only untimely dreams.

James and Roddick are at their best together on Dust Hymn and Flood On The Floor. On Flood, Roddick takes his instrumentals up with James' vocals, bringing the crescendo behind her. On Dust, he follows the opposite formula, taking more and more away until all that's left after James finishes the chorus are bells. It's a masterful performance for 10 tracks, and it's my album of the year.

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[ImTellinTim]

Re: Your Favorite Albums of 2015

Was actually just thinking about this earlier today. I'll list them in no particular order for now and then maybe change/add some songs later.

Toro y Moi - What For? Buffalo; Spell It Out
FIDLAR - Too West Coast; Punks
Wavves - V Way Too Much; All The Same
Jeff the Brotherhood - Wasted on the Dream Black Cherry Pie; Melting Place
Jeff Rosenstock - We Cool? Nausea
Tame Impala - Currents
Wavves/Cloud Nothings - No Life for Me How It's Gonna Go; Nervous
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Multi-Love Can't Keep Checking My Phone; Necessary Evil
Surfer Blood - 1000 Palms Saber-Tooth & Bone; I Can't Explain
Moon Duo - Shadow of the Sun Wilding; Ice

[Watson]

Re: Your Favorite Albums of 2015

Was actually just thinking about this earlier today. I'll list them in no particular order for now and then maybe change/add some songs later.

Toro y Moi - What For?
FIDLAR - Too
Wavves - V
Jeff the Brotherhood - Wasted on the Dream
Jeff Rosenstock - We Cool?
Tame Impala - Currents
Wavves/Cloud Nothings - No Life for Me
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Multi-Love
Surfer Blood - 1000 Palms
Moon Duo - Shadow of the Sun

Wow, I'm not sure how but I blanked on this one. Add it to my HMs

[ImTellinTim]

Re: Your Favorite Albums of 2015

Wow, I'm not sure how but I blanked on this one. Add it to my HMs

If I had to pick a favorite from the year, that might be it.

[Watson]

Re: Your Favorite Albums of 2015

If I had to pick a favorite from the year, that might be it.

I liked Anything In Return better.


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[ImTellinTim]

Re: Your Favorite Albums of 2015

I liked Anything In Return better.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You should check out UMO - Mulit-Love if you haven't then.

[TracerBullet]

Re: Your Favorite Albums of 2015

Tetsuo and Youth was my favorite album this year. Big Grams was next in line. Didn't listen to much new stuff admittedly this year.

[Madman55]

Re: Your Favorite Albums of 2015

This year didn't seem strong for new albums from the bands/artists I listen to. I can only think of 2.

Hollywood Undead - Day of the Dead

There aren't very many albums I can listen to constantly 9 months a year and not get tired of it, this album is definitely an exception, however. All Songs are NSFW

War Child:

Spoiler

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Party By Myself:

Spoiler

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Gravity:

Spoiler

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2nd Album is Two Hands - Turbowolf.

This was the first I'd heard of these guys, and they are absolutely incredible. Unfortunately, they don't tour much outside of the UK.


Rabbits Foot

Spoiler

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EDIT: Thought of a 3rd. Jekyll + Hyde - Zac Brown Band

Not a country fan by any means, but a country band comes out with a song heavy enough to feature Chris Cornell? I'm all over that.

Heavy Is The Head

Spoiler

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[areobee401]

Re: Your Favorite Albums of 2015

Lupe Fiasco - Tetsuo and Youth
Toro y Moi - What For?
Foreign Exchange - Tales From The Land Of Milk And Honey
Skyzoo- Music For My Friends
Tuxedo- Self Titled
The Internet- Ego Death
Freddie Gibbs - Shadow of a Doubt
Pusha T - Darkness Before Dawn *placeholder*

Admittedly I was out of the loop when it came to new releases this year.

[Pappy Knuckles]

Re: Your Favorite Albums of 2015

Cannibal Ox - Blade of the Ronin
Ghostface Killah & BADBADNOTGOOD- Sour Soul
Skyzoo - Music for my Friends
Joey Bada$$ - B4.DA.$$
Killah Priest - Planet of the Gods
Jus Allah - MMA

[ajblithe20]

Re: Your Favorite Albums of 2015

Blurryface by Twenty One Pilots

Smoke and Mirrors by Imagine Dragons

The Incredible True Story by Logic


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[War Eagle!]

Re: Your Favorite Albums of 2015

Coming Home by Leon Bridges.

[slickdtc]

Re: Your Favorite Albums of 2015

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Ampersand - Descend EP
Cautioners - Dead Ends
"Great first full length from the rebranded Far From Proper. Some absolute bangers on here like 'Spineless' and 'Empty Handed'"
Funeral for a Friend - Chapter & Verse
Funeral for a Friend - Hours, Live at Islington
"Might be on here more for personal love, but Chapter & Verse's first 5 tracks and last 2 are incredible. Some mid album filler IMO. The live album of Hours, with four additional tracks, is incredible. Because I never got to see them, I hold it dear to me because it'll be the closest I ever got. RIP FFAF."
Giants at Large - The American Dream is Dead
"One of my favorite unsigned bands, a solid followup to the faster "Doubt." Structured better with more substance but not lacking that pop punk energy."
Grayscale - Change EP
"This is the next biggest band in pop punk. Contain elements of the biggest in the scene, but add their own twist to it. Plus, they're from down the road from me."

Pentimento - I, No Longer
Seasons Change - Please Don't Leave
Stellar Young - Vessels
"Can't say enough about this alternative/modern rock band from NY. Technically this album was from December of 2014 but was so late it didn't hit AOTY lists. Impressed every time. Didn't think they could follow up 'Everything at Once' but they outdid themselves. Waiting on alt-radio to catch on."

The Early November - Imbue
Turnstile - Non-Stop Feeling
"Might actually be my find of the year. A mix of many different sounds/genres, this album will get you jacked up. I challenge you to give this one a listen through and not bang your head. Hardcore funk."
The Wonder Years - No Closer to Heaven

THE TOP 7
Brigades - Indefinite
"Brigades lyrical prowess impresses me every time I listen. Knife Dance and Enemy are catchy as hell. I like my post-hardcore more clean then dirty, and they use the dirty (screaming) vocals just enough to let you know who they are without being too in your face. Some weaker tracks in mid-late album, but the best tracks make up for it."
Better Off - Milk
"Not sure what I'd classify this band as, but Milk really impressed me on the whole. There's not exactly one track that stands out but the whole thing is really good throughout. Which surprised me because their precious LP I stuck to just a handful of songs."
I The Mighty - Connector
"If I started a band, it would sound like I The Mighty. Great progression, deep meaningful lyrics delivered perfectly. Over a sound that fuses hardcore/punk/rock. My definite runner up to my AOTY."
Knuckle Puck - Copacetic
"Band's first LP. I must admit, I was a bit worried they couldn't handle a full slate of songs. After some initial, "it's good but..." I launched in to full on binge mode. Hard to pick a favorite, but the opener, a quick hitter of about 2 minutes, probably is it."
Old Again - Grey Sky State of Mind
"I was addicted to this record for a portion of the year. May actually be my favorite find instead of Turnstile. Great mix of pop punk sound with a bit gruffer vocals. Can't wait to hear more from these guys.
State Champs - Around the World and Back
"These guys are blowing up! And I'm glad to see it. The Finer Things, they're last LP, reminded me of old Fall Out Boy (that's a compliment!) and they followed up with a very good release. Best vocals in the scene. Will say that after such a stellar first LP, this one still somewhat left me a bit wanting more. Still good enough to be one of my favorites this year."
Hit the Lights - Summer Bones
"Great comeback album from HTL. A quick 10 song fun fest, a throwback to just pure fun pop punk. Plus, the feature they did with their former singer on Old Friend is one of the coolest things in music."

ALBUM OF THE YEAR 2015
The Story So Far - The Story So Far
"I can still recall my first listen. The tones throughout the album is one of the most unique things I've come across. But this was my go to when I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to hear. Back in May I couldn't get enough, and here I am 7 months later still yearning to hear it. Not a weak track on this thing, and even though my favorite track is 'Mock' individually, two songs following it make it like a threesome of eargasmic pleasure. Put that on your AOTY list."

[ImTellinTim]

Re: Your Favorite Albums of 2015

My favorite of others' submissions so far is probably that Tuxedo album. Will be adding it to my rotation.