2015 Albums of the Year

There seems to be a lot of music showing my age this year. Clutch, Aphex Twin, Bjork, Faith No More, Squarepusher, and Marilyn Manson all put out great albums! Faith No More?! It's like I went back in time!

However, there's some fun new stuff in the mix. I LOVE new Youth Lagoon. Slaves is making some fantastic punk rock on the other side of the pond. Fresh faces like Jamie XX and Holly Herndon are putting out some interesst electronica alongside familiar names in the genre like Aphex Twin and Squarepusher. Roisin Murphy and Micachu are pushing boundaries in interesting directions.

I also had a lot of my contemporary "standbys" like Panda Bear, Destroyer, and Dan Deacon continue to impress me with interesting and challenging albums.

I listened to a lot of stuff this year. Here is some of the music that stuck (in no particular order)...

SLAVES – Are You Satisfied

ROISIN MURPHY – Hairless Toys

YOUTH LAGOON – Savage Hills Ballroom

MICACHU AND THE SHAPES – GOOD SAD HAPPY BAD

DESTROYER – Poison Season

REFUSED – Freedom

FAITH NO MORE – Sol Invictus

SQUAREPUSHER – Damogen Furies

DAN DEACON – Gliss Riffer

JON HOPKINS – Late Night Tales

MARILYN MANSON – The Pale Emperor

APHEX TWIN – Computer Controlled Acoustic Music

*Couldn't find a clip on Youtube. Weird. Well, you know what Aphex sounds like.

JAMIE XX – In Colour

BJORK – Vulnicura

PANDA BEAR – Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper

HOLLY HERNDON - Platform

CLUTCH – Psychic Warfare

Favorite Albums Of 2014

2014 was another great year in music. I am still subscribed to Spotify and there is so much new stuff out there! And old stuff! Seemingly every day I stumble into an artist that needs to be checked out. And with a catalog that can reach across the span of music history, I come across artists like Cab Calloway, Harry Belafonte, Ray Charles, and can experience their entire discography with a click of a mouse. Surprisingly, this is both good and bad.

It's good because I am more willing to take a chance on an artist when they fall under the $10 a month charge that is Spotify - and most are on there. And when an artist has been around for years just collecting dust, it is hard to feel that urgency to check them out like you would with a new, hyped album. It's one of those things that you need to go after yourself. With Spotify, I can dig and dig and dig until I find those older artists that I either missed or just weren't part of my generation. One can also find newer artists that may not be their usual cup of tea but might be worth a listen or two.

It's bad because I am a kid in a candy store. There are so many candies to choose from that I tend to take a bite out of one and, that quickly, have another catch my eye (or ear, in this case). I have listened to so much new music this year. Perhaps more than I ever have in my entire life! Because of this, it takes a lot for an album to keep fighting its way back to the top of my playlist.

I have also only bought about ten vinyl records all year. The prices have gone up so high that it is not even worth it (especially already having Spotify). I must wait until they become unpopular again. The few records I have bought have been older titles that are usually in the clearance bin. Some old Aretha Franklin, the E.T. soundtrack, even Bobby Brown's On Our Own single from Ghostbusters 2.

Anyway, here are some 2014 albums that kept themselves high up on my playlist. Hope it introduces you to an album or two that you may have missed.


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TV On The Radio - Seeds

I have loved these guys for years. This is the first album since their bass player sadly passed away and they have set their sights on music full of healing and possibilities. Their lead singer,  Tunde Adebimpe, can write a hook like it's no one's business. Great song-writing!

Aphex Twin - Syro

It has been too long since 2001's amazing album Drukqs. In my opinion, this is as strong as his earlier material (including the material he released in between under other names). Great programming and beats with a touch of evil and beauty behind all those ones and zeros.

 

Run The Jewels - RTJ2

This album gets me hype. I listen to it and my heartbeat begins to elevate. I have been running to RTJ1, Killer Mike's R.A.P. Music, and El-P's Cancer 4 Cure for awhile now because they are built to move to. This is the culmination of all those great albums distilled into one amazing piece of art.

Perfume Genius – Too Bright

Although I don't mind the slower piano ballads on this, it's the more lively, electronic songs that catch my interest when it comes to Perfume Genius. There is a heaviness to it all. An anger that hides under every note. There is also a haunted Motown vibe to it all.

Raime – Quarter Turns Over A Living Line

I write a lot. When I do, I find that music with lyrics tend to distract me. And when I am writing horror, I tend to want something dark and mysterious. Raime answers all these needs. And it is truly great music! Ricardo Donoso's A Song For Echo also falls into this category.

Spoon – They Want My Soul

Spoon is one consistent fucking band. Every album they have ever put out has contained a ton of great rock tunes. Here's another.

Tune-Yards – Nikki Nack

I admit that I was a tad disappointed in this album. I LOVE Tune-Yards and was really looking forward to this one. I like it a lot. I just wanted it to knock my socks off. She still has a very unique sound and a great voice. Maybe her next one will be the one.

Skrillex - Recess

Bro-Step is not a genre I find myself delving too deep into. However, I have always felt that Skrillex was the original voice in this much-repeated template and some of his "drops" are heavier than a Slayer mosh. I deleted some of the tracks on my Playlist but have boiled the album down to about seven great tracks.

St. Vincent – St. Vincent

My friend, Dale, and I went to see her play this album live in concert. It was freaking amazing.  Annie Clark's guitar sounds like a monster from outer space and the impressive part is that she manages to be that insane and still have a growing fan-base.

The Notwist – Close To The Glass

It has been awhile since the last Notwist album. And that last one, The Devil, You, and Me, is now a time-tested classic in my opinion. This one may not end up a classic, but it does have some great songs throughout. 

Rancid – Honor Is All We Know

I haven't loved a Rancid album since their punk rock classic And Out Comes The Wolves (1995!). Tim Armstrong put out a great solo album since but I thought the Rancid boys were done with great singalongs. I was wrong.

 

Favorite Albums of 2013

I have kept up with this blog for the past few years and it is fun for me to look back and see what I was thinking about music at the time. This year is the year of SPOTIFY. I mentioned in last year's post that this was my plan and that I'd fill you in this year on how the experiment went. I joined ($10 monthly rate to listen without commercials and be able to download albums onto my phone) in January and rode out the whole year only buying albums that I couldn't get through the streaming service (which only consisted of about 4 artists, thus far).

Spotify really worked for me. It lets you taste-test a ton of music. It's cost is cheaper than what I would pay per month for new music. It usually gets every new album that comes out on the day it comes out (with a few exceptions that either A. was offered a few weeks after the release date, or B. never was released because of artist or label).

This leads us to a few negatives. Thom Yorke of Radiohead pulled his ATOMS FOR PEACE record because he thinks Spotify is unfair to artists. This may be true but it is certainly better than downloading it illegally or just not even trying a new artist. However, I feel bad to think I am possibly treating my favorite artists unjustly. I do often go to live shows and buy merch, so that helps me sleep at night. The other problem is that you never actually own your music, you rent it. If I quit Spotify, I got a lot of albums to buy. However, this also has a plus because you can listen to it anywhere you can "log in" and you save on storage space.

My music can be broken up into two categories. Shit I listen to while driving and shit I listen to while writing. Driving music is usually very proactive and rocking. Writing music is usually more atmospheric and moody. You can probably guess which is which throughout. I also want to add that my vinyl purchases have calmed down pretty dramatically. Albums are often about twenty bucks a pop for a new one, which is insane. They used to be the same as a new CD! I can't justify buying anything on vinyl unless it is used/cheap or if it is an album I will love for life.

It has been a great year for music. I do the "top ten" thing for dramatic purposes only. This list's order changes daily but these are the albums that were the soundtrack to my 2013.

-Kent

10. FIDLAR - S/T
Just when I thought punk was dead.


09. HAIM - Days Are Gone
This is so not in my wheelhouse that I actually dismissed it at first. I could tell it had some great songs but it just wasn't my style. However, I kept going back to those earworms they call songs and eventually got hooked. So glad I did.


08. ARCTIC MONKEYS - AM
These guys have really come into their own as being just a great rock band. A lot of great songs on this one.


07. JUNIP - S/T
Second solid album by these guys. Love their tension-building songs and instantly catchy hooks. The singer stays mellow throughout but the band rises and falls like the ocean's tides.


06. THE JULIE RUIN - Run Fast EP
Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill, Le Tigre) is back and this new EP is fantastic punk rock. Looking forward to the full-length.


05. BLACK PUS - All My Relations
This band is insane. I do not recommend this album. However, there are a lot of tracks on here that I keep coming back to. The drummer/singer wears a mask and shoves a microphone under it to sing and play. I saw him play live with his other band, Lightning Bolt, and they scared the hell out of half the audience. Not for the faint-hearted.


04. DARKSIDE - Psychic
A fantastic headtrip of an album. I've listened to this thing a ton and I'm still surprised by its twists and turns every time I hear it. A great mix of atmosphere and funk.


03. FUTURE OF THE LEFT - How To Stop Your Brain In An Accident
A crowd-funded album (!) that I helped fund and was more than happy to. For a few bucks on the front end I ended up with a signed copy of the final album and a bonus EP vinyl with a few extra tracks on there. Is crowd-funding the new way to get an album made? Hm? Only if you have a built-in fan base, I think. This album is as spotty as the last but the great songs are REALLY great! Listen to this track and try not to kick someone's teeth in...


02. NINE INCH NAILS - Hesitation Marks
This album meant a lot to me due to a passing of a close friend that was a huge NIN fan. I guess because he could never hear it, I felt that I was able to enjoy it vicariously for him. It also has some great tracks and it is truly a great "beat" album. There is some fantastic production happening here! Also, David Lynch got to be experimental as shit on this video...


01. CLUTCH - Earth Rocker
I have always loved this band going back to high school. They are not cool. They are not hip. They just play great rock music. This is easily the most listened to album I owned in 2013.


EXTREMELY HONORABLE MENTIONS:
These are easily part of the top ten on any given day...

NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS - Push the Sky Away
STEVE MASON - Monkey Minds In The Devil's Time
ALICIA BESSETTE - The Great Room
VAMPIRE WEEKEND - Modern Vampires of the City
THE KNIFE - Shaking the Habitual
FRIGHTENED RABBIT - Pedestrian Verse
THAO AND THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN - We The Common

BROADCAST - Soundtrack to Berberian Sound Studio

TRICKY - False Idols

VAMPIRE WEEKEND - Modern Vampires of the City

DEVANDRA BARNHART - Mala

TNGHT - EP

DISCLOSURE - Settle

RUN THE JEWELS - S/T

PHOSPHORESCENT - Muchacho

THE HAXAN CLOAK - Excavation

Favorite Albums of 2012

This year, for me, was the year of "not downloading music illegally". I credit Spotify for this. This, and other streaming sites, have made checking out new music much simpler, cheaper, and less shifty.

I personally like sites like Spotify better than sites like Pandora because I enjoy discovering new music on my own terms. Also, I am an "album guy" and do not like that Pandora only lets you hear a few songs from the artist you chose and then starts flipping around to "related artists". I realize a lot of people like this radio-feel and discover bands that way. But, for me, I want to hear a whole album from front to back and I also research music enough on my own that I don't need a computer to guess at what I might like.

I also chilled on the vinyl a bit. Last year, I was obsessed and got a lot of great records. However, it is both expensive and takes up a lot of space. I have tried to pare down my collection to just the essentials. This will probably be a continued trend for me. However, I will still buy some of my favorites on vinyl. Perhaps I will wait until the end of each year and then just buy my top ten. Hm.

I think in the near-future I will lean towards paying for a streaming site. This way, my music is stored on a cloud and most every album in the world is assessable to me. IF I love an album, I can always buy it. But the monthly bill will easily be less than my current habit and, once I get a smart phone, I can still listen to my chosen playlists in the car or while exercising.

Finally, I have chosen a handful of music critique sites to filter out the many albums that come out each year. Pitchfork has always been my favorite but sometimes steers me wrong or does not spotlight certain albums. I have begun following Consequence of Sound and Stereogum, as well. I might add a few more in the mix but I check these every morning and don't want to spend too much time on music research. It has become important to me, though, to expand my critical horizon.

Okay, that's my report. Here's my fav's. I do the "top ten" thing just to make it more dramatic. Depending on my mood, this order shifts frequently.


TOP TEN ALBUMS 2012

10. Spirtitualized - Huh?
A sister album to their classic "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN..." in every respect. There is a hypnotizing effect to this album that is experienced when listened to from front to back. A true album; not a collection of songs to be cherry-picked.



09. Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music / El-P - Cure For Cancer
I like to jog and exercise to hardcore rap. There is a flow and usually an agressive undertone that helps me push myself. I love these two albums (both produced by El-P, both came out just weeks apart) and I have created a playlist using the best of both. So, I kinda see them as one big album. Good, old-skool rap!



08. Liars - WIXIW
If Radiohead's KID-A and AMNESIAC were a trilogy, this album could be the third in the series. The Liars vocalist doesn't have the range of Yorke but still sings with plenty of passion and energy and the music is cinematic, moody, and dance-inspiring.



07. Alt-J - An Awesome Wave
I got into this album just last month. Late in the game of top tens. However, it is already at #7 and climbing! The vocalist sounds like a nasely Elmer Fudd or Adam Sandler at his silliest but hits every note just right and his personality and style can not be ignored. This is Alt-J's first album and I think we are in for a long relationship together.



06. Cat Power - Sun
Never listened to Cat Power much before this. Chan Marshall "re-invents herself" with Sun and I am extremely happy with the results. I've read that she home-recorded the album and learned as she went. Some of the sounds are muddy, but the song-writing shines through. Electronica and Cat Power - who knew?



05. Animal Collective - Centipede Hz
This album is not accessible and is so dense with production that the songs almost get lost in the chaos. It's time signatures are complex and abrasive. Panda Bear takes a back seat, leaving Avey Tare to mostly fend for himself on vocals. I love Avey, but I confess that the absence of Panda's voice hurts - his smooth, Beach Boys-esque vocal style is what made A.C. a household name. But Animal Collective re-invent themselves with every album and it wouldn't be like them to pander to the audience. After some heavy rotation, the song-writing steps out from behind these flaws and Centipede Hz proves itself to be another great A.C. album. Most people won't be so patient, though.



04. Future of the Left - The Plot Against Common Sense
This is not an album's album. This is an album that you listen to, figure out what songs you like best, and then listen to those songs a million times. An extreme example of a great band that doesn't know how to differentiate between their own good and bad material. But, man, do I love their good stuff!! And if you see them live, look out!!



03. David Byrne & St Vincent - Love This Giant
Saw this team of two great musicians perform together at the Tower Theater in PA. Soooooo good! Horns, horns, horns! And the song-writing puts an ear-worm in every nook. I love David Byrne. Possibly my favorite musician. He has had some bad side projects (see Fatboy Slim) and some great ones (see Brian Eno). This will go down in rock history as a classic. Good job, Annie (St. Vincent), for keeping up with a true giant.



02. Micachu and the Shapes - Never
Okay, like Animal Collective's newest, this album is not accessible whatsoever. It is harsh, atonal, wobbly, muddy, and almost seems broken. Mica Levi (Micahu) makes a lot of her own instruments, uses strange recording techniques, and likes to include vacuums and other weird objects to help create her sound. It took me a lot of listens to even begin to appreciate this piece of work. My patience was born from a deep respect of her first album, JEWELLERY. Once the fog cleared, though, I fell in love. If this album came out last month, it may not even made this list.



01. Tindersticks - The Something Rain
The fact that I don't see this on critics' year-end lists blows me away! I had to double-check to make sure it came out this year. The first song on this album starts things off slow with a long-winded story about a confused lover or something. I often skip it. I wonder if that hurt the album for new listeners giving it a shot on Spotify and other streaming sites. Tindersticks has a huge back-catalogue of consistent work that I have been slowly working my way through. It is a band that I just found this year but will probably listen to the rest of my life.