I may have only written two posts in all of 2015 but somehow not doing my Best Music list would seem like giving up entirely. So, ignoring the mountain of more constructive things I should be doing, let’s take some time to prattle on about my favorite music this year.
Overall, I don’t feel 2015 was a particularly exciting year in music. I bought less music this year then any year since I graduated from college (and was too poor to buy any music). And this was the first year in a long time when I struggled to come up with ten albums I would but on a “Best of” list. At first I thought this might be a personal issue; maybe I was too distracted to really notice and appreciate what was out there. And maybe there is something to that, but I’ve talked to other friends who’ve said the same thing about 2015 so I’m not so sure. Whatever the case, there were still some gems out there and plenty to keep me interested.
Best Album of 2015
Courtney Barnett, Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I just Sit – Barnett has a particular music style (most obvious, her speak-singing vocals) that some people will either love or hate but the song writing is hard to deny and she brings a bit more rock-n-roll intensity to this album that she didn’t have in her previous EP release. I think the Nirvana comparisons that some critics have made is stretching it, but still an album every rock fan should get to know.
Albums Tied for Second Place
Beach Slang, The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us – I know there are any number of 90’s era albums you could point to as influences in their sound. (For me, it was the All Shook Down era of The Replacements that drew me in.) But somehow they do it without sounding overly dated or derivative. A great rocker.
Jason Isbell, Something More than Free – Once again, Isbell shows his mastery of writing song lyric that cut to the bone. (It’s a Thursday night but there’s a high school game / Took a bottle up the bleachers and forget my name / These 5A bastards run a shallow cross / It’s a boys last dream and a man’s first loss) I loved Isbell’s contributions to the Drive-By Truckers but I have to admit that since leaving that band and sobering up he’s reached a level that solidifies his place as one of the best current song writers in America. If you’re not a country music fan, good – because “Country” music doesn’t want what Isbell has to offer.
Bully, Feels Like – Loud, fuzzy, Grrrl rock that’s got some 90’s vibe to it and maybe even a bit of surf rock. I saw them perform at the Mississippi Studios this year and Alicia Bognanno had punk rock intensity to spare. Recommend sampling at extremely elevated volume for full appreciation.
Other Heavy Rotation Albums in 2015
Iron and Wine & Ben Bridwell, Sing Into My Mouth – This is an album of covers, many of which are songs that I had not previously cared much about. But Sam Beam and Ben Bridwell bring a smooth, sultry style that breaths in new life. Across the album it feels as if they’ve taken a 70’s sound, stripped away all the crap and updated it with a modern sensibility. (The strategic use of slide guitar doesn’t hurt either.)
The Milk Carton Kids, Monterey – Simply a sweet, beautiful album. Nothing fancy. No groundbreaking, genre defining sounds. It’s just a record that made me feel better every time I played it.
Telekinesis, Ad Infinitum – Looking over my list, I guess this would be the closest thing I have to a “dance” record this year. This Seattle band has put out some great individual tracks in the past (see 2009 Best Songs list) but I think this is the first solid full length album they’ve done.
Not More Music Crap? 