Top Albums of 2015

[RayBees]

Top 10 of 2015:

1. Twerps - Range Anxiety
2. The Cairo Gang - Goes Missing
3. Protomartyr - The Agent Intellect
4. Dick Diver - Melbourne, Florida
5. Thee Oh Sees - Mutilator Defeated At Last
6. Radioactivity - Silent Kill
7. Mike Krol - Turkey
8. Phylums - Phylum Phyloid
9. Mikal Cronin - MCIII
10. Mac McCaughan - Non-Believers

Shout outs to Colleen Green, Sonny & the Sunsets, Alex G, Platinum Boys, Hooton Tennis Club. Solid efforts from old-timers Sleater-Kinney, Wilco, Mountain Goats.

Probable final end of year list.

[thelocalcat]

Finalised top albums list for 2015:

10:The Libertines/Anthems for Doomed Youth, only made this list cause I've not listened to many new albums this year. 'Gunga Din' is a brilliant song and 'You're My Waterloo' sounds much better on the piano. There's one song on this though where they start going on about marching into Camden and I swear I've never cringed so hard before. 'Heart of the Matter' is pretty good as well I forgot about that one.

9:Deafheaven/New Bermuda, this thing is way too loud for me, they've toned it down a lot here and it's still to loud. My gran bought me it for my and I thought it would be rude not to give it a try. I enjoyed the instrumentation a lot, if this album didn't have any vocals it would easily be my favourite listen of the year, at times it's almost shoegazy and I love those moments. I 100% appreciate that this is a great album by very talented people but it just isn't really to my taste.

8:Sufjan Stevens/Carrie & Lowell, again hadn't heard this bloke before I stumbled upon this new album about 2 months ago, apparently he's been going since the start of the century. This is a pretty depressing listen but it's real bare bones folk music that proves to be pretty rewarding as well. There's a tune called 'No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross' that sums this up this pretty well, probably my highlight.

7:Tame Impala/Currents, not going to lie but I thought this thing was dreadful on first listen. It's very different to Lonerism on the whole, a lot more synth and much less guitar. In fact there is probably about 2 minutes of guitar over the full thing. There is three big moments on this album that will eventually ease you into the sound. The latter part of 'Let It Happen' is a fantastic high energy riff that harks back to the previous record, the chorus of 'Cause I'm A Man' is pretty great and sounds a bit like 'It Feels Like We....' and 'Yes I'm Changing' is just an incredible song.

6:Blue Daisy/Darker Than Blue, probably the weirdest album on my list, it jumps from cinematic, baroque type stuff into pretty experimental Hip Hop with some very interesting distorted beats.There is an underlying approach here which could almost be considered as punk and also some moments where blues influences came to the forefront. 'Lets Fly Tonight' is my highlight from the lp, probably either start there or the title track, they are pretty representative of the sound I've tried to describe. Not your average Hip Hop album at all.

5:The Cribs/For All My Sisters, my issue with The Cribs is that they never really topped that first album in my view, it had the innocence, the hooks and the best 'woah oh oh ohs' they've ever come up with. This is a pretty good attempt though. It was produced by that guy from The Cars so i knew there would be keyboards and big choruses, I was right. Some bloody great songs too, 'Different Angle' and Summer of Chances' especially. The closer is a bit of a failed attempt at an epic called 'Pink Snow' but it's still very listenable.

4:Courtney Barnett/Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit, this thing got stuck in my car CD player for two weeks and began to really grow on me. She's a bit like a female Australian Morrissey with the kind of lyrics she comes out with. If you are impartial to bit of The Strokes and like to still pretend that 'Indie Rock' is a thing then this was the best thing you could pick up this year. I really like 'Elevator Operator' great wee story and a nice sentiment.

3:Sleaford Mods/Key Markets, first came to my attention from extensive hype from Norman Records of there 2013 album 'Austerity Dogs', this is there third album in as many years since they came to my attention. They sound a bit like The Fall but essentially it's a guy with a laptop and his pal shouting rhyming insults who looks like he's ready to set fire to the local bakery. Absolute blunt truth is that it doesn't hit as hard as 'Divide and Exit' but it isn't far off. The best track is probably 'Bronx In A Six' it's a bit like 'Tied Up In Nottz' but doesn't have that line about Kevin Bacon.

2:Young Fathers/White Men Are Black Men Too, one of these bands I knew I would like but couldn't bring myself to sit down and actually listen. Eventually I hears 'Shame' on Vic Galloway's BBC Scotland show and bought the thing. I'm not a massive hip hop fan at all but I found this lp really experimental and interesting, closer to 'Black Monk TIme' than some bullshit Lil Wayne record.

1:Father Joe Misty/I Love You, Honeybear, this was the album I listened to most this year, everytime I sat down after work to relax for an hour I put this on. It's got a little bit of everything, I can hear a little bit of Tom Waits at times, a little bit of Springsteen and even some Elton John. The song 'The Night Josh Tillman Came to Our Apartment' has a very detailed and strange story and makes for an intriguing listen. If you like what you've read here he also did a cover of Taylor Swift's 'Blank Space' in the style of Lou Reed and it could've slotted straight onto the VU's third album, like who comes up with that idea.

[Tommy Nooka]

Finalised top albums list for 2015:

10:The Libertines/Anthems for Doomed Youth, only made this list cause I've not listened to many new albums this year. 'Gunga Din' is a brilliant song and 'You're My Waterloo' sounds much better on the piano. There's one song on this though where they start going on about marching into Camden and I swear I've never cringed so hard before. 'Heart of the Matter' is pretty good as well I forgot about that one.

9:Deafheaven/New Bermuda, this thing is way too loud for me, they've toned it down a lot here and it's still to loud. My gran bought me it for my and I thought it would be rude not to give it a try. I enjoyed the instrumentation a lot, if this album didn't have any vocals it would easily be my favourite listen of the year, at times it's almost shoegazy and I love those moments. I 100% appreciate that this is a great album by very talented people but it just isn't really to my taste.

8:Sufjan Stevens/Carrie & Lowell, again hadn't heard this bloke before I stumbled upon this new album about 2 months ago, apparently he's been going since the start of the century. This is a pretty depressing listen but it's real bare bones folk music that proves to be pretty rewarding as well. There's a tune called 'No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross' that sums this up this pretty well, probably my highlight.

7:Tame Impala/Currents, not going to lie but I thought this thing was dreadful on first listen. It's very different to Lonerism on the whole, a lot more synth and much less guitar. In fact there is probably about 2 minutes of guitar over the full thing. There is three big moments on this album that will eventually ease you into the sound. The latter part of 'Let It Happen' is a fantastic high energy riff that harks back to the previous record, the chorus of 'Cause I'm A Man' is pretty great and sounds a bit like 'It Feels Like We....' and 'Yes I'm Changing' is just an incredible song.

6:Blue Daisy/Darker Than Blue, probably the weirdest album on my list, it jumps from cinematic, baroque type stuff into pretty experimental Hip Hop with some very interesting distorted beats.There is an underlying approach here which could almost be considered as punk and also some moments where blues influences came to the forefront. 'Lets Fly Tonight' is my highlight from the lp, probably either start there or the title track, they are pretty representative of the sound I've tried to describe. Not your average Hip Hop album at all.

5:The Cribs/For All My Sisters, my issue with The Cribs is that they never really topped that first album in my view, it had the innocence, the hooks and the best 'woah oh oh ohs' they've ever come up with. This is a pretty good attempt though. It was produced by that guy from The Cars so i knew there would be keyboards and big choruses, I was right. Some bloody great songs too, 'Different Angle' and Summer of Chances' especially. The closer is a bit of a failed attempt at an epic called 'Pink Snow' but it's still very listenable.

4:Courtney Barnett/Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit, this thing got stuck in my car CD player for two weeks and began to really grow on me. She's a bit like a female Australian Morrissey with the kind of lyrics she comes out with. If you are impartial to bit of The Strokes and like to still pretend that 'Indie Rock' is a thing then this was the best thing you could pick up this year. I really like 'Elevator Operator' great wee story and a nice sentiment.

3:Sleaford Mods/Key Markets, first came to my attention from extensive hype from Norman Records of there 2013 album 'Austerity Dogs', this is there third album in as many years since they came to my attention. They sound a bit like The Fall but essentially it's a guy with a laptop and his pal shouting rhyming insults who looks like he's ready to set fire to the local bakery. Absolute blunt truth is that it doesn't hit as hard as 'Divide and Exit' but it isn't far off. The best track is probably 'Bronx In A Six' it's a bit like 'Tied Up In Nottz' but doesn't have that line about Kevin Bacon.

2:Young Fathers/White Men Are Black Men Too, one of these bands I knew I would like but couldn't bring myself to sit down and actually listen. Eventually I hears 'Shame' on Vic Galloway's BBC Scotland show and bought the thing. I'm not a massive hip hop fan at all but I found this lp really experimental and interesting, closer to 'Black Monk TIme' than some bullshit Lil Wayne record.

1:Father Joe Misty/I Love You, Honeybear, this was the album I listened to most this year, everytime I sat down after work to relax for an hour I put this on. It's got a little bit of everything, I can hear a little bit of Tom Waits at times, a little bit of Springsteen and even some Elton John. The song 'The Night Josh Tillman Came to Our Apartment' has a very detailed and strange story and makes for an intriguing listen. If you like what you've read here he also did a cover of Taylor Swift's 'Blank Space' in the style of Lou Reed and it could've slotted straight onto the VU's third album, like who comes up with that idea.

Apologies mate I know it's just your opinion but comparing Courtney Barnett to Morrissey and The Strokes?

I'll assume you typo'd your number one album of the year. I'm not that impressed by the Father John Misty hype, I'd take Minor Works over either of the FJM albums.

[thelocalcat]

Apologies mate I know it's just your opinion but comparing Courtney Barnett to Morrissey and The Strokes?

I'll assume you typo'd your number one album of the year. I'm not that impressed by the Father John Misty hype, I'd take Minor Works over either of the FJM albums.

I make that mistake all the time so I can't really claim it's a typo haha. I haven't listened to anything before he took the FJM name but I'll give it a go.

In hindsight the Morrissey thing was a bit naive, was just trying to praise her lyricism and he's quite a good one. The Strokes were just the biggest band I could think of that play at that sort of tempo.

[groaninjock]

A decent year for albums, although some of the big hitters were disappointing (Noel, Weller, Libertines, Gilmour and especially The Prodigy).

My top 10:

1. Evangelist - Evangelist - Beautiful combination of music by Toydrum and vocals from the late Gavin Clarke. Utterly sublime, but released too late in the year to make the critics' 2015 lists.

2. Dodge and Burn - The Dead Weather - Magnificent stuff from Mosshart, White and Co. Superb howling rock, up there with the best of White's White Stripes and Raconteurs work.

3. Innocence & Decadence - Graveyard - Classic-sounding rock from Sweden - heavy in parts, bluesy in others, evoking the best of the 60s and 70s without ever sounding dated.

4. Drones - Muse - I didn't have great expectations for this after the disappointments that were The Resistance and The 2nd Law, but this was Muse's best album in almost a decade, emphasising their abilities as a band instead of getting too distracted by a concept.

5. Black Rivers - Black Rivers - A Doves album without Jimi Goodwin is still better than almost anything else released this year.

6. Modern Nature - The Charlatans - If this is "late period" Charlatans, it's something of a purple patch. A grower, displaying new subtleties with every listen. Sounds like New Order if they were hanging around Laurel Canyon in the 1970s.

7. The Wizards Of Oz - The Amorphous Androgynous - Another great compilation curated and mixed by The Future Sound of London lads. The basis for this one is Australian acts, blending the modern with lost classics and rarities.

8. The Magic Whip - Blur - Could have been a disaster, but they pulled it off. Reins in some of Damon's more esoteric instincts and puts him back in a band situation. Alex James is still a cock though.

9. Notturno Americano - Emidio Clementi - A spoken-word Italian concept album over a jazz backing. What Arab Strap might sound like if they came from Florence instead of Falkirk.

10. Back To Basics - Bill Wyman - The former Rolling Stone turns 80 next year, but this is a great collection of bluesy rock songs, the bass player also taking lead vocals.

[Boostin' Kev]

The only new music I've listened to this year has been hip hop will post my top 10 later.

[Boostin' Kev]

Czarface
Dr Yen Lo
ChillxWill
BBNG-Ghostface
Vince Staples
Sam Hill
Westside Gunn
Sean Price
Fabreeze Brothers

Jazz Spastiks.

[Savage Henry]

Finalised top albums list for 2015:

5:The Cribs/For All My Sisters, my issue with The Cribs is that they never really topped that first album in my view, it had the innocence, the hooks and the best 'woah oh oh ohs' they've ever come up with. This is a pretty good attempt though. It was produced by that guy from The Cars so i knew there would be keyboards and big choruses, I was right. Some bloody great songs too, 'Different Angle' and Summer of Chances' especially. The closer is a bit of a failed attempt at an epic called 'Pink Snow' but it's still very listenable.

I have no idea who the producers are, and I've never really listening to the Cribs before, other than their dalliance with Johnny Marr, but I'd place good money on that producer having done a Weezer record. Weezer's lyrics are usually awful, and pretty much all their good songs sound the same, but I'm a big fan. That Cribs album sounds like good period Weezer.

Czarface

Dr Yen Lo

ChillxWill

BBNG-Ghostface

Vince Staples

Sam Hill

Westside Gunn

Sean Price

Fabreeze Brothers

Jazz Spastiks.

You've made some of those up, surely!

[thelocalcat]

His name is Ric Ocasek or something like that! Pretty sure he produced the blue album (only weezer album I like)

[NotThePars]

Rustie's EVENIFUDONTBELIEVE is probably my album of the year but I'll have to think of a coherent list.

[JamieStevenson]

Still got another 2 or 3 to listen to before I put forward my final list. I'm not expecting the albums remaining to have any impact on the list though but you never know, one might be a pleasant surprise.

[Boostin' Kev]

You've made some of those up, surely!

Just dropping knowledge Henry.

[Francesc Fabregas]

I'll admit to not having heard a lot of the albums on some of these end of year lists, and some of you lads try so hard as well. Keep the earnestness and sincerity coming.

Anyway. There's been some cracking records out this year, and the winner is:

E•MO•TION - Carly Rae Jepsen

The absolute stand-out album of 2015. Not only is it the best album of the year but it boasts the best song of the year in Run Away With Me, a stone-cold stunner of a song. There's so many good things on it - the title track is wonderful, I Really Like You is thrillingly daft, When I Needed Someone is great and Boy Problems is a cracker. Can't recommend this highly enough.

Special recommendations to Real Lies' debut, Carrie & Lowell by Sufjan Stevens, Kendrick Lamar's remarkable To Pimp a Butterfly, Wildheart by Miguel, B'lieve I'm Goin Down by Kurt Vile, Natalie Prass' self-titled album and Sprained Ankle by Julien Baker.

[JamieStevenson]

Run Away With Me is fantastic. Immediately become happy when that intro gets going.

[GrahamJags]

Final top 10 for me:

1= Ryan Adams - 1989

1= Tame Impala - Currents

3. Ezra Furman - Perpetual Motion People

4. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats - Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

5. Benjamin Clementine - At Least For Now

6. Carly Rae Jepsen - EMOTION

7. Death Cab For Cutie - Kintsugi

8. Tobias Jesso, Jr - Goon

9. Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear

10. Sinderins - Sinderins

Struggled to choose between Ryan Adams and Tame Impala for top spot so I didn't.

[Christophe]

Done a 20 for another forum so have ten bonus picks:

1. Carly Rae Jepsen - Emotion

2. Grimes - Art Angel

3. Dawn Richard - Blackheart

4. Chastity Belt - Time To Go Home

5. Julia Holter - Have You In My Wilderness

6. Abra - ROSE

7. Downtown Boys - Full Communism

8. Two White Cranes - Radisson Blue

9. Visionist - Safe

10. Helm - Olympic Mess

11. Liberez - All Tense Now Lax

12. Colleen Green - I Want To Grow Up

13. Helen - The Original Faces

14. Jlin - Dark Energy

15. Eyeliner - Buy Now

16. EEK featuring Islam Chipsy - Kahraba

17. Laurel Halo - In Situ

18. Holly Herndon - Platform

19. LLLL - Faithful

20. Frozy - Lesser Pop

[Smurph]

1. Jamie XX - In Colour 9/10

2. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit 9/10

3. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly 9/10

4. Tess Parks & Anton Newcombe - I Declare Nothing 9/10

5. SoKo - My Dreams Dictate my Reality 8/10

6. Will Butler - Policy 8/10

7. Four Tet - Morning/Evening 7/10

8. Faith Healer - Cosmic Troubles 7/10

9. Earl Sweatshirt - I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside 7/10

10. The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Musique de Film Imaginé 7/10

Top 10. Had a really good start of the year and was keeping up with all the new releases but gave up around June/July when I was really busy during the summer. Would need to revise the ratings, and I'm unsure about some of them. The top 4 are all stunners and I'd probably put Will Butler's "Policy" in at a 9/10 too.

[JamieStevenson]

1. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly

2. Joanna Newsom - Divers

3. Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear

4. Sleater-Kinner - No Cities to Love

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

6. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell

7. Tremonti - Cauterize

8. Twenty One Pilots - Blurryface

9. Grimes - Art Angels

10. Pusha T - King Push - Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude.

My top 10.

[Savage Henry]

A last minute discovery for me - technically I only heard it in 2016 - but Royal Headache's High is tremendous power pop in a Fuzzy (and fuzzy) mould.

[GrahamJags]

I've just discovered Lindi Ortega. Faded Gloryville, which she released in 2015, would 100% be in my top 10.