Best Albums of 2015

December 25, 2015 in Music

Another year of great music, some from artists I already love and some are new discoveries. I've been sharing my love for music on the blog through an end of the year "best of" list since 2006...

Previous Years -- My Best Albums

2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

As usual I'll give some minimal comments just to get you started. I hope you'll do what I do all year round, which is hit the links, stream some samples, and find something new. I encourage you to buy the music you love and not just stream it online free. Support good art and great artists! If you click on my links you'll be able to buy through Amazon. It's no extra expense for you by using my links and I get referrals which provides me a little Amazon money for books and music. Thanks for your support!

Here we go. Anything that made this list is well worth checking out.

18. Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color | This is a good band making good music. It's a little more deliberate than I want it to be, but it's worthy of the effort.

17. Chvrches - Every Open Eye | Solid follow-up to their outstanding The Bones of What You Believe. Always fun and crank-worthy pop.

16. The Gray Havens - Fire and Stone | The best musical storytellers of redemption currently working. Even when they have a stylistic choice that isn't my cup of tea, I finish the cup.

15. Chris Stapleton - Traveller | Nashtastic, beardy, soulful country. Where the rubber meets the stage. Where the boots hit the gravel. You know.

14. Wilco - Star Wars | This dropped for FREE. Wow. And it's purdy good. Dude, it's Wilco. You should own everything they make. C'mon.

13. Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free | Hard to live up to the sweet perfections of last years' Southeastern, but still another great album. Must listen: "24 Frames."

12. Purity Ring - Another Eternity | Goodness, this got a lot of play this year in my house, during work, for fun, with the kids, by myself. It's remarkably catchy. Dreamy beats. Louder the better.

11. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats - Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats | Rollicking fun. Lot's of roll in the rock. Honest. Authentic. The cool buddy we all wish we had. Down to earth.

TOP 10

10. Kamasi Washington - The Epic | Oh, jazz. When you come at me with something classy and creative, something that reminds me of what I love but also gives me something new to love, I do love you.

9. Jamie xx - In Colour | Cool of the cool. Chill. Urban. Sips (no chugging) in the club. Vibe. Flavor. Undercurrent. Emotive. EMOTIVE. Atmospheric.

8. Wolf Alice - My Love Is Cool | Man, this album was begging me to be put higher. It's groovy fun. Hooky goodness. And it rocks plenty hard. It's sweet adrenaline.

7. Tame Impala - Currents | Life-soundtracky. Hip. Looping. Trippy. Great for focused work, chilling out. It's groovy, man. It's an album that I can turn on most any time of any day.

6. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit | Every early sample of this album ended quickly. But I finally read enough about it to give it a real and thorough listen. Two times through I was sold. It's punkish. The later tracks are the ones that convinced me of Barnett's genius, but she first caught my ear at "Put me on a pedestal and I'll only disappoint you." Almost made the top 5.

TOP 5

5. Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear | Sermonic. Counter-cultural. Every song a stage. Laugh-tracks. Really smart. He takes you on his dramatic trip into the challenging of an idea through supremely glorious musical styles. The gorgeousity of the music should be incongruous with the content, but is actually a wonderful way for FJM to make his move on your heart. He gives you a rose and the stabs you in the eye with its thorn.

4. Titus Andronicus - The Most Lamentable Tragedy | A punkish-rock opera. Cohesive and uplifting. Satisfyingly loud and melodic and fist-pumping and fun and epic. The first two tracks should have you hooked, hooked, hooked. The most audacious and ambitious album of this style since American Idiot.

3. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell | Soft and soothing, but not gentle. Beautifully jarring. Broadly finite. Haunted. Entrancing. A warm hug and consoling whisper through the reverberating ache. Isolated & intimate. This guy is a-something.

2. Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Style | The music of Will Toledo that originated from his DIY bedroom recordings as a teenager is quite excellent. This shoegazy rock album is a joy listen after listen. "Anyone new to Car Seat Headrest is, quite frankly, in for a jaw-dropping discovery. The quality of Toledo’s songs is gobsmacking; the lyrics are enthralling, the melodies are to die for, the musicianship is raw yet brilliant." This album is the introverts dreamscape, and cry, and inspiration.

1. Grimes - Art Angels | This album is "utterly uncompromising, imaginative and, somehow, universally accessible." Yes, yes, and yes to the music of Claire Boucher. This is the album that I listen to most, enjoy the most, and makes me want to dance the most. But it's also full of quirk. It's packed with super-duper hooks that aren't easy and cheap. It's fresh and throw-back at the same time. Boucher is a creative genius, "a human zeitgeist, redrawing all the binaries and boundaries by which we define pop music and forcing us to come along."

Best Albums of 2014

December 22, 2014 in Music

Nothing like end of the year music lists. Love reading them and making new discoveries and hearing good arguments about what's great. I love the process of relistening to many albums and making a list of my own. I've done this since 2006...

Previous Years -- My Best Albums

2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

I'm leaving minimal comments, but trying to give some hint at what I like. Bottom line for me is that it's really easy to click a link and listen to the samples to see if anything catches your ear. That's often how I discover great albums.

Please let me know in the comments your favorite albums of the year, your top 5, whatever you like!

Album 20-11

20. Swans - To Be Kind | I just LOVE what they do. Deserves recognition.

19. Ty Segall - Manipulator | Rocking retro music. Catchy catchy.

18. Hiss Golden Messenger - Lateness of Dancers | One my favorite songwriters right now.

17. The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers | A band that rarely makes a mistake. Masters of the catchy. The best pop music in the world that doesn't make the radio.

16. Phantogram - Voices | Listened to more than most albums on this list because it's just so much stinkin' fun! Dance, dance revolution!

15. Angel Olsen - Burn Your Fire For No Witness | Love the creativity behind the angst. An album worth meandering through again and again.

14. Alvvays - Alvvays | A hazy, dreamy daisy. A lot of fun. I put this on a lot. "Marry Me, Archie" is a favorite song this year.

13. Andrew Bird - Things Are Really Great Here, Sort Of... | Got so much play late in the year. Might be the most accessible Andrew Bird album out there.

12. Champs - Down Like Gold | Not easy to get, but worth it. Gorgeous harmonies. Thoughtful lyrics.

11. FKA twigs - LP1 | A little over-produced, but a remarkable, powerfully delicate sound. Broke so many of my expectations.

Album 10-6

10. Sharon Van Etten - Are We There | Somber. Rarely fun. But so, so good. Beautifully written & emotionally performed. Sharon's body of work is outstanding, album after album.

9. Spoon - They Want My Soul | I've liked Spoon for some time, but I don't remember an album that called me back over and over. Some of the best indie rock being made.

8. Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else | A fantastic album that I had listed lower and it kept saying to me, "I'm better than that." Yes. Yes you are. Punky, rock, and throttled. Turn it up and go.

7. Jack White - Lazaretto | Crank UP the title track. I listened when I first picked it up, stopped for a while, and now I listen to it more than ever. Evidence of a great album is that it won't let you stay away. One of White's best albums.

6. Sia - 1000 Forms of Fear | The remarkable song, "Chandelier," deserved some attention so I gave it some at CaPC. This is way bigger than one song. A remarkable selection of some of the best pop songs of the year by what I think is one of our better minds in the pop music world. She gets the mix of thoughtful lyrics, big hooks, and soaring sounds. The levels of honest are remarkable.

TOP 5 ALBUMS OF 2014

5. Caribou - Our Love | The best amalgamation of music I can close my eyes and dive in to on my headphones as well as can serve as background for work or play. Everything Caribou does is gold and this is 24K.

4. Saintseneca - Dark Arc | I gave this one a review at CaPC because it demanded it. Read that review to find out why this is not only an enjoyable album, but redemptive. An album almost no one is talking about and that's a shame.

3. The War on Drugs - Lost In The Dream | This is one of the best reviewed albums of the year. I've seen 10 #1 listings so far. Could easily be higher. I struggle to even describe what this album is. It crosses some of my favorite kinds of music. Can I just ask you to check it out? Ok, thanks.

2. John Fullbright - Songs | This was a late year discovery for me and has had me entranced from the first listen. So. Many. Good. SONGS. Some of the best songwriting I've found. And the dude's like 25. This one can appeal to people who like troubadours, singer-songwriters, baritone, indie, even country, or americana.

1. Delta Spirit - Into the Wide | I expect to put up a more proper review of this album sometime. It's overdue, and this album and this band deserves more attention from the world. To me, this is simply one of the best bands playing. They are outstanding live. They know how to do quiet and thoughtful as well as really loud and thoughtful.

This is one heckuvan album, and it's beloved by members of my family who have very different tastes.

Music Monday 1.6.14

January 05, 2014 in Music

It's -40F wind chill here, which means you light up the fireplace and listen to Bon Iver. One of my favorite EVER albums, For Emma Forever Ago, is $5.

If you haven't checked it out yet, my Best Albums of 2013 list is up. Would love your thoughts. What music from last year did you enjoy?

Damien Jurado: Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son - My love for this dude's music has grown the last few years. Excited for this one. I'm only five songs in and I'm very, very happy so far.

Cheap Albums from my 2013 list ($5 unless noted otherwise)...

Chvrches: The Bones of What You Believe
Jason Isbell: Southeastern
Arcade Fire: Reflektor ($3.99)
Phosphorescent: Muchacho
Buke & Gase: General Dome
The Lone Bellow: The Lone Bellow
The Knife: Shaking the Habitual
Foxygen: We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic
Mikal Cronin: MCII
Junip: Junip

Other cheap albums worth checking out...

The Avett Brothers: Emotionalism | Mignonette | Four Thieves Gone
Cults: Static
Bruce Springsteen: Nebraska
Sigur Ros: (Untitled)

Best Albums of 2013

December 22, 2013 in Music

The first nine months this year were just ok for me, but some late year discoveries bridged the gap. I bought less albums this year. As always, I found some real gems. Some you know about. I hope a few that you don't. Music discovery through year end lists is a joy for me and I hope for you. For my favorite compilation of year end lists check out Metacritic.

I'll given a lot of thought to my top 20. The honorable mentions are many, and all worth checking out. Also check out Greg Thornbury's year end list. There are albums there I'm just getting to know.

Buying Through Amazon: Some albums are pretty cheap right now, so if it looks interesting click through to Amazon to check prices and listen to samples. Clicking through my links and buying music (or anything) helps me to buy books & music as my family has no budget for either. And it costs you nothing extra to use my links! Thanks for your support.

Previous Years -- My Best Albums

2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

Now, on to the good stuff from 2013...

2013 Honorable Mentions (no particular order): Danny Brown: Old | Deerhunter: Monomania | Derek Webb: I'm Was Wrong, I'm Sorry, and I Love You | Disclosure: Settle | The Lone Bellow: The Lone Bellow | Laura Marling: Once I Was An Eagle | Kanye West: Yeezus | Local Natives: Hummingbird | Low: The Invisible Way | Neko Case: The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You | Phantogram: Eyelid Movies | Pusha T: My Name Is My Name | Boards of Canada: Tomorrow's Harvest | The Avett Brothers: Magpie & the Dandelion | Okkervil River: The Silver Gymnasium | Woodkid: The Golden Age | Frightened Rabbit: Pedestrian Verse | Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience | Chance the Rapper: Acid Rap (free) | Kurt Vile: Wakin On A Pretty Daze

20. Burial: Rival Dealer EP | I'm cheating as I don't put EPs on my best albums of the year list, but Burial is always amazing and this is remarkable. Hear the culture speak to us.

19. Foxygen: We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic | A lot of fun with throwback sounds and harmonies. Playful music but not childish.

18. The National: Trouble Will Find Me | These guys can do no wrong, but that can do better. A lot of the sound you love from The National, but it just doesn't have that handful of amazing. Still, it's really good. Oh, that all bands would miss like this.

17. Phosphorescent: Muchacho | "Song for Zula." Nuff said.

16. Junip: Junip | An early contender for a top list album, but the second half of the album just didn't hook me for long. Still, some great stuff here from Jose Gonzalez. "Line of Fire" is the bee's knees.

15. Chris Thile: Bach: Sonatas & Partitas | It's classical music with a mandolin. Love. I listen while working, reading, or doing nothing but listening.

14. Savages: Silence Yourself | Grinding, growling, rocking, rolling, loud, aggressive without jumping in your face. In lots of ways, I think this is where punk music now resides.

13. Gregory Alan Isakov: The Weatherman | Gorgeous. Gentle & calming. Solid songwriting.

12. Autre Ne Veut: Anxiety | An emotional trip, but not without fun. The whole thing is good. Falsetto R&B, pop, electronic. Head bobbing will happen.

11. Forest Swords: Engravings | A sonic wonderland. Cinematic. Walking in slo-mo in your own movie scene. I can work to it, and I can just sit alone and let myself be swallowed up in the wonder.

10. Buke & Gase: General Dome | Prolly not for everyone. But holy cow, one listen through "Hiccup" (though the video might make you sick) had me hooked. I agree with Exclaim, "The pair are making strummable instruments sound new again, and it sounds like redemption. Proceed frantically and without caution."

9. Water Liars: Wyoming | It's similar to some music you may already love (Fleet Foxes, Pedro the Lion, Band of Horses). It feels lonely, and you will be thankful for it. One of the best lonely albums I've heard. I like what the New York Times says, "This duo’s dark, lonely, roots-minded indie rock is affecting, all the more for its sparseness." (HT: Kevin Cawley)

8. Deafheaven: Sunbather | The best reviewed album on Metacritic. I think it's the first metal album I've listed in my years of doing this. I like what Crash Music said, "A record everyone with half an experimental ear should experience, even if they run from it, screaming."

7. Arcade Fire: Reflektor | For all the Arcade Fire backlash on the one end and thoughtless love on the other, this is a great album. Building on where they came from and adding epic length dance songs, disco ball included. These songs swell and it's fun to get lost in them. But don't check your brain with the bouncer. The ideas here are thick.

6. Mikal Cronin: MCII | Throwback pop music that is ridiculously current and joyful. This has set a lot of my mood this year with playful melodies occasionally over some power chords. It's a sock-hop with growl. The appeal of the music is immediate as well as lasting. I keep coming back to it.

5. Jon Hopkins: Immunity | One album I'd love to make everyone sit and listen to. It's a sonic masterpiece. It's an album trying hard to push toward the top. Remember when I picked Four Tet for album of the year a few years ago? It's in that realm of awesome. Could have been my album of the year.

4. Jason Isbell: Southeastern | Packed with great songwriting. Heartfelt and genuine. This sounds like home, a safe place to admit you are a mess. The Independent: "brilliant: vivid, multi-faceted tales of souls adrift." Could have been my album of the year.

3. Arctic Monkeys: AM | Don't miss "No. 1 Party Anthem." For an album that really rocks out, that song is a great change of pace and just amazing. If you like The Black Keys, you will dig this album. If you like just cranking it up, yeah, that's a reason to get it. Could have been my album of the year.

2. Chvrches: The Bones of What You Believe | Most played album of the year in my house. Hook-filled fun. Head-bobbing, foot tapping, energy-rich. And yet the songwriting is solid. It's not just fun, it's serious music. My discovery of the year. Could easily be my album of the year.

1. Vampire Weekend: Modern Vampires of the City | Breaking from the sound that made them great, this is their *beyond category* album. Some of the most creative, earworm music of the year with some of the best thought through lyrics of the year. Catchy but not at all cutesy. Massive, complex hooks. The most thought-provoking album of 2013.

The Reader Speaks | Best Books of 2012

December 05, 2012 in Books, The Big 5 Books

I don't usually post my favorite books of the year as a list, probably because I feel like compared to music it's less complete. I tend to spend the most time reading things that are of interest, that's for review, or that's scratching an itch as a pastor or disciple, etc. It's not a hobby as with music that I can do when also doing other things. Much of it is work or based on need. So it's just different for me.

But we all have books that have significantly affected us during the year. I figured a "The Reader Speaks" list would be a great place for getting a variety of books listed that we could all benefit from. So share your #1 book, a few faves, a Top 5 or 10, faves according to genre, or whatever works for what you consider to be the best books of 2012. ALSO (per Jared Wilson's comment), feel free to list books not published in 2012 but that you read in 2012. If you have an affiliate account somewhere and you know how to link your books in the comments with html, feel free. For other readers, if you see a book you like, use the affiliate links. It blesses those in ministry around you.