2015 end of year lists

Here we go, a Top 50 from me.  I've only bothered to do any sort of a write-up for my Top 10 'cos I'm a lazy fat bastard.

50) Hanni El Khatib – Moonlight
49) The Unwed Teenage Mothers - Goodnight Girls
48) Violent Soho - Hungry Ghost
47) Weed - Running Back
46) Guantanamo Baywatch - Darlin'…It's Too Late
45) Surf City - Jekyll Island
44) Michael Rault - Living Daylight
43) Ecstatic Vision - Sonic Praise
42) Mamuthones / Evil Blizzard - Collisions Vol. 4 
41) Girl Band - Holding Hands With Jamie

40) CZARFACE - Every Hero Needs A Villain
39) Panda Bear – Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper
38) Richard Hawley - Hollow Meadows
37) Modest Mouse - Strangers to Ourselves
36) John Grant - Grey Tickles, Black Pressure
35) Barna Howard - Quite A Feelin'
34) OOFJ - Acute Feast
33) New Order - Music Complete
32) King Khan & The BBQ Show - Bad News Boys
31) Mammoth Penguins - Hide & Seek

30) The Go! Team - The Scene Between
29) Ghosface Killah - Adrian Younge Presents: 12 Reasons To Die Part II
28) The Cribs - For All My Sisters
27) Tame Impala - Currents
26) Viet Cong - Viet Cong
25) The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Mini Album Thingy Wingy
24) The Libertines - Anthems For Doomed Youth
23) Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Multi Love
22) Grimes - Art Angels
21) Blur - The Magic Whip

20) Ultimate Painting - Ultimate Painting
19) Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit & Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit
18) Mikel Cronin - MCIII
17) EL VY - Back To The Moon
16) Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
15) Kurt Vile - b'lieve I'm going down
14) Baroness - Purple
13) Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
12) Deerhunter - Fading Frontier
11) The Charlatans - Modern Nature


Top 10 follow sometime this evening.

....and here's the Top 10.


10) Surfin' Mutants Pizza Party - Death of Cool

Lo-fi garage rock which I didn't expect much from but it really struck a chord with me. It's pretty rough around the edges but works really well. Has a bit of a dirty sound to it. At times, I get a bit of a Replacements vibe from it. It’s a playful record, evident from some of the song titles, but, don't let that fool you into thinking they don't deliver. It's pretty short at 26 minutes which is why I think I've kept coming back to it and why it's grew on me so much.



9) Sonny Vincent & Rocket From The Crypt - Vintage Piss

I'd never heard of either of Sonny Vincent or Rocket From The Crypt before but I stumbled across an article about how this album was thought to be lost after the studio it was recorded in closed after a fire in 2003. As for the record itself, there isn't much I can say; it's just real ballsy and in your face punk record which doesn't take it's foot off the gas. I love it.



8) Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapour - Desert Brain

I love this band. Psychadelic drone rock is how I'd describe them. 3 albums in and their sound hasn't changed much. Everytime I listen to this, I get lost in it. It's got a very sinister vibe about it. Definitely not something you can just stick on in the background; it demands your attention.




7) Pond - Man It Feels Like Space Again

I liked the last Pond album, Hobo Rocket, but it wasn't the fun and colourful Pond that attracted me to them in the first place.  This album is very much a return to the sound that led to me becoming a huge fan.  It's such a vibrant album and is a million miles better than the latest offering from that other known Australian psychedelic band.


6) Tobias Jesso Jr - Goon

Surprised not to see this in more Top 10's. A simple and beautiful record. Until around 2 months ago, this was in my Top 3. I absolutely did my missus' head in with this over the course of about a month. She said it sounds like the theme music from Cheers so it wound her up something rotten when I had it on repeat for days on end, singing every word to every song at her.



5) Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Style

A mate of mine posted his Top 10 albums of the year on Facebook at the end of November (what an AIDS Nazi) and this held the No.2 spot. Generally, he has pretty good taste in music so I thought I'd check it out and I'm glad I did. I definitely get the Pavement/Modest Mouse vibe from them but in places I also picked up some Strokes & Cribs.



4) California X - Nights In The Dark

Their first album was apparently very Dinosaur Jr, almost to the point of parody. I didn't bother with that first album but I love this bastard. It's loud and sludgey which also being melodic and lusg. The latter half of the album is heavily instrumental, almost prog, with some moody grooves and big licks.



3) Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear

Everyone else whose rated this album has already said everything. Love Tilman's vocal tone; only way I can describe it is "full" and "lush". Lyrically, it's clever and witty and has had me laughing or smirking to myself a few times. Arrangements of the songs are so good and it reveals itself more and more with repeated listens, great production.



2) Radioactivity - Silent Kill

This was almost my No.1. Almost. Poppy punk/garage rock affair with a dark yet melodic tone to it. It's got fast grinding guitars that are angular and spikey, but always with a melodic undertone in mind. It's full of energy and is very coherent in that it "feels" like an album, probably more so than any other album in my Top 10.



1) Sir Lord Von Raven - The Age of Machines

This is just a fantastic record. It’s got everything; classic 50s rock and roll, a hint of The Kinks, a dash of The Stones and sprinkling of power-pop, glam and punk. Even though it’s a double-album, it never outstays its welcome. For me, there’s no guff moments and it’s just tune after tune after tune, packed full of hooks and melodies. It may be firmly rooted in eras gone by (50s, 60s, 70s) but it’s far from pastiche. The playing in the band is tight and there’s some subtle yet complex craftsmanship on show without the sense of fun being lost.

Nice list tucks, I'll keep with mine in a while.

Just squeezing my list in here. Haven't gotten the time to check out all the stuff I've missed yet, and I've got the Hobbit at two, so yeah...

1. Christopher Owens - Chrissybaby Forever 9/10
2. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Chasing Yesterday 8/10
3. Westkust – Last Forever
4. Pinkshinyultrablast – Everything Else Matters
5. DMA’s – DMA’s (EP)
6. DEAFCULT – DEAFCULT (EP)
7. Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat – The Most Important Place in the World
8. Bill Ryder-Jones – West Kirby County Primary
9. The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Mini Album Thingy Wingy
10. The Fall – Sub-Lingual Tablet
11. Ryley Walker – Primrose Green
12. Boogarins – Manual 7/10
13. The Orange Revival – Futurecent
14. Sudakistan – Caballo Negro
15. Action Bronson – Mr. Wonderful
16. Brian Jonestown Massacre – Musique de Film Imaginé
17. Follakzoid – III
18. Wand – Golem
19. The Go Team – The Scene Between
20. Stara Rzeka – Zamknely Sie Oczy Ziemi
21. Waxahatchee – Ivy Trip
22. A Place To Bury Strangers – Transfixiation
23. Jamie XX – In Colour
24. H. Hawkline – In the Pink of Condition
25. Paul Weller – Saturns Pattern

30. The Tallest Man on Earth - Dark Bird Is Home

Is this overproduced? A little bit probably but his progression has been quite natural imo. I still find irresistible the broken voice of this Swede and the little melodies he delivers.
29. FIDLAR - Too

Immature punk pop, done with a good dose of energy and catchy as hell. Quite 90s, I'd say there's as much Oasis as Blink 182 but not that much either and who the hell cares. Much prefer this lot to Wavves.
28. The Vaccines - English Graffiti

Third record, unashamedly pop and catchy as it can get. I never get tired of saying that we need bands like this one.
27. Blur - The Magic Whip

Nice to see them back as they're a special and unique band. I confess I've grown a little out of it since the release, some sections are too mellow and albarnesque, think Coxon should have taken more risks. More things in the vein of Y'All Doomed would have been great but still there's enough quality scattered through this to make it worthwile.
26. Neil Young + Promise of the Real - The Monsanto Years

I'm far from the biggest Neil fan here and reckon this is a bit silly, but if you forget the lyrics (I only understand them if I do a conscious effort, which is usually a problem but a blessing with this record) and the grumpy old man voice, there's a nice americana record in here. The most playful he ever sounded, full of catchy choruses and great jams.
25. Thee Tsunamis - Saturday Night Sweetheart

Like mahoney said, cool snotty nosed garage rock with more 60s sounds than usual, fresh from Indiana's queer scene.
24. Leon Bridges - Coming Home

Good old soul, man. The guy's voice is warm and soothing and the production takes you to another time and place.
23. Thee Oh Sees - Mutilator Defeated at Last

Just after announcing an hiatus, the 12th? release in <10 years (not counting Damaged Bug), John Dwyer keeps on exploring the psychedelic side, this time adding some extra edge and extended jams but always releasing consistent records. There's a new single and another record announced for next year, great!
22. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Chasing Yesterday

He still makes better songs than 99% of the people, FACT, there's no problem admitting it. I find here a pair of his dullest songs ever, but the rest swings between pretty good standard Noel (which again, it's as good as it gets) and a refreshing twist (The Right Stuff, You Know We Can't Go Back). Forget about the Amorphous Androgynous thing, it would probably be shit.
21. Richard Hawley - Hollow Meadows

Back to basics record for Richard and just another success. The man is a don and can shit this kind of relaxed 50s songs with rich arrangements. He even does Nick Cave (Tuesday PM) or Neil Young (What Love Means). So comfortable, music that gives you a hug.

Hell yeah! Great work guys.

Have started the count. Tucker, the selftitled by Ultimate Painting is from 2014. Is the one Stocky rated or should you change it?

Top 10:

1) Grimes - Art Angels
2) Wolf Alice - My Love Is Cool
3) Noel - Chasing Yesterday
4) Courtney Barnett - SISATASIJS
5) The Prodigy - The Day Is My Enemy
6) Kurt Vile - b'lieve i'm going down
7) Sleater-Kinney - No Cities To Love
8) Meg Myers - Sorry
9) Black Rivers - Black Rivers
10) Chvrches - Every Open Eye

Fuzzy!

HERE'S MINE GUYZ


Older albums I've loved this year

I'm just listing two otherwise I'd be here all day.


Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World
An obvious classic to most forum members but I'm only now fully appreciating it. I've loved the singles from this record for years, but it was only before their long-awaited live return in May (gig of the year) that I actually got all of their earlier albums and listened to them properly. Before then, I had the four most recent albums and a massive playlist of various songs. This is a bold and brilliant collection - it's so well paced and crams in more exceptional music than most bands could write in a decade. I know they had a bigger recording budget than normal, and it shows. They've pushed themsevles and it's worked wonders.


The Yummy Fur - Night Club
If any of you, apart fom me and Rod, remember the 1990s, this was the previous band of main man Jackie McKeown. He's a small-time legend in Glasgow but not really known elsewhere, despite being a) a fantastic songwriter 2) a dynamtie guitarist and c) a funny, funny fucker who writes some brilliant lyrics. If this album had been released in 2004 and not 1997 it would have been massive. It's got all the indie artrock hooks and lo-fi production and a Mark E Smith-style sinister edge to it. A lot of mid-2000s stuff was a bit throwaway but this isn't at all. Too ahead of its time, really. I guess people back then were too busy listening to BE HERE NOW or some Ministry of Sound. A proper lost classic.

Single of the year

Catholic Action - LUV

soundcloud.com/catholic-action

Ask Blain how good they are live!

THE LIST

I could pretend I gave a shit about albums from the likes of Blur or the Charlatans or any other band that's been around for 25 years to bump up my list to 50 or so, but they just bore me. Don't get me wrong, I love a Charlies live set and I still listen to Think Tank but I just can't get excited about their new records. Belle and Sebastian's latest effort, meanwhile, can find a corner and die a painful death. It was utterly appaling and I've completely run out of time with them. Ditto the Gang of Four album, but I'm probably one of about 12 people in the country who actually bothered to listen to it.

20)Sweaty Palms - Hollywood Wax
19)Beach House - Thank Your Lucky Stars
18)Jimmy Edgar - Shine
17)Jam City - Dream A Garden
16)C Duncan - Architect

15) Aidan Moffatt & Bill Wells - The Most Important Place in the World
I always found Arab Strap to be collosally overrated, especially as living in Glasgow they are considered fucking royalty, but I've found myself enjoying this on-going collaboration between Moffat and Wells.

14) Sacred Paws - Six Songs
Scenester Glasgow band who have turned out to be actually pretty good. What genre are they? I would file them under 'JP'.

13)The Lucid Dream - The Lucid Dream
I've never seen them mentioned on here but I reckon a few of you would find this lot from Cumbria pretty good. We're talking epic psychedelic soundscapes, like Spaceman 3 or Spiritualized without the brass. They're only on album number two and could do with a bigger recording budget to really capture their capabilities, but this was still an impressive effort.

12)The Fall - Sub-Lingual Tablet
I started off thinking this was one of the Fall's best albums of the 21st century but I got bored with it pretty quickly. I think it's time MES sacked the line up again and tried something different.

11)Errors - Lease of Life
This album really scored with me. It's fucking good. It gets off with me. Banging. Know what I mean, Stocky?

10)The Go! Team - The Scene Between
The biggest surprise of the year for me as I thought it would be shit. Instead it's as good a collection of songs that Ian Parton has ever recorded. The title track in particular is a delight. Hope to see them play live again soon, it's been a long time.

9)Sleaford Mods - Key Markets
I have to say I don't think it's a patch on Austerity Dogs or Divide and Exit, I'm a little surprised at the love it's received on here. But it's still a good album in its own right. Bronx in a Six is among their best tracks, in fairness, and YOU'RE A LUCKY LITTLE TIT CAKE! is the best line of the year.

8)METZ - METZ II
Like a new Nirvana / Sub Pop's still got it etc etc. The best hard RAWK band around. Seriously, this album is mega and probably even better than their debut. The Soapy has never really been into head-banging noise rock but I urge you to put on Spit You Out and lose your shit asap.

7)FFS -FFS
This album could easily have been an embarrassing mistake for both Franz and Sparks. Their public profile is not what it used to be, but they both still have great back catalouges which could do without any uncessary turkeys. Instead we get a seemless album which sounds like it took 10 years to write. Both bands merge into one with no obvious joins. Johnny Delusional is a fantastic single, and in Collaborations Don't Work they manage to take the piss out of themselves but still deliver a great tune at the same time. This kind of knowing art-rock might not be for everybody in 2015 but you've got to applaud their bottle in puling an idea like this off.

6) Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
I came to this album a little later than most, so it probably could have risen a few places up my list if I had spent longer with it. A lot of music hacks have been losing their shit over this and writing some ridiculous think pieces on its cultural meaning, but if you ignore the palava surrounding it you're still left with a striking piece of work. As an MC he's probably the best around right now, the production is flawless, and his rhymes genuinely do make you stop and think. It's an intense listen and can get a bit much at times, but that's my problem and not his.


5) Beach House - Depression Cherry
A band I'm growing to love more and more. They're a formidable song-writing partnership: Victoria Legrand has one of the best pop voices around, and Alex Scally is like a trendy East Coast version of Kevin Shields. Their records tend to be glossy, highly polished affairs and this was no different, but it's probably their strongest collection of songs to date. I would like to see them work more with a live drummer-bassist set-up rather than samples, especially live. If you've not heard it already, give Space Song a listen. Wonderful.


4) Action Bronson - Mr Wonderful
This album restored my faith in the big man. His last few releases hadn't really done it for me, but then I heard the Easy Rider single this time last year and loved it. I was excited for this album dropping and it didn't dissapoint. His most complete and focused LP to date, I reckon. I caught him live in October, and yeah he was playing a 2000-capacity venue, but it was still terrific.


3) Blanck Mass - Dumb Flesh
I must admit Fuck Buttons passed me by, I was aware of the Olympics thing, and that's about it. Blanck Mass is a solo project by Ben Power, who ran FB with Andrew Hung. He headlined a small one-day festival in Edinburgh and his set was banging - not much more than one guy, turntables, sampler and a light show but one of the most exciting shows I saw in 2015. I got the album afterwards and it's the most incredible, genre-bending thing I've heard all year, even if I enjoy the next two records a wee bit more. Check out Dead Format on YouTube for an idea of what he's all about.


2) Django Django - Born Under Saturn
I'm flying solo in my love for them on this forum, but I think they're a peerless pop group. I accept the harmonies might not be too everyone's tastes, but this was a bold and genuinely adventurous record from a proper band - I don't mean they're a ladrock outfit, I mean they write collaboratively and have pushed each other to reach a new level. Superb live act as well.



1)Young Fathers - White Men Are Black Men Too
The most exciting band in the UK right now. Make Sleaford Mods sound like a bunch of bitter old men. And I love Sleaford Mods. But no one is close to this lot. Album number two was even better than their debut. Even if you don't rate their music, I'm sure people on here will appreciate their political stance and the fact they're not afraid to stand up and make their voices heard. Too many singers/bands keep their heads down to be more PR friendly. More power to the YF elbow.

Sorry, yes, I meant to put Green Lanes from this year.

I didn't spend nearly enough time with the Django Django album to even consider including it my list. Quite a few albums like that for me this year:

Bjork - Vulnicura
Jacco Gardener - Hypnophobia
Jessica Pratt - On Your Own Love Again
Laura Marling - Short Movie
Moon Duo - Shadow of The Sun
Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass
Nev Cottee - Strange News From the Sun
Sleater-Kinney - No Cities To Love
Wilco - Star Wars
Bill Ryder-Jones - West Kirby County Primary
Christopher Owens - Chrissbaby Forever
Ryan Adams - 1989
Torres - Sprinter
Young Fathers - White Men Are Black Men Too
Ought - Sun Coming Down
Kamasi Washington - The Epic

I'll get round to them, and I'm sure had I done so already, many of them would be up there.

20. The Libertines - Anthems for Doomed Youth

A very nostalgic album (lirically, not sonically) with flashes of brilliance here and there. Truth is each of those moments makes me more excited than what any other band can achieve, I'm not sure if they still have some of the old magic or if it's just me that still needs them.
19. Peace - Happy People

I'm surprised by the consistency of this record, it might lack some of the punch they had when I saw them live but nearly every song (and some of the bonus) is a potential single. Britpop lite which means probably too pop for the British and too Brit for the rockers.
18. Tame Impala - Currents

Michael Jackson does psychedelia (and a bit of Bee Gees). Kevin Parker made the album he wanted to make, not the one people were asking. Amazing production job and of course not always hits the spot but when it does (Let It Happen specially) it reaches heights unavailable for the rest of the mortals.
17. Soko - My Dreams Dictate My Reality

She has a bit of Pete Doherty to her that I can't put my finger on but that I dig. The album is a bit 80s dark guitar pop not so far of the Cure and Lovetrap is one of the best hits that never was, God bless Ariel Pink.
16. Albert Hammond, Jr. - Momentary Masters

The most backloaded album I ever saw, it all gets fantastic once the cool Dylan cover starts and Albert seems to hurry up, speed everything and lets the guitars roll. More strokes-y than the Strokes.
15. FFS - FFS

Something really refreshing for both bands, when works it reaches really high levels of fun, when it doesn't it's just ok.
14. Fraser A. Gorman - Slow Gum

Not only there's a strong songwriting in here but there's also the right balance between folk and rock, which is something not so easy to accomplish. If the songs asks a guitar solo, you'll have a good one. If it needs a choir, you only have to ask.
13. Ezra Furman - Perpetual Motion People

Is this a new genre? Garage doo wap. I prefer his previous one but this record is quite good too and the songs are strong live.
12. Toro y Moi - What For?

I'm probably the only one who prefers this indie guitar version of him with funky touches than the other boring chill side or his weird mixtapes. What You Want sounds like The Stone Roses should if they ever come back while Empty Nesters is just fantastic and would deserve the world for him.
11. Diane Coffee - Everybody's a Good Dog

Foxygen's underdog. This guy is massively underrated as a composer, producer and performer.

Great stuff gents.

I really need to check out the new Toro Y Moi record, I really liked Underneath the Pines from a few years back and then never really went back.

How many lists do we have so far...

Titchjuicy
Mahoney
JP
Krburg
Stocky 2: Cruise Control
Tucker
Ton 
Barny
Fuzzy Dunlop
Columbia_rocks_man

10, last year's 17 won't be equalled then...  

Come on eddie murphy, you must have listened to something new this year?  

Leave murphs alone! He's waiting on the 20th anniversary edition of jj72's debut to be released.

not got enough for a top 10.

no screaming females love round here then.

new brunswick in da house bitches.

10. Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color

I sincerely didn't know much about them, something about a song that Obama likes. I still don't know much about the debut, but I know they could have followed the easy "roots" way and made some cashback. But they chose to do a more interesting album, fusing genres, exploring textures and playing with, yeah, Sound and Color. Production is spot on and lets the songs breathe and arrive wherever they have to with no hurry, which is easy with a voice like that.
9. Oscar - Beautiful Words EP

Read somewhere that he does "maudlin yet uptempo indie pop songs" with a baritone croon that can remind the likes of Damon Albarn backed by the Strokes. Also been tagged like bedroom pop, but it's way more than that and can see him becoming pretty big soon.
8. Wolf Alice - My Love Is Cool

I have sympathy for this band. Yeah, I also want to fuck her sweetly, but it's much more than that. They're young, fun, brilliant live and wade through genres with no effort. I wish them a bright future and hope they deliver what they promise.
7. Thunderbitch - Thunderbitch

There's something primal and feral about this retro record that gets me every time. If Alabama Shakes is KOL fronted by Adele, then this side project would definitely be The Jim Jones Revue with Janis Joplin. Southern rock or soul punk, a bit the way Royal Headache is branded but better.
6. New Order - Music Complete

Is this the best record ever made by a band this far into their career? Before you come with some mature borefest let me fix it. This is the most entertaining record released by a band this far into their career. End of.
5. Foals - What Went Down

The first two tracks are waaay ahead than the rest of it but so are to the 99% of songs released this year. So much energy. They're also a brilliant live band to my own surprise too as 6 months ago they were just a forgettable math-rock band for me. Not anymore.
4. Spring King - They're Coming After You!

DISCLAIMER: up until a few weeks I didn't know it was the first song ever played by Zane Lowe on that Apple radio thing, so it's not like I knew there was hype (if there's any). This is a pretty high position for an EP but there's something on these songs that makes me quite excited about the band (plus a drummer singing!). Let's be serious, there's nothing really special or revolutionary but I enjoy it a lot. I'm not sure why, it's like a mix of a British MGMT with a little of Arcade Fire histrionics and some Black Lips for good measure. The choruses are BIG, that's for sure.
3. The Go! Team - The Scene Between

It's a shame they (or he) don't get the recognition they deserve, this is pure pop fantasy. Like a modern Brian Wilson or Spector influenced by shoegaze, these might be the best melodies you'll find this year. All the songs are full of instrumental and vocal hooks (some of them have 3! or 4!) and I'm surprised it's not being more praised here, as for me this might be their greatest achievement.
2. Mujeres - Marathon

Garage rock in the vein of Black Lips has always been my weakness, but I'm getting quite tired of it. Still I find a reason to enjoy each and every track on this release: a little guitar lick here, a backing vocal in there, an unexpected change over there and so on, everything at a frantic speed. But what really makes it for me is the two yé-yé songs sung in Spanish, specially Vivir Sin Ti.
1. Tobias Jesso Jr. - Goon

It's been a contender the whole year, but now in Christmas time there's no way this won't win. I mean, the receipt is simple: a guy with a piano, some understated production with crucial touches and simple songs that seem to have been here forever. Echoes of Randy Newman and the best Paul McCartney ballads resonate here and there (Nilsson, Lennon...), making it all a delightful experience and not just a cheesefest. The acoustic guitar songs are nice break too. No doubt he will end up doing (even more) MOR shit with the likes of Adele, but this naive record will stand the test of time.