As is customary right around New Year's, I'm doing my year end "favorite records" post. It was a bit of an off year for me, not as much music caught my ear in 2015 as in years past. Part of this is because I have been working on my own project and kinda got lost in that for a while (more details coming soon). Another reason is that I spent a good portion of the year with a little less disposable income and had to be a little bit choosy about where my entertainment dollar went.
And then there's my stubbornness. I am a die-hard old school record collector. I don't download music unless the songs are only available in that format. I don't like ordering online either, this is used as a last resort. I like to actually go to the record store and buy the physical product. Dinosaur stuff, I know, but that's just how I am. I like hunting records down. I like the artwork, feel, and even smell of hard media. Limiting perhaps, but much more satisfying as a collector.
Sorry, I got side tracked there. I think this year's top ten (and the ones that almost made it) is pretty cool. As always there are a few things I missed, (and I am sure I'll look at this list a month from now and want to change it a little bit) but this is how it stands now. Ready? Let's go.
MY FAVORITE RECORDS 2015
1. Bottle Rockets-South Broadway Athletic Club
-A fantastic record by one of the most underrated bands in the alt-country genre. Not a bad tune here from start to finish. A lot of fun songs here to be sure, but also a lot of lyrics about your average Joe and the day to day of just trying to get by. And any record that can get me to sing along to an ode to the singer's dog has to have something going for it, right?
2. Motorhead-Black Magic XXXX
-This record starts with Lemmy defiantly spitting out the line "Victory or Die!" and doesn't let up. Instantly a top five the moment I heard it. This one's a little bit angrier than some of my favorite Motorhead records, and darker too. But it rocks and really gets you going. Long time fans were thrilled to know that Lem and the boys could still deliver 40 years on, and with Lemmy's recent passing, this is a fitting final statement. And no, Lemmy's death didn't move this record up in the standings; it really is that good.
3. Grace Potter-Midnight
-Grace completely shocked and surprised her long time fans by turning her back on her more soulful indie/blues/alterna-rock thing and making a shiny, glittery. dance pop record. By all rights I should be furious at her for the change, but I love it. Even if it is disposable pop music, Grace has infused it with enough grit and soul to make it a step above most everyone else working in the genre. Total fun.
4. Chris Cornell-Higher Truth
-I have always liked Chris Cornell's voice. Although I am a casual Soundgarden fan, I have enjoyed pretty much everything else he's done and this is no exception. Confessional style writing and a stripped down arrangement make this one of the best records in the man's catalog. Intimate, dark, yet holding on to hope, this is a highly emotional record worthy of every fan's attention.
5. Courtney Barnett-Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit
-Wow. Debut of the year. Courtney is a singer songwriter who actually rocks. Her lyrics are truthful, often conversational, funny and serious, and she delivers them with a combination of rawness and aloofness that takes the listener a bit off guard and makes her the coolest person in the room. I also love the fact that her Australian accent is proudly on display-no pandering for an audience here. 100% authentic and awesome.
6. Faith No More-Sol Invictus
-I wasn't sure what to expect from a new FNM disc after all these years, but was very happy with what I got. Gone are the riffs and hooks of their MTV days. Gone too is the weird for the sake of it vibe from the "Angel Dust" era. What remains is the high artistic bar they set for themselves, and they have delivered a beautiful, haunting, heavy record that demands your focus and rewards it more with every listen. A bit subdued for some perhaps, but well worth investigating.
7. Bunnygrunt-Vol. 4
-Garage rock quality sound mixed with power pop hooks and a sense of humor. Dig the Black Sabbath parody cover and opening joke. Bunnygrunt is a St. Louis based band but have made a mark on the national indie scene. This record proves why. It could never be a hit, but these songs will stick in your head. Great band, fun listen, all you really need.
8. Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts-Blaster
-When it came out this record was dismissed by many as little more than watered down Stone Temple Pilots. While that criticism isn't entirely inaccurate, it's not entirely fair either. Sure, there are a few STP rip off riffs, and an entirely unnecessary T. Rex cover, but once you actually begin listening to the songs it's a pretty decent pop rock record. It would have been nice to see Scott go out on something great, but this is a much more solid effort than it gets credit for. Give it a listen.
9. Tame Impala-Currents
-Wait, what? Did I just put this in the top 10? Yeah, I did, and I understand your confusion. This is a synth record, which I am normally opposed to. But when I listen to this I hear everything from Kraftwerk to ELP to early Pink Floyd to The Art Of Noise, mixed with some EDM touches just because why the hell not? Tame Impala is really just a guy in his basement with a bunch of synths and drum machines and a guitar or two writing songs that are almost pop, almost prog, and almost disco without actually being any of the three. This record fascinates me and frustrates me at the same time. Which is what makes it art, and why I have included it here. Quite simply I have heard nothing else like it all year.
10. Iron Maiden-The Book Of Souls
- This is Maiden's first studio double album. It is grand, soaring, epic, and is 100% Maiden through and through. Which is also the problem and why it didn't rate higher. This album is simply too long. While there are definite gems, it's almost impossible to listen to in one siting. Therefore I feel some songs get looked over, or are unfairly compared to the longer epics. "The Book Of Souls" has a balance problem and would have benefited from being shorter. Trim a few sections here and there, drop maybe one song and it would be a great single disc instead of a good overlong one. Still, it's hard to complain about too much of a good thing from one of my all time favorite bands. So the length is forgiveable, but the drum sound is not. Seriously...
AND THE ONES THAT ALMOST MADE IT
Sleater-Kinney-No Cities To Love (very nearly on the list!)
Halestorm-Into The Wild Life (better than it deserves to be)
Squeeze- Cradle To The Grave (loves me some Squeeze. I will probably regret this one not being in the top 10)
GUILTY PLEASURE
Def Leppard-self titled (what can I say? I grew up in the 80s and am still a sucker for arena rock now and again.)
So that's it. There are a handful of discs I never got around to buying (why did I never pick up Jason Isbell? Or the Libertines? Or Supersuckers? Or...) so I can't really include them, even if I have heard the records. I only count stuff I own at the time of the list-making. I won't list my disappointments this year either, because I'd like to keep it positive and focus on the good stuff. But I am mad at David Gilmour. Oops. Sorry, that slipped out.
Anyway, thanks for reading all this. I said earlier that it wasn't a big year for me musically but upon reflection it was pretty awesome. Looking forward to the new sounds 2016 will bring.
