I’m just going to go ahead and say it: 2015 might be one of the greatest years for music ever. 2015 will be thought of in the same light as 1983 or 1991 or 1976. This year has been so absolutely stacked that the albums that barely missed the top 10 would’ve easily been top 10 in almost any other year.
So before I dive in, I would like to first say that this list not only excludes albums that have not yet been released, such as Coldplay’s “A Head Full of Dreams,” but also any albums that might be surprise released during the next month and a half, such as the rumored album drops from Kanye, Chromatics or Frank Ocean. I haven’t heard any of these yet, so they obviously aren’t eligible. Let’s start with a few honourable mentions for some great albums that just missed the cut:
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
· “I Want to Grow Up” by Colleen Green
· “I Love You, Honeybear” by Father John Misty
· “Every Open Eye” by Chvrches
· “Feels Like” by Bully
· “To Pimp a Butterfly” by Kendrick Lamar
10: “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful” by Florence+The Machine
Florence Welch has been one of my favorite vocalists for some time now, and although she took four years to follow up her fantastic sophomore record, “Ceremonials,” she made the wait absolutely worth it. Unlike that previous album, “How Big” is comparatively subdued, with a few quieter tracks that allow Florence to really show off her more subtle side. Many of the songs also have a bit more of a 70s rock edge, with jagged guitar hooks popping up here and there, along with some gorgeous, rich horn sections. Of course, Florence still has some bombastic anthems here, and she blows them out of the water. I’d be incredibly surprised if she ever released a project less than phenomenal. No other album gave me nearly as many ‘goosepimples,’ as Paula Abdul used to say.
BEST 3 TRACKS: “Queen of Peace,” “What Kind of Man,” “Third Eye”
9. “No Cities to Love” by Sleater-Kinney
Speaking of major comebacks: it’s been 10 years since this legendary feminist punk band, a major player in the 90s Seattle alt scene, released an album. In fact, many of you most likely recognize lead guitarist, vocalist, and all-around rockstar Carrie Brownstein for her starring role in Portlandia. Well, now you have an entry point to what got her that gig in the first place, as “No Cities” picks up right where their classic albums left off. This album tackles topics such as consumerism, selling out and, of course, that classic punk tradition of killing your idols. And they power through all these in a mean, lean, 30-minute machine of in-your-face capital-R ROCK that always manages to stay fun. For those who say rock is dying, play them some S-K and remind them that rock isn’t dead. Women are saving it.
BEST 3 TRACKS: “Surface Envy,” “A New Wave,” “No Cities to Love”
8. “The Desired Effect” by Brandon Flowers
Okay, I’ll admit it; this album isn’t particularly deep. Like, at all. It’s a collection of mindless 80s pop masterminded by the Killers’ lead singer. However, it’s a really, really fun collection of mindless 80s pop! I haven’t enjoyed listening to a Killers-related project since 2006’s “Sam’s Town.” Brandon Flowers, who deals exclusively in lyrical clichés and overblown pop anthems, finally found a producer who can push his boundaries in Ariel Reichstaid, who previously produced fantastic albums from Haim and Vampire Weekend. Reichstaid’s retro-cool production brings legitimacy to Flowers’ maximalist goofiness. You won’t find a more confident, catchy, and parent-approved (it’ll remind them of their high school days watching MTV in 1985) pop album this year.
BEST 3 TRACKS: “Lonely Town,” “Still Want You,” “Can’t Deny My Love”
7. “Currents” by Tame Impala
If you haven’t heard this one, it might actually be a bit late; wait until around late May, because this album is made for lazy summer days. It perfectly combines the summer touchstones of three different eras: 60s psychedelic vocals, 70s grooves, and a polished 80s sheen. To sample this unique blend, just check out the standout track “The Less I Know the Better”. It’s got a supremely funky bass line, some synths thrown on top, and vocals that sound like John Lennon. And a majority of the album rides this retro-cool vibe all the way to perfection. And to add to this throwback vibe, the subject is as classic as it gets: it’s a breakup album. With the exception of the opening track, which is essentially an 8-minute psychedelic freakout jam session (random, I know, but it’s awesome, so just let it happen), the whole album tracks the arc of a crumbling relationship; from the breakup, to the regret, to trying to fix things, to acceptance. But it doesn’t wallow in sadness by any means: you can use “Currents” as something to help you get over a certain someone, or just smooth music to just relax and lose yourself in the gorgeous production and melodies. There’s a reason Tame Impala are considered one of rock’s hottest new bands; check them out before they completely blow up.
BEST 3 TRACKS: “Cause I’m A Man,” “The Less I Know The Better,” “Eventually”
6. “Goon” by Tobias Jesso Jr.
I was raised on Billy Joel and Coldplay, so I know the power of a simple piano ballad. And unfortunately, many of the recent entries in this genre from modern pop acts (Bruno Mars, Rihanna, John Legend) aren’t up to snuff. Thank goodness Tobias Jesso Jr. wrote an entire album chock-full of classic singer-songwriter piano ballads to make up for that. There’s not even much to describe here; the music is incredibly simple for the most part. It’s usually just Tobias, a piano, and some backing instrumentals. His lyrics are all about classic topics: heartbreak, hating Los Angeles, and…reassuring your unborn child in a future apocalypse scenario? Okay, that one gets a little weird, but it still works, because it’s an absolutely gorgeous lullaby that sounds like it could’ve been written at any point in the last 100 years. All of these songs just have that timeless sheen to them, and in a year filled with maximalist albums, it’s nice to tone things down and just contemplate your place in the world.
BEST 3 TRACKS: “Just a Dream,” “How Could You Babe,” “Hollywood”
5. “Art Angels” by Grimes
…and now for the complete opposite. “Art Angels” is not for everyone. In fact, it’s absolutely bonkers. Grimes’ voice is almost obnoxiously high-pitched and reminiscent of Alvin and the Chipmunks on occasion. The general sound is bizarro-pop, mostly inspired from Y2K-era pop’s incredibly perky shine. But it doesn’t limit itself to that by any means: “Scream” features a Taiwanese rapper rapping in Mandarin while Grimes unleashes a blood-curdling scream over the chorus. “Venus Fly” sounds like a Beyoncé song filtered through “Yeezus” (and featured trap-style spitting from Janelle Monáe, of all people). And, in case none of this sounded insane enough for you, “Kill V. Maim,” an apocalyptic jock jam, is, in Grimes’ own words, is supposed to be from the point of view of Al Pacino in The Godfather Pt. II, if he was a gender-switching vampire who travels through space. So yeah, this definitely isn’t intended for the average Pepperdine student. Or the average person in general. And that’s the point: “Art Angels” is essentially a giant middle finger to polite society. But if you find yourself loving all of Grimes’ quirks, you will be rewarded with an incredibly fun, silly pop album chock full of songs that will be stuck in your head for weeks. And even if you don’t enjoy it, you certainly won’t ever forget it.
BEST 3: “Flesh Without Blood,” “California,” “Kill V. Maim”
4. “In Colour” by Jamie xx
This is a dance album that you can’t really dance to. And while that sounds counter-intuitive, it really shows that this genre, commonly derided as shallow, can actually expand into something much deeper and more profound. The general idea of “In Colour” is that these songs are meant to not necessarily emulate the songs you would hear at London’s various hipster clubs, but capture the experience of going to these clubs. Essentially, it’s the soundtrack of your subconscious during a night out. And yes, I realize how pretentious that sounds, but trust me: it works. Jamie xx, member of The xx, is able to effortlessly wring nostalgia and emotion out mostly instrumental tracks like I have never heard before. “Gosh” sounds like a dumb little joke at first, but halfway through, the surging bass kicks in, and after a couple minute build-up, it makes rave music sound like a transcendent event. “Stranger in a Room” and “Loud Places” perfectly showcase both the downsides and upsides, respectively, of romance in the club, and it’s implied that both are quite fleeting. And to top it all off, hidden near the back of the album is a goofy pop-rap jam with Young Thug. There had to be at least one song that’s actually danceable in there somewhere. Kudos, Jamie: You gave mindless music a soul, and that is an impressive feat.
BEST 3: “Loud Places,” “I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times),” “Gosh”
3. “VEGA Intl. Night School” by Neon Indian
Imagine, if you will, an alternate-universe 1985 where evil (but kind of awesome) biker gangs and cyberpunks rule the world. America is no more. The USSR is no more. There are only the lawless freaks of the night, running around in complete anarchy. Once the sun goes down, they descend into a sleazy nightclub after a day of scandalous endeavors. This sleazy nightclub is filled with mysterious women, lots of men with eye patches, and neon light fixtures everywhere. The music played at this nightclub? “VEGA Intl. Night School,” the “Thriller” of alternate 1985. If “Currents” mastered 70s pop with an 80s touch, “VEGA” mastered 80s dance with so many 80s sounds and synths crammed in, that I’m shocked that each record doesn’t come with a free Jazzercise VCR tape. And yet, it has this vaguely dark, sinster vibe to it that none of the bright and sunny 80s pop classics have. Perhaps it’s that heavily distorted production? Who knows. Any other details would spoil the ride. Enter the club. Let go of your inhibitions. This isn’t kindergarten any more. It’s Night School.
BEST 3 SONGS: “Annie,” “Slumlord/Slumlord’s Re-Lease,” “C’est La Vie (say the casualties!)”
2. “Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit” by Courtney Barnett
This album is simultaneously very unique, yet warmly familiar. The familiar aspects are made obvious right away: Musically, “Sometimes” is fairly straight-forward rock, with maybe a bit of a 90s alt influence on a few tracks. It’s not innovative by any means, but it works perfectly as a delivery mechanism for Courtney Barnett’s incredibly unique lyrics. Essentially, Barnett wrote each song about some mundane detail of life, and making it profound. Sometimes. Sometimes, it’s just a little slice of life as a 20-something broke Australian trying to make it. These little vignettes are quite entertaining and often very light-hearted, particularly one where Barnett tries to hit on another woman at the pool by impressing her with her swimming, but accidentally passes out. There’s even a song with the ultimate Millennial chorus: “I wanna go out, but I wanna stay home.” Barnett’s lyrics bring to life all these unique, quirky characters and stories, and her sing-talk style still manages to convey some fantastic melodies and hooks. After almost 25 years of rock being a very serious subject, it’s nice to know that someone still have fun with the genre.
BEST 3 SONGS: “Pedestrian at Best,” “Elevator Operator,” “Depreston”
1. “Carrie and Lowell,” Sufjan Stevens
So, after a whole list full of fun pop albums, weird indie music, and feisty rock, what tops the list? An acoustically-based album about Sufjan Stevens’ mom dying. Yeah, this list is ending on a downer. “Carrie” has absolutely earned its spot, for one major reason: this album had to win me over. Typically, I despise acoustic guitar; I would honestly rather listen to Nickelback than sit through a Jack Johnson or Jason Mraz album. Still, I gave this album a shot, and wow. This might be, aesthetically, one of the most beautiful albums I’ve ever heard. The acoustic guitar works here because it’s coupled with Sufjan’s absolutely gorgeous melodies and haunting lyrics. And it is quite a dark album, folks: do not attempt to listen to this when you’re in a good mood. This album is literally about a dead mother, and as in the cases of Kanye and Kurt Cobain before him, Sufjan knows that pain causes great art. One song, from Sufjan’s mother’s point of view, has this one-line chorus repeated over and over: “We’re all going to die.” He sprinkles the album with many Christian allegories and references as well, a very bold move in non-country secular music. Sufjan both cries to Jesus for help and yells at him in anger at how this tragedy could have happened. In a way, this captures a much more realistic depiction of how real Christians can feel in horrific events more than any annoyingly chipper Hillsong worship song ever could. “Carrie and Lowell” is an incredibly difficult album to listen through, but every other album this year, even the ones I loved, felt very…slight comparatively (except To Pimp a Butterfly, that wasn’t slight enough). I’m not sure we will ever have another album that captures the feeling of loss this accurately or beautifully.
TOP 3 SONGS: “Fourth of July,” “Should Have Known Better,” “The Only Thing”
_____________
Follow Jackson Hogan on Twitter: @jacksonhogan
