Albums of 2015

Gillingham
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Gillingham »

Elliott Smith... I like that joke/mistake Nassim. :)
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Romain
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Romain »

John Carpenter - John Carpenter's Lost Themes 6 Totally kitch, like an old video games soundtrack, a sort of guilty pleasure but perfect in a car trip by night (Jarre, Kavinsky, are you here?)
Pond - Man It Feels Like Space Again 6,5 I like it but there is something missing, a subMGMT.
Sufjan Stevens - Carrie and Lowell 6,5 Beautiful, of course, the voice is magnificient but far far less excited by this album than his previous ones.
The Decemberists - What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World 8,5 A little bit of all I love, some strings, a very unjoyable and extremely melodic album.
Bjork - Vulnicura 9 Thank you Björk to return in the mortal world. We appreciate this effort.

List in progress :
Bjork - Vulnicura 9
The Decemberists - What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World 8,5
Sufjan Stevens - Carrie and Lowell 6,5
Pond - Man It Feels Like Space Again 6,5
John Carpenter - John Carpenter's Lost Themes 6
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acroamor
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by acroamor »

List as it stands now:

After - Lady Lamb
Gliss Riffer - Dan Deacon
Jenny Death - Death Grips
Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit - Courtney Barnett
Asunder, Sweet, and Other Distress - Godspeed You! Black Emperor
To Pimp a Butterfly - Kendrick Lamar
Carrie and Lowell - Sufjan Stevens
I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside - Earl Sweatshirt
Strangers to Ourselves - Modest Mouse
I Love You, Honeybear - Father John Misty
Girls in Peacetime Just Want to Dance - Belle and Sebastian

As always, these positions will shift once I listen to all of these albums more and more. I only just now finished listening to the new Godspeed album but I'm really enjoying it. The final track, "Piss Crowns Are Trebled", is already in the running for my song of the year.
Gillingham
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Gillingham »

The final track of Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress (oh, these names...) stood out the most for me as well after one listen.

Also enjoying Carrie & Lowell more after every listen. Beautiful and comforting music. The kind of music I could even listen to with a slight headache. ;) I do appreciate that with quiet but good music.
Jirin
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Jirin »

How is Vulnicura still not on Spotify? It reached its original release date.

The more lyrics in I Love You, Honeybear I catch the more I dislike the lyrics. It's like the opposite extreme of rap lyrics, rife with the snarky quasi-knowledge of a liberal arts college freshman.
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BleuPanda
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by BleuPanda »

Current ranking:
Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell (9.7)
Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly (9.6)
Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit (9.2)
Bjork - Vulnicura (9.1)
Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear (8.7)
Panda Bear - Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper (8.7)
Sleater-Kinney - No Cities to Love (8.2)
Ghost Culture - Ghost Culture (8.0)
Viet Cong - Viet Cong (7.8)
Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass (7.5)
Drake - If You're Reading This It's Too Late (7.4)
Jazmine Sullivan - Reality Show (7.4)
Lupe Fiasco - Tetsuo & Youth (7.2)
The Decemberists - What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World (7.2)

Already, 2 albums this year have surpassed my favorite from the entirety of last year, and the same amount have reached my 9.0+ range. Unless the rest of the year has nothing, this is a fantastic year for music.
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Nick »

Jirin wrote: The more lyrics in I Love You, Honeybear I catch the more I dislike the lyrics. It's like the opposite extreme of rap lyrics, rife with the snarky quasi-knowledge of a liberal arts college freshman.
I have a rocky relationship with "Honeybear"'s lyrics. 90% of the time they're perfectly fine, but the other 10% sounds like something a 15 year old who had just watched "American Beauty" for the first time would write.
DocBrown
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by DocBrown »

BleuPanda wrote:Already, 2 albums this year have surpassed my favorite from the entirety of last year, and the same amount have reached my 9.0+ range. Unless the rest of the year has nothing, this is a fantastic year for music.
And yet, my experience is just the opposite... last year the first quarter was fantastic, and the rest of the year produced very little. This year, only two albums have rocked my world even a little.

Jirin, just found out the physical release date for Vulnicura has been pushed to April 6.
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luney6
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by luney6 »

DocBrown wrote: Jirin, just found out the physical release date for Vulnicura has been pushed to April 6.
That's my birthday. I know what I'm going to get as a present this year.
"God grant me the serenity to accept things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Jirin »

Last year felt front loaded because St Vincent and Benji came out right at the beginning, and this year feels the same due to Sleater-Kinney.

A few new really good discoveries. Stone Jack Jones' album is great. I think Viet Cong is surpassing S-K as my favorite of the year so far. They remind me a lot of This Heat and other 80s post punk.

To Pimp A Butterfly has a lot of great moments but also a lot of 'Why would this appeal to anyone?' moments. Like, three minutes of a guy kind of mumbling 'This dick ain't free' over and over. I wish the album was just the songs without all that 'Look at me I'm being crude, critics think crudeness and counter-culture is the same thing, right?' stuff in between.
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by irreduciblekoan »

I would say this year has proven to be more impressive than last year. There was the great start with Bjork, Panda Bear, Sleater Kinney and Father John Misty (I also really enjoyed Viet Cong), then kind of a slow period, but now we're in the midst of a second very strong period entering spring with Kendrick, Sufjan, and Barnett (I also really enjoy the new Earl Sweatshirt). Not counting Earl, Viet Cong and Panda Bear, we already have six releases which were widely praised (85 or higher on Metacritic with 30+ reviews) and will be sure to score high on the spreadsheet. Whereas 2014 had just Benji, The War on Drugs and St Vincent until May.

Edit: Well Sufjan's new album isn't in the "85+ with 30+ reviews" group yet, but I already know it will be.
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Maschine_Man
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Maschine_Man »

Am I the only one who personally feels To Pimp A Butterfly is good, but not quite that great? In that, I get it as a whole album being a fully realized piece (and the acclaim it has gathered), but then on a song to song basis it falls a bit flat in some parts? My favorite songs are the first three (not including the single version of i) and then the whole middle part of the album is filled with good, but not quite great, songs.

I guess at this moment in time I don't feel the rest of the album is as interesting as those first 11 minutes
irreduciblekoan
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by irreduciblekoan »

Maschine_Man wrote:Am I the only one who personally feels To Pimp A Butterfly is good, but not quite that great? In that, I get it as a whole album being a fully realized piece (and the acclaim it has gathered), but then on a song to song basis it falls a bit flat in some parts? My favorite songs are the first three (not including the single version of i) and then the whole middle part of the album is filled with good, but not quite great, songs.

I guess at this moment in time I don't feel the rest of the album is as interesting as those first 11 minutes
Interestingly, I have the opposite opinion. The first three songs don't grab me (although I enjoy "King Kunta" the most out of the first three, but I still think, as a single. it's one of the lesser songs on the album). Then, after "King Kunta" the whole album really picks up for me. When I first heard the album, I was actually prepared to be disappointed after the first two songs. The middle section is my favorite part. I'm still not sure how I feel about the album version of "i" and the final part with 2Pac. I'm usually not a fan of extended speaking skits on hip hop albums. I usually skip the last track of The College Dropout and the last part of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy's "Blame Game." But from track 3-14 I think To Pimp a Butterfly is a masterpiece.
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PlasticRam
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by PlasticRam »

I thought Carrie & Lowell by Sufjan Stevens was quite a good album. Here's a question to those who consider Illinoise a masterpiece: How does C&L compare to Illinoise? I didn't really like Illinoise that much (though I've only listened to it one time) so I like C&L more.

Carrie & Lowell has better Metacritic, but I think it can't possibly beat Illinoise in terms of lasting critical acclaim.
I feel like that
sonofsamiam
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by sonofsamiam »

So this has been one of the best 3-month starts to a year in recent memory, at least in my opinion. What I've listened to so far, with ratings...

1. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly: 9.5
2. Björk - Vulnicura: 9.3
3. Matana Roberts - Coin Coin Chapter Three: River Run Thee: 9.2
4. Lupe Fiasco - Tetsuo & Youth: 8.8
5. Lightning Bolt - Fantasy Empire: 8.7
6. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Asunder, Sweet And Other Distress: 8.6
7. Sleater-Kinney - No Cities To Love: 8.6
8. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell: 8.3
9. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit: 8.1
10. Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass: 7.7
11. Belle And Sebastian - Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance: 7.5
12. Viet Cong - Viet Cong: 7.3
13. Panda Bear - Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper: 6.7
14. Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear: 6.5

I mean, that is one heck of a top 7, and while I consider 8-12 lesser albums, there are great tracks in there. What a year!
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Jackson »

sonofsamiam wrote:So this has been one of the best 3-month starts to a year in recent memory, at least in my opinion. What I've listened to so far, with ratings...

1. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly: 9.5
2. Björk - Vulnicura: 9.3
3. Matana Roberts - Coin Coin Chapter Three: River Run Thee: 9.2
4. Lupe Fiasco - Tetsuo & Youth: 8.8
5. Lightning Bolt - Fantasy Empire: 8.7
6. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Asunder, Sweet And Other Distress: 8.6
7. Sleater-Kinney - No Cities To Love: 8.6
8. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell: 8.3
9. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit: 8.1
10. Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass: 7.7
11. Belle And Sebastian - Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance: 7.5
12. Viet Cong - Viet Cong: 7.3
13. Panda Bear - Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper: 6.7
14. Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear: 6.5

I mean, that is one heck of a top 7, and while I consider 8-12 lesser albums, there are great tracks in there. What a year!
I am really looking forward to listening to that Lightning Bolt album. They are probably one of the most underrated artists of the last 10-15 years, all of their 2000s albums were very high quality.
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Nick »

I just got through my second listen of "Carrie & Lowell". I like the album a good amount, but a lot of the overwhelming praise is definitely lost on me. I like the songs ethereal, ghostly feel, but sometimes that very same feel that I enjoy ends up making all of the songs sound a bit too similar to one another. You could play me a ten second clip of any song on "Illinois" and I'd be able to tell you what song it was. The songs on "Carrie & Lowell" are just way too sonically similar for their own good. Additionally, much attention has been given to Sufjan's lyrics on this album, and while they are especially poignant at times, I feel a bit let down after seeing just how much more poignant Sufjan's lyrics have been in the past. Take "Casimir Pulaski Day" as an example, one of the few songs that has actually brought me to tears. The level of detail and imagery found within that song allows me to feel closer to its characters. The lyrics on "Carrie & Lowell" on the other hand, are a bit too obtuse to really affect me in the same way. Still though, the album does a lot more right than it does wrong.

80/100
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Nick »

Also, the new Courtney Barnett album was good, but nothing really reached the dazzling heights that "Pedestrian at Best" reached. I also felt that, with the exception of the penultimate song, the album somewhat lost steam as it went on. It's a strong album with numerous highlights, and Barnett's lyrics are (usually) great, but those complaints do drag the album down a bit for me.

75/100

As for the new Godspeed album, I enjoyed it, but it's also the weakest Godspeed album I've heard thus far. The more droney aspects that occurred in the second and third tracks left me a bit cold, though the explosive opening and closing songs somewhat made up for that. The first and last songs are great, but I really feel like Godspeed's music works a lot better in a longer format. "Lift Your Skinny Fists...", their masterpiece, is about 87 minutes long. 2012's "'Allelujah!..." is a comparatively short 53 minutes, and that's about as short as that album should have gotten. "Asunder..." is barely 40 minutes long. It would be interesting to see if Godspeed could complete a 100% successful short album, but I feel like their particular aesthetic works well with longer ones. Still though, if you're a Godspeed fan, I'd definitely check out "Asunder...".

75/100
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Pierre
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Pierre »

I'm enormously amused by the reaction to Pitchfork awarding a "Best New Track" feature to Carly Rae Jepsen's "All That". I doubt it will be nearly enough to make "E MO TION" the "1989" of 2015 (what a confusing sentence that makes, thank you Taylor Swift), but in the meantime the reaction of hipsters is very entertaining to watch, at least through the Internet prism. :D
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Maschine_Man »

I really liked Policy, it's the most likely to knock off Vulnicura as album of the year. It's short and to the point (well there are a few). Courtney Barnett and Laura Marling add to the great stock of female artist this year. I didn't mind To Pimp and Fresh Blood, solid tracks, but can't sustain me the whole album. Public Service Broadcasting is an interesting project, but not one for chart or critical domination. The Kate Pierson album has grown on me - solid pop with wonderful lyrics by Sia.

1. Bjork - Vulnicura
2. Will Butler - Policy
3. Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear
4. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit And Think...
5. Kate Pierson - Guitars and Microphones
6. Laura Marling - Short Movie
7. Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass
8. Sleater Kinney - No Cities To Love
9. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
10. Matthew E White - Fresh Blood
11. Gaz Coombes - Matador
12. Panda Bear - Panda Bear Meet The Grim Reaper
13. Public Service Broadcasting - The Race For Space
14. Mark Ronson - Uptown Special

In terms of what's on my radar: The Villagers new cut is turning out to be excellent. Young Fathers is a decent follow up and while I don't think they have reached their peak, I'm interested to see where they go from here.
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by whuntva »

I've been a bit behind because of College, but an outlet finally opened and I got around to some album listening. Here's where they stand.

Kendrick Lamar-To Pimp a Butterfly
Dodos-Individ
Bjork-Vulnicura
Mountain Goats-Beat the Champ
Decemberists-What A Terrible World, What a Beautiful World
Doomtree-All Hands
" Ah, yes! Our meager restitution"
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notbrianeno
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by notbrianeno »

Sufjan Stevens-Carrie and Lowell (93)
Kendrick Lamar-To Pimp A Butterfly (92)
Father John Misty-I Love You, Honeybear (92)
Lupe Fiasco-Tetsuo and Youth (88)
Liturgy-The Ark Work (86)
Bjork-Vulnicura (85)
Tyler, The Creator-Cherry Bomb (84)
Twin Shadow-Eclipse (83)
Purity Ring-Another Eternity (81)
Panda Bear-Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper (78)
Bob Dylan-Shadows in the Night (78)
Drake-If You're Reading This, It's Too Late (74)
Modest Mouse-Strangers to Ourselves (70)
Belle & Sebastian-Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance (65)
Sleater Kinney-No Cities To Love (65)
Godspeed You! Black Emperor-Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress (60)
Big Sean-Dark Sky Paradise (60)
Passion Pit-Kindred (55)
Natalie Prass-Natalie Prass (55)
Viet Cong-Viet Cong (50)
The Decemberists-What A Beautiful World, What A Terrible World (40)
Fall Out Boy-American Beauty/American Psycho (40)
Will Butler-Policy (30)
Doomtree-All Hands (30)
Tobias Jesso Jr.-Goon (20)
Gillingham
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Gillingham »

Current top 10:

1. Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear
2. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
3. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly
4. Viet Cong - Viet Cong
5. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - 'Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress'
6. Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba - Ba Power
7. Björk - Vulnicara
8. Matana Roberts - Coin Coin Chapter Three: River Run Thee
9. Tonik Ensemble - Snapshots
10. Calexico - Edge of the Sun
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PlasticRam
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by PlasticRam »

I've expanded my all-time albums list to an even 350, so I'll link it here.

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/galfond/ ... st_albums/
I feel like that
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notbrianeno
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by notbrianeno »

PlasticRam wrote:I've expanded my all-time albums list to an even 350, so I'll link it here.

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/galfond/ ... st_albums/
Topsters.net is a cool site I've found for making album collages of your top 50, or top 100 albums, I found it on KTT. Mine is currently in the making, but I figured people in this forum would appreciate an easy way to make a visually pleasing list.

Also, really like your list! Never heard of the #1 pick, but I'll have to check it out soon
Gillingham
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Gillingham »

notbrianeno wrote:
PlasticRam wrote:I've expanded my all-time albums list to an even 350, so I'll link it here.

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/galfond/ ... st_albums/
Also, really like your list! Never heard of the #1 pick, but I'll have to check it out soon
Very popular album here on AMF and also on RYM.
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Nassim »

So, seems like I have reached 25 albums listened this year, so here it goes :

1) Sleater-Kinney - No Cities to Love
2) Sufjan Stevens - Carrie and Lowell
3) Young Fathers - White Men Are Black Men Too
4) Dan Deacon - Gliss Riffer
5) Mourn - Mourn
6) Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass
7) Lightning Bolt - Fantasy Empire
8) Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit
9) Gaz Coombes - Matador
10) Modest Mouse - Strangers to Ourselves
11) The Decemberists - What a Beautiful World, What a Terrible World
12) John Carpenter - Lost Themes
13) Viet Cong - Viet Cong
14) Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly
15) Crapulax - Violence Gratuite et Flûte de Pan
16) The Dodos - Individ
17) Built to Spill - Untetherd Moon
18) Lupe Fiasco - Tetsuo & Youth
19) Father John Misty - I Love You Honeybear
20) BC Camplight - How To Die In The North
21) Jessica Pratt - On Your Own Love Again
22) Bjork - Vulnicura
23) Enter Shikari - The Mindsweep 
24) Madeon - Adventure
25) Panda Bear - Panda Bear meets the Grim Reaper

I really like the Young Fathers album, sounds like early TV on the Radio.
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by catsafterme »

Gillingham wrote:
notbrianeno wrote:
PlasticRam wrote:I've expanded my all-time albums list to an even 350, so I'll link it here.

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/galfond/ ... st_albums/
Also, really like your list! Never heard of the #1 pick, but I'll have to check it out soon
Very popular album here on AMF and also on RYM.
"Odessey and Oracle" is one of a ridiculously small list of albums that I could ever agree should top any of The Beatles' best albums. I envy anyone discovering it for the first time and still remember my first - of hundreds - of listens. Incredible album.
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Maschine_Man
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Maschine_Man »

Some absolutely fantastic new albums out at the moment. Alabama Shakes, Bop English, Blur and Lonelady are heavy repeats this week. I'll be doing a 1/4 year update in a couple of days.

2015 seems to have started off pretty damn well.
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Romain
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Romain »

Toro y Moi - What For? 3 It's the perfect question. Nothing to save here.
Belle and Sebastian - Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance 7,5 A funny album ! I love their new music style. Always pop, melodic but a lot more dancing.
Of Montreal - Aureate Gloom 8 Very very good and enjoyable.
Blur - The Magic Whip 9 Always one of the best band on earth. Thanks guys.


Blur - The Magic Whip 9
Björk - Vulnicura 8,5
The Decemberists - What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World 8,5
Of Montreal - Aureate Gloom 8
Belle and Sebastian - Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance 7,5
Sufjan Stevens - Carrie and Lowell 6,5
Pond - Man It Feels Like Space Again 6,5
John Carpenter - John Carpenter's Lost Themes 6
Toro y Moi - What For? 3
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Nick »

Updated list for the beginning of May...

1. Kendrick Lamar- To Pimp a Butterfly: 95

2. Father John Misty- I Love You, Honeybear: 85

3. Sufjan Stevens- Carrie & Lowell: 80
4. Bjork- Vulnicura: 80
5. Panda Bear- Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper: 80
6. Sleater-Kinney- No Cities to Love: 80
7. Blur- The Magic Whip: 80

8. Tobias Jesso Jr.- Goon: 75
9. Alabama Shakes- Sound & Color: 75
10. Viet Cong- Viet Cong: 75
11. Courtney Barnett- Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit: 75
12. Passion Pit- Kindred: 75
13. Godspeed You! Black Emperor- Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress: 75
14. Natalie Prass- Natalie Prass: 75

15. Clark- Flame Rave (EP)- 65
16. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds- Chasing Yesterday: 65
17. Bob Dylan- Shadows in the Night: 65

18. Joey Badass- B4.Da.$$: 55
19. Modest Mouse- Strangers to Ourselves: 55

On My Radar...

ASAP Rocky- At. Long. Last. ASAP - May 12th
Sun Kil Moon- Universal Themes- June 2nd
Tame Impala- Currents- July 18th

Chromatics- Dear Tommy- TBA
Frank Ocean- TBA- TBA
Grimes- TBA- TBA
James Blake- TBA- TBA
Kanye West- SWISH- TBA
The Libertines- TBA- TBA
Radiohead- TBA- TBA
Run the Jewels- Run the Jewels 3- TBA
Spiritualized- TBA- TBA
Jirin
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Jirin »

1. Stone Jack Jones - Love & Torture
2. Viet Cong - Viet Cong
3. Gill Landry - Gill Landry
4. Sleater-Kinney - No Cities To Love
5. Matthew E White - Fresh Blood
6. Mount Eerie - Sauna
7. Bjork - Vulnicura
8. Pond - Man It Feels Like Space Again
9. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
10. Cannibal Ox - Blade of the Ronin
11. Mourn - Mourn
12. Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear
13. James McMurtry - Complicated Game
14. Nicholas Krgovich - On Cahuenga
15. Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass
16. Punch Brothers - Phosphorescent Blues
17. Matana Roberts - Coin Coin Chapter 3: River Run Thee
18. Dan Deacon - Gliss Riffer
19. Tonik Ensemble - Snapshots
20. Belle and Sebastian - Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance

Still assessing: GYBE, Will Butler, Waxahatche, Young Fathers
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Maschine_Man
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Maschine_Man »

Great/Good/Okay

1. Bjork - Vulnicura
2. Will Butler - Policy
3. Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear
4. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit And Think...
5. Lonelady - Hinterland
6. Kate Peirson - Guitars and Microphones
7. Blur - The Magic Whip
8. Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color

9. The Villagers - Darling Arethmatic
10. Laura Marling - Short Movie
11. Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass
12. Sleater Kinney - No Cities To Love
13. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
14. Young Fathers - White Men Are Black Men Too
15. Bob English - Constant Bop
16. Matthew E White - Fresh Blood

17. Gaz Coombes - Matador
18. Panda Bear - Panda Bear Meet The Grim Reaper
19. Public Service Broadcasting - The Race For Space
20. Mark Ronson - Uptown Special

I don't know how I feel about the Django Django album yet.
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Nick »

If Tame Impala's new album is as great as the run of the singles they've put out recently- "Let It Happen", "'Cause I'm a Man", "Disciples", and "Eventually", their new album is going to be one of the best of the year, and maybe even better than "Lonerism".

Mark my words.
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Jirin »

There's a new Tallest Man On Earth album out. It's pretty good on first listen, I'm surprised there hasn't been any raving about it here yet.
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Romain
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Romain »

Calexico - Edge Of The Sun 5,5 It's the first time I'm not connected with their music. I like all their previous albums but this one is very different.
All We Are - All We Are 5,5 Not bad but nothing exciting.
Benjamin Clementine - At Least For Now 6,5
Moon Duo - Shadow Of The Sun 6,5 A noisy melodic album.
Fyfe - Control 7,5 The best discovery of 2015
Archive - Restriction 8 A very good come back.



Blur - The Magic Whip 9
Björk - Vulnicura 8,5
The Decemberists - What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World 8,5
Of Montreal - Aureate Gloom 8
Archive - Restriction 8
Belle and Sebastian - Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance 7,5
Sufjan Stevens - Carrie and Lowell 6,5
Moon Duo - Shadow Of The Sun 6,5
Benjamin Clementine - At Least For Now 6,5
Pond - Man It Feels Like Space Again 6,5
John Carpenter - John Carpenter's Lost Themes 6
All We Are - All We Are 5,5
Calexico - Edge Of The Sun 5,5
Toro y Moi - What For? 3
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notbrianeno
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by notbrianeno »

Sun Kil Moon-Universal Themes (94)
Sufjan Stevens-Carrie and Lowell (93)
Kendrick Lamar-To Pimp A Butterfly (91)
Bjork-Vulnicura (90)
Jamie XX- In Colour (88)
Lupe Fiasco-Tetsuo and Youth (87)
Liturgy-The Ark Work (86)
Father John Misty-I Love You, Honeybear (85)
Tyler, The Creator-Cherry Bomb (84)
Drake-If You're Reading This, It's Too Late (83)
Susanne Sundfør-Ten Love Songs (81)
Prurient-Frozen Niagara Falls (80)
Young Thug-Barter 6 (80)
Panda Bear-Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper (78)
Bob Dylan-Shadows in the Night (78)
Twin Shadow-Eclipse (74)
Blur-The Magic Whip (72)
Purity Ring-Another Eternity (71)
Hot Chip-Why Make Sense? (70)
Modest Mouse-Strangers to Ourselves (70)
Belle & Sebastian-Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance (65)
Sleater Kinney-No Cities To Love (65)
Holly Herndon-Platform (65)
Godspeed You! Black Emperor-Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress (60)
Big Sean-Dark Sky Paradise (60)
Kamasi Washington-The Epic (60)
Passion Pit-Kindred (55)
Natalie Prass-Natalie Prass (55)
Viet Cong-Viet Cong (50)
A$AP Rocky- At.Long.Last.A$AP (40)
The Decemberists-What A Beautiful World, What A Terrible World (40)
Fall Out Boy-American Beauty/American Psycho (40)
Will Butler-Policy (30)
Doomtree-All Hands (30)
Tobias Jesso Jr.-Goon (20)
Last edited by notbrianeno on Thu Jun 04, 2015 1:25 am, edited 6 times in total.
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GucciLittlePiggy
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by GucciLittlePiggy »

I'm gonna compare the scores with the scores of the last album I've listened to by the artist to see how they followed up their previous efforts.

01. 96 Earl Sweatshirt - I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside: An Album by Earl Sweatshirt > 80 Doris (2013)
Earl Sweatshirt really came into his own on this album. It's absolutely spectacular with his best lyrics and some dark, off-the-wall production. I expect his music to continue to move away from the mainstream and get stranger. He's going to do big things in the years to come.
02. 94 Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly < 100 good kid, m.A.A.d. city {2012)
Kendrick had quite the tall task to try to top his last album and many seem to think he did that. Personally, I adore the album and his ambitious scope but gkmc just affects me more emotionally. It's not often that an artist can manage multiple perfect albums anyway.
03. 93 Lupe Fiasco - Tetsuo & Youth > N/A
It really disappoints me that this album is flying under the radar. Stellar work from a new discovery for me.
04. 90 Drake - If You're Reading This It's Too Late < 97 Nothing Was the Same (2013)
Drake also had a tall task after his last album and while it's not as incredible as NWTS he certainly didn't disappoint. This album sounds much more "bare bones" than any of his previous efforts and I really like that change of pace.
05. 89 Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell > 88 The Age of Adz (2010)
Unsurprisingly, great work from a great artist.
06. 86 Panda Bear - Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper > 76 Person Pitch {2007)
My preference for this album over Person Pitch (haven't listened to Tomboy) really just comes down to its greater accessibility over its predecessor.
07. 82 Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear < 90 Fear Fun (2012)
This album starts off so well, pretty much as good as his last album, but I'm really not a fan of the last three tracks so that really hinders its score.
08. 79 Viet Cong - Viet Cong > N/A
09. 74 Sleater-Kinney - No Cities to Love < 75 The Woods (2005)
10. 70 Lower Dens - Escape from Evil > N/A
11. 65 Tyler, the Creator - Cherry Bomb > N/A
12. 55 Joey Bada$$ - B4.DA.$$ > N/A
I just wanted to be one of those ghosts
You thought that you could forget
And then I haunt you via the rear view mirror
On a long drive from the back seat...
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Nick »

I'm listening to the new album by Shamir, "Ratchet". Wow, what a great, fun album. This album sounds like it was made in an alternate universe where Prince died in the early 1990s and was then subsequently reincarnated as a funky gay black 20 year old who still retained that sort of electro-funk-r&b-club-house-dance-sinaglongpop flair that defined Prince during his first chance at life.

So yeah, if that sounds appealing, then check it out.
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bootsy
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by bootsy »

Nick wrote:I'm listening to the new album by Shamir, "Ratchet". Wow, what a great, fun album. This album sounds like it was made in an alternate universe where Prince died in the early 1990s and was then subsequently reincarnated as a funky gay black 20 year old who still retained that sort of electro-funk-r&b-club-house-dance-sinaglongpop flair that defined Prince during his first chance at life.

So yeah, if that sounds appealing, then check it out.
I'll have to check this out. i've heard good things about it and now from you so this is a must listen.
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Pierre
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Pierre »

Grimes finally revealed that her next album will be released in October. I'm highly anticipating it, although I'm a bit worried when she claims that it will sound neither like "Go" or "REALiTi". The latter is such a good tune... Still stoked about it no matter what.
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Nassim »

Any thoughts on Holly Herndon's album ?
I will stay neutral and say that "this is not my thing", though I had good hopes for it... there are a couple moments I enjoy but most of it is just not for me, which confirms the impression I had after seeing her live.
Nick
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Nick »

Nassim wrote:Any thoughts on Holly Herndon's album ?
I will stay neutral and say that "this is not my thing", though I had good hopes for it... there are a couple moments I enjoy but most of it is just not for me, which confirms the impression I had after seeing her live.
I gave it a listen over the weekend. It's pretty good, but I found it more interesting than enjoyable. It's getting great reviews though. If you're into the whole AMSR thing, you might want to check it out.
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Nassim »

Just made it to 30 albums :
This is still not the year where I won't like a Hot Chip album. It's not outstanding, but it's pretty much as good as usual (maybe the most consistent since Made in the Dark, though also maybe their album with the smallest range of genres and moods)
Shamir's album is a lot of fun, full of potential hits.
Sol Invictus has some bad choices kind of ruining songs (usually a lame chorus), but is overall fool of great riffs and gimmicks, a very good comeback.

Overall, solid top 20 already, though only the top 2 are truly outstanding.

1) Sleater-Kinney - No Cities to Love
2) Sufjan Stevens - Carrie and Lowell
3) Young Fathers - White Men Are Black Men Too
4) Dan Deacon - Gliss Riffer
5) Shamir - Ratchet
6) Mourn - Mourn
7) Hot Chip - Why Make Sense ?
8) Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass
9) Lightning Bolt - Fantasy Empire
10) Father John Misty - I Love You Honeybear
11) Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit
12) Gaz Coombes - Matador
13) Faith No More - Sol Invictus
14) The Decemberists - What a Beautiful World, What a Terrible World
15) Blur - The Magic Whip
16) Viet Cong - Viet Cong
17) Modest Mouse - Strangers to Ourselves
18) John Carpenter - Lost Themes
19) Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly
20) Crapulax - Violence Gratuite et Flûte de Pan
21) The Dodos - Individ
22) Built to Spill - Untetherd Moon
23) Lupe Fiasco - Tetsuo & Youth
24) BC Camplight - How To Die In The North
25) Jessica Pratt - On Your Own Love Again
26) Bjork - Vulnicura
27) Enter Shikari - The Mindsweep 
28) Madeon - Adventure
29) Panda Bear - Panda Bear meets the Grim Reaper
30) Holly Herndon - Platform
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notbrianeno
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by notbrianeno »

Updated albums list above.

Jamie XX's album was a real treat for me. The buildup of anxious tension throughout the records first half, followed by its release in the second realizes the album as a suite of carefully crafted, refreshingly intimate electronic music. an album that moves my feet and my heart.

Susanne Sundfør was a great discovery as well, fun art-pop reminiscent of Sia and early Björk.

Hot Chip's new album was somewhat of a disappointment after two amazing singles, but still enjoyable.

The appeal of the new A$AP Rocky is totally lost on me. Dreary production and pedestrian lyricism, possibly the most uninteresting hip hop album I've ever heard.

I Plan on listening to new Donnie Trumpet/Social Experiment,Florence + the Machine, and Sun Kil Moon albums this coming week.
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Jirin »

1. Viet Cong - Viet Cong
2. Sleater-Kinney - No Cities To Love
3. Stone Jack Jones - Love & Torture

Out of all the less well known albums on the list I hope people will give a listen to Love & Torture. It's a beautifully emotional and pained indie folk album. One of those Popmatters discoveries for me.

4. Gill Landry - Gill Landry
5. Matthew E White - Fresh Blood

Anyone who liked Big Inner should like Fresh Blood.

6. Mount Eerie - Sauna

One of those minimal electronic albums like Centralia, if you're into that kind of thing.

7. Waxahatche - Ivy Tripp
8. Bjork - Vulnicura
9. Lonelady - Hinterland

Thanks to Maschine_Man

10. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Asunder, Sweet And Other Distress
11. Cannibal Ox - Blade Of the Ronin
12. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
13. Olafur Arnalds and Alice Sara Ott - The Chopin Project
14. Punch Brothers - Phosphorescent Blues
15. James McMurtry - Complicated Game
16. Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass
17. Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear
18. Will Butler - Policy
19. Pond - Man It Feels Like Space Again
20. Mourn - Mourn
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Nick »

The new Jamie xx album is absolutely stellar. Probably my second favorite album of the year thus far (right behind Kendrick). I'll definitely have to give it some more listens. Expect this album to get some great reviews in the coming days. If you have any interest at all in garage, trip hop, post-dubstep, or just electronica music in general, you owe it to yourself to check out this album. Every detail on this album is done in a way that suggests that every last sound was carefully set into place, and throughout "In Colour", Jamie xx finds a perfect balance between too little and too much, creating a sweet spot that sometimes feels minimal, but never lacking. Just a great, great album all around.

Recommended songs: Gosh, Sleep Sound, I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)
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PlasticRam
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by PlasticRam »

Nick wrote:The new Jamie xx album is absolutely stellar. Probably my second favorite album of the year thus far (right behind Kendrick). I'll definitely have to give it some more listens. Expect this album to get some great reviews in the coming days. If you have any interest at all in garage, trip hop, post-dubstep, or just electronica music in general, you owe it to yourself to check out this album. Every detail on this album is done in a way that suggests that every last sound was carefully set into place, and throughout "In Colour", Jamie xx finds a perfect balance between too little and too much, creating a sweet spot that sometimes feels minimal, but never lacking. Just a great, great album all around.

Recommended songs: Gosh, Sleep Sound, I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)
After reading your text I was pretty sure I was gonna like the album and sure enough it was so. And I was thinking while listening to it that this is really good, and then there's a Popcaan feature and it's just so Image

So thanks for the recommendation! Prolly my 2nd fav album of the year too, after Kendrick. Not to be hive mind or anything Image
I feel like that
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by Nick »

PlasticRam wrote:
Nick wrote:The new Jamie xx album is absolutely stellar. Probably my second favorite album of the year thus far (right behind Kendrick). I'll definitely have to give it some more listens. Expect this album to get some great reviews in the coming days. If you have any interest at all in garage, trip hop, post-dubstep, or just electronica music in general, you owe it to yourself to check out this album. Every detail on this album is done in a way that suggests that every last sound was carefully set into place, and throughout "In Colour", Jamie xx finds a perfect balance between too little and too much, creating a sweet spot that sometimes feels minimal, but never lacking. Just a great, great album all around.

Recommended songs: Gosh, Sleep Sound, I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)
After reading your text I was pretty sure I was gonna like the album and sure enough it was so. And I was thinking while listening to it that this is really good, and then there's a Popcaan feature and it's just so Image

So thanks for the recommendation! Prolly my 2nd fav album of the year too, after Kendrick. Not to be hive mind or anything Image
I'm just glad you enjoyed it, Image
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notbrianeno
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Re: Albums of 2015

Post by notbrianeno »

Not sure if this is relevant but Vulnicura has dramatically improved for me in the last week, and I changed the score to reflect this. The week of release I had a migraine, and whenever I listened to the album for a while it would remind me of the migraine, and I finally got over that weird sensory association this week. /word vomit
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