I was going to start this list out with my usual musings on the state of the music industry or quality of releases this year. I'll spare you that this time around dear reader, as there have just been too many delays with getting this post out the door. I'll just say that I thoroughly enjoyed a lot of albums that came out this year and it was quite agonizing to narrow the list down to 10. So without further delay, here's my list of my favorite albums that came out last year:
- The Black Keys - Dropout Boogie | These guys haven’t needed an intro for a while now. Dropout Boogie feels like a bit of a throwback of an album to me—sort of like the music they were making about a decade ago. There’s no standout hit like “Lonely Boy” but really just super solid.
- The Chats - GET FUCKED | Straight-ahead punk rock played by a bunch of rowdy Aussies. Just great stuff that completely rips.
- IRONFLAME - Where Madness Dwells | When I listen to metal, I listen to a certain kind of metal. IRONFLAME is exactly that kind of metal. The riffs are so thick and weighty that they must be played with long shoulder-length hair. I mean look at that album cover! Frazetta would’ve been proud.
- Jack White - FEAR OF THE DAWN | Jack White also doesn’t need an intro either, so I’ll just say that I like this album quite a bit more than the past 2-3 albums that he’s put out. Great listen.
- Marlowe - Marlowe 3 | With each release, it seems like the dudes in Marlowe really just crank up the groove dial a couple notches. In this one, the hooks really stack up and never slow down.
- Osees - A Foul Form | It’s hard to pin this band down. They can hardly settle on a name, say nothing of a musical style. With each outting, you really need to reset and figure out what’s up. This one falls somewhere on the scale of noise punk and weirdo art punk. If that’s your kind of thing, this is the record for you.
- Sick Thoughts - Heaven is No Fun | You can tell these guys have listened to The Ramones. A lot.
- Viagra Boys - Cave World | I have a soft spot for punks from Sweden. Whether it’s The Refused, Randy or these guys, there’s an intelligence and deep-seated need to go against the grain that seems be shared by all the great Swedish Punks that just works for me. Cave World works in a way that I feel their previous release, Welfare Jazz, didn’t quite manage. Maybe it’s because they’re pushing against the edge of the punk formula a bit more, but whatever the case it’s good stuff.
- Wet Leg - Wet Leg | Wow, Wet Leg really blew up this year, huh? I heard Chaise Longue on some random playlist and I was hooked. Can’t wait to see what they do next.
- Yard Act - The Overload | A bit too smart by half, but with great lyrics and grooves.
New Category:
Best Album That I Bought This Year That Came Out a While Ago
OK, so I'm still workshopping the title of this category, but this is one that I've been thinking about for a long time. So much music comes out every year. It's impossible to keep track of it all. Inevitably I stumble on an older release (though not always that old) that really catches me. This year it was Cashmere by Swet Shop Boys. Through and through, it's such a catchy album filled with bangers. Once you get past the hooks, there's the rhymes and lyrics confronting Islamiphobia and the racism that underpins life for immigrants. Definitely check it out.
That about puts a wrap on it. There are already some albums coming out this year that I've been enjoying, so I'm looking forward to what the rest of the year brings.
Post-script: I linked to the artist's Bandcamp page whenever possible above. If you like any of these albums, I highly suggest supporting the the artist via Bandcamp.