Apparently December first is the end of the year, so before this list becomes even more useless, I'll put it here. The first question to ask: Was 2015 a great year for music? Answer: Ehhh, sort of. It wasn't as good as some recent years, but the standouts were great. Before you click away, let's count this down.
10. Blind Elephant - GemStones
This album comes from one of the most skilled rappers working today. There are some missteps, but "Circles," "Lyrical Miracle", "Almost Home" and several others are some of the best songs released this year.
9. Drones - Muse
This album moves Muse back in the direction of some of their best work. It's an apocalyptic tale of someone losing their empathy and becoming a human drone controlled by others. They try to break free, and lead a revolt. The closing track tells of how the world and the human race gets destroyed by nuclear war leaving only the destroyer of the world to reminisce. How cheery!
8. I Love You Honeybear - Father John Misty
This album has some of the prettiest sounds of the year, all while the lyrics are full of biting sarcasm and genuine love. "The Night Josh Tillman Came to Our Apt." sounds like a typical love song, but lists all the loved ones faults and quirks that drive our singer mad. "Of the few main things I hate about her, one's her petty vogue ideas. Somebodies been told too many times she's beyond her years." This album is probably the most quotable of the year.
7. Alone in the Universe - Jeff Lynne's ELO
This was the year's biggest surprise for me. It is extremely refreshing to see Jeff Lynne bring a sense of genuineness and fun that seems to be missing from so many. There's no complex statement on the plight of the human race, it's just a collection of great songs that will stay in your head all day.
6. Carrie and Lowell - Sufjan Stevens
This album was a gut punch for me. It's rare that an album connects so much with me on a personal level. The album is greatly inspired by the death of Sufjan's mother, and the pain and melancholy is palpable.
5. Beat the Champ - The Mountain Goats
The way John Darnielle writes makes his songs sound intensely personal, and somehow universal. The album cements my belief that he is one of today's best songwriters. The way "The Ballad of Bull Ramos" progresses in each verse is a master class on how to write a story in your song. The way the defiant chorus becomes heartbreaking on repeat listens is unbelievable.
4. Blurryface - Twenty-One Pilots
On paper, this album should be a mess. It tries on so many different genres, and tries so hard to be clever with its meta lyrics, it should fall flat on its face, right? Nope. They stuck the landing and made the best pop album of the year. No one had better hooks this year then Twenty-One Pilots.
3. Mutant - Arca
This instrumental album took me on a weird journey through twisted yet beautiful soundscapes. It's a classical suite reimagined through a mad man's brain. This album isn't for everyone, but it is rewarding for those who brave the harsh sounds and find the beauty underneath.
2. Fly Exam - JGivens
JGivens has been killing his features ever since signing with Humble Beast, growing the hype around his label debut. It lived up to my expectations, delivering a two part album exploring the highs and lows of pride. You will find something new with each listen, some new insight, some new incredible analogy or metaphor you missed. What really elevated this project over JGiven's previous releases was how he conveyed his emotions so well. His flow became more emotive then ever, culminating on the unbelievable "Humming Bird Stance."
1. To Pimp a Butterfly - Kendrick Lamar
The album everybody declared album of the year after first listen. This may seem like a boring placement seeing everyone is declaring this album of the year, but it deserves all the acclaim it receives. Kendrick goes farther down into his psyche than ever before, taking us on a journey through his thoughts. Addressing depression and social issues so well, Lamar us truly getting better and better. It also is truly the perfect album for 2015, encapsulating everything about the year.
Alright, so I hope you all hate my list so you comment and drive more traffic here. I mean, what did you think of my list? Agree? Disagree? Let me know! I hope you all had a fantastic year!
Showing posts with label Favorite Albums. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Favorite Albums. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Album Review: "Fly Exam" by JGivens
This year has been a great year for music so far. From To Pimp a Butterfly's incredibly captivating and varied music, to Twenty-One Pilots' catchy, meta, and emotional Blurryface, to Father John Misty's debauched hilarity in I Love You Honeybear, I have been blessed with some great albums this year. I have been looking forward to Fly Exam ever since JGivens' released the first single, "Ignorantro." In this song, he unleashes a veritable storm of bars essentially saying he is the best, and all you rappers need to step up your game if you want to even be in the same league as him. He raps over a looping bass line that screams cockiness. It definitely seemed like a new direction for JGivens.
When JGivens released his next single, "Lost in Space", it became clear that this project wasn't going to be all like "Ignorantro." "Lost in Space" sounded much darker sonically, and JGivens rapped about how lack of community will most often lead to a shipwreck. This intrigued me even further for his album. The variety in just these two songs also made me happy, because if I had a problem with his previous project, El V. Envy, it was the production. Not that the production was bad, but it tended to be too similar from one song to the next.
Did JGivens meet my expectations, or did he fail to take flight? In short, he soared above my expectations. The album is split into two parts, Side A: So High, opens with "Ignorantro", then goes into "Butterfly Stance." In this song, Liz Vice sings: "You ain't gotta fly so high! You ain't gotta drive so high!" This has a couple meanings as Givens revealed in an interview. He mentioned that many people thought this just meant pride, but it also literally means high as in drugs. Liz Vice is taking on the voice of a friend and telling him he doesn't have to "Drive so high." The first half of the album is JGivens flying higher than anyone in skill, and pride. For example, in "Fahrenheit 99", he says: "And I'm evolving from crying to talking, to telling you: 'I can accomplish more than that God you claim to crawl to.'" He isn't completely ignorant, as there are moments of clarity throughout the first half. In "Butterfly Stance", he says: "Hopeless, I'm hopeless, I wish I'd come home with you so high." In "Attack of the Clones" he says: "They say there's a grace abounding love chasing me, chasing me."
Side B, So Low, opens with "Lost in Space." Just the title implies that he has flown too far on his own, and is now completely lost. The next song is "Humming Bird Stance", which is the best song on the whole album. JGivens has said the opening lyrics are supposed to be like you are walking into the middle of a conversation. Those opening lyrics ("And so apparently the Everglades are ineligible for Obama Care.") capture your attention and are the perfect way to introduce the lyrical concept of the first verse. Givens talks about suicide using a clever metaphor where buildings and other inanimate objects are used to represent humans. It is a head nodding, and head scratching song. Then, the second verse happens. JGivens is lying on a bathroom floor, trying to kill himself with an overdose. This hits you in the gut, then J asks: "Who is gonna save me?" This leads into "Super Lowkey", whose second verse contains some of my favorite lyrics of the year. (Really the whole album is lyrical goldmine.)
Icarus is a recurring motif, perfectly reflecting the story on this album. This album is about JGivens flying too close to the sun (Son), he then gets burned, crashing down to earth, but God picks him back up. What about the title? What on earth does that mean? Well, I think the "Fly Exam" is supposed to be the test to get to heaven. JGivens tries to do it on his own and fails miserably, but then he trusts in Jesus who already passed the fly exam for him. This doesn't mean J doesn't still struggle with sin, but he knows his salvation is not reliant on his own actions. This may be completely off base, but it is my stab at the meaning of the title.
All the various pieces of the album come together to make a masterpiece. JGivens has truly painted a picture with his words that makes you think, feel, and learn. It is a 10/10, the second of the year with To Pimp a Butterfly holding the other one. I recommend this to everyone, especially those who love finding new gems with every listen. What did you think of the album? If you have any thoughts, I'd be glad to hear them. Have an excellent day!
When JGivens released his next single, "Lost in Space", it became clear that this project wasn't going to be all like "Ignorantro." "Lost in Space" sounded much darker sonically, and JGivens rapped about how lack of community will most often lead to a shipwreck. This intrigued me even further for his album. The variety in just these two songs also made me happy, because if I had a problem with his previous project, El V. Envy, it was the production. Not that the production was bad, but it tended to be too similar from one song to the next.
Did JGivens meet my expectations, or did he fail to take flight? In short, he soared above my expectations. The album is split into two parts, Side A: So High, opens with "Ignorantro", then goes into "Butterfly Stance." In this song, Liz Vice sings: "You ain't gotta fly so high! You ain't gotta drive so high!" This has a couple meanings as Givens revealed in an interview. He mentioned that many people thought this just meant pride, but it also literally means high as in drugs. Liz Vice is taking on the voice of a friend and telling him he doesn't have to "Drive so high." The first half of the album is JGivens flying higher than anyone in skill, and pride. For example, in "Fahrenheit 99", he says: "And I'm evolving from crying to talking, to telling you: 'I can accomplish more than that God you claim to crawl to.'" He isn't completely ignorant, as there are moments of clarity throughout the first half. In "Butterfly Stance", he says: "Hopeless, I'm hopeless, I wish I'd come home with you so high." In "Attack of the Clones" he says: "They say there's a grace abounding love chasing me, chasing me."
Side B, So Low, opens with "Lost in Space." Just the title implies that he has flown too far on his own, and is now completely lost. The next song is "Humming Bird Stance", which is the best song on the whole album. JGivens has said the opening lyrics are supposed to be like you are walking into the middle of a conversation. Those opening lyrics ("And so apparently the Everglades are ineligible for Obama Care.") capture your attention and are the perfect way to introduce the lyrical concept of the first verse. Givens talks about suicide using a clever metaphor where buildings and other inanimate objects are used to represent humans. It is a head nodding, and head scratching song. Then, the second verse happens. JGivens is lying on a bathroom floor, trying to kill himself with an overdose. This hits you in the gut, then J asks: "Who is gonna save me?" This leads into "Super Lowkey", whose second verse contains some of my favorite lyrics of the year. (Really the whole album is lyrical goldmine.)
Icarus is a recurring motif, perfectly reflecting the story on this album. This album is about JGivens flying too close to the sun (Son), he then gets burned, crashing down to earth, but God picks him back up. What about the title? What on earth does that mean? Well, I think the "Fly Exam" is supposed to be the test to get to heaven. JGivens tries to do it on his own and fails miserably, but then he trusts in Jesus who already passed the fly exam for him. This doesn't mean J doesn't still struggle with sin, but he knows his salvation is not reliant on his own actions. This may be completely off base, but it is my stab at the meaning of the title.
All the various pieces of the album come together to make a masterpiece. JGivens has truly painted a picture with his words that makes you think, feel, and learn. It is a 10/10, the second of the year with To Pimp a Butterfly holding the other one. I recommend this to everyone, especially those who love finding new gems with every listen. What did you think of the album? If you have any thoughts, I'd be glad to hear them. Have an excellent day!
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Album Review: "Beat the Champ" By the Mountain Goats
The Mountain Goats are a folk band, mainly driven by front man John Darnielle's strong songwriting and emotive voice. They have some of the best songwriting since Bob Dylan. I previously have only owned two of the Mountain Goats fifteen (according to Wikipedia) albums. The albums are "All Hail West Texas" and "The Sunset Tree."
"All Hail West Texas" is a lonely album, with just John Darnielle and his guitar. Many of the songs are about failing relationships, and bitter memories. "The Sunset Tree" draws on Darniell's teenage years, spent dealing with his abusive stepfather.
This album, "Beat the Champ", is a concept album about wrestlers. This may seem strange, considering the two albums I mentioned above, but Darnielle's songwriting is still solid and relatable.
The Mountain Goats bring in more interesting instrumentation than I've ever heard them use on "Beat the Champ." With horns making "Foreign Object" a chipper little tune about stabbing someone in the eye. "Stabbed to Death Outside San Juan" has stringed instruments, at times sounding like Psycho's iconic film score. "Werewolf Gimmick" has a bit of a punk influence.
The lyrics are solid as usual, with "Choked Out", "Stabbed to Death Outside San Juan", "Unmasked", "Heel Turn 2", and "Werewolf Gimmick" being the standouts. "Southwestern Territory" isn't really a great album opener. Unlike much of the album, it doesn't connect with me very well.
Overall, "Beat the Champ" fails to dethrone "The Sunset Tree" as my favorite Mountain Goats album, but is a solid album nonetheless. The album explores both the in the ring moments of rage, bliss, and sadness, as well as the out of the ring regrets and failed careers with empathy and respect. I'll give this a 8/10 and a definite recommendation.
"All Hail West Texas" is a lonely album, with just John Darnielle and his guitar. Many of the songs are about failing relationships, and bitter memories. "The Sunset Tree" draws on Darniell's teenage years, spent dealing with his abusive stepfather.
This album, "Beat the Champ", is a concept album about wrestlers. This may seem strange, considering the two albums I mentioned above, but Darnielle's songwriting is still solid and relatable.
The Mountain Goats bring in more interesting instrumentation than I've ever heard them use on "Beat the Champ." With horns making "Foreign Object" a chipper little tune about stabbing someone in the eye. "Stabbed to Death Outside San Juan" has stringed instruments, at times sounding like Psycho's iconic film score. "Werewolf Gimmick" has a bit of a punk influence.
The lyrics are solid as usual, with "Choked Out", "Stabbed to Death Outside San Juan", "Unmasked", "Heel Turn 2", and "Werewolf Gimmick" being the standouts. "Southwestern Territory" isn't really a great album opener. Unlike much of the album, it doesn't connect with me very well.
Overall, "Beat the Champ" fails to dethrone "The Sunset Tree" as my favorite Mountain Goats album, but is a solid album nonetheless. The album explores both the in the ring moments of rage, bliss, and sadness, as well as the out of the ring regrets and failed careers with empathy and respect. I'll give this a 8/10 and a definite recommendation.
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