top 5 albums of 2015

[rabblerouser]

Pretty simple - genre doesn't matter. What's your favorite album (of new music) from 2015??

My list :

Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts : Blaster
Blackberry Smoke : Holding All the Roses
The Steepwater Band : Diamond Days
Faith No More : Sol Invictus
Keith Richards : Crosseyed Heart

All of them are available on vinyl - in each of those releases the vinyl has far more 'sympathetic' mastering than the digital counterpart, though the Steepwater CD was pretty crankable and the Keith download was the HD Tracks version and it wasn't bad (but not as good as the vinyl.)

I have a Music Hall 2.2mmf w/blue Ortofon cartridge into a Marantz 2235B as my main rig, and I have a Sony SACD player as my main digital unit, and I plug my Fiio x5 into the AUX for HD files. Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck. Fisher 2x15s. (it's amazing.)

My 'basement rig' is a Revolver into a Pioneer SX203. Harmon Kardon DC520 tape deck and an early 90s Sony CD player (single tray) with Fisher 1x15s. I also have a Quad 8 track that we use for funsies. It's great shooting pool to the first BadCo on the 8track. Like peas and carrots??

What's your top 5 for 2015?? What do you listen on??

[KCUnited]

Fighting-age Males - Why So Syrian?

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Fighting-age Males - Why So Syrian?

Interesting. Will have to check that out.

[saphojunkie]

Josh Ritter - Sermon on the Rocks

[Fairplay]

Originally Posted by Coochie liquor

4. Aaron Kamm and the One Drops - Feed the Meter
This 3 piece band from St Louis delivers another dose of their bluesy reggae rock. This is their 4th full length cd and they just seem to get better.
Standout tracks Make it Better, Duck Duck, and Sweet n Fine




2. Morgan Heritage - Strictly Roots
These guys have been heavy in the reggae scene since the early 90's and have never released something with this much fire before. This is roots reggae, mixed with dancehall music. Putting this cd on transports you to a club in Jamaica. Hard hitting beats, great lyrics, and just an all around positive vibe.
Standout tracks Strictly Roots, Light it Up, So Amazing

These two bands sound great to me Coochie I'm going to put them in my playlist thanks for sharing.

[Third Eye]

Ha, speaking of FNM, they just played some heading in to the commercial break in the game.

[NewChief]

Here's my list (which is more than 5) crossposted from another forum:

The World is a Beautiful Place and I am No Longer Afraid to Die: Harmlessness.
Lord Huron: Strange Trails
Grimes: Art Angels
Kendrick Lamar: To Pimp a Butterfly
Panopticon: Autumn Eternal
Title Fight: Hyperview
Deafheaven: New Bermuda
A$AP Rocky: AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP
Vince Staples: Summertime ‘066
Natalie Prass: Natalie Prass
Tobias Jesso: Goon
Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiment: Surf
Grimes: Art Angels
Jason Isbell: Something More than Free
Beach House: Depression Cherry
Screaming Females: Rose Mountain

Bonus: I’m sure the new Baroness will crack this list once I get to listen to it in its entirety


Notable Exception: some albums that I'm surprised didn't make my list because they just never sank in for me for whatever reason. I'll probably end up coming back and appreciating them later, but they never really made it into heavy rotation for me:
Sufjan Stevens: Carrie and Lowell
Titus Andronicus: The Most Lamentable Tragedy

Random thoughts: This was also a strange year in my hip hop. I included TPAB and Surf on there because they were great, ambitious albums. That being said, both are full of interludes and instrumental sections that have me hitting skip pretty often when I listen to them. That should probably knock them out of "best albums," but the singles on them are so strong (and in the case of TPAB, the concept is so strong) that they still made my list.

I'm surprised that very little electronic music (other than Grimes, which really is a lot more than that) made my list. I did vibe on the Jamie XX album quite a bit, but probably not frequently enough to include it.

All in all, it was a fun year in music, but I didn't listen as much as I normally do. I ended up getting into some TV shows, so whereas I usually sit on my laptop, work, and listen to music with my headphones, I was sitting on my laptop, working, and watching TV shows at night. That cut down on a lot of my listening.

Albums that I recommend everyone check out which isn't showing up on a lot of lists:
The World is a Beautiful Place
Title Fight
Panopticon (if you can handle metal at all, it's a really pretty album).

[Coochie liquor]

Originally Posted by rabblerouser

I know those guys, we've played a bunch of shows with them, great band and great dudes.

In fact, Jan 15 were doing MO Fest with them -
we're at the Blue Note, they're at RMH. I think our set starts right after theirs, a lot of people going to be going back and forth between the venues all night.

They're def a band that is in heavy rotation on my iPod. Love the vibe they have.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by NewChief

Here's my list (which is more than 5) crossposted from another forum:

The World is a Beautiful Place and I am No Longer Afraid to Die: Harmlessness.
Lord Huron: Strange Trails
Grimes: Art Angels
Kendrick Lamar: To Pimp a Butterfly
Panopticon: Autumn Eternal
Title Fight: Hyperview
Deafheaven: New Bermuda
A$AP Rocky: AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP
Vince Staples: Summertime ‘066
Natalie Prass: Natalie Prass
Tobias Jesso: Goon
Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiment: Surf
Grimes: Art Angels
Jason Isbell: Something More than Free
Beach House: Depression Cherry
Screaming Females: Rose Mountain

Bonus: I’m sure the new Baroness will crack this list once I get to listen to it in its entirety


Notable Exception: some albums that I'm surprised didn't make my list because they just never sank in for me for whatever reason. I'll probably end up coming back and appreciating them later, but they never really made it into heavy rotation for me:
Sufjan Stevens: Carrie and Lowell
Titus Andronicus: The Most Lamentable Tragedy

Random thoughts: This was also a strange year in my hip hop. I included TPAB and Surf on there because they were great, ambitious albums. That being said, both are full of interludes and instrumental sections that have me hitting skip pretty often when I listen to them. That should probably knock them out of "best albums," but the singles on them are so strong (and in the case of TPAB, the concept is so strong) that they still made my list.

I'm surprised that very little electronic music (other than Grimes, which really is a lot more than that) made my list. I did vibe on the Jamie XX album quite a bit, but probably not frequently enough to include it.

All in all, it was a fun year in music, but I didn't listen as much as I normally do. I ended up getting into some TV shows, so whereas I usually sit on my laptop, work, and listen to music with my headphones, I was sitting on my laptop, working, and watching TV shows at night. That cut down on a lot of my listening.

Albums that I recommend everyone check out which isn't showing up on a lot of lists:
The World is a Beautiful Place
Title Fight
Panopticon (if you can handle metal at all, it's a really pretty album).

That Isbell is fantastic. Not big on Kendrick Lamar but I'll be checking out the rest of your list for sure.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by Coochie liquor

They're def a band that is in heavy rotation on my iPod. Love the vibe they have.

Fosho!!

[rabblerouser]

Bump for Bob Dole

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by Coochie liquor

5. Oogee Wawa - More Sand than Money
This is a great mashup of genres, rock, alternative, reggae, hip hop, and they're all on display during most songs. This 5 piece band from Long Island NY bring it hard on their second full length release. Kinda sounds like Sublime getting into a battle royal with Gym Class Heros and Tenacious D.
Standout tracks More Sand than Money, Tips (which is the ultimate end of the night at the bar song), and and Let it Out. When you're in the mood to party, this cd will get you prepared for debauchery.

4. Aaron Kamm and the One Drops - Feed the Meter
This 3 piece band from St Louis delivers another dose of their bluesy reggae rock. This is their 4th full length cd and they just seem to get better.
Standout tracks Make it Better, Duck Duck, and Sweet n Fine



3. New Kingston - Kingston City
This is an amazing blend of reggae, funk, RnB, hip hop, and more. If you're a fan of heavy bass grooves, great lyrics, and vocal melodies the you'll prob like this this 3 piece band from Brooklyn. The production, and musicianship on this cd is just phenomenal.
Standout tracks You are Mine, Can't Stop a Man, and Who Tell Them


2. Morgan Heritage - Strictly Roots
These guys have been heavy in the reggae scene since the early 90's and have never released something with this much fire before. This is roots reggae, mixed with dancehall music. Putting this cd on transports you to a club in Jamaica. Hard hitting beats, great lyrics, and just an all around positive vibe.
Standout tracks Strictly Roots, Light it Up, So Amazing



1. The Skints - FM
It's hard for me to talk about this cd without getting excited . This band hails from London, and bring an amazing mix of reggae, dub, dancehall, punk, and more into this concept cd. It plays out as a hot summer day in London while listening to a reggae station. Lots of guest vocals from some of the bigger UK reggae names Tippa Irie, Horseman and more.
Standout tracks Where Did You Go, (a cover of Black Flags ) My War, This Town, Friends and Business

AK1Ds & DW in CoMo on April 1. Gonna be a party. If anyone wants to come party rabblerouser-style...come on down

[Pitt Gorilla]

Where Reaper's list?

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Where Reaper's list?

No shit. I really haven't been able to put 2015 to bed yet because there's been no Reaper top album list.

[TribalElder]

I couldn't name 5

I also didn't know shit about anything posted

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by TribalElder

I couldn't name 5

I also didn't know shit about anything posted

I could've added Jason Isbell's album or Jackie Greene's new slab to the list...but that would've made a top 7. Not a banner year for new music, imho.