What an incredible year for music 2015 has been. From new artists establishing themselves to old favourites reuniting. From highly anticipated album to surprise releases. Even the absence of some expected heavy hitters like Radiohead and Kanye couldn’t damper how good this year has been. With that said, let’s jump straight into my favourite albums of the year.
25. Björk – Vulnicura
Uncompromisingly emotional, Björk’s Vulnicura is an emotional gutpunch of an album, chronicling her breakup with Matthew Barney. Björk is strikingly and uncomfortably honest on this record, and while it can sometimes be a tough listen as a result of this, it’s definitely one worth getting through. Few artists in 2015, hell, few artists in general, are brave enough to leave themselves as bare as Björk does on Vulnicura and it’s easy to see why. But the result is an album that’s stunningly honest and an intense listen.
24. KEN Mode – Success
KEN Mode’s unique approach to noise rock manages to combine sludge rock riffs with a hardcore punk energy in a way that just plain works. I don’t think any other release this year was as enjoyable on a purely visceral level; this album just commands you to headbang. It may not have as much substance as some other albums on this list, but it may be unmatched in pure energy. This album is a powerful, fist-pumping slab of noise to really get the listener worked up. And that’s exactly what it does. KEN Mode’s Success is just that.
23. Antarctigo Vespucci – Leavin’ La Vida Loca
Few are better at combining depressing lyrics with upbeat music in a way that doesn’t clash than punk legend Jeff Rosenstock. On Leavin’ La Vida Loca, the first full-length from Antarctigo Vespucci, he teams up with Chris Farren (Fake Problems), to provide a brisk but enjoyable 25-minutes of just that. Tracks like “Save Me from Myself” and “Hooray for Me” are incredibly depressing lyrically, but combined with some of the most upbeat music Rosenstock has ever produced. The results are an album that’s equal parts fun and miserable with a healthy dose of black humour.
22. Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
With the release of this album, Courtney Barnett became one of the most talked about new artists in 2015, and it’s easy to see why. Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit combines a slacker, indie style with some witty lyrics and a great sense of attitude. With this album Courtney proved herself to have a unique personality and memorable style that’s unlike anyone else making rock music today.
21. Coheed and Cambria – The Color Before the Sun
The Color Before the Sun’s success comes not so much from what it is but from what it isn’t. This is the first Coheed and Cambria album to not continue the story of The Amory Wars, instead consisting of more personal lyrics from frontman Claudio Sanchez. It also eschews much of the band’s progressive rock influences, in favour of letting their emo and alternative rock sides shine. What’s left is a band that sounds revitalised. Coheed and Cambria end up fresher than they’ve been in a long time on this record. Tracks like “Island” and “Here to Mars” showcase just how good the band can be when they’re not bogged down by their usual overarching plot.
20. Panopticon – Autumn Eternal
Autumn Eternal, the third in a trilogy from Panopticon, is some of the best modern music black metal has to offer. The blending of folk music and bluegrass has always given Panopticon a unique, fresh-sounding sound among their peers, and it’s utilised to the fullest on this album. Harsh, yet undeniably beautiful, Autumn Eternal’s blending of styles results in some fantastic work. Tracks like “Into the North Woods,” and “Sleep to the Sounds of Waves Crashing,” showcase this blend excellently.
19. Carly Rae Jepsen – Emotion
Emotion is sickeningly sweet, joyful pop music at its finest. For most pop musicians, this level of cuteseyness would come across as obnoxious (tracks like “I Really Like You” and “Boy Problems” are incredibly infantile) but somehow Carly Rae Jepsen pulls it off. What I love about this album is how honest it is, it doesn’t try to be something it isn’t. It’s simple, pure pop music, but it’s damn good at it and that’s all that matters.
18. Earl Sweatshirt – I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside
Much of what you need to know about the tone of I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside can be learned from its title. From the opening track (“I spent the day drinking and missing my grandmother/Just grab a glass and pour some cold white wine in it/A Colt 4-5 in it, you know how I get it”) it’s obvious that Earl’s desire isn’t exactly to entertain you, but to provide some insight into his life following the death of his grandmother. Instead of being braggadocious, it’s intensely self-conscious. Instead of revelling in excess, it’s claustrophobic. The result is an incredibly personal look at depression and isolation that holds no punches.
17. Lamb of God – VII: Sturm und Drang
My biggest issue with Lamb of God has always been that they’re a bit too one-note to me. That’s why I was so surprised at how much I enjoyed this album. Don’t get me wrong, it still sounds like Lamb of God, but there’s just enough cha
nge to make it a lot more enjoyable. Frontman Randy Blythe’s screams and growls have just that little bit more variety to them, and the addition of guest vocalists Chino Moreno and Greg Puciato help to provide more diversity. I wouldn’t be surprised if tracks like “Embers” and “512” end up going down as among the band’s best.
16. Leviathan – Scar Sighted
Scar Sighted is one of those albums that I fell in love with halfway through the first track. Fortunately, the rest of the album didn’t disappoint. While bands like Panopticon and Deafheaven impressed me this year with their melodic approach to black metal, Leviathan delivered a truly heavy release. That said, Scar Sighted still carries the atmospheric feel that drew me to modern black metal in the first place. A stunning release from a fantastic band, anybody into metal at all should give this album a listen.
15. The World is a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid to Die – Harmlessness
Emo outfit The World is a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid to Die first made waves with their debut album, Whenever, if Ever. While I liked that album well enough, it’s follow-up, Harmlessness, is a different beast entirely. Expanding their sound to include more influence from indie and post-rock, the result is an absolutely gorgeous release from the band. Many of the tracks carry a nostalgic feel to them, and songs like “January 10th, 2014” and “Wendover” are likely to be considered among the band’s best for a long time.
14. Death Grips – The Powers That B
Technically The Powers That B shouldn’t count as a 2015 album, since its first disc was released last year. However, given that it was completed this year, I’m going to count it. The Powers That B is experimental hip-hop group Death Grips’ most exciting and engrossing project yet. Tracks like “Up My Sleeves,” “Have a Sad Cum BB” and “I Break Mirrors with My Face in the United States” are just as manic and ferocious as the band have always been, while they provide a more emotional, introspective side on songs like “On GP.” The result is a more well-rounded project than anything the band has released in the past.
13. Clutch – Psychic Warfare
Psychic Warfare, like most Clutch releases, is unashamedly simple. If you just want to rock out for 40-minutes, then this is the album for you. Where Clutch succeed while other similar bands fail is simply in excellent song-writing, as well as a tongue-in-cheek attitude that revels in silliness without becoming parody. From “X-Ray Visions” to “A Quick Death in Texas” to “Decapitation Blues,” you’re taken on a journey through some wild takes of conspiracy theories and over-the-top action, with dynamic frontman Neil Fallon commanding your attention.
12. Teenage Time Killers – Greatest Hits Vol. 1
Greatest Hits is an apt name for Teenage Time Killers’ debut album, as the supergroup boasts a wide array of members and guest musicians from the best bands that punk and metal have to offer. Featuring the likes of Jello Biafra, Neil Fallon, Randy Blythe and Matt Skiba (among many others), Greatest Hits Vol. 1 was a 40-minute blast through 20 different songs, each with their own unique feel, but each contributing to an album that’s a cohesive whole. The energy never stopped, leaving an incredibly fun album of punk and metal’s finest.
11. The Tallest Man on Earth – Dark Bird is Home
Dark Bird is Home sees “The Tallest Man on Earth,” Kristian Matsson begin to incorporate a wider array of instrumentation into his usually sparse style. The result is an album that feels more anthemic than his previous work. Tracks such as “Timothy” are entirely at odds with Matsson’s usual minimalist style. However, what is important is that at no point is his talent for song-writing and melodies hindered by the album’s bigger sound.
10. Steven Wilson – Hand. Cannot. Erase.
Steven Wilson’s last solo album, The Raven that Refused to Sing (and Other Stories) was an unashamed love letter to seventies progressive rock. It’s follow-up, Hand. Cannot. Erase. takes more influence from the progressive pop of the eighties, most notably Kate Bush. The album, based on the story of Joyce Carol Vincent, is a tragic yet beautiful look through the life of a lonely woman. Highlights include a majestic guitar solo courtesy of Guthrie Govan on “Regret #9” and the heart-breaking “Happy Returns.”
9. Faith No More – Sol Invictus
Faith No More return with a vengeance on Sol Invictus, their first album in 18 years. It only takes the dark piano-heavy opening track “Sol Invictus” transitioning into the peppy shouts of “Go!” that open “Superhero” to show that, not only are Faith No More back, but they haven’t missed a beat. This album may not sound like the band’s previous works, but it continues to carry the quirky, alternative metal sound that they became loved for. The band manage to experiment a lot with their sound while still feeling uniquely “them.”
8. The Pop Group – Citizen Zombie
Often when bands take a few years off, when they return they seem a bit rusty and underwhelming. But when The Pop Group returned from a 35-year hiatus earlier this year, they came back sounding fresher than ever. The funk-infused post-punk of Citizen Zombie results in some of the band’s best work, from the manic cries of the title track, to the funky, danceable sound found on “s.o.p.h.i.a.” Citizen Zombie isn’t just good for a reunion album, or good for a legacy band, it’s a fantastic release in its own right.
7. Algiers – Algiers
Algiers are, in my eyes, by far the best new band of 2015. Their self-titled debut is a masterful blend of post-punk, gothic and R&B. The result is an album that, while steeped in the sounds of its predecessors, sounds incredibly fresh and unique. Tracks like “Irony. Utility. Pretext.,” “Blood” and “In Parallax” are incredible, punchy tunes and I’m looking forward to hearing where these guys go next. Not only is Algiers a fantastic album, but it gives me high hopes for the band’s future.
6. Sufjan Stevens – Carrie & Lowell
After some heavy experimentation, Carrie & Lowell sees indie-folk singer Sufjan Stevens return to simplicity. This allows Stevens to focus more on the lyrical side of things, where he delivers the most emotional work of his career. The album focuses on his relationship with his mother (now deceased) and stepfather, the titular Carrie and Lowell. Sufjan’s lyrics have never been better, or more depressing, with some truly gut-wrenching lines (“There’s blood on that blade/fuck me I’m falling apart”). The simple, minimal instrumentation means that this album lives or dies on its lyrical content, but it’s no surprise that Stevens delivers on that front.
5. Dr. Dre – Compton
For years Dr. Dre fans have been waiting for his third solo album, Detox. After years of delays, confusion and questions on whether the album would ever be released, we finally got the big announcement. Detox was cancelled. In its place arrived Compton, not a soundtrack to the film Straight Outta Compton as many believed, but a soundtrack to the city of Compton itself. Those expecting the old Dre to return may be disappointed, as Dre instead reinvents himself for the modern era. However, he does bring some big names from his past with, including Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg, who delivers his most ferocious verse in years on “One Shot One Kill.” Every collaborator on this album, from Kendrick Lamar to The Game delivers some of their best work, contributing to a fantastic album from Dre that feels modern yet still carries the talent for production he’s always had.
4. Lupe Fiasco – Tetsuo & Youth
Even as a huge fan, I have to admit that Lupe Fiasco has had a rough few years. While I didn’t mind the pop-appeal of Lasers as much as others, the self-indulgence and preachiness on Food and Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, Part 1 was too much for me, and the loose tracks he had dropped since them didn’t do anything to change my mind. So I was shocked at just how much of a return to form Tetsuo & Youth. From the opening nine-minutes of bars found on “Mural,” it’s clear Lupe wants to win the fans back, and with luscious beats and some of his best lyrics, he succeeds wholeheartedly.
3. Deafheaven – New Bermuda
Deafheaven’s success skyrocketed in 2013 with the release of critical darling Sunbather and there was always a bit of doubt in the air about whether their follow-up would keep that success going, or would they crack under the pressure. Fortunately, New Bermuda is a rousing success. It’s heavier and more ferocious than Sunbather, yet still keeps the influences from indie and shoegaze that made Deafheaven stand out in the first place. It’s clear the band had something to prove on this record, and by god they delivered.
2. Jeff Rosenstock – We Cool?
It’s hard not to compare Jeff Rosenstock’s sophomore solo album, We Cool?, to Weezer. The album feels like a perfect blend of the best parts of that band’s first two albums, with the pop sensibilities of The Blue Album and the emotional impact of Pinkerton. That said, it would be unfair to say that this album sounds like Weezer and leave it at that. We Cool? is an incredibly personal album, chronicling Rosenstock’s life as he goes through a quarter-life crisis. The upbeat nature of the music contrasts with the lyrics, yet simultaneously suits them perfectly, as Rosenstock thrashes his way through 12 tracks, delving into themes such as self-doubt, loneliness and death. He makes sure to hold no emotional punches on tracks like the depressingly lonely “Nausea” and the absolutely gut-wrenching “I’m Serious, I’m Sorry.” This is one album that should not be missed, not just for fans of Rosenstock or Weezer, but for rock fans in general.
1. Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly
Honestly, what other album could top this list? While some may argue about the lack of bangers, whether it deserves to be called an instant classic or about whether or not Kendrick’s preaching falls into a holier-than-thou attitude, I chose to focus on the actual meat of the album. And To Pimp a Butterly is still a phenomenal album. Lyrically Kendrick takes you on a journey through his life following the success of Good Kid, M.A.A.D City and how it relates to the average black man in America today. Meanwhile, musically the album takes you on a trip through black culture, covering not only hip-hop, but jazz, soul and rock n’ roll.
Kendrick manages to evoke so many moods and styles on this album, but they successfully fit into one cohesive whole. From the socially-conscious yet braggadocious “King Kunta,” to the depressing “u,” to the ferocious fury of “The Blacker the Berry,” Kendrick, really takes you through what he is going through and what he’s thinking. Whether or not To Pimp a Butterfly will truly go down as a rap classic is yet to be seen, but it’s undeniable that in 2015, no album was talked about more.