An album that seems so full of heart and heartbreak from a band that often hides behind metaphor. Seems to only get better with each intimate listen.
Fav Track: Burn the Witch
2. 22, A Million - Bon Iver
The way Justin Vernon creates soundscapes and pushes his music into different arenas is exceptional, especially since he takes his listeners along for the ride- expanding their tastes in the process.
Fav Track: 33 God
3. Awaken My Love - Childish Gambino
From out of left field, Donald Glover gives us an album so full of authentic but modernized soul that you kind of wonder what he can't do.
Fav Track: Me and Your Mama
4. Coloring Book - Chance the Rapper
Like a giddy heartfelt selection of short stories accompanied by a church choir. Chance has enough charisma to completely fill this album and many more to come.
Fav Track: All We Got
5. Simple Forms - The Naked and Famous
If you look past the dance-inducing synths and riffs on almost every track, you'll find a nuanced way of dealing with loss and hope for the future. The way Simple Forms plays with two sides to the same story via its dual vocal leads is fascinating.
Fav Track: Laid Low
6. Swiss Army Man (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Andy Hull and Robert McDowell
Innovative, captivating and most importantly able to stand on its own from the film- this album speaks to a range of emotions that just isn't touched upon in most music.
Fav Track: Montage
7. Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial
You feel like you're in the basement, watching the band record to their master cassettes. Gritty, lo-fi, and yet...relevant.
Fav Track: Fill in the Blank
8. The Life of Pablo - Kanye West
While most of the album feels like half finished masterpieces, somehow it adds up to glimpses of a self aware Kanye that feels new and interesting.
Fav Track: Waves
9. Sing Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Various Artists
The greatest achievement this soundtrack and film does is make you feel at home in a time period that you never experienced.
Fav Track: Up
10. Weezer (White Album) - Weezer
This album chugs away with such foolhardy confidence that it ALMOST fools you into not calling it a guilty pleasure.
Fav Track: King of the World