I listened to 100 or so albums in 2015, but I only graded 60 of them. You never know which albums will grab you. Some years it's agonizing to decide which 20 will make the cut. This year it was easy. Though not all cracked my 80% grading threshold*, all top 20 deserved to be shared.
1. Sufjan Stevens - "Carrie & Lowell"
Eleven songs about your mother? Sufjan had a lot to work through, and the songs are evidence of his struggles. Beautiful, heart-wrenching and thoroughly impactful (especially when experienced live), Sufjan's latest easily takes the lead for the best album of the year.
Standout tracks: All of it except the title track :)
2. El Vy - "Return to the Moon"
I saw The National's lead singer on the album's artwork and knew I had to listen. I'm glad I did. It's signature Berniger lyrics over a highly satisfying range of musical styles by Brent Knopf (Menomena).
Standout tracks: Return to the Moon, I'm the Man To Be, Need a Friend, Silent Ivy Hotel, No Time to Crank the Sun, Sad Case, Happiness Missouri
3. JD McPherson - "Let the Good Times Roll"
Rockabilly is back in style thanks in a large part to JD McPherson's catchy and fresh approach to the genre. Perfect for warm days with your windows down and the volume up, it'll make any day a rocking good time.
Standout tracks: Let The Good Times Roll, Bossy, It's All Over But The Shouting, It Shook Me Up, Head Over Heels
4. Aero Flynn - "Aero Flynn"
Bon Iver's buddy was slated to play the brand new Eaux Claires festival this year, but I couldn't find a single thing he did. Finally, a few months before the concert, I bought his debut and was stunned. It was so good. He's like a pop version of Radiohead. You'd think he was a veteran it was so complete.
Standout tracks: Twist, Dk/Pi, Floating
5. Ludovico Einaudi - "Elements"
Pianos get me every time. It's one of my favorite instruments to listen to. Einaudi is a master of moody, minimalistic piano music, and I was putty in his hands. From the opening song, it felt familiar - like a long lost friend who'd just returned to my life.
Standout tracks: Night, Four Dimensions, Elements
6. BØRNS - "Dopamine"
His singles immediately captivated me, leaving me wanting more. "Electric Love" and "The Emotion" are incredibly catchy, and his debut delivers more pop goodness. Easily one of the easiest albums to instantly enjoy, BØRNS' debut set a high standard for 2015.
Standout tracks: Electric Love, The Emotion
7. The Airborne Toxic Event - "Dope Machines"
It's amazing how many avowed TATE fans hated this album because they dared use a drum machine. But that's the only thing they changed. Their passion and melodies are so strong on this album that nearly every song gets your head bobbing while your heart is tearing.
Standout tracks: One More Thing, California
8. Father John Misty - "I Love You, Honeybear"
The concept album can be hard to pull off. Sometimes it can be hokey, but in the case of FJM's sophomore album, it was sublime. Musically and lyrically, it was thoroughly enjoyable. It opens on a breeze of a song, requiring nothing more from the listener than just to listen and ride this lush stream tinged with nostalgia.
Standout tracks: I Love You Honeybear, Chateau Lobby #4, Holy S***
9. Beach House - "Depression Cherry"
You know a Beach House song just by its sound. It's warm, dreamy and familiar - just like a comfortable beach house would feel on a warm day. Their hypnotizing 5th album is almost perfect - nearly each song is meticulously crafted and executed. Whether you're swinging in a hammock or overlooking your frozen backyard pond, it'll make you feel warm all over. Not depressing at all.
Standout tracks: Space Song, PPP
10. Royal Headache - "High"
There's no guile or pretense with Royal Headache. They know who they are and hit the ground running with simple and catchy punk. With the exception of one song, it's an enjoyable blast of energy from start to finish.
Standout tracks: Need You, Wouldn't You Know
11. Wildlight - "The Tide"
I have Bandcamp to thank for this find. Wildlight's name sounded interesting, so I gave it a listen, and kept listening, and listened to it several more times as I worked and drove. It's hypnotic and moody but also upbeat to keep you hooked.
Standout tracks: Ours to Give, Holy Dust, Lily Moon
12. Lubomyr Melnyk - "Melnyk: Rivers and Streams"
This beautiful, meditative album is definitely worth a listen...especially when the artist says this about his craft, "When I play I turn into an eagle flying, a dolphin swimming, a cheetah running. I turn into the rain, into the clouds, into the color of the sky. I no longer feel my fingers at all – there are no fingers, there is no body. It’s just the piano and me, singing together.” (Guardian)
Standout tracks: The Pool of Memories, The Amazon: The Highlands
13. We Lost The Sea - "Departure Songs"
I judge a book (and albums) by their covers. This one snagged me right away with its lonely rocket blasting heavenward contrasting starkly against a dark foreground. I was thinking, "Please be post-rock," and it was! The excellent first track sucks you right into the band's struggle to express their grief at their friend's untimely passing.
Standout tracks: A Gallant Gentleman
14. Josh Ritter - "Sermon on the Rocks"
Catchy short stories are Ritter's specialty. Though "Sermon" doesn't have as much rock as I'd like, it's full of good and contemplative songs that'll stick with you and keep you listening. As the album title suggests, Ritter's latest is full of religious themes and explorations. The standout track is like Footloose distilled to a single song.
Standout tracks: "Getting Ready To Get Down"
15. New Order - "Music Complete"
The "Marie Antoinette" movie soundtrack was my first conscious exposure to New Order. Since then I've kept an ear open for their music. When I saw they released "Music Complete," the title suggested it was a "best of" set so I didn't listen to it until I read it was all new material. They came back at exactly the right time, when their kind of music is back in vogue. It's catchy from start to finish with some outstanding synth-rock tracks and only a couple ho-hum tracks. It's really good.
Standout tracks: Singularity
16. Chvrches - "Every Open Eye"
CHVRCHES faced an uphill battle after their stellar debut. How do they follow up that standout album? Their sophomore album is no slump. Though it didn't grab me as much as their debut, it's a catchy progression that shows them expanding their musical options while retaining the joyful sound that made them so enjoyable the first time.
Standout tracks: Keep You On My Side, Playing Dead
17. Caspian - "Dust and Disquiet"
Caspian is one my favorite post-rock bands, so I kind of freaked when I saw they dropped a new album. Keeping true to their signature style, they start slow and build up to explosive catharsis. My only complaints with the album is its rough recording quality (not as crisp as other albums) and a doughy middle where you can't remember what you just heard. Still, it's a solid post-rock album.
Standout tracks: Arcs of Command, Echo and Abyss, Darkfield, Dust and Disquiet
18. Murder by Death - "Big Dark Love"
Disclaimer: MBD is one of my favorite bands so my expectations for their releases can be unrealistic. Though not as catchy as some of their earlier albums, Big Dark Love shows them getting back to a diverse musical canvas (unlike Bitter Moon, which all sounded the same to me). Their unique form of Johnny-Cash-meets-spaghetti-western-rock-narratives is always entertaining, and BDL hits more than misses. I'm looking forward to where they go from here.
Standout tracks: Big Dark Love, Last Thing, Hunted
19. Lanterns on the Lake - "Beings"
I've never heard of Lanterns on the Lake until this year. I'm glad I found them. They're my kind of rock - atmospheric and moody. Even their drums are moody. The lead singer's voice is never hurried, steadily and confidently lulling you into their alternate reality - a place familiar, strange and so enjoyable.
Standout tracks: I'll Stall Them, Through The Cellar Door
20. Grimes - "Art Angels"
I love freaky pop, but radio-friendly tunes mostly bore me - hence why Grimes' latest is last on my list. Her latest has both. At first, she hits you with some excellent weird tunes, but then the middle dips down into radio-friendliness (except Kill v. Maim) before rising again at the end with more catchy weirdness.
Standout tracks: California, Scream, Kill v. Maim
What do you think of my list?
What were your favorite albums of 2015?
*(Note on my grading system: Every song is rated 1 - 5, and the sum of all song scores is divided by the total possible points. For example, a 10-song album has 50 total possible points; if the sum of its songs equals 40, then the album's score is 80% (40 divided by 50 = 0.8)