Music of 2015

I have spent a few years simply listening to a variety of playlists. I indulged the impulse to find new music ALL THE TIME. It was part of a collecting impulse – I could easily collect songs and artists into titled and organized playlists. Not to say I never listened to full albums of the artists I came across, because I did for a select few. However, my obsession was always with the novelty of a previously undiscovered song.

In remembering my youth, I recalled that I used to obsessively listen to albums with the booklet in my hand. I would reread lyrics and view the art. I wondered if my increasingly slim attention span had been affecting my musical adventures, though streaming services have provided this procedure of random playlists with ease.

I began putting albums on and hearing them in their entire context this past fall. It's been an immersive journey into the framework of various musicians and groups, and it, I think, has been ultimately more satisfying.

For the first time in years, I have a favorite albums list for a calendar year.

• Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color : This album is dynamic and sophisticated in arrangement and in song composition. They have a masterful grasp of sound! My favorite songs are “Gimme All Your Love” and “Miss You.” I love the raw power behind both. If you like Southern rock, you'll like this album.
• Torres – Sprinter : I feel ravished by this album every time I listen. Torres has raw sound and poetic lyrics. If you enjoy indie rockers or singer/songwriters with a steel edge, then you would definitely enjoy this album. My favorite songs are the title track and “New Skin,” though “Son, You Are No Island” amuses me to no end.
• Brandi Carlile – The Firewatcher's Daughter : I am in love with this woman. Her latest album is pensive, catchy, and powerful. She's a folksy Americana-pop-rocker with a mature sound and tell-it-like-it-is lyrics. I wish we were friends. Seriously. Fave songs: “The Stranger at My Door”, “Mainstream Kid,” “I Belong to You,” and “Murder in the City.”
• Halsey – Badlands : If you're a fan of CHVRCHES, you'd probably enjoy Halsey. They both feature saccharine vocals layered over electro-pop beats, though Halsey is decidedly grittier. I haven't decided which are my favorite songs yet, though I'm pulled most by “New Americana” and “Castle.”
• Waxahatchee – Ivy Tripp : Five stars for the band name. It's so fun to say. Waxahatchee. Love it. Anyway, I'm all for indie albums that are spare, artful, and intimate. Waxahatchee's latest album is all three. The vocals are delicate even as they churn out exposing lyrics. Favorite song on the album is “Bonfire”, a slow burn beneath a heavy haze of confessional smoke.
• Ibeyi – Ibeyi : These sisters bring about Afro-Cuban beats with an electro-soul vibe, and I love it. I saw them open for Angelique Kidjo in 2015, and it was a real treat to see these musicians live. (Not to mention Angelique Kidjo was AWESOME.) I would suggest checking out “River” and “Ghosts.”

Honorable Mentions:

• Florence + The Machine – How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
• Jill Scott – Woman
• Sleater-Kinney – No Cities to Love
• Hop-Along – Painted Shut
• CHVRCHES – Sometimes I Sit and Think, Sometimes I Just Sit
• Lana Del Rey – Honeymoon
• Wolf Alice – My Love is Cool
• Meg Myers – Sorry

And what's missing from this list that may surprise some? Bjork, who released Vulnicura earlier in 2015. Sorry, Bjork. We just didn't connect this time around. :(

Signed,

A Fan of Bjork's Earlier Albums (who still appreciates that Bjork experiments and pushes the envelope in music)