Every Christmas, my friend Adam and I rank and review our favourite
20 albums of the year, in a tradition that goes back to the year 2000. To qualify an album needs to be studio recorded,
full length, and released in the year in question. This is my list for 2015. I hope you enjoy reading it.
(20) NOTHING BUT THIEVES - Nothing but Thieves
Nothing but
Thieves have been
building a major following for the last few years, but went stratospheric in
2015: this debut record has deservedly sold bucketloads. The choruses soar, Conor Mason’s angelic
vocals are insidious, and the guitars are deceptively heavy for a record that initially
feels quite ‘light’ in tone. The wailing chorus of opener ‘Excuse Me’, the juddering
riff of ‘Ban All the Music’ and the 80s-tinged ‘Trip Switch’ are particular highlights. Nothing
but Thieves supported Muse on
tour this year, and it’s obvious why.
This is operatic mainstream rock of extremely high quality, and is
strongly reminiscent of Muse
(especially their early work). In fact, Nothing but Thieves have stolen Muse’s crown in this particular musical
niche, and done so without much of a fight.
Sorry for the spoiler, but Drones does not feature on this list…
sample track: Excuse Me
sample track: Excuse Me
(19) CARAVAN PALACE - < I ° _ ° I >
A record that is utterly different from anything
else on the list this year. Or any
year. Fancy a mixture of electro and
swing from France (with some Charleston, hip-hop and house thrown in too)? Well, of course you do: who wouldn’t? A joyful mixture of Daft Punk and Imelda May,
Caravan Palace are both utterly
cutting edge and reassuringly retro.
This is a record I would expect to be on a number of ‘credible’ album of
the year lists. It won’t be for everyone, but it is playful, adventurous and,
I think, completely unique. I’ve
certainly never heard anything like it before.
Album opener ‘Lone Digger’ is also the album’s best track, which is always
a dangerous move, as the only way is then down: but despite a few drops in
quality the record maintains a high standard throughout. Well worth getting for something completely
different.
sample track: Lone Digger
sample track: Lone Digger
(18) EAGLES OF DEATH METAL - Zipper Down
Of course, the events in Paris on 13 November mean
that any reference to ‘Eagles of Death
Metal’ in the same breath as ‘2015’ will be impossible without calling to
mind something truly horrific. As trivial
as it is to do so in that context, it is nice to remember that Eagles of Death Metal released an album
earlier in 2015, and it was an excellent one.
Zipper Down has all the elements that made previous Eagles of Death Metal records so good, the rock ‘n roll swagger, the tongue in
cheek attitude and some super songs.
Highlights are the self-aware ‘Silverlake (K.S.O.F.M.)’, which
brilliantly makes fun of the none-more-cool, and the pitch perfect cover of Duran Duran’s ‘Save a Prayer’ (which is
so much better than the original).
Dance-inducing fun for all: another great record from an underrated band
(still too often just dismissed as Josh Homme’s side project). Let’s hope they can move past tragedy and
record another one.
sample track: Save a Prayer
sample track: Save a Prayer
(17) WAND - Golem
The name of this band and of their second record
should give a reasonable idea of what they sound like: this is largely
psychedelic stoner rock. Golem is
all weird soundscapes and rumbling Black
Sabbath-esque riffs, punctuated by sudden bursts of punk (and occasionally
some odd electric beeps). An acquired
taste to be sure, and not likely to be bothering any album of the year lists
(beyond this one). Who cares, this is a
real find: Golem is a brilliantly unpredictable record, and much of the
joy is in seeing how the various elements are crafted together to make a
coherent whole. It manages to draw on
numerous influences from the 60s and 70s, but is very much its own thing, and
will surprise (and occasionally confuse) those adventurous enough to dip in. Heavy, trippy, awesome.
sample track: Self Hypnosis in 3 Days
sample track: Self Hypnosis in 3 Days
(16) THE LIBERTINES - Anthems for Doomed Youth
With Anthems for Doomed Youth The Libertines have picked up almost
exactly where they left off 11 years ago with the self-titled sophomore
record. For Libertines fans, this
reunion record represents very few surprises, but no disappointments. The song writing quality is still there, as
is the fractious dynamic between Messrs Doherty and Barât. There is not much evolution to
the sound that was already in place, but I suspect that was never on the cards
here: what’s pleasing is that this isn’t phoned in. Songs like the soulful but twisted ‘Gunga
Din’, the frantic ‘Glasgow Coma Scale Blues’ and the two beautiful ballads on
the record (its best songs: ‘Dead for Love’ and ‘You’re My Waterloo’) are all
undoubtedly as good as anything on either of the first two records. If you liked them last time, you’ll be so
glad they’re back; if not, then you’ll want them to go away again.
sample track: You're My Waterloo
sample track: You're My Waterloo
(15) COLD WAR KIDS - Hold My Home
Out way back in October 2014 in the US for some
reason that I’ve not been able to fathom, the most recent Cold War Kids record didn’t get a release in the UK until March
2015 (which I think means it qualifies for this list). Hold My Home is another superb
offering by this quality band. The song
writing craft is of the highest quality, with piano driven rock songs like ‘All
this Could Be Yours’ remaining Cold War
Kids’ staple. But there are – as is
the case on every Cold War Kids
record – a number of departures from their general template. ‘Hotel Anywhere’
is evocative of Vs/Vitalogy era Pearl Jam, while ‘Nights and Weekends’ dabbles with new
romanticism. There’s loads to love on
the record as a whole. Equally, it is
not as strong as either Robbers & Cowards or Mine is Yours,
meaning it places somewhere in the middle of the Cold War Kids back catalogue.
sample track: Hot Coals
sample track: Hot Coals
(14) FOALS - What Went Down
Not as consistently excellent as their last record Holy
Fire, perhaps, but What Went Down is another super offering from a
band that continues to grow. This is
probably Foals most adventurous album,
and, as a result, not all of it works.
The opening title track is fantastic: building, twisting, and morphing
into a brutal crescendo. So far, so
awesome. But then the second track,
‘Mountain at My Gates’ is a little plodding (like ‘My Number’, but with all the
energy sapped out). Hip shaker ‘Snake
Oil’ beats the best tracks on Zipper Down for swagger (with a chunky
chorus riff for added pow). The mellow
‘Birch Tree’ is another winner, with its off kilter bass line and signature
muted picked guitar (a chorus to sing along to). ‘London Thunder’, though, attempts to be deep
and meaningful but is actually just dull (get out the lighter – or, I guess,
smart phone – and wave it while bored).
Overall, What Went Down is two thirds of a truly excellent album
and a handful of missteps. But it gains
marks for its exploratory nature and the variety on show.
sample track: What Went Down
sample track: What Went Down
(13) IDLEWILD - Everything Ever Written
sample track: Radium Girl
(12) SLEATER-KINNEY - No Cities to Love
Sleater-Kinney
never really
got the credit that they deserved in the 90s/early 2000s: when they got good
press it was usually all about the fact that this is an all-female band with an
overtly feminist stance. Important as
that is - their contribution to the possibilities for women in rock music should
not be ignored – it sometimes seemed to obscure the fact that they were, more generally,
bloody brilliant. 2000’s All Hands on
the Bad One, in particular, was a masterpiece. Sleater-Kinney return after
a decade away, and pick up where they left off.
No Cities to Love is another wonderfully intelligent, self-aware
rock record, which is also visceral and immediate. Possibly their best album, and that’s saying
a lot. The lean title track and the
left-leaning opener ‘Price Tag’ are particular highlights. This is post-punk at its best: raw but
focussed. Fugazi wish they could make a record this good.
sample track: Price Tag
sample track: Price Tag
(11) DRENGE - Undertow
Drenge’s eponymous debut came in at
number 10 on my list in 2013. I loved
that record, but to be honest didn’t really expect much more: the glam-grunge
template they had perfected seemed to leave the two-piece nowhere to go. Album number two thus represents an impressive
maintenance of quality. Drenge have evolved into something
bigger and bolder with Undertow.
This is a band that is here to stay.
Synths, swirling reverb, and Ramones-style power punk (‘We Can Do What
We Want’) are added to the existing grungy mix.
The whole thing rockets past at 100 miles an hour, driven by some
notably excellent drumming. And then
album closer ‘Have You Forgotten My Name?’ suddenly shows that they have a
progressive side, all layered feedback and twisting melodies: hints of
something greater to come.
sample track: We Can Do What We Want
sample track: We Can Do What We Want
(10) UNCLE ACID AND THE DEADBEATS - The Night Creeper
Uncle Acid
and the Deadbeats are a blast
from the past, mixing Black Sabbath,
The Stooges and mid-career Alice Cooper, along with some truly
weird ‘this belongs on the Wicker Man soundtrack’ spooky synth work (check out
the unnerving ‘Yellow Moon’). The riffs
are mega, the era is bygone. The band
staunchly stick to retro equipment for recording (digital be damned), and the
results are wonderfully immediate: the record sounds like a live show
throughout. A bit like Wand’s Golem, this is going to
be an acquired taste: it’s weird and self-indulgent and not initially easy on
the ear. But there are hidden gems
aplenty, including the melancholic title track, the jerky, stomping ‘Inside’
and the slapped-with-kipper crunch of opener ‘Waiting for Blood’. Packed to the brim with ideas (even if some
of those ideas are 40 years old).
sample track: Waiting for Blood
sample track: Waiting for Blood
(9) CLUTCH - Psychic Warfare
Clutch are awesome, and every time they
release a record (this is their eleventh) it’s a time for celebration. The ridiculous but perfectly judged lyrics,
wonderful riffs and sheer love of peddle-to-the-metal rock never fails, and Psychic
Warfare is definitely no exception. Having
said that, the slight disappointment here is that, after ten albums, their
previous record (2013’s Earth Rocker) rather surprisingly turned out to
be the best of their career. It too came
in at number 9 on my list in 2013, but since then has grown further into a huge
favourite that I still regularly play (if I did my albums of 2013 now it would
be top 5). So Psychic Warfare had
an extra expectation to deal with than most Clutch releases. It’s not in
the same league as Earth Rocker, sadly, but it is a commendable follow
up nonetheless. When it’s good, it’s
untouchable: ‘Quick Death in Texas’ grooves its way into the brain cave, and
lead single ‘X-Ray Visions’ is a fist-pumping joyride. The quality does dip on occasion, though:
‘Doom Saloon’, for example, is as morbidly ponderous as its name suggests. But overall it’s another super entry in
what’s becoming an imposing back catalogue.
Go get them all.
sample track: Quick Death in Texas
sample track: Quick Death in Texas
(8) MINI MANSIONS - The Great Pretenders
I think Mini Mansions are best described as
swaggering electronica. They’re like a
mix between Metronomy and Queens of the Stone Age (not a surprise
in the case of the latter, perhaps, as Michael Shuman is in both bands). Things are catchy throughout, but with a
notable layer of dirt liberally sprinkled over it all. The versatility on show here is neatly illustrated
by the fact that this is an album that features appearances from both Brian
Wilson and Alex Turner. ‘Honey, I’m
Home’ drags, and feels like an afterthought (‘we need one more song for the
album!’), but every other track is super. The simple, guitar driven ‘Mirror
Mountain’ is a notable highlight, as is the melancholic ‘Creeps’. The stand out track, though – which is also
one of the stand out tracks of the year for me by anyone – is the perfect
‘Death is a Girl’. Well worth a listen.
sample track: Death is a Girl
sample track: Death is a Girl
(7) EVERYTHING EVERYTHING - Get to Heaven
Perhaps not quite as wonderful as 2013’s Arc
(which placed at 3 on that year’s list), Everything
Everything’s third record nonetheless cements their place as one of the
most interesting bands around. Their
electronic rock sound is bolder and more epic in scope here, and – musically – this
is a resolutely uplifting and positive record.
They have become way more adventurous and exploratory on Get to
Heaven. When it works (‘No
Reptiles’, ‘Distant Past’) it’s their best work yet. Nonetheless, this is a less focussed and
coherent album than either of their previous efforts. Lyrically, it is an evil beast, dealing
with dark themes like the rise of ISIS and the woeful outcome of the 2015
general election in the UK. Violence,
isolation and pain feature heavily, starkly juxtaposed to the euphoric music in
a way that works beautifully. Jonathan
Higgs’ unique falsetto remains a key element, but it is used less often here
than in the past, and so has more impact when it appears: a wise choice,
because the greater vocal range adds more layers to the songs. A self-contradictory record, which toys with
being a masterpiece before settling on being merely excellent. They are close to that breakthrough.
sample track: Distant Past
sample track: Distant Past
(6) THE DECEMBERISTS - What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World
You never quite know what you’re going to get with The Decemberists. The masterpiece rock opera of 2009’s Hazards
of Love? The beautiful folk of
career best Her Majesty the Decemberists from 2003? Or the somewhat dodgy previous effort from
2011 – The King is Dead – which was all twangy, twee country? What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful
World is, thankfully, one of the good ‘uns.
It is a streamlined and focussed record, which, in terms of back
catalogue recalls most obviously some of the more upbeat tracks from 2006’s The
Crane Wife. Admittedly, it is more
middle-of the-road than much of their previous work, based around an accessible
folk-indie sound. But this doesn’t make
the album feel anodyne, it makes it feel mature. The songs are consistently better crafted
than on earlier albums, while the lyrics, in contrast, are less self-conscious
and thus all the lovelier. Cold War Kids meats Beach Boys track ‘Philomena’ is a gem,
as is the ‘Lake Song’ (really soaring stuff).
A lovely, uncomplicated record.
sample track: Make You Better
sample track: Make You Better
(5) THERAPY? - Disquiet
Therapy? have been one of my favourite
bands since the mid-90s, and when I started doing these annual lists
were regular botherers of the top 5. But
it’s actually been a long time since they really produced anything that could
compare with their 90s/early 2000s output, and Disquiet is easily their
best record since Never Apologise, Never Explain way back in 2004 (which
came second on my list that year). The album opens
with the uncompromising ‘Still Hurts’, which recalls their Suicide Pact –
You First heyday of making a radio-unfriendly corporate-contrary
racket. But then it shifts, with the
second track ‘Tides’ being of a more soaring, High Anxiety style. Therapy?’s
back catalogue is now so extensive and varied that they can call upon it to inform
things track by track. Disquiet is
a varied but consistently excellent record, and a super return to form. Weirdly, its best track, and the best track
the band have written in over 15 years (as well as probably being my single
favourite track of 2015), is the album’s bonus track. ‘We Kill People’ has a riff to die for and a
wonderful lyric on the idiocy of the death penalty (‘we kill people who kill
people because killing people is wrong’).
Bonus track!?!
Unfathomable decision.
sample track: We Kill People
sample track: We Kill People
(4) TWO GALLANTS - We Are Undone
The unfailingly awesome Two Gallants return with
something a bit different. Their last record, The
Bloom and the Blight, topped this list in 2012: that record was rockier
than their self-titled masterpiece from 2007.
Here, that rockier focus remains, but is dialled down a little. We
Are Undone is a less po-faced offering, which is much more simplistic and
playful. Adam Stephen’s trademark picked
guitar folk-rock sound is still front and centre, and Tyson Vogel’s
drumming is, as ever, unbelievably good.
But the complexity of previous recordings is left to one side here, at
least to an extent, with the simple riff refrain of the title track showing
that less can be more. Similarly,
‘Incidental’ is a fairly straight-ahead rock song (about gender dysphoria and
the confusion it can cause in others).
Tiny folk oddity ‘Katy Kruelly’ recalls the wonderful ‘Broken Eyes’ from
the last record, and album best ‘Some Trouble’ provides an exuberant
sing-along, after a winding unfocussed intro. We
Are Undone is perhaps not quite as
all-conqueringly great as some of their previous work, but it is nonetheless
superb throughout. Two Gallants remain one of my favourite bands in general, but more
particularly are one of my absolute favourite live bands – very few can
compete.
Seeing songs from We Are Undone live injected them with
something more, and they sat nicely amongst the existing greats from the back
catalogue in their set list.
sample track: Some Trouble
sample track: Some Trouble
(3) SLAVES - Are You Satisfied?
An extremely late entry that has gone
straight into the midst of the top 5: this was released in the summer but I
only got around to having a listen and buying it in early December. In the couple of weeks since I’ve listened
to it around ten times a day. If I’d have
had it for longer, who knows, it could have made a push for top spot. These lists are necessarily a freeze frame: as
I type, this is still rising. What a
record. Simple but brilliant. Slaves
play punk. Not 90s pop punk, but punk. For good measure there’s some rock n’ roll
and groove rock thrown in, but this record is, quite simply, what punk sounds like
in 2015. How a two piece makes the
racket that they do I have no idea. Laurie Vincent’s riffs are consistently
fantastic, Isaac Holman’s Johnny Rotten drawl is hugely
infectious, and the lyrics seem really simple but in fact brim with social
commentary and double meaning. Well, it
is punk, after all. Drummers who sing
and stand up while playing are cool. But
then everything about Slaves is cool. To say it was a worthy Mercury Music prize
nominee is to downplay its brilliance significantly. I can’t see how on earth it didn’t win. The first absolute must have on the list this
year.
sample track: Hey
sample track: Hey
(2) COURTNEY BARNETT - Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
Last year I bought two Courtney Barnett EPs (together in one set) and utterly adored them
both. They weren’t eligible for the
list, of course, but 2015 saw her debut album’s release. I bought it with some trepidation as I wasn’t
sure how it could possibly be as good as the EPs. It turned out to be better than either. The Australian singer-songwriter is a
seriously impressive artist, and her songs are consistently superb in all
respects. The lyrics are outstanding
throughout (touching, funny and unique on every track), the guitar feels raw
and ‘live’, and the songs as a whole are all deceptively simple gems. Barnett’s
sound has elements of surfer rock and indie, but she really transcends
genre. Her band are super too (that surfer
bass is irresistible, dude!). Stand out
tracks include the ode to selfishness and human failing of ‘Pedestrian at Best’
and the twinkling and bittersweet rumination on moving to the country that is
‘Depreston’. But this is an album with no
weak songs and eleven brilliant ones. Another
absolute must have.
sample track: Depreston
sample track: Depreston
(1) FATHER JOHN MISTY - I Love You, Honeybear
There was really no
question as to which album was going to get top spot this year. Some years I agonise over it, but – aside
from the very late push from Slaves
– 2015 was all about I Love You, Honeybear. It is a record that I have played so consistently
often since its release in February that it had long been pretty clear that it was going to be my album of
the year.
Josh Tillman has used his Father John Misty pseudonym to ditch the minimalist
singer-songwriter approach of the past, and it has allowed him to grow into
something quite exceptional. I Love
You, Honeybear is a deeply personal record about Tilman’s life and his
relationship with his wife (at various stages).
For a record that is fundamentally about love it is honest to the point
of discomfort and eschews all of the lyrical and poetic conventions usually
associated with love songs. It revels in
human failing – both Tillman’s own and his wife’s – an approach that results in
some of the most original, interesting and beautiful lyrics on any record that I
own. It’s dark, but it is also funny
and, fundamentally, about joy. Music
journalist Mike Powell said in his review of the album that it was ‘so cynical
it’s repulsive and so openhearted it hurts’: very true, but this ignores that
it is also about going past those things.
Musically,
Tillman plays around with folk, rock, piano ballads and big band. There’s not a clear single musical style, but
it nonetheless all fits together as a coherent whole. The music perfectly fits the lyrical content,
and each track slots into its place in the wider album. Ultimately, every single track is
astonishingly good in all respects. Can’t
find higher praise than that for an album.
This is a record that I will be playing for decades to come.
sample track: The Night Josh Tillman Came to Our Apt.
sample track: The Night Josh Tillman Came to Our Apt.
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