2015 Album of the Year
This blog has become a year-long obsession of mine. I honestly don't know if two people read this blog or if two-hundred people do. What I do know is that every time I listen to a new album, I think to myself "Is this going to be the album of the year?" Sure, it may only matter to me and the few friends of mine that will disagree with my choice, but it's still become this monster that must feed. This year was no exception.
Looking at the list of albums that I bought in 2015, some of my all-time favorite artists released music; Def Leppard, Fall Out Boy, Brandon Flowers (of The Killers) Big Talk (featuring Ronnie Vannucci of The Killers), TobyMac, Neon Indian, Hurts...just an absolute plethora of music. As I listened to each one of these artists' albums, I placed them under a microscope and tried to really determine if their album was worthy of being called the best album of 2015 and not just me being a fanboy and picking my favorite artist. You know, like those people who pick their team to win the Super Bowl every year knowing good and well that it's not happening. I hope that I have proven that I am choosing the right album and not just being a fanboy from my previous posts, especially 2012 when I chose Bruce Springteen over my favorite band, The Killers "Battle Born." Which I still stand by that choice today.
So enough of me trying to validate my choice for 2015 album of the year. Here are the albums that I will be making my selection from (in order they were released). Stick with me, the list is long.
Fall Out Boy - American Beauty/American Psycho [video]
This album was a complete surprise. I don't think anyone anticipated another Fall Out Boy album so quickly after their previous, "Save Rock & Roll." This album goes to show you that it doesn't take several years to produce an amazing record. This is a great album that took less than a year to make. I'd love to be surprised by FOB again with a new album in the next year. But I'm not holding my breath. There are so many great tracks on this album it's hard to describe. The only thing, and it's so petty that it's not even worth mentioning but, I really don't like how this album begins. I would have rather the album started with American Beauty/American Psycho or have a different intro to Irresistible. It's a good song. It just starts off strangely. But seriously, I think that is the only flaw that I hear in this record. I know people have complained about their use of samples and piggy-backing off of other great songs. I don't see sampling as a bad thing. It's just another form of artistic expression. Nevertheless, this album is a strong contender for album of the year.
Will Tucker - Worth the Gamble [video]
Will Tucker is a blues musician from Memphis, TN. I saw him perform at the B.B. King Blues club with my dad and brother back in 2009 or 2010. I can't remember. He was just a kid back then. A sixteen year old musician that was jamming on stage to some great covers and some original tracks too. His first album "Stealin' The Soul" is still one of my favorite albums. This one album however, didn't have quite the same spark as the first. For some reason it just fell flat for me. I enjoyed the first two tracks on the album but then I just lost interest. I hope Will Tucker can find that special sauce that made the first album so great and apply it to his third outing. Will Tucker is still a very talented blues musician but this album will not be the 2015 album of the year.
Imagine Dragons - Smoke and Mirrors [video]
I really enjoyed the first Imagine Dragons album and was very excited for this one. While I really enjoyed the songs on this album, it felt very disconnected. Each song is good on its own, but when lumped together, they just don't seem to work as one cohesive album. I have a theory that I've developed last year. My theory is that it takes a band three albums before they really find out what kind of band they are going to be. Imagine Dragons need to figure out what kind of band they want to be. Some songs are experimental, some are more subtle, some are just rock...I don't know if they really knew what direction they wanted to go. With all of that said, it's not a bad collection of songs. But not quite album of the year material.
Matt & Kim - New Glow [video]
Ya know...I love me some Matt and Kim. This is a fun poppy album, just like every other Matt and Kim album. It's a fun album with some really catchy tunes. It's everything you expect from a Matt and Kim album. What am I trying to say? Did I enjoy this album? Yes. Will I buy another Matt and Kim album? Yes. Is this album of the year material? No, sorry. While I enjoyed these songs, there is nothing revolutionary or ground breaking here.
The Wombats - Glitterbug [video]
This was a surprise for me this year. I downloaded a free song called "Let's Dance to Joy Division" by The Wombats back in 2008. It's a song that has stayed in my rotation ever since I downloaded it. I never went beyond that song with this band. Then in 2014, on a whim, I randomly looked up The Wombats to see if they ever released any more music. They had released two albums and had a third coming in 2015. Then a week before this album dropped Apple had it streaming for free as part of First Play. I listened to it and loved it. I pre-ordered it and still can't get enough of this album. According to Wikipedia, The Wombats are an alternative, indie rock, post-punk revival, new wave, band from the UK. They are on my short list for album of the year. (And if nothing else, they have the best album cover of the year. It's beautiful.)
Brandon Flowers - The Desired Effect [video]
It's no secret that I am a huge fan of The Killers and Brandon Flowers' first album, "Flamingo" (which I claimed as the co-winner of the 2010 Album of the Year). So naturally, I was very excited when I found out this album was being made. I knew it would have a different feel and sound than "Flamingo" because of the producer Ariel Rechtshaid, who produced Vampire Weekend, HAIM, and Taylor Swift. Brandon also said that this album would focus less on his hometown of Las Vegas. A lot of his music is centered around Vegas. "Flamingo" felt like another album from The Killers. This one feel like something else. It's more of a pop album. Nevertheless, this album has some really great songs on it. It took me some time to really become invested in this album. Now, I love it. Not a single song on this album that I would skip. This one is in the running for album of the year.
Big Talk - Straight In No Kissing [video]
If The Wombats have the best album art of the year, then the award for worst album art has to go to Big Talk. It's a good thing the music inside the album is much better than the artwork. The last Big Talk album won album of the year in 2011. I've thought of them as the best bar band you have ever heard. They just remind me of some band you would hear in some random bar. They may not be the most polished group but they do make some really great music. If you like rock. Just good rock, nothing extra, no samples, no overly produced electronic hoopla...just good old fashioned rock. Then you would enjoy these guys. Big Talk is the side project of The Killers drummer, Ronnie Vannucci. This album is on my list as the possible 2015 album of the year.
Kristine - Kristine [video]
I had been waiting for Kristine's album since I heard her vocals on the 2013 album of the year winner, FM Attack. This is a great album that has an amazing 80s retro sound to it. If you could go back to the 80s and play this record, it would fit in perfectly. Amazing vocals. Amazing music. This one definitely is in the running for album of the year.
TobyMac - This Is Not A Test [video]
So disappointed with TobyMac. I don't think I will be buying another TobyMac album. I loved "Welcome to Diverse City", "Portable Sounds" and "Tonight." But then "Eye On It" came out and it was just ok. Followed by this album and it's just really blah. Super vanilla album. So sad. This will absolutely not be the album of the year. Sorry Toby.
Neon Indian - VEGA INTL. Night School [video]
Of all the albums that came out in 2015, this was the most anticipated album for me. The first two Neon Indian albums are two of my all time favorite albums. I'll probably still be listening to these albums when I'm 100 years old. Neon Indian blends has a unique sound that you won't find anywhere else. It's not quite electronic. It's not quite pop. It had a 1980s feel but with 2015 infused into. If I'm being too vague or esoteric about this artist, it's because I can't quite explain it. Neon Indian is labeled as chillwave or synthwave. While this album is uniquely Neon Indian, it still has a new sound that is a bit of a departure from the first two albums. It's a clear evolution of this artist. I love this album. There is one song, "Techno Clique," that I think is just meh. It's not great. I think it could have been left off. I don't always skip it, but sometimes I do. I still consider this as one of the best albums of 2015. Is it the best? Maybe.
Modest Mouse - Strangers to Ourselves [video]
I had waited eight years for this album and it just kind of fell flat for me. There are some good songs on here. It's not a terrible album. I'd give it a B- or C+. I am a huge fan of their previous two albums, but this one just doesn't live up to it for me. I know many people who loved this album. They aren't wrong, just a difference of opinion. That is what makes this blog so fun. So, as you can tell, this is not the album of the year but worth a listen. You might disagree.
Hurts - Surrender [video]
I was eagerly anticipating this album. The first two Hurts albums were phenomenal. This one is no different. For those who don't know Hurts, according to Wikipedia they are a synthpop, new wave band. This album has some catchy and amazing tracks. I think my only gripe about this album is the strange intro track "Surrender." But the rest of this album is just as good as the other two and is definitely in the running for my album of the year.
Def Leppard - Def Leppard [video]
This Def Leppard album sounds like a follow up to Hysteria. Which is a great thing in my opinion. While I love when bands grow and evolve, and I love the music Def Leppard has produced since 1988, I do love the call back to what made Def Leppard who they are. While the music is great some of the lyrics are lacking on this album. Don't get me wrong. It's still a good album and it will be in my rotation for many years to come. But I just don't think it's quite up to album of the year caliber. And believe me, I wanted to write this blog and scream it from the hilltops that Def Leppard was the best album of 2015, but alas, it is not.
So that is the run down of the albums I was looking at for my 2015 album of the year. After going through this exercise, I have narrowed it down to the following.
- Fall Out Boy - American Beauty/American Psycho
- The Wombats - Glitterbug
- Brandon Flowers - The Desired Effect
- Big Talk - Straight In No Kissing
- Kristine - Kristine
- Neon Indian - VEGA INTL. Night School
- Hurts - Surrender
And now the time has come. I must make a decision. It is time for me to choose which album will be my choice for the 2015 Album of the Year! (Even as I type this...I am still trying to decide.) OK! Fine! I'll makes a decision. Here is goes...The 2015 Album of the Year is....Oh man...Fall Out Boy was so good but I hated the beginning...The Wombats album is great from start to finish....Not a single bad track on The Desired Effect....Big Talk could have been a bit better....Kristine loses some of its appeal as the album goes on...Neon Indian does have one song I skip...Hurts does have that intro I could have done without. OK! It's between The Wombats and Brandon Flowers. And the 2015 winner is...
BRANDON FLOWERS - THE DESIRED EFFECT
Check out these videos from the 2015 Album of the Year!
HERE ARE THE TOP 7
- Brandon Flowers - The Desired Effect
- The Wombats - Glitterbug
- Fall Out Boy - American Beauty/American Psycho
- Neon Indian - VEGA INTL. Night School
- Big Talk - Straight In No Kissing
- Hurts - Surrender
- Kristine - Kristine
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