This year I bought a really nice pair of boots and I saw an old man take a shit on the bus. Anyway, here’s a list of my favorite music from 2015.

     

20. Red Death: Permanent Exile

Grave Mistake

It's in my esteemed opinion that you should always keep a good thrash album close by. This album by these Washington D.C. stalwarts was my go to for 2015. It’s totally no-nonsense, heavy, and ear splitting with feedback that goes for miles. What more could you want?

     

           

19. Jeff Rosenstock: We Cool?

Side One Dummy Records

Jeff Rosenstock delivers, in my opinion, his strongest collection of songs yet. With catchy, Weezer-esque hooks and hyper specific lyrics, Rosenstock is able to capture a specific generational malaise without losing any shout-along appeal.

     

           

18. Downtown Boys: Full Communism

Don Giovanni Records

Downtown Boys thankfully delivered on their gigantic promise with Full Communism. Sure, it’s a short listen, but it's fun, angst ridden, catchy, paranoid and life affirming. Along with a couple of great covers, the band creates some eccentric and raucous punk rock tunes featuring ripping saxophone. Also worth mentioning: their live show will tear you into tiny shreds.

     

           

17. Valet: Nature

Kranky

There is no title that is more appropriate for this album. This is a record that is suited for summer drives, winter mornings and autumn nights. I'm assuming it'll be good when I give it a spin on spring evenings as well. Simply said, this album is beautiful.

     

           

16. Vacation: Non-Person

Don Giovanni Records

Hands down the most fun 2015 record about bodily decay and deterioration. Name another one, I dare you. This record is twitchy, delirious, and completely infectious. The lyrics are creepy and the instrumentals sound like an 80 mile an hour faceplant into a deranged fever dream. Drop the needle on this thing and fade away.

     

           

15. KEN Mode: Success

Season of Mist

Easy review blurb, but I'm going to go ahead and say it anyway: Success, indeed. With rumbling, Cop Shoot Cop-esque bass lines, attacking guitar, acerbic lyrics, and pounding drums, Success is an album with some serious steam to blow off.

     

           

14. Joanna Newsom: Divers

Drag City

Newsom throws out a lot of the vocal ticks and eccentricities found on her other albums here, but she maintains her firm grasp on songwriting and composition. What’s left is an elegant, dreamy listen

     

           

13. Waxahatchee: Ivy Tripp

Merge Records

Ivy Tripp is Crutchfield's most musically fulfilling and lush album yet. She’s not exactly pumping out arena rock, but it’s pretty surprising (and awesome) to hear such a homespun-type artist throw some simple and catchy hooks into her usual confessional songwriting.

     

         

12. FFS: FFS

Domino Records

It's fucking Sparks, dude. Well, Sparks and Franz Ferdinand, but it only takes one listen to this thing to realize that the Mael brothers were in the driver’s seat for this album. Featuring odd wordplay, the attractive wives of policemen, ample use of the word “piss,” and more, FFS has everything I want from a Sparks album. Over 45 years into their career and Sparks are still original, fantastic and irreplaceable.

     

           

11. Hop Along: Painted Shut

Saddle Creek Records

Screaming along to this album has done a considerable amount of damage to my throat. Anyone trying to emulate Frances Quinlan’s raspy vocal twinges will be making a huge and obvious mistake, but the hooks are so catchy that you can’t help but try.

     

           

10. Death Grips: Jenny Death

Harvest

If I ever get a job where I have to simply stomp on things all day, I'll play this album nonstop. At times sounding like the deepest and darkest of 80s hardcore and at other times sounding like something not of this planet, Jenny Death is an exquisite exercise in teeth-rattling sensory overload.

     

           

9. Julia Holter: Have You in My Wilderness

Domino Records

Call me what you will, but that part in "Sea Calls Me Home" where the saxophone solo makes a left and right stereo split to become two simultaneous, but different saxophone solos gets my endorphins going like nothing else on this list. For my money, it’s the most fist pumping moment of 2015. The rest of the record is great too, with beautiful instrumentation, an ethereal atmosphere and delicate vocals.

     

       

8. Tropical Trash: UFO Rot

Load Records/Riot Season Recor

An aptly named record, UFO Rot sounds like a dirt ridden alien's deeply muddy, dried out, and thickly caked skidmark. It's just as fun, too. This thing throws out quick, scuzzy punk tunes at a quick clip before shapeshifting into a stretched out noise odyssey in the LP’s back half. The most assured debut record I’ve heard this year.

     

     

7. Titus Andronicus: The Most Lamentable Tragedy

Merge Records

This album is as oddly affecting, messy and emotional as the mental depression it's lyrics explore. It’s also catchy as hell, furious and heart pounding. Whether or not this is truly Titus Andronicus’ last album remains to be seen, but if it is, it’s one hell of a swan song.

     

           

6. The Underground Railroad To Candyland: The People Are Home

Recess Records

The Underground Railroad To Candyland are back with more oddball anthems with funny, but oddly melancholic lyrics. This album is the sound of classic pop warped into an unrecognizable shape after being left out in the sun for way too long. This thing’s got astronomical replay value.

     

            

5. Circuit Des Yeux: In Plain Speech

Thrill Jockey Records

THAT VOICE. That deep voice that is so essential to Haley Fohr's music may be dealbreaker for some, but for those of you that can enjoy it have a beautiful (albeit short) journey ahead of you with In Plain Speech. Elegantly orchestrated and intensely implemented, this album takes the Circuit Des Yeux project to a more lush and incredible landscape.

     

           

4. Viet Cong: Viet Cong

Jagujaguwar

The band formerly known as Viet Cong released a cold and punishing slab of post-punk at the beginning of the year, back when they were the band currently known as Viet Cong. The album is hostile, frightening and finishes off with the 11 minute "Death," quite possibly the best closing track released this year.

     

           

3. Lightning Bolt: Fantasy Empire

Thrill Jockey

The only way you can improve Mad Max: Fury Road would be to use this album as the soundtrack. Tracks like "Horsepower" and "The Metal East" were practically made for homicidal desert chases. This is also Lightning Bolt’s most well put together album yet, with genuinely thoughtful track sequencing. Also, you know, it’s as pounding and thrashing as everything else they’ve done.

     

2. Kendrick Lamar: To Pimp a Butterfly

Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope

For his follow up to the rapturously received good kid, m.a.a.d city, Kendrick Lamar gave those of us who were hungry for more a lot to chew on. With excellent lyrics and fantastic, kaleidoscopic production (not to mention some great guest turns from George Clinton, Rapsody, Thundercat, Snoop Dogg and more), the album isn't just intellectually satisfying, it's a thoroughly entertaining listen. It’s one of those albums that you have to give yourself away to completely and trust in where it’s taking you.

     

     

1. Protomartyr: The Agent Intellect

Hardly Art

The King of France, early internet pornography, the devil, shady drug deals, even shadier Pope visits, and boatloads of esoteric Detroit references (The eyes of Kayrouz are upon you!). All are present on Protomartyr's phenomenal follow up to last year's excellent Under Color of Official Right. The album is simultaneously dark and uplifting while maintaining the band's lyrical wit and knack for wry observation. The Agent Intellect is an undisclosed theory about what the mind is actually made of. Protomartyr don't pretend to know the physical makeup of the mind, they just know is what it looks like when it falls apart.

     

My favorite EPs, singles, etc. of 2015

5. Sheer Mag: II EP

Katorga Works / Wilsuns RC

Anybody into punk, power pop, classic rock, soul and/or fun should find this one appealing. Let your hair down and see them live at some point, if you haven't already (and if you have, see 'em live again).

4. Flesh Wounds: In the Mouth [EP]

SNOT Releases

Just a great big pile of raucous, scuzzy fun. Let's hope they've got a equally awesome full length on the horizon.

3. Protomartyr and R. Ring: A Half of Seven [7- Inch]

Hardly Art

Yeah, the band that topped my albums list also laid down a great track for this split 7-inch. Don't let its format fool you, "Blues Festival" is just as vital as the rest of the band's work. But I would be remiss if I didn't mention the cool contribution of R. Ring, featuring Kelley Deal from the Breeders (she also appears on the Protomartyr track).

2. No Problem: Kid Killer [7-inch]

Deranged Records

Just a classic case of a band nailing down a style and showing the world what it can do. In this case, Canada's No Problem blast out a solid set of West Coast inspired hardcore punk. Don't sleep on this one, dummies.

1. Meat Wave: Brother [EP]

Brace Yourself Records

Yeah, "Brother" was previously released and a couple of the tracks ended up appearing on the band's great Delusion Moon, but this EP is such a fantastic demonstration of what this band can accomplish. They kick out some great, anxious tunes while staying located somewhere between sharp, Midwestern punk and stressed out noise rock. And, this EP's got a killer Wipers cover to boot!