*** Official Album of the Year 2015 Thread ***

[Herr Tubthumper]

Well, it's that time of the year again and Rough Trade have just released their top 100.

1. Bjork – Vulnicura
2. Father John Misty – I Love You, Honeybear
3. Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
4. Ezra Furman – Perpetual Motion People
5. Max Richter – From Sleep
6. Wolf Alice – My Love Is Cool
7. Kamasi Washington – The Epic
8. Royal Headache – High
9. Romare – Projections
10. Jamie XX – In Colour

I have made 60 plus purchases so far this year (40 plus gigs as well), it's been a bumper year for me with some memorable albums and shows. I have 4 of their top 10. I couldn't find the text version of their top 100 so if someone can paste it I'll be appreciative.

I'll get the "it's early, there's still 6 weeks of the year to go" and the "it's just a marketing ploy for Xmas" out the way so we can all concentrate on the task at hand.

Like last time I'm going to just give my top 5 otherwise I feel its more just a list of what I've listened to as opposed to the true highlights of my year.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

1. Joanna Newsom - Divers.
2. FFS - self titled
3. Hot Chip - Why Make Sense
4. Jamie XX - In Colour
5. Max Richter - From Sleep

 

[Mellotron]

Tame Impala - Currents is the correct answer.

 

[narly101]

I love this thread.

This year has been incredible, with a lot of returning artists, and some fantastic debuts. My top 10 (because it's been such a bumper year)

1) New Order - Music Complete
2) Lana Del Rey - Honeymoon
3) Torres - Sprinter
4) Wolf Alice - My Love is Cool
5) Marina and the Diamonds - Froot
6) Soak - Before We Forgot How to Dream
7) Chvrches - Every Open Eye
8) Jamie XX - Colours
9) Spector - Moth Boys
10) Evvol - Eternalism

And Gig of the Year was last night at Brixton Academy - New Order. Sublime.

 

[Gwylan]

I love this thread, It's a chance for lazy sods like me to get down with the kids and get a potted summary of the year.

I'm amazed to see Max Richter featuring so prominently though, I thought he was rather a specialised taste. I saw him in Brighton as a support act a few years back and didn't think of him as a major artist (I do, I have all his albums apart from the new one).

Surprised to see no mention of John Grant there - is the new album a bummer? It's on my Christmas list, will I be disappointed?

Top for me so far are Sufjan Stevens Carrie and Lowell and Tincian by 9Bach but am ready to have my ears burned by some goodies

(don't get the hype around Father John Misty though - really average to my ears)

 

[Simgull]

Songs to Play - Robert Forster absolutely the stand out for me.

Also enjoyed New Order last night in Brixton though not so much getting home at 1 in the morning.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Sebastian, Rover and the Clown - Blood Soaked Spaniel
Machine Gun Fire! - All You Need to Know
Robot Pigeons - Embrace the Hunt

 

[5ways]

Album of the Year : Art Angels - Grimes

Runner-up: Currents - Tama Impala

Honourable Mentions: In Colour, Jamie XX -- Garden of Delete, Oneohtrix Point Never

 

[Trufflehound]

I seem mostly to be liking Canadian music at the moment:

Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress - Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Sun Coming Down - Ought
Viet Cong - Viet Cong

Those, and

The Race for Space - Public Service Broadcasting

I'm enjoying the FFS album, but not sure it's great enough for year-end accolades.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

I'll limit mine to 5, bought around 60 albums this year also.

1. Tame Impala - Currents
2. Joanna Newsom - Divers
3. Father John Misty - I Love You Honeybear
4. Jim O'Rourke - Simple Songs
5. Julia Holter - Have you in my Wilderness

Is it me or is the Rough Trade list quite lame, I loved both the Courteney Barnett and Royal Headache albums but not sure they deserve to be in a top 10 given the other releases this year.

Are we doing to Christmas CD swap?

 

[spring hall convert]

(don't get the hype around Father John Misty though - really average to my ears)

Amen. Sounds like Travis if their lead singer was a smug sexcase.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Johnny Rektor - Songs for asylum
Felip Alonso - Kala Engulfo
Alice Monroe - Songbook for the Tainted

 

[narly101]

Album of the Year : Art Angels - Grimes

Awesome album, but not had enough of a listen to add to my Top 10

 

[Trufflehound]

Tame Impala are the ones getting mentioned a lot on here that I don't get. I find them incredibly plodding.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Awesome album, but not had enough of a listen to add to my Top 10

Not bought it yet but have tickets to see her next year.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Purely on speed of purchase and number of times played my number 1 this year is Mbongwana Star: From Kinshasa.

NSC has recommended many of the others I've enjoyed, in no particular order Hot Chip, Public Service Broadcasting, Zarelli ft Leonard Nimoy and Pokey Lafarge.

The two I went straight to myself without consulting the oracles on here were the new John Grant album and Guy Garvey's solo album "Courting the Squall". I certainly don't think any fan of either would be disappointed but neither breaks enough new ground to be Album of the Year contenders. Both are on heavy rotation at the moment round mine though.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I love this thread, It's a chance for lazy sods like me to get down with the kids and get a potted summary of the year.

I'm amazed to see Max Richter featuring so prominently though, I thought he was rather a specialised taste. I saw him in Brighton as a support act a few years back and didn't think of him as a major artist (I do, I have all his albums apart from the new one).

Surprised to see no mention of John Grant there - is the new album a bummer? It's on my Christmas list, will I be disappointed?

Top for me so far are Sufjan Stevens Carrie and Lowell and Tincian by 9Bach but am ready to have my ears burned by some goodies

(don't get the hype around Father John Misty though - really average to my ears)

I only recently got into Max Richter but really like it and am pleased to see he has a vast back catalogue to explore. I think he is a major artist, especially in his genre. John Grant album is very very good and probably my number 6. Its just that 5 other albums excite me more.

 

[spring hall convert]

I seem mostly to be liking Canadian music at the moment:

Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress - Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Sun Coming Down - Ought
Viet Cong - Viet Cong

Those, and

The Race for Space - Public Service Broadcasting

I'm enjoying the FFS album, but not sure it's great enough for year-end accolades.

There's some really cool stuff going in Canada a little below the surface as well

https://freakheatwaves.bandcamp.com/
https://unblonde.bandcamp.com/
https://fauxdiscx.bandcamp.com/album/nightstalker
https://fauxdiscx.bandcamp.com/album/faux-fur

 

[Gwylan]

I only recently got into Max Richter but really like it and am pleased to see he has a vast back catalogue to explore. I think he is a major artist, especially in his genre. John Grant album is very very good and probably my number 6. Its just that 5 other albums excite me more.

Fair enough. It's amazing that MR has gone from a support act (I think it was for Vashti Bunyan so it wasn't even a major artist) to be someone featured in albums of the year. I'm pleased as I love his stuff

And am back to looking forward to hearing JG now

 

[Pevenseagull]

Short list, off the top of my head

Jacco Gardner
Blur
Matthew E White
Low
Sufjan Stevens
Julia Holter

Winner

Robert Forster, "Songs To Play"