Best Records of 2106

Looking back over the last few years, this is the one post that seems to have endured. I do like to share my favorite records in the hopes that more people will listen to them and share their favorites with me. So here we go.

Malibu by Anderson.Paak
Brandon Paak Anderson's second record breaks the sophomore slump myth, in fact it blows it out of the water. This rapper from So Cal is the future of hip hop. He clearly understands how to blend old school R&B and soul with beats that could play on any pop radio station. "Am I Wrong" featuring ScHoolboy Q, is a dance song that I can't get out of my head. There are a ton of collaborators on this record, and Anderson.Paak produced four of the tracks. If you haven't bought his first record Venice yet, get them both.

22, a Million by Bon Iver
I will listen to anything Bon Iver is willing to put out in the world. We had to wait a little while for this one, but it was worth it. Before I first heard the record, I was concerned about all the chatter that was going around Justin Vernon's use of auto tune on this record. My first thought was why would a guy with one of the best voices in the world mess with it, but it works. There are 10 great tracks on this record, but if I had to choose a favorite, it would be "33, God."

Teens of Denial by Car Seat Headrest
Teens of Denial is why pop music is still relevant and makes our life great. Technically this is another sophomore record, but that's only half the story. Car Seat Headrest made several DIY records, and their first Matador record was a "best of" from those efforts. So, while this is their second record on Matador, it's the first one they put together from start to finish. This is a record I could not stop playing when it first came out. The songs are catchy pop songs, but they are also strangely complex, they start as one thing, but take strange twists along the way. Put it on, play it loud.

Lola by Carrie Rodriguez

Carrie Rodriguez is a fiddle playing singer/songwriter from Austin, who first made her name at SXSW in 2001. She has put out 12 records since 2002, and sadly this is the first one I have heard. It is quite a departure from her previous efforts. The songs on Lola are a mix of originals and traditional standards sung in Spanish, English and Spanglish. The record was inspired by her great aunt, Eva Garza, a famous singer San Antonio singer in the 1940's.  While this is quite different from her previous records, hopefully you'll be inspired to go back and check out her back catalog.

Blackstar by David Bowie
One of the biggest losses of 2016 was the death of David Bowie, but at least we got this gem before he left us. Only time will tell where this record ends up in the Bowie cannon, but it's amazing to think that he was still creating work on this level, as he knew the end was near. This is not a record of singles. You need to allow yourself the time to listen to it from start to finish. 

Blonde by Frank Ocean

Christopher Breaux was about to start college at the University of New Orleans (u-no) when hurricane Katrina hit. Instead of waiting for the city to dry out, he moved to LA to pursue his music and so far he has done pretty well. Channel Orange was one of my top records of 2012, and while Blonde may not top that record, it's still pretty damn awesome. It's a little slower and more introspective, but it holds up well over time and is a record that got a lot of play last year.

The Colour in Anything by James Blake

James Blake makes his way to the 'best of' again with his third record The Color in Anything. His debut record made the list in 2011 and Overgrown was a huge favorite in 2013, with the song "Retrograde" getting the nod for song of the year. While this record does not eclipse the work of Overgrown, it has grown on me considerably since the first listen, and I am glad to have more music from Mr. Blake. Coming in at 17 tracks, he has matched the output of his first two records combined.

A Sailors Guide to Earth by Sturgill Simpson

I know we have had this discussion before, but if Sturgill Simpson was the face of country music, you'd love country music. He is an old school, smart singer/songwriter who has nothing to do with the crap coming out of Nashville these days.  This record is a concept album of sorts; it was written for his new-born son as a guide on how to be a man. If I haven't hooked you yet, go to wherever you listen to music and search for Simpson's cover of Nirvana's "In Bloom." If you can't get behind this, then I can't do nothing for you son.

Astronaut Meets Appleman by King Creosote

King Creosote is Scottish singer/songwriter Kenny Anderson, who you have seen in the 'best of' a few times before.  2011's Diamond Mine is still one of my all-time favorite records. Astronaut Meets Appleman is more of what you love from Mr. Anderson. That's not to say he doesn't venture out into new places, but his songwriting and singing is a solid as ever. This record is not as tight as Diamond Mine or 2014's From Scotland With Love, it feels more like a relaxed small venue live set. 

Stranger to Stranger by Paul Simon

I heard an interview with Paul Simon when Stranger to Stranger first came out and he said this is his last record, which I seem to remember him saying after So Beautiful, So What. I hope that is not true, because he's still got it. The opening songs, "Werewolf" and "Wristband" have that classic Simon humor, coupled with a great beat. On the other end of the spectrum, the title song, "Stranger to Stranger" is a beautifully quite Simon masterpiece. I look forward to the next, last record.

Best Records of 2015

Here we go again, my favorite blog post of the year, my favorite records of 2015.  I think it's worth repeating a comment I heard from one of the music shows I listen to, these are my favorite records, not necessarily the most important, or best records of the year. Only time will tell on that measure.

25 by Adele
Let's start with the biggest, and most anticipated record of the year, Adele's 25. I am a huge Adele fan, and while I don't think 25 lived up to her 2011 release, 21, there is still a lot to love here. "Hello" is in the running for song of the year and it's a record that I've enjoyed listening to on repeated visits. I should warn you, I don't listen to commercial radio, so I didn't get hit with her songs a million times. It's why I can enjoy this record and all the songs I still love from 21 without going crazy.



Traveller by Chris Stapleton
Critic Ann Powers is a huge fan of this record, and I first heard it on NPR's All Song's Considered. I had not heard of Chris Stapleton before, but it turns out he has been around a while. He is a well known singer songwriter in Nashville and has penned songs for many well know country stars. He was also in a bluegrass band called SteelHead, before going solo. This is his first solo record. To me it's like that Sturgill Simpson record I loved from last year, country music for people that do not usually like country music (or do not like country music made since the 80's). Stapleton has a great voice, and his songs are instant country classics that take me back to the likes of Willie and Waylon or George Jones.

Black Messiah by D'Angelo
Black Messiah is that record that made me go back and buy all the previous records this artist has ever made. Sadly, this is only D'Angelo's third record in 20 years. His first record Brown Sugar came out in 1995 to huge critical acclaim, and then it was five years until Voodoo was released, all along the way there were rumors that it would be released at any time. Then he didn't disappear entirely, but every year, a story would come out that a new record was on the way. Fifteen years later Black Messiah finally hit the selves. The shorthand description of his music is neo-soul, where hip hop meets old school R&B - think Marvin Gaye meets Prince.

2014 Forest Hills Drive by J. Cole
Technically this is a late 2014 record, but I don't think very many people heard it until 2015. 2104 Forest Hills Drive is J. Cole's childhood address growing up in North Carolina. He is a smart guy who got a scholarship to college, but wanted to pursue music so bad he basically camped outside Jay Z's office until he got an introduction. It paid off as he was the first artist Jay Z signed to his record label. This is his third record; I was not very familiar with his earlier work, but from what I have heard this is by far his most personal record. And that is what drew me in, the stories he tells and honesty he displays are different and very refreshing in todays hip hop world. There is no false bravado here, J Cole put his heart into this record.

Carrie & Lowell by Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens is a critics darling, every record he puts out gets great reviews, but he doesn't seem to have reached a huge audience yet, maybe this is the record to do it. I think it can also be put in the "long awaited" category, as Stevens put out a record a year from 2000-2010, then took five years to drop Carrie & Lowell. The record is a collection of songs that explore the loss of his mother and stepfather. As heavy as that sounds, the music is not hard to listen to, it is beautiful and moving. It's a record that I kept coming back to, and finding new layers ever time.


Something More Than Free by Jason Isbell
If you have read previous editions of this blog, you will know I gushed over Jason Isbell's 2013 record Southeastern; it was my co-record of the year with James Blake's Overgrown.  Something More than Free is an excellent follow up, it's not as deeply personal, but there are still a lot of great songs. In fact "24 Frames" get's my nod for song of the year, with one if my favorite lyrics of the year: you thought God was a architect/now you know/he's something like a pipe bomb ready to blow.



Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Think by Courtney Barnett
Courtney Barnett is from Melbourne, Australia and she does not try to hide her accent. This is her first full length record, I loved her 2013 Double EP Sea of Split Seas, with one of my favorite all time songs, "Avant Gardner," so I was excited to grab this record up and it did not disappoint. It's pretty simple, straight-forward songwriting that reminds me of my favorite 80's musicians.






To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
Sometimes your favorite records also include the critics choice for best record, and this is the case with Kendrick Lamar's follow up to the excellent, Good Kid, M.A.D.D City,  To Pimp a Butterfly. It's an important record as well as a great record to listen to. "King Kunta" is my favorite song of the year, but "Alright" is the song that had the biggest impact, serving as the sound track for the Black Lives Matter. The record has some dips, but the best songs are better than anything else I have heard this year.



Sprinter by Torres
This is the second record from Mackenzie Scott, who preforms under the name Torres. She has a very powerful voice and there are great musicians and production behind her on this record, as she teamed up with PJ Harvey's crew to create a much fuller sound. That said, I think she owes more to Patti Smith than PJ. There are also a lot of religious overtures that weave their way throughout the record. Bottom line, Scott rocks and you should listen to this record really loud.



Vulnicura by Bjork
Last but certainly not least is the latest release from the enigmatic Bjork, Vulnicura.  I first saw Bjork perform as part of the Sugarcubes back when I was in college, and I would never have guessed that she'd be the one making amazing music almost 30 years later. I don't have all her records, but I the ones I do have I really love, and this is a great addition. If 21 was how Adele does breakup songs, Vulnicura is how Bjok does them. It's an intense record and deserves multiple listenings.

Best Records of 2014

I am sorry this is the only thing I every update on this blog, but for some reason music is the one thing I still feel inspired to share an opinion on, so here we go. These are the 10 records for 2014:

Lift Your Spirit by Aloe Blacc
Nathaniel Dawkins, aka Aloe Blacc, released an amazing follow up to one of my 2010 favorites Good Things called Lift Your Spirit. If you were listening to the radio, there is no doubt you heard  the huge hit "The Man"and you may also recognize a stripped down acoustic version of his even bigger hit "Wake me Up" that was originally released as a EDM single with Avicii.  There is a lot to love on this record beyond the hits, like "Love is the Answer" with Pharrell Williams. This is an easy record to put at the top of the list.

Metamodern Sounds in Country Music by Sturgill Simpson
Several critics called this record, country music for people that don't like country music. That may be true, but I like country music, old-school country that is, and I love this record. If Nashville put out more records like this everyone would love country music.  Not only is this one of my favorite records, "Turtles All the Way Down" is in my top three singles and to get even more granular this song has the best line I have heard in a  song in years, "There's a gateway in our mind that leads somewhere out there beyond this plane/Where reptile aliens made of light cut you open and pull out all your pain." I think we are done here.

Sylvan Esso by Sylvan Esso
Sylvan Esso is the debut album from North Carolina duo Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn; she is the singer/songwriter best known as a member of Appalachian indie folk trio Mountain Man, and he is an electronic producer and bass player for country-psych rockers Megafaun. This is a beautiful record, but somehow I am surprised every time one of their songs, pops up on the iTunes shuffle. I suspect you will love the lead track "Hey Miami" which got some radio play, and the sexy fun cut "H.S.K.T." Very catchy, enjoyable pop music, with a little bit of a dark edge.

Morning Phase by Beck
If I remember correctly this record won the 2015 Grammy for record of the year and there was a big controversy. Kanye West, who we all love to hate, said he should have given the award to Beyonce. Well I respectfully disagree Mr. West, but I am still amazed that an institution as banal as the Grammys finally recognized a genius like Beck. I think I have all his records and I recently went back and listened to them back to back. This is an amazing exercise I strongly encourage, the growth this man has shown us as an artist is truly amazing.  Thank you Beck for staying amazing.

Built on Glass by Chet Faker
I don't remember where I heard about this record, but it was in heavy rotation last year - I am a sucker for the white soul boys. Australian electronica artist Nick Murphy grew up listening to the jazz great Chet Baker, thus the name Chet Faker.  He writes, performs and produces all his own music. If you liked my Beck recommendation, this is a younger, slightly deeper version of that record.

From Scotland With Love... by King Creosote
I first discovered Kenny Anderson, AKA King Creosote, in 2011 with the release of Diamond Mine one of my all time favorite records. Mr. Anderson is a prolific artist, releasing over two dozen CDs on his own label, and playing in several bands. Unfortunately he does not seem to tour much outside of Europe, and the last time I was in Scotland I missed him by two days. This record is a wonderful compliment to his discography.  Commissioned by the BBC and arts initiative Creative Scotland, it is a unique collaborative work with filmmaker Virginia Heath where Anderson provides a sort of conceptual soundtrack to Heath's moving documentary comprised entirely of archival footage depicting Scottish history.

Soul Power by Curtis Harding
I really love this record and it stretches the offerings a little bit. Curtis Harding built his career collaborating with OutKast and Cee Lo Green as a writer, producer and back up singer. Then he met up with Cole Alexander, guitarist with garage punks the Black Lips, and they discovered they both had a passion for vintage Southern soul. After a a few independent releases, we get to his solo debut Soul Power, an old school soul record, with a a few tunes that rock out.  This record will take you back to the 60's and 70's, but it has a modern edge that keeps it fresh.

A Sea of Split Peas by Courtney Barnett
Courtney Barnett is another Aussie I fell in love with this year, although this record technically came out in 2013. In fact, this is a double EP that combines several previously released songs. Witty, simple songs that are very easy to like. I never imagined one of my favorite songs of the year, would be about an asthma attack, but "Avant Gardner" is great storytelling, and you'll be singing the line, "I'm having trouble breathing in" long after the song is over. Ms. Barnett already has a follow up record out, Sometimes I Sit And Think, Sometimes I Just Sit, that will probably make next years list.

They Want My Soul by Spoon
Will every record Spoon put out be on my year end top 10? Yes. Because they still kick ass, and they are still putting out amazing records. After a four year lay off, Spoon are back with energy and a new keyboard player. In the interim primary songwriter Britt Daniels formed Divine Fits and the sound has rubbed off on this record. Daniel may sound a little paranoid, but clearly something is haunting him, as more than half of these songs are about people who want a piece of Daniels. Even though Spoon has moved to a major label, the indie sound remains, just a little tightened up.

St. Vincent by St. Vincent
I have saved the best for last, the album of the year for 2014: St. Vincent by St. Vincent. Before we get into the music, it's worth noting Annie Clark's transformation from guitar nerd to performance artist/guitar virtuoso. This is the best concert I saw in 2014, I haven't been that energized in years. Ms. Clark stayed in character the entire show, a show that would blow Madonna or Laurie Anderson off the stage. Meanwhile the songs rocked like we were at a Ramones show.  I was starting to worry that David Byrne had inhabited her body after their 2013 collaboration Love This Giant, but in a 30 minute NPR interview, I heard after the tour, the Texas girl we know and love came back to the surface.