The Only Music Blog: January 2016

As mentioned in my previous post, The Top 65 Sets of 2015, this year was absolutely great for new music. So many of my favorite bands came out with new albums. Some of those bands met my expectations, while others couldn't quite reach the same height.

Now usually I try to stay unbiased while reviewing all the shows I go to. That philosophy does not quite apply to this list. This one is more a personal account of my 10 favorite albums throughout the year, unlike any 'best of' list you'll find with other music publications. If you have a similar music taste to myself, I think you'll find some solid suggestions here.

Hope you enjoy!

HONORABLE MENTION:

Modest Mouse - Strangers To Ourselves
Florence and the Machine - How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
Joywave - How Do You Feel Now?
Robert DeLong - In The Cards
Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color

And for the top 10....

#10: Mumford and Sons - Wilder Mind

Now when members of Mumford and Sons inevitably read this list, they may be a bit disappointed. After all, their debut Sigh No More was my favorite album of 2010 and the follow up Babel was the 5-star winner in 2012. Mumford themselves are probably the main reason for the recent folk revival over the past 5 years. So placement at number 10 is definitely a let down.

It was a big decision for the band to drop the banjo and go electric for their third album. The end result is definitely different but I believe still enjoyable. More emphasis is placed on Marcus Mumford's voice and driving rhythm behind the tracks. Album highlight 'The Wolf' reaches a sound never before achievable with just an acoustic band.

Essential Tracks: 'Tompkins Square Park,' 'The Wolf,' 'Ditmas'

#9: Misterwives - Our Own House

I was fortunate enough to see this young pop-alternative group back at the beginning of 2015. Lead singer Mandy Lee performed four songs off Misterwives' EP, showcasing powerful vocals and a commanding stage presence. Lee won over the audience and promised a full length album for fans in 2015.

The wait was well worth it as the energy of this album is second to none. Mandy Lee's vocals are very unique and almost enchanting, inviting you to listen to every song. In my opinion, definitely the most powerful of any I've heard this year. The backing band is just as good, highlighted by a brass section that adds some variety to the album.

Essential Tracks: 'Reflections,' 'Coffins,' 'Vegabond'

#8: Third Eye Blind - Dopamine

As I've made many references to throughout the career of The Only Music Blog, I am a huge fan of Third Eye Blind. Therefore, I was ecstatic when the band announced their 5th studio album would be released in June. While the album does not have the hit radio singles of their early career, it is full of classic 3EB style tunes satisfying the long awaiting fans.

Album opener 'Everything Is Easy' proves that front man Stephan Jenkins still knows how to write a great hook. 'Shipboard Cook' follows the typical Third Eye songwriting approach with poetic verses and an exploding chorus. Hey, it might not be Out of Vein, but this album is pretty solid for the bands first material in six years.

Essential Tracks: 'Everything Is Easy,' 'Dopamine,' 'Get Me Out of Here'

#7: Will Butler - Policy

This is probably the most surprising album on this list. Will Butler is one of the founding members of Arcade Fire, and the brother to front man Win Butler. The younger brother was the first of all Arcade Fire members to release a solo project. The end result is a fun and quick album, very reminiscent of each album in his former band's discography.

Butler utilizes some pretty quirky lyrics throughout the album. Key example - "If I could fly, you know I'd beat the shit out of some birds" off of 'Take My Side.' He mixes many genres, and would definitely be entertaining live. My only complaint is that at eight songs and just 28 minutes, this record has more the feel of an EP than a full length album.

Essential Tracks: 'Take My Side,' 'Anna,' 'Something's Coming'

#6: Twenty One Pilots - Blurryface

2015 was absolutely huge for the 'skeleton clique' Twenty One Pilots. They roughly have 10 times the popularity now as they did when Vessel came out and won 2013's Album of the Year nearly two and a half years earlier. The follow up Blurryface takes off where Vessel left off - combining rap verses with sing a long choruses to find a combination that's true alternative.

Blurryface has something for everyone. Album opener 'Heavydirtsoul' sets the tone with Tyler Joseph quickly working through the lyrics as drummer Josh Dun impressively keeps the beat. 'Tear In My Heart' is probably the first happy song that the Pilots have ever written. 'We Don't Believe What's On TV' sounds like it could be a Lumineers' song. While the album might not reach the same height as Vessel, it sure satisfies fans of multiple genres.

Essential Tracks: 'Stressed Out,' 'Ride,' 'Tear in My Heart'

#5: Dawes - All Your Favorite Bands

No band had a better message in their album theme that folk-rockers Dawes. Lead singer Taylor Goldsmith came up with the phrase "May all your favorite bands stay together." This theme developed into the 4th studio album by this great Los Angeles band.

As is now the constant for Dawes, the tunes combine road-trip worthy lyrics with soaring background music. It's not uncommon for certain songs to have long musical breaks in between verses (I Can't Think About It Now). Nor is it out of the ordinary for songs to eclipse the nine minute mark (Now That It's Too Late, Maria). All in all, this is a technically sound addition to a band with an already amazing catalogue.

Essential Tracks: 'Things Happen,' 'All Your Favorite Bands,' 'I Can't Think About It Now'

#4: Noel Gallagher and the High Flying Birds - Chasing Yesterday

If you read anything about Noel Gallagher, the former guitarist and lyricist for Oasis, then you'll know that he's brutally honest. At 47 years of age Gallagher doesn't hide much, and that's seen through the album title and tracks on his second solo record. Noel might be chasing the success of his earlier Oasis years, but he has plenty of new material for fans looking for classic Noel.

The singer-songwriter opens his album with 'Riverman,' reminiscent of the acoustic cords to 'Wonderwall.' When Gallagher's vocals come in, he sounds better than he ever did during the Oasis years. Although the songs aren't on the same grand scale, his voice and the songwriting is superb. While Noel might not have new tricks to fill Wembley Stadium, any Oasis fan should be happy to hear any new tunes from the man behind all the hits.

Essential Tracks: 'In The Heat Of The Moment,' 'Lock All The Doors,' 'You Know We Can't Go Back'

#3: Frank Turner - Positive Songs for Negative People

As I've written about many times on The Only Music Blog, Frank Turner is the hardest working man in live music. The singer-songwriter has played over 1,800 shows in the past decade all across the globe. Those touring experiences have definitely left him with some battle wounds, and this 6th studio album is about recovery. It's definitely the most positive of any record I heard all year.

Opener 'Angel Islington' appropriately features lyrics of Frank 'washing his hands and cleansing his sins' to welcome the listener in. You then have 'Get Better,' possibly the strongest song about self improvement and referencing Frank's signature theme of life on the road. (road references in 'Out of Breath' and 'Demons' as well) As Frank sings, "come on now, let's fix this mess" on 'Get Better' and "Rejoice, rebuild, the storm has passed" on 'The Next Storm,' you can help but feel optimistic. Turner is a true believer of the power of song.

Essential Tracks: 'Get Better,' 'Glorious You,' 'Mittens'

#2: Walk the Moon - Talking is Hard

The most surprising thing about the second album from Walk the Moon might be that it was written by the four band members in a small isolated lodge in northern Kentucky. You would never know, given the high amount of energy from this pop-alternative group from Ohio. The entire album is a dance party, reminiscent of something The Killers would put out.

Of course the lead single 'Shut Up and Dance' brought Walk the Moon to new heights of popularity. It was a staple on the radio throughout 2015 and does give a good indication of the band. The remainder of the album is just a strong though. As we saw at Next Big Thing this year, Walk the Moon is primed to only get bigger over the next few years.

Essential Tracks: 'Different Colors,' 'Avalanche,' 'Work This Body'

#1: Catfish & the Bottlemen - The Balcony

I first learned of Catfish & the Bottlemen at the very beginning of 2015, just as they were releasing their debut album. The British 4-piece group is led by Van McCann and most resemble a young Arctic Monkeys. In fact, this is probably the best alternative debut album to come out of England since AM's Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. It's also the first debut album to win The Only Music Blog's Album of the Year since Young the Giant in 2011.

The Balcony features 11 songs, all one-word titles and capable of being lead singles. There are no filler tunes here, just solid guitar hooks, big choruses, and lyrics full of angst. McCann seems to spend half his time in the 'he said / she said' game and the other half trying to get the girl home with him. The album art is probably a good indicator of the album message.

Original single 'Kathleen' is very memorable and displays how nobody can watch a Catfish show sitting down. 'Cocoon' has some freeing lyrics and a gratifying chorus. 'Hourglass' shows off the softer and acoustic ability of the group. 'Tyrants' is just an insane closer.

While the popularity has not fully translated to the US, Catfish has enjoyed a year of climbing to one of the largest bands in England. Their set at Glastonbury this summer was the most shared set of any on the festivals website. They already have plans to play the 8,000 capacity Castlefield Bowl in early July 2016 and sold it out in less than 8 minutes. McCann promises fans new songs from a forthcoming second album to be performed by that point. I'm excited to see what the follow up will be like. But one things for sure, it's going to be mighty difficult to top this album. Well done Catfish.

Essential Tracks: 'Cocoon,' 'Pacifier,' 'Tyrants'

The Only Music Blog

Saturday, January 2, 2016

MY 'TOP 40' SONGS OF 2015

Friday, January 1, 2016

MY 10 FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2015