The tip top albums of twenty-five
1. Hotline TNT – Raspberry Moon
My top album of the year turned out to be a chance discovery at Vogue Theatre last May. I had never heard of them, there name was strange, there new album title sounded pretty odd. I had no expectations. And they absolutely blew me pieces. They have this hazy unplugged sound that just feels like you’re driving down a California highway in 1997. There’s nothing inherently mind blowing about the sound, it’s simple chords, simple vocals, and it’s a pretty standard four-piece outfit. But there is a real rawness there, that sticks with you. The songs from this album are playing endlessly in my head and it’s why I’m so frequently turning up the volume on Where U Been and letting it flip over to Was I Wrong? Break Right is another can’t miss track, honestly If you haven’t snapped up this record, please give it a listen and let nostalgia takeover: Listen to Raspberry Moon
2. Bahamas – My Second Last Album
Afie Jurvanen is such a national treasure. A perfect mix of guitar riffs and breezy vocals. Bahamas just never disappoints. Whenever a new album drops I know it’ll hit my top ten list, it’s just a question of how high it goes. I really enjoyed My Second Last Album (hopefully that’s not actually a true statement…) If you’re looking for the chilliest feel-good vibes this is one to throw on. I suggest The Bridge and let that roll right into Ready for a New Thing. I weirdly really enjoy this record when I go for a bit of a run or a walk on a nice Spring day. It just has all the vibes. Listen to My Second Last Album
3. Sharp Pins – Radio DDR
Another happy accident. These folks happen to be opening for one of my favourite artists at an upcoming show and upon doing a bit of blind listening, I really enjoyed what I was hearing. I’m not sure they sound like the Kinks, or the Shins or if they’re British.. I think they might be British. I do know they’d feel right at home on the Royal Tenenbaums soundtrack. If there’s one critique I have for this album it’s that the songs start to blend a bit and even though I know I like it, I’m not entirely sure when one song ends and another begins. Give When You Know a listen or Storma Lee. To be honest you can’t really go wrong with any track on this one. Listen to Radio DDR
4. Hayley Williams – Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party
Kudos to my coworker for reminding me how great Hayley Williams is. And sure, I was one of the 10 zillion high school dudes that had a crush on Hayley Williams. It’s no secret. We all did. I think this is her first solo album but you wouldn’t know it. She is such a talented singer, songwriter, musician. And this departure from Paramore feels much more mature. The sound is expertly arranged, it’s grown-up and that’s a good thing. It’s a very listenable record and has hits right off the bat with Glum and Kill Me. Listen to Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party
5. Pup – Who Will Look After the Dogs?
Always a high-octane trip right from the start of the record. I don’t listen to a ton of punk. But I make an exception for Pup because that sound is so distinct. It’s all gas no breaks, and let’s be honest sometimes you do just wanna put your foot on the gas. The tracklist on Who Will Look After the Dogs does feel a bit similar from song to song, but like Sharp Pins so many of the songs are so good that it doesn’t really matter. That being said, I really like Concrete. True to form they have really visceral yric style that is sometimes a bit much, but that’s what you come to expect with Pup. And I love that. Best Revenge is probably the hit on this record and it’s is really good too, very easy one to belt and yell out the window when you’re driving too fast. Listen to Who Will Look After the Dogs?
6. Blood Orange – Essex Honey
I kind of forgot about Dev Hynes. I listened to a lot of Lightspeed Champion back in the day. But was really happy when I stumbled across Essex Honey this past year. It’s got that experimental R&B and an almost layered jazz sound that is so unique, his lyrics are incredibly poetic and although at times, the layering can be a bit of a chore. This album hit quite a few best of lists, and it’s well deserved. I hope this gives Dev a bit more mainstream success. Vivid Light stands out as the track I keep going back to. That one and Somewhere in Between are the hits in my mind. Listen to Essex Honey
7. Japanese Breakfast – For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)
This is another really strong album by Michelle Zauner. Every album she puts out is in my opinion more expertly written, produced and arranged. You can really hear all the intricacies and layering. This album is a bit more orchestra and it relies a bit more on her beautiful vocals than her earlier pop-punk-indie records. And I respect that growth because Michelle has the pipes to carry it. I really like Honey Water and Mega Circuit and heck even Orlando in Love is a really solid track. I could probably move this one up the rankings. I probably should. Listen to For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)
8. Panda Bear – Sinister Grift
Let’s get weird. You’re never quite sure what you’re going to get with Panda Bear and that means it might be beautiful, it might be bizarre. Sometimes a bit too bizarre. But I’ll take that trip anytime. Praise kind of feels like if Pet Sounds went electric. There’s some great harmony and layering on that track, but it’s still unquestionably Panda Bear. Listen to it, you’ll see what I mean. Ferry Lady is that track that goes a bit bizarre, like something from a weird dream. I like throwing this album on as a nice change of pace from some of the other safer picks on this list. Listen to Sinister Grift
9. HAIM – I quit
I love HAIM. Like a lot. But sometimes I find their albums can be growers. They don’t necessarily stick with me right away, they need some time to ruminate. I think I definitely have that vibe with I quit. It’s a bit more heavily produced than what i’m used to groovin’ with HAIM and I’m not 100% sure there’s a hit on this record. There’s a lot of really good songs, but I think it’s missing something like The Wire or Want You Back. Relationships is probably the closest and I do really like Lucky Stars. That might be the grower right there. At the end of the day, it’s still HAIM and it’s still like really great. Listen to I quit
10. Perfume Genius – Glory
Glory is just a really solid indie record. And I always have time for those. Perfume Genius is very listenable from top to bottom. It’s something that will undoubtedly appear on Spotify playlists all year long. No Front Teeth is the song I’m digging the most, it has a way of jumping around a bit and the breakdown at 1:44 almost reminds me a bit of Pavement. You don’t really see it coming and it works so well. This is a happy album to stumble upon and while it didn’t get heavy rotation for me this year, I still dig it! Listen to Glory