Best albums of 2016 (1 Viewer)

[El Floppo]

Nice, new Japandroids and The Men!

Really digging the Public Access T.V. album; RIYL Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, The Cars 

same.

been a year of post-punk, guitar driven stuff revival.

 

[Northern Voice]

same.

been a year of post-punk, guitar driven stuff revival.

I really like this Public Access TV album as well, what others have you liked in that vein Floppo?

 

[El Floppo]

I really like this Public Access TV album as well, what others have you liked in that vein Floppo?

last year's Hooton Tennis Club is similar, this year- Sundara Karma, and also... Oscar, The Castillians, VANT, Yak, American Wrestlers

 

[simsarge]

Probably need to turn in my man card for this, but my daughter has me listening to Pentatonix. Squeaky clean, acapella group with some nice harmonies. I've heard much much worse.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

Really digging the Public Access T.V. album; RIYL Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, The Cars 

Sounds right up my alley---looking forward to hearing it.  Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

I really like this Public Access TV album as well, what others have you liked in that vein Floppo?

This is pretty good. Reminds me of Viola Beach from earlier this year I think. Sad story (the band was killed in a car crash) but a decent album. 

 

[Ketamine Dreams]

Really like the new Against Me album. 

 

[Eephus]

I am enjoying "Utopia Defeated" by Australian songwriter D.D. Dumbo.   He's a solo performer whose live schtick is to build his songs up from loops.  His album still has deeply layered tracks but he's further sweetened it with a variety of mostly acoustic instruments. 

There's a bit of Talking Heads, some East African sounds and a voice that is very Stingish but it's a more original sound that you tend to get in these referential times.  Even when Dumbo settles in a groove, there are bursts of sound that appear at odd times and from odd angles to keep things fresh. 

 

[Northern Voice]

Rough Trade gets things started with their best albums of the year list:

Spoiler

On their website, Rough Trade went on to list their top 100 records of 2016 – featuring the likes of Radiohead, David Bowie, Christine & The Queens, Nick Cave, Bat For Lashes, Danny Brown and many more:

Post Pop Depression – Iggy Pop
Malibu – Anderson .Paak
Midwest Farmer’s Daughter – Margo Price
Under the Sun – Mark Pritchard
Changes – Charles Bradley
Hopelessness – Anohni
A Weird Exits – Thee Oh Sees
My Woman – Angel Olsen
Sport- Powell
Teens of Denial – Car Seat Headrest
Skeleton Tree- Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
A Moon Shaped Pool – Radiohead
The Waiting Room – Tindersticks
Blackstar – David Bowie
Utopia Defeated – D D Dumbo
Chaleur Humaine – Christine and the Queens
Love and Hate – Michael Kiwanuka
Leave Me Alone – Hinds
Guilty of Love – Unloved
void beats / invocation trex – Cavern of Anti Matter
IV – Black Mountain
The Soft Bounce – Beyond The Wizards Sleeve
One – Be
Spiritual Songs for Lovers to Sing – LUH
Let Them Eat Chaos – Kate Tempest
Human Ceremony – Sunflower Bean
Hold / Still – Suuns
Singing Saw – Kevin Morby
Golden Sings That Have Been Sung – Ryley Walker
Minor Victories – Minor Victories
25 25 – Factory Floor
How to be a Human Being – Glass Animals
Hit Reset – The Julie Ruin
Eusa – Yann Tiersen
Until the Hunter – Hope Sandoval and The Warm Inventions
Lowtide – Lowtide
Choose Your Own Adventure – Vanishing Twin
Adore Life – Savages
Why Are You OK – Band Of Horses
Tired of Tomorrow – Nothing
The Ship – Brian Eno
Goggs – Goggs
Earth Into Aether – Bill Baird
Sirens – Nicolas Jaar
Calico Review – Allah-las
RR7349 – S U R V I V E
Boy King – Wild Beasts
Flotus – Lambchop
Never Enough – Public Access TV
Blank Face – Schoolboy Q
22, A Million – Bon Iver
Savoy Motel – Savoy Motel
Max Jury – Max Jury
Blisters In The Pit Of My Heart – Martha
City Sun Eater In The River Of Light – Woods
Everything You’ve Come To Expect and The Dream Synopsis – The Last Shadow Puppets
The Wilderness – Explosions In The Sky
Light Upon The Lake – Whitney
The Bride – Bat For Lashes
The Album Paranoia – Ulrika Spacek
The Glowing Man – Swans
Konnichiwa – Skepta
American Band – Drive By Truckers
Treasure House – Cat’s Eyes
Remain Calm – Mica Levi and Oliver Coates
High On Tulsa Heat – John Moreland
Barbara Barbara, We Face A Shining Future – Underworld
Mosey – Daniel Romano
Visions of Us on the Land – Damien Jurado
For All We Know – Nao
Good Luck and Do Your Best – Gold Panda
Here – Teenage Fanclub
Puberty 2 – Mitski
IV – BadBadNotGood
Blood ##### – Jenny Hval
99.9% – Kaytranada
Wildflower – The Avalanches
The Visitor – Kadhja Bonet
Songs For Our Mothers – Fat White Family
Up To Anything – The Goon Sax
Atrocity Exhibition – Danny Brown
Freetown Sound – Blood Orange
Fading Lines – Amber Arcades
Impuros Fanáticos – Fumaça Preta
Don’t Let the Kids Win – Julia Jacklin
Not To Disappear – Daughter
Blossoms – Blossoms
Animals – Not Waving
Crab Day – Cate Le Bon
Introducing Karl Blau – Karl Blau
A Sailors Guide To Earth – Sturgill Simpson
Distance Inbetween – The Coral
Too Many Voices – Andy Stott
New Ways Out – Belbury Poly
Heads Up – Warpaint
Fires Within Fires – Neurosis
2013 – Meilyr Jones
Imarhan – Imarhan
When You Walk A Long Distance You Are Tired – Mothers

Read more at http://www.nme.com/news/music/rough-trade-announce-top-100-albums-2016-1857836#t6m0kQTvao5zvFjY.99

 

[AhrnCityPahnder]

Whats the verdict on the new Tribe Called Quest?  I haven't heard it yet.  

 

[Eephus]

Whats the verdict on the new Tribe Called Quest?  I haven't heard it yet.  

Not their best but still one of the best things that happened in the past week.  Some good cuts with a bunch of fillerish stuff on side two.

 

[Northern Voice]

So, I've gone about 95% legit (Spotify Premium) but I did occasionally fall back on torrents for some stuff. specifically what.cd which was shut down, apparently for good today. Any viable alternatives?

 

[Northern Voice]

I don't know if I ever posted it in here but this year's Wintersleep album "The Great Detachment" is really good. 

I just posted "Spirit" in the "recent song you love" thread, but also "America", "Santa Fe", "Lifting Cure" are good ones to check out to see if you want to listen to the album. In terms of describing the album, it's similar IMO, with its big choruses and swelling songs and lots of instruments to Funeral era Arcade Fire (but it's not that good).

 

[Northern Voice]

I will definitely vouch for Operators.  

Getting close to year end, so I'm going to post a couple songs from a few of my other favourites of the year, hopefully some other people do to.

Opeators is Dan Boeckner's (Wolf Parade, Handsome Furs, Divine Fits etc...) band. Their 2016 album is called Blue Wave. This review is decent:

On their full-length debut, Blue Wave, the group continue to evolve thanks to sonic and lyrical references to New Order, David Bowie and LCD Soundsystem. While the record risks being overshadowed by Wolf Parade's upcoming reunion, its consistently catchy tunes ensure that it stands out on its own. Crystalline synths and pounding rhythms are now complemented by bleating saxophones and new wave bass lines. These elements, combined with plenty of reverb and distortion, add a disorienting chill to tracks like "Control" and "Mission Creep." Though Operators spend a lot of time on Blue Wave looking back at their past (memories, influences, Boeckner's older works), the compositions evoke a propulsive sense of immediacy, especially on highlights "Shape of Things," "Nobody" and "Evil." Blue Wave delivers what its name suggests: dance music for depressives, a pity party that's an actual party. Packed with tight hooks, this record adds plenty of new songs to Operators' repertoire that are sure to keep the crowds dancing late into the night.

Cold Light was the first single and the "hit", it's in a Toyota commercial up here, not sure if that one's airing in the states.

Here's Nobody and my favourite "Space Needle", which unfortunately doesn't have a studio version on Youtube

 

[El Floppo]

Solids EP is good

eta: superchunk, dino jr, etc.

 

[El Floppo]

Solids EP is good

eta: superchunk, dino jr, etc.

speaking of- this year's Dino Jr is really good.

 

[Northern Voice]

Rob Mitchum (who I follow on Twitter) has a spreadsheet going for all end of year lists here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qoiuqi8DzKgT2KVUKJBR7Xdo2dFNF8WT7uO9gtvoyFI/edit#gid=0

---

Bowie's going to be #1 on a ton of lists, isn't he?

 

[Parmcat]

Even though they haven't broke huge in the US yet, July Talks second album "Touch" is excellent

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

WORRY. by Jeff Rosenstock. You should listen to it. 

 

[Northern Voice]

I am digging Cymbals eat Guitars.

Cymbals Eat Guitars is good too. 

Floppo I assume you're all over Preoccupations. 

I was just going to post here about this one too.  Love it.

I'm way late on it but I LOVE the Cymbals Eat Guitars album, might be my favourite of the year. Preoccupations is really good too. 

 

[Fly]

I guess technically the album is out in February but I'm surprised no one has mentioned the new track from The Orwells, "They Put A Body In The Bayou".

 

[El Floppo]

I guess technically the album is out in February but I'm surprised no one has mentioned the new track from The Orwells, "They Put A Body In The Bayou".

oh- thought I did. it's good. looking forward to the album.

 

[Brony]

So little time for new music this year. 

Really enjoying public access TV.  Ultimate painting is also pretty damn good. 

Been listening to that operators album a lot. Good stuff 

 

[El Floppo]

new Tyvek is good, lo-fi garagey goodness.

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

I'm sort of a metal idiot and I'm still figuring out what I like but Alcest's Kodama is really good. I've never listened to them but I'm going to check out their old ####. RIYL Deafheaven. 

 

[El Floppo]

spotify pointed me towards Canshaker Pi... dutch guitary outfit (sings in english) in my post-punk/garagey wheelhouse.

 

[JZilla]

Along the veins of Wintersleep, or maybe an Alberta Cross, the new Divine Weeks is pretty tight.. their last one was only 25 years ago.. they're like the anti-Ty

 

[ericttspikes]

The Stones Blue & Lonesome is great. Probably the best thing they've done in 20+ years.

 

[Apple Jack]

The Stones Blue & Lonesome is great. Probably the best thing they've done in 20+ years.

Some Girls was nearly 40 years ago. It is ####### awesome. All the raunch and swagger. I saw a Keith quote that it is Mick's best record ever. I'm not sure I'm there yet, but it's close. Easily the best record I've heard this year. (I haven't heard many)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEuV82GqQnE

 

[El Floppo]

The Stones Blue & Lonesome is great. Probably the best thing they've done in 20+ years.

Some Girls was nearly 40 years ago. It is ####### awesome. All the raunch and swagger. I saw a Keith quote that it is Mick's best record ever. I'm not sure I'm there yet, but it's close. Easily the best record I've heard this year. (I haven't heard many)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEuV82GqQnE

huh. guess I should listen to this all the way through. the few tunes I've heard have been underwhelming.

 

[Apple Jack]

huh. guess I should listen to this all the way through. the few tunes I've heard have been underwhelming.

I guess you might need to come to it already digging that x factor thing the Stones do. To me it sounds like Chicago meets the delta overdriven through an old Silvertone, early White Stripes style. It's right there at the edge. I'm not generally a Don Was fan, and I don't know to what extent he gets credit for it, but I could not love the mix any more. Especially Keith's and Ronnie's guitars.

 

[El Floppo]

I guess you might need to come to it already digging that x factor thing the Stones do. To me it sounds like Chicago meets the delta overdriven through an old Silvertone, early White Stripes style. It's right there at the edge. I'm not generally a Don Was fan, and I don't know to what extent he gets credit for it, but I could not love the mix any more. Especially Keith's and Ronnie's guitars.

love beggars' banquet, some girls, sticky fingers... and most of the albums inbetween. I'm at a point with my tinnitus and lack of quality soundsystem where I don't care at all about production value/mix. but I'll check 'er out.

speaking of old-timey bands...

Wire, Dino Jr and to a lesser degree GBV all put really good albums this year.

 

[Northern Voice]

speaking of old-timey bands...

Wire, Dino Jr and to a lesser degree GBV all put really good albums this year.

I like Mudcrutch - 2. essentially a straight ahead 70s Tom Petty rock album.

 

[Apple Jack]

love beggars' banquet, some girls, sticky fingers... and most of the albums inbetween. I'm at a point with my tinnitus and lack of quality soundsystem where I don't care at all about production value/mix. but I'll check 'er out.

speaking of old-timey bands...

Wire, Dino Jr and to a lesser degree GBV all put really good albums this year.

Still haven't heard the GBV record. I liked the handful of songs I heard live.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

I really like this Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam album (Walkmen singer and Vampire Weekend guy). Right near the top of my favourites for the year.

I finally got around to hearing this a few times over the past couple of weeks--love it.   Definitely one of my favorites this year as well.

 

[El Floppo]

I really like this Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam album (Walkmen singer and Vampire Weekend guy). Right near the top of my favourites for the year.

I finally got around to hearing this a few times over the past couple of weeks--love it.   Definitely one of my favorites this year as well.

going in- thanks guys.

and then the Stones.

 

[Northern Voice]

There's been steadily declining interest the past couple years as fewer people are on these boards in general but I will do the year end album poll again this year. Not sure if I really need to do a seperate thread, other than for the fact I always have so people may not check in here for it? With the Christmas music draft ending, I'll likely do that Friday or next Monday with an eye to getting lists in by the end of the year and a countdown day in early January.

 

[Northern Voice]

There's been steadily declining interest the past couple years as fewer people are on these boards in general but I will do the year end album poll again this year. Not sure if I really need to do a seperate thread, other than for the fact I always have so people may not check in here for it? With the Christmas music draft ending, I'll likely do that Friday or next Monday with an eye to getting lists in by the end of the year and a countdown day in early January.

https://forums.footballguys.com/forum/topic/752272-2016-fbg-album-poll-votingsuggestion-thread/

 

[El Floppo]

https://forums.footballguys.com/forum/topic/752272-2016-fbg-album-poll-votingsuggestion-thread/

thanks, NV

really don't have any albums for me this year that blew my lid off. whole bunch of good ones, but nothing of the :headxplode: variety. 

 

[El Floppo]

The Stones Blue & Lonesome is great. Probably the best thing they've done in 20+ years.

Some Girls was nearly 40 years ago. It is ####### awesome. All the raunch and swagger. I saw a Keith quote that it is Mick's best record ever. I'm not sure I'm there yet, but it's close. Easily the best record I've heard this year. (I haven't heard many)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEuV82GqQnE

huh. guess I should listen to this all the way through. the few tunes I've heard have been underwhelming.

tbh, I feel like I'm watching a viagra commercial listening to this. 

does not turn my crank at all. if I'm ever in the mood for white guy roots blues... I guess. 

 

[El Floppo]

huh... new Jesus and Marychain single out... album due in March.

eta:

also-

new Elbows single (sounds good).

another new Orwells single. (also good... if this album comes out before NYE, it might go pretty high for me).

new Priests single too! 

Spotify release radar hitting the spot today!

 

[Northern Voice]

My favourite songs from the year (2016 Spotify Playlist)

Spoiler

1-Foals-What Went Down

2-Car Seat Headrest-Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales

3-Operators-Space Needle

4-Tokyo Police Club-Not My Girl

5-Cymbals Eat Guitars-Wish

6-PUP-DVP

7-Hot Hot Heat-Kid Who Stays in the Picture

8-Wintersleep-Spirit

9-Frightened Rabbit-I Wish I Was Sober

10-Modern Baseball-Just Another Face

11-Wolf Parade-Mr. Startup

12-Operators-Cold Light

13-Against Me!-333

14-Parquet Courts-Human Performance

15-Japandroids-Near To The Wild Heart Of Life

16-We Are Scientists-Buckle

17-of Montreal-it's different for girls

18-The Big Moon-Cupid

19-M83-Go! (feat. Mai Lan)

20-Metronomy-Old Skool

21-A Giant Dog-Sex & Drugs

22-The Strokes-OBLIVIUS

23-Tokyo Police Club-My House

24-Mitski-Your Best American Girl

25-Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam-Rough Going (I Won't Let Up)

26-Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats-I Need Never Get Old

27-Tegan and Sara-U-Turn

28-Car Seat Headrest-Fill in the Blank

29-The Rural Alberta Advantage-White Lights

30-Martha-Ice Cream and Sunscreen

31-Yeasayer-I Am Chemistry

32-The Hotelier-Goodness Pt 2

33-Angel Olsen-Shut Up Kiss Me

34-The Dears-We Lost Everything

35-Cymbals Eat Guitars-Have a Heart

36-Bat For Lashes-Sunday Love

37-Iggy Pop-Paraguay

38-Parquet Courts-Dust

39-Death Cab for Cutie-Good Help (Is So Hard To Find)

40-Arkells-My Heart's Always Yours

41-Tegan and Sara-Boyfriend

42-The Strumbellas-We Don't Know

43-Car Seat Headrest-(Joe Gets Kicked Out of School for Using) Drugs With Friends (But Says This Isn't a Problem)

44-Jeff Rosenstock-Festival Song

45-Half Moon Run-Consider Yourself

46-Eric Bachmann-Mercy

47-The 1975-Somebody Else

48-Cloud Nothings-Modern Act

49-BRONCHO-Senora Borealis

50-PUP-Doubts

51-Guy Garvey-Open The Door

52-Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam-In a Black Out

53-Wintersleep-America

54-Cymbals Eat Guitars-4th of July, Philadelphia (SANDY)

55-Kings of Leon-Waste A Moment

56-Emeli Sandé-Hurts

57-Fake Shark-Something Special

58-Drake-One Dance

59-The Avett Brothers-True Sadness

60-Skepta-Man

61-Silversun Pickups-Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance)

62-Beyonce-Daddy Lessons (f/Dixie Chicks)

63-Carly Rae Jepsen-Higher

64-Everything Everything-I Believe it Now

65-Elbow-Magnificent (She Says)

66-PUP-Pine Point

67-Los Campesinos!-I Broke Up in Amarante

68-The Killers-Peace Of Mind

69-Parquet Courts-Berlin Got Blurry

70-The National-Morning Dew

71-Nada Surf-Rushing

72-The Jayhawks-Quiet Corners and Empty Spaces

73-City and Colour-Runaway

74-Dan Mangan-Race To The Bottom

75-Butch Walker-Record Store

76-Hot Hot Heat-Pulling Levers

77-Mystery Jets-Bubblegum

78-Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds-I Need You

79-The Tragically Hip-In A World Possessed By The Human Mind

80-Public Access TV-In Our Blood

81-The Zolas-Get Dark

82-Frightened Rabbit-Death Dream

83-Pkew Pkew Pkew-Mid 20's Skateboarder

84-Wet-All the Ways

85-Mudcrutch-Dreams of Flying

86-Night Riots-Pull Me Down

87-Islands-Charm Offensive

88-The Head and the Heart-All We Ever Knew

89-Augustines-Are We Alive

90-Blossoms-Charlemagne

91-Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam-A 1000 Times

92-Justin Bieber-Love Yourself

93-Tove Lo-True Disaster

94-Blossoms-At Most A Kiss

95-Red Hot Chili Peppers-Dark Necessities

96-Plants and Animals-No Worries Gonna Find Us

97-Reuben And The Dark-Heart In Two

98-DIIV-Under the Sun

99-White Lung-Hungry

100-Garbage-Empty

 

[Jaysus]

WXPN's top 100 songs of 2016 here: http://xpn.org/music-artist/best-of/2016

Given the listeners of that station, the Bowie love did not surprise me... but the Leonard Cohen love sure did. 

 

[AhrnCityPahnder]

I was just going to post here about this one too.  Love it.

The Bauhaus & the Bunnymen fronted by Richard Butler comparisons are accurate and sound great.

Apparently I need to listen to this.   

:dot:

 

[simsarge]

Definitely out of the ordinary. This is Scott Bradlee's Post Modern Jukebox. They're whole shtick is doing tongue in cheek, jazzy makeovers of pretty much any kind of music you can think of. Some of it's head scratch worthy, some of them are great. This is Sweet child of mine . Probably my favorite Heart of Glass

 

[Hov34]

Definitely out of the ordinary. This is Scott Bradlee's Post Modern Jukebox. They're whole shtick is doing tongue in cheek, jazzy makeovers of pretty much any kind of music you can think of. Some of it's head scratch worthy, some of them are great. This is Sweet child of mine . Probably my favorite Heart of Glass

Morgan James