2015 - The Year in Review

Asaf Avidan wins the top spot! Far and away my favorite album of 2015. This record rocks in the purest sense.

The rest of the list is ranked from best loved to the still loved, lots of records not on this list I enjoyed but didn't think they were quite up to ranking among the best of the year.

This is just a list of what I love and is totally a personal opinion and in no way is trying to judge albums on artistic merit outside my own preferences.

Thighpaulsandra - The Golden Communion

Chelsea Wolfe - Abyss
I should have posted a review of this album, but alas I never got around to it. It is a fabulously dark and mysterious creation. Chelsea has not had any missteps in her career thus far, just continual growth and maturity. This record shines gems of grungy and gritty poetry.

Half Moon Run - Sun Leads Me On

Editors - In Dream

IAMX - Metanoia

John Grant - Grey Tickles, Black Pressure

Low - Ones and Sixes

Kate Pierson - Guitars and Microphones

selofan - Tristesse

StrangeJuice - Jalapeno Sun EP

Soft Kill - Heresy

Lil Swan - Nice and Easy EP

Daughn Gibson - Carnation

Marc Almond - The Velvet Trail

Villagers - Darling Arithmetic

Will Young - 85% Proof
A uniquely brave person, Will Young sings his feelings, his beliefs and philosophies, his heartache, and pleasures. You get it all in every records and 85% Proof is no different. He is one of a very small amount of "Pop" artists I enjoy listening to.

Baby Dee - I Am A Stick
I love Baby Dee. Her music is current in theme, yet sounds timeless. Piano driven cabaret, vaudeville style torch ballads through to ball-busting crowd pleasing chanteys. Humor fills her records even when delving into dark deeply personal areas.

PWR BTTM - Ugly Cherries
They seem to be the darlings of the press junket these days, and deservedly so. I don't find that they are doing anything truly "new", but it has been missing in the music market for some time. I hope there popularity continues to grow - I think they are overdue to release music in vinyl or CD format. Only having digital and cassette releases it a bit restricting.

Purity Ring - Another Eternity
I was bemoaning the fact that there weren't any startling different approaches to music today when the first Purity Ring album came out. I really love their sound, it is genuinely different and unlike anyone else. I applaud them for not only making something new, but making it widely accessible and practically pop as well. I was afraid a second record would find them mellowing their sound or adapting it towards the mainstream as so many have done before. Thankfully this was not the case and Another Eternity is as complex and experimental as the first record was.