Once again, it is that time of year wherein the community of music journalists -- a hardscrabble class of miscreants I am tenuously affiliated with -- are submitting their end-of-year lists of best albums. Last year, you might remember, I penned a post exclaiming that I was originally going to sit out proceedings, being that the previous two years had knocked the emotional stuffing out of me and that I hadn’t really been paying enough attention. That was then, and this is now.
For all its hardships, 2015 was indeed a better year for me, not least in that I finally managed to, once again, secure gainful employment, after 16 months on the street. And during those 16 months, I did indeed keep better tabs on what was happening in music. As such, I have a bit more to offer in terms of my own year-end best-of. That said, I wouldn’t brace yourselves for any curve balls.
In terms of new artists – or, at least, new to me, -- there were a few who caught my attention, notably Coliseum, Viet Cong, Ceremony, G.L.O.S.S., Chelsea Wolfe, and – most recently – a quartet from Dublin, Ireland called Girl Band, who practice a endearingly off-the-rails brand of rock that, to my mind, recalls the earlier work of their fellow countrypersons in my beloved Virgin Prunes.
On an arguably more accessible level, there were tracks by bands like Avid Dancer, the Howlin’ Volts and even Alabama Shakes that caught my ear. And, if I’m being honest, despite arguably knowing better and hating his stupid name, I can’t say I I would scramble to turn off “Can’t Feel My Face” by the Weeknd.
This all said, I’m reasonably certain I’m forgetting something crucial.
A not-at-all-surprising favorite song for me this year was “Old New York” by the mighty Agnostic Front. An emphatic ode to the lost character of our city performed by a burly gaggle of disagreeable punks? WHAT, I ASK YOU, IS NOT TO LIKE?
Also on the not-even-remotely shocking front, I greatly enjoyed The Gate by SWANS, that being the crowd-sourcing EP designed to assist in the financing of what promises to be the band’s final album in this incarnation. This limited edition document is worth it for the live renditions of “Little God in My Hands” and “Black Eyed Man” (formerly “Black Hole Man”) alone.
In terms of full albums that got my vote, it wouldn’t exactly be a game-changer to expect me to choose the glorious Pylon by my beloved Killing Joke (which I wrote about in great, minutia-laden detail here) and Freedom Tower No Wave Dance Party by the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (which I wrote about here and here).
My favorite discovery of the year, however, may be my newfound appreciation for the mighty Dr. Feelgood, courtesy of my first viewing of “Oil City Confidential.” While I immediately snapped up a copy of the band’s mid-70’s debut, Down By the Jetty, there was a compilation album released this year that I spun to death (despite its inexplicable exclusion of “She Does It Right,” arguably the band’s signature track).
My fandom for Dr. Feelgood was also fueled by a curious New York City-centric mystery revealed in the documentary.
Anyway, those are my picks and I’m sticking to them.
What were your favorites?
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