My Top 15 Albums of 2016

My Top 15 Albums of 2016

     
        2016 has been quite the year. Some would call it the "worst ever", while others would go so far as to say it was "fine". In terms of music, it has been hugely important. Whether in regards to experimentation, news, deaths, changes or releases, this has been a big year for the music industry. I personally have listened to more music over a wider range of styles than any year before this. With that in mind, let's delve into the best I thought 2016 had to offer.

15. Red Fang - Only Ghosts
Red Fang's fourth record nearly slipped under my radar this year. Despite being a fan (having absolutely adored 2013's Whales and Leeches), I didn't discover this album until nearly two months after it's release. I'm glad I didn't miss it; Only Ghosts is Red Fang's tightest, most enjoyable album yet, with an excellent mix of ferocity and fun that pulses within every track. Red Fang has been one of the most energetic, enjoyable metal bands out there since their debut, and this release is no exception.
Highlights: Shadows, Flies, No Air

14. Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition

One of the many albums I listened to this year by artists I had never experienced before, Danny Brown's Atrocity Exhibition isn't quite like anything else I've heard. It's frenetic and hyperactive, with a tense, almost nervous edge to every song. My first listen through, I wasn't sure what to make of it. A few listens later, however, and you see it's something special. The album speaks of deeply dark and horrific personal experiences, juxtaposed with energetic, almost danceable instrumentation. It's a powerful and unique record, and one I recommend giving a try. 

Highlights: Ain't it Funny, Really Doe, When It Rain

13. Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage

I've never been a huge fan of heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. They've had a few tracks that I thought were exceptional, but much of it never interested me. That changes with their seventh release, The Stage. A loose concept album focusing on artificial intelligence alongside themes of war and death, it features their tightest musicianship to date. Say what you will about the band; they are amazingly talented. Roaring solos race atop pounding rhythms, often accompanied by M. Shadows growled vocals. Even the slower ballads of The Stage feature an intricacy that begs for repeat listens. Though some dense production leaves a little to be desired, a variety of memorable tracks left it as one of the year's highlights.

Highlights: The Stage, God Damn, Roman Sky

12. Childish Gambino - Awaken, My Love!

With Awaken, My Love! rapper Childish Gambino took his music in a fresh and funky direction. The results of this very experimental record are something fantastic to experience. Though the album's second half loses some of its initial power due to taking the risk-taking nature into directions that don't, the first six songs are something I think very few people expected to hear in 2016. Donald Glover's voice soars into unexpected places on nearly every track, backed by musicians who craft groovy and goddamn awesome music; some of it epic, some of it subdued. That alone is enough to make it one of the year's highlights; even without the socially conscious lyrics that add to the entire experience. 

Highlights: Me and Your Mama, Redbone, Boogieman

11. JPNSGRLS - Divorce

I'll get this out of the way first for those who don't know; I know the Vancouver band JPNSGRLS personally. Regardless, I don't think any of my own bias makes Divorce any less of a fantastic record. The album brims with frenetic energy and quick-witted wordplay that most "millenials" can easily identify with and smile at. Filled with personal angst, jagged but energetic riffs and brand-new directions from the band there weren't many other records from 2016 with the raw power of this one. 

Highlights: Oh My God, 19 Pound Baby, Bully For You

10. Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial

Another member of the "artists I've never listened to before" camp, Car Seat Headrest, led by Will Toledo, are an indie band who, with Teens of Denial show off plenty of talent and emo sensibilities. Many of the tracks rely on quiet and intricate guitar work occasionally switching into large bursts of sound, but never anything joyous. Nervousness, self-loathing and a kind of content cynicism run through the lyrics and even the very atmosphere of this release; a feeling in rock music that has been nearly-missing for a very long time. 

Highlights: Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales, Fill in the Blank, (Joe Gets Kicked Out of School For Using) Drugs With Friends (But Says This Isn't a Problem)

9. Kendrick Lamar - Untitled Unmastered

There isn't much to say about this other than it's more amazing content from Kendrick Lamar, filled with his amazingly constructed songs. Proof that even his "cast-offs" are better than much of the music released every year. 

Highlights: Untitled 05, Untitled 06, Untitled 07

8. A Tribe Called Quest - We Got it From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service

Coming into A Tribe Called Quest's return to music following an 18 year absence, I had never listened to them before, and had no expectations for their "comeback" release. With that in mind, it easily won me over with a variety of thematically serious songs filled with fun lyrics. While many of the songs deal with race and politics, other tracks reflect on the loss of group member Phife Dog, whose own verses can be found in tracks such as "We the People" posthumously. This amount of rich material backed up by memorable instrumentation leaves We Got it From Here... loaded with quality tracks that I'll be enjoying for years to come. 

Highlights: We the People, Space Program, Ego

7. The Claypool-Lennon Delirium - Monolith of Phobos

I didn't expect this album to be this high on my list, let alone on this list at all. I don't think anyone would have. Either way I loved Monolith of Phobos, collaborative effort between Sean Lennon (yes, son of that Lennon) and Les Claypool, head honcho of alternative rock group Primus. This release is an enthralling mix of the two men's styles; a psychedelic experiment in whimsy. Claypool's work on the bass is more subdued than on his main work, but is no less exceptional. Lennon meanwhile contributes guitar work that wouldn't have been out of place in a 1960s LSD-loving band, melding together into something I loved far more than I would have expected.

Highlights: Bubbles Burst, Mr. Wright, Oxycontin Girl

6. Radiohead - A Moon-Shaped Pool

I never really liked Radiohead. I always found their music too "out there" and meandering for my own taste, and my pretentious rejection of their critical acclaim likely also played a part in my feelings towards the band. A Moon Shaped Pool does not necessarily escape that description, but I loved it regardless. Though quiet, and at times serene, this is not a pleasant album. Every song is filled with a deep sense of loneliness and sadness that almost feels like despair, accompanied by cacophonous arrangements and Thom Yorke's ghostly-vocals. Listening to this album is not something fun that you want to do often; but it's an experience I'm glad I felt. 

Highlights: Burn the Witch, Daydreaming, The Numbers

5. David Bowie - Blackstar

Despite my high ranking for David Bowie's final effort, there isn't much for me to say about that hasn't been more eloquently stated by others a hundred times already. It's an excellent listen and manages to sound new and fresh in a time when many artists are going back to derivative sounds, for good or ill. All I can say, that maybe hasn't been declared before, is that you don't have to be a fan of David Bowie or aware of his death to enjoy this record. It stands tall on its own merits regardless. 

Highlights: Lazarus, Blackstar, 'Tis A Pity She Was a Whore

4. Iggy Pop - Post-Pop Depression

Post-Pop Depression is a fun record with some powerful themes, and like the Monolith of Phobos, shows just how amazing an unanticipated collaboration would be. When Iggy Pop, the godfather of punk rock, teams up with Josh Homme, you know something cool is going to happen. And happen it does; Post-Pop Depression is filled with slick grooves that wouldn't be out of place on one of Homme's projects, but its Iggy's voice that truly makes this record stand out. Through his bassy yowls, the aging artist reflects on his career so far, wondering out loud if he's "nothing but his name". I don't think he is, as this release is another example of the legacy he will leave behind. 

Highlights: Gardenia, American Valhalla, Sunday

3. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree

In July, 2015, Nick Cave's son Arthur passed away from injuries caused by an accidental fall. Though the process of creating Skeleton Tree had already begun, this loss heavily tinges and touches upon the Bad Seeds' latest work. Every song on this record is slow and tinged with loss, Nick Cave's voice often becoming a mournful wail. Every track is a piece of beautiful poetry with relaxed and minimalist instrumentation, filling the listener with a raw sadness few other albums can. I am enthralled with this release, even if its hard to listen to it on repeat. If you want music to take you somewhere it rarely does, please check out Skeleton Tree. 

Highlights: I Need You, Girl in Amber, Jesus Alone

2. Death Grips - Bottomless Pit

This band and this album are not for everyone. But this album is fantastic. Bottomless Pit was my introduction to the experimental hip-hop trio Death Grips, and it easily takes its place as my second favourite release of 2016. This album manages to be filled with songs that can be such onslaughts of unexpected noise that one wonders whether any musical structure exists at all, while also boasting memorable hooks and catchy moments that might resemble choruses. Tracks like "Giving Bad People Good Ideas" and "Eh" suck you in with their (relatively) easy listens, only to be blasted by raw ferocity on tracks like Hot Head that even bands like Fear Factory would be surprised by. Death Grips aren't quite like anything else out there in music today, and the results are fantastic.

Highlights: Giving Bad People Good Ideas, Eh, Trash, Spikes

Dishonorable Mention

The Red Hot Chili Peppers - The Getaway

This is probably not the worst album of the year, but it's the worst album I listened to this year. The Red Hot Chili Peppers' The Getaway is still pretty bad; it's slow, full of weird attempts at hooks that don't work and is mostly just boring. Listen to Dark Necessities, sure... but don't check out the rest of it.

Honorable Mentions

PJ Harvey - The Hope Six Demolition Project

PJ Harvey's latest release deserves mention due to the raw passion within this project. With her own alternative '90s sound combined with folkier influences, The Hope Six Demolition Project is an outraged critique of the state that those with power have left this world. It's a deep and complex listen, and certainly worth a look. 

Nine Inch Nails - Not the Actual Events

Not the Actual Events is a dissonant release that manages to take Nine Inch Nails in both a fresh direction while calling back to Reznor's '90s sound. It only doesn't make the "top album" cut due to being an EP, and not a full-length release. I can only hope for a proper album next year.

And now for the main event...

1. Weezer - Weezer (White Album)

Weezer's fourth album to be self-titled is not the most unique release in 2016, or the most emotional, revolutionary or energetic. Regardless, it is easily my favourite for its memorable songs and for being so full of character. Rivers Cuomo and the gang are clearly enjoying themselves on every track here, all of which feel like a perfect marriage between their more alternative past and more pop-oriented present (with healthy doses of the Beach Boys thrown in for good measure). Ultimately, this album perfectly reflects what this year was personally for me; full of life, with lots of exciting new direction, only with something inexplicable bringing it down overall. Cuomo's songs of anecdotal L.A. stories, battles with anxiety and pill addiction have crafted a selection of 10 songs that I absolutely adore. For me, nothing is a better representative of 2016 in music.

Highlights: Everything!

So, was my list completely terrible and missing obvious highlights, or do you agree with my selections! I'd love to hear your personal favourites in the comments below.