BY MIKE METTLER — DECEMBER 31, 2015
Whether you choose to digest your music via high-resolution audio downloads, 180-gram LPs, streaming services, and/or full 5.1 surround sound, this past year delivered a spate of full-length aural goodness. In reverse order, here are The SoundBard’s Top 31 long-players of 2015.
31. The Ting Tings: Super Critical. (Finca) Spunky ‘n’ slunky dance-driven all-analog third album benefits greatly from slower BPM, as witnessed by the totally funk-tastic vibe of “Wrong Club.” Read my interview with The Ting Tings’ vocalist/guitarist Katie White here on Digital Trends.
The JH3 push it to the sides. Photo by Johnny Anguish.
30. The Juliana Hatfield Three: Whatever, My Love. (American Laundromat) Return of the uber-hip ’90s trio led by the mistress/master of melodic, introspective angst. The JH3’s punk-pop sensibilities beautifully drive the moth/flame dance of “Push Pin” and the odd-meter frustration of “Wood.” Read my interview with Juliana right here on The SoundBard. (A shorter version of our chat appeared here on Sound & Vision.)
29. Giorgio Moroder: Déjà Vu. (RCA) The septuagenarian king of four on the floor returns with a series of top-shelf past-meets-present EDM collaborations with the likes of Charlie XCX, Britney Spears, Sia, Kylie Minogue, and Mikky Ekko. Love to love what you do, Giorgio. Read my interview with Mr. Moroder here on Digital Trends.
28. Public Enemy: Man Plans God Laughs. (Spitdigital). An unrelenting 29 minutes of pure PE power, from the searing societal sparring on the title track to the straight-up sonic tripping of “Lost in Space Music.” As master MC Chuck D roars on “No Sympathy From the Devil,” the album’s pulse-pounding opening track, “Didn’t you see this coming?” Read my interview with Chuck D here on Digital Trends.
27. Paul van Dyk: The Politics of Dancing 3. (Ultra) East German DJ extraordinaire van Dyk continues to push the trance envelope via collaborations with the likes of Mark Eteson and Tricia McTeague on the percussive sizzler “Heart Like an Ocean” and his own remix of Mino Safy’s pulsating and soundfield-challenging “Around the Garden.” No political red tape here — the man is at the peak of his electronic game. Read my interview with Paul here on Digital Trends.
26. Delta Deep: Delta Deep. (Mailboat) Back-porch punk blues for the new millennium, courtesy of Def Leppard guitar domo Phil Collen, sultry soul vocalist Debbi Blackwell-Cook, in-the-perfect-pocket drummer/percussionist Forrest Robinson, and Stone Temple Pilots bassist Robert DeLeo. DD accelerates from the stomp and slide of “Bang the Lid” to the jazzy Stevie Ray Vaughan tone of “Whiskey” to the smoking hot jam of “Burnt Sally.” Can’t get much Deeper than this. Bonus coolness: You’ll even find guests vocalists like Whitesnake’s David Coverdale on “Private Number” and Collen’s Def Lep bandmate Joe Elliott on “Mistreated.” Read my interview with Phil Collen here on The SoundBard, or check out the shorter version here on Sound & Vision.
25. Tim Bowness: Stupid Things That Mean the World. (Inside Out) Abounding with a palpable yearning energy, the second solo set in 2 years from the other cerebral half of No-Man moves from the hopeful aural swirl of “The Great Electric Teenage Dream” to the overdriven do-over impetus of “Press Reset” to the orchestral lament of “At the End of the Holiday.” Stupid Things makes a strong case for how best to avoid indolence. Read my interview with Bowness in issue No. 68 of Progression Magazine.
Potter jams.
24. Grace Potter: Midnight. (Hollywood) In which our Lady of Grace steps out of her roots-rock comfort zone to push new aural buttons, from the gospel stomp of “Empty Heart” to the Chic-funkgasm of “Delirious” to the “gotta crossover” mantra slamfest of “Instigators.” After Midnight, she’s letting it all hang out. Read my interview with Grace here on Digital Trends.
23. Butch Walker: Afraid of Ghosts. (Dangerbird) Produced by his onetime tourmate Ryan Adams, the direct-to-tape Ghosts adds a few more heartfelt notches to Walker’s finely recorded C.V., powered by the stomp and echo fueling “I Love You,” the quite understood yearning for “Chrissie Hynde,” and the deep confessional of “The Dark.” Ghosts is a stark work that reflects the emotional straightforwardness of an artist not afraid to share his raw nerves about the loss of love, family, and direction. Read my interview with Walker here on Digital Trends.
22. Albert Hammond Jr: Momentary Masters. (Vagrant) The Strokes’ rhythm-guitar king provides the perfect soundtrack for a smoky nightclub or a late-night drive with the windows down, veering from the bass-driven dance fever of “Power Hungry” to the churning rhymes-with-Smokes vibe of “Caught by My Shadow” to the spitting thrust of “Drunched in Crumbs.” Might just be time to swap out “Permanent” for “Momentary” in the album title. Read my interview with Hammond here on Digital Trends.
21. Billy Gibbons and The BFGs: Perfectamundo. (Concord) The once and forever master Tejas guitar slinger delves even deeper beyond his roots, distorting his vocals with a twist on the south-of-the-border-flavored “Pickin’ Up Chicks on Dowling Street,” splashing Mike Flanigin’s funky organ fills all over “You’re What’s Happenin’, Baby,” and wrangling some seriously gnarly riffs in between the boasts on the deep-groovin’ and perfecto-ly named title track. Whether he’s moving sidewalks or rustling sidewinders, Gibbons is still the man on Top. Read my interview with the right Reverend Billy F here on Palm Springs Life.
20. Keith Richards: Crosseyed Heart. (Republic) “I grew up with American folk music, jazz, blues, Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry … It’s like taking on the devil. I’ll take it on.” And with that gritty declaration from the endlessly fascinating Netflix documentary, Under the Influence, King Keef set the down-home template for his all-killer third solo album, a set that veers from the reverb-drenched memory-motel groove of “Amnesia” to the swinging rockabilly honk of “Blues in the Morning” to the tender acoustic yearnings of “Goodnight Irene.” Crosseyed and Dangerous. Sign up here to watch Keith Richards: Under the Influence on Netflix.
19. Widespread Panic: Street Dogs. (Widespread/Vanguard) WP’s improv-centric, naturalistic instincts return to the forefront, as Street Dogs growls with live-feel fervor, from the swampy stank of “Sell Sell” to the Carlos Santana-meets-David Gilmour guitar fury of “Cease Fire” to the Little Feat boogie-woogie tastiness of “Street Dogs for Breakfast.” The art of the jam lives and breeds. Read my interview with Widespread Panic bassist Dave Schools here on Digital Trends.
18. Gavin Harrison: Cheating the Polygraph. (kScope). Powerhouse prog drumming legend puts his formidable chops to the test by completely deconstructing and reimagining Porcupine Tree tracks in inventive, challenging big-band and brass-driven arrangements. From the swinging mystic rhythms of the title track to the fiercely horn-driven take on the jazzified “Sound of Muzak/So Called Friend” mashup, Harrison turns his band’s impressive progressive legacy on its collective ear, best enjoyed via the skinsman’s own quite adventurous 5.1 mix. Read my interview with Harrison here on Digital Trends.
17. Battles: La Di Da Di. (Warp) Brooklyn-bred boho trio Battles continues to challenge the very idea of song structure by bending and shaping their infinite loops at will, ranging from the multi-movement intensity of opening track “The Yabba” to the percussive drama of “Non-Violence” to the burbling ping ’n’ shuffle of “Megatouch.” La Di Delicious. Read my interview with Battles guitarist Ian Williams here on Digital Trends.
Comfortably Unlocked: Gilmour’s modern rhapsody, in blue. Photo by Kevin Westenberg.
16. David Gilmour: Rattle That Lock. (Columbia) Pink Floyd maestro wades beyond The Endless River to deliver a genre-defying exploration of the push-pull dynamic of freedom and constraint, as best exemplified by the funky Roxyesque turns in the title track, the seductive smoky-club jazz tones of “The Girl in the Yellow Dress,” and the elegiac, sustained signature strings-supported riffery of album closer “And Then…”. The Deluxe Blu-ray and CD box set is the version to get, as it features Andy Jackson’s wholly enveloping 5.1 mix in 96/24. Whatever it takes to break, gotta do it. Interviews with Gilmour and co-songwriter Polly Samson to come in early 2016.
15. Steve Forbert: Compromised. (Rock Ridge) The songwriter’s songwriter replants his compositional flag. From the rambling piano and horn-driven swing of “Big Comeuppance” to the seductive twang of “Devil (Here She Comes Now)” to the Altamont romanticizing of “Welcome The Rolling Stones,” Forbert has followed his muse to the hilt. No compromise, no surrender. Read my interview with Steve here on The SoundBard and/or in its shorter form here on Sound & Vision.
14. Mercury Rev: The Light in You. (Bella Union) Perpetual partners in reverb Jonathan Donahue and Grasshopper make a triumphant sonic return after a 7-year hiatus. Light songs are infused with a broad mastery of the pop palette, from the trippy ’60s vibe of “Are You Ready” to acoustified thrust of “Central Park East” to the vinyl-centric call to arms of “Rainy Day Record.” This Light feels right. Read my interview with Donahue here on Digital Trends.
13. Miami Horror: All Possible Futures. (Haven Sounds/Dine Alone) Plug into the pure bliss of Australian expat DJ Benjamin Plant and friends’ post-disco dreamfest, which wafts along quite beautifully with the airy promise of opener “American Dream,” the swirling seduction of “Real Slow,” the surface-noise crinkly crush of “Cellophane (So Cruel),” and the Nile Rodgersesque jangly sing-along of “Wild Motion.” Oh, the abjectly beautiful Horror of it all. Read my interview with Benjamin Plant here on Digital Trends.
Moon Men: !!! (chk-chk-chk) get a bit lunar.
12. !!! (chk-chk-chk): As If. (Warp) This exclamatory Brooklyn-based jam-punk/indie-dance hybrid collective harnesses continual live playfulness in a computer-oriented setting. They drop a funky call to arms, er, pencils on “All U Writers,” ride the percussive slam of “Ooo,” and lay down the travelogue grit on “Bam City.” chk^3 be tres chic indeed. Read my interview with !!! vocalist/keyboardist Nic Offer here on Digital Trends.
11. Gary Clark Jr.: The Story of Sonny Boy Slim. (Warner Bros./HotWire) Blues shaman-cum-soulful Hendrixian riffmaestro totally rips this joint, from the falsetto funk of “Cold Blooded” to the insistent feedback-and-wah-wah-induced squeal of “Grinder” to the down-home swingin’ grit of “Shake.” At this point, Clark is junior to no one — crown him King of the Nu Millennium Blooz.
10. Rush: R40 Live. (Zoe/Anthem). An ever-adventurous set list that sees the iconic progressive trio literally go backwards in time step by step, from the all-cylinders steampunk roar of “Headlong Flight” to the philosophical rhythmic drive of “Roll the Bones” to the relentless mean, mean pride of “Tom Sawyer” to the ultimate cosmic headbanging of “2112.” R40 Live fully encapsulates the core values of the band’s triumphant, 35-date Ruby anniversary North American tour that may (or may not) be their final exit (stage left). Read my interview with Rush bassist/vocalist/keyboardist Geddy Lee here on Digital Trends.
9. k-os: Can’t Fly Without Gravity. (Dine Alone) Canadian rapper k-os captures his longstanding mix-and-match maxim here with an expert sense of cross-genre energy, from the East Coast meets West Coast thrust of “Wild 4 the Night” to the “tongue kung-fu” lashing and mashing of “Crucify” to the hard-rock splatter of “Turn Me Loose.” From clever k-os is born fine sonic synergy. Read my interview with k-os here on Digital Trends.
8. Mark Knopfler: Tracker. (Verve) This native Scotsman may very well be the best Americana songwriter not born in this country. Knopfler deftly meshes his Celtic roots with authentic Nashville backporch pickin’, from the heigh-ho waltz of “Laughs and Jokes and Drinks and Smokes” to the free-fall twang of “Skydiver” to the JJ Cale jingle-jangle vibe of “Broken Bones.” A true sultan of down-home swing.
7. Seth Avett & Jessica Lea Mayfield: Sing Elliott Smith. (Ramseur) Two of our most heartfelt indie performers join forces to plug directly into the whispery, acoustic lo-fi feel of ’90s songwriting icon Elliott Smith. This harmonic partnership absolutely shines on starkly beautiful and uncluttered arrangements, and their intimate vocal readings bring the essence of the late songwriter’s masterworks like “Let’s Get Lost,” “Angel in the Snow,” and “Pitseleh” to the forefront of Avett’s spot-on mixes. “Miss Misery” is in good company. Read my joint interview with Avett and Mayfield here on Digital Trends.
These “Renegades” have it made: X Ambassadors. Photo by Natalie Mantini.
6. X Ambassadors: VHS. (KIDInaKORNER/Interscope) “Renegades” rightly remains one of 2015’s most indelible, catchy anthems, having graduated beyond the ubiquity created by its presence in various guises and mixes in Jeep’s ongoing commercial campaign. No one-hit wonders, X Ambassadors consistently deliver with instantly singable lyrics and postmodern driving beats, from the piano stomp of “Hang On” to the metallic grind of “Superpower” to the universal lament of “Loveless.” All hail the new kids and pioneers. Read my interview with X Ambassadors lead singer/singwriter Sam Harris here on Digital Trends.
5. Cage the Elephant: Tell Me I’m Pretty. (DSP/RCA) Enlisting Black Keys wunderkind Dan Auerbach as their producer, Cage climbs into even more transcendent territory on Pretty. It’s a beautifully realized modern record framed with a timelessly classic vibe, from the fuzzed-out overdrive of “Mess Around” to the trippy echo-chamber rush of “Trouble” to the off-kilter Tusk-like tribal riffery of “Punchin’ Bag.” Verdict: Pretty, pretty good. Read my interview with Cage’s lead singer Matt Shultz here on Digital Trends.
4. My Morning Jacket: The Waterfall. (ATO/Capitol) MMJ is a band that tends to reach for the stars — and then it stays there. That swing-for-the-Milky-Way hunger is in full evidence on the Louisville, Kentucky rock quintet’s seventh studio album The Waterfall, which flows through a number of different seductive aural touchpoints, from the primal ’70s vibe of “Compound Fracture” to the cresting jams of “In Its Infancy (The Waterfall)” to the acoustic delicacy of “Get the Point.” Read my interview with MMJ lead vocalist/guitarist/spiritual leader Jim James here on Digital Trends.
Felix, in da House.
3. Felix da Housecat: Narrative of Thee Blast Illusion. (No Shame) This superstar house electroclash DJ/producer spent 3 intense years toiling in various mobile labs across the globe to concoct his aurally magical, digital-only Narrative. Tracks like the pulsating and lustfully pleading “Lookin 4 a Reason,” the surface-noise blister of “Codeine Cowboy,” and the reggae-tinged free-for-all of “The Natural,” featuring Lee “Scratch” Perry, all showcase Felix’s meticulous attention to sonic detail. Take it on full Blast, y’all. Read my interview with Felix here on Digital Trends.
2. Lee Bannon: Pattern of Excel. (Ninja Tune) Pro Era/Joey Bada$$ producer Bannon twists the cosmic knob of a futuristic radio station parked on the edge of an experimental ambient universe where bass and beats have been replaced by reverb-drenched intergalactic axe scrapings. From the space-odyssey burblings of “Paofex” to the off-kilter guitar noodlings of “Disneµ Girls” to the mop-up wash of “Towels,” Bannon Excels headlong into the new frontier. Read my interview with Lee here on Digital Trends.
1. Steven Wilson: Hand. Cannot. Erase. (kScope) Setting new standards and pushing the aural envelope all feed into the approach Wilson took when recording his fourth solo album. The Blu-ray edition includes an expansive surround-sound mix in 96/24 that once again raises the bar for what can be accomplished in 5.1. From the funk-meets-ELP, genre-bending blasts of “Home Invasion” to the all-channel, all-cylinders-firing cauldron of glorious noise on “Ancestral” to the climactic harmonic convergence of “Happy Returns,” Wilson shows no signs of curbing his creative muse anytime soon — if ever. Read my 2015 interview with Steven here on Digital Trends, and see his brand new exclusive comments about Hand. Cannot. Erase. being awarded as the #1 hi-res audio release of 2015 here on HRAC.
And that’s a wrap on 2015! Happy listening to one and all!
