Favorite Records of 2016
40. Explosions in the Sky: The Wilderness
Another solid album from these guys.
39. Parquet Courts: Human Performance
A really fun post-punk record
38. Thee Oh Sees: A Weird Exits
Fantastic guitar led garage rock. Fantastic guitar passages.
37. Xiu Xii: The Music of Twin Peaks
First of all, I love Twin Peaks. Good grief, this record is terrifying.
36. Open Mike Eagle: Hella Personal Film Festival
Great production, killer beats, thoughtful bars, often simultaneously funny and deep
35. Colin Stetson: Sorrow - A Reimagining of Gorecki’s 3rd Symphony
One of the most disorientingly depressing albums I’ve heard…ever.
34. James Blake: The Colour in Anything
Atmospheric, Soulful, often absolutely gorgeous and occasionally very exciting. Elicits a reaction. I think he uses his strengths as a crutch sometimes, which creates moments where I just want him to move things along. Record is bloated, there are several tracks I’d like to see go.
33. Sara Watkins: Young in All the Wrong Ways
Gorgeous record. Tender and Fiery
32. Andy Shauf: The Party
Beautiful first half. Elliot Smith’s is lingering around this record. The second can become monotonous. A great Sunday afternoon record. 60’s songwriter vibes are strong.
31. Kevin Morby: Singing Saw
Fantastic singer/songwriter. Creative, exciting turns of melody and song structure.
30. Paul Simon: Stranger to Stranger
Great songwriting as always. A few true gems- "Proof of Love", "Insomniacs Lullaby"
29. Animal Collective: Painting With
Another fantastic release from Animal Collective. Sun-drenched experimental music that’s easy on the ears and fun.
28. The Avalanches: Wildflower
Really enjoyed this one. Deceptively simple. Great 70's feel throughout. I can put this record on anytime.
27. Aesop Rock: The Impossible Kid
Relentless flows and bars from front to back. Several weak hooks and instrumentals, but really high quality bars.
26. Matmos - Ultimate Care II
Highly creative electronic project that, from start to finish, goes along with the full cycle of a washing machine. What?
25. Swain: The Long Dark Blue
Great 90’s era rock record. Turn it up.
24. Apathy: Handshakes with Snakes
Bars after bars after bars. Great production, hilarious, thoughtful. You can tell a TON of thought goes into his music.
23. Sturgill Simpson: A Sailors Guide to Earth
High highs, but a few lows. Has the feel of an amazing live set.
22. Carly Rae Jepsen: Emotion: Side B EP
Bright, sugary, catchy, cute and fun. No apologies.
21. The Avett Brothers: True Sadness
At first I thought this was too safe and normal. But, yet again, the Avetts grow on me with every listen. Another great album from one of our favorite bands.
20. Aoife Odonovan: In the Magic Hour
A sister record to Gabriel Kahane’s latest. Gorgeous, and subtly complex melodies. Just awesome.
19. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard: Nonagon Infinity
SUPER hard hitting, fast, brutal, insanity. Dizzying. The album is also a perfect loop so when the record ends as it begins. Once this record starts it just…doesn’t…stop
18. Car Seat Headrest: Teens of Denial
Great rock record with a classic feel and interesting lyrics.
17. Anderson .Paak: Malibu
LOVED this record. Great grooves, wonderful and cohesive production, awesome guest verses and subject matter. Love his voice too. Hip Hop infused Soul music.
16. Childish Gambino: Awaken, My Love
A Completely surprising record from Gambino, and I love it. Donald Glover owned so much of 2016 for me.
15. Jeff Rosenstock: Worry
Oh man. This record just ran me over. Careful and emotional lyrics, blaring guitars and choruses, choirs shouting at the top of their lungs. I’m a sucker for this record.
14. Kanye West: The Life of Pablo
A mess, a beautiful & hard-hitting mess that I keep coming back to. The Picasso reference is fitting.
13. Death Grips: Bottomless Pit
REALLY intense and insane. Other worldly and a different listening experience all together. Experimental hip hop.
12. Kendrick Lamar: Untitled Unmastered.
King Kendrick’s b-sides are better than most folks' full projects. Cmon. Levitate Levitate Levitate Levitate
11. Danny Brown: Atrocity Exhibition
This record is straight up bonkers. The production is great, but the beats are so…odd and unpredictable. Danny Brown crushes it track after track.
10. Weezer: The White Album
Weezer is back. Great pop-rock record with fantastic hooks and memorable melodies.
9. Swans: The Glowing Man
2 hours long. Droning. Meditative. hypnotic & Repeating patterns, drones, and rhythms. Not as tense as “To Be Kind” but just as overwhelming. This record sounds like you’re being run over by a Mac truck of experimental rock in slow motion.
8. Bon Iver: 22, A Million
Another careful, gorgeous album from Vernon and crew. I kept coming back again and again.
7. Regina Spektor: Remember Us to Life
Simply delightful. A thoughtful, sweet on the ears record. Some melodies are so good they may make you cry. It's the first record of hers that I have loved. Why aren’t more people talking about this album?!
6. Solange: A Seat at the Table
Fantastic and soulful record from Solange. Important song topics matched with great melodies, super tight harmonies, and vulnerability. Love this record.
5. Radiohead: A Moon Shaped Pool
Contemplative, gorgeous, haunting, moving. So good.
4. A Tribe Called Quest: We Got It From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service
Tribe is back. Amazing and thoughtful jazz rap with flows that don’t stop from front to back. RIP Phife
Chance the Rapper: Coloring Book
Not sure what I can say that hasn’t been said about this record, and this rapper. After diving headlong into Acid Rap a few years ago I couldn’t get enough of Chance. I found myself often addicted to this record. This is a positive, happy, thoughtful, hard-hitting, gospel-infused hip hop project. Put it on and smile. This record could easily be my #1.
Frank Ocean: Blonde
Truly confusing and disorienting on first listen. After multiple listens, you see moments of melodic genius all over the place. Is this the White Album of R&B?
I think so.
David Bowie: Blackstar
This is Bowie staring death in the face. Dark and sometimes hopeful. Unbelievable mood and production.