LINER NOTES
1. Ghosts – Ibeyi
Who the hell are these ladies. This came from a trippy African-flavored ghost pop album’s worth of spookiness and I loved the whole thing. More than once made a fool of myself on the elliptical belting out whatever sounds I could make to resemble whatever the lyrics are when the big piano riff comes in and the luau starts. “Lie Lie Ah So-ah So-Ah Oh Ay!”
2. Truffle Butter – Nicki Minaj
Dreezy vs. Nicki vs. Weezy. I have Weezy winning with Nicki comfortably in second and Drake in the rear as he pretty generally is with me. I would have been fine with this being a nine-minute track with each of them getting two more reps on the mic.
3. Son of God – Will Butler
I’ll admit that I don’t know much about Arcade Fire. But I think this guy’s brother is the main dude while Will is kind of the George of the band. The point is – this album made me wonder if maybe he’s actually the John. This track explodes, production is spot on (acoustic guitar sound is great throughout album). I liked every song on the record, listened to it a lot. A study in impactful rock minimalism. Disclosure – I’ve avoided inspecting the lyrics very closely because I fear they would disappoint me, which has been my position with Arcade Fire as well.
4. The Jaunt – Makaya McKraven
An album I discovered late in the year that became a top ten contender for me. Electronica, trance and jazz are clearly coming together in some great ways out there, and this record is the best example I’ve heard yet.
5. Outro – Big Sean
Great album that I listened to a lot, but the final track was my favorite by far. Can’t get enough of the sample (which I Googled – “Didn’t I” by Darondo – gaze upon that album cover and feel the greatness) and love when he drops his phone number as a reply to all who say he’s changed, “say I’m hard to get in contact with… what about now… 313… 572… 8772 bitch call me.” I definitely have thought about calling that number but haven’t done it yet. Has to be fake, right?
6. Shedding Skin – Ghostpoet / Melanie
Reminds me of prime Tricky. Love the big black Cockney accent dropping r’s and h’s all over the place and especially on that “simmer down-nah… simmer down-nah.” Great example of how little you need to make a killer track when there’s a compelling vocal at the center of it. Lyrics simple, very dark – on the subway filled with paranoia and rage. Mr. Robot territory, only not lame.
7. Young Guv – Ripe 4 Luv
Some pure pop confection right here that could have been written by that gaunt underserved genius Ric Ocasek. Slim pickins in the city when you’re ripe 4 luv… (I thought Tinder had taken care of that). Decent album but this is by far the only track I think you need to contend with.
8. Percentage Points – Dick Diver
Little bit of a Malkmus vibe here in lyrics and delivery (“There’s sick on your lapel, daddy-O… that’s confidence”). Little bit of a Vaselines thing going on too. All adds up to something that rattled around in my synapses for a few days after every listen. Also got me thinking about my mood in terms of percentage points, which was an interesting wrinkle for my internal monologue.
9. King Kunta – Kendrick Lamar
Album of the year… I guess. I listened to it a lot and I liked it a lot, but for an album that purports to be what this one does, I wanted a little more. I want Yeezus level freakosity and it’s just not there, not for me. Production is a little off too IMO – these songs don’t explode the way I want them too. But that’s one old bald white guy’s opinion. I definitely swaggered around the gym to this cut for a few months back there. “Now I run the game got the whole world talkin… King Kunta…” killer chorus.
10. Troubled Times – Hayden
There needs to be an agreed upon sad white boy acoustic masterpiece every year, and even though this is a genre near and dear to my heart, I never seem to agree with the collective decision (I’m looking at you Bon Iver). This year the sad white masses got behind Surfjan Stevens’ Carrie and Lowell, a record I can’t listen to for 45 seconds without… wanting to listen to something else. To me, Hayden’s Hey Love is a much more worthy entry. Maybe it doesn’t quite count as the same genre – lots of synths in effect and tremendous though lean and elegant production – but on the whole this record is folkliciously gorgeous, lyrically, tonally, musically. I could have put any number of songs from it on my top 45 – went with this one because of it’s catchy/tragic exact-right-sentiment-for-the-beleaguered-international-condition chorus: “if it’s not one thing it is another, these sure are troubled times.”
11. Waitress – Hop Along
What a voice this girl has. What else is there to say about this band? They’re not the greatest songs ever, but I’d listen to her sing just about anything. Riot grrls forever.
12. Faith Through Error – The Bad Plus / Joshua Redman
One of the most uncatagorizable bands on the scene brought in one of the most accomplished saxophonists and produced one of their best albums. Hard to choose just one song here – the whole album is one long vibe to be gloried in.
13. Dwight Yoakam – Second Hand Heart
Holy cowboy Batman Dwight Yoakam is killing it. Dude has to be 60 years old and he sounds like he’s getting a fierce second wind. Only his second album in the last ten years and it’s overall pretty solid, though the title track is the one that really harnesses the whole thing for me. I’ve never been a fan of his, but this track lit me up on quite a few occasions this year.
14. FourFiveSeconds – Rihanna, Kanye, Sir Paul
How did this happen? Can more of it be arranged? Oh how I love the bridge… is that the same Hammond from Let It Be? So instantly transports you into the Billy Preston/late Beatles environment of grandiose nostalgia. “If I go to jail tonight, promise you’ll pay my bail…” I don’t care if I’m a basic bitch or not, this song is great.
15. False Hope – Laura Marling
I’ve never known quite how to feel about this lady. One of her songs made my year-end list a few years ago just because it made me yearn for the best Joni (I sent it to a friend and he told me when he first heard it he thought, “oh yeah Jonis BACK.”). But this cut, though still possessed of the inevitable Joni overtones, moves in a PJ Harvey direction that I can get behind, and it has an incredible hook. Good drumming too. I like it when the hippie-folkies rock a little.
16. Do You Remember – Jarryd James
Another spooky entry in a year of great spooky pop. Sinuous little groove that gets deep into the synapses. Great voice on this guy. Personally I’ll take this over the Weeknd and all his tired coke-and-S&M jerkoff fantasies.
17. Down East – Chris Lightcap’s Bigmouth
Listened to a lot of jazz this year and found myself delving into contemporary jazz for the first time since… well, since the days when David Murray and Matthew Shipp constituted contemporary jazz. Loved this album and I really recommend taking down the whole thing in one sitting. Very much of the prog meets jazz meets rock approach of The Bad Plus and yet aspiring to more lyrical heights. And what an album closer! Stately, mesmerizing take on “All Tomorrow’s Parties.” Little Albert Ayler in there.
18. iT – Christine and the Queens
Wikipedia tells me that Christine and the Queens is the stage name of French singer Heloise Letissier, and that “in 2015 Letissier identified herself as pansexual.” I missed the headlines. But I’m guessing her raging pansexuality has something to do with the incredibly catchy chorus of this song: “she’s got it… she’s a man now.” Great song, top ten album for me.
19. Planes – Jeremih
I should think about it for a moment longer, but I think it’s pretty safe to say this is the most heartfelt ode to groupie plane sex ever written. The lyrics are truly absurd. “You can scream as loud as you want… ain’t nobody gonna hear it.” Dah… what about the pilot? There is a pilot right? And yet, preposterous as it is, as soon as it’s over I want to listen to it again. J Cole steals it at the end. Sounds like he believes his dick to be as big as a man’s foot. That’s a mighty big dick J Cole.
20. Traveller – Chris Stapleton
What would you say if I told you that Gregg Allman wrote and produced an album for Kenny Rogers? Sounds pretty good right?
21. Call It Off – Shamir
If I had to call it – and for 2015 I honestly wouldn’t want to – but if I had to, I’d call “Ratchet” the album of the year. Arrival of a truly unique and fully realized pop sensation. I like to think this is what Michael Jackson would be doing if he were still alive and not insane. Not a bad track on this album – I probably would have chosen “On the regular” if it hadn’t graduated to Apple ad status. Amazing how an Apple ad (or was it something else…) can ruin the best of tracks.
22. Ship to Wreck – Florence and the Machine
Did I mention that I like it when the hippie/folkies rock a little? I am not a fan of this lady but this is a killer track, insistent bassline and all. Could have been a hit in 1977. Could have been on Hejira. Can’t believe I’m saying this but it probably would have been the best song on Hejira.
23. Lean On – Major Lazer
I know I know. This was in an Apple ad (or some ad) too. But I don’t like the other big Major Lazer track, the one with Ellie Goulding (she is just… oof, terrible IMO) so this one makes the list because it’s just electropop perfection at every level.
24. Journey – Heartless Bastards
Arena rock!!!! Beware: Very cheesy lyrics here – “the journey is the destination.” But gigantic hook and the dude’s voice is huge and there are like nine guitar tracks and it all makes me want to head down to the Spectrum and whip out my lighter.
25. Coffee (Fucking) – Miguel
Miguel = mack. I think that charting with this song solidifies him as the Prince of the ‘10’s. “Fucking in the morning… fucking in the morning…” Who else but Miguel or Prince could have written this earnest ode to morning sex? Could have done without the Wale bars but the song survives the incursion.
26. Classic – Meek Mill
Oh SHIT. To give you a sense of how hard I was bumping this one this year, I plan to advocate strongly that it be the theme song of my likely-never-to-be-made crime series set in Philadelphia. From that first “WOO!” I am hooked, and it only gets better. “Call me Meek Milly I don’t play that shit.” I know he had a feud this year w Drake, and my general impression is that he lost, but how? I’d take any track on this album over just about anything Drake has ever done. I got a fever bitch… and the only cure is some more Meek Milly.
27. Beatnik Walking – Richard Thompson
Jeff Tweedy produced Richard Thompson’s latest, and not surprisingly it has some real gems, although to be fair pretty much every Richard Thompson album has at least two keeper cuts. Credit this one for having me walking around Grand Central singing, “Amsterdam where good things come in threes” as if I had any idea what that means.
28. Cream on Chrome – Ratatat
Rocktronica kings. I get the feeling that many of the cooler kids out there feel like these guys’ best days are behind them. Happens to all of us. I rocked this one a lot and it filled a need, enough said.
29. Rest and Be Thankful – Linden
I am purposely doing absolutely nothing to find out who this band is or what they’re perpetrating to be. Jangly popsong optimistic goodness with three-part harmonies and some judicious use of a shaker in the bridge and tambourine in the choruses. I am, as I have been for some time now, down with the jangle.
30. Rain Dance – Stevie Stone
You wouldn’t think there were many more nuances to be brought to the makin-it-rain-in-the-stripclub rap anthems, but… what if all the strippers are NATIVE AMERICANS? What do you say now smart guy? That’s when it’s a rain dance, get it mate? Yeah innit. Stevie Stone, always thinking. Buy it and bump it, ridiculous beat.
31. Down on My Knees – Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams
This one is not for sissies. Maybe I’m projecting, but something about Larry’s voice captures for me the condition of the old/older male of the species who is almost… almost… past the point of giving a shit about anything and yet also still has just enough of a glimmer left of his desire to live that he’s forced to confront the fact that he needs love and warmth and human contact to continue to endure all of the suffering and misery that just waking up in the morning visits upon him. And so he’s down on his knees, begging for help. “So much for pride, I’m down on my knees.” I’ve been that guy for sure. I will be him again.
32. Lemme Know – Vince Staples
From pure despair to pure joy in one needle drop. My top track of 2015 right here. MONSTER cut. I wonder if Adam and Eve had any idea how much pleasure and pain would be instigated by the infinite nuances of the courtship ritual. “Love is a brawl, so I’ll be fighting for you.” Yes yes.
33. High Time – Kacey Musgraves
This girl is almost too calculating in her common-sense downhomeyness for my tastes, but I did listen to her admittedly hooky album more than just a few times and this track in particular captured a moment for me. It’s not aging well in my catalogue, and almost missed the top 45 cut, but I feel like I gave it too many plays to drop it now.
34. Twist my Fingaz – YG
As with my top dog Freddie Gibbs, I will listen to YG rap just about anything. Why no album from you this year YG? Until it drops I guess I will just do my dance, and cuff my pants, and twist my fingaz with my hands…
35. Green and Gold – Lianne La Havas
I’m completely sold on this track when the hi-hat rolls in at second three. Unless I’m missing something there are no actual chord changes until the breakdown at 2:45. And I still can’t get enough. One of those rare times where a track is a total triumph of lush production decisions and yet you also can say about it, “if she were here right now and just played me this song on an acoustic guitar it would be just as good.”
36. Go the Distance
My favorite lyric of the year: “People talk and that’s understood / But don’t ya listen to him he’s a fucking peckerwood.” Rock solid plodding Wildflowers-era Tom Petty thing going on here but the Buffalo’s rumbly baritone elevates it considerably.
37. Trying – Bully
I couldn’t take much of the album but this track hooked me, partially because I couldn’t help but think back to the glorious heyday of Slanted and Enchanted and Malkmus’s tortured yet ironic, “I’m tryin I’m tryin I’m tryin I’m tryin…” which played on a loop in my brain for a lot of my tortured yet ironic 20’s. This girl… I actually think she might really be trying. Malkmus certainly wasn’t. Neither was I.
38. Foreign Fields – Kacy Hill
What is that staticky sound that serves as the main percussion loop here? Really addictive sound. Lot of great sounds and surprising production choices elevate this into something elusive and very cool. In contrast to Green and Gold, though, I think if this girl just played this song for me on the guitar I would not be too interested.
39. Oscalypso – Erik Friedlander
The leading cellist of the NYC avant garde scene steps out from behind John Zorn and Dave Douglas and leads a band through an album of Oscar Pettiford covers that is joyful listening from start to finish. Makes it seem like the piano-less quartet with cello and sax as lead instruments should have been a jazz staple since the outset. Of course that would have called for a few more masterful jazz cellists.
40. Wasted Love
I thought a few times of dropping this one off the final list but then I would put it on and get to that first wounded bleat of “CARELESS LOVE…” and there’s was nothing I could do. Nice textures on this track too, from the electric g in the right channel to the organ (Wurlitzer sound?) low in the mix that gives it just that right hint of lounginess and nicely cuts the angst.
41. Call You Out – Juce
Sounds like an outtake from Shamir’s record. Also reminds me of the 80’s-ish vibe of Solange’s “Losing You,” especially in the bridge, which I love.
42. Missouri – Julian Lage
Came to this album from reading an online comparison of Lage to John Fahey, which is well deserved. Very enjoyable record top to bottom and gives me some of that Fahey/Kottke mystical solo guitar energy, which is always welcome in Daveyland.
43. Careless – Freddie Gibbs
Freddie Gibbs I will follow you anywhere. Best rapper in the world IMO. The flow, the flow! Kanye produce one of his records soon please because that will be some shit.
44. Drum Battle – Kneebody, Daedelus
Why was this not in anyone’s year-end best jazz albums list? I can think of at least two albums that were on everybody’s list – Kamasi Washington and Dave Douglas –that were much less interesting to me than this. “The Epic” especially. I really wanted to listen to this Kneebody album over and over again while I listened to “The Epic” like I was studying for exams.
45. Ain’t I – Lizzo
I saw her perform with with her crew on Colbert and I was just like… well it reminded me of seeing Adele that first time on SNL just being blown away with that exquisite WHAT THE FUCKING FUCKness of confronting a force of nature for the first time. I expected to be similarly enthralled by the whole album – still working on it but not sure that I love it with quite the unqualified love that I thought I would. But this track is off the hook (was better live though – big ups to her DJ).