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[jenksy]

Best of 2019 a.k.a. A New Way of Listening to Music

Hello, everyone. Here are some thoughts on the music I listened to in 2019. My listening trends in 2019 stayed pretty much the same as they did in 2018- Most of the albums I loved were written and performed by women... Most of the albums I loved fell somewhere on the wide spectrum of guitar-based music, with a little bit of electronic stuff here and there. What changed was the way I listened to music. Whereas in the past I listened to whatever came my way, whenever it came my way, in 2019 I tried to focus on one or two albums a week. From late-January through the end of November, I highlighted one album every week on my Instagram page. There were only a couple of weeks I missed or that I highlighted an old album instead of a new one. I found myself listening to full albums on repeat and really getting into every song. The result is an end-of-year list that is free from my perception of outside expectations. All of my past lists have been made with this voice in my head that wants to move albums up or down on the list based on whether it was well-reviewed or not, or whether or not my friends and family (especially those whose opinions on music I revere) might judge me for liking a record too much, or, more likely, not liking a record enough. The 2019 list is free of those anxiety-driven choices, and as a result, it was one of my favourite lists I've ever put together. If you listen to a song that I've highlighted here, I encourage you to buy or stream the album (but especially buy it) and take in the whole thing. -Jenksy As always, I'm kicking off the list with my Most Disappointing Album of the Year. It's the only album on the list I write anything about- not because it deserves to be roasted, but because you don't really have to justify liking a piece of art, but you should always be able to talk about why you dislike it. Following that are my favourite EPs of the year, then the Top 50. The Most Disappointing Album of 2019

Weezer - Weezer (Black Album) I feel like I've given Weezer a lot more leeway than most have done in the last 10-15 years. While they've put out some good records and some bad records in that span, I've always tried to accept the music as Weezer being Weezer. Just because they've put out some critically adored albums doesn't mean they can't have fun. Their pop-rock vibes don't bother me, and I don't try to compare everything they do to Pinkerton or the Blue Album. I'm saying all this so you know that I like this band, and have done for most of my life, and I think they will make a good album again. However, the Black Album is not a good album. I can't even hesitate in calling it terrible. It lacks emotion and is too crisp and clean. It's driven by words that don't mean anything and music that wants to be catchy instead of interesting. Hopefully they bounce back, but the Black Album is easily the lowest they've fallen, musically. EPs

Dear Boy - The Strawberry EP "Limelight"

Death Cab for Cutie - The Blue EP "To The Ground"

dodie - Human "Monster"

Jenny Owen Youngs - Night Shift "Dreaming on the Bus"

Lauran Hibberd - Everything is Dogs "Sugardaddy"

Liily - I Can Fool Anybody In This Town "Sepulveda Basin"

Middle Kids - New Songs for Old Problems "Call Me Snowflake"

Minke - The Tearoom "Too Late" Top 50

50. Idlewild - Interview Music "Same Things Twice"

49. Honeyblood - In Plain Sight "Glimmer"

48. Billie Eilish - WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? "when the party's over"

47. Robert Ellis - Texas Piano Man "Nobody Smokes Anymore"

46. Hatchie - Keepsake "Without A Blush"

45. Chance the Rapper - The Big Day "Big Fish"

44. Frankie Cosmos - Close it Quietly "Rings (On A Tree)"

43. Field Mouse - Meaning "Heart of Gold"

42. The Mountain Goats - In League With Dragons "An Antidote for Strychnine"

41. Big Thief - Two Hands "Forgotten Eyes"

40. The Hold Steady - Thrashing Thru The Passion "Traditional Village"

39. Feeder - Tallulah "Windmill"

38. White Lies - Five "Tokyo"

37. Brittany Howard - Jaime "Stay High"

36. The Raconteurs - Help Us Stranger "Now That You're Gone"

35. Stella Donnelly - Beware of the Dogs "Old Man"

34. Joseph - Good Luck, Kid "Without You"

33. Faye Webster - Atlanta Millionaires Club "Right Side of My Neck"

32. Jenny Lewis - On the Line "Red Bull & Hennessy"

31. MUNA - Saves the World "Who"

30. Fontaines D.C. - Dogrel "Chequeless Reckless"

29. Low Hum - Room to Breathe "Room to Breathe"

28. Jade Bird - Jade Bird "Love Has All Been Done Before"

27. Sleater-Kinney - The Center Won't Hold "The Future Is Here"

26. Catfish & The Bottlemen - The Balance "Sidetrack"

25. Kills Birds - Kills Birds "Only Yellow"

24. Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow "Malibu"

23. Lizzo - Cuz I Love You "Crybaby"

22. Karen O & Danger Mouse - Lux Prima "Redeemer"

21. The Regrettes - How Do You Love? "Fog"

20. Mannequin Pussy - Patience "Drunk II" "Who You Are"

19. Elbow - Giants of All Sizes "White Noise White Heat" "Empires"

18. Angel Olsen - All Mirrors "Spring" "Chance"

17. Caroline Polachek - Pang "Caroline Shut Up" "Hit Me Where It Hurts"

16. Ex Hex - It's Real "Another Dimension" "Rainbow Shiner"

15. Noël Wells - It's So Nice! "Brighter Day" "Played for Keeps"

14. Molly Tuttle - When You're Ready "Clue" "Million Miles"

13. Potty Mouth - SNAFU "Bottom Feeder" "Liar"

12. Big Thief - UFOF "Century" "Cattails"

11. The National - I Am Easy to Find "Quiet Light" "Light Years"

10. Jimmy Eat World - Surviving "Delivery" "One Mil" "All the Way (Stay)"

9. Alex Lahey - The Best of Luck Club "Don't Be so Hard on Yourself" "Misery Guts" "Black RMs"

8. Blood Red Shoes - Get Tragic "Anxiety" "Mexican Dress" "Elijah"

7. Better Oblivion Community Center - Better Oblivion Community Center "Forest Lawn" "Sleepwalkin'" "My City"

6. The Japanese House - Good at Falling "We Talk All the Time" "f a r a w a y" "Lilo"

5. Sorcha Richardson - First Class Bravery "Oh Oscillator" "High in the Garden" "Driveway"

4. Black Pumas - Black Pumas "OCT 33" "Old Man" "Fire"

3. Amyl and The Sniffers - Amyl and The Sniffers "Gacked On Anger" "GFY" "Got You"

2. Julia Jacklin - Crushing "Don't Know How to Keep Loving You" "Head Alone" "Good Guy"

1. Oliver Spalding - Novemberism "Unreal" "Bow Creek" "Her Crescent"

[jenksy]

Best of 2018 a.k.a. Give me your tired, your poor, your female solo artists and frontwomen

I usually seem to find an accidental theme in my listening habits over the course of a calendar year. In what may best be described as a precarious couple of years for women's rights in the United States (and, of course, much of the world), female musicians have certainly been making their voices heard. Art tends to reflect the political climate of the day, and the "Me Too" movement that began toward the end of 2017 made its way into music studios in 2018. Whether it's as subtle as a punch in the face with lyrics, like Courtney Barnett ("I wanna walk through the park in the dark/ Men are scared that women will laugh at them/ I wanna walk through the park in the dark/ Women are scared that men will kill them" - "Nameless, Faceless") or simply the fact that more women are writing and recording their own music, it's clear that current events have laid the groundwork for a feminist revolution in entertainment, and while this might not be surprising, as the arts obviously tend to swing left, we can only hope this trend continues into other areas of society. Clearly, my accidental theme for 2018 was Female Singer/Songwriters & Bands. By my count, 33 of my Top 50 albums were written and recorded by female solo artists or bands with women in them. But before I get to the list, I'm starting with what has become one of my favourite traditions of the last few years- Calling out an album that I had high expectations for but which completely disappointed me. The Most Disappointing Album of 2018 Jack White - Boarding House Reach I love Jack White, from the White Stripes to the Raconteurs to his solo work... but this album was not good. Pick a genre, dude. I usually include some of my favourite EPs, etc. at the beginning of my list, but there were so many this year that I gave them their own post. Click here if you missed it. Top 50 50. I'm With Her - See You Around "Game To Lose" 49. Alkaline Trio - Is This Thing Cursed? "Blackbird" 48. Poliça and s t a r g a z e - Music for the Long Emergency "Fake Like" 47. Eels - The Deconstruction "Today Is The Day" 46. We Hate You Please Die - Kids Are Lo-Fi "Melancholic Rain" 45. Rainbow Kitten Surprise - How to: Friend, Love, Freefall "Mission to Mars" 44. The Voidz - Virtue "All Wordz Are Made Up" 43. The Magic Numbers - Outsiders "Sing Me A Rebel Song" 42. St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Young Sick Camellia "Apollo" 41. The Fratellis - In Your Own Sweet Time "Starcrossed Losers" 40. Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears- The Difference Between Me and You "Culture Vulture" 39. The Midnight - Kids "America 2" 38. Miss World - Keeping Up With Miss World "Diet Coke Head" 37. Middle Kids - Lost Friends "Please" 36. The Joy Formidable - Aaarth "Cicada (Land On Your Back)" 35. Our Girl - Stranger Today "Being Around" 34. Sunflower Bean - Twentytwo in Blue "I Was A Fool" 33. Thunderpussy - Thunderpussy "Speed Queen" 32. Gaz Coombes - World's Strongest Man "Wounded Egos" 31. Gunship - Dark All Day "Dark All Day" 30. Caroline Rose - Loner "Soul No. 5" 29. Franz Ferdinand - Always Ascending "Huck and Jim" 28. Skating Polly - The Make it All Show "Long Ride" 27. Albert Hammond Jr. - Francis Trouble "Harder, Harder, Harder" 26. Lake Street Dive - Free Yourself Up "Doesn't Even Matter Now" 25. Kurt Vile - Bottle It In "Bassackwards" 24. Parker Millsap - Other Arrangements "Other Arrangements" 23. Liza Anne - Fine But Dying "Panic Attack" 22. Wye Oak - The Louder I Call, The Faster it Runs "It Was Not Natural" 21. Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino "Four Out of Five" 20. Death Cab for Cutie - Thank You for Today "I Dreamt We Spoke Again" "Summer Years" 19. Beach House - 7 "Black Car" "Dark Spring" 18. U.S. Girls - In a Poem Unlimited "Pearly Gates" "M.A.H." 17. Anna Burch - Quit the Curse "Asking 4 a Friend" "With You Every Day" 16. Lucy Dacus - Historian "Night Shift" "Yours & Mine" 15. Superorganism - Superorganism NPR Tiny Desk Concert: "The Prawn Song," "Night Time," and "Something for Your M.I.N.D." 14. Dream Wife - Dream Wife "Let's Make Out" "Fire" 13. Now, Now - Saved "Drive" "SGL" 12. Gregory Alan Isakov - Evening Machines "San Luis" "Dark, Dark, Dark" 11. Soccer Mommy - Clean "Your Dog" "Wildflowers" 10. Mitski - Be the Cowboy "Lonesome Love" "Me and My Husband" 9. CHVRCHES - Love is Dead "Graffiti" "Graves" 8. Tancred - Nightstand "Reviews" "Something Else" 7. Snail Mail - Lush "Pristine" "Heat Wave" 6. Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel "Nameless, Faceless" "Need A Little Time" 5. The Beths - Future Me Hates Me "Little Death" "Not Running" "Happy Unhappy" 4. Slothrust - The Pact "Double Down" "Birthday Cake" "For Robin" 3. Metric - Art of Doubt "Now or Never Now" "Underline the Black" "Risk" 2. Tash Sultana - Flow State "Cigarettes" "Seven" "Mystik" 1. Screaming Females - All at Once "I'll Make You Sorry" "Soft Domination" "Step Outside"

[jenksy]

Best of 2018: EPs, Live Albums, etc.

Ashe - The Rabbit Hole EP "Choirs" Biffy Clyro - MTV Unplugged "Mountains" Charlotte Day Wilson - Stone Woman EP "Stone Woman" Empath - Liberating Guilt and Fear EP "The Eye" Grace Gillespie - Restoration "Restoration" Grace Gillespie - Lady Make Believe / England "Lady Make Believe" Hatchie -Sugar & Spice EP "Sleep" Jason Isbell - Live From The Ryman "Flagship" Jimmy Eat World - Love Never / half heart "Love Never" Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers & Lucy Dacus - boygenius EP "Me & My Dog" Made Violent - Squeeze EP "Squeeze" Mazzy Star - Still EP "That Way Again" Minus the Bear - Fair Enough EP "Fair Enough" The Naked and Famous - A Still Heart "Young Blood (Stripped)" Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson - Apart EP "Bad Dreams" The Regrettes - Attention Seeker EP "Red Light" Stella Donnelly - Thrush Metal EP "Mechanical Bull"

[jenksy]

Revised 2017 Top 10

Something I started last year and I think I'll continue doing- revisiting my Best Of list for the previous year and re-ranking my Top 10 now that I've had a whole extra year to listen to them and hear other albums I missed. Essentially... What holds up? 2017 Original Top 10: 10. Hurray for the Riff Raff - The Navigator 9. Waxahatchee - Out in the Storm 8. Muna - About U 7. Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Backlash 6. Lorde - Melodrama 5. The Regrettes - Feel Your Feelings Fool! 4. Spoon - Hot Thoughts 3. Alex Lahey - I Love You Like A Brother 2. Manchester Orchestra - A Black Mile to the Surface 1. The War On Drugs - A Deeper Understanding 2017 Updated Top 10: 10. Minus the Bear - VOIDS 9. Waxahatchee - Out in the Storm 8. Phoebe Bridgers - Stranger in the Alps 7. Muna - About U 6. Lorde - Melodrama 5. Spoon - Hot Thoughts 4. Manchester Orchestra - A Black Mile to the Surface 3. Alex Lahey - I Love You Like a Brother 2. The War on Drugs - A Deeper Understanding 1. The Regrettes - Feel Your Feelings Fool!

[jenksy]

Top 50 of 2017 a.k.a. At This Point It Should Be Pretty Clear That I Don’t Really Listen to Hip-Hop

After a year of political awfulness (#ThisIsNotNormal #Feminism) and entertainment industry scandals (a heartfelt "Fuck You" and "Goodbye" to Jesse Lacey), it's hard to claim that 2017 was much better than 2016 for the world at large. Even on a personal level, it was a bumpy ride for the first 10 1/2 months. Ups and downs, peaks and valleys- it was a real emotional roller coaster of a year for me. One big difference between coping with last year's bullshit and this year's bullshit was the immense amount of great music that was released this year. To put things in perspective, I have 672 songs in my 2016 playlist, and 942 songs in my 2017 playlist. Realistically, that's a good 25-30 more albums than I bought last year. Lots of big names released new music, and lots of new artists went from a blip on the radar to overtaking some legends for the best new music. But that doesn't mean the year came without its musical disappointments. Releases from Foo Fighters, Beck, Wolf Alice, alt-J, Dan Auerbach, Elbow, Gorillaz, Haim, and Arcade Fire didn't live up to my expectations. I don't hate any of those albums- they just aren't quite as good as I'd hoped they'd be, and don't appear here. Otherwise, if there are any albums missing from this list that appear on basically every other list, you can assume that I didn't listen to them at all or enough. Click on the song title to jump to YouTube and have a listen. Let me know what you liked this year! EPs/Other Benjamin Gibbard - Bandwagonesque "What You Do to Me" Bishop Briggs - Bishop Briggs "River" The Japanese House - Saw You In a Dream "3/3" Nine Inch Nails - Add Violence "Less Than" Save Ferris - Checkered Past "Anything" VAST - They Only Love You When You Die VAST - Here I Am VAST - Little Darling VAST - In Lieu of Flowers Top 50 50. In My Coma - Next Life "Take a Ride" 49. Torres - Three Futures "Skim" 48. The New Pornographers - Whiteout Conditions "High Ticket Attractions" 47. The Mountain Goats - Goths "We Do it Different on the West Coast" 46. Johnny Flynn - Sillion "Raising the Dead" 45. Blitzen Trapper - Wild and Reckless "Wild and Reckless" 44. The XX - I See You "Say Something Loving" 43. Paramore - After Laughter "Told You So" 42. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Who Built the Moon? "Holy Mountain" 41. Stereophonics - Scream Above the Sounds "All in One Night" 40. Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - Choir of the Mind "Perfect on the Surface" 39. Cayetana - New Kind of Normal "Mesa" 38. Bully - Losing "Running" 37. ZZ Ward - The Storm "Let it Burn" 36. Dude York - Sincerely "Black Jack" 35. Kasabian - For Crying Out Loud "Bless This Acid House" 34. Billie Eilish - don't smile at me "Ocean Eyes" 33. The Shins - Heartworms "Half a Million" 32. Goldfrapp - Silver Eye "Moon in Your Mouth" 31. Sylvan Esso - What Now "Kick Jump Twist" 30. Toro Y Moi - Boo Boo "Girl Like You" 29. Royal Blood - How Did We Get So Dark? "She's Creeping" 28. Oh Wonder - Ultralife "Overgrown" 27. Chris Stapleton - From A Room: Volume 1/ Volume 2 "Them Stems" 26. Rose Hill Drive - Mania "Do it Right" 25. Portugal. The Man - Woodstock "Tidal Wave" 24. St. Vincent - Masseduction "New York" 23. Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile - Lotta Sea Lice "Over Everything" 22. Beth Ditto - Fake Sugar "We Could Run" 21. Overcoats - Young "Leave the Light On" 20. Japandroids - Near to the Wild Heart of Life "Near to the Wild Heart of Life" "True Love and a Free Life of Free Will" 19. Blair Crimmins and The Hookers - You Gotta Sell Something "Beautiful Thang" "Wandering Joe" 18. Jason Isbell - The Nashville Sound "If We Were Vampires" "Chaos and Clothes" 17. The National - Sleep Well Beast "The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness" "Carin at the Liquor Store" 16. Imelda May - Live Life Flesh Blood "How Bad Can a Good Girl Be?" "Should've Been You" 15. Queens of the Stone Age - Villains "Feet Don't Fail Me" "Head Like a Haunted House" 14. Iron & Wine - Beast Epic "Call it Dreaming" "The Truest Stars We Know" 13. Electric Guest - Plural "Oh Devil" "See the Light" 12. Minus the Bear - VOIDS "Silver" "Lighthouse" 11. Slowdive - Slowdive "Everyone Knows" "No Longer Making Time" 10. Hurray for The Riff Raff - The Navigator "Living in the City" "Settle" 9. Waxahatchee - Out in the Storm "Brass Beam" "Silver" 8. MUNA - About U "I Know a Place" "Everything" 7. Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Backlash "Lips of a Loser" "Global" 6. Lorde - Melodrama "Liability" "Writer in the Dark" 5. The Regrettes - Feel Your Feelings Fool! "Head in the Clouds" "Seashore" "Ladylike / Whatta Bitch" 4. Spoon - Hot Thoughts "Hot Thoughts" "I Ain't the One" "Can I Sit Next to You" 3. Alex Lahey - I Love You Like A Brother "Everyday's the Weekend" "I Haven't Been Taking Care of Myself" "I Want U" 2. Manchester Orchestra - A Black Mile to the Surface "The Grocery" "The Gold" "The Silence" 1. The War On Drugs - A Deeper Understanding "Pain" "Strangest Thing" "Holding On"

[jenksy]

Ten Years of Top Tracks

I first created a "top albums" list in 2008, which means that 2017 will mark my 10th year of obsessively putting albums in order, picking my favourite songs from each one, and putting it out there for three people to peruse. To mark the occaision, I thought I'd revisit the top 10 albums from each of my previous nine lists. I'll post the original order, and then a revised version. Here we go! 2008 - Then 10. The Weepies- Hideaway 9. Eagles of Death Metal- Heart On 8. Supergrass- Diamond Hoo Ha 7. Weezer - Weezer (The Red Album) 6. Elbow- The Seldom Seen Kid 5. Blood Red Shoes- Box of Secrets 4. The Fratellis- Here We Stand 3. The Black Keys- Attack & Release 2. Shiny Toy Guns- Season of Poison 1. The Subways- All or Nothing 2008 - Now 10. The Weepies - Hideaway 9. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular 8. Blood Red Shoes - Box of Secrets 7. Imelda May - Love Tattoo 6. Supergrass - Diamond Hoo Ha 5. The Subways - All or Nothing 4. Blitzen Trapper - Furr 3. The Fratellis - Here We Stand 2. The Black Keys - Attack & Release 1. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid 2009 - Then 10. Doves - Kingdom of Rust 9. Gregory Alan Isakov - This Empty Northern Hemisphere 8. Brand New - Daisy 7. Dan Auerbach - Keep It Hid 6. Seasick Steve - Man From Another Time 5. The Temper Trap - Conditions 4. Jenny Owen Youngs - Transmitter Failure 3. Idlewild - Post-Electric Blues 2. Muse - The Resistance 1. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More 2009 - Now 10. Jenny Owen Youngs - Transmitter Failure 9. Mutemath - Armistice 8. Idlewild - Post-Electric Blues 7. Kasabian - West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Symposium 6. Brand New - Daisy 5. Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Tell 'Em What Your Name Is! 4. Metric - Fantasies 3. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More 2. Gregory Alan Isakov - This Empty Northern Hemisphere 1. Biffy Clyro - Only Revolutions 2010 - Then 10. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs 9. The Weepies - Be My Thrill 8. Stars - The Five Ghosts 7. OK Go - Of the Blue Color of the Sky 6. Jimmy Eat World - Invented 5. Yeasayer - Odd Blood 4. The Black Keys - Brothers 3. School of Seven Bells - Disconnect From Desire 2. Band of Horses - Infinite Arms 1. Minus the Bear - Omni 2010 - Now 10. Field Mouse - You Are Here 9. Yeasayer - Odd Blood 8. Band of Horses - Infinite Arms 7. School of Seven Bells - Disconnect From Desire 6. The Weepies - Be My Thrill 5. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs 4. Sarah Jaffe - Suburban Nature 3. OK Go - Of the Blue Colour of the Sky 2. Jimmy Eat World - Invented 1. Minus the Bear - Omni 2011 - Then No Top 10 - Albums Listed Alphabetically 2011 - Now 10. Fitz & The Tantrums - Pickin' Up the Pieces 9. Arctic Monkeys - Suck It and See 8. Grouplove - Never Trust a Happy Song 7. Bon Iver - Bon Iver 6. In My Coma - Magnets & Miracles 5. The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow 4. Blitzen Trapper - American Goldwing 3. The Belle Brigade - The Belle Brigade 2. The Naked and Famous - Passive Me, Aggressive You 1. Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Scandalous 2012 - Then 10. Grizzly Bear - Shields 9. alt-J - An Awesome Wave 8. Minus the Bear - Infinity Overhead 7. Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again 6. Jack White - Blunderbuss 5. The Lumineers - The Lumineers 4. Walk the Moon - Walk the Moon 3. Of Monsters and Men - My Head is an Animal 2. The Maccabees - Given to the Wild 1. Electric Guest - Mondo 2012 - Now 10. The Hives - Lex Hives 9. ZZ Ward - Til the Casket Drops 8. Jack White - Blunderbuss 7. Maximo Park - The National Health 6. alt-J - An Awesome Wave 5. Minus the Bear - Infinity Overhead 4. The Maccabees - Given to the Wild 3. Shiny Toy Guns - III 2. Metric - Synthetica 1. Electric Guest - Mondo 2013 - Then 10. Pickwick - Can't Talk Medicine 9. The Shouting Matches - Grownass Man 8. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories 7. Lorde - Pure Heroine 6. Valerie June - Pushin' Against A Stone 5. Arctic Monkeys - AM 4. Haim - Days Are Gone 3. Biffy Clyro - Opposites 2. Gregory Alan Isakov - The Weatherman 1. Chvrches - The Bones of What You Believe 2013 - Now 10. The Shouting Matches - Grownass Man 9. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories 8. Fitz & The Tantrums - More Than Just a Dream 7. The Civil Wars - The Civil Wars 6. Lorde - Pure Heroine 5. Arctic Monkeys - AM 4. Chvrches - The Bones of What You Believe 3. Jason Isbell - Southeastern 2. Gregory Alan Isakov - The Weatherman 1. Biffy Clyro - Opposites 2014 - Then 10. Foo Fighters - Sonic Highways 9. St. Vincent - St. Vincent 8. Kasabian - 48:13 7. The War On Drugs - Lost in the Dream 6. Broken Bells - After the Disco 5. West Water Outlaws - West Water Outlaws 4. Jack White - Lazaretto 3. Jenny Lewis - The Voyager 2. TV On the Radio - Seeds 1. St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Half the City 2014 - Now 10. West Water Outlaws - West Water Outlaws 9. Foo Fighters - Sonic Highways 8. Manchester Orchestra - Cope 7. Imelda May - Tribal 6. Paolo Nutini - Caustic Love 5. Jack White - Lazaretto 4. Jenny Lewis - The Voyager 3. TV On the Radio - Seeds 2. The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream 1. St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Half the City 2015 - Then 10. Leon Bridges - Coming Home 9. The Railsplitters - The Faster it Goes 8. Moon Taxi - Daybreaker 7. Gunship - Gunship 6. Tame Impala - Currents 5. Chvrches - Every Open Eye 4. Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color 3. Metric - Pagans in Vegas 2. Wolf Alice - My Love is Cool 1. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit 2015 - Now 10. Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color 9. Grimes - Art Angels 8. Leon Bridges - Coming Home 7. Chvrches - Every Open Eye 6. Metric - Pagans in Vegas 5. Tame Impala - Currents 4. Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds - The Weather Below 3. Gunship - Gunship 2. Wolf Alice - My Love is Cool 1. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit 2016 - Then 10. Glass Animals - How To Be A Human Being 9. Chairlift - Moth 8. Phantogram - Three 7. St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Sea of Noise 6. Esmé Patterson - We Were Wild 5. Wolfmother - Victorious 4. blink-182 - California 3. Catfish & The Bottlemen - The Ride 2. School of Seven Bells - Sviib 1. The Naked and Famous - Simple Forms 2016 - Now 10. St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Sea of Noise 9. Wye Oak - Tween 8. Wolfmother - Victorious 7. blink-182 - California 6. School of Seven Bells - Sviib 5. Honeyblood - Babes Never Die 4. Phantogram - Three 3. Parker Millsap - The Very Last Day 2. Catfish & The Bottlemen - The Ride 1. The Naked and Famous - Simple Forms

[jenksy]

2016 Albums of the Year

While most have rightly put 2016 in their rearview mirror, it's taken me even longer than last year to sort out the music I wanted to share with everyone. I decided to change the format from my usual Top 50 because there was not a lot of music that I got fully immersed in. To put it in terms of numbers: In 2015, I amassed a collection of 787 songs. In 2016? 545 songs. I found a handful of albums that I really liked, and I listened to them on repeat. There were really only two albums that I knew would be at the top of the list, and everything else fell into one of two categories- I liked it but didn't listen to it much, or I really liked it but found it hard to rank above or below anything else I really liked. As such, I have listed my Top 20, plus about 40 other albums and EPs that I enjoyed to verying degrees, in alphabetical order. I did a decent amount of inner reflecting about 2016 and didn't say much about it publicly, other than I was glad when it ended. I'm not going to say anything publicly about it now, either, other than I think that in 2016, most music critics tended to value albums that highlighted issues facing our society. Pop culture often serves as a reflection of the state of the world, and it's important to recognize art that gets people talking about current events. But for all the problems the world at large faced in 2016, I had my own problems to deal with, and my list this year is very reflective of how I dealt with those problems. I hope you enjoy my annual countdown, but since 2016 was so bad, why not start out with my biggest disappointment of the year?

Fitz & The Tantrums - Fitz & The Tantrums This album was an enormous letdown. After getting a bunch of enjoyment from their first two albums and seeing them live, I was anticipating something funky and creative for their third album. What I got was unimaginitive, canned pop music. "Hand Clap", which I found to be very fun, despite being infectiously catchy, was the only song on the album that really utilized any saxophone- something that I was expecting to be a major presence on the album, but was unfortunately switched out for synthesizers most of the time. The term "sell-out" is really the only thing appropriate here- They sound like they've been told what they need to play in order to sell records. Now, onto the good stuff Anderson .Paak - Malibu "Am I Wrong" ft. ScHoolboy Q Angel Olsen - My Woman "Shut Up Kiss Me" The Avalanches - Wildflower "Frankie Sinatra" Bloc Party - Hymns "The Good News" Bon Iver - 22, A Million "8 (circle)" Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial "Vincent" Childish Gambino - Awaken, My Love! "Redbone" CRX - New Skin "Ways to Fake It" Crystal Castles - Amnesty (I) "Kept" Deap Valley - Femejism "Smile More" Gregory Alan Isakov - Gregory Alan Isakov With The Colorado Symphony "Liars" Grouplove - Big Mess "Spinning" Justice - Woman "Stop" K.Flay - Crush Me EP "Blood in the Cut" Låpsley - Long Way Home "Hurt Me" The Last Shadow Puppets - Everything You've Come to Expect "Sweet Dreams, TN" Little Scream - Cult Following "Love As A Weapon" The Lumineers - Cleopatra "Angela" M83 - Junk "Laser Gun" ft. Mai Lan Margaret Glaspy - Emotions and Math "Pins and Needles" Michael Kiwanuka - Love & Hate "Rule the World" Miike Snow - iii "Back of the Car" Modern Baseball - Holy Ghost "Mass" Paper Bird - Paper Bird "I Don't Mind" Pixies - Head Carrier "Um Chagga Lagga" Poliça - United Crushers "Lose You" Ra Ra Riot - Need Your Light "Water" Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool "True Love Waits" The Rolling Stones - Blue & Lonesome "Just Your Fool" Ry-Lo - Ry-Lo EP "New Friend" Sara Watkins - Young In All The Wrong Ways "Say So" Seasick Steve - Keepin' the Horse Between Me and the Ground "What A Thang" Solange - A Place At the Table "Mad" ft. Lil Wayne The Strokes - Future Present Past EP "OBLIVIUS" Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor's Guide to Earth "Brace for Impact (Live A Little)" A Tribe Called Quest - We got it from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service "We The People...." Two Door Cinema Club - Gameshow "Bad Decisions" Warpaint - Heads Up "New Song" Weezer - White Album "Endless Bummer" Whitney - Light Upon the Lake "No Matter Where We Go" 20. SHEL - Just Crazy Enough "You Could Be My Baby" "Rooftop" 19. Lake Street Dive - Side Pony "Call Off Your Dogs" "Mistakes" 18. Jake Bugg - On My One "Love, Hope and Misery" "Put Out the Fire" 17. Red Hot Chili Peppers - The Getaway "Dark Necessities" "Go Robot" 16. Biffy Clyro - Ellipsis "Howl" "Re-arrange" 15. Jimmy Eat World - Integrity Blues "Pol Roger" "Through" 14. Wye Oak - Tween "If You Should See" "Watching the Waiting" 13. Parker Millsap - The Very Last Day "Pining" "Heaven Sent" 12. The Joy Formidable - Hitch "Liana" "The Last Thing On My Mind" 11. Honeyblood - Babes Never Die "Hey, Stellar" "Sea Hearts" 10. Glass Animals - How To Be A Human Being "The Other Side of Paradise" "Season 2 Episode 3" 9. Chairlift - Moth "Ch-Ching" "Moth to the Flame" 8. Phantogram - Three "You Don't Get Me High Anymore" "Run Run Blood" 7. St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Sea of Noise "Sanctify" "All I Ever Wonder" 6. Esmé Patterson - We Were Wild "We Were Wild" "Wantin' Ain't Gettin'" 5. Wolfmother - Victorious "Victorious" "Gypsy Caravan" 4. blink-182 - California "She's Out of Her Mind" "Left Alone" 3. Catfish & The Bottlemen - The Ride "7" "Anything" 2. School of Seven Bells - Sviib "On My Heart" "Open Your Eyes" 1. The Naked and Famous - Simple Forms "Last Forever" "Backslide" "The Runners"

[jenksy]

Top 50 Albums of 2015

When it comes to music, having too much on your plate is a good problem to have. Last year I had trouble coming up with 50 albums to put on my list, and looking back at that list now, I could easily have made it a Top 30 if I revised it now and based on music I actually still listen to. I might have the same issue again this year. Some things on this list are bound to fade away into the background of my almost-full iPod. Others are destined to play repeatedly. I'll not spend too much time on justifying my selections. Every year it seems there is an album or maybe two albums that critics and fans adore that I just don't get round to listening to or only listen to it once and don't truly soak it in. It's usually a hip-hop album, and I usually don't get round to it because I'm not a huge hip-hop fan. Basically, congratulations to Kendrick Lamar as his album To Pimp A Butterfly was the consensus #1 album of 2015 among fans and critics alike. But despite the fact that it's probably better than at least half the stuff on my list, I only listened to it once and it isn't on my list. But that's OK, because it's my damn list. Alright, I'll start it off with some EPs and a live album before diving into the Top 50, as is tradition. EPs/Other Eels - Live from The Royal Albert Hall "I Like the Way This is Going" Foo Fighters - Saint Cecilia "Saint Cecilia" Jim Adkins - I Will Go "Love Don't Wait" Made Violent - Made Violent "Two Tone Hair" Potty Mouth - Potty Mouth "Cherry Picking" Top 50 50. Disclosure - Caracal "Magnets (ft. Lorde)" 49. Stereophonics - Keep the Village Alive "I Wanna Get Lost With You" 48. MisterWives - Our Own House "Reflections" 47. Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear "I Love You Honeybear" 46. Sleater-Kinney - No Cities to Love "A New Wave" 45. Cage the Elephant - Tell Me I'm Pretty "Trouble" 44. Muse - Drones "Defector" 43. The Weepies - Sirens "No Trouble" 42. The Decemberists - What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World "The Wrong Year" 41. MUTEMATH - Vitals "All I See" 40. Jamie XX - In Colour "Loud Places (Ft. Romy)" 39. The Maccabees - Marks to Prove It "Something Like Happiness" 38. Albert Hammond Jr - Momentary Masters "Side Boob" 37. Death Cab for Cutie - Kintsugi "Little Wanderer" 36. Blitzen Trapper - All Across This Land "Love Grow Cold" 35. Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds - The Weather Below "Sugar" 34. Titus Andronicus - The Most Lamentable Tragedy "Fatal Flaw" 33. Chris Stapleton - Traveler "Fire Away" 32. The Fratellis - Eyes Wide, Tongue Tied "Thief" 31. Thunderbitch - Thunderbitch "Leather Jacket" 30. Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free "How to Forget" 29. Modest Mouse - Strangers to Ourselves "The Best Room" 28. Beach Slang - The Things We Do to Find People Who Feel Like Us "Porno Love" 27. Gaz Coombes - Matador "The Girl Who Fell to Earth" 26. Summer Cannibals - Show Us Your Mind "Something New" 25. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats - Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats "S.O.B." 24. Murder By Death - Big Dark Love "Send Me Home" 23. Big Data - 2.0 "Dangerous (ft. Joywave)" 22. Blur - The Magic Whip "Ghost Ship" 21. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - The High Country "Step Brother City" 20. The Wombats - Glitterbug "Flowerball" "Be Your Shadow" 19. Passion Pit - Kindred "All I Want" "Where the Sky Hangs" 18. Purity Ring - Another Eternity "Flood On the Floor" "Heartsigh" 17. Chad Valley - Entirely New Blue "Labasa" "Not That Man" 16. Radkey - Dark Black Makeup "Love Spills" "Le Song" 15. Torres - Sprinter "Sprinter" "The Harshest Light" 14. The Arcs - Yours, Dreamily. "Stay In My Corner" "Cold Companion" 13. Bully - Feels Like "Trying" "I Remember" 12. Grimes - Art Angels "Flesh Without Blood" "REALiTi" 11. San Cisco - Gracetown "Magic" "Too Much Time Together" 10. Leon Bridges - Coming Home "Brown Skin Girl" "River" 9. The Railsplitters - The Faster It Goes "You" "Tilt-A-Whirl" 8. Moon Taxi - Daybreaker "Who's to Say?" "Year Zero" 7. GUNSHIP - GUNSHIP "Tech Noir" "Fly for Your Life" 6. Tame Impala - Currents "'Cause I'm A Man" "The Moment" 5. Chvrches - Every Open Eye "Clearest Blue" "Down Side of Me" 4. Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color "Dunes" "Sound & Color" 3. Metric - Pagans in Vegas "The Shade" "For Kicks" 2. Wolf Alice - My Love Is Cool "Your Love's Whore" "Moaning Lisa Smile" 1. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit "Pedestrian At Best" "Depreston" "Nobody Really Cares If You Don't Go to the Party"

[jenksy]

Favourite Albums of 2014

As late as mid-November I was considering making a Top 30 list instead of a Top 50 list. It wasn't because I didn't like much music from the year, but because I simply hadn't listened to much of it. I can split my time listening to music in 2014 into three sections: new music released in 2014, music I was still really into from 2013, and perhaps the largest chunk, music I listened to in high school. For whatever reason, loud, fast electric guitars really spoke to me last year. Bands like Alkaline Trio, Yellowcard, and Blink-182 dominated my iPod. There are a number of potential reasons for my regression into Pop-Punk and the like. 2014 marked the year of my 10 year high school reunion. I also started commuting about an hour to and from work and most of the time acoustic guitar just doesn't cut it in the car. But some time around when magazines and blogs started releasing their own Best Of lists, which is, for some reason, around Thanksgiving, I decided to up my participation in listening to new music. I browsed several lists and saw many common artists among them. Sadly, I didn't get to all of them, so there is a lengthy list of supposedly amazing music that I haven't listened to yet, or have only listened to once so far. Maybe this will be the year that I finally re-visit and edit my Best Of list later in the new year and question what I was thinking. Until then, here are my 50 favourite albums of 2014, as well as some EPs and a few albums that were disappointing. The Disappointments U2- Songs of Innocence Probably no album was talked about as much as U2's latest effort. If they had made an album worth listening to, less people might have been pissed off when it was given to them for free without their consent. Lana Del Rey- Ultraviolence I'm not really sure what I expected. 2012's Born to Die was something new and different. On Ultraviolence, Lana Del Rey plays up her already played up sense of sullenness and it comes across as disingenuous. I'm over it. Maximo Park- Too Much Information I am a huge Maximo Park fan... most of the time. Too Much Information sounds too different from their previous material. They use that echoey reverb crap on Paul Smith's vocals, which I generally despise. The music is dull. Maybe it's the producer's fault. Both Our Earthly Pleasures and The National Health were produced by Gil Norton, and those are my two favourite Maximo Park albums. Probably some correlation there. Karen O- Crush Songs I'm not too disappointed with Crush Songs because I know what it is- an album full of songs that Karen O wrote about fleeting crushes which were recorded between 2006 and 2010. I'm mostly disappointed because the songs sound like demos and basically are demos. It would be a much better album if the songs were more developed and had a some more production. But maybe that's the point. Lily Allen- Sheezus I can't decide if I'm the most disappointed with Sheezus or the least disappointed with Sheezus on this short list of disappointments. On the one hand there are bright spots- a handful of great Lily Allen tracks that sound like Lily Allen songs ("Air Balloon", "Take My Place", "Close Your Eyes", "Life for Me"), and on the other hand there are a bunch of songs that sound like Lily is trying to keep up with all the younger, "cooler" female artists ("Sheezus", "L8 CMMR", "URL Badman", "Silver Spoon", "Hard Out Here"). Lily, you don't need auto-tune. Your voice is naturally pretty. Not to mention that her cover of Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know", however beautiful, has no place on this album. Right, that's enough negativity. Here are a few EPs and B-Sides I enjoyed. Minus the Bear- Lost Loves "Broken China" Broods- Broods EP "Coattails" Chemistry Club- Copia 1: The Electric Hush Dwntwn- Dwntwn EP "Skins" Normanton Street- Much Respect EP "Fly Lady" Sheppard- Geronimo "Geronimo" And now the main event! We start with a bonus album... 51. Weird Al- Mandatory Fun "Word Crimes" 50. Ed Sheeran- x "Sing" 49. Taking Back Sunday- Happiness Is "Flicker, Fade" 48. Nickel Creek- A Dotted Line "Destination" 47. Elbow- The Takeoff and Landing of Everything "My Sad Captains" 46. Pixies- Indie Cindy "What Goes Boom" 45. Damon Albarn- Everyday Robots "Lonely Press Play" 44. The Wind+The Wave- From the Wreckage "It's A Longer Road to California Than I Thought" 43. Beck- Morning Phase "Don't Let It Go" 42. Damien Jurado- Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son "Silver Timothy" 41. Eels- The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett "Mistakes Of My Youth" 40. Tune-Yards- Nikki Nack "Water Fountain" 39. The Both- The Both "Milwaukee" 38. Blood Red Shoes- Blood Red Shoes "Behind A Wall" 37. Little Dragon- Nabuma Rubberband "Klapp Klapp" 36. Sylvan Esso- Sylvan Esso "Coffee" 35. Haerts- Haerts "Giving Up" 34. Kelis- Food "Friday Fish Fry" 33. The Belle Brigade- Just Because "Not the One" 32. Wye Oak- Shriek "The Tower" 31. Ben Howard- I Forget Where We Were "She Treats Me Well" 30. OK Go- Hungry Ghosts "The Writing's On the Wall" 29. Aphex Twin- Syro "minipops 67 [120.2][source field mix]" 28. Lindsey Stirling- Shatter Me "Shatter Me" 27. Todd Terje- It's Album Time "Inspector Norse" 26. Tycho- Awake "See" 25. La Roux- Trouble In Paradise "Sexotheque" 24. The New Pornographers- Brill Bruisers "Champions of Red Wine" 23. Walk the Moon- Talking Is Hard "Avalanche" 22. Spoon- They Want My Soul "Knock Knock Knock" 21. FKA Twigs- LP1 "Two Weeks" 20. Benjamin Booker- Benjamin Booker "Have You Seen My Son?" "Violent Shiver" 19. Weezer- Everything Will Be Alright In the End "Cleopatra" "Da Vinci" 18. Alt-J- This Is All Yours "Left Hand Free" "Hunger of The Pine" 17. Jessie Ware- Tough Love "Tough Love" "Say You Love Me" 16. Imelda May- Tribal "Wild Woman" "I Wanna Dance" 15. Ex Hex- Rips "New Kid" "How You Got That Girl" 14. Phantogram- Voices "Fall In Love" "Bad Dreams" 13. Manchester Orchestra- Cope "Girl Harbor" "Trees" 12. Paolo Nutini- Caustic Love "Iron Sky" "Let Me Down Easy" 11. The Black Keys- Turn Blue "Turn Blue" "Bullet In the Brain" 10. Foo Fighters- Sonic Highways "I Am A River" "Subterranean" 9. St. Vincent- St. Vincent "Severed Crossed Fingers" "Psychopath" 8. Kasabian- 48:13 "Eez-Eh" "Bumblebeee" 7. The War On Drugs- Lost In the Dream "Under the Pressure" "Suffering" 6. Broken Bells- After the Disco "Leave It Alone" "Holding On For Life" 5. West Water Outlaws- West Water Outlaws "Caught In the Headlights" "Gimme" 4. Jack White- Lazaretto "High Ball Stepper" "Temporary Ground" 3. Jenny Lewis- The Voyager "Late Bloomer" "Head Underwater" 2. TV On the Radio- Seeds "Trouble" "Careful You" 1. St. Paul & The Broken Bones- Half the City "Half the City" "Don't Mean A Thing" "Call Me"

[jenksy]

Favourite 50 Albums of 2013

William Wallace. Ewan McGregor. Shrek. Kilts. Bagpipes. A yearning for independence. What do all these things have in common? That's right, they are all Scottish. Scotland was a fairly prevalent theme in my music preferences in 2013. It was an amazing year for Scottish musicians across the spectrum, with new albums from Biffy Clyro, Roddy Woomble (formerly of Idlewild), Franz Ferdinand, The Fratellis, and newcomers CHVRCHES. It was also a succesful year for hip-hop, as new albums from Jay-Z, Drake, Eminem, and Kanye West all garnered considerable critical acclaim. But I'm not really a fan of hip-hop. I have tried time and again to get into it, but I can't manage to accept it. There are a few exceptions, of course, but in general I find it unenjoyable because I've realized that as a genre, I just don't understand it. I'm saying this because while a lot of people love these albums (Kanye West's Yeezus, in particular, seems to be the consensus "Best Album of 2013,") they do not have a place on this list. Nor do many critically adored albums. David Bowie, Laura Marling, and Atlas Genius were just some of the big names I left out because they simply didn't appeal to me. This may all change in a year from now, or maybe ten years from now. I could revisit a record and enjoy it when previously I hadn't. The opposite is also true. But this list is about what I like right now. Maybe I'll look back at it one day and ask myself what I was thinking, but for now, here are my favourite albums of 2013, along with a handful of great EPs. Clicking an album cover takes you to Spotify, clicking a song takes you to Youtube EPs American Authors- American Authors "Best Day of My Life" Chemistry Club- Danger "In All Directions" Dean Miller- 'Til You Stop Getting Up "This Is Where It All Goes Right" Hot Bodies In Motion- Principle A "That Darkness" Phantogram- Phantogram "Black Out Days" Saints of Valory- Possibilities "Kids" The Shouting Matches- Mouthoil "I Had A Real Good Lover" Walk the Moon- Tightrope "anywayican" Special Releases Minus the Bear- Acoustics II "The Game Needed Me" Rilo Kiley- rkives "Runnin' Around" Top 50 50. Kings of Leon- Mechanical Bull "Supersoaker" "On The Chin" 49. Cloud Control- Dream Cave "Promises" "The Smoke, The Feeling" 48. The Neighbourhood- I Love You. "Everybody's Watching Me (Uh Oh)" "W.D.Y.W.F.M?" 47. Roddy Woomble- Listen to Keep "Trouble Your Door" "Making Myths" 46. Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Mosquito "Sacrilege" "Always" 45. Pyyramids- Brightest Darkest Day "That Ain't Right" "Paper Doll" 44. She & Him- Vol. 3 "I've Got Your Number, Son" "Something's Haunting You" 43. The Features- The Features "This Disorder" "The New Romantic" 42. The Mowgli's- Waiting For the Dawn "Emily" "Slowly, Slowly" 41. Bastille- Bad Blood "Things We Lost In the Fire" "Overjoyed" 40. Placebo- Loud Like Love "A Million Little Pieces" "Loud Like Love" 39. Bombino- Nomad "Amidinine" "Imuhar" 38. Radical Face- The Family Tree: The Branches "From the Mouth of An Injured Head" "Summer Skeletons" 37. Arcade Fire- Reflektor "Here Comes the Night Time II" "Reflektor" 36. Clairy Brown and The Bangin' Rackettes- Baby Caught the Bus "Love Letter" "Baby Caught the Bus" 35. Phoenix- Bankrupt! "Drakkar Noir" "Entertainment" 34. The Head and The Heart- Let's Be Still "Shake" "Summertime" 33. The Civil Wars- The Civil Wars "Dust to Dust" "Tell Mama" 32. Jason Isbell- Southeastern "Stockholm" "Songs That She Sang In the Shower" 31. Franz Ferdinand- Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action "Bullet" "Evil Eye" 30. Cobalt Cranes- Head In the Clouds "Head In the Clouds" "Devils All Around" 29. The Joy Formidable- Wolf's Law "This Ladder Is Ours" "Cholla" 28. MS MR- Secondhand Rapture "Think of You" "Hurricane" 27. Eels- Wonderful, Glorious "Kinda Fuzzy" "On the Ropes" 26. The Fratellis- We Need Medicine "She's Not Gone Yet But She's Leaving" "Whisky Saga" 25. The National- Trouble Will Find Me "Demons" "Sea of Love" 24. Fitz and The Tantrums- More Than Just A Dream "6am" "Fool's Gold" 23. Jake Bugg- Shangri La "A Song About Love" "Slumville Sunrise" 22. Portugal. The Man- Evil Friends "Purple Yellow Red & Blue" "Modern Jesus" 21. The Weeks- Dear Bo Jackson "Dear Bo Jackson" "King-Sized Death Bed" 20. Stereophonics- Graffiti On The Train "Catacomb" "Violins and Tambourines" 19. Blitzen Trapper- VII "Shine On" "Oregon Geography" 18. Woodkid- The Golden Age "I Love You" "Run Boy Run" 17. Jimmy Eat World- Damage "How'd You Have Me" "Appreciation" 16. Grouplove- Spreading Rumours "Girl" "What I Know" 15. Cage the Elephant- Melophobia "Spiderhead" "Halo" 14. Black Joe Lewis- Electric Slave "Skulldiggin'" "The Hipster" 13. Kopecky Family Band- Kids Raising Kids "Heartbeat" "Are You Listening" 12. Justin Timberlake- The 20/20 Experience "Pusher Love Girl" "Take Back the Night" 11. The Naked and Famous- In Rolling Waves "I Kill Giants" "Hearts Like Ours" 10. Pickwick- Can't Talk Medicine "Brother Roland" "Hacienda Motel" "Lady Luck" 9. The Shouting Matches- Grownass Man "Gallup, NM" "Milkman" "Seven Sisters" 8. Daft Punk- Random Access Memories "Instant Crush" ft. Julian Casablancas "Get Lucky" ft. Pharrell Williams "Giorgio By Moroder" 7. Lorde- Pure Heroine "Tennis Court" "Glory and Gore" "Team" 6. Valerie June- Pushin' Against A Stone "Pushin' Against A Stone" "Tennessee Time" "Trials, Troubles, Tribulations" 5. Arctic Monkeys- AM "Arabella" "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" "Fireside" 4. Haim- Days Are Gone "If I Could Change Your Mind" "The Wire" "Falling" 3. Biffy Clyro- Opposites "Different People" "Pocket" "Opposite" 2. Gregory Alan Isakov- The Weatherman "Amsterdam" "Living Proof" "Suitcase Full of Sparks" 1. CHVRCHES- The Bones of What You Believe "Gun" "Lungs" "By the Throat"

[jenksy]

Favourite 20 Albums of... 2003

I've decided to switch the titles of these lists from "Top 20 Albums Of..." to "Favourite 20 Albums Of..." because, while it's pretty obvious that I list my favourite records, I don't want people thinking I'm a moron for leaving critically acclaimed albums of my lists. For instance, in 2003, Radiohead's Hail to The Thief was released, as was Amy Winehouse's Frank. Both albums were adored the world over, and while I recognize their greatness, they aren't as appealing to me, and there were easily at least 20 albums that I enjoyed more than those. Just be happy that I'm making this list now and not in 2003, because then it would surely include Hot Action Cop, Hoobastank, and Story of the Year. So, without further rambling, here are some albums that have been around for a decade. Yikes. Honourable Mention: Lost In Translation soundtrack Definitely one of my favourite soundtracks, and while My Bloody Valentine's Kevin Shields did compose some original music for the film, I'm keeping this list to original music by one group/ artist. Otherwise, this would certainly be in the top 10. The Jesus And Mary Chain - "Just Like Honey" Death In Vegas - "Girls" 20. Athlete- Vehicles & Animals "El Salvador" "Beautiful" 19. Cold- Year of the Spider "Rain Song" "Black Sunday" 18. The Stills- Logic Will Break Your Heart "Lola Stars and Stripes" "Changes Are No Good" 17. Evanescence- Fallen "Imaginary" "Hello" 16. Pete Yorn- Day I Forgot "Crystal Village" "Long Way Down" 15. Coheed & Cambria- In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 "A Favor House Atlantic" "Three Evils (Embodied In Love and Shadow)" 14. Biffy Clyro- The Vertigo of Bliss "A Day Of..." "Toys, Toys, Toys, Choke, Toys, Toys, Toys" 13. Dashboard Confessional- A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar "Bend and Not Break" "Morning Calls" 12. The Postal Service- Give Up "We Will Become Silhouettes" "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight" 11. The Strokes- Room On Fire "12:51" "Meet Me In the Bathroom" 10. Alkaline Trio- Good Mourning "Every Thug Needs A Lady" "All On Black" 9. Alien Ant Farm- truANT "These Days" "S.S. Recognize" 8. Placebo- Sleeping With Ghosts "Sleeping With Ghosts" "This Picture" 7. Stereophonics- You Gotta Go There to Come Back "Getaway" "High As The Ceiling" 6. Kings of Leon- Youth & Young Manhood "Joe's Head" "Molly's Chambers" 5. The White Stripes- Elephant "Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine" "Black Math" 4. Brand New- Deja Entendu "Jaws Theme Swimming" "Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't" 3. Muse- Absolution "Hysteria" "Butterflies and Hurricanes" 2. The Black Keys- Thickfreakness "Thickfreakness" "Hurt Like Mine" 1. Death Cab for Cutie- Transatlanticism "We Looked Like Giants" "Passenger Seat"

[jenksy]

It's been a rough week. Time to get the best therapy I know. #jimmyeatworld #ogden

[jenksy]

So here we are... #aurora (at Town Center at Aurora)

[jenksy]

#aurora #century16 #oneyearlater #neverforget

[jenksy]

Recently, Queens of the Stone Age and Vampire Weekend both covered Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" (video NSFW) in Radio 1's Live Lounge, with very different results. Vampire Weekend's is pretty true to the original and is very fun, while QOTSA puts their own spin on it. Which do you like best?

[jenksy]

Halfway There 2013

It's July 1st, which means we're already halfway through 2013! It's been a very strange year for me so far. I'll spare the details, but know that music has become even more important to me this year, which is something I never thought possible. Lucky for me, then, that there have already been so many good albums put out in 2013, with many more to come. Here's a selection of my favourites up to now, in alphabetical order. Biffy Clyro- Opposites "Different People" "Stingin' Belle" Bombino- Nomad "Amidinine" "Imuhar" City and Colour- The Hurry and The Harm "Thirst" "The Hurry and The Harm" Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes- Baby Caught the Bus "Love Letter" "Frankie" Daft Punk- Random Access Memories "Get Lucky" featuring Pharrell Williams "Instant Crush" featuring Julian Casablancas Eels- Wonderful, Glorious "Kinda Fuzzy" "On the Ropes" Jimmy Eat World- Damage "Appreciation" "How'd You Have Me" The Joy Formidable- Wolf’s Law "The Leopard and The Lung" "Little Blimp" Justin Timberlake- The 20/20 Experience "Suit & Tie" "Pusher Love Girl" Mark Lanegan & Duke Garwood- Black Pudding "Pentecostal" "Shades of the Sun" The National- Trouble Will Find Me "Demons" "Sea of Love" Pickwick- Can’t Talk Medicine "Hacienda Motel" "Staged Names" Portugal. The Man- Evil Friends "Modern Jesus" "Holy Roller [Hallelujah]" Pyyramids- Brightest Darkest Day "Paper Doll" "Smoke and Mirrors" Queens of the Stone Age- …Like Clockwork "My God Is the Sun" "If I Had A Tail" Roddy Woomble- Listen to Keep "Trouble Your Door" "Listen to Keep" She & Him- Volume 3 "I Could've Been Your Girl" "Never Wanted Your Love" The Shouting Matches- Grownass Man "Gallup, NM" "Milkman" Woodkid- The Golden Age "I Love You" "Run Boy Run" Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Mosquito "Sacrilege" "Slave" EPs: Hot Bodies In Motion- Principle A "That Darkness" Lorde- The Love Club EP "Bravado" Walk the Moon- Tightrope EP "Anywayican"

[jenksy]

A look at the top of my music stats for the first six months of 2013. Stay tuned for my "Best So Far" list!