Favourite Albums of 2016

[TheHumanComa]

Make a top 10 list, post someone else's list, or just tell us about your favourite album of the year.

I'll post my list when i'm done, but for those of you that I am friends with on Facebook already, you'll know my favourite album of the year is -

Frightened Rabbit - Painting of a Panic Attack. It didn't get the best of reviews but, it's the album that connected to me the most this year, i found it uplifting and depressing at the same time. I listened to it from beginning to end over and over and even started my vinyl collection by making it my first purchase.

[TheHumanComa]

couldn't delete this post, so i'll edit and throw out a few more albums -

Band of Horses - Why are you OK
Andy Shauf - The Party
Public Access Tv- Never Enough
Johann Johansson - orphee

lot of different types of music there.

[TheHumanComa]

What are the opinions on Radiohead's - A Moon Shaped Pool? I keep trying to listen to it, but can't find the right time. It is definitely not a job site album.

[govmentchedda]

Loved the Frightened Rabbit record. Didn't enjoy Radiohead.

Really liked the Eric Bachmann record and the Solange record too.

[A_B]

I had a big post that my phone ate. Boo. I'll try to replicate tomorrow am.

[TheHumanComa]

Didn't enjoy Radiohead.

I'm seeing it on a lot of lists, so i keep thinking i'm missing something. Sure, Burn the Witch is amazing, but i can never make it through the rest of the album. It's like a lot of other albums i see on people's lists. Car Seat Headrest's Teen Denial, is ok, but "Vincent" is insanely good and probably what makes the record. One song isn't good enough to make an album best of the year. I need an album that is good from beginning to end.

[mister d]

Totally punted this year, I don't think I bought a single album from an artist/band I didn't already have in my library. Either it was an outlier or my music collection froze at age 38.

[A_B]

Who buys albums. You can still listen.

[TheHumanComa]

Who buys albums. You can still listen.

vinyl outsells digital this year

[bapo!]

Totally punted this year, I don't think I bought a single album from an artist/band I didn't already have in my library. Either it was an outlier or my music collection froze at age 38.

Man, in previous years, I've been a major contributor to this thread. Not this year. Confluence of events: 1) Continued distancing from pop culture, 2) more attention paid to politics/news, and 3) depression making it harder to listen to music/care at all about this stuff (or much of anything, really).

Last spring, I listened to the new Grimes and Animal Collective albums, and I just...didn't like them. I did like the new Radiohead for a day or two, then forgot about it. I don't think I've heard anything new since then.

But if I have to pick, I'll say that my favorite album of 2016 is Van Morrison's 'Astral Weeks,' which was released in 1968.

2016: The year bapo got old.

[Pruitt]

I tend to buy individual songs, and old shit when it comes to rock. Most of what I listen to is reggae, African or blues, not very popular, but give these guys a listen. Their album "Nothing More To So" is really good...

[A_B]

Who buys albums. You can still listen.

vinyl outsells digital this year

I didn't buy shit digitally either. But I listened to a lot through streaming service of some kind.

[mister d]

Last spring, I listened to the new Grimes and Animal Collective albums, and I just...didn't like them.

Wow.

[bapo!]

Last spring, I listened to the new Grimes and Animal Collective albums, and I just...didn't like them.

Wow.

One of the most shocking sentences ever posted in the Swamp, right? I really should go back and listen; it might have just been my mindset at the time.

There is a happy ending to this story, tho. I saw them in concert a couple of months ago. Went in with low expectations, but they were very, very good. (They brought along the drummer from Ponytail, and he really changed the dynamic of the band.) I still love those guys, but the new album just didn't do anything for me.

[Giff]

I start my countdown tomorrow on Facebook. Still haven't settled on my favorite album, but have my favorite song chosen though.

[Rush2112]

Who buys albums. You can still listen.

vinyl outsells digital this year

And Mozart sold more CDs than anyone.

[DaveInSeattle]

For me, I really liked (couldn't keep it to just 10):

Anderson.Paak - Malibu (weird mix of hip-hop and jazz)
Augustines - This is Your Life (this selection is definitely influenced by seeing them live in August. Probably my favorite show of the year. Perfect confluence of a small venue, super amped crowd, and super amped band)
Angel Olsen - My Woman
Blind Pilot - And Then Like Lions
Bob Mould - Patch The Sky
Charles Bradley - Changes
Frightened Rabbit - Painting of a Panic Attack
Head and the Heart - Signs of Light
Kate Tempest - Let Them Eat Chaos (Probably my favorite of the year)
Margo Price - Midwest Farmers Daughter
Michael Kiwanuka - Love and Hate
Radiohead - Moon Shaped Pool (yeah, its different, and it takes a while to grow on you, but once it does...)
Sturgill Simpson - Sailor's Guide To Earth
Tribe Called Quest - We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service

And yeah, all of my selections, and musical listening, is heavily influenced by KEXP.

[P.D.X.]

Russian Circles
Cobalt
Khemmis
True Widow
Inter Arma

[mister d]

Bob Mould - Patch The Sky

"Voices in my Head" is on now, which means this landed somewhere around #60 I think. Didn't get the album, but that song might be my #1.

[DaveInSeattle]

Bob Mould - Patch The Sky

"Voices in my Head" is on now, which means this landed somewhere around #60 I think. Didn't get the album, but that song might be my #1.

I assume you are talking about the KEXP countdown...and yeah, it was #64, which is surprisingly low.

The three most recent Bob Mould albums (Patch The Sky, Beauty & Ruin, and Silver Age) have all been really good.

[EnochRoot]

I will venture forth my top 5 LPs of 2016, but I always wrestle with this:

Can I include the second-half of the previous year's efforts, because invariably it takes time to truly appreciate the staying power of music.

[Insert hipster emoji here]

[mister d]

No. Release date.

[EnochRoot]

that doesn't give you enough chance to appreciate the music released just now...or NOW.

I mean, the bigger the waistband the deeper the quicksand, sure...but we're leaving a lot of meat on the floor here

[A_B]

I overrule mister d!

[EnochRoot]

I overrule mister d!

Purrrrrrrrrrr

[TheHumanComa]

For me, I really liked (couldn't keep it to just 10):
Margo Price - Midwest Farmers Daughter
Sturgill Simpson - Sailor's Guide To Earth
Tribe Called Quest - We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service

These three albums are on my potential list. Margo Price's album is amazing but she sounds like she is trying to be somebody else the whole time. I played it at work and a coworker said she was a mix of Stevie Nicks and EmmyLou Harris. Then i googled her to see what she looked like, and she mirrors her image off of famous female country stars. Its not a bad thing, still probably my favourite female album of the year, considering the rest of my favourites are all male. Last year was an amazing year for Female led bands and singers, this year they dissapointed.

Sturgill Simpson however, is how i wish all country music sounded like. awesome album. There was some effort put into it. unlike most of the country music out there these days. Country music is Country pop these days, it's horrible.

Haven't even given the new tribe called quest a full listen yet. Phife is dead, didn't even consider giving it a chance.

[TheHumanComa]

Russian Circles
Cobalt
Khemmis
True Widow
Inter Arma

Russian circles album is amazing! no idea who the rest are but i'll check them out.

[brian]

Lydia Loveless had the best country album by a woman IMO. I even like the Amanda Shires album more than Margo Price.

[A_B]

Lydia Loveless had the best country album by a woman IMO. I even like the Amanda Shires album more than Margo Price.

I liked aubrie sellers.

[Giff]

No. Release date.

I go Grammy rules if I have to bend it a little. I also have a track in my top 2 that was released February 2015, but it charted this year and I discovered it this year, so it counts dammit.

[A_B]

Here's a list of the ones I liked the best this year:

Lovers and Leavers - Hayes Carll. This was not one of my favorites when I first heard it. But it has since grown on me. It's a well done album, basically about a marriage dissolving. It's heartbreaking, and not as clever as some of his other stuff, but it's grown on me. There are a couple of great tracks, too, which always helps.

New City Blues - Aubrie Sellers. This is really a blues album, not sure why it gets lumped in with coutnry, but it's really good. Like I mentioned above, I liked it better than

Real - Lydia Loveless - Loveless is just really really good. I think I've liked all of her stuff

Little Seeds - Shovels & Rope. Been a big fan since I saw them with Hayes Carll a ways back.

The Weight of These Wings - Miranda Lambert. Lambert's great. I don't care that she's a superstar. This is a great album.

[P.D.X.]

Was mining various year-end lists to find stuff I missed and came across Astronoid. Took me a bit to get past the prog wankery but then it really clicked. Really great album and a band with a pretty unique sound.

[HDO45331]

Parker Millsap. The Very Last Day.

I just received it, and listened to it. Excellent. He has a Jack White sound to his voice.

[Giff]

Parker Millsap. The Very Last Day.

I just received it, and listened to it. Excellent. He has a Jack White sound to his voice.

Album not on my list (barely missed), but a single is pretty high up there.

[TheHumanComa]

Just testing something out... I logged in as myself but it says I'm logged in as giff.

Wintersleep- the great detachment is an awesome album.