The Best of the Year in Media 2016
Music
Anderson .Paak – Malibu -
Upon first hearing “Come Down”
I was blown away by the funky groove and couldn’t stop hitting repeat on the
track as well as moving to the it. The song was reminiscent of something Kendrick
Lamar might have put out. It took me sometime before I even took the time to
listen to the rest of the album and was pleasantly surprised when I did. Not
since John Legend’s early albums have I heard something so soulful with a mix
of Hip Hop and piano.
Top tracks: Come Down, Put Me Thru, Am I Wrong and
Celebrate
Angel Olsen – My Woman – Angel Olsen had the one album that I
heard this year that after the first listen I knew it would be in my best of
the year, the album is just that good. Olsen invokes a mix of indie and punk
music with harsh grinding guitars and her unique voice that is reminiscent of
Patti Smith, The Cowboy Junkies or Karen O.
Top tracks: Shut up kiss Me, Sister, Intern, and Never Be
Mine
Band of Horses – Why are you OK – Soft-indie-rockers Band of
Horses have been putting quality albums together now for a decade and this
album shows no sign of rust. They offer grinding guitars with a mix of
harmonies and introspective lyrics with the songs being just poppy enough to be
catchy ear worms. Recommended to fans of My Morning Jacket or Rural Alberta
Advantage.
Top tracks – Dull Times/ Moon, Solemn Oath, Casual Party,
In A Drawer and Throw my Mess
Beyonce – Lemonade – Not sure what I can really say that hasn’t
already been said about this album. The surprise release, the all to honest
subject matter, the genre pushing style and feel all add up to make this album
maybe the best album of Beyonce’s career. Don’t
Hurt Yourself , her joint venture with Jack White, is maybe the best song
of the year. The song shatters genre conventions and is delivered with such
passion and honesty you can’t but help but be caught in its web.
Top tracks – Hold up, Don’t Hurt Yourself, 6 Inch,
Formation, and Freedom
Dinosaur jr. – Give a Glimpse of what yer not – Grinding
guitars, harmonies, catchy pop style lyrics, the four years in-between albums
and more then 30 years making records hasn’t slowed this group down from making
great rock songs. I’ve been a big fan of what J Mascis has been doing with his
solo albums but here he rejoins with the rest of the crew to give us another
solid album.
Top tracks -
Goin Down, Be a Part, Good to Know, I Walk for Miles, Mirror
Frightened Rabbit – Painting of a Panic Attack – The brilliant
band from Glasgow is back with another moody scary good album. The indie folk
rockers are one of my favourite current bands. Their mix of melancholy tones
and haunting introspective lyrics tap my emotions like no other current band.
If you haven’t checked out their past albums please do so, but also grab this
one cause it’s just as genius as the albums that proceed it.
Top tracks – Death Dream, Get Out, Woke Up Hurting, An
Otherwise Disappointing Life, Lump Street, Wit ‘Til The Morning
Lera Lynn – Resistor – I only discovered Lera Lynn a few years
ago, with her involvement with the HBO show True Detective, but since she’s
been one of my favourite singer song writers. Her dark deep lyrics match her
dark somber tone. This album seems to offer a bigger sound for her with more
then just a guitar leading the way and it really works well for her. I can see
she will be an artist I will follow for some time and I think you should too.
Top tracks – What You Done, Drive, Cut + Burn, For the
Last Time, Fade into Black, Little Ruby
The Lumineers – Cleopatra – The second album from the Lumineers
offers more of the same from the folk indie rockers, and that’s a good thing.
The smart poppy lyrics match the catchy hooked filled instruments. I dare
anyone to listen to the bouncy piano of their song Ophelia and not be singing along by the end of the song. In a lot
of ways this album shows a lot of growth from their first album that put them
on the world stage and that’s great news for them and us.
Top tracks – Sleep On The Floor, Ophelia, Cleopatra,
Angela, Gale Song, Long Way From Home
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis – This unruly mess I’ve made – The
second album from duo of Ryan Lewis and Macklemore and this one is pretty close
to their amazing first album; The same catchy beats and groves over fast funny
smart rhymes. This album not only features guests that make up the future like
Anderson .Paak, Chance the Rapper and Leon Bridges ,but also pays homage to the
past with appearances by KRS-One, DJ Premier, Melle Mel and Kool Moe Dee. This
duo’s style of social conscience rap is a welcome breath of fresh air to a hip
hop genre that has seemingly is slowly dying.
Top tracks – Light Tunnels, Downtown, Dance Off, Brad
Pitt’s Cousin, Kevin, Let’s Eat, White Privilege
Sia – This is Acting (Deluxe)- The most surprising entry to me
on this list, mostly because I’m not that big of a fan of pop music, but this
album is just so powerful. The first way this album won me over is that Sia
includes lots of piano and I’m a sucker for the sound of a piano. That mixed
with her powerful unique voice and danceable beats make this album one of the
best of the year.
Top tracks – Bird Set Free, Alive, Cheap Thrills, The
Greatest, One Million Bullets, Move Your Body
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