Tuesday, January 26, 2016

My Favorite Non-2015 Music in 2015

I wanted to document the music that I listened to last year that wasn't released in 2016, lost classics, discoveries, etc. These are albums that I had been meaning to get around to eventually, or that I hadn't spent enough time with previously, or that I had forgotten about and rediscovered, or, lastly, that I simply had neglected for far too long. Here, they're presented as a top 20 list, but, first, fifteen albums that I enjoyed, but didn't quite make the cut:

Against Perfection - Adorable (Creation, 1993)
Surf's Up - The Beach Boys (Brother/Reprise, 1971)
Beat Happening - Beat Happening (K, 1985)
Misery is a Butterfly - Blonde Redhead (4AD, 2004)

Submarine Bells - The Chills (Slash/Flying Nun, 1990)
Delaware - Drop Nineteens (Caroline, 1992)
On Fire - Galaxie 500 (Rough Trade, 1989)
The Glow, Pt. 2 - The Microphones (K, 2001)
Low-Life - New Order (Factory, 1985)
In Ribbons - Pale Saints (4AD, 1992)

The Execution of All Things - Rilo Kiley (Saddle Creek, 2002)
Siamese Dream - The Smashing Pumpkins (Virgin, 1993)
A River Ain't Too Much to Love - Smog (Drag City, 2005)
Standards - Tortoise (Thrill Jockey, 2001)
The Meadowlands - The Wrens (Absolutely Kosher, 2003)

Now, on to my 20 favorite non-2015 albums that I got into and spent time with last year.


(20) Nowhere - Ride (Creation, 1990)



(19) Fire in the City of Automatons - No Knife (Time Bomb, 1999)




(18) High Society - Enon (Touch & Go, 2002)



(17) The Sea and Cake - The Sea and Cake (Thrill Jockey, 1994)



(16) Let Me Come Over - Buffalo Tom (Situation Two/Beggars Banquet, 1992)



(15) Today's Active Lifestyles - Polvo (Merge, 1993)



(14) It's Sydney or the Bush - The Inbreds (Murderrecords, 1996)



(13) Gold - Starflyer 59 (Tooth and Nail, 1995)




(12) Funtitled - Spraynard (Asian Man, 2011)




(11) The Egg - Shiner (DeSoto, 2001)



(10) Exile in Guyville - Liz Phair (Matador, 1993)



(9) The Tyranny of Distance - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists (Lookout!, 2001)



(8) A Series of Sneaks - Spoon (Elektra, 1998)



(7) Figure 8 - Elliott Smith (Dreamworks, 2000)




(6) Childish Prodigy - Kurt Vile (Matador, 2009)



(5) Radio City - Big Star (Ardent, 1974)




(4) The Hot Rock - Sleater-Kinney (Kill Rock Stars, 1999)



(3) Daydream Nation - Sonic Youth (Enigma, 1988)



(2) Scary Monsters - David Bowie (RCA, 1980)



(1) The Queen is Dead - The Smiths (Rough Trade/Sire, 1986)