[20] Beyond the Fleeting Gales - Crying (Run for Cover)
Crying have graduated from being an emo-infused chiptunes band to grandiose monsters of rock. This record is huge, almost 70s glam rock or 80s hair metal huge. Lots of wanky guitar leads, big-ass drums and still enough video game synths to keep your heart warm. What a fun record. With more time, it probably could have ranked higher.
Top jam: "Wool in the Wash"
[19] Human Performance - Parquet Courts (Rough Trade)
I was let down by Sunbathing Animal and never got around to listening to Content Nausea, but Parquet Courts have returned to form for me with Human Performance. It's their most dynamic record yet, and is loaded with jams. I still miss some of the more 90s leanings from Light Up Gold, but I'll get over it.
Top jam: "Human Performance"
[18] The Dream is Over - Pup (Side One Dummy)
Whenever I think of Pup, I kind of want to view them as a gimmick punk band and just get over them. But then every time I listened to this record this year, I felt stupid for ever thinking that way and just enjoyed the shit out of it. I do believe that a band can be too anthemic, and Pup ride that line, but man, do they ride it well.
Top jam: "Can't Win"
[17] My Woman - Angel Olsen (Jagjaguwar)
Yet another album that gets better with each listen and probably would have ranked higher with more time. I need to go back and listen to Angel Olsen's older stuff, because I was an idiot and slept on it. The first time I heard "Shut Up Kiss Me" I was hooked, and I ain't looking back. "Intern" and "Give It Up" are also serious jams.
Top jam: "Shut Up Kiss Me"
[16] Outer Heaven - Greys (Carpark/Buzz)
Greys' first album of 2016. Here, they continue the Dischord Records inspired punk of If Anything, but with a little more variety and dynamics, and slightly slower tempos. Oh yeah, more melodicism too. I don't know that it quite reached my expectations, but, it's still a bad ass record.
Top jam: "In for a Penny"
[15] Slow - Sport (Adagio 830)
I'm still missing Algernon Cadwallader and Glocca Morra, the bands that have done the modern emo sound the best by far. However, Sport has been a nice consolation prize the past couple of years. Could do with less of the beard-y yell-sing, but the tricky song structures and beautiful guitar chords and leads are welcome to my ears any day.
Top jam: "Muscles"
[14] From Caplan to Belsize - Muncie Girls (Animal Style)
Polished, emo-y, punk-y guitar pop with hooks upon hooks. Lande Hekts's melodies are memorable, and her voice equally so. Brian LaBenne turned me on to this band, and while my love for the album faded slightly towards the end of the year, it still has made a lasting enough impression to land where it has on the list.
Top jam: "Nervous"
[13] A Seat at the Table - Solange (Saint/Columbia)
Okay, I'm running out of things to say and am starting to sound like a broken record, but seriously, once again, this record gets better every time I listen to it, and with another couple of months with it, it probably would've made it into the top ten, if not top five. Solange's voice isn't quite as impressive to me as Beyonce's, but, A Seat at the Table seems like a much more creative and unique affair. I love how sparse it is, and at times how autumnal it sounds ("Cranes in the Sky," for example).
Top jam: "Junie"
[12] Eric Bachmann - Eric Bachmann (Merge)
Former frontman of Archers of Loaf/Crooked Fingers doing the solo project thing. This record is sad and BEAUTIFUL. Perhaps this is Bachmann at his most vulnerable. It's heartbreaking, and really worth the listen.
Top jam: "Masters of the Deal"
[11] Blonde - Frank Ocean (self-released)
Here's one of the most gorgeous albums of the year. Ocean's voice, all of the characters it plays, are amazing. The lack of drums/beats threw me off initially, but the beauty in the songs more than makes up for it. "Nikes," "Ivy," "Pink + White," "Solo," "Skyline To," the back half of "Self Control" and "Seigfried" are some of the best songs of the year, if not the last few. Sometimes I wonder if this is actually the best thing I've heard all year. It's the only one that has made me cry.
Top jam: "Ivy" I guess, but really any of the songs that I listed above depending on the day
[10] Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not - Dinosaur Jr. (Jagjaguwar)
I think Farm is my favorite post-reunion Dino Jr. album, but this certainly gives it a run for it's money, if not matching it song for song. A very much welcome return to form.
Top jam: "I Told Everyone"
[9] Personal Life - Two Inch Astronaut (Exploding in Sound)
More knotty, jagged, riff-oriented indie rock from Two Inch Astronaut. Overall a better record than 2014's Foulbrood (perhaps quite a lot due to the production of J. Robbins), but nothing here comes close to touching the brilliance of that album's opener/title track.
Top jam: "At Risk Student"
[8] Weaves - Weaves (Kanine/Memphis Industries/Buzz)
Weirdo, guitar-driven art pop somewhere between Deerhoof and maybe The Flaming Lips? Almost every song here completely owns. One of the most unique records of the year. The band's future seems very promising.
Top jam: "Tick"
[7] Puberty 2 - Mitski (Dead Oceans)
The closest comparison I can think of for this record is St. Vincent's Actor. Puberty 2 might be a slightly slower and more sparse, but the general vibe is pretty similar. There are many fantastic moments here, and Mitski's singing is just glorious. She's got a real knack for dynamics and spooky yet gorgeous melodies. This one rules big time.
Top jam: "Your Best American Girl"
[6] Instant Evening - Zoos of Berlin (Don't Look About)
It had been a while since I had thought of my favorite Michigan band Zoos of Berlin, then in 2016 they surprised by playing some shows, and surprising me with a brand new record (their third). In almost every way, it matches if not exceeds everything they've done previously. "Rush at the Bond," "Spring From the Cell" and "Always Fine With Orphan" have Zoos of Berlin at their best, except for "White Cloud" and "I Get to Follow You," which have them even better.
Top jam: "I Get to Follow You"
[5] Life of Pause - Wild Nothing (Captured Tracks)
Without question, my least favorite of the three Wild Nothing albums thus far. Of course, this still rules, though. Jack Tatum's songwriting has gotten more ambitious and his compositions more daring and huge. In addition to the usual hat-tips to New Order, The Cure, Cocteau Twins and 80s Fleetwood Mac, Tatum throws in some Eno and Bowie worship this time, too.
Top jam: "A Woman's Wisdom"
[4] A Moon Shaped Pool - Radiohead (XL)
Now we've arrived at the Tier 1 albums. This follow-up to The King of Limbs wasn't as immediate to me, but, it seems like it has more staying power. A Moon Shaped Pool is gorgeous and more human than Radiohead have been since In Rainbows, if not ever. Just another notch on Radiohead's belt, for sure.
Top jam: "Ful Stop"
[3} Malibu - Anderson Paak (Empire/OBE/Steel Wool/Art Club)
My favorite hip hop/R&B release of the year, without question. Extremely fun and beautiful with lots of great soul samples as well as live band material. I was surprised to find that Paak is actually a drummer, and an incredible one at that. Malibu is the closest 2016 came to To Pimp a Butterfly.
Top jam: "The Season/Carry Me"
[2] Cody - Joyce Manor (Epitaph)
Never Hungover Again is still the best Joyce Manor album, but Cody is quite the follow-up. The songs have slowed down a bit, and even stretched out a little, but this is some fantastic pop punk with hints at emo and power pop throughout. "Eighteen" is my #1 song of the year.
Top jam: "Eighteen"
[1] Return to Love - LVL UP (Sub Pop)
I think it took me two listens to recognize that this was a serious contender for album of the year. And then, it happened. Here, LVL UP reference Neutral Milk Hotel, Built to Spill and sometimes (particularly on the amazingly titled "Naked in the River With the Creator") The Microphones. It's quite a diverse set of songs, which isn't too surprising knowing that the band is made up of three songwriters. The melodies are great. The fuzzy guitar leads and layered acoustics do wonders to the record's overall atmosphere and sound. "Pain" is my #2 song of the year. When I found out LVL UP were releasing an album in 2016, I didn't not see it ending up as my favorite, but here we are, and I am stoked about it.
Top jam: "Pain"
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