Ladies and gentlemen, it’s that time again.
Big Money, Doctor Z and Michael Parr have donned their holiday apparel, and are sitting by the fire talking about the year in music.
Trying to sum up twelve months in music is a bit of an arduous undertaking, so this year end podcast is split into two parts. The second installment will arrive in a week.
Part one focuses on 2015’s best albums. It was a great year for music, and the panel had a bit of trouble narrowing their lists down (and once that was done, there was much hand-wringing in regards to putting those lists in order!) Ultimately, the three individual lists, while featuring some overlap, offer up a cross-section of music from a wide array of genres: New Orleans jazz meets sad bastard pop, neo-disco and everything in between. That said, the entire panel is also in 100% agreement as to what the year’s best album is.
The panel is also in agreement that 2015 was one of the best years for music in recent memory, which made editing individual lists even more of a pain in the ass. Dr. Z, smartly, used his own yearly tradition of making a mix CD for his friends (that you, too, can own if you get in touch with him soon enough) to whittle his list down.
You’ll have to listen to the show to get specifics on each album (as well as shout outs to a bunch of records that did not make the list), but here’s each panelist’s top ten for 2015.
Dr. Z
10. Nation Beat feat. Cha Wa: “Carnival Caravan”
9. Keith Richards “Crosseyed Heart”
7. Carly Rae Jepsen “E-Mo-Tion”
6. Bomba Estereo “Amanecer”
5. Janet Jackson “Unbreakable”
4. Naughty Professor “Out On A Limb”
3. Kamasi Washington “The Epic”
2. Christian Scott “Stretch Music”
1. Kendrick Lamar “To Pimp A Butterfly”
Big Money
10. Disclosure “Caracal”
9. Cee Lo Green “Heart Blanche”
8. Jason Isbell “Something More Than Free”
7. Blackalicious “IMANI Vol. 1”
6. Tame Impala “Currents”
5. Janet Jackson “Unbreakable”
4. My Morning Jacket “The Waterfall”
3. Miguel “WILDHEART”
2. D’Angelo & The Vanguard “Black Messiah”
1. Kendrick Lamar “To Pimp A Butterfly”
Michael Parr
10. City & Colour “If I Should Go Before You”
9. Coheed & Cambria “The Color Before The Sun”
8. Disclosure “Caracal”
7. The Internet “Ego Death”
6. Miguel “WILDHEART”
5. Janet Jackson “Unbreakable”
4. Blackalicious “IMANI Vol. 1”
3. The Decemberists “What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World”
2. D’Angelo & The Vanguard “Black Messiah”
1. Kendrick Lamar “To Pimp A Butterfly”
Also discussed/recommended:
The Keith Richards documentary “Under The Influence”
Dr. Z’s occasionally discussed but fairly well documented hatred of jam bands.
“You + Me”, a sorely underrated 2014 project featuring City & Colour’s Dallas Green and pop superstar P!nk.
How becoming a new dad for the third time caused Michael Parr to love Coheed & Cambria even more.
Why all Decemberists fans look alike, and so much more!
Part two will cover the year’s best singles, as well as a few words regarding 2015’s most notable comebacks, the least-understood musical trends, and a final salute to some of the musicians that left us this year. Just chill…till the next episode.
For now, though: listen in the box below, stream or download the podcast directly from LibSyn, or subscribe to the Blerd Radio podcast on iTunes!
2 comments
John says:
Dec 21, 2015
OK…I’m in for the mix! Definitely not expecting delivery by Friday, though…
Great lists. Mine finds most commonality with Big Money, but Carly Rae’s disc was easily my favorite for the year. (MNEK’s EP would have held that spot if most of the songs hadn’t been released as stand-alone prior to its release) And I’ll also give a shout out for You+Me. That cover of No Ordinary Love is stellar.
MJ says:
Dec 21, 2015
I LOVE that Sade cover. I wish Pink would find a common ground behind the pop.rock stuff and the R&B she started out with and do a Teena Marie-type record.