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CHIRP DJ writesCHIRP Radio Best of 2015: Andrew M.
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Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2015. Our next list is from volunteer Andrew M.
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#1 I Love You, Honeybear by Father John Misty (Sub Pop) |
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#2 Currents by Tame Impala (Interscope) |
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#3 Such Things by Saintseneca (ANTI-) |
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#4 Feels Like by Bully (Columbia) |
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#5 Art Angels by Grimes (4AD) |
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#6 I Want to Grow Up by Colleen Green (Hardly Art) |
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#7 Viet Cong by Viet Cong (Jagjaguwar) |
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#8 Depression Cherry by Beach House (Sub Pop) |
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#9 Fading Frontier by Deerhunter (4AD) |
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1/2 Decade of Wonder (2011-2015) |
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My top five albums of 2011-2015 (alphabetical): Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory Smith Westerns - Dye it Blonde St. Vincent - Strange Mercy Tame Impala - Lonerism Kanye West - Yeezus |
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Since February the release of this record, Father John Misty (on-stage alter-ego of Josh Tillman) has essentially become a meme. Amongst other escapades, he’s rolled-out a MIDI-only music sampling service and shared a series of covers of Ryan Adams covers of Taylor Swift (in the style of the Velvet Underground, no less). Which is unfortunate, because – distractions aside – this is an incredible album, front to back. The devil lies in the details here: the laugh track on “Bored in the USA”, the horn solo on “Chateau Lobby No. 4”, the out-of-nowhere digital pit stop that is “True Affection”. Here’s to hoping that this is a record that is remembered for its workmanship rather than the news cycle of its workhorse.
The fork in the road for many an art-rocker: more of the wonderful same, or the risk of a different direction. Currents, of course, is the latter of the two for Kevin Parker. As one might expect, it was met with a polarizing response, but I could not be more on the “pro” side of the fence. I’m a firm believer that the highs have never been higher for Parker and crew; in fact, a pair of tracks here could very well be my personal top two of the year. The sub-two minute snapper “Disciples” is just as much of a home run as the album’s epic psych-dance opener “Let it Happen”. I’m optimistic that Currents will go down as Kevin’s Kid A, misunderstood by some, but overwhelmingly a masterpiece in its own right.
“I defy the stars above to bash our milky heads in” – such is the opening declaration that propels Such Things from zero to 100. This is an album that unabashedly nods to In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, to Jeff Mangum’s modest grandeur. Whereas the Columbus, Ohio ensemble’s first two LPs have offered moments of brilliance, this is where it all comes together.
The common narrative: “Grunge is back baby!” The reality: this an excellent set of anthems, be it 1992 or 2015. I’m partially convinced that nobody writes a better bridge than Bully mastermind Alicia Bognanno (see: “I Remember”, “Brainfreeze”, “Milkman”) and bemoan the fact that we only have a dozen or so original songs from this Nashville upstart. May 2016 bring Bully to Chicago as many times as did the past year.
For as long as I’ve loved music, I’ve loved the Smashing Pumpkins. While a ton of bands take several influences and output a signature sound, the Pumpkins took their many influences and output a number of very diverse sounds: metal, dream pop, goth, and psych. Here, Grimes does something not all that different and pays homage to her forbearers to produce an incredibly diverse collection of tracks. Dolly Parton meets Real McCoy meets Madonna meets Max Martin; this is Grimes making music for Grimes, and the results are fantastic.
Next entry: CHIRP Radio Best of 2015: Tony Breed
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