Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2015. Our next list is from DJ The Midnight Crisis with John.

#1   Fantasy Error by State Champion (Sophomore Lounge)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

Simply put, a great American rock album. If you need a label, let's say "alt country" because of the fiddle and twang in the vocal. On early listens I glossed over the lyrics because I was all caught up in the music's energy, intricacies, and shifts. Repeated listens reveal some immense storytelling though. The liner notes invoke Springsteen -- a vibe I didn't get until multiple spins of "Wake Me Up" where there's a serious yarn being spun by Ryan Davis. Assuming the Springsteen comparison, I'd say it's early Bruce at his most Dylan -- wordplay without being oblique (Fave line: "At midnight I'm sitting by a bucket of water, it used to be a bucket of ice"), delivered with big town/small city arena-rock conviction. Half of it is a hell of a lot of fun while the other half relives "the best of your worst". Either way, it's tallboy toasts in your friends' back yard while the bottle rockets fly.

#2   Melbourne, Florida by Dick Diver (Trouble in Mind)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

The third album by this Melbourne (Australia) group has enough 12 string to qualify it as jangle pop and opener "Waste the Alphabet" and "Tearing the Posters Down" are right up there with the best of breed. The new wave-y ("Year in Pictures" and "Percentage Points") and MOR/soft rock ("Private Number") songs are just as fantastic, though.

#3   Primrose Green by Ryley Walker (Dead Oceans)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

Ryley Walker does the unbelievable in reviving the best of Tim Buckley's late-sixties folk jazz era. Ambitious as that may be and impossible as it seems, he and the locals-only backing band -- keyboardist Ben Boye, drummer Frank Rosaly and bassist Anton Hatwich -- absolutely nail it start to finish, both here and live. Mind blowing.

#4   Momentary Lapse of Happily by Adult Mom (Tiny Engines)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

Here's an album for deep dives into early-twenties relationships, feelings, identities and late nights / early mornings. In the wrong spiral bound-notebook maybe that's a self-indulgent set of topics, but Steph Knipe is the friend you want nothing but the best for. Vulnerable and smart and self-aware, she also has quite a flair for cadence -- with a dynamic voice that cracks while pausing a phrase or drawing out a word while she thinks it though. Literally recorded in a dorm room, this could be a Simple Machines release circa 1993, which is just great by me.

#5   Listen to Formation, Look for the Signs by Nadia Reid (Scissor Tail)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

Kicking it off with one of the more brazen opening lines on a debut ("When I hit the ground in all my glory..."), Nadia Reid backs it up and then some. Recorded at the age of twenty-three, this is an incredibly confident, mature record. Accompanying herself on accoustic with at times minimal backing by some electric slide guitar and a rhythm section that leaves plenty of room for Reid breathe her lyrics, these songs are well developed and arranged. Beth Orton seems the most apt comparison, but Reid deserves to stand on her own. In a year of great singer/songwriters, this one's the tops.

#6   The Habit of a Lifetime (and How to Kick It) by Aim & QNC (ATIC Records)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

It's been a looong time since I paid serious attention to hip hop but this album harkens back to an era when I did. QNC is Q-Ball and Curt Cazal, the latter being a member of JVC Force "Strong Island" fame. Aim is a UK producer who lays down 90s golden era beats for a deep bass era. It makes sense musically and lyrically that there's a Gang Starr tribute nor that Brand Nubian's Grand Puba guests. The vibe is definitely old school, and the tales include record deals lost ("Taking Shots" and "How it All Got Started") and a love letter to the genre's bygone era ("She Ain't You"). No mere throwback, though, this album is fresh and very, very vital.

#7   Lost Weekend by Erase Errata (Under the Sun)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

This post-punk (stylistically), post-riot-grrl (historically) group released their first record since 2006 in January only to break up by October. "History of Handclaps" was the best song of the year. It's only two minutes long, though. Someone put out a Deceptacon-style remix, please!

#8   Why Choose by Shopping (FatCat)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

We're pretty much at the point of just extending or mastering most musical genres at this point. London-based post-punk trio Shopping excels at the latter. Leaning heavily on a tight rhythm section, the songs free up Rachel Aggs' staccatto guitar to hop and skitter at will. Guaranteed to get the party moving even while the lyrics critique the whole socio-economic construct.

#9   Switch Me On by The Fireworks (Shelf-Life)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

C86 comp worthly, distortion heavy pop that'll instantly take you back to college radio's salad days when Creation and Rough Trade ruled. For fans of Jesus and Mary Chain, the Pastels, Wedding Present, etc. Catchy as hell and so, so much fun.

#10   Over and Even by Joan Shelley (No Quarter)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

When I saw Joan Shelley open for Doug Paisley at the Old Town School in November there were audible gasps at the end of some songs. Understandably so. Her warm, inviting voice sure can take your breath away. On this, her third album, she's partnered with her best collaborator yet, guitarist Nathan Salsburg. His flourishing accompaniment fill out Shelley's already wonderful songwriting. Guests also include Will Oldham, Rachel Grimes and James Elkington.

Best Songs Not In My Top 10:

Weatherman - "Night Games"

Shana Cleveland & The Sandcastles - "Itching Around"

Crying Lion - "Shepherds Arise"

Dorthia Cottrell - "Maybe it's True"

Band - "Sunset Dust"

The Weather Station - "Almost Careless"

Grubby Mitts - "Music of Exhaustion"

Iko Cherie - "If Every Song Could Break Your Heart"

Rizan Said - "High Tension Zamer"