2015 was a fucking shitshow as far as humanity is concerned. We're all fucking ashamed of each other and shit.
It's easy to let the tone of the planet seem brutally miserable and cloudy when your only focus is on current events and how people react to them. But let's focus on the good shit in life while we wait for another year of bullshit to pour down our supple and magnificent chests shall we?
- Adele is back and she's fucking better than you wanted her to be and you're torn between hating her for being successful, hating her for being accessible, and hating yourself for loving such an amazingly beautiful and talented woman.
- I accidentally watched a 15 second snippet of a Slim Jesus video on the toilet once this year.
- Father John Misty shook my hand after his show in Chicago and I'd like to think him touching me has made him a better person. (PS. I HAVEN'T WARSHED MY HAND SINCE.)
- Tom & I got to go see Justin Timberlake this year and we're happy to accounce we've decided to stay besties even though Tom moved to Indiana because of the Illinois Governor.
- Porn is fucking awesome.
I think I've covered everything that happened this year, but if you're still reading, here are our favorite albums of 2015.
Also, thanks for reading our graphically textual missives on the music that makes us us. See you in 2016, and at crossfit. BECAUSE WODS BRO.
Love,
Joel
Brando'S FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2015
1. Tame Impala – Currents: This became the thing I listened to when I was doing all the things that I do.
2. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly: I was indifferent to the genius of Kendrick Lamar only to be reminded that genius does not suffer indifference.
3. Oddisee - The Good Fight: A reminder. Oddisee is making hip hop the “music” that it absolutely is.
4. Milo - So the Flies Don’t Come: Young Milo, the Ginsburgian rap spirit, doing for words what Oddisee does for production in that they are celebrated.
5. Sister Crayon - Devoted: I played this entire record extremely loud while possibly singing along at full throated volume like hell to the fuck yeah!
TOM'S FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2015
1. Father John Misty - I Love You Honeybear: You either think Father John Misty is a 'shtick', or you think FJM in all his glory, sarcasm, and snideness is genuine. If it's the later then this is the greatest album this year. It it's the former, you need to listen more carefully because you are missing the vulnerability. Vulnerability is genuine. (Yes, I'm talking to you Del). Side note: This year I've quoted FJM more than Seinfeld.
2. Tallest Man On Earth - Dark Bird Is Home: I think I gave this album 8 stars in the Spring, but it just stuck to me and would not let go. I ended up buying the vinyl and listen to it every Sunday morning in my underwear with a cup of coffee in my hand.
3. The Amazing - Picture You: This album is all sorts of 'Oh shit my legs are numb because I've been unintentionally clenching my pelvic floor muscles.' I can't feel my legs when 'Picture You', but I love it. Oh I love it.
4. Dilly Dally - Sore: This album was so unexpected for me. The first time I heard a Dilly Dally song I was taken back, a little scared, and excited to be hearing a female voice with an edgy growl that I haven't heard....since.....I can't even remember when. Join me and send Dilly Dally a year's supply of Ricola honey flavored lozenges in a heart shaped box. I don't have an address, but just send it to Canada....it will get to them. They have their shit together up there.
5. Lord Huron - Strange Trails: This year I'm really trying to base my list off of what I listened to the most. Sure, Sufjan Stevens, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Tame Impala had remarkable albums that I highly respect, but I only listened to them for a couple of weeks. Strange Trails had staying power.
JOEL'S FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2015
1. Father John Misty - I Love You Honeybear: This is probably one of my favorite albums ever made because not only are you enjoying the witty lyricismz of FJM, but the orchestration on these songs is fucking whimsical. The "get drunk and sway" album of my generation.
2. Foals - What Went Down: This band went from "wow this is pretty good" to "DAMN THIS IS EVERYTHING" after my first three spins of this album. I love intense rock that doesn't rely on a distortion pedal to send me into overdrive.
3. Jamie xx - Colour: Vivid, relaxing, romantic, hypnotic, I fucking adore how this album is all over the place but completely straightforward in it being all over the place. Colour makes me remember laying in bed with my headphones on while the world spun in slow motion, yet my brain was workin' overtime.
4. Maribou State - Portrait: This album sounds like the future, if the future was a remix of the sounds of life, using only electronically captured life sounds throughout life, electronically. I fucking adore it. I even adore the jazz hands this album has tickled my rear end with.
5. Twin Shadow - Eclipse: Eclipse is the album cover. It's pop as fuck, but it's the most heartfelt pop music I've ever wanted to listen to all fucking day. I sing Twin Shadow songs in my Twin Shadow-like voice and when that happens, everything I'm wearing has bangles. Fringe and bangles bro.
DEL'S FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2015
1. Jamie XX - In Colour: OH MY GOSH. This was EASY easy.
2. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie and Lowell: So positively pained and pained positively. I'm not sure that makes any sense at all if you haven't listened to this album 1000 times like I have.
3. Tame Impala - Currents: Who knew that hidden underneath the swirling layers of pop psychedelia that Tame Impala would give us the best break up record of 2015. Eat your heaert out Chrvrches. (Your album was aight too BTdubs)
4. Youth Lagoon - Savage Hills Ballroom: Wounded man lady vocals with big production make for Trevor Powers own personal Pet Sounds.
5. Public Service Broadcasting - The Race For Space: I'm a sucker for concept albums. This album unfolds during that weird and wild time when the USA and the USSR were racing to the moon and beyond. They had me right from the jump off with the JFK monologue the way Bill Pullman had me during his Independence Day speech. This album refused to go quietly in the night!