Almost that time of the year. Top 10 albums of 2016

[CortezTheKiller]

i am pretty surprised by the absence of Sturgill in your list.

Was an early passenger on the Sturgill train, but, for whatever reason, I just never got into the new one.

[Alone in the Zone]

Ten Favorite Albums of 2016:

 

1. Thao and the Get Down Stay Down - A Man Alive

2. Damien Jurado - Visions of Us on the Land

3. Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker

4. David Bowie - Blackstar

5. Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial

6. A Tribe Called Quest - We got it from Here...Thank You 4 Your Service

7. Emapea - Seeds, Roots & Fruits

8. Wilco - Schmilco

9. Anderson Paak - Malibu

10. Lucy Dacus - No Burden

 

Honorable Mention:

 

Solange - A Seat at the Table

Noname - Telefone

Flock of Dimes - If You See Me, Say Yes

Lori McKenna - The Bird & the Rifle

Michael Kiwanuka - Love & Hate

Hiss Golden Messenger - Heart Like a Levee

James Hunter Six - Hold On!

Beyoncé - Lemonade

Iggy Pop - Post Pop Depression

Margo Price - Midwest Farmer's Daughter

Scott Hirsch - Blue Rider Songs

Alejandro Escovedo - Burn Something Beautiful

Teenage Fanclub - Here

Robbie Fulks - Upland Stories

Fruit Bats - Absolute Loser

Parquet Courts - Human Performance

 

Spotify Playlist of 200 Songs for 2016:

 

https://open.spotify.com/user/patrick_jacobi/playlist/4TpNc3yZRbP8zfFFVgd1Qv

[Alone in the Zone]

Here is a Best of 2016 podcast from Chunkyglasses:

 

http://www.chunkyglasses.com/content/episode-243-best-of-2016-part-one

[PopTodd]

Okay, so I think that I have my top 30 of the year:

 

 

1. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Talk Tight
2. Family Atlantica - Cosmic Unity
3. David Bowie - Blackstar
4. Fumaça Preta - Impuros Fanáticos
5. Flamingods - Majesty
6. Klaus Johann Grobe - Spagat der Liebe
7. Ultimate Painting - Dusk
8. Cate Le Bon - Crab Day
9. Tom Zé - Canções Eróticas de Ninar
10. Dinosaur Jr. - Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not
11. Barry Adamson - Know Where To Run
12. Goat - Requiem
13. Omni - Deluxe
14. Teenage Fanclub - Here
15. The Flat Five - It's a World Of Love and Hope
16. Parquet Courts - Human Performance
17. Magic Shoppe - Wonderland
18. Tindersticks - The Waiting Room
19. The Limiñanas - Malamore
20. The Cleaners From Venus - The Last Boy In the Locarno
21. Beef Jerk - Tragic
22. Steve Ison - On the Way Up
23. Freezing Hands - Freezing Hands II
24. The Strangest Feeling - The Strangest Feeling
25. Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial
26. Ty Segall - Emotional Mugger
27. Lejonsläktet - Lejonsläktet
28. Belleville - Turn the Medicine Down
29. Anthony Lane - Look What We've Become
30. Soft Hearted Scientists - Golden Omens

[John Smith]

I'll add the Monkees to the list. It's a nice refreshing throwback album.

[Knight Rider]

Surprised Paging Mr. Proust by The Jayhawks isn't getting much love.  The Son Volt Live from The Bottom Line release from the Trace reissue was pretty stellar too.

[remphish1]

^I agree..Proust is one of the best of the year!

[Mr. Heartbreak]

1) Pink Floyd - The Early Years Box Set - Probably not fair to put a compilation/reissue monster like this on a list, but this was my favorite thing from the year. Cleaned up versions of the classic 9/30/71 show (best ever Fat Old Sun and Echoes?) plus the '69 BBC in stellar quality. But the real revelations are the Syd-era songs: Matilda Mother with alternate lyrics (!), an almost 5-minute In the Beechwoods, and the totally weird John Latham session. Not to mention a MUCH better version of the 9/10/67 Gyllene Circelen show than has ever been heard. Essential.

 

2) Drive-By Truckers - American Band - Far and away my favorite new new release from this year. Filthy and Fried goes into classic status for me.

 

3) Zappa - Chicago '78 - Another archival release, and again, worth hearing and much more interesting than just about anything else I heard this year.

 

4) Chris Robinson Brotherhood - If You Lived Here, You Would Be Home by Now - This wasn't quite as high up in my list as a Big Moon Ritual or Magic Door would be, but it was a welcome surprise. I could listen to Neal Casal every day in one form or another and be happy.

 

5) Dylan - The Real Royal Albert Hall Concert - I didn't spring for the massive 36-disc box, but I did want to at least give this a listen. I don't know, I love this material, but for some reason this particular show struck me as inferior to the previously released Manchester Hall show, which is in my top 3 Dylan releases. Great, but I'll need to give it another listen.

 

6) Wilco - Schmilco - Boy, I love these guys, but this was a tough go. I tried to get into it, and played it a couple times, but nothing - and I mean nothing - stuck with me. I suspect I would have loved some of these songs live if they deigned to visit Florida again, but I don't know. I haven't had a chance to hear any of Star Wars or this release live, but of the two, Star Wars seems much more appealing. I'll have to give it another chance, but in the meantime, I have so much other stuff to get to. Oh well. 

 

7) Mudcrutch - Mudcrutch 2 - This was kind of a disappointment too. I'm not a Petty fan, but I actually like this band of his, and I loved Crystal River off the first one. Again, have to give it another listen when I have time.

 

I won't torture you with comments about the Dave's Picks archival releases this year, but some of those were pretty good, too.

[Analogman]

1) Pink Floyd - The Early Years Box Set - Probably not fair to put a compilation/reissue monster like this on a list, but this was my favorite thing from the year. Cleaned up versions of the classic 9/30/71 show (best ever Fat Old Sun and Echoes?) plus the '69 BBC in stellar quality. But the real revelations are the Syd-era songs: Matilda Mother with alternate lyrics (!), an almost 5-minute In the Beechwoods, and the totally weird John Latham session. Not to mention a MUCH better version of the 9/10/67 Gyllene Circelen show than has ever been heard. Essential.

 

2) Drive-By Truckers - American Band - Far and away my favorite new new release from this year. Filthy and Fried goes into classic status for me.

 

3) Zappa - Chicago '78 - Another archival release, and again, worth hearing and much more interesting than just about anything else I heard this year.

 

4) Chris Robinson Brotherhood - If You Lived Here, You Would Be Home by Now - This wasn't quite as high up in my list as a Big Moon Ritual or Magic Door would be, but it was a welcome surprise. I could listen to Neal Casal every day in one form or another and be happy.

 

5) Dylan - The Real Royal Albert Hall Concert - I didn't spring for the massive 36-disc box, but I did want to at least give this a listen. I don't know, I love this material, but for some reason this particular show struck me as inferior to the previously released Manchester Hall show, which is in my top 3 Dylan releases. Great, but I'll need to give it another listen.

 

6) Wilco - Schmilco - Boy, I love these guys, but this was a tough go. I tried to get into it, and played it a couple times, but nothing - and I mean nothing - stuck with me. I suspect I would have loved some of these songs live if they deigned to visit Florida again, but I don't know. I haven't had a chance to hear any of Star Wars or this release live, but of the two, Star Wars seems much more appealing. I'll have to give it another chance, but in the meantime, I have so much other stuff to get to. Oh well. 

 

7) Mudcrutch - Mudcrutch 2 - This was kind of a disappointment too. I'm not a Petty fan, but I actually like this band of his, and I loved Crystal River off the first one. Again, have to give it another listen when I have time.

 

I won't torture you with comments about the Dave's Picks archival releases this year, but some of those were pretty good, too.

 

I don't even care for Pink Floyd all that much - but that Fat Old Sun is great. I feel the same way about Mudcrutch 2. I think he wanted the other guys to have more say. That does not work. The first album is great. Not to upset you - but I could not get into the new CRB album. I didn't bother with the E.P. 

[people are leaving]

2016

Using the Alphabetical Star System

 

5-Stars

alejandro escovedo – burn something beautiful

the cactus blossoms – you’re dreaming

drive-by truckers – american band

the jayhawks - paging mr proust

peter bruntnell - nos dos comrades

wilco – schmilco

 

4-Stars

the dexateens – teenage hallelujah

the I don't cares - wild stab

kyle craft - dolls of highland

look park – look park

lydia loveless – real

the nines – alejandro’s visions

richmond fontaine – you can’t go back if there’s nothing to go back to

ryley walker – golden sings that have been sung

 

3-Stars

m.ward - more rain

scott hylbert – campfire songs & hymns

teenage fanclub – here

tim easton – american fork

willie nile - world war willie

 

2-Stars

hayes carl - lovers and leavers

hillbilly moon explosion – with monsters and gods

leonard cohen – you want it darker

lucinda williams - the ghosts of highway 20

nada surf - you know who you are

seratones – get gone

[lost highway]

I don't have 10 (this was a good read to help me search) but half of Mr. Heartbreak's was disappointments. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed:

 

Schmilco

Big Thief-Masterpiece (which I ignored for months cause I thought the name was stupid)

The I Don't Cares

Teenage Fanclub

Andrew Bird- Are You Serious

Angel Olsen- My Woman

Tribe Called Quest (still digesting)

Bob Mould- Patch the Sky

Russian Circles-Guidance

 

All of my friends have been freaking out about the new Run the Jewels, but I haven't investigated their older stuff yet so I guess I have catching up to do.

[lost highway]

P.S. You know who fell right out of critical memory? PJ Harvey. It seems that Hope Six record didn't really connect with most folks.

[PopTodd]

I don't have 10 (this was a good read to help me search) but half of Mr. Heartbreak's was disappointments. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed:

 

Schmilco

Big Thief-Masterpiece (which I ignored for months cause I thought the name was stupid)

The I Don't Cares

Teenage Fanclub

Andrew Bird- Are You Serious

Angel Olsen- My Woman

Tribe Called Quest (still digesting)

Bob Mould- Patch the Sky

Russian Circles-Guidance

 

All of my friends have been freaking out about the new Run the Jewels, but I haven't investigated their older stuff yet so I guess I have catching up to do.

Judging by this list, you need to hear that Rolling Blackouts Coatal Fever that is my #1. You will like it.

[lost highway]

Judging by this list, you need to hear that Rolling Blackouts Coatal Fever that is my #1. You will like it.

 

Thanks! Never heard of, nor heard.  I'm streaming now.... I dig it. My first impression is it's about half way between Car Seat Headrest and Real Estate (to use some very contemporary references).... er maybe a less aggressive Cloud Nothings.

Another P.S.- Dr. Dog released an album for charity only available on their bandcamp site.  I need to buy it.  I streamed it once and it's awesome.

[GtrPlyr]

I felt like I couldn't quite keep up with all the releases I wanted to spend time with this year. There's still a ton of records I have yet to really delve into. Things like Nick Cave's and A Tribe Called Quest's new ones have only had 1 listen. Both were good, but too soon to rank.

 

Of the ones I've had time to digest, here are some that standout. I already know I'm forgetting some that will no doubt pop up later on and slap me in the face, saying: how could you forget me?

 

Frank Ocean - Blond/Blonde

David Bowie - Blackstar

Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker

Drive-By Truckers - American Band

Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial

Bon Iver - 22, A Million

Jim Bryson - Somewhere We Will Find Our Place

Mitski - Puberty 2

Angel Olsen - My Woman

Frankie Cosmos - Next Thing

Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor's Guide to Earth

Childish Gambino - Awaken, My Love!

Beyonce - Lemonade

Solange - A Seat at the Table

Japanese Breakfast - Psychopomp

John K. Samson - Winter Wheat

Blood Orange - Freetown Sound

LVL UP - Return To Love

Little Scream - Cult Following

Margo Price - Midwest Farmers Daughter

Margaret Glaspy - Emotions and Math

Wilco - Schmilco

The Lemon Twigs - Do Hollywood

Steve Gunn - Eyes on the Lines

Mal Devisa - Kiid

Whitney - Light Upon the Lake

Paul Simon - Stranger to Stranger

Lucy Dacus - No Burden

[jff]

seratones – get gone

 

I was disappointed with this album, and I don't think it's necessarily the band's fault.  They really impressed me on their Tiny Desk Concert, and some other performances I saw online. Something about the album seems off to me, though.  Maybe it's a victim of brickwalling, but it sounds like everything is turned all the way up at all times. 

[brucebanner]

Heart Like a Levee - Hiss Golden Messenger

A Moon Shaped Pool - Radiohead

The Party - Andy Shauf

Wilco Schmilco - Wilco

Midwest Farmer's Daughter - Margo Price

Strange Loop - Paul Dempsey

We're All Gonna Die - Dawes

Freetown Sound - Blood Orange

A Sailor's Guide To Earth - Sturgill Simpson

DBT - American Band

[Mr. Heartbreak]

 Not to upset you - but I could not get into the new CRB album. I didn't bother with the E.P. 

 

Doesn't bother me a bit. I think the EP is actually better than the new album, but neither of them is as good as the first two records. Still decent, though.

The newest songs sound good live, but the studio versions are kind of "meh" by comparison.

 

I don't have 10 (this was a good read to help me search) but half of Mr. Heartbreak's was disappointments.

 

Aw, come on: I was only disappointed by the Wilco & Mudcrutch releases!

The Dylan show is still great, but probably nothing will ever top the Bootleg Series '66 release. That thing is desert island Dylan.

[Analogman]

I'd say that is right. I've heard some live versions. 

[Vacant Horizon]

Doesn't bother me a bit. I think the EP is actually better than the new album, but neither of them is as good as the first two records. Still decent, though.

The newest songs sound good live, but the studio versions are kind of "meh" by comparison.

 

 

Aw, come on: I was only disappointed by the Wilco & Mudcrutch releases!

The Dylan show is still great, but probably nothing will ever top the Bootleg Series '66 release. That thing is desert island Dylan.

 

I can't keep up with CRB. I'm still digesting the first two albums. Big Moon is classic. Magic Door has 3 great tunes and the rest seem like outtakes. In a recent vid interview about their gear, Chris said they are going into the studio in Jan to record a more acoustic-based album. Should be interesting.

[Alone in the Zone]

http://www.chunkyglasses.com/content/best-of-2016-patricks-take

 

Patrick's Ten Favorite Albums of 2016:

 

1. Thao & the Get Down Stay Down - A Man Alive

2. Damien Jurado - Visions of Us on the Land

3. Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker

4. David Bowie - Blackstar

5. Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial

6. A Tribe Called Quest - We got it from Here...Thank You 4 Your Service

7. Emapea - Seeds, Roots & Fruits

8. Wilco - Schmilco

9. Anderson Paak - Malibu

10. Lucy Dacus - No Burden

 

Honorable Mention:

 

Solange - A Seat at the Table

Noname - Telefone

Flock of Dimes - If You See Me, Say Yes

Lori McKenna - The Bird & the Rifle

Michael Kiwanuka - Love & Hate

Hiss Golden Messenger - Heart Like a Levee

James Hunter Six - Hold On!

Beyoncé - Lemonade

Iggy Pop - Post Pop Depression

Margo Price - Midwest Farmer's Daughter

Scott Hirsch - Blue Rider Songs

Alejandro Escovedo - Burn Something Beautiful

Teenage Fanclub - Here

Robbie Fulks - Upland Stories

Fruit Bats - Absolute Loser

Parquet Courts - Human Performance

 

Biggest Disappointments:

 

PJ Harvey - The Hope Six Demolition Project

Okkervil River - Away

 

Patrick's Spotify Playlist of 200 Songs for 2016:

 

https://open.spotify.com/user/patrick_jacobi/playlist/4TpNc3yZRbP8zfFFVgd1Qv

[rwrkb]

10: Wilco – Schmilco

9: Andrew Bird – Are You Serious

8: Thee Oh Sees – A Weird Exits

7: Islands – Should I Remain Here, At Sea? / Taste

6: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity

5: Feels – Feels

4: The Julie Ruin – Hit Reset

3: Goat – Requiem

2: Radiohead – A Moon  Shaped Pool

1: David Bowie – Blackstar

[tinnitus photography]

top 10 records of the year imo, and then the rest in alphabetical order.

1 Heron Oblivion - Heron Oblivion
2 Oranssi pazuzu - Värähtelijä
3 Chris Forsyth and the Solar Motel Band - The Rarity of Experience
4 Kikagaku Moyo / 幾何学模様 - House in the Tall Grass
5 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree
6 Mondo Drag - The Occultation of Light
7 Savages - Adore Life
8 Gate (aka Michael Morley) - Saturday Night Fever
9 Ulaan Passerine - Moss Cathedral; The Great Unwinding
10 Tales of Murder and Dust - The Flow In Between


11 a band called e - s/t
12 admiral sir cloudesley shovell - keep it greasy
13 aluk todolo - voix
14 beak> - couple in a hole
15 black mountain - IV
16 blizaro - cornucopia della morte
17 blood ceremony - lord of misrule 
18 bonnie prince billy - II and pond scum
19 carseat headrest - teens of denial
20 causa sui - return to sky
21 CFM - still life of citrus and slime
22 chook race - around the house
23 cavern of antimatter - void beats invocation trex
24 domkraft - the end of electricity
25 doug tuttle - it calls on me
26 drive-by truckers - american band
27 dungen - haxan
28 elephant tree - S/T
29 emma pollack - in search of harperfield
30 feral ohms – live in san francisco
31 glenn jones - fleeting
32 gozu - revival
33 guided bv voices - please be honest
34 haunted - s/t
35 iggy pop - post pop depression
36 holy sons - in the garden
37 kool keith - feature magnetic
38 kverlertak - nattesferd
39 kyle craft - dolls of highland
40 kyle dixon - stranger things OST
41 lord vicar - gates of flesh
42 mantar - ode to the flame
43 marisa anderson - into the light
44 minor victories - s/t
45 mogwai - atomic
46 mythic sunship - ouroborous
47 neurosis - fires within fires
48 nick millevoi - desertion
49 octagrape - aura obelisk
50 radiohead - moon shaped pool
51 rangda - heretic's bargain
52 roy montgomery - RMHQ
53 ryley walker - golden sings that have been sung
54 steve gunn - eyes on the line
55 subrosa - for this we fought the battle of ages
56 sunwatchers - S/T
57 thalia zedek - eve
58 the gotobeds = blood sugar secs traffic
59 thee oh sees - a weird exits
60 true widow - avvolgere
61 ty segall - emotional mugger
62 ultimate painting - dusk
63 whores. - gold
64 wilco - schmilco
65 william tyler - modern country
66 witchcraft - nucleus

also, there were some essential vinyl reissues from the likes of Jack Rose, Pink Floyd, The Fall, This Heat and others, and these three got less press but are equally essential:
The Third Power - Believe
Agalloch - The Mantle
Various - Wake Up You! The Rise And Fall of Nigerian Rock 1972-1977 Vol. 1


and as always, i am sure that 2017 will have me finding plenty of overlooked records not on this list from 2016.

[John Smith]

I know people love Wilco here, but I just am not hearing what makes Schmilco a top ten album. It is pleasant to listen to, but just not a memorable album to my ears.

[Boss_Tweedy]

I know people love Wilco here, but I just am not hearing what makes Schmilco a top ten album. It is pleasant to listen to, but just not a memorable album to my ears.

 

Yeah, as much as it pains me to admit, it's not really a memorable album. I could take a song or two from it, but overall it's not something I'm longing to revisit. I edited my list of top albums and replaced it with the Drive-By Trucker's album, which I find myself wanting to listen to again and again.