The 2015 Track of the Year

Florence + the Machine, “Third Eye” Hey, look up Don’t make a shadow of yourself Always shutting out the light Caught in your own creation Look up, look up It tore you open And oh, how much? … You don’t have to be a ghost Here amongst the living You are flesh and blood And […]

The 2015 Album of the Year

Iron Maiden, The Book of Souls (Iron Maiden LLP) The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve realized just how powerful nostalgia is, and how appealing it is, too. I can’t say for every 45 year-old, but at this age my musical interests have reverted greatly to the eras I’ve been fondest of in my life. […]

The Best Tracks of 2015, #2

2. Girl Band, “Paul” The band who put out the best rock album of 2015 came through with the best rock track of 2015. A combination of the Fall’s Can worship and, well, Can, with a little classic noise rock tossed in for good measure, it’s hypnotic, explosive, abrasive, and completely frightening, featuring a bassline […]

The Best Albums of 2015, #2

2. Grimes, Art Angels (Crystal Math) As much as I enjoyed Grimes’ 2012 album Visions, there was the lingering feeling that it all could have been a fluke. I was only cautiously optimistic about Claire Boucher’s future, and a big reason was that whenever I saw or read an interview with her, she was incapable of articulately explaining her […]

The Best Tracks of 2015, #3

3. CHVRCHES, “Leave a Trace” The first single off the Scottish trio’s follow-up to 2013’s massive The Bones of What You Believe shows the band sounding stronger and more confident both as musicians and songwriters. Sleeker than the band’s synthpop of old, the lavish “Leave a Trace” is a perfect, sparkling showcase for singer Lauren […]

The Best Albums of 2015: #3

3. Holly Herndon, Platform (4AD) Somehow an album sounding “dated” has become a bad thing. Many music enthusiasts, including yours truly, get sucked into the notion that great new music has to have a timeless quality, a sound that transcends whatever year it comes from. And I won’t lie, that kind of music is still […]

The Best Tracks of 2015, #4

4. Royal Thunder, “Time Machine” The lead track off Royal Thunder’s stupendous Crooked Doors album knocked me flat over when I first heard it in January. And that was completely on a visceral, instinctive level. I paid no attention to the lyrics, just the music, and the breadth, immediacy, and confidence of the song had me […]