My Top Five Albums of 2016 so far

[Soot and Stars]

These are my top albums for 2016 so far each with the song I've listened to engaged in the most from each album:


The first album is one of the best Pop Rock albums I've heard with perfect melodies, sweet orchestration and a emotionally cathartic sunny disposition. Still love the single but overall every track gets embedded into my head and I want to sing along the whole way through. A lot of good albums have come out this year but there's a "I enjoy it but still have a disconnect I can't explain" phenomena I'm feeling. This one will stay will and will stay with me.​

Wakey Wakey-Overreactivist

Heartbroke
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[Soot and Stars]

This is my freshest love. It combines what I love from both the dark melodic Rock of Evans Blue/A Perfect Circle to the Emo/Screamo hard Rock of the Used. Well placed aggression where it's needed but mostly focused on emotion and melody as it's anchor. I got that "fell upon the band" by exploring feel that I haven't felt in a while and just got hooked. I'd recommend it for people who like the splashes of straight non-electronic Rock we have recently like Highly Suspect and Starset. I fell in love with the closing track and then absorbed every great track on the album since.

Heavy Hearts-Bliss

Rust
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[Soot and Stars]

David Bowie was my first heavy hitter for the year. Whether he passed or not I was already enraptured with "Lazarus" more than any other Bowie track I'd heard. His passing and knowledge of his limited existence like most others was just an extra layer to how meaningful this album was meant to be. It worked. I can honestly say that while the album overall has been played the least by me on this list it means just as much. The album helped me deal with me during my grandmothers last months. One track in particular just hit me while driving home from the nursing home when she was less than responsive and I was wondering how long the battle would be. With tears in my eyes I still remember singing along with this with nothing but the music, the road and darkness. The album is a true masterpiece.

David Bowie-Blackstar

I Can't Give The World Away
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[Soot and Stars]

Say Anything is a band that I like much of their material but haven't had one whole album I've gotten into. I love all shades of their music and especially the songwriting but this most aggressive and callous album that I couldn't get into on first listen has become my favorite and most aggressively played one yet. The lyrics and phrasing of Max Bemis with the more Hard Rock/Punk direction is a perfect marriage. I've cranked up these anthems for weeks on my way to work where I need the energy. Energy for the pent up is exactly what this album is made for.

Say Anything-I Don't Think It Is


Varicose Visage
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[Soot and Stars]

Last but not least is one that I probably share in common with the most people (next to Bowie but duuuuuhhhh....) for good reason. for anyone who complains about Country this is your antithesis and will remind you that you don't hate Country at all because it rarely even exists. This artist is known as Psychedelic Country but all he's done is fuse the principles of Country with a smattering of Blues Rock, Funk and Soul which Country artist had done for decades before just becoming Pop. This album is as epic and as much of a journey as any Rock album has been for some time. If you are uninitiated prepare to have your Soul moved and swoon and stomp your way through this new classic.

Sturgill Simpson-A Sailor's Guide to Earth

Call To Arms
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[Magic]

@Soot and Stars
Sturgill Simpson is awesome! Glad to see you enjoyed his last album. Have you delved into his previous 2 releases yet?

As far as Black Star goes, it was a creepy album to me. Not a bad album, just creepy.

Im not familiar with the other 3, so I will have to check them out at a later date

 

[Soot and Stars]

@Soot and Stars
Sturgill Simpson is awesome! Glad to see you enjoyed his last album. Have you delved into his previous 2 releases yet?

As far as Black Star goes, it was a creepy album to me. Not a bad album, just creepy.

Im not familiar with the other 3, so I will have to check them out at a later date

I have the prior album as well and liked it. The new one is a lot more diverse which is why I like it. I especially love the bookend songs which have a Motown and horns Funk vibe!

David Bowies album creepy which is why I like it. It's about death and I already was in that dark place. The thing that offset the darkness is that it's a very accepting and optimistic portrayal of meeting your maker on your own terms.

Let me know your opinions of the others! I'd be curious to hear your side.

 

[Sharp Dressed Man]

Like Magic, I only know the Bowie album and of course "A Sailor's Guide to Earth". You know I am a huge Sturgill Simpson fan, so I don't need to get too much into that, but you should definitely check out his debut as well.

As for your comments about country, you know what, people who complain about country these days are people who listen to country radio and watch CMT. There's tons of great classic sounding country music out there, people just need to dig a little deeper. Actually, that tends to be the case in most music genres.

 

[Vader]

I really love Black Star. Been a huge fan of Bowies 70s output since I was a kid .
Have to say that other then the aforementioned material his swansong is my favorite.
Great album.
I particularly like the title track and Lazarus.
Rock on , Sooty.

 

[Soot and Stars]

Rock on guys! Any of you guys have a definitive five so far?