People’s Choice for Album of the Year

So after a year’s absence, the (newly-titled) People’s Choice for Album of the Year post has returned. We had enough to put the artists and writers (you’ll figure out that there’s more of one particular category than the other) in one post, but the opinions are far from far and wide and all valid.

Special thanks to everyone who took the time to write about their favourite album of 2015 and I hope you enjoy this list!

DRAKE — IF YOU’RE READING THIS, IT’S TOO LATE

Release date: February 13, 2015

Reviewed by Cabbie Richards, @Cabbie, TSN personality

Drake season. If You’re Reading This, you know three or four tracks by heart on the best album of 2015. Kendrick Lamar fed our collective minds with To Pimp A Butterfly, but Drake’s mixtape If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late fed our appetites.

Perfectly released on the eve of the NBA All Star Weekend (in Brooklyn), Drake was the soundtrack for that weekend, moving the biggest influencers in pop culture; Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, etc.

There are four or five bangers on this album, one of which gave a city its new identity, “Know Yourself”. This track alone did for Toronto what Wiz Khalifa’s “Black and Yellow” for Pittsburgh. When you own a summer, you own the year. It’s still Drake season.

Reviewed by Moussa Sangaré-Ponce, @shawarmapapi, formerly of La Rotonde

Less than 24 hours after it dropped, I had to shoot videos with future NHL stars Anthony Duclair and Jordan Subban. Waiting for cameras and lighting to be set, to break the ice instead of the typical how’s the season going banter; I asked them if they listened to Drake’s latest album.

If it hadn’t been for us going back and forth about the album (Jordan and I disagreed on what was better; “6 Man” or “6 God”. Duclair couldn’t make up his mind on what his favourite track was), I might have conducted the most awkward interviews in history. With If You’re Reading It’s Too Late, Drake once again, to quote the movie Blades of Glory “got the people going.”

Take Care aside, this is Drake’s most complete work to date. Nobody would have expected this after his debut album or even Nothing Was The Same. Many shared this sentiment and it was addressed with a memorable line on “No Tellin’”

“Please don’t speak to me like I’m that Drake from four years ago/I’m at a higher place.”

On IYRITL, Drake is aggressive without losing any personal stories and the mix of rapping and singing that have defined his song. Let’s not forget the superb production, mostly handled by usual suspects Noah “40” Shebib and Boi-1da.

What makes this album great is that it transcends hip-hop and how calculated it was. It came out on Friday the 13th, one day before Valentine’s Day. Also there are three songs that start with the number “6”. Coincidence?

Don’t forget the hundreds of quotables from this album that are now popular memes, hashtags or Instagram captions (woe is the new bff). By the way, this was just a side project while we wait for Views From the Six.

If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late not only shows that this is Drake’s era, but also that there’s absolutely nothing we can do about it.

TAME IMPALA — CURRENTS

Release date: July 17, 2015

Reviewed by Thomas Dumont, blogger

As a fan of indie rock, and an even bigger fan of electronic, Tame Impala’s Currents blew me away. The album is a sonic departure from the already experimental alt-rock of Lonerism and Innerspeaker, at times feeling like another band altogether if it weren’t for Kevin Parker’s distinct vocals.

Much of the electric guitar is substituted for synth, and the tracks feel more refined when compared to the first two albums. There’s less blaring guitar floating through the listener’s brain, and more clear cut thumps and woos. The synths are the main course, with peppered riffs to spice songs just to delightful perfection that ought to have ears drooling. The glitchy loop in the first track, “Let It Happen”, foreshadow the electronic influences and subdued use of guitar for the rest of the record. In “Nangs” the second song off the album, Parker uses synth modulation techniques that create a sense of waves, which are best described as “this is what the album art sounds like.” Whether he has grown to learn these production techniques, or he has always been proficient in creating more electronic vibes, Parker capitalizes on the new sounds he can create by combining heavy synth with the more classic Tame Impala psychedelic rock.

Another aspect of Currents which sets it apart from past works is the general reduction of reverb. This is most apparent and effective in the vocals, which was a trait present in nearly every Tame Impala song released prior to the new album. It’s still used, but in a much more polished way. Parker’s voice — which has often been compared to John Lennon’s — is clear and at the forefront of certain songs, such as “‘Cause I’m A Man” and “The Less I Know The Better”. I’d say that the reduction of reverb actually helps in refining his own sound. However, the tool isn’t completely forgotten. The vocals and guitar riffs trail, but not for the entirety of tracks. If past albums could be compared to a dream, Currents feels like waking up after a good night’s rest. “Yes I’m Changing”, is most likely a nod to these changes, along with its melancholy personal narrative. It is also the track I find myself going back to the most frequently, after a summer spent spinning the record.

While I’d argue that 2015 was dominated by hip-hop with releases including Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler the Creator, A$AP Rocky, and Drake again, there wasn’t much room for anybody else. However, Currents absolutely carved Tame Impala a spot at the top.

For anyone who hasn’t gave the record a go, I’d recommend taking the time to listen to the entire thing. Don’t passively hear the songs while multi tasking, actually sit down and listen to the thought provoking lyrics, the catchy beats, and the soothing synths. Very rarely do I ever enjoy every track off an album, and Currents is one of these exceptions. If you just want to get your toes wet, “The Moment”, “Yes I’m Changing”, and “New Person, Same Old Mistakes” are essentials.

MUMFORD & SONS, WILDER MIND

Release date: May 4th, 2015

Reviewed by: Jessica Dionne @maccajess , Street Team Coordinator for Bell Media

When Mumford & Sons exploded onto the scene in their hipster attire and banjos, the world had no idea what had just happened. The band’s rich harmonies coupled with Marcus Mumford’s incredibly sexy and raspy voice lifted the band to a level of music royalty. This year, they shocked the music world by trading in their banjos for electric guitars and brought us Wilder Mind, their absolute best album so far.

From the very first note of “Tompkins Square Park” we were exposed to a brand-new Mumford & Sons; an edgier Mumford & Sons that was finally out of the banjo-shadows and ready to show the world what they were really made of. And although no one can deny the phenomenal success of Babel, which earned them a Grammy Award for Album of the Year, Wilder Mind is a beast in itself; the rage and love behind the lyrics still very much at the forefront, but the music is louder and the their hearts and souls are felt by the listener for the first time. This is the album they’ve wanted to make all-along; Sigh No More and Babel were just the opening act to this masterpiece.

Best tracks on the album are “The Wolf”, “Ditmas”, and my personal favourite: the haunting, stripped-down melancholy song ‘Cold Arms’.

To those who have followed the Mumford & Sons journey, this transition doesn’t come as a surprise; the electric transition began to seep through Babel — especially through tracks like Below My Feet and Broken Crown. Here’s hoping that Mumford and the boys will continue on this journey of electric bliss and get their asses back to Montreal.

KENDRICK LAMAR — TO PIMP A BUTTERFLY

Release date: March 15, 2015

Reviewed by Erik Leijon, @eleijon freelance journalist for Montreal Gazette, Cult MTL, and more.

Why? Because Kendrick dominated 2015 in a way few artists have in the last twenty years.

A galvanizing force who constructed an album I’m still unfurling nearly a year in. I know everyone’s putting it atop their lists, but it truly warrants the excessive praise.

DOM KENNEDY — BY DOM KENNEDY

Release date: June 2nd, 2015

Reviewed by Kevin Smith, editor in chief of SHALLOWPARK

My pick for album of the year goes to Los-Angeles native Dom Kennedy for his self-titled project: By Dom Kennedy, which in my opinion, flew under the radar of many. Released on June 2nd, anticipation for the album began back in 2014 with the release of his singles “Represent” and “Posted In The Club”, two tracks that immediately remind you why Dom Kennedy is the master of “good vibes” and chill raps. Picking up where he left off with his 2013 project “Get Home Safely”, Dom treats listeners to some of his most laid-back and relaxed verses to date.

What makes this album so cohesive is the fact that, from start to finish it follows a consistent formula without falling flat or sounding repetitive like most of today’s hip-hop. The 11-track LP is easy on the ears and features some of the smoothes production that I’ve heard in awhile.

When it comes to guest features on this album, they are minimal, calculated and curated to fit with Dom’s style and pace. Nothing sounds out of place. Having listened to practically every blog-worthy hip-hop release of 2015, I’ve come to realize that for the first time in a long time, By Dom Kennedy is one of the few albums that I’ve played on repeat from start to finish without skipping a single track. To get a good feel for the album, I recommend watching Dom Kennedy’s video for “2 Bad”.

TYLER, THE CREATOR — CHERRY BOMB

Release date: April 9, 2015

Reviewed by Myles Perkins, @whospern, host of Vibe$tation on CJLO 1690AM.

In April 2013, when Tyler, the Creator released his third studio album, Wolf, I thought that he had finally acquired a strong grip on the sound he had been developing since his early works from 2009 and on, with albums like Bastard and Goblin as well as other collaborative efforts with fellow Odd Future members.

When Cherry Bomb released with such short notice this past spring, I truly did not know what to expect. I was aware of the direction of which Tyler had set out to pursue with his previous accolades, but as I listened to this album from front to back repetitively for the consecutive days, weeks, and months following its release, its greatness revealed itself to me. Every listen was, and still is, like uncovering a new layer or dimension, like discovering the new color of tha gobstopper you used to suck on when you were twelve. Those who have followed Tyler’s work for some time know that his albums generally revolve around some sort of plot (narrative) that develops through the course of the record, creating a cinematic experience for the listener. Cherry Bomb still retains that same cinematic effect, however this is achieved less through plot but rather with an evolving soundtrack projecting the altering moods and percolating thoughts bouncing from wall to wall within this young man’s head. It is almost as if he has created a true score of his own life as if it were in itself a motion picture.

When we listen to tracks like “2Seater”, we can picture the very scene of him cruising on the highway in his manual car with that special someone.

The progress in the overall quality of music and his production has also taken a great leap, not only from the start of his making of music, but it has also grown extensively since the making of Wolf. His understanding and his use of various chord sequences has developed greatly and he is finally able to shape and achieve the sound and overall feel that he wants. When we look back at tracks like “Untitled63” from Goblin or “Treehome95” from Wolf and put them next to songs like “Find Your Wings” off Cherry Bomb, the intended path that he had set out from the beginning becomes clear to us. He knew what he wanted to achieve from the start and he has finally honed his craft. On an experimental level, he has also, for one of the first times, started to use outside collaborations to add depth to his work. Tyler connected with so many amazing artists on this record, from Lil Wayne to Kali Uchis to Clementine Creevy from Cherry Glazerr, as well as respected legends in the industry, like Charlie Wilson, Leon Ware and Roy Ayers (one of Tyler’s biggest influences and heroes). The whole “do it yourself” aspect, that Tyler is know for, is still existent but in addition he has finally discovered the concept of using others to create more sonic options as if these individuals were instruments of their own. This by no means took anything away from his musical identity, if anything it made it stronger.

The message and the subject matter of this album do not fall far from the roots of his previous musical creations. The whole idea pretty much turns around the concept of thinking for one’s self and not letting others determine our limitations as individuals. He promotes the notion that we are full of potential and if we truly want something, it could be ours. Songs like The Brown Stains (which in my opinion is one of Tyler’s greatest “hip-hop” productions) show how kids these days are so mentally manipulated by rappers and think that their lifestyles are true representations what success should be. With all this, it seems as if Tyler is truly happy with where his life is right now. The alternate worlds that created in his previous albums are no longer needed, as a setting for his stories, is dreams have finally materialized into his reality. He doesn’t have to hide behind the masks of his alter egos anymore and he stands in front of us more transparent than ever.

From the music, to the artwork, to the visuals (hopefully some of which are still yet to come), to everything surrounding this album, this is for me Tyler’s most accomplished and complete project. The diverse sounds inspired by the obscure and eclectic influences he pulls away from (i.e. emulating the sound of bands like Death Grips in Cherry Bomb), all come together in colourful and gracious harmony. Tyler, the Creator is not the sociopathic angst teenage rapper that many still portray him to be. He has a beautiful mind and is capable of bringing his ideas to fruition while carrying genius-like traits. If others listened for themselves instead of acting upon preconceived prejudices that float through the stream of social perception, maybe they would be able to see this as well.

This is probably not the best album of 2015, for artists like Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd as well as other artists also created remarkable pieces of work, but this is certainly my favorite. I would strongly suggest you give this record a chance, if you haven’t already, and if it doesn’t do it for you than that’s fine. Everyone has unique taste and feels differently about certain things and that’s simply just human nature.

Favorite Track: “Okaga, Ca” — Perfect ending to the album. Feels like a movie.

FUTURE — BEAST MODE

Release date: January 15, 2015

Reviewed by Jameel Raeburn, @MeelzTV, freelance writer, formerly of ThisGoesIn

No one loves Beast Mode as much as I do, I’m sure of it. Between the hat trick of heat Future released in the six-month span between November 2014 and March 2015, the rankings of Monster and 56 Nights are always a tight debate. Which means of course, Beast Mode almost always ends up dead last. I get it. Off of a creative slump and personal turmoil, Future single-handedly reached down into the depths of the sophomore slump (Honest) and saved his career with Monster. The mixtape 56 Nights was a result of the creative momentum built up over the last few months prior, and the result was the equivalent to almost a career high in scoring. He was Carmelo the night of 62 points or Kobe Bryant with 81. He made his own opportunity and completely shot the lights out with every song.

Beast Mode is undoubtedly the middle-child mixtape, sandwiched between two greats, but it’s still so damn good. The edgy trap sound of the aforementioned tapes is largely absent, replaced by celebration and jovial vibes on the Zaytoven-produced project. The frantic piano schemes of the Atlanta producer create new cadences to enhance Future’s fleeting melodies. I wake up and place one hand over my heart to anthem “No Basic” (Zaytoven loses his mind towards the record’s crescendo), feel like a king once “Peacoat” comes on, and goon out with my brethren to “Just Like Bruddas”.

All that other stuff packs a punch, no doubt, but Beast Mode really shows how much of a versatile wunderkind he can be.

WILLIE DUNN — NATIVE NORTH AMERICA, VOL. 1

Release date: November 26, 2014

*editor’s note. this was released late in 2014 but because, as it was argued by Curtis, “rediscovered” more in 2015, it should count.

Reviewed by Christopher Curtis, @titocurtis, Montreal Gazette reporter

The late Willie Dunn’s voice is deep, rich and affecting.
His baritone carries twinges of pain and sweetness with it as it reverberates through over a simple acoustic guitar melody. Think of the sounds Johnny Cash makes only with a slightly smoother finish to them.
Anyhow, Dunn opens Native North America: Volume 1 with the lines:
“I pity the country, pity the state, and the mind of the man who thrives on hate” and goes on to describe what it means to be an “Indian” in Canada during the 1970s.

It’s impossible not to feel some creeping sense of loss as you hear that voice, guitar and wailing harmonica. Pity the Country kicks off an ambitious project put together by Kevin Howes, who spent years scouring thrift shops and used record stores across Canada to find some of the rarest and best music by indigenous artists from 1966 to 1985.
It begins with a sort protest anthem by Dunn — a Mi’kmaq singer born in Montreal — but delves into garage rock, country, blues and folk. The Inuk band Sikumiut sounds like an arctic interpretation of “Boogie with Canned Heat.” Their music swings, there’s gritty electric guitar fills and it has pop’n’hiss rustic quality to it (at one point the sound gives out completely for a half-second). But don’t adjust your headphones, the sound crackles because — though it was recorded by CBC Northern Services in 1975 — the only available copy of the song was a dusty old 45 disc.

Most of the music is sung in English but there are songs in the Innu language and Inuktitut — though it’s unlikely many listeners will understand Groupe Folklorique Montagnais’ Tshekuan Mak Tschetutamak, the melody and raw emotion are stomp-and-clap inducing.

This project gives 23 aboriginal artists some long overdue recognition and it fills a void in this Canada’s musical history. Tracks by Willie Dunn, Willy Mitchell and Éric Landry belong in the same Pantheon as the works of Neil Young, Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell.

Reclaim of a lost piece of our history, for over $25 and buy this album.

FATHER JOHN MISTY — I LOVE YOU, HONEYBEAR

Release date: February 9, 2015

Reviewed by Jessica Romera, @JessRomz, former Montreal Gazette intern and Concordian copy editor

Between Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly, Ought’s Sun Coming Down and Half Moon Run’s Sun Leads Me On, I went half crazy trying to pick my favourite album of 2015; there were just too many ridiculously good releases this year. But despite all of this stellar talent, Josh Tillman’s sophomore album under the persona of Father John Misty tops my list with I Love You, Honeybear. The album is a cynical but unwavering declaration of love, with the title track setting up the others with a dark but romantic old-school ballad. In terms of style or genre, I Love You, Honeybear is all over the map — but it works.

In “Chateau Lobby #4 (In C for Two Virgins),” Tillman provides cheery vocals sung over a string-heavy orchestra. In the meta-track “The Night Josh Tillman Came To Our Apartment,” he blends a Christmas-sounding arrangement coyly featuring a tambourine and a xylophone medley. The song itself tells the story of Tillman’s one night stand with a pseudo intellectual hipster, picking out her flaws, but acknowledging his sexual shortcomings too. But aside from the album’s obvious sentimentality, a sense of disillusionment with American life is apparent throughout, like in the moody melancholia of “Bored In The U.S.A.” and album closer “I Went To The Store”, a theme that binds most of his debut record “Fear Fun.”

Hearing his music through your headphones is one thing, but seeing FJM perform live is an entirely different beast. I was able to see him twice in 2015; the first time at the Corona Theatre in February and then during his Osheaga set over the summer. Each time, he playfully mocked those in the audience filming his performance while confidently strutting about the stage and swinging around his skinny hips. Both of which only added to the confusingly charming persona that is Father John Misty. I Love You, Honeybear is sensuous in nature yet emotionally self-indulgent in a way that only he can make seem endearing, making it my number one choice for 2015.

Trial tracks: “I Love You, Honeybear”, “Chateau Lobby #4 (In C for Two Virgins)” and “Bored in the U.S.A.”

Reviewed by Carl Bindman, @carlbindman, contributor for The Link & The Concordian

The best album this year was To Pimp A Butterfly, obviously.

But 2015 was a watershed — for music and for me — so I haven’t had a chance to listen to it yet. Waiting for a moment to give TPAB the attention it deserved, I ended up not listening to it at all.

In the meantime, I listened to a lot of Father John Misty. I Love You Honeybear was the realization of a new Josh Tillman: born of a mushroom vision while in a tree. It was the product of an immense personal transformation, and that hit me, hard.

This year I fell in love (hi Norah), got a real job, got published, grew a proper beard, got glasses, got LinkedIn, cried more than in recent memory, lost a dangerous amount of weight, lost an election, went to university — all for the first time. I saw glimpses of the human I’ll eventually be and started moving toward him.

Reflecting on the year feels painfully self-aware — but also it’s important and worth doing. And I want to shamelessly own that paradox because that’s what Tillman did. His album echoes and marries similarly opposing instincts — irony against sincerity, personal growth against cultural deterioration, individuality against a loving marriage — with thought and humor and pretty music. And he gave me permission to try something similar.

The world absolutely didn’t, but I had a great year. So I Love You Honeybear wasn’t my album of the year; it was the album of my year.

ADELE — 25

Release date: November 20, 2015

Reviewed by Cinzia Abbate, @Cinziea, singer, Bell Media Street Team intern

Bare with me, I’m about to become extremely cliché and predictable with this choice of best album of 2015. Adele’s 25 has made it to number one on my list. She’s always been a show stopper. The power she brings with her voice is undeniable and she makes you feel emotions you didn’t even think you needed to feel.

I personally was never a huge Adele fan. I recognized her talent and appreciated her but I have to state that I was never a huge fan. Like many of you, I heard “Hello” about twenty times a day on the radio and I liked it. I wasn’t blown away but I thought it was good and couldn’t help but belt it out when it would play in the car. For a reason that escapes me at the moment. I decided to buy her album on iTunes and from that point, there was no turning back. 30 seconds into “I Miss You” her third song on the album, and I was hooked for life. The power and structure of every single track on this album is absolute perfection.

This amazing woman from Tottenham, England has always had a vocal range that is incomparable to anyone but this album explores every single note her voice can reach. Beyond that, the tracks all tend to dive into different stories with every song making the listening of it so much more intriguing.

With tracks like “A Million Years Ago” you would think you’ve been transported into a Woody Allen movie in Spain. Needless to say, Adele has won me over with this album. The instruments and sound is impeccable on every track and her voice has such a smooth velvet tone that it makes you long to meet every one you’ve ever made eye contact with in your life and fall in love with them. If you’re lucky enough, you’ve gotten tickets to see her at the Bell Centre next year! Save all of your tears for that night!

*all photos licensed under fair use by Wikipedia*