Top-10 Albums of 2016: Part II (of III)
Part two of my top-10 list, covering albums 7–4. I have reserved the final three for another post because I think they’re worthy of greater attention. Part I is here.
7. Thrice—To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere
Like many other bands on this list, Thrice is a group that I’ve listened to for over 10 years. This is their first album after returning from a hiatus, and (fortunately) it’s very good. Thrice have often experimented wildly from album to album, using a variety of styles within their genre (which I would classify as “rock”). On To Be Everywhere the band opts for an organic, earthy sound.
One of Thrice’s best attributes as a band is a near-legendary streak of consistency. I have never heard an album of theirs that I didn’t like, and the critical reception around most of their releases has been similarly positive. Partially because of their consistency, there isn’t much I can say about this album that doesn’t also apply to their others. The instrumentals are good, the lyrics are often fantastic, and the overall product is well worth any listener’s time.
6. Yellowcard—Yellowcard
Yellowcard returns for their final project: a self-titled album. Although the band’s greatest popularity undeniably came during the days of Ocean Avenue, the group has been quietly putting out fantastic albums for the last few years. Here, though, they say goodbye.
This album has a lot in common with the two that immediately preceded it — Southern Air, and Lift a Sail. That may be its greatest downfall, since there isn’t much instrumentally that sets it apart from the rest of the band’s catalog. However, this album is easily saved by the overall quality of the music and the heartfelt goodbye at its end. Closer “Field and Fences” is a mixture of a sad goodbye and a triumphant exit, and conveys these two emotions very well. Yellowcard may be gone, but they handled their exit very well.
5. Weezer — Weezer (While Album)
During the first round of the NBA playoffs, during a matchup between the Atlanta Hawks and the Boston Celtics, a local TV channel played the guitar line from “Summer Elaine and Drunk Dori.” I was already familiar with this song, but I marveled at how appropriate it seemed for late spring/early summer basketball. That’s when this album was released, and Weezer absolutely nails everything that a typical “summer album” should be.
The lyrics aren’t terribly deep or introspective, but they’re delivered with the band’s characteristic charm. Some of them are also pretty funny, such as the bridge of “Thank God For Girls.” Beyond that, the melodies are ridiculously catchy, and the album’s short runtime keeps it from feeling old or stale. Weezer has successfully returned after some subpar albums, and this one was one of my favorites from 2016.
4. The Jezabels—Synthia
As far as aesthetics go, this album is a huge departure from almost everything on this list. While its style can loosely be described as “synth-pop,” the song structure and lyrical content vary wildly from track to track. Most bands wouldn’t choose to begin their album with a seven-minute song, and it can be tough to get through the first few minutes of “Stand and Deliver.”
However, once the song begins to pick up pace, it’s easy to see how this album garnered glowing reviews from multiple internet publications. The vocals, lyrics, and instrumentals all combine to form a tight, focused experience that never lets up. The varied song structure helps to keep everything fresh, and the quality of the songwriting gives this project what it needs to crack the top four of this list.
