MeetMeAtBarItalia: 2015 in retrospective

MeetMeAtBarItalia

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Last Active 07-03-16 7:29 pm
Joined 07-03-16

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07.02.17	2017 : From favorite to least favorite	07.11.16	2015 in retrospective
07.04.16	2016 : From favorite to least favorite

2015 in retrospective

From my favorite to my least-favorite of the albums I've heard from year 2015. This list will be updated when I'll visit or revisit a record from that year. For now I put indicative scores out of 100, but I will relisten to these records in order to get a real description of them.

Steven Wilson
Hand. Cannot. Erase.

100/100

Sufjan Stevens
Carrie and Lowell

97/100

Father John Misty
I Love You, Honeybear

95/100

Blur
The Magic Whip

This is Blur's true "modern life is rubbish" statement, and a goddamn fantastic record as well. The band nails both their usual variety and songwriting' brillance, while focusing more on melancholic tones. This newfound emotional core is shown in Albarn's lyrics, which lack the satirical bite he's known for, instead opting for mature and desperate reflections on globalization and loneliness. This is a masterful and bizarrely overlooked release...

Jeff Rosenstock
We Cool?

Pop-punk and emo at its finest : the songwriting showcases a complexity rarely found in those genre, while the guitar work is downright amazing. Rosenstock has a fragile voice but his poignant delivery and oh-so-relatable words sells absolutely every moment on this. This is a record about the difficulties of growing up, with a nuanced but blunt framing, and the music perfectly matches these existential issues.

Kendrick Lamar
To Pimp a Butterfly

92/100

Dominique A
Éléor

90/100

EL VY
Return to the Moon

Musically, indie pop doesn't get more exquisite than Return to the Moon for me : richly textured production, liquid melody lines from a number of instruments, an heartfelt lead performance, and as much layers as it is possible to find in this type of concise gems. The lyrical content is self-awareness at its awkward peak, drawing some gripping imagery with a cruel sense of irony, as Berninger reflects on the worst hidden inside of us in the form of the compelling portrait of a couple of insufferable but never condemned characters.

Odezenne
Dolziger Str. 2

Odezenne's most experimental work to date, bringing haunting synth melodies to the forefront of their sound with a stronger emphasis on atmosphere. It seems short, but the tightness of the instrumentals and dense wordplay of the two MC's paired with the outstanding flow of the whole piece create a completely fulfilling experience. The subject matter and overall presentation are more abrasive and iconoclastic than most of their contemporaries, sure, but it all feels earned and deeply honest.

Marianas Trench
Astoria

Astoria is a pop album for the ages, a highly lyrical exploration of the process of moving on from loss which never feels melodramatic thanks to incredibly clever writing, immaculate melodies and Ramsay's amazingly dynamic lead vocals. This is Marianas Trench's finest hour, marrying their knack for hooks with an epic scope and refined instrumentation and production. Solid from beginning to end.

Asaf Avidan
Gold Shadow

87/100

Baroness
Purple

87/100

Joanna Newsom
Divers

87/100

Jason Isbell
Something More Than Free

87/100

Destroyer
Poison Season

86/100

Youth Lagoon
Savage Hills Ballroom

86/100

Twenty One Pilots
Blurryface

Blurryface sounds like a record that could please any generation, but it isn't bland whatsoever ; Tyler Joseph's insecurities are described with real potency, and the melodies are just too good to deny. The genre-bending approach could lead to a mess of gigantic proportions, but the thematic cohesion and heartfelt performances maintain a sense of focus and singularity. Damn great pop record...

Panopticon
Autumn Eternal

85/100

Muse
Drones

I understand that it's not cool anymore to like Muse, but they have still so much to offer. Their latest record is build on a bleak sound, filled with hard-hitting D-dropped guitar, killer bass lines and crushing percussion, while Bellamy's intense vocals are still as empowering as ever. Drones lacks subtlety in its framing but its anti-conformism messages stay relevant in this day and age. Plus this is just a ton of fun...