Top 89 Staff Picks: Emily Raffesberger, college contributor
December 16, 2015
Top 10 albums of 2015 (in no particular order)
Hippo Campus - South
From the bouncy riffs of "Close To Gold" to the thought-provoking "The Halocline," this EP is hands-down one of the catchiest sets of songs I've heard all year. I dare you not to fall in love.
Fall Out Boy - American Beauty/American Psycho
I have been enamored with Fall Out Boy since I was in middle school, and they can do no wrong in my eyes. However, if you're sitting there rolling your eyes and thinking this is just another pop punk album from some outdated band, think again. AB/AP saw an edgier, more mature sound from the quartet.
Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
What do you get when you mix spot-on lyricism, solid beats, and a saxophone? Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly.
twenty one pilots - Blurryface
When asked to categorize twenty one pilots' sound into a specific genre, I usually just shrug and tell whomever asked to give the band a listen for themselves. It's not quite alternative, not really pop and difficult to call rap. One thing it is, though? Beautifully idiosyncratic.
Marina and the Diamonds - Froot
Marina Diamandis, better known as Marina and the Diamonds, is not your average pop singer. She has a unique sound and an even more unique way of wording her lyrics. Froot saw a much more mature side of the singer than her previous work. This is perhaps showcased best in the piano-centric "Happy." From the moment she declared "I found what I've been looking for in myself," I knew this album was going to be among Marina's best work.
Halsey - Badlands
Dark and catchy, Halsey's debut Badlands is all about being young and a little messed up. If "New Americana" isn't the anthem of the millennials, then I'm not sure what is.
CHVRCHES - Every Open Eye
The Bones of What You Believe was a difficult album to top, yet what did CHVRCHES do? Just that. Every Open Eye has the dynamic, energetic flavor of their debut album, but spiffed up to (synth)pop perfection.
Leon Bridges - Coming Home
Extremely reminiscent of the great soul singers, Leon Bridges is one of my favorite singers of the year. His debut album Coming Home is an all-around solid album. Any man who would swim the Mississippi River simply to prove a point has my vote.
Bad Bad Hats - Psychic Reader
The Madeline reference in their name is what drew me to them, but their music is what made me stay. Don't be fooled by the sweet vocals and easy guitar riffs and beats that fill the album, though; the lyrics are sharp and witty. Bad Bad Hats are easily one of my favorite musical discoveries of 2015 and I can't wait to see what the coming years hold for these guys.
Neck Deep - Life's Not Out to Get You
Pop punk is easily one of my favorite genres. Sometimes, however, I grow a little tired of the anger and sadness that seems to be the subject of most songs in that scene. That's where Neck Deep comes in. Their music has the aggressive sound without the aggressive lyrics. They preach dusting yourself off, picking yourself up, and continuing to move forward with a newfound strength. Life is, in fact, not out to get you.
Top 10 songs of 2015 (in no particular order)
Panic! at the Disco - "Emperor's New Clothes"
Throughout the second half of the year, Panic! at the Disco have been revealing songs from their forthcoming album Death of a Bachelor and I've fallen in love with every one. The thing about "Emperor's New Clothes" is that it's a step in a direction the band has never taken sonically. Co-written by Minnesota's own Dan Wilson, the song is heavier and edgier than previous works and showcases lead singer Brendon Urie's vocal range perfectly. That high F# though. #hellyes
The 1975 - "Love Me"
Earlier this year, the 1975's social media accounts suddenly went missing. But not for good, simply 24 hours. When they came back, the accounts had a noticeably different color scheme: pink as opposed to their previous all-black. With that change came a new sound from the band. A Bowie-drenched track named "Love Me" surfaced in October, and it quickly became my favorite material from them. I can't wait for the rest of the tracks from their lengthy-titled sophomore album.
Fall Out Boy - "Twin Skeletons (Hotel in NYC)"
I believe that closing tracks should be haunting. They should echo in your brain until you just have to listen to the album again. "Twin Skeletons" is a perfect closing track in that vain. A little eerie but wholly compelling, it's a melody that I find myself humming quite often.
Alessia Cara - "Here"
Thank you, Alessia Cara, for writing every introvert's anthem. It's so refreshing to hear a song about a distaste for the party scene in a world that seems obsessed with it. It's catchy, it's relatable, and, most importantly, it's honest.
Disclosure feat. Lorde - "Magnets"
Can we all just agree that Lorde is a total badass? Okay, cool.
Best Coast - "In My Eyes"
With an album name like California Nights, you can expect easy, breezy (beautiful) indie rock. There is something about "In My Eyes" that is truly magnetic. Despite the bouyant musicality, the lyrics touch on aching, lovesick heartbreak. That kind of juxtaposition is so alluring. One listen and I was hooked on Best Coast's sound.
Bad Bad Hats - "Midway"
I think this song will always remind me of driving in the summer with the windows down and singing as loudly as you can (off key, of course). It's just one of those songs that is impossible to listen to without smiling by the end. Lead singer Kerry Alexander's vocals flow just right over the breezy guitar riffs and the lyrics perfectly convey the confusion of young love.
Kendrick Lamar - "Alright"
There's just something about rapping over a saxophone that's so enticing. But it's more than just the strangeness of instrument choice that makes it one of my favorites. Kendrick has a unique way of rhyming and has a flow that is all him. Also, this song is getting me through finals.
twenty one pilots - "Tear In My Heart"
Leave it to twenty one pilots to compare a beautiful girl to a butcher. Strange as that may sound, this is a truly endearing song. Singer Tyler Joseph is coming to terms with the fact that, though once closed off from the world, he has found someone who can crack his armor-clad heart and love him because of his past, not in spite of it.
Emily Raffesberger is a freshman at the University of St. Thomas, studying music business.