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| Shaw's Best Albums of 2016
2016 seemed to be a year of bitter goodbyes. It was a time when fans of classic music were forced to come to terms with the fact that life can be fleeting even for our most beloved idols. David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Nick Menza, Emerson AND Lake, George Martin, and countless others were lost in what some fear may be the start of a sizeable increase in the mortality rate of veteran musicians. But while the actual events of the year may have left a feeling of despondence, music listeners were lucky to be graced with a surprisingly strong set of new releases. 2016 saw veteran acts top themselves with increasingly impressive material, saw young pioneers come into their own and realize long dormant potential, and, true to form, included a few bittersweet farewells. However we look back on 2016, we can’t forget the importance of cherishing the best of what is given to us and pressing on despite frequent opposition. With that being said, here are my slightly subjective picks for the best albums of 2016. | | 15 |  | Suede
Night Thoughts
Despite their talents, Suede are a criminally underrated band, yet their recent reformation has been a complete success thus far. Night Thoughts continues on the positive momentum the group created with 2013’s Bloodsports, but this time ups their game to create a far more enriching musical experience. There are moments on Night Thoughts that are downright symphonic, perhaps best exemplified by the album’s beautiful opening track, “When You Are Young” and its reprise towards the end of the record. Follow up “Outsiders” is another clear standout that makes excellent use of the dynamic between guitar and vocals that made the band so memorable in its heyday. Hopefully renewed attention to records like these can give the group an even more elevated status than they enjoyed at their peak. | | 14 |  | Animals As Leaders
The Madness of Many
While there are many who will shy away from instrumental music for various reasons, a group like Animals as Leaders deserve appreciation for just the sheer, blinding musical talent they possess. While the sound contained within The Madness of Many can be considered inaccessible at times, “Private Visions of the World” and the wonderfully intricate “Apeirophobia” could serve as good entry points for those looking to find an easier place to start with the material. Bassist Javier Reyes deserves particular praise for his absolutely thunderous performance made only more impressive by the fact that he only recently transitioned to the instrument. This is an instrumental record made with a purpose, (not a given in this day and age), and is at least worth a look even for those who don’t typically enjoy the genre. | | 13 |  | Chevelle
The North Corridor
Serving as Mark Wahlberg’s non-acting side project, (see Google Images), Chevelle rode in on the godawful early 2000s nu-metal explosion, yet were one of the few acts of that era who were actually able to lend something of substance to their music. Even obvious radio fodder tracks like “The Red” were pretty enjoyable in their day. And whereas many of Chevelle’s hard rock peers fell by the wayside as time went on, the band have been able to make just enough tweaks and refinements to their core sound to remain relevant. The North Corridor continues this trend, fashioning itself as probably their most aggressive record while still retaining the band’s signature style. Tracks like “Door to Door Cannibals” and “Young Wicked” will sound fresher years from now than anything bands like Trapt and Nonpoint are currently releasing and with any luck Chevelle still have more to come. | | 12 |  | Gojira
Magma
Metallica’s Kirk Hammett recently called Gojira “the best thing I’ve heard in a long time,” and on Magma, it’s easy to see why. Almost every song on this album would be a standout track by another band’s standards. The musicianship is pummeling, and the sounds fairly diverse considering what one might expect. Yet what makes Magma unique is the intense feeling of strain and loss that hasn’t been seen yet on any of Gojira’s other work. It is well known that band members and brothers Joe and Mario Duplantier lost their mother to illness during the album’s early stages of recording and because of this, Magma features cleaner vocals and brooding structures that were previously foreign concepts to the group and better fit with the emotions the band members were surely feeling at the time. “Silvera” and the title track stand out as ideal examples of what is on display here, but Magma is definitely a record that should be heard in full to be properly appreciate | | 11 |  | Deftones
Gore
This album has one flaw and I just want to get it out of the way now: the production is awful. This is one of the worst sounding albums Deftones had ever released and, had that not been the case, Gore may have been placed higher on this list. Yet, aside from that one issue, Gore is another consistent Deftones effort cramped with the same pounding rhythms and soaring vocals that have become mainstays of the band’s sound. Rather than play out as a collection of individual tracks like previous Deftones records, Gore often seems to function as one extended piece, with songs leading right into one another as if the album was recorded in one run through take. Again, while other Deftones albums may be somewhat less abrasive to the ear, this is still a worthy addition to an already impressive discography. | | 10 |  | Thrice
To Be Everywhere Is to Be Nowhere
Thrice have always been a highly enjoyable group, but their recent hiatus seems to have done wonders to elevate their songwriting. Thrice have never sounded so massive on record before, and To Be Everywhere sees them dealing out incredibly powerful songs that are also strangely infectious. Singles like “Black Honey” are tailor made for airplay, but there are also moments in which Thrice goes outside their comfort zone to surprisingly positive results. A song like “Stay With Me” should be a nightmare scenario for a post-hardcore band, a bare faced betrayal of principals, yet here it actually serves as a surprisingly enjoyable piece of melodrama that still manages to fit the mood the band was going for. With other highlights including “Hurricane” and “The Long Defeat,” Thrice have added another worthy piece to their catalogue and have started this comeback with a bang. | | 9 |  | Fates Warning
Theories of Flight
Bands that have the word “progressive” in their genre tag are faced with a particular challenge as they age. This is because not only are they expected to continue to make quality music, but they are expected to continue to push their own musical boundaries as they do so. I’m part of a minority who thinks Fates Warning’s supposed musical peak in the 80s and 90s was highly overrated, but the two albums they have released since their 2013 return to recording have actually managed to set a new bar. Instead of wallowing in their former melodramatic sound, Theories of Flight goes for the throat, with opening track “From the Rooftops” building to one of the most pulse pounding climaxes in any of the band’s songs to date. Even extended pieces like “The Ghosts of Home” are able to justify their length and contain enough interesting ideas to make the experience worthwhile. For those who, (foolishly) think Dream Theater has nothing left in the tank, this is a nice alternative. | | 8 |  | Trophy Eyes
Chemical Miracle
When they first arrived on the scene with 2014’s Mend, Move On, Trophy Eyes appeared a satisfactory post-hardcore band that nonetheless seemed to play it too safe on a record that did little to elevate itself beyond the works of its competitors. Yet it takes mere seconds on “Chlorine,” Chemical Miracle’s magnificent opening track to see just how far Trophy Eyes have evolved their craft on their sophomore release. Singer John Floreani displays tremendous growth as his vocals, which alternate between delicate croons and earth shattering screams, perfectly accentuate the crisp instrumentals and make for a genuinely enlightening listening experience. With Chemical Miracle, Trophy Eyes suddenly rank among the frontrunners of the post-hardcore genre, and their future appears much more intriguing. | | 7 |  | The Dillinger Escape Plan
Dissociation
The Dillenger Escape Plan calling it quits after an album like Dissociation is an incredibly difficult pill to swallow. They were at the top of their game, (or close to it), and there was a feeling that there was still more they had to offer. Still, there is some small comfort to be found on Dissociation, which boasts the same crushing brutality and musicianship as previous efforts, but further explores the band’s recent tendency to create more atmospheric soundscapes as well. The segue from “Limerent Death” into “Symptom of Terminal Illness” exemplifies this perfectly as devastating blasts of sound are swiftly discarded in favor of delicate guitar picking and a bass heavy drum pattern. And while it is a shame that this may be the final release we ever get from the band, at least they didn’t go all In Flames on us. | | 6 |  | Thank You Scientist
Stranger Heads Prevail
On Stranger Heads Prevail, Thank You Scientist make the right kinds of advancements in their sound to deliver an album that provides all the same thrills as their debut, but to even greater effect. The horns and violin, which didn’t always have an ideal effect on Maps of Non-Existent Places, are much more fluid and productive on the second go around and do much to contribute to the overall atmosphere on display here. Stranger Heads sees everyone playing at peak form, and instrumental breaks, like the gorgeous “Rube Goldberg Variations,” sound remarkably precise. Yet Thank You Scientist still retains the same anthemic choruses and driving rhythms that defined their first record, and singles “Blue Automatic” and “The Amateur Arsonist’s Handbook” serve as excellent samples for what awaits on the album’s more obscure cuts. The thought of witnessing future advancements in Thank You Scientist’s formula is surely an enticing one. | | 5 |  | The Dear Hunter
Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional
The penultimate installment to the sprawling storyline that has been followed by almost every Dear Hunter album to date, Act V was recorded largely around the same time as Act IV, and this definitely shows in the final product. Each successive Dear Hunter release in the Act saga, (for lack of a better term), has been a technical improvement over the previous installment, and this holds true as the orchestral arrangements on Act V are more intricate, the melodies more creative, and the operatic highs more pronounced than ever before. “The Moon/Awake” and “Cascade” make arguably the best opening song combination in the band’s whole catalogue and the momentum never subsides at any point while listening. Supposedly the final installment of the Act saga won’t be rock oriented like the previous ones, so one can hope that it will serve as a deserving sendoff to this monster of a progressive rock experience. | | 4 |  | Radiohead
A Moon Shaped Pool
Radiohead is so drenched in hyperbole that it seems redundant to even pay them a standard compliment, but I suppose I can’t help it as the band, along with the London Contemporary Orchestra and Choir, has produced yet another masterpiece for the collection. Those who enjoyed the Bond theme they recorded, which was so wrongly omitted from the film, will find a lot to like here as “Daydreaming” and “Decks Dark” see the band utilizing the stunning atmospheres they have become so famous for creating, while “Ful Stop” and “Identikit” provide more upbeat stylings even if they never drift above mid-tempo. So even though the name Radiohead has been forcibly ingrained in your subconscious by the music press, (they're basically the Meryl Streep of music), A Moon Shape Pool serves as a healthy reminder that every bit of the love this band gets is deservedly bestowed. | | 3 |  | Vektor
Terminal Redux
Terminal Redux is 73 minutes of pure, unfiltered violence. Throughout its entire duration, Terminal Redux hardly stalls to even catch its breath, which is honestly the way it should be. The technical virtuosity on display here is simply astounding and would be wasted on any lesser style. Second track “Cygnus Terminal” sounds like what Death might be today had their time together had not been tragically cut short, while “Psychotropia” contains frequent changes in timing and pace that only a very select number of active bands would have the technical chops to pull off. A marvel of modern musicianship, this may not be an album for the faint of heart, but for long time fans of modern thrash metal, this may be the best new release you’ll hear for quite some time. | | 2 |  | Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
Skeleton Tree
It is tragically fitting for this year that its two greatest albums should be brought about through pain and loss. Such is the story of Nick Cave’s latest marvel, Skeleton Tree. Completed as Cave mourned over the death of his 15-year-old son, Skeleton Tree would prove to be among the most enchantingly atmospheric records of the year. The music is simply engrossing and draws the listener in through brooding soundscapes and repetitive structures. Cave’s anguish is laid completely bare on tracks like “Girl In Amber” and “I Need You,” which both rank among the year’s most devastating musical works. Nick Cave has never been well suited to optimism, and while this may be, against all known laws of probability, his bleakest work yet, it is also among his most impactful. | | 1 |  | David Bowie
Blackstar
It says a lot that Blackstar is not only the best album of 2016, but can stand side by side with the best albums David Bowie has ever released. This is no small feat, considering Bowie had arguably one of the strongest, and longest, musical peaks of any artist in the rock era. Blackstar is a mesmerizing release whose impact only grew deeper when the tragic nature of its creation was revealed. It seems obvious now, but none of us realized that what Blackstar really was was an epitaph. Shrouded messages in tracks like “Lazarus,” which, for the record, is also the best song of the year, were suddenly made clear and we realized that Bowie’s slaying of Major Tom in the title track was not just a progression, but a goodbye. One of the most unique artists of his time is gone, but not before leaving us with one last testament to his own unique brand of peerless creativity and remarkable class. | |
FullOfSounds
01.17.17 | Superb write ups, feature well deserved | AsleepInTheBack
01.18.17 | Definitely a good feature, lovely descriptions. I would say that these picks are a little predictable/bland, but I suppose thats what happens when you limit yourself to 15 albums | DarkSideOfLucca
01.18.17 | 12 was incredibly underwhelming and Gojira is one of my all time favorites.
My list would just be Meshuggah 15 times | Lavair
01.19.17 | You like rock?
I'm glad to see Thank You Scientist on here. There's something on that album for everyone. | guitarded_chuck
01.19.17 | nah its bad imo | AsleepInTheBack
01.19.17 | nah its good imo |
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