1. The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream. Bold choice, or at least I say that because I had never listened to it. A sign from God that I need to go give it a whirl. After one listen, it is really good - sounds like a Ryan Adams album with some Springsteen sax and Cure synth. Wow, no, seriously, after listening again, I'm 90% sure this is a Ryan Adams album. A really good one, but still. Spin's money quote: "What he emerged with is a masterwork — a thrilling but stately rock record, a new entry in the indie canon." Here is the video for "Red Eyes"
2. Parquet Courts - Sunbathing Animal. I tried this one repeatedly, and just didn't lock on. Although, I'll have to admit that I never locked on to the Strokes either, and these dudes have a very similar sound. Loose, jangly, garage rock with semi-shouted lyrics. Spin quote: "Now more than ever, their band could be your life."
3. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2. Agreed that this one is good. "They're the type to greet the preacher with a grin and a gun — 2014's Public Enemies."
4. Jenny Lewis - The Voyager. No killer one liners on this one from Spin, but I do feel like I ought to go give this album a few more listens. I don't even recall what it sounds like, which is a bad sign. Oh yeah, this is the new Jewel - now I remember her. "Just One of the Guys" is a fun track for sure, and overall this is a pretty good album.
5. Caribou - Our Love. Never heard this one before now, but the top song on Spotify has over 4 million spins, so other people are jamming this. "Can't Do Without You" is that track, and it is a pretty simple electro track looping the title phrase. The rest is more of the same, electro-chill with soft lyrics. Not my thing. Spin says: "Lush and moody, the slow-burning album works like a Choose Your Own Adventure of synthesized proportions"
6. Sun Kil Moon - Benji. I liked this one when I listened to it a few months ago. Not in my top ten, but really good story-telling and packed lyrics. Simple music, but definitely rewards multiple listens. "A deeply personal and largely empathetic work, Benji longs to share its most intimate secrets and insights as it details the life of a man "feeling somewhere between happy and sad.""
7. Future Islands - Singles. I thought this was going to be Lonely Islands at first, which would have been a hilarious pick for a top ten album of the year. Instead, this is synth pop that kind of reminds me of Elton John for some reason. Spin says "calling Singles just "an album" is too simple — it's more of a Your-Day-Will-Come-Too opus for unjustly underrated acts everywhere."
8. Tinashe - Aquarius. Spin says: "The year's best R&B album being made by a 22-year-old Two and a Half Men alumna." I say it has some good rap-ish moments, with Schoolboy Q and A$AP Rocky making appearances, but in general she sounds like a good hook from a rap song, but for the whole song. Not my thing, but she has a nice voice and the beats are pretty solid.
9. tUnE-yArDs - Nikki Nack. I can't distance myself from the terrible experience of seeing her/them live at ACL, and so I can't handle this in a top ten. Felt like someone was playing a joke on you to see if you will agree that the music is good, while a group of cool kids are laughing at you around the corner. Water Fountain is a catchy ass song, and overall it is kind of a cool album, but just aggressively odd - like Arcade Fire remade Graceland with only a synthesizer and Dave Sitek in the booth. But seriously, they were awful in concert. Spin's confusing money quote: "It's based on a one-woman puppet show from before her mUsIc cArEeR, wherein the hero escaped via weaponized farts. Now that's real."
10. The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers. Excellent album - almost made my top ten and I like it alot. "Any of the criticism leveled against their last few albums — too reserved, too leisurely, too complacent — won't fly here."
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