50. Grimes
"Venus Fly"
Grimes Art Angels proved that she can change her sound and still sound completely brilliant. The contribution provided by Janelle Monae on this song in particular proves that the Metropolis-aficionado is still the queen of cool. The two combining on a grrl power club anthem is insane. Even the most hard-assed misogynist will be jumping up and down to this.
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49. Tame Impala
"The Moment"
For Tame Impala, Currents was a complete change in direction: massive synths, modulated vocals, blues replaced with soul. "The Moment" is probably the best example of that new sound, a bass-driven progression filled with crashing keyboard chords and nary a guitar in earshot. Add to that the closing lines backing over and over until they become completely disorienting. Tame Impala is magic.
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48. Shamir
"Youth"
Shamir burst onto the scene this year with an amazing knack for pop variety, all-too-interesting percussive sounds, and a countertenor voice to amaze. "Youth" is the best example from his first proper album of a "political" song, or at the very least, a socially redeeming one. It is expertly delivered and makes a sobering point still enjoyable. Sometimes, children, learning is fun.
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47. Protomartyr
"Ellen"
For the Detroit-based gloomy post-punk outfit's third record, Joe Casey pulled even more from past experience than usual. The pinacle of these personal experiences is the shogaze-esque epic "Ellen," where Casey croons mournfully from the point-of-view of his late father, watching his mother descend into the final stages of Alzheimer's from the afterlife. It's so sad you could weep, but the arrangement backing him is so beautiful your tears are those of sheer amazement.
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46. Moon Duo
"Night Beat"
Moon Duo's Shadow of the Sun is a technical achievement, able to recreate the best parts of the Doors' weird, drone-y organ solos and combine them with a locomotive trudge so methodical it becomes a blues-Krautrock. "Night Beat" is only the best example of their sound, a song that conjures both doom and dance hall so effortlessly it could pass for True Detective credit music.
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45. The Weeknd
"Can't Feel My Face"
The song of the summer, Weeknd's "love is a drug" ode is so synonymous with party music there's not really much left to say. The beat is beautifully subtle, and the lyrics have just the combination of naughty and naivety it brings back memories of the best Twin Shadow, and it's so fun you'll wish it was twice as long.
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44. Eagles of Death Metal
"Save a Prayer"
Enough has been discussed about the events surrounding Eagles of Death Metal in Paris, and it's such a sad subject that it will not be mentioned further here. This is about music, and like EoDM, about the fun you have listening to/playing it. There is nothing that embodies the idea of music as sheer joy than Josh Homme and Jesse Hughes' surprising cover of an otherwise forgotten Duran Duran song. While 80's Brit-synth-pop isn't usually in the EoDM wheelhouse, their rearrangement here is beautiful and jaw-droppingly smart. It leaves the brilliance of the original intact, but ups the execution by magnitudes. A falsetto wailing Homme instead of the keyboard pattern, a throbbing distorted bass beat instead of a pounding synthetic one, "Save a Prayer" is one of the best covers ever made, and one of the very best surprises of the year.
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43. Paul Weller
"White Sky"
If you've never heard of Paul Weller, that's okay. He's been around for ages, but usually in bands rather than fronting them. "White Sky," the explosive opener to the frustratingly un-punctuated but otherwise brilliant Saturns Pattern, proves that classic rock is just that, "classic" not "old." Weller is obviously an insane perfectionist: the guitars are plucked cleaner than Boston, the layered call-and-response vocals are brilliantly distorted, the imagery of the lyrics is the best that 70's psych-rock had to offer. If you're looking for some plain rock that's just plain good...seriously, "White Sky."
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42. Ryan Adams
"Bad Blood"
Taylor Swift is...divisive, to say the least, in the music community. But it's covers like Ryan Adams' version of "Bad Blood" that showcase how strong the songwriting is underneath the often-deplorable pop facade. Granted, Adams' covers of every song off 1989 are all great--better than the originals by wide margins--but "Bad Blood" truly showcases what tone and arrangement can do to the meaning of a what was just another throwaway summer pop tune.
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41. Deerhunter
"Ad Astra"
Normally, when Deerhunter decides to take things slow, it means we're in for 15 minutes of ambient guitar drone and nature sounds. Fortunately, as the adage goes, with age come wisdom, and this sludgy synth-fest is top 10 in Deerhunter's catalog. It also feature guitaris Lockett Pundt on vocals, which gives what would otherwise be a morose affair, a refreshing uplift.
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40. The Chemical Brothers
"I'll See You There"
The Brothers may be the longest lasting drum-and-bass dance, but this is the exact example why. Sure, there's that weird eastern-influenced pitch-shifted string thing going on--basically their signature at this point--but the beat is straight up stadium rock, and the sample...I haven't gone this gaga over the usage of a vocal sample since Kanye's "Runaway." "The future? I'll see you there," is an obvious choice, and a bit on-the-nose, but how it's mixed perfectly, timed fantastically, and delivered with such urgency a feeling wells up inside that yes indeed, the future is bright.
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39. Louis the Child
"It's Strange"
For the most part, the copycats following Purity Ring around have failed miserably. As has Purity Ring for that matter. But some people know how to take a decent foundation and build on it. Louis the Child uses slow, distorted dub-step beats and brings them in as a flowing, bubbling liquid, like a song made from a Coca-Cola waterfall. K. Flay's vocal contribution is above and beyond as well. The almost Macy Gray-esque roughness counterpoints lyrics that would come across as overly sappy if delivered by anyone else.
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38. HEALTH
"New Coke"
HEALTH's long-awaited return began with "New Coke," and it's the perfect bridge point from old sound to new. Loud, crashing electronics, pounding drums, woozy-yet-creepy lyrics with no real meaning, "New Coke," accompanied by and equally weird (and pretty disgusting) music video, prove that HEALTH still know how to take their style to the very edge, even when the song structure is more pop than ever.
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37. Shamir
"Make a Scene"
The undisputed pop star of 2015, Shamir will have many entries on this list, but "Make a Scene" is the most fun you'll have being told to relax since Frankie Goes to Hollywood. If there is a better hedonistic message to represent 2015, I haven't heard it. Shamir commands and laments equally "Don't complain / Just do something / We've given up on all our dreams / So why not go out and make a scene?" Why not, indeed?
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36. A Place to Bury Strangers
"We've Come So Far"
If amongst the soundscape experiments of Transfixiation you were looking for some semblance of the old APTBS, "We've Come So Far" is your jam. Driving, almost machine-like drums, a guitar squall so loud it seems to bring the wall of sound crashing down, and the disturbingly brilliant addition of female backing vocals make this entry to the Brooklyn shoegaze outfit's louder-than-God catalogue one of the best.
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35. Sleater-Kinney
"Bury Our Friends"
This song from the long-missing punk/post-punk/grrl power trio, is more...beachy than most things of theirs you'll find. But if anyone can take something the rest of the world has dismissed as "tired" and "so 2003," and turn it into musical gold, it's Carrie Brownstein and Company. Sleater-Kinney hit every note required and them some, and that little beach-guitar twist? It makes the whole thing.
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34. Tame Impala
"Disciples"
Nothing, and I mean nothing, opens with the sheer joy and bounce of Tame Impala's "Disciples," which is odd considering, like most songs on Currents, it's a lamentation about a relationship that is one-sided and unrewarding. Of course, it wouldn't be Tame Impala if the lyrics didn't take a creepy, stalker-ish turn, but the half-dis track/half-tale of woe is the most fun you'll have looking up your ex's new SO on Facebook. Also, it's not nearly long enough, making Tame Impala--much like the song's central character--such a tease.
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33. Beach House
"Sparks"
When "Sparks" originally debuted, highlighting the sound of the incomparable Beach House's new album, Depression Cherry, it was shocking (sorry). The guitar loop was overly loud and fuzzed-out, and many didn't know what to make of a sound that didn't...quite fit. But once Depression Cherry dropped, it became all too clear that we should have never doubted them. "Sparks" is part of a long story told by the Baltimore dream-pop duo's fifth album, and much like reading only the second chapter of a novel, is incomplete without it's surroundings.
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32. Protomartyr
"Why Does It Shake?"
Sorry to use the same image again, but man, Protomartyr do not like making more album art than absolutely necessary. It's alright though, more time and effort to put into creating some of the most brilliant post-punk since Ian Curtis left this mortal plane. "Why Does It Shake?" marks the first suite-like song the band have undertaken, with two distinct, yet equally enjoyable parts: the first, a very Protomartyr-esque romp around the inner-workings of Joe Casey's mind (not a place I recommend going if you're looking for inspirational affirmation); the second, a trudging call-and-response section where Casey inhabits his alzheimeritic mother to ask questions no one can answer (I told you, don't go in there). The inclusion of the noisiest guitar pedal set-up Greg Ahee has ever used is as amazing a bonus as Clark Griswold's.
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31. Viet Cong
"Continental Shelf"
Viet Cong's debut LP is full of challenging melodies, obfuscated lyrics, and complex structure. Perhaps it is because of the sweet relief that the relatively simple "Continental Shelf" is the best from it. Opening with an airy chord progression before descending into a shoegaze wall of fuzz guitars and oddly alluring vocals so filled with emotion and non-nonsensical musing, this musical version of a Dali painting is as tantalizing as it is catchy. The production, as with the entire album, provides an atmosphere of warmth while discussing such a chilling scene--The Road in a single song.
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30. Lower Dens
"Non Grata"
While Baltimore may be the center of some...less than pleasant events these days, the music scene is still in full upswing. Abandoning their former non-conforming experimental sound, Lower Dens have been able to master what every indie band strives for: pop formula with enough of a twist to make the mainstream tune in and hipsters still swoon. "Non Grata" is close enough to a bass-driven two-step that it could easily be used in any dance hall, and...that would actually be pretty awesome.
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29. Yowler
"7 Towers"
With guitars that could fit into any Santaolalla score (Babel, The Last of Us), Yowler tell a haunting and powerful story that, if it weren't so obviously pointed at a personal acquaintance, would fit in with the Tolkien musings of Led Zeppelin. The use of "power" and "offerings" paint a dark, gorgeous picture with a few simple chords and a breathy voice that easily transports you to the scene itself. While the rest of The Offer is filled to the brim with references to the sheer force and majesty of open water, "7 Towers" is the best example of what makes Yowler's simplistic style so moving, so mesmerizing, and so beautiful.
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28. Jamie xx
"Obvs"
While the fourth song off Jamie xx' debut solo album maybe not have the flash of single and opener "Gosh," or the slick R&B style of "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)," it has an amazing charm that cannot be equaled by anything else on In Colour. The steel drum loop running throughout "Obvs" is not only highly interesting, but an amazing counterpoint of light within what is otherwise a very Burial-esque dubstep effort. While the entire album does show Jamie xx is as qualified as any other xx member to host his own show, "Obvs" is so above and beyond anything anyone else in the genre is doing with instrumental samples, it's the (*cough*) obvious choice.
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27. Vince Staples
"Norf Norf"
Staples might be the next Kendrick Lamar, and that's coming during a year where Kendrick was at his best ever, and also is only two proper albums into his career. The comparison exists because of Staples' amazingly creative and addictive rhymes. Much like Kendrick, he is able to paint scenes of impoverished west coast horror with the same repetition-induced ennui that is it's own message. "Everything's still bad, nothing ever changes, might as well make the best of it," in a much better delivered sense. Staples doesn't glorify gangs and drug dealing, he just presents them as they are: the only industries open to people lost within the system when "traditional" paths have long been closed. The slow pitch-shifted fire alarm loop backed by a simple clap track is all that's necessary to support one of the best opening lines in rap.
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26. The Chemical Brothers
"EML Ritual"
The Brothers are known for big, bombastic dance beats. You know, the block rocking kind (*cough again*). But the first half of "EML Ritual" is where they're actually at their best: a dark brooding synth loop, a subtle live drum beat, and, as always, a brilliantly produced and well-timed vocal sample. When they begin layering various takes of it one on top of the other, the song's climax becomes a dizzying labyrinth of voices highlighted by just the right mix of drum and sound effects. Of course, the song eventually explodes in typical Chemical Brothers fashion, but it never becomes a caricature of itself like past singles, "Galvanize" and "Hey Boy Hey Girl." I like these subdued Chemical Brothers; the look wears well.
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25. Future Islands
"Haunted By You"
Despite not having an actual album out, Future Islands still manages to impress. "The Chase" is a fairly blase single that looked set to disappoint, but it is backed by what is arguably the prettiest pop song of the year. Certainly, it's no match for last year's breakout "Seasons (Waiting On You)" in terms of sheer musical accomplishment, but it does compete for heartwarming sentimentality and heart-sinking lyrics, delivered as fascinatingly as ever by Samuel T. Herring.
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24. Oneohtrix Point Never
"Sticky Drama"
OPN (I refuse to type that name more than once per list) has always been on the scene as the artist's choice for best electronic act. His songs were experimental and had a dark streak, not conforming to your usual four-on-the-floor conventions. He's never written anything you could dance to, but he his highly regarded brilliant, and rightly so. OPN is the Trent Reznor of dance, which is appropriate considering he's remixed Nine Inch Nails in the past. "Sticky Drama" is the closest anything from Garden of Delete comes to a proper "song" as most people are familiar with the term, but unlike much of what he's previously released, it's loud and brash, almost to the point of nausea. Did I say OPN was like Trent Reznor? This is more like Dominick Fernow.
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23. Neon Indian
"Slumlord"
Alan Palomo's influences became very, very clear with the release of his third album as Neon Indian, VEGA Intl. Night School. But while late-era disco 1999-era Prince were patently obvious on most of the record, "Slumlord" most definitely had the hands of the late, great Frankie Knuckles, de facto inventor of Chicago house, all over it. And what makes it stand out so much amongst a bevy of other great and unique tunes is just how much "Slumlord" is like Neon Indian's previous work: washed out synth patterns with the treble dropped out; distant, echoing backing vocals; an ultra-repetitive, ultra-earworming chorus. VINS might be a great album that's a mess, but "Slumlord" knows what it is and relishes every second of it.
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22. Metz
"Acetate"
Metz may be gunning for Ministry's old title belt for "loudest band on Earth," even though that kind of volume is usually only achieved by other industrialists, shoegazers, or weird noise bands. And though Metz does have their share of mainstream-repelling works (see: "The Mule" and "Sad Pricks," among others), "Acetate" is surprisingly conventional. Now, don't misunderstand that, it's still loud as hell--maybe the loudest they've ever been--and dark too. "Acetate" would be catchier if you weren't dreading every moment of it, with lyrics like "take away these thoughts" being screamed over an incessant, punishing wall of guitars.
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21. Drake
"Hotline Bling"
While Drake's ode to...what's the male version of a booty call?...is the only song to maybe, almost rival Adele's "Hello" for number of streams/downloads, it's also the target of the most hate. Shade-throwers worldwide clearly don't understand the nuance of a lo-fi 70's keyboard loop, or the brilliant inclusion of what must be a pre-programmed Casio beat ("rumba" setting maybe?). Simpletons dismiss "Hotline Bling" as typical of a genre they claim doesn't require talent to break into, with one viral video showcasing a (clearly hypocritical) country singer reading the lyrics, trying to dismiss an entire cultural zeitgeist as a nuisance, like the people that made fun of cell-phones as "impractical." Is it a repetitive? Yes Will it ever get old? Probably. Will I ever stop listening to it? Never.
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20. Lightning Bolt
"Horsepower"
Lightning Bolt have made a career out getting maximum volume from just two people. With Fantasy Empire they only improve on that formula, able to surround with a relentless, punishing drive that disorients and numbs. "Horsepower" is just the most accessible song off their ump-teenth album, proving their noise-rock chops long after they already established them. And all while that beat just keeps poinding into your head, Brian Chippendale's muffled, indecipherable vocals bleed through like Big Brother's over a dystopian loudspeaker.
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19. HEALTH
"Dark Enough"
During the six-year hiatus from making proper albums, HEALTH weren't just sitting on their thumbs. In 2012 they were tasked with creating the score for the fantastic Max Payne 3 game. Rockstar is already known for having amazing music in their games (see: the GTA series, Red Dead Redemption, etc.), but creating a score for a film or TV show is very different from a video game. In doing so, HEALTH created a masterpiece, but it changed them and their sound; their music was always a little dark, but now it's much more personal, hurtful even. Their newly discovered love of pop and mainstream sound hasn't changed their moribund tendencies, and "Dark Enough" is their Dickinson-eqsue ode to apathy. "Breathe? Why not?" Jake Duzsic asks lithely to start the second verse, in the ultimate show of ennui about this plane of existence. "It doesn't make a difference how I feel." ...umm...merry Christmas everyone?
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18. Eagles of Death Metal
"Complexity"
Alright, let's liven this thing up. From the random eclecticism of this single's art, to the staccato guitar hook, there's nothing about EoDM's first single in seven years that isn't the most fun you've ever had being told to calm the F down. If the beach party drum intro is any indication, the creation of Zipper Down was a blast--just one carouse after another. The silly-yet-philosophical lyrics, the fantastic bass line, the Valley-girl cheerleader backing vocals, it all adds up to best work the band has ever done. Eagles of Death Metal write music for everyone, and "Complexity" is a song we can all enjoy.
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17. Young Fathers
"Shame"
While Scotland generally is known for it's hip-hop scene around the world, the TV on the Radio influenced sounds of Young Fathers stand out as some of the most creative in the industry. "Shame" is just the most prominent standout on an album full of insanely thoughtful and subtly complex rap. Their production, a false lo-fi, is sure to be the next "trip-hop" once the likes of Kanye or Dre get their ears on it, if they haven't started using it already. Young Fathers use a combination of low-mixed beats, a doo-wop backing loop, and clever lyrics to stun you into attention. They're not new per se, but they'll be big soon enough.
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16. The Weeknd
"The Hills"
So, you still haven't heard "The Hills"? What is wrong with you? Okay, it's not #1 on this list, but it is, by a wide margin, #1 of The Weeknd's short-but-already-illustrious career. The production value is insane, and that sample...the horror movie scream...only Chemical Bros. have a better mastery of their material. Thee Weeknd uses a stunning and glorious combination of falsetto singing and macho-out-of-spite rhymes, the puffed-up chest though tears. The sheer mastery of this very "Sleeping With the Enemy" subject is exactly what we've come to expect of the fastest rising star in the genre.
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15. Deafheaven
"Brought to the Water"
No matter what your stance on what kind of metal Deafheaven is (not that it matters because why, WHY does it matter? Does the genre label slapped on by the record company really define your enjoyment of music? How sad are you? I know you "black metal" types hate the Kardashians, but the way you determine the quality of something is inherently similar, so just switch camps already), "Brought to the Water" is the most metal they've ever been. At least, for the first half. You should already know that anything Deafheven ever write devolves from bombast to gorgeous symphony after three or four minutes. And that amazing juxtaposition of Explosions in the Sky soundscapes and George Clarke's pained screams is like nothing we've had the privilege to experience before or since.
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14. Grimes
"Kill V. Maim"
It might just be me, but I love, love, David Bowie's Outside. It's an underrated masterpiece by one of rock and roll's greatest artists. But, thanks to "Kill V. Maim," and really most of Grimes amazing Art Angels, I know that she too adores Bowie's sci-fi concept album. Sure, the beats are much more dance-able, and Bowie was more interested in riding the industrial bandwagon, but the influences are blatantly obvious. And fortunately, Grimes is so brilliant that said influences don't seem hackneyed or just lazily copied, but are handled with tender care to produce a jarringly horrific electronic work. Grimes is roving, easily, that she belongs in the top tier of today's pop stars, if only to scare the ever-loving shit out of them.
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13. Thee Oh Sees
"Web"
Since Thee Oh Sees have about a billion albums, it's hard to really judge how much one stands out from the others. That said, Mutilator Defeated At Last is a masterpiece of the highest order and "Web" is just the best example of why. Psychedelic rock, garage rock, and old-school heavy metal are all mixed into one six-minute opus. "Web" also showcases the strange and unmistakable sound of a song that is most definitely Thee Oh Sees, and couldn't possibly be anyone else. John Dwyer is pulling out all his dirty tricks and showcasing his musical genius at every turn, from time signature changes, to creepy, falsetto vocals, to louder-than-loud guitars. Just, please, listen to it now.
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12. Beach House
"PPP"
In the standout highlight of the Beach House hat trick that is Depression Cherry, Victoria LeGrand speak-sings vocals through a smoky voice in that dimly-lit True Detective bar. But instead of depressing acoustic guitar, she is accompanied by brightly plucked strings and over-full synth chords that pull her emotions out of you, like the most empathetic succubus. "PPP" demonstrates the sheer beauty of Beach House's composition and production. If the lyrics weren't so personal and off-puttingly dark, you could almost use them to score a wedding. They are the credit music to a movie where long-lost lovers meet in the rain. Each note is delivered with the pain of a thousand-mile separation, and the sweet release of a cathartic reunion.
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11. Drenge
"We Can Do What We Want"
Not that the Grammy's would ever notice, but Drenge is the runaway for Best New Artist. Their hardcore garage rock takes the sounds of Franz Ferdinand and the Killers and adds a much needed punk edge. "We Can Do What We Want" is the new anthem for angsty teens, but it's a song as old as time. Not out of place in a 60's dance hall or the soundtrack of SLC Punk, the relatable chorus and grungy guitar work is made that much better by impossible drumming of Rory Loveless. This is as close as music gets to saying "you're not my real dad."
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10. Hot Chip
"Huarache Lights"
Hot Chip is a band that has been, and always will be, capable of the most awesome summer beats in the dance industry. Part Bee Gees, part LCD Soundsystem, with a little En Vogue mixed in for good measure, "Huarache Lights" is the hands-in-the-air-like-you-just-don't-care song of 2015. It's robotic breakdown and sparse bridge make the finale pay-off that much sweeter. If you're looking for hooks to last the ages, you can never go wrong with a little Hot Chip.
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9. Protomartyr
"The Hermit"
I'm sure you're not tired of seeing that guy over there. While The Agent Intellect is Protomartyr's most artistic effort to date, "The Hermit" is the most Protomartyr they have ever been. A hot mess of guitars, weird samples of readings from 17th century medical texts, and Joe Casey doing his best Eddie Vedder impersonation, and then it's all over, slowly blending into the next song, the gorgeous "Clandestine Time." "The Hermit" is as close to their roots as Protomartyr can get. This is the Joy Division from the Warsaw EP, Pere Ubu's Modern Dance, all condensed into two-and-a-half minutes.
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8. St. Vincent
"Teenage Talk"
In a year when St. Vincent has no plans to release an album, this Record Store Day single is so immensely beautiful, the stark contrast it makes with her most recent, self-titled album is overpowering. I will admit, it's nostalgic lyrical content does come at exactly the right time for my 10 year reunion, only compounding its effect on me, but it's guaranteed to do the same to you. It's simple, poignant lesson: the past is great, but living there isn't worth giving up the future; is so fantastically delivered with simplistic synth patterns and soft vocals that it will make you break down. "Teenage Talk" does nothing but prove that Annie Clark is a musical genius of the highest caliber.
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7. Tame Impala
"The Less I Know the Better"
Tame Impala is master songcraft, and nothing showcases Keving Parker's ability than the Rick James bass line featured so prominently in "The Less I Know the Better." This is also Parker showing off his most poignant poetry: disguised under the happy-go-lucky facade of glistening synths and bright guitars is a sad guy with a huge crush that will never be requited. The entirety of Currents is one story after another of Parker's inability to seal the deal, or worse, his inability to cope with that first inability, but "The Less I Know the Better," is an unlucky guy at his most pitiful and sympathetic.
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6. Deerhunter
"Snakeskin"
"Snakeskin" starts off the finale trio of Deerhunter's Fading Frontier, the finest three songs the band has ever produced, and it brings all the classic amazement that we've come to expect of Deerhunter: spacey Bradford Cox lyrics delivered in speech-singing, intensely layered guitars, mind-blowing bass, and percussion parts so intricate and obscure music theorists wet themselves (I know I did). The production here--highlighting each individual guitar string as it's hit, and building layer on layer during the song's eerie outro--is so masterful you can recollect the glorious days of Microcastle and Halcyon Digest.
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5. Shamir
"On the Regular"
It's always so nice to have an album so delightfully absurd and fun on the list. "On the Regular" is Shamir's calling out of all those "gangstas" that made fun of him for his counter-tenor voice and personality, and it is amazing. If you don't find yourself giggling at lines like "step to me and you will be handled," as delivered in a jaw-dropping bridge, there's something quite seriously wrong with you. Highlights include "really really? Really really?" and the aforementioned bridge, which is so beautifully presented, and placed so appropriately within the song that you are blown away by such writing talent. Where has Shamir been? His album, and "On The Regular," in particular, have arrived like they were summoned by a Bat-signal made of hater blockers.
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4. Courtney Barnett
"Pedestrian at Best"
2015 was a big year for Australian rockers: Tame Impala put out a game changing third album, and Courtney Barnett has won, like, a billion reviewers' hearts and minds with her simple, guitar-driven, indie rock. While "Pedestrian at Best" is both the hardest song on her album (the hilariously titled Sometime I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit), and the most like her obvious influences: The Runaways, Siouxsie and the Banshees; it's Barnett's absolutely--and this cannot be stressed enough--BRILLIANT rhyming scheme and ingenious lyrics that make "Pedestrian at Best" one of the greatest songs of this or any year.
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3. Kendrick Lamar
"King Kunta"
It's no surprise that Kendrick Lamar could write a song as instantly gratifying as "King Kunta," but the fact that such a song exists means there might yet be hope for the barren wasteland that is the popular music industry. There has never before been a bass so bodacious, or a hook so insanely satisfying as Lamar provides in "King Kunta." If you didn't believe in his ability to change the face of rap before, you certainly will after this. We Want The Funk!
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2. Beck
"Dreams"
Fresh off getting Kanye'd at the Grammy's while accepting the Best Album award for a beautiful if a little slow Morning Phase, Beck came back and powered through to create a signature song that best represents the Beck we've all come to know and love. "Dreams" is so catchy and upbeat it was covered by Taylor Swift in concert, but don't worry, there's still plenty of weird. A sludgy bridge sounds like someone put a little too much weight on the turntable, but then it's right back with a acoustic guitar reintroduction and more of that long-missing "E-Pro" sound. How he keeps doing it, no one knows.
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1. HEALTH
"Stonefist"
In what might have been the most anticipated album of the year...other than Frank Ocean, or Adele...or...the new Tool album...or Chromatics' Dear Tommy...alright, alright. Except, out of all those, only Adele actually made good on her promise to release in 2015. Her and HEALTH, and while "Hello" might have been streamed and downloaded more than "Stonefist," it's no match for the sheer power. This is the biggest, loudest, and most coherent HEALTH have ever been. Musically it's a violent coup, while lyrically it's competing with Tame Impala for most disaffected guy in a one-sided relationship. A little mopey to be sure, but if you've ever been in that situation, you'll wish you had this kind of response to it. HEALTH are not pushed down or overly nostalgic over their unrequited love, they're going to do something about, dammit! This is the apathy of millions forged into a war club.
Listen Now!
