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The Captain's Collection Top Albums of 2015 If 2015 could be summed up with an analogy, it'd be a musical eight ball. In what was one of the more unpredictable years for albums, some artists knocked it clear out of the park while others took the bench. Let's kick off the tenth anniversary of my annual music review... 15. Twenty One Pilots - Blurryface Kicking off the list is the sophomore album from Twenty One Pilots. Further expanding on the "schizoid pop" genre, hits "Stressed Out" and "Tear in My Heart" continue to establish the duo as contemporary alternative mainstays. 14. Darius Rucker - Southern Style Darius Rucker is comfort food, and Southern Style, while not particularly ambitious or as anthemic as True Believers, serves a heaping helping. "Homegrown Honey" and "Perfect" are fancy fixins. 13. The Decemberists - What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World Indie-rock revivalists The Decemberists continue to hearken back to the glory days of artists such as R.E.M. with their latest effort. Rich in production and orchestration, "Make You Better" and "The Wrong Year" are worthy of your spins. 12. Bryan Adams - Get Up Canada, there was never a reason to apologize for Bryan Adams. Pairing with the legendary Jeff Lynne on Get Up, Adams churns out nine fast paced tracks inspired by the best 60s pop rock. "Don't Even Try" and "Do What Ya Gotta Do" rank among his best. 11. Muse - Drones With Muse, what you see is what you get, and what you get is another dependable album from the English trio. Tracks such as "Psycho" and "Revolt" best reflect their soaring brand of rock spiked with bits of operatic influences. 10. Nate Ruess - Grand Romantic While Jack Antonoff's Bleachers debut Strange Desire ranks among the best of the decade so far, Nate Ruess aims to make a statement with his first solo album. "Nothing Without Love" and "Moment" are heartfelt and flesh out a solid debut. 9. Matt Nathanson - Show Me Your Fangs This isn't Beneath These Fireworks or even Some Mad Hope, but Matt Nathanson manages to craft some of the best pop rock sing-alongs of the year. "Giants" and "Headphones" are an honest representation of Nathanson's presence in 2015. 8. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats - Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats Stax Records received a giant shot in the arm with the self-titled debut from Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats. Dripping soul by the track, "Howling at Nothing" and the raucous single "S.O.B." will knock your vinyl dead in its grooves. 7. Def Leppard - Def Leppard As Vivian Campbell continued to battle cancer, many questioned the future of these 80s rock legends. Def Leppard is a blaring confirmation that Leppard is still here and still sticky sweet. With "Let's Go" and "Dangerous" tapping into their Hysteria heyday, this Leppard hasn't shed its spots. 6. Collective Soul - See What You Started by Continuing If this was 1999, this album would be yet another unstoppable force for Collective Soul. As their most authentic release since 2004's Youth, See What You Started by Continuing proves that the Georgia-based quintet is still going strong in 2015. "This" and "Contagious" are total nostalgia. LIVE BEFORE FIVE: Against Me! dishes out their brand of classic punk with the live album 23 Live Sex Acts. "True Trans Soul Rebel" and "I Was a Teenage Anarchist" unleash their infectious fury on a packed house. 5. Zac Brown Band - Jekyll + Hyde Experimenting with EDM and even modern rock, the Zac Brown Band flex their musical prowess with Jekyll + Hyde. Whether immersing yourself in the heartbeat of "Beautiful Drug" or taking flight with "Tomorrow Never Comes," this is one band that ages like a fine bourbon. 4. Eric Church - Mr. Misunderstood As the musical surprise of the year, Eric Church dropped his latest record during the CMA Awards. Rootsy, raw, and rambunctious at times, Church channels the spirit of Seger and Fogerty. "Mr. Misunderstood" and "Knives of New Orleans" evoke some of his best work. EP BEFORE THREE: Future rock gods The Struts break down the walls to the states with their charging EP Have You Heard. Leading the pack with the golden "Could Have Been Me" and the charming "Put Your Money in Me," this is an addictive sampler serving as a prelude to their debut U.S. album arriving in March of 2016. 3. Carly Rae Jepsen - EMOTION Have I lost my mind? The "Call Me Maybe" starlet in the top three? Yes, and rightfully so. EMOTION is the most criminally underrated album of the year. This isn't the modern day "faux 80s" pop that most superstars are relying on - this is the real deal. Had this been 1988, this would have launched Jepsen somewhere between Belinda and The Bangles. "Run Away with Me" and "Your Type" deserve every bit of the airplay 1989 received. Well done, Ms. Jepsen. 2. Brian Wilson - No Pier Pressure Fueled by the cinematic success Love & Mercy, Wilson is able to conjure up some of the old Beach Boys charm by enlisting a few of his friends and colleagues. Equal parts contemporary pop and Pet Sounds, No Pier Pressure is a tremendous effort from a music legend. "The Right Time" and "Sail Away," featuring former bandmates Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin respectively, truly demonstrate why Brian Wilson is still at the top of his game. FLOP BEFORE THE TOP: Rob Thomas - what the hell, man? You managed to follow up your solo masterpiece Cradlesong with what appears to be a poor replica of yourself. Trust me, sometimes The Great Unknown is better left unturned. We beg you - next time, ditch the co-writers and get back to your roots. 1. Frank Turner - Positive Songs for Negative People This is everything a true classic should be - a roller coaster of emotions to accompany life. It's uplifting. It's heartbreaking. It rebuilds your soul. This is the undisputed champion of 2015, and Turner has proven to be the best folk-punk has to offer. "The Next Storm," "Glorious You," "Demons," and "Josephine" cut straight to the core and revive the carefree excitement and turbulence of youth. It's great to be alive, indeed. |