My Top Albums of 2015

One of my favourite things is BACK! At the end of each year, I love to recap the music in which I've spent countless of hours getting lost in. Whether it be travelling, surfing the web, mowing the lawn, or on the road in the vehicle.

Volunteering at the Winnipeg Folk Festival as well as heading down to Wisconsin for the inaugural Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival were hands down my musical highlights of the year. Those two weeks yielded unforgettable memories with friends and opened up new discoveries toward influential artists.

I usually include honourable mentions in these posts... however, I believe this is my 6th year doing this, so I might as well go all out and do a TOP 20! You'd think a top 15 would suffice, being 2015 and all, but it's been an outstanding year of music (as always in our day and age). With 2015 being a breakthrough year of mass streaming, I can only wish to listen to the endless amount of music that is available to us. That being said, I'm addicted to Spotify and the many musical trails it holds. Thankfully, with its help I managed to provide you a favourite track per artist/group! So let's get to it!

HERE WE GO:

20. Aero Flynn // Aero Flynn

Read the short essay on the aeroflynn.org homepage, which jump starts with: "It is 2002 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin upstairs in a rented student house and Justin Vernon is in my arms weeping, saying, 'I just want my band back.'"

19. Jamie xx // In Colour

The musical and rhythmic engine of The xx, Jamie churns out hauntingly atmospheric and chilling electronics in his solo debut release.

18. CHVRCHES // Every Open Eye

This Glasgow trio will impress you by gently smacking you in the face with a mike, beat pad, and synth. Their sophomore album will leave you robotically emotional in the best way possible.

17. Josh Garrels // Home

An orchestral, soulful, singer/songwriting sensation. Home finds a warm place in our hearts. Just listen to the harp in this track and try telling me that it doesn't.

16. Joel Plaskett // The Park Avenue Sobriety Test

Want to really know what the Canadiana genre means? In The Park Avenue Sobriety Test, Joel Plaskett personally takes you down to his hometown bar and feeds you maritime musical shots until you fall off your barstool.

15. Lord Huron // Strange Trails

Plug in your ear buds for an adventurous day of exploring. A vast forest of trees whips by in a blur as you bike through newly discovered trails... Hopefully they don't become too strange for you.

14. Gungor // One Wild Life: Soul

Ones to opt for a 'season pass' of musical gifts and wonder for their fans and followers, Michael and Lisa Gungor—a husband-and-wife duo—take us on a spiritual journey with the One Wild Life series. Soul is the first voyage of three, with Spirit and Body slated for the new year. Can't wait.

13. Patrick Watson // Love Songs For Robots

Grooving bass-lines, soaring riffs, and floating falsettos... Should I say more? Please, just listen to "Bollywood."

12. Half Moon Run // Sun Leads Me On

Imitating Half Moon Run's vocal dips, trails, and lifts proves very difficult, yet is extremely rewarding when sung on point. They know a thing or two about a powerful build, might I add.

11. Tame Impala // Currents

Psychedelic, infused pop/rock that makes you strut down the street in bell-bottoms and a shirtless vest. Flick up those shades when you say hi to that pretty lady walking by.

10. Oh Wonder // Oh Wonder

Anthony & Josephine make up the subdued, electro-soul duo Oh Wonder. Together, their mission was to write, record, and release a single each month for a year. I'd say they've succeeded and surpassed their wildest expectations. By singing powerfully in unison throughout the entire collection, they've mesmerized their listeners over the course of 2015 as if by hypnosis; becoming globally viral before their finished product (an aggregate album of singles) even dropped. One more thing to boot: Oh Wonder managed to sell out upcoming tour dates in New York City, Paris, London, Amsterdam, and Los Angeles before ever performing live.

9. JR JR // JR JR

The duo formerly known as Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. recently eclipsed the Dale Earnhardt prefix (to avoid any angry mix-ups between them and the famous NASCAR driver's fans). Consequently, they've blossomed into their own distinctive (more attractive) moniker. Fizzy, galvanizing, electro-soul goodness is only the beginning. Turn up that dial to electrify your Sunday drive with "Break My Fall." Or if you'd rather relax in the backseat with your headphones on while your driver and front-passenger chat loudly, mellow-out to "James Dean" or "Listening to Outkast, June 23, 2014."

8. Ben Folds // So There

Ben Folds' satirical and humorous lyrics meet grandiose, orchestral magnificence... a match made in... well, Ben Folds' brilliant mind. So There manages to encapsulate bitter love-songs within symphonic instrumentation (courtesy of New York City's classical sextet yMusic) resulting in a creative whirlwind of indie pop/rock and chamber music. Not to mention it concludes with a three-movement piano concerto featuring the Nashville Symphony. Sheer musical GENIUS!

7. Dawes // All Your Favorite Bands

My inner Dawes fanboy was freaking out this Summer when I witnessed the Dawes boys shuffle to their bus backstage at the Winnipeg Folk Fest. Roots rock combined with reflective heart-wrenching lyrics... Raise a glass and empty your lungs! Ahhhh... flip the record and repeat. If you love guitar solos, there're plenty to tickle your fancy in All Your Favorite Bands.

6. Jon Foreman // The Wonderlands: Sunlight, Shadows, Darkness, & Dawn

Jon Foreman, perhaps more known for being Switchfoot's frontman, wields his acoustic guitar and unique, impactful vocals ever so impressively with life's meaning and love as his message. The Wonderlands consists of four EPs which were released over the course of 2015; 24 tracks (one for each hour of the day), all individually co-produced by various artists and friends of Jon. This collection definitely deserves a continual listen, he's got the musical midas touch!

5. EL VY // Return to the Moon

Matt Berninger of The National has lent his inquisitive baritone vocals to the talented, does-it-all Brent Knopf (of Menomena and Ramona Falls) on this project, which was a decade in the making. Matt's wit meshes superbly well with Brent's imaginative arrangements. From angst ("I'm the Man to Be") to retrospective ("No Time to Crank the Sun") in a gradual heartbeat, Return to the Moon provides a complete emotional spectrum for you to gauge your present feelings.

4. Fyfe // Control

Under the moniker Fyfe, Paul Dixon has stuck it to the man after being dropped by his previous record label. The UK native, as his album art suggests, paints a complex and intricate canvass of himself in this album. Electronic, choral, and orchestral elements with hip-hop beats make Control an instant favourite. Releasing an acoustic EP of a select few was also a pleasant touch: LISTEN HERE.

3. Sufjan Stevens // Carrie & Lowell

Sufjan has tugged at my heartstrings once again. Returning to his folk roots, this extremely honest, open, and personal record was inspired by the death of his mother. Every time it's played it has me figuratively bawling in a glass case of emotion. Charming strumming and grainy swells underlie Sufjan's eccentric lyrics, calming melodies, and oohs and ahhs. Anyone up for some star-gazing?

2. The Staves // If I Was

"The best singers in the world," exclaims Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, who produced and features in The Staves' captivating If I Was LP. Let Watford's proud trio of silky smooth, serenading sisters take over your evenings by the fireplace on these frigid winter nights. Enjoy their intensifying builds with a hot cocoa in hand and a cozy blanket nestled up to your chin.

AND MY #1 ALBUM OF 2015 IS...
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1. Bear's Den // Islands

Ladies and gentlemen, YET ANOTHER GEM out of the United Kingdom. London's indie folk trio Bear's Den will swarm your community and invade the hearts of many by way of humble gladness. The results are exhilarating: Brass and banjo please the ears beyond compare! Just listen to "Elysium," "Think of England," and "Above the Clouds of Pompeii." Such complementary instruments to a vocal cornerstone. Keep your ears and eyes wide open for these loveable, bearded men at a venue near you.

If you want a complete playlist of ALL these albums, jump over to SPOTIFY and check out My Top Albums of 2015 playlist! Give me a follow as well if so inclined: MANNGOOSSE.

I also curated a smaller Favourites of 2015 playlist for the handful of songs I really adored from these spectacular albums. It consists of two songs from each of these 20 albums for a condensed listen (with the exception of The Wonderlands, one from each EP)!

Thanks for reading! As always let me know what you think and suggest away on the albums I missed.

I'm looking forward to an incredible year of music in 2016!

MOST IMPORTANTLY, HAVE A SAFE AND FUN NEW YEAR'S EVE!

CHEERS.

-MG

My Top Albums of 2014

This year was a fantastic year for music. I had many travels and a lot of time in those travels to enjoy a handful of solid albums. I had a blast at Lollapalooza in Chicago (seeing many of the groups/artists below) and also loved listening to the albums below on my long train rides in Europe this past fall—where music was essential for reflection, relaxation and time consumption.
However, let's get right to my TOP ALBUMS OF THE YEAR...

OH BABY, it's a TOP 15 this year! So HERE WE GO:

15. Future of Forestry // The Piano & Strings Sessions

Just like the title says, a refreshing and soothing take on some of our favourites.

14. Switchfoot // Fading West

They've been together for a long time and they keep making great music... and they're amazing people, you can't go wrong.

13. Phantogram // Voices

You feel like an invincible, electro-energized badass listening to this album.

12. alt-J // This Is All Yours

You don't know what they're singing half the time, but their instrumentation and intonation trumps the lyrics anyway.




11. Ben Howard // I Forget Where We Were

I'll never forget where I was when I listened to this album over and over:
Tuscany, Italy, working in a family's vineyard looking over rolling hills... sorry I brought that up.




10. Ásgeir // In the Silence

Icelanders are music writing GURUS. Enough said.
An original and acoustic version of one of the best songs on the album.




9. Kye Kye // Fantasize

A family band consisting of 3 Estonian-born siblings based in Portland,
and the frontwoman's name is Olga!
Indietronica at its finest. What else do you want?




8. Hey Rosetta! // Second Sight

A thoroughly engaging, endearing, and musically jam-packed album. One where you headbang very noticeably while singing along loudly in the car... solo.

7. Sam Roberts Band // Lo-Fantasy (Deluxe Version)

Again, Sam Roberts Band is as tight as a band can be. Riffs and groove galore.

6. Jars of Clay // 20

A silky smooth 20th anniversary re-recording of fan voted favourites from their two decades as a phenomenal band. Includes two great new songs as well.

5. Sleeping at Last // Atlas: Year One

One of those albums you listen to while admiringly looking down onto the world from your window seat, high in the sky.

4. Vance Joy // Dream Your Life Away

Vance will melt your heart. I witnessed this, standing beside several love-struck/fainting women during his Lollapalooza set this summer.

3. Bahamas // Bahamas Is Afie

This guy can shred a guitar, yet he does so in the most effortless, nonchalant manner. This album will make your head swim with pleasing goodness.

2. James Vincent McMorrow // Post Tropical

Talk about mind-blowing falsettos, which even blow the minds of the preceding songs' falsettos.
This album is epic beyond measure.

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AND MY FAVOURITE ALBUM OF 2014 IS...

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1. Manchester Orchestra // COPE & HOPE

The album that became two. COPE is a genuine rock album. Manchester Orchestra felt that they needed to buck the electronic trend so many of their peers were following. A hard-hitting, electric guitar smashing album of piercing vocal melodies and blasting distortion was brought to life as a result. Then came HOPE. HOPE was the kicker for me as it was surprisingly released five months later. It uncovered the complementing, heartfelt side of the same lyrics and skeletal compositions of COPE. Overall, Manchester Orchestra intricately exposed the beautiful acoustic faces of their core songs from COPE. Enjoy "Girl Harbor" and "Top Notch," two songs that clearly illustrate the difference between Manchester Orchestra's yin-yang albums:




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Local Albums

Saint Kris // 329

It is an honour to have contributed to Saint's album with "Flow". It is also NOW UP ON SoundCloud as a FREE DOWNLOAD. Enjoy!

&
The Bros. Landreth // Let It Lie

Honourable Mentions of 2014

Coldplay // Ghost Stories

Stars // No One Is Lost

Broken Bells // After the Disco

Wild Cat! Wild Cat! // No Moon At All

John Butler Trio // Flesh & Blood

The Ones That Got Away (2013)

Half Moon Run // Dark Eyes

London Grammar // If You Wait (Deluxe Version)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. // The Speed of Things

THANKS FOR LISTENING WITH ME. 
HAPPY NEW YEAR! 
WISHING YOU WELL THROUGHOUT 2015.
CHEERS!

My Top Albums of 2013

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas season with family and friends! As tradition always insists, I will once again share a top ten list of my favourite albums from this past year. I'll also include a favourite track (though it was hard to choose just one) per album as a nice listening sample. Here we go...

10. Said the Whale - hawaiii

(Guess who's featured at the end of this song? Hint: He also features on this list... )

9. Kodaline - In a Perfect World

8. Lorde - Pure Heroine

7. Gungor - I Am Mountain

6. Phoenix - Bankrupt!

5. Royal Canoe - Today We're Believers

(It was so hard to choose just one from this album... But on SoundCloud you are able to stream the entire thing! Check these local wonders out if you haven't!)

4. Shad - Flying Colours

(You can also stream the entire album on SoundCloud... and yes, Shad features on "Resolutions" for Said the Whale!)

3. Jars of Clay - Inland

2. Arcade Fire - Reflektor

ANNND my #1 album of 2013 goes to...

1. The National - Trouble Will Find Me

(2016 Manny: Where do I start with The National... One of my favourite groups ever. I finally saw them live at the inaugural Eaux Claires music festival in Wisconsin two summers ago. It was incredible. They've really figured out the emotional, synergistic power of music and lyrics together. It just fits perfectly. Their sound is mostly sombre and solemn, but the message is real and reflective in a way that's inspiring to me)

Honourable Mentions:

Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City

Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience

Please, feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions!
Have a safe and fun New Year's celebration!

CHEERS

My Top ALBUMS of 2012

  Heyyyyy... We survived the "END OF THE WORLD"! Congrats, HA... That preposterous notion rightfully aside, it's time to reflect upon the great music of 2012.
  It seems like nowadays there's a new artist or group that takes their turn in the limelight somewhat daily. Good, I say! It is a tribute to the fact that everyone has the opportunity to write, share their sound to whomever is willing to listen, and ultimately revel in their musical accomplishments.
  This is a list of my favourite albums released in 2012 that I have found to be inspiring, captivating, impressive, enjoyable, etc. as a whole. Hope you agree to a certain extent, and please give me some suggestions of your own! ENJOY:

10. Passion Pit - Gossamer

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9. The Shins - Port Of Morrow

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8. Imagine Dragons - Night Visions

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7. The Lumineers - The Lumineers

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6. Frank Ocean - Channel Orange

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5. Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself

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4. Ben Howard - Every Kingdom

 (re-released in N.A.)

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3. Mumford & Sons - Babel

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2. Patrick Watson - Adventures In Your Own Backyard

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And my NUMBER ONE album of 2012 IS...

1.  Of Monsters and Men - My Head Is An Animal

  Of Monsters and Men came out of the blue (the refreshing blue skies of Iceland that is), forming only two years ago to compete and win in a battle of the bands! We're sure glad they did, because they created a beautiful record this year, releasing their unique sound to the world; and it has spread rapidly ever since. Check it OUT!

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

Sigur Rós - Valtari

Young Oceans - Young Oceans

Stars - The North

Metric - Synthetica

Wish List (the albums I did not get to

that might have made an impact on my choices):

Bahamas - Barchords
Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellan

Beach House - Bloom

The xx - Coexist

Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city

Last year, I included Feist and The Antlers on my wish list and was blown away when I finally listened to their albums (Metals and Burst Apart respectively). Furthermore, I was completely awestruck by seeing both live in the summer, so of course I'll be expanding my 2012 album experience into the new year!

I'm looking forward to what 2013 has in store! Happy NEW YEAR! CHEERS.

My Top ALBUMS of 2011

Let's get right to it! Last year I said that I don't like to limit my selection to 10... so I didn't. I felt the need to add a bunch of honourable mentions, and I'll do the same here. I'm hesitant in regards to my ordering, so if you disagree, by all means DISAGREE! These are my favourites, and in my opinion, great listening choices for any music lover (except for maybe you hardcore "country" folk)! Enjoy!

10. Foster the People - Torches

9. Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials

8. Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math 

7. Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto

6. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming.

5. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

4. The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow

3. The Head & The Heart - The Head and the Heart

2. Bon Iver - Bon Iver

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 AND my number one album of 2011 IS...

1. Sam Roberts Band - Collider

A class act. Sam's lyrics are mind boggling and the groove is never ending. I cannot choose a favourite track because all 13 are candidates! I saw them live in November and was in awe of how tight they were with their sound. They keep coming out with completely solid albums. Can't complain one bit.

  HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

Lupe Fiasco - Lasers

Death Cab for Cutie - Codes and Keys

The Black Keys - El Camino

Thrice - Major/Minor

Switchfoot - Vice Verses

Winnipeg's Best:

Saint Kris - BYOB

Imaginary Cities - Temporary Resident

The Liptonians - Let's All March Back Into The Sea

Albums I haven't listened to that may have made my list:
(and they're definitely on my wish list)

The Roots - Undun

Feist - Metals

Lights - Siberia

The Antlers - Burst Apart

TV On the Radio - Nine Types of Light

Consider all of these selections as fine options for your listening list,

if you haven't done so already! 

Can't wait for the solid albums of 2012!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

(Hope you party, partied)