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THE MUSICAL ELITE  OF 

2015

So here we are again. A post no one is going to read, and yet I strangely put more and more work into these as each year passes. It's clear to me now it's simply a fun hobby I enjoy, to broadcast an opinion no one really cares about, and I am OK with that. If you are reading this - thanks! If one person does, it's worth it to me. Hopefully you stumbled upon it somehow and are bored and looking for something to read - and this was you settled on - versus me having emailed you and you feel somewhat obligated to read. Don't worry, you're not. Though friends should at least scroll through just to see what's been chosen, because unlike what people seem to say increasingly these days - that there is no good music out there "anymore" - I beg to differ. Somehow the days of Stryper and Paula Abdul produced better music 30 years ago than what is coming out now? Yeah, no. There were many GREAT albums out this year! Björk beautifully exposing her vulnerable side. The unabashed Shamir keeping that neon-lit Vegas party lit. Tame Impala rocking it with the most unique "electronic" "rock" "pop" tunes all year. Selena out of nowhere! Madonna being Madonna. Dinner and Part Time keeping it beautifully weird. So much great stuff! And with this Spotify playlist with top tracks from the musical elite, including honorable mentions, you can listen as you read! Isn't that just beautiful? 


Lastly, note these are in no particular order. They’re all great in their own individual ways, and thus albums at the bottom are JUST as important as those at the top. I did give them grade ratings though so I guess some ARE better than others - but they ARE shown sporadically in this post! So there you go. And as you can see Björk has a blue ribbon on her album cover - which signifies my favorite album of the year. Hopefully you figured that out on your own, genius. Enjoy, and feel free to comment if you want – and thanks for reading! Or not. 

It's been said by critics this is Björk's best album in years, and as big a fan as I am, and have a lot of love for everything she's put out, my sentiment is the same. At times the songs are no less difficult to grasp than those on her most recent albums (she's more into writing compositions these days instead of traditional songwriting), but even on those it's not hard to find moments where you can feel "this is Homogenic-esque" or "this sounds like it came off Vespertine". This is because the humanity is laid so bare lyrically that connecting with this album becomes all that more natural - as challenging a listen as this can be at times musically. Mostly written about her break-up with long-term boyfriend and father of her 12-year old daughter, artist Matthew Barney, it's refreshing to hear her sing so directly and straight-forward about her life than drowning her thoughts and feelings in her beautiful, quirky trademark metaphors. Then, it's balancing those lyrics with a voice that sounds young and rejuvenated, more akin to Björk of the Debut and Post eras, that makes this album, a mix of older and newer Björk, such a lovely surprise. Frankly this album - as "Björk" as it is - still caught me completely off guard; a hard task for her to do - as you never know what to expect with her. When she challenges herself with grand projects, the all-vocal Medulla, or the tribute to the melding of the universe and technology that was Biophilia, it's fascinating. But when she just lets herself be herself, when she lets her humanity poor out with freedom (Debut), joy (Post), pride (Homogenic), and now utter sadness, it all clicks, coming together flawlessly, and seemingly without effort. Those days I thought could be over. But with Vulnicura, it's clear she's only begun to tell her story. In 2001, Björk took a giant leap in her career by taking the acting lead in Lars von Trier's emotionally devastating film Dancer in the Dark. So powerful a performance it was she was bestowed the Palme d'Or for Best Actress at that year's Cannes Film Festival. Mr. von Trier is known still for putting his female characters - usually the lead and center of his stories - through absolute hell, emotionally, and sometimes even physically. It seems from that experience Björk has learned how to completely bare her own soul through her work in even the saddest of times. Hopefully this liberation will carry her further into new musical explorations as it has here, one of the finest albums from one of today's singular artists with an unparalleled vision completely her own.

A !

BJÖRK
VULNICURA

ONE LITTLE INDIAN

SLEATER-KINNEY
NO CITIES TO LOVE

SUB POP

A- !

This is not me jumping on a post-Portlandia bandwagon in any shape or form. It's probably "well-known" amongst friends that I was never really a fan of Sleater-Kinney. I'm not sure if it's due to a bitter divorce from a particular Newbury Comics store I used to work at and some of the people I worked with - where this band's albums were played incessantly and non-stop - that really just put me off them. Maybe in a different setting I would've like them. I tried when their last album, 2005's The Woods came out, the second LP they released after my retail divorce, but although I respected them more (I always did respect how unique they were), it didn't click with me at all. Then I never heard them again. But I became acquainted with their world more. I finally got myself to the beautiful Pacific Northwest and spent a fair amount of time in the gorgeous city of Portland. Then yes there is Portlandia, where even though she is playing characters in every minute of the show, you still get to figure out a bit of one's personality, and here it was Sleater-Kinney's guitarist/vocalist Carrie Brownstein, who co-stars, co-writes and co-created the show with the brilliant Fred Armisen. THEN, Carrie put a new band together with one of my favorite musicians, Mary Timony, called Wild Flag, and their self-titled album from only a few years ago blew me away. So, really, it's only fair to check out the new one from Sleater-Kinney. Maybe it was because of the lowest of expectations that I had that I enjoyed this album so much. I obviously am not an expertise in their back catalogue, other than that one album that was forced down my throat repeatedly back in 1999, but from MY point of view, this is their best, and a hell of an album at that. Corrin Tucker's lead vocals are stronger than ever, balancing her shrieking acrobatics with a full-throated baritone that actually didn't sound like her completely to this untrained ear. The melodies, the energy, even the succinctness of its 33-minute running time, there is something incredibly electrifying about it all. Just check out their performance of "The New Wave" on The Late Show with David Letterman back in January during the album's release - the guitar riffs, the bass lines, Carrie's air-kicks, the total joy you see in their faces at being back and the confidence they have in the new material. It's just one of these bands that are having one of those truly infectious moments of their career - happy to be back, together, and alive. It comes through on every track of this album. Pop-punk doesn't get this much stronger, more sweetly in-your-face, or this hook heavy. Who knows if I will like them again. Who knows if there will be an "again". But for this moment, they've shined brighter than I ever thought they could. These women rock. Brilliant.

CHEATAHS
SUNNE E.P.

WICHITA RECORDINGS

B+ !

When I wrote about Cheatah’s self-titled debut album in last year’s round-up of my favorite albums of 2014, the common theme was that throughout every song there was were in the very least a small element of a sound reminding me of bands from the 90’s. Some songs gave a strong vibe of everything throughout Swervedriver’s career. Some songs sounded like American slacker rock like Dinosaur Jr, some like shoegaze legends My Bloody Valentine and Ride. What made them all the songs stand out was their own song-writing. The influences were strong and resonated quite profoundly through the speakers, but the songs were most definitely there. It was almost like a beautiful and perfectly constructed tribute album to so many of that decades influential guitar bands. How are those bands influential today in an era that seems to be trending more and more away from rock & roll bands towards hip-hop and electronic dance music? Well I would like to think it’s more than influencing new bands to merely emulate them and ride out on sounds of the past, and that was the big question with this band. I love their first album, and if they kept doing what they did best, it would certainly be … adequate, I guess? But what is next? Well, according to this EP, more of the same. But there is a change here that is welcome and refreshing, despite how uneven, short, and poorly mixed this EP is (and that horrendous artwork; budget problems, guys?). Two songs, ‘Campus’ and ‘No Drones’ are more rockier affairs, and feel like an extension of their debut album. But then there is the title track, ‘Sunne’, and the incredibly gorgeous ‘Controller’. The latter is what makes this EP shine, and shows the biggest hope for the band’s future. It’s all their influences combined into one, with tidal waves of guitars backing this Ride-esque vocal chorus that frankly shocked me, feeling surprised they were actually capable of such a track. One track alone feels like this incredible feat of progress that bodes well for what they are going to come up with next. Of course this could be it for them, who really knows? But if that one song is their creative peak, then they certainly should be quite proud of what they’ve accomplished as so many of their contemporaries would absolutely kill to come up with a tune that strong. Overall, the entire EP is a great step forward, despite its flaws of not giving us more. If they can hide their influences more and have listeners thinking they are listening to a Cheatahs record, instead of name-dropping their inspirations, it may be one hell of a record.

As many music critics have pointed out with the release of this album, Swervedriver were lumped in with the shoegaze scene of the late 80’s and early 90’s, but may not necessarily belong there. Sure, the band then and to this day don’t lean towards the more wispy, angelic and melancholic sounds of bands like Slowdive, Lush and Pale Saints, but to me as heavy (comparatively) as their songs could get, the music always had this transportive feeling to it like those others did. The road there may have been different, but the ultimate sensation I had from them was the same. And for those moments where fans of the genre wanted something at times with a bit more of a bite to it – Swervedriver is where you turned. It has been 18 years since their last album – the gorgeous 99th Dream released in 1998 – and with this new one they continue down that LP’s path of a more melodic, slightly scaled back Swervedriver. They still have their heavy moments, like on track ‘Red Queen Arms Race’, but overall this is the sound of a loud – very loud – rock band with a keen sense of melody and hook, and a penchant for loads and loads of effects pedals that help elevate them to the self-proclaimed sound of “space travel rock & roll”. Their love for all things Americana – from fellow 90’s outfits like Dinosaur Jr and Sonic Youth – to the cinematic big screen feeling of driving across the country in a classic American car (as seen in this album’s cover art) – shine through in every note of this album. It’s hypnotic (‘Autodidact’, ‘English Subtitles’) from beginning to end like a brutally hot summer’s day, and with lead singer Adam Franklin’s beautiful, soothing voice reigning in all the guitar pyrotechnics, along with his knack for a ripping tune, Swervedriver have simply improved with age. This isn’t a reunion or comeback album. They’ve been off and on for nearly a quarter of a century now. But frankly, as much as I’ve loved everything they’ve put out over the years, they’ve now put out their best work. This is what rock & roll music is supposed to be, then, and now. A criminally underrated band putting out a fantastic album that will ultimately go unnoticed. Ah, the state of the music industry. Swervies forever!

SWERVEDRIVER
I WASN'T BORN TO LOSE YOU

COBRASIDE RECORDS

B+ !

DINNER
THREE EPs

CAPTURED TRACKS

B+ !

Obviously that album cover grabbed me with the sort of death metal font going on there, completely contrasting with the non-attention grabbing band name, both contrasting with the bright pink background color. Simple, but arresting. Something smelled of a mad genius at work here, and after listening to one song by this Danish “newcomer”, there was no question this was the case. Certainly not everyone’s cup of tea with his very deep baritone voice, but it’s such a unique element to the music, and yet it doesn’t stick out too much when everything else going on is so fascinating and richly textured. I put “newcomer” in parenthesis earlier because this release, as evidenced by the title, is a collection of three EPs that were previously released over the course of the last three years, in anticipation of his forthcoming debut album. Hopefully it’s a sign of things to come as Three EPs can easily stand on it’s own as a complete artistic statement with its firm grasp of pop songwriting and adventurous sonic craftsmanship. If any fans of Ariel Pink are reading this, you would be smart in checking out this album. Dinner’s music is definitely his own thing, but there are so many distinctive moments and elements (not including the pink album cover) with kooky sounds, lyrics, and pop music references, that the comparison is inevitable. The website for his label, Brooklyn’s fantastic Captured Tracks, sums it up perfectly in their description of Dinner: “he sounds something like the soundtrack to David Lynch directing Miami Vice, or Genesis P-Orridge embracing Italian pop-infused Danish darkwave, or like a male descendant of Nico singing Eno-esque pop songs on discarded Julian Cope tracks”. That sums it up quite well in terms of sound. In terms of feeling I think this is where the album could be alienating to many. The majority of tracks are upbeat and catchy and poppy as hell (if you’re willing to accept some of the best pop music is far outside the world of Taylor Swift), but there are tracks that can bring the mood down – as beautiful as the sounds can be. Songs like ‘Love Is Death’ can be hard to take, especially sung in that low baritone. Even a song like ‘You Are Like LA’, in all its pop sheen, sounds like a put down of someone in his life (if I’m understanding the lyrics properly). Regardless, anyone with adventurous tastes in pop music and love for 80s music will have a lot to love here, and as far as I’m concerned, this collection is brilliant and catchy as hell.

SHAMIR
RATCHET

XL RECORDINGS

A- !

This is one of those artists where I was 100% lured in by the hype surrounding him, and the album cover for this, Shamir’s debut album, Ratchet. Something about that cover just spoke to me straight away, and really I judged the book by its cover without hearing a single note of his music. Apparently the hype in the music media was building for some time and it completely slipped my radar. Maybe that made this all the more exciting of an album when I finally got around to hearing it. Shamir started recording when he was late in his teens, initially dabbling in country music, but transitioning to what many would call “left-field electronic pop music”. It’s a good genre name because as pop and radio-friendly as these songs are, or should be, their’s something really off-kilter about them that make them incredibly exciting and infectious to listen to. Mixed with his vocals, a beautiful, confident delivery reminiscent of Michael Jackson that seems to perfectly reflect the unabashed flamboyance of Shamir’s well-adjusted yet fragile upbringing in a Las Vegas suburb, the City of North Las Vegas, this album is just REFRESHING on so many levels. The opening track, ‘Vegas’, sets you up for his sound, with beats that sound like the neon lights of Sin City cracking on to light up the night sky in all their promise, while lyrics float above about the despair of the city that promises so much yet delivers so little. After you get an understanding of his sound, he takes off with straight up pop tracks that bounce endlessly, from ‘Call It Off’ to the lyrically gorgeous self-confidence of ‘On the Regular’. The entirety of Ratchet is not perfect. Tracks like ‘Hot Mess’ are just that. Maybe that’s extreme actually, there is an audience for that sort of cold repetitious dance tunes and for what it is, it IS good. Shamir’s vocals, as beautiful as I find them, and admittedly an acquired taste possibly, could use a little treatment in some places, especially when they ride just a bit too high over the music. But other than these small criticisms, this is just a really lovely record from a really lovely young talent. It’s a bright and sunny album, perfect for the hot summer months that followed this album’s release, and more than anything it feels like a positive rush of hope for what the future holds. In talent, promise,  and in tolerance and acceptance. There’s something much deeper here below the pop surface of these tracks, which makes it such a unique and special release.

ALGIERS
ALGIERS

It’s surprising that I like this album in the sense that, at least in my view, an easy reference point is many of the releases that have come from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and even his band before that, The Birthday Party. It’s very southern gothic, primal, and very dark. Not that I dislike Nick Cave – far from it. I’ve just never been fully able to get into his stuff as much as I respect it, and think it’s good, or really, great. But in terms of overall spirit, he is what comes to mind. Of course there was a certain punk rock attitude in even the quietest of his music, which I do not hear with this debut album. It feels like a lost soundtrack of sorts. The dark side of HBO’s vampire soap opera True Blood and the Coen Brothers’ O Brother Where Art Thou, for current references, pops out to me. Most strongly the feeling starts right from the first track, ‘Remains’, which sets up the feel for the entire album perfectly. With its dark, gothic vibe mixed with heavy gospel influences, combined with synths straight from a John Carpenter film score, you now know what you’re in for with this entire release. It’s a niche market this sound, no doubt, but done so masterfully, with such precision and such variety within it’s narrow world view (musically speaking of course), it feels like one of the most sincere albums I can ever remember hearing. That freshness is half the battle of making this such an enjoyable listen, even when, as I’ve said twice already, its a DARK listen. But there is a beautiful hope throughout every note, and most apparent in the gorgeous backing vocals and upbeat clapping that is prevalent in nearly every track. And not that every song is a dirge to get through, most are upbeat despite their atmosphere and lyrics. Even when that John Carpenter feeling makes a return on ‘Irony. Utility. Pretext.’, the tempo picks up considerably, giving the sense you’re hearing a song that could easily be a pop theme song from one of his films. This is soul. This is gospel. This is passion. This is politics. This is brooding. This is synth. This is SWEAT. This is humidity. This is dense. This is a beautifully angry call for change. “Four hundred years of torture/Four hundred years a slave/Dead just to watch you squander/What we tried to save/So drown in entertainment/’Cause all our blood’s in vain.”

MATADOR

A- !

TAME IMPALA
CURRENTS

INTERSCOPE

A !

PART TIME
VIRGO'S MAZE

First things first, I am not on the Tame Impala bandwagon. There is no engrained bias going on here that prevents me from coming to my own conclusion as to the merits of this album. Nor was I believing any hype I had heard about this. I enjoyed their first album and it had some good, even great tracks. But something about it never made me feel like I HAD to listen to it at any given moment. Their second album came out and it only enhanced their popularity, nearly making them a household name, which is funny considering their name doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Then the first single for this album was released what feels like months ago, and though I had sort of written them off in my mind as a band that wasn’t exactly essential (so much music, so little time), I checked it out, this album’s lead track ‘Let It Happen’, and was blown away. Instantly it felt special, and that it was part of a greater vision, so instead of playing out the track, I only listened that one time, and decided to wait for the album to be released. That time finally came and really I wasn’t expecting something THIS good. Most bands seem to write a bunch of great tracks and put them together and call it an album, which is of course, many of the greatest albums are like that. But the best albums are those that either do, or through happenstance, arrive as a complete vision, or statement. Currents is one of those rare moments.  It couldn’t be more bluntly announced than with the aptly titled ‘Yes, I’m Changing’. The band’s lead architect, Kevin Parker, was clearly bored with their old sound, or felt there was only so far he could go with it. The end result is the same as before; this album is without question, at least to my ears, psych rock. But it’s psych rock done with more electronic elements instead of your usual guitar, bass, drums combination. It’s trippy as hell, but instead of making you want to rock out, it’s full of so much groove and color that whether sitting down or standing up, you’re going to find some way to dance to it. It takes you to another place. Yes, the inspiration is clear and evident. There’s disco, there’s prog rock, there’s psychedelia sprinkled all throughout this. But the way it’s combined all together – its undeniably unique. Fresh. Brilliant, really. How often is an album released where every single track is just pure pop right to its core and sticks in your head, but is unlike anything you’ve heard before. It doesn’t matter how alien the sound may be, it’s irresistible. How he – they – pulled this off I have no idea, but listen to the bass line kick in on ‘The Moment’, the Prince meets Delfonics sex jam of ‘Cause I’m A Man’, or just that insane melody in ‘Reality In Motion’. There is not a single dud on this album, one of the best, most realized albums I’ve heard in a long time. Never saw that coming – from a 11,617 miles away. Oh yeah, they’re from Perth. I was there once. It was pretty.

I honestly can say I don’t really know if I would like this album if it weren’t the very strong 80s vibe that runs throughout. But it lands a heavy influence and is what makes this what it is,  and for me, why it’s so great. One review I read recently, from VICE, says Part Time’s music sounds like it comes straight out of London in 1984, and that pretty much nails it. I remember one time listening to this and was sure my iPod had strangely glitched and skipped to an album by Orange Juice called Rip It Up. However in fact it was just the track ‘Honey Lips’ from this, the new double album from Mexican Summer/Burger Records recording artist, basically a solo project from San Francisco native David Speck. I could almost say just read my review of theThree EPs collection from Dinner above, as the two albums have numerous similarities going on. If they aren’t similar to your ears, in the very least they’re both very DIY with that lo-fi “oh yeah they definitely recorded this in their house” kind of sound. Normally that isn’t my cup of tea, but with this style of music it works well. Of course 80s music is very produced, but it’s more that these people are weirdos …. mad geniuses if you will. They can’t be bothered to do it the traditional way, and just need to get the music in their heads recorded and move onto the next thing. Of course both these artists are very prolific as a result, putting out lots of recordings with every song has a different sound, feel and influence to it. From one song to the next, inspiration is all over the map, which makes this double LP such a rewarding listen. Then, it’s not hard to see that Part Time, and Dinner as well, just HAVE to be heavily influenced by the eccentric genius weirdo Ariel Pink and his Haunted Graffiti. He’s kind of the current hipster godfather – a modern day Frank Zappa or Captain Beefheart if you will – of quirky, creepy, gorgeous, eccentric pop music, and appears to have influenced a new barrage of eccentrics, with Part Time one of his closest “competitors”. The whole album is a bizarre and beautiful kaleidoscope of 80s styles, influences and sounds – just a total trip with hooks everywhere you turn. Not to be missed, this one.

BURGER RECORDS

B !

U.S. GIRLS
HALF FREE

U.S. Girls is really just one girl. In fact, a woman, and her name is Meghan Remy from Toronto, Ontario. She’s been around for awhile, and despite some people saying I’m an aging hipster with his finger on the pulse of music, I had never heard of her until my beloved record label 4AD signed her for at least this one release. The first single, ‘Damn That Valley’, along with its bright red, white & blue themed artwork, had me instantly intrigued. One of those first listens where you can just tell there is something really special at play here. It was almost reggae, it was almost trip-hop, but whatever it was it felt very politely subversive, adventurous, and sonically it was like walking through an otherworldly carnival. Two more singles followed in the same vein, ‘Woman’s Work’ and ‘Window Shades’, both feeling like lost tracks from another era that you just can’t pinpoint. Her songs are that much of a collage, and although elements sound familiar, the way she puts them all together make them feel familiar, but incredibly fresh. The track ‘New Age Thriller’ is the perfect example of this, and the title says it all. It sounds like the theme song, or musical anchor of a pivotal scene of said new age thriller. The driving bass, the repetition, the dark & sneaky vibe it conveys. It feels like something you’ve experienced before. But where? This to me is Ms Remy’s talent – to have this underlying feeling of mystery from how she shapes all the sounds into these aural collage that become an almost déjà vu experience. Her voice may not be for everyone and that is fair. Most people may not remember the band Cranes from the late 80s/early 90s – fronted by Alison Shaw and her “baby” voice as many would refer to it as – but many times it’s what I’m reminded of here. Just a more nasally version. And with a weird reggae lilt going on at times. I’m sure a lot of individual elements here are not for everyone, but when listened to as a whole, it’s a pop record, with plenty of creepy beats and atmospherics to keep this album interesting and exciting no matter how many times you listen to it. It’s a short record unfortunately at just over 30 minutes long – but with all the variety included in that half-hour, there’s just nothing to complain about.

4AD

B+ !

MADONNA
REBEL HEART

INTERSCOPE

B !

SELENA GOMEZ
REVIVAL

INTERSCOPE

A- !

Well, here she is again. Everyone’s favorite 57-year old that acts as if she is the new, young hottest pop star on the planet. I absolutely love Madonna, everything about her, but I am also conflicted about her. Every new album that comes along I hope she continues what she started on her hit Ray of Light. Something just more … adult. More her age. But then I understand her point of view, that even saying that is ageism. She’s dead right about that. I don’t judge her negatively for still getting half naked and shaking her ass like she’s a 20-year old young woman with nothing to lose. I guess I just feel there’s a stage for everything in one’s life, and now that she’s approaching 60, that time to show a more mature side is now. I mean, is she going to still be doing this once she technically becomes a senior citizen? But then again, maybe she sees a longer lifespan for herself and sees no reason to rush. Who knows! As long as with every album she’s adding songs to her resume that could appear on a career retrospective, then it’s all good. And she certainly does that here. The only frustrating thing about this album is it could be a fantastic pop album if it was trimmed down. The standard edition is 14 songs, and not all of the tracks are gems. What she should have done in my view is remove some of the tracks, and replace with the great songs that were only included in the special edition that had an additional nine tracks – an entire album’s worth. She could have had one edition of this album, jam-packed with pop hits. But hey, that’s what playlists are for these days. The album has grown on me every time I listen to it, especially after seeing the Rebel Heart tour when it stopped in Boston. A lot of the songs – even those I wasn’t initially keen on – make more sense now.  So this is one I say should be given time to sink in. Tracks like ‘Ghosttown’ for instance – in my view one of her best ever tracks. Beautiful, powerful, a great hook, and just sparkling from beginning to end, it’s the highlight of the album for me. Then the single ‘Living For Love’ feels like something from the Like A Prayer/Erotica era, and other gorgeous gems include ‘Joan of Arc’, ‘HeartBreak City’, ‘Holy Water’, ‘Best Night’, ‘Iconic’, ‘Beautiful Scars’, ‘Body Shop’, and of course the title track. I don’t need to describe the sound really, everyone knows Madonna, and what you get with Madonna. Just here, it sounds like the Madonna we know from her younger days is back, but from a 57-year old. Maybe she was right all along.

In one sense I'm equally as shocked as you that any music by Selena Gomez is on my albums of the year list, but with Revival it makes perfect sense. To me at least. I've recommended this album to a fair amount of people and it's been met with shock from each and every one of them. But then they listen to it - and even it's not their "bag" - they understand. I remember going to a taping of "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" some years ago and Ms Gomez was the top guest, and the musical guest. She was good I thought, but the song was rubbish. Then I saw her performance in the film Spring Breakers, and even though it may not have exactly been acting skills at work, there was something there. Fast forward to 2015 and I'm driving around Boston listening to the radio with my goddaughter, and the first single is apparently a popular one, 'Good For You'. To me it sounded like the sultry trip-hop sound of some early GusGus tracks, and low and behold it was Selena Gomez of all people, and I got that feeling right away her album was going to be something special. Like Beyonce's last album kind of special. A bit darker, more mature, rich, dense, and just straight up lush. As it turns out, that is what this album is. According to what I've read Ms Gomez has gone through some health scares the past few years, and like most humans, anything traumatic in your life, either directly or indirectly, can leave you grounded and more reflective. Not that this is a sad record or anything like that; it just sounds like a young woman reaching a new level of emotional maturity, and it's reflected in the songwriting, the lyrics, the production, and the vibe. Just everything is on point here. I'm sure it helps having some of the production crew that Taylor Swift used for her massive hit album 1989. What makes this album work for me so much where 1989 didn't is it's not overloaded with bubblegum teen pop trife. Instead it displays that ability of being able to write a pop hook thats get into your head, with the dark complexity of the aforementioned Beyonce album, that results in this gem. There are those songs destined for the radio like the incredible 'Me and the Rhythm' - which somehow was not the album's first single. It's GORGEOUS. Even the few ballads are superb thanks to the strength of Selena's voice - one of the few "typical" chart-topping vocalists that truly sounds special to me; try to resist 'Camouflage' - it's nearly impossible. Revival is the sound of a confident woman singing songs she seems to truly believe in for the first time. Every track is strong and memorable - each in their own varied way - and the strength and beauty of her vocals reflect that perfectly. Even when the album is mellow, the pop shines through brightly and memorably. Near perfection.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

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