My Top Ten Albums of 2015

At this point, I'm sure everyone has been inundated with top whatever lists for any and everything. Mine is about...music. Imagine that. My list is different than any other list you've read. That doesn't make it better (or worse), right or wrong, just different.

Music is subjective and personal. To me there are only two types of music: music I like and music I don't. And just because I don't like it, doesn't mean it's not good, just not to my taste. Conversely, just because I like it doesn't necessarily mean it's good. I'll be the first to admit that I like a lot of crap.

If you've read this blog before, thank you, and you know that I'm not genre-specific. That would make things so much easier. You also know that I am mainstream-phobic, so there are not going to be any mega hits on my list.

This is by no means a "Best of" list. It is not a comprehensive list. I'm sure there are several albums that were released in 2015 that would make my list had I heard them. These are the albums that I have listened to numerous times. Albums I would and have listened to again and again. Music that has resonated with me. Music that I will be listening to in 2016 and beyond.

I listen to albums, not songs. I'm not immune to making playlists of songs, but I'm happier when I can put on an album and listen from start to finish without having to skip songs. That's what my list is about.

Here is my top ten with my favorite song from the album (where available, where not, just a song from the album). Links in artist's names are to my posts explaining my picks. Other links are obvious.

10) Brandy Zdan - Brandy Zdan

Website    Twitter      Amazon

9) Delta Rae - After It All

Website     Twitter     Amazon

8) Chaser Eight - Chaser Eight

Website     Twitter     Amazon

7) William Clark Green - Ringling Road

Website   Twitter   Amazon

6) Houndmouth - Little Neon Limelight

Website    Twitter    Amazon 

5) Halestorm - Into The Wildlife

Website   Twitter   Amazon

4) Elle King - Love Stuff

Website   Twitter    Amazon

3) Chris Stapleton - Traveller

Website   Twitter    Amazon

2) Blackberry Smoke - Holding All The Roses

Website  Twitter    Amazon

1) Black Star Riders - The Killer Instinct

Website   Twitter   Amazon

Hope something there resonates with you. If not, oh well, it's my list. Here's to a fantastic 2016.

Number Three Album of the Year

I will post a full top 10 list at the end. In the meantime, I am going to explore each record in my top 10 and why I selected them. Again, this is not a "Best of". It is the albums that I've heard and resonated with me personally. There is some really good stuff out there that doesn't make my list because, well, it's my list. There's a lot of stuff I haven't even heard. Maybe you'll like some of it.

After Chris Stapleton's performance with Justin Timberlake on the CMA Awards show most people know
who he is now. I was on Traveller back when it came out in May.

I'm not saying this to credit myself as some kind of music discovery savant. All the credit goes to the people who write other blogs and my social media contacts who alerted me to this album.

As far as Traveller goes, it's good. While it's touted as country, and it is to some extent, it's so much more than that. It is fourteen songs and 63 minutes of good songs, good musicianship and fantastic vocals covering not only country but southern rock mixed in with some soul and blues. Also, maybe, what some would characterize as Americana.

It is music for people who like good music. If it resonates with the dumb masses, all the better.

If you want reviews, I'm sure with the use of the Google machine you can find as many as you want. All I'll say is:  listen to this album and you can thank me later.

Album Spotlight: Chris Stapleton: Traveller

The new Chris Stapleton album has arrived. And it was worth the wait.

Traveller has elements of more traditional country along with Southern rock sensibilities. Stapleton's smoky voice soars throughout.

Of the fourteen songs on the record, there are none that I would skip. I love it when you can put on a record and just let it play all the way through and enjoy everything. That doesn't happen often.

Traveller immediately vaults into my top two albums of 2015. Right now I don't know if it is one or two.

Here's the title track. The record just keeps getting better from there.