1. Mac Miller- GO:OD AM
Mac‘s third studio album marks the roundabout of him coming full circle as an artist. Released under Warner Brothers Records, this is Mac’s first major label album. When you listen you can feel the full emotional toll that life has taken on the rapper and the versatility of his music. He spits about overcoming his drug addiction which is covered intensely on the track “Gods Speed“, but brings it back to a trap party with When in Rome, and even makes our eyes water singing about his girl in ROS. More impressively than Mac himself are the artists featured on the album. Mac hand picked artists whose style is entirely different than his own, yet they collaborated on a sound that fit Mac’s album like a glove. Check out Chief Keef on the track Cut the Check rapping probably the best verse of his career. It is irrefutable that Mac has matured in his music career since his goofy party raps of the Blue Slide Park album, or bumping drug induced hype songs off Watching Movies With The Sound Off. I don’t see him leaving the spotlight any time soon, and he doesn’t either as he raps in 100 Grand “we ain’t going nowhere, we can’t be stopped now, this rap shits for life.”
2.Twenty One Pilots- Blurryface
The album is based on a fictional character by the name of ‘Blurryface‘ that “represents all the things that I as an individual, but also everyone around, is insecure about says frontman Tyler Joseph. Sounds like a setup for the most angst filled album of the year, right? Wrong. Surprisingly these guys have wrapped together a package of incredible stand out sound, each song being so individual from the rest yet coming together in an album with one definite purpose. The angst is there as expected, but it is so creatively delivered that you cannot help but compliment these guys on their immense achievement. It takes real talent to create such individualistic sounds. The break out track Stressed Out has reached the #1 spot on Billboard lists. Every one of us in the adult world can relate to the chorus of “wish we could turn back time to the good old days when our mommas sang us to sleep but now we’re stressed out”. Their outro of “wake up you need the money” is now forever the alarm tone of choice because no words could ever be truer. Don’t forget to check out The Judge for some ukulele, or Lane Boy for an electro drum rap cyclone.
3. Fall Out Boy – American Beauty/ American Psycho
Premiering #1 on Billboard’s Hot 200 album chart you would think that as Fall Out Boy’s 6th studio album they would have lost some steam by now. Yet there is no end in sight for the band which aims to bring back rock and roll into the spotlight. As they sing in their 4x platinum track Centuries “We’ll go down in history”
4. Drake- If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late
Full Review Here
5. Earl Sweatshirt – I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside
If there’s anything to be said about Earl is that his raps are clean. Many rappers let the beat take the wheel, but Earl Sweatshirt raps clean over the beat and leaves the rest in the background behind his verses. This album goes deep for all those that say that real rap is dead make sure to check out Grief. Trust us when we say that the music video will leave you shaking in your shoes if the track alone is not enough! The entire album is honest and claustrophobic, with raw lyrics that trap us inside our own head. A lyrical acrobat, were doing flips over Earl‘s newest work.
6.Imagine Dragons- Smoke and Mirrors
‘Smoke and Mirrors‘ is best described as that type of pop rock album that made it. The catchy dreamy tunes are easy to get stuck on repeat in your head which is why this album has captured the hearts of many. Set with a rock background, grooves and pop beats speculate through their sound. It’s hard to picture the band ever surpassing their greatest creation “Radioactive“, but “I’m So Sorry” is comparable to it as the songs gentler brother. I have to admit that sometimes a little pop rock is cleansing to our souls, and that we’ve spent some time practicing our air guitar to the chorus of “I’m so Sorry” and you probably will too.
7. CHVRCHES- Every Open Eye
Full review here
8. Donnie Trumpet and The Social Experiment- Surf
‘Surf’ is the debut album of The Social Experiment, members which include Donnie Trumpet, Chance the Rapper, Peter Cottontale, Greg Landfair Jr, and Nate Fox. Although Chance’s heavy involvement has boosted the group to almost instant fame, the production alone is a music work of genius the likes of which are hard to find today. The production is groovy and reminiscent of African american church hymns, riddles with rhythm and blues and gospel twangs. The album also welcomes features from J Cole and Big Sean which step out of their comfort zone to take us away in Warm Enough and Wanna Be Cool respectively. The album’s crown jewel is a track by the name of Sunday Candy which left our mouths with such a sweet taste that I spent the better half of a week singing on repeat. When it comes to this album “take it in your body like it’s holy”.
9. Jack U – Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack U
Jack U is the brainchild of edm stars Skrillex and Diplo. There is nothing to be said about this album other than it is an edm production made in heaven with hard hitting beats and catchy drops. Skrillex and Diplo’s styles balance one another perfectly. Star tracks include “Take U There”, which without a doubt takes us there…wherever there may be. Their breakout track Where Are U Now featuring Justin Bieber almost single handedly turned every Bieber hater into a closet “Belieber”. No wonder this album won two Grammys! If this is their debut album, I can’t wait to hear what else they have in store.
10. Grimes- Art Angels
In this album Grimes takes us away to a pixie dreamscape full of intricately constructed melodies. Grimes is a cannon in the female pop genera, setting the bar high for all those below her. This album is only the latest in her series of masterpieces that can best be described as end-of-the-night jams. She pushes boundaries, mixing darkness with light. Listen to Flesh Without Blood to catch Grimes take us away with a dark dance floor classic. The entire album keeps us buoyant with dance-able tracks, yet the lyrics threaten to sink us into emotional depths down below. Grimes transcends in her album the emotions of everyone in the music world, singing in California “this music makes me cry, it sounds just like my soul”.
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