Best of 2015: Albums

There have been so many fantastic albums this year, it’s genuinely been a good year for music. Here are my top 15 albums of 2015, along with a notable song from the album.

Some aligning in this post didn’t work, sorry!

       15. Anthems for Doomed Youth – The Libertines

I was rather nervous when I heard The Libertines would be returning, but, they pulled it off. The Libertines’ Anthems for Doomed Youth restores the band in Brit culture successfully.

14.   My Love Is Cool – Wolf Alice

Each song is unique and each song is produced with care. Wolf Alice’s debut album is refreshing and youthful, seeming intelligent and the band coming across as genuinely passionate about the music they release, with each track on the album being worthy of your time.

13.   Beauty Behind the Madness – The Weeknd

2015 was The Weeknd’s year (for the most part), right? While tracks like The Hills and In The Night stand out a lot, not only on the album but in the music industry for this year, the album felt underwhelming for me. Nevertheless, it is a fantastic album and well-deserving of it’s insane applaud. 

12. Our Own House – MisterWives

(Sorry if the video isn’t aligned, I spent ages in HTML and Compose mode trying to centre it but it just wouldn’t work with me) 

MisterWives’ fresh, dynamic sound appealed to me a lot in spring this year, I swiftly recommended their music to some friends after discovering Hurricane on Spotify. I then discovered their album which released a few months before, I was impressed by the indie pop sound and thoroughly enjoyed how energetic their music was.

    11. Unguarded – Rae Morris

Having been familiar with Rae Morris through her work with Bombay Bicycle Club, I decided to check out her own music. Rae Morris’ Unguarded capitalises on her smooth vocals in the best way possible, the songs are accomplished and the song-writing is immersive and creative which leads to a pleasant listening experience.

10. Pharmacy – Galantis

I first discovered Galantis’ hit Runaway (U & I) back in November whilst looking up music videos for college, I quickly discovered Peanut Butter Jelly and found I had a taste for Galantis’ music. Runaway, a few months later, became a hit worldwide, followed by Peanut Butter Jelly. Having looked into Galantis even more, I pre-ordered their album and enjoyed it thoroughly. It was a nice, albeit insanely entertaining, deviation from everything else that tops the charts nowadays.

9. Wishes – Rhodes

Rhodes is one of my favourite artists to have ’emerged’ in 2015, it’s refreshing to hear something so unique come from somebody so talented, with such a combination being lost so often in the production process. Wishes is a thought-provoking, creative debut album that is so, so appealing and pleasant to listen to. 

       8. Surrender – Hurts

While the album is a lot more energetic and euphoric than it’s predecessors, Hurts’ Surrender still manages to pay tribute to Hurts’ unique and known sound. Every sound is harmonic and every word is sung with passion, additionally adding some fun to Hurts’ often melodramatic sound. The album flows nicely and easily, meaning it’s easy to get lost in the sound.

7.   Get to Heaven – Everything Everything

Get to Heaven is fun, energetic and… slightly bizarre? The pacing of the album is particularly appealing, with tracks like No Reptiles and Distant Past exploring indie pop meeting pop in such an abstract, artistic way that can often become unrecognised when listening to the album. 

6.   Froot – Marina and The Diamonds

Marina and The Diamonds’ third album Froot is a complete deviation from her previous music that works in Froot’s favour, as we hear a much more personal album from Marina. Admittedly, my first impressions weren’t good, however after a few more listens the album grew on me. It’s worth noting that Marina took complete creative control over this album; she produced and wrote the album with as little ‘big-name’ help as possible which is absolutely admirable when you consider the quality of the songs, which progresses throughout the album. Froot is a naturally powerful album, the lyrics are thoughtful and the sound is unique in the current music industry. 

     5.   What Went Down – Foals

This album was one of my most highly anticipated, and it lived up to expectations. What Went Down is an outstanding, must-have album in which Foals embrace their sound and nurture it, becoming slightly more mature in the music they create while maintaining the sound we all know and love.

4.   Chaos and The Calm – James Bay

James Bay’s Chaos and The Calm feels genuine and tender, sounding gentle and compassionate. James Bay thrives on a sense of intimate familiarity in his confessional lyrics and emotionally honest vocals. Chaos and The Calm is poignant and intimate and thus worthy in being one of the best of 2015.

3.   25 – Adele

      

Adele’s long-awaited, surprise, return was huge; and, while perhaps slightly overhyped, was stupidly excellent. My particular favourites on the album are Water Under The Bridge, Remedy and When We Were Young. 25 is full of heart-wrenching, stylistically-different songs that perhaps show a lighter, reflective perspective from Adele that deviates from two previous albums full of sad songs crafted to make you want to cry.

2.   Communion – Years + Years

Years & Years’ Communion is a masterpiece, shining in the light of a new wave of popular music. The music feels authentic and personal, despite the dancefloor-filling sounds that accompanies it (which in this case, is a good thing). Going track-by-track, it’s difficult to find one that isn’t underwhelming, because each song is unique in it’s own way that it’s difficult to compare. 

Honourable mentions

Blue Neighbourhood – Troye Sivan, Caracal – Disclosure, The Way Back Up – Prides, True Colors – Zedd, A Head Full of Dreams – Coldplay, Wilder Mind – Mumford & Sons

1.   How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful – Florence + the Machine

Florence’s return to the music industry is the best thing that could have happened in 2015, I could not have been any more excited than I was for this album. Florence’s new rock/pop sound is intriguing and worthy of attention and praise. How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful is a force to be reckoned with, the album flowing so easily. I’d recommend listening to this on vinyl, also, it’s even more stunning than you’d expect. The emotional depth and charismatic sound is worth noting, with Florence now being much less reliant on operatics to convey a powerful message that also makes you want to jump around and dance.

Best of 2015: Films

Here are my top 10 films of 2015. Dare I say it, it’s been a relatively slow year for film, but we have had some pretty darn good ones.

10. Amy (IMDb)

Amy is an interesting perspective into the life of Amy Winehouse who passed in 2011 as a result of alcohol poisoning. It’s a documentary that simply cannot be missed, it’s heartbreaking and incredibly moving while highlighting the highs and lows of Winehouse’s life (and subsequent death). It’s an honest look into the life of a celebrity and one that cannot be looked over.

9. Jurassic World (IMDb)

The visuals for Jurassic World are a stand-out here, likewise with Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas-Howard’s performances in the movie. The general nostalgia is perhaps lessened which works in it’s favour as it provides a more sophisticated and developed perspective on the ‘Jurassic’ movie series. 

8. Big Hero 6 (IMDb)

Big Hero 6 arrived in the UK quite late, at the very start of 2015, two months after it’s US release. The heavy influence of culture in the film is awe-inspiring, and seeing the relationship between Hiro and Baymax develop was particularly heart-warming also. The action in the film is particularly fun as well, especially with it’s source material being Marvel, the villain is compromising and intriguing, and the main characters are compelling and loving.

7. The Martian (IMDb)

Apart from a STELLAR soundtrack (ABBA, David Bowie, Gloria Gaynor, and Donna Summer), The Martian, starring Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig and Jessica Chastain, is a genuinely entertaining and thrilling movie with grounded emotion that provides a sense of humanity when so often this is lost in a film like this. The visual effects are particularly worthy of praise, also, it’s simply an awe-inspiring movie.

6. Inside Out (IMDb)

This was my most highly anticipated animated movie of 2015, I found the concept of a Pixar/Disney film about what goes on inside the mind fascinating and knew it would be a success (considering Pixar has made films about Cars, robots, and bugs). Being one of the more conceptually ambitious movies in this list, the animation and storyline is likewise ambitious which boosts the quality of the film in a delicate and simply superb manner.

4. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (IMDb)

Having read the book, I was most excited for the film. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is charming and beautifully articulated to feel personal and charming while touching on the heart-wrenching story of cancer without being too focused on the dramatics and solemnity, bringing in some light-heartedness and comedic value. 

5. Ant-Man (IMDb)

While Age of Ultron was fine (and grossed a lot more), Ant-Man was the true MVP for Marvel Movies in 2015. The visual content was superb, and the use of ordinary household objects to emphasise ‘size’ in the film is admirable, perhaps even more so when Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) first puts the costume on and shrinks down in a bathtub. Furthermore, the storyline is entertaining and fitting for a ‘smaller’ Marvel movie, likewise the characters and comedic value of the film boosts it to one of Marvel’s best.

3. Brooklyn (IMDb)

Seeing Felicity Smoak speak in an Irish accent was a bit of a culture shock, however this was rectified by such an amazing film. Saoirse Ronan’s perfomance is simply outstanding in Brooklyn, as is the supporting cast with the likes of Domhnall Gleeson and Julie Walters. The production on Brooklyn is also worth praise, which easily guides the movie and makes it flow effortlessly. 

2. The Theory of Everything (IMDb)

The Theory of Everything was released on the 2nd of January here in the United Kingdom, so it applies to this list, which is fortunate because it is a superb film. Eddie Redmayne is one of my favourite people, and his portrayal as Stephen Hawking was awe-inspiring and moving, as was Felicity Jones as Jane Hawking. The Theory of Everything is carefully articulated and portrays Hawking’s story in such a heart-warming and tender way.

Honourable mentions

Avengers: Age of Ultron, Creed, Mad Max: Fury Road, Carol, Bridge of Spies, Dope.

1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (IMDb)

I saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens on the 21st December with some friends and I fell in love. I smiled throughout the entire movie (apart from a few moments but no spoilers), I thoroughly enjoyed the cinematography and direction J. J. Abrams took with the film, which resonated a lot stylistically with the original Star Wars trilogy. BB-8 lives up to the hype, being the wonderful droid we expected, and more. Unfortunately, I didn’t go into this blind as it had been spoiled for me on Twitter whilst I was reading the replies on a BBC Breaking News tweet (a lack of connection between the two but some people just want to watch the world burn) so I didn’t have the anticipation because I was aware of what would happen. However, even if you’re aware of the story, it’s still a fantastic film and engages you no matter what, with old and new coming together to bring Star Wars back to life. 

Best Of 2015: Songs

So many brilliant songs have been released this year, here’s my top 25 tracks, along with a Spotify playlist at the end so you can listen to them all!

25. I Wanna Get Lost With You – Stereophonics
24. Trip Switch – Nothing But Thieves
23. Emily – San Fermin
22. Magnets – Disclosure feat. Lorde
21. Beat Of My Drum – Powers
20. Gunga Din – The Libertines
19. Peanut Butter Jelly – Galantis
18. Hurt Me – Låpsley
17. Alive – Sia
16. Wings – Hurts
15. Adventure of A Lifetime – Coldplay
14. Let It All Go – Rhodes & Birdy
13. Believe – Mumford and Sons
12. Lean On – Major Lazer, MØ and DJ Snake
11. Let It Go – James Bay

10. Run Away With Me – Carly Rae Jepsen

This is the pop song of 2015, surprisingly to say the least. I must confess, I’m not a huge Carly Rae Jepsen fan, but I’ve been trying to ‘broaden my horizons’ in my music interests because limiting yourself to a specific genre to define your character is boring (but that’s a topic for another time, but I also briefly wrote about it here). ‘Run Away With Me’ excels in it’s nostalgic pop sound, relying on the ‘heat of the moment’ and a complete outburst of joy and love to formulate a fun, free-feeling song.

9. Weathered – Jack Garratt

Brit Awards’ 2016 Critics’ Choice winner Jack Garratt has had a brilliant year. I first heard Weathered on Clara Amfo’s show on BBC Radio One and fell in love. It’s unique sound and nostalgic feel is one I hadn’t heard a lot of lately, so this song really is special. Garratt’s unique creation process is also one to look into, it’s very interesting.

8. Regret – Everything Everything

Everything Everything have been one of my favourites for 2015, I love the feel of their music. True ‘vibes’ as all the cool people would say.  Admittedly, when I first came across Everything Everything’s music in 2014 I was more than confused, overwhelmed by their sound, but they grew on me and I quickly became infatuated with their sound.

7. The Hills – The Weeknd

How could I not have had The Weeknd on this? While I do struggle with the vocals at times (not that they’re bad, just perhaps a bit too screechy at times for my taste, hence the lack of Justin Bieber), The Hills is intense, sultry and confident in the best possible way. Besides, how bizarre is that hair?

6. Someone New – Hozier

Don’t be fooled by the sound of this song, the story is actually quite sad and honest. Hozier’s a genius, and his album is most definitely worth a glance, this song being a mere glimpse of the album’s musical integrity and strength. Someone New is easy to reflect on, even if, like myself, you struggle to relate to the message. It gives you something to think about, which music is all about.

5. Mountain At My Gates – Foals

Foals’ return was so so very exciting and the music was better than ever, slightly experimental and slightly more powerfully rhythmic than before in the best possible way known to man. The constant moving beat makes easily draws your attention and makes you listen to the song and the story behind it. Great song.

4. Blue – Marina and the Diamonds

‘Blue’ is jam-packed with fun, nostalgic, electro-pop sounds infused with the whole ‘I know we’ve broken up but I really miss you’ vibes going on in this song. Marina’s ‘Blue’ is charming and reminiscent of olden times in the best of ways. Marina’s an expert at contrasting sound with lyrics (which is a theme in this list) and she perfects it with this song. 

3. Hello – Adele

I know, I know, it’s kind of blasphemy to not have Adele at the top, and while I’m a huge fan of this song and her latest album ’25’, I feel that hype overwhelms quality with this track. Of course, it is a fantastic song, and her raw vocals and the lyrics are superb, hence why it’s ranked so highly, however I do feel as if the hype and excitement over Adele’s return was slightly overbearing at times. Nevertheless, this is a brilliant song. 

2. Ship To Wreck – Florence + the Machine

There’s a reason why this song is nominated for a Grammy, it’s because it’s just so darn good. Florence’s killer vocals shine in this upbeat and fluid song which entrances you from the first listen. The raw emotion heard can be tremendously moving if you’re not too busy shimmying away to the track, indicating a slight sophistication which is refreshing and unique to the ear.

1. King – Years & Years

When deciding on my best song of 2015, I took some time to think about the song that had the biggest impact on my life. I remember discovering Years & Years’ ‘King’ while browsing Buzzfeed in Sixth Form, I came across an article about the music video so I decided to take a watch. I became obsessed. I specifically remember walking home from town one day in January and I had Years & Years playing on repeat for the entire walk. I’m still as obsessed as I was when this came out, and actually, this song has perhaps formed a few friendships for me which is why it’s special. The song itself is superbly produced, the chorus is catchy as hell and the verses flow easily to connect the entire song. This will remain one of my favourite songs for a long, long time. 

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That’s all for now. Tomorrow will be ‘Best of 2015: Films’ so be sure to check back for that!

Bye!

Best of 2015: Television

It’s been a good year for television, hasn’t it? Here’s my top 10 TV series’ of 2015.

10. The Muppets Season 1

I was rather curious and unsure about The Muppets’ TV show, being a fan of the originals and fond of the films. I felt like The Muppets wouldn’t work with a new, adult documentary-style format, but… it really does work. It’s a fun parody of the documentary/interview style of programme we see in such shows like Modern Family. It’s nice to see a product of The Muppets that doesn’t rely on the ‘we need to put together a show at the very last minute to save our theatre’ and instead relies on mature, slapstick comedy in a working environment with some puppets added into the mix. It’s a bizarre combination but it works surprisingly well, and is most definitely worth a watch.

9. Modern Family Season 7

Being a fan of the first six seasons of Modern Family (I cannot tell you how many times I’ve binge-watched it), I was incredibly excited for the seventh season. It’s been particularly interesting to see the children of the show develop in character, in this seasons case Haley especially. This feels like a classic season of Modern Family.

8. The Syndicate Series 3

Before watching this, I was familiar with The Syndicate but I had never seen an episode apart from a few minutes while waiting for the programme afterwards to start. However, after seeing the trailer for this series I was most intrigued so I decided to watch. The intensity and fluidity of The Syndicate made it stand out from other dramas on television at the time, and the mystery of Amy’s disappearance was particularly interesting and a conversation point between myself and others.

7. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Season 1

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt certainly wasn’t on my radar, but when I had heard Tina Fey was the genius behind the Netflix series I decided to check it out. I loved the back story for Ellie Kemper’s Kimmy and found the series genuinely funny and enjoyed it’s feel-good factor so much that I finished it within two days. Besides, the theme song is catchy as heck. 

6. Downton Abbey Season 6

Of course, Downton Abbey. The final season of ITV’s huge period drama was as brilliant as ever, and it was so redeeming to see some loose ends tied up and for some characters to have their happy endings (and others not). The dramatics were as high as ever alongside Maggie Smith’s supreme sass. A fitting farewell for a beautifully articulated programme. Bring on the Christmas special. 

5.  Supergirl Season 1

When I first heard about Supergirl getting her very own TV series, I wasn’t too sure on how I felt. After watching the trailer I still wasn’t too sure, I decided to check out the first episode anyway, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. So many superhero shows are dark and gritty that it’s nice to have something fun and colourful. It’s quickly become part of my weekly routine and a fond favourite for not only 2015, but superhero shows in general.

4. Daredevil Season 1

All the hype this show has had certainly lives up to it, and after a rather poor movie a few years back, the character finally gets the good quality content it deserves. Of course, Supergirl is fun and bubbly which I enjoyed but, having gone off Arrow and Agents of Shield slightly, I did need some gritty superhero show to fill that gap. Daredevil was carefully crafted to present the dark side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and did so with precision and expertly written scripts that made it one of Marvel’s best products so far.

3. Doctor Who Series 9

While, admittedly, I’m still not too fond of Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor sorry, I thoroughly enjoyed the ninth series of the revived Doctor Who which managed to pick up the pieces from an unfortunately unexciting eighth series. Clara’s departure was tasteful (spoilers – following a devastating death in Face The Raven) and fitting for the characters’ adoration for adventure. The episodes were extremely well written (except perhaps Sleep No More which was difficult to watch and slightly boring). 

2. Humans Series 1

As soon as I read the synopsis for Humans, I was hooked. Human VS Synth. Katherine Parkinson and Gemma Chan were superb in their roles and managed to bring a large amount of intensity and mystery to the series. I found myself tremendously excited every time a new episode aired, the general aesthetic of the series being something that appealed largely. The general concept of the storyline is one that propels it to one of the best shows to have aired in 2015, and the upcoming second series is one of my most highly-anticipated of 2016. 

1. Jessica Jones Season 1

Finally, a straight-talking, non-sexual female Marvel hero. First impressions were cautious as I wasn’t entirely sure how well Jessica Jones would work live-action, but I truly believe Jessica Jones is the most unexpected piece of genius to come from Marvel yet. While a tad disappointed to have no Squirrel Girl references at all, I was surprised at just how much I enjoyed the series, and just how well received it has been by both the general public and critics, even bagging a Critics’ Choice TV Award nomination for Krysten Ritter’s portrayal of Jessica Jones. David Tennant’s villain Kilgrave is by far one of the most complex Marvel Cinematic Universe villains so far, perhaps one of the best villains alongside Loki, Nebula and Ronan. David Tennant’s charm works to his advantage as he plays a sinister and controlling (literal) villain to counter Jessica Jones, who is blunt and unforgiving. Jessica Jones is most certainly worth a watch.

That’s all for now. Tomorrow I’ll be posting Best of 2015: Songs, be sure to check back to see my top 25 songs of 2015. The day after will be Best of 2015: Films, and after that will be Best of 2015: Albums. 

Thanks for reading!

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