This year I'm going to start off by listing my favorite releases of the year. It was a hard year to make top picks. Some releases by classic artists who then died, some simply classic (or future classics.
First, let me note that both David Bowie (Black Star) and Leonard Cohen's (You Want it Darker?) could easily vie for my top spot. Likewise, The Rolling Stones (Blue and Lonesome) and Green Day (Revolution Radio) turned in albums that will eventually lodge in the top of their all time best. Another veteran, Bob Weir (Blue Mountain) waxed a stellar low key album. And since he's for a wristband, let's not forget to name check Rhymin' Simon's Stranger to Stranger.
In the more recent artist category, Bastille's Wild World and Regina Spektor's Remember Us to Life stayed on my frequent play list from the time they were released.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds released
Skeleton Tree, a simply brilliant addition to their work.
But the top album for me was the sprawl-y, hooky, sloppy, brilliant mess (in the mold of Exile on Main Street) that was Miranda Lambert's Weight of These Wings. Forget about the soap-opera that was her life the past year, forget it's "Country" if that turns you off, forget she's "Hell on Heels" or "Platinum" or even a "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend", Weight of These Wings is full of brilliantly executed music ...
In a year that, as the meme says, was like a
dumpster fire, there was some pretty good music. There were significant losses over the year, so let's look back at them first before we get to the full list:
- David Bowie (January 10, 2016)
- Glenn Frey (January 18, 2016)
- Paul Kanter (January 28, 2016)
- Maurice White (February 3, 2016)
- Dan Hicks (February 6, 2016)
- Vanity (Denise Matthews) (February 15, 2016)
- George Martin (March 8, 2016)
- Keith Emerson (March 11, 2016)
- Frank Sinatra, Jr. (March 16, 2016)
- Gato Barbieri (April 2, 2016)
- Merle Haggard (April 6, 2016)
- Prince (April 21, 2016)
- Tomita (May 5, 2016)
- John Berry (May 19, 2016)
- Rob Wasserman (June 29, 2016)
- Scotty Moore (June 28, 2016)
- Pete Fountain (August 6, 2016)
- Jimmy Levine (August 9, 2016)
- Jean Shepherd (September 25, 2016)
- Bobby Vee (October 24, 2016)
- Leonard Cohen (November 7, 2016)
- Leon Russell (November 13, 2016)
- Sharon Jones (November 18, 2016)
- Florence Henderson (November 25, 2016)
- Greg Lake (December 7, 2016)
- Rick Parfitt (December 24, 2016)
- George Michael (December 25, 2016)
- Debbie Reynolds (December 28, 2016)
* * * * *
But on a happier note, here's my music year in review. I'll also add as a bonus, one I missed at the end of last year, The Hollywood Vampires'
The Hollywood Vampires (September 15, 2015) -- most excellent!
If I had to name a Top Fifteen, this would be it (in order of release):
- David Bowie, Black Star (January 8, 2015)
- Bonnie Raitt, Dig in Deep (February 26, 2016)
- Iggy Pop, Post Pop Depression (March 18, 2016)
- Paul Simon, Stranger to Stranger (June 3, 2016)
- Jeff Beck, Loud Hailer (July 15, 2016)
- Ingrid Michaelson, It Doesn't Have to Make Sense (August 26, 2016)
- Bastille, Wild World (September 9, 2016)
- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Skeleton Tree (September 9, 2016)
- Devendra Banhart, Ape in Pink Marble (September 23, 2016)
- Bob Weir, Blue Mountain (September 30, 2016)
- Regina Spektor, Remember Us to Life (September 30, 2016)
- Green Day, Revolution Radio (October 7, 2016)
- Leonard Cohen, You Want it Darker? (October 21, 2016)
- Miranda Lambert, Weight of These Wings (November 18, 2016)
- The Rolling Stones, Blue and Lonesome (December 2, 2016)
Honorable Mentions:
- Loretta Lynn, Full Circle (March 4, 2016)
- Radiohead, Moon Shaped Pool (May 8, 2016)
- Paul Simon, Stranger to Stranger (June 3, 2016)
- Phish, Big Boat (October 7, 2016)
- Pretenders, Alone (October 21, 2016)
In the list of re-releases or "from the vaults", I'll add:
- Allman Brothers Band, Live from A&R Studios (April 1, 2016)
- Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Miss Sharon Jones! (August 19, 2016)
- The Beatles, Live at the Hollywood Bowl (September 9, 2016)
- Bob Dylan, The Real Royal Albert Hall 1966 Concert (Live) (December 2, 2016)
Let's not forget a couple of singles:
Singles:
- "No," Meghan Trainor
- "Used to Love You," Gwen Stefani
And now, the complete Albums of 2016:
JANUARY
- David Bowie, Black Star (January 8, 2015)
- Megadeath, Dystopia (January 22, 2015)
- Aoife O'Donovan, In the Magic Hour (January 22, 2016)
- Dressy Bessy, Kingsized (February 5, 2016)
FEBRUARY
- Bonnie Raitt, Dig in Deep (February 26, 2016)
- Gwen Stefani, This Is What the Truth Feels Like (March 18, 2016)
- Loretta Lynn, Full Circle (March 4, 2016)
- Iggy Pop, Post Pop Depression (March 18, 2016)
APRIL
- Allman Brothers Band, Live from A&R Studios (April 1, 2016)
- Graham Nash, This Path Tonight (April 15, 2016)
- Santana, Santana IV (April 15, 2016)
- Ace Frehely, Origins, Vol. 1 (April 15, 2016)
- Brian Eno, Ship (April 29, 2016)
MAY
- The Rides, Pierced Arrow (May 6, 2016)
- Cyndi Lauper, Detour (May 6, 2016)
- Meghan Trainor, Thank You (May 2016)
- Bob Dylan, Fallen Angels (May 20, 2016)
- Eric Clapton, I Still Do (May 20, 2016)
- Mudcrutch, 2 (May 20, 2016)
- Radiohead, Moon Shaped Pool (May 8, 2016)
JUNE
- Paul Simon, Stranger to Stranger (June 3, 2016)
- Neil Young, Earth (June 17, 2016)
JULY
- Heart, Beautiful Broken (July 8, 2016)
- Jeff Beck, Loud Hailer (July 15, 2016)
- Dolly Parton, Pure and Simple (August 19, 2016)
- Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Miss Sharon Jones! (August 19, 2016)
- Ingrid Michaelson, It Doesn't Have to Make Sense (August 26, 2016)
SEPTEMBER
- Soundwalk Collective with Jesse Paris Smith featuring Patti Smith, Killer Road (September 2, 2016)
- Wilco, Schmilco (September 9, 2016)
- Bastile, Wild World (September 9, 2016)
- The Beatles, Live at the Hollywood Bowl (September 9, 2016)
- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Skeleton Tree (September 9, 2016)
- Daniel Lanois, Goodbye to Language (September 9, 2016)
- Meat Loaf, Braver Than We Are (September 16, 2016)
- Devendra Banhart, Ape in Pink Marble (September 23, 2016)
- Bob Weir, Blue Mountain (September 30, 2016)
- Marianne Faithfull, No Exit (September 30, 2016)
- Van Morrison, Keep Me Singing (September 30, 2016)
- Regina Spektor, Remember Us to Life (September 30, 2016)
OCTOBER
- Phish, Big Boat (October 7, 2016)
- Lisa Loeb, Feel What U Feel (October 7, 2016)
- Leonard Cohen, You Want it Darker? (October 21, 2016)
- Pretenders, Alone (October 21, 2016)
- Green Day, Revolution Radio (October 7, 2016)
- Kacy Musgraves, A Very Kacey Christmas (October 28, 2016)
NOVEMBER
- Miranda Lambert, Weight of These Wings (November 18, 2016)
- Bridget Medler, Nemesis (November 18, 2016)
DECEMBER
- The Rolling Stones, Blue and Lonesome (December 2, 2016)
- Bob Dylan, The Real Royal Albert Hall 1966 Concert (Live) (December 2, 2016)
- Neil Young, Peace Trail (December 9, 2016)
