Sunday, December 27, 2015

THE BEST OF 2015 IN THE WORLD ACCORDING TO JOHN BOMMARITO

THE BEST OF 2015 IN THE WORLD ACCORDING TO JOHN BOMMARITO

It's just one man's opinion, so if you don't agree, no need to get upset.  As usual, these charts are calculated by rating each song on each album on a 1-10 scale. Simple division gives each album a score, then it's categorizing them.  Covers albums shouldn't be treated the same as an album full of (mostly) original material.  A cover or two on a record doesn't get it lumped in with a covers record.  Same with live albums - they are basically live best of collections in most cases, but still worth noting as a separate category.  EPs also are separate.  Not as many songs increases their odds of a high rating over a full length, so again they get filtered out.

This year, many conundrums exist.  The album released this year with the actual highest score was originally released in 2013 independently, but only available at the artists shows and to Kickstarter backers.  It was never made available on her or other web sites.  I can't really call it my album of the year when it came in as my second favorite record of 2013.  A tip of the hat to Sugar Hill  Records for releasing Liz Longley's self tilted 4th album this year, but I just can't make it number one this year.  That wouldn't be fair.  Additionally Stephen Kellogg's new record isn't widely released until next year, but as a backer to this record, I've had it for months, so it appears on the chart.  The Airborne Toxic Event released a widely available album this year, but made a digital only companion piece that was originally only available from their web site (It's now at Amazon and other retailers digitally).  I liked this release more than the regular album they put out this year and it actually made my Top 10.  The final factor was time. I just didn't have the time to spend re-listening to a lot of the records on the list that came out months ago that might have done better on the list after being given time to grow on me.  It is what it is, so here is this year's best of list:       

TOP 3 COVERS RECORDS
1-CHRISTA WELLS-COVERS
2-DIANA KRALL-WALLFLOWER (THE COMPLETE SESSIONS)
3-LUCA STRICAGNOLI-LUCA STRICAGNOLI

TOP 3 LIVE RECORDS
1-NEEDTOBREATHE-LIVE FROM THE WOODS
2-AMOS LEE-LIVE AT RED ROCKS WITH THE COLORADO SYMPHONY
3-JOSH RITTER-ACOUSTIC LIVE VOL. 1, SOMERVILLE THEATER, MARCH 2014

TOP 3 EP's (6 SONGS OR LESS)
1-ALISON ALBRECHT-ALISON ALBRECHT
2-TOAD THE WET SPROCKET-ARCHITECT OF RUIN
3-A SILENT FILM-NEW YEAR

TOP 125 ALBUMS
1-SETH GLIER-IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING
2-ALAN DOYLE-SO LET'S GO
3-CHRIS DUPONT-OUTLIER
4-GREG HOLDEN-CHASE THE SUN
5-KATE MONAGHAN-POSSIBILITIES
6-ADELE-25 (TARGET EDITION)
7-MUMFORD & SONS-WILDER MIND (DELUXE EDITION)
8-BRANDI CARLILE-THE FIREWATCHER'S DAUGHTER
9-JAMES BAY-CHAOS & THE CALM (DELUXE EDITION)
10-MATT NATHANSON-SHOW ME YOUR FANGS
10-AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT-SONGS OF GOD AND WHISKEY
10-ABIGAIL STAUFFER-WHERE I'M GOING
13-DAMNWELLS-THE DAMNWELLS
14-DAVID RAMIREZ-FABLES
15-FAIRGROUND SAINTS-FAIRGROUND SAINTS
15-CHRIS TRAPPER-SYMPHONIES OF DIRT & DUST
17-TYRONE WELLS-ROLL WITH IT
17-JASON ISBELL-SOMETHING MORE THAN FREE
19-CHRIS ISAAK-FIRST COMES THE NIGHT (DELUXE EDITION)
20-AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT-DOPE MACHINES
21-DAWES-ALL YOUR FAVORITE BANDS
21-FLORENCE & THE MACHINE-HOW BIG, HOW BLUE, HOW BEAUTIFUL ((TARGET DELUXE EDITION)
23-LINDSAY LOU & THE FLATBELLYS-IONIA
23-DREW HOLCOMB & THE NEIGHBORS-MEDICINE
23-A GREAT BIG WORLD-WHEN THE MORNING COMES
26-OF MONSTERS AND MEN-BENEATH THE SKIN (DELUXE EDITION)
26-DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE-KINTSUGI
26-FRANK TURNER-POSITIVE SONGS FOR NEGATIVE PEOPLE (DELUXE EDITION)
26-COLLECTIVE SOUL-SEE WHAT YOU STARTED BY CONTINUING
30-DELTA RAE-AFTER IT ALL
30-DECEMBERISTS-WHAT A TERRIBLE WORLD, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL WORLD
32-KID ROCK-FIRST KISS
32-PRIORY-NEED TO KNOW
34-SHANE NICHOLSON-HELL BREAKS LOOSE
35-DAVE BOUTETTE-1ST RATE COMPANION
35-DANNY COX-FIGHTING FOR THE BEAUTY
35-ROB THOMAS-THE GREAT UNKNOWN (TARGET EDITION)
35-TONY LUCCA-THE KICKSTARTER SESSIONS
39-STEPHEN KELLOGG-SOUTH, WEST, NORTH, EAST
40-STEVE MARTIN & EDIE BRICKEL-SO FAMILIAR (BARNES & NOBLE EDITION)
40-IVAN & ALYOSHA-IT'S ALL JUST PRETEND
40-JD MCPHERSON-LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL
40-NEW ORDER-MUSIC COMPLETE
40-SHINEDOWN-THREAT TO SURVIVAL
45-LIFEHOUSE-OUT OF THE WASTELAND (TARGET EDITION)
45-LONE BELLOW-THEN CAME THE MORNING (BARNES & NOBLE EDITION)
47-BLUE WATER HIGHWAY BAND-THINGS WE CARRY
48-SQUEEZE-CRADLE TO THE GRAVE
48-TIM CHAISSON-LOST IN LIGHT
48-HEATHER MALONEY-MAKING ME BREAK
48-GENEVIEVE BELLEMARE-MELANCHOLY FEVER
48-JENNY & TYLER-OF THIS I'M SURE
48-DELERIUM-RARITIES & B-SIDES
48-SARA BAREILLES-WHAT'S INSIDE-SONGS FROM THE WAITRESS
48-CORRS-WHITE LIGHT
56-NEWTON FAULKNER-HUMAN LOVE (DELUXE EDITION)
57-PAULA COLE-7
57-COLDPLAY-A HEAD FULL OF DREAMS
57-JON MCLAUGHLIN-LIKE US
57-STRIKING MATCHES-NOTHING BUT THE SILENCE
57-CHUCK BRODSKY-TELL TALE HEART
57-JOY WILLIAMS-VENUS
63-JOSH RITTER-SERMON ON THE ROCKS (DELUXE EDITION)
63-NIELDS-XVII
65-MAT KEARNEY-JUST KIDS (TARGET EDITION)
65-CHVRCHES-EVERY OPEN EYE (TARGET EXCLUSIVE VERSION)
65-IMAGINE DRAGONS-SMOKE + MIRRORS (TARGET EDITION)
68-AMATEUR EYES-AMATEUR EYES
68-KASEY CHAMBERS-BITTERSWEET
68-SHEPPARD-BOMBS AWAY
68-LEON BRIDGES-COMING HOME
68-JR JR-JR JR
68-HOWIE DAY-LANTERNS
68-MAVERICKS-MONO
68-SHAWN MULLINS-MY STUPID HEART
68-SUNSCREEM-SWEET LIFE
68-PIGPEN THEATRE CO.-WHOLE SUN
78-BOB SCHNEIDER-KING KONG
79-SEAL-7 (TARGET EDITION)
79-FALLS-OMAHA (DELUXE EDITION)
79-NATALIE MACMASTER + DONNELL LEAHY-ONE
79-JOSHUA RADIN-ONWARD AND SIDEWAYS
83-GUSTER-EVERMOTION
83-HOLLY MIRANDA-HOLLY MIRANDA
85-SOULSAVERS & DAVID GAHAN-ANGELS & GHOSTS
85-CHRIS CORNELL-HIGHER TRUTH (DELUXE EDITION)
87-ENYA-DARK SKY ISLAND (DELUXE EDITION)
87-JIMMY LAFAVE-THE NIGHT TRIBE
89-GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS-A FOREST OF ARMS
89-BALLROOM THIEVES-A WOLF IN THE DOORWAY
89-NORA JANE STRUTHERS-WAKE
92-JAMES MORRISON-HIGHER THAN HERE
92-BARENAKED LADIES-MIRROR BALL (BEST BUY EDITION)
92-BRANDON FLOWERS-THE DESIRED EFFECT
95-BORNS-DOPAMINE (TARGET EDITION)
95-HARRY CONNICK, JR.-THAT WOULD BE ME (TARGET EDITION)
97-THE RUA-ESSENCE
97-MARK KNOPFLER-TRACKER
97-X AMBASSADORS-VHS (TARGET EDITION)
97-MADONNA-REBEL HEART (DELUXE EDITION)
101-PEARL AND THE BEARD-BEAST
101-COX FAMILY-GONE LIKE THE COTTON
101-NATE RUESS-GRAND ROMANTIC
101-MIKAL CRONIN-MCIII
101-COLIN HAY-NEXT YEAR PEOPLE
106-JOE JACKSON-FAST FORWARD
106-DARLINGSIDE-BIRDS SAY
106-JENN GRANT-COMPOSTELA
106-PROCLAIMERS-LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE DOGS
106-INDIGO GIRLS-ONE LOST DAY
111-KIRSTIN DIABLE-CREATE YOUR OWN MYTHOLOGY
111-MELODY GARDOT-CURRENCY OF MAN
111-PENTATONIX-PENTATONIX (TARGET EXCLUSIVE DELUXE EDITION)
111-JOE PUG-WINDFALL
115-DAVID ROTH-SO FAR, SO GOOD
115-CHRIS STAPLETON-TRAVELER
117-A-HA-CAST IN STEEL (DELUXE EDITION)
118-DELLA MAE-DELLA MAE
118-DAR WILLIAMS-EMERALD
118-JESSE COOK-ONE WORLD
118-BEN FOLDS WITH Y MUSIC-SO THERE
122-BEST COAST-CALIFORNIA NIGHTS
122-ELEPHANT REVIVAL-SANDS OF NOW
122-CASEY WESTON-YOUNG HEART
125-JAMES TAYLOR-BEFORE THIS WORLD (TARGET EXCLUSIVE EDITION)
125-PATTY GRIFFIN-SERVANT OF LOVE


1 comment:

  1. I know I didn't hear every record I wanted to in 2015 before I published this list. I'm still curious about the Grace Potter and EL VY releases, but I finally got a copy of the CD from Secret Someones and if I had it before the list was published, you'd find it tied at #5 for the year. Yes, only a couple of listens and it's that good.

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