Best Albums of 2015

Fri Jan 01, 2016 11:37 pm

TPAB

In Color

Currents

Carrie and Lowell

The King's Flight to the Scots · Fri Jan 01, 2016 11:38 pm

ALSO: there are only four matchups left. You must vote on all four if you want your vote to be counted.

ryanrosenberg · Post by **ryanrosenberg** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 12:02 am

TPAB
Hamilton
Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
Art Angels

Tough choices from here on out.

Steeve Ho You Fat · Post by **Steeve Ho You Fat** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 12:22 am

To Pimp A Butterfly - As I've discussed elsewhere at length, this album didn't really aesthetically appeal to me personally. That doesn't mean I don't respect its artistry, especially when it's matched up against another album that I respect but don't absolutely love.

In Colour - I have no problem with Hamilton, but the idea strikes me as kind of gimmicky, and gets old after a while. I'll continue to argue for In Colour though - it's a lot of fun and well made.

Currents - Something about Courtney Barnett's voice bothers me, also, Currents is fun and has lots of good songs.

Carrie & Lowell - As I've said elsewhere, this is the album of the year. Incredible lyrics, great singing, instrumentation that's minimalist but makes its point, depression mixed with a glimmer of hope in the future, and even the brilliant multi-tracking of the vocals that gives Sufjan's voice an out of this world quality - in all, nearly perfect.

gimmedatguudsuccrose · Sat Jan 02, 2016 12:44 am

MALIK SECTIONAL
#1 To Pimp a Butterfly vs. #3 Summertime '06

HORAN SECTIONAL
#2 Hamilton vs. #4 In Colour

STYLES SECTIONAL
#1 Currents vs. #3 Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit

PAYNE SECTIONAL
#1 Carrie and Lowell vs. #2 Art Angels

Off To See The Lizard · Sat Jan 02, 2016 12:48 am

MALIK SECTIONAL
#1 To Pimp a Butterfly vs. #3 Summertime '06

Summertime '06 is a very very very worthy runner up in this category

HORAN SECTIONAL
#2 Hamilton vs. #4 In Colour

Thank God In Colour prevailed over Adele.

STYLES SECTIONAL
#1 Currents vs. #3 Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit

PAYNE SECTIONAL
#1 Carrie and Lowell vs. #2 Art Angels

I love a lot of the songs on Art Angels but all of Carrie and Lowell is brilliant. Sufjan just keeps getting better.

heterodyne · Post by **heterodyne** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 1:47 am

TPAB - While I like Summertime '06, TPAB is just so, so good.

Hamilton - I've listened to this more times than I can count. In Colour is also really good and pretty impressive but I have to go with Hamilton.

Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit- I've only listened through Currents once, but I really like Courtney's whole sing-talk thing.

Carrie and Lowell - Album of the year. Album of the decade. I love it so much.

LHDoroschuk · Post by **LHDoroschuk** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 8:57 am

To Pimp A Butterfly is far and away the best hip hop album of the year in my opinion in a year of pretty solid releases.

Hamilton I'm switching on this one after actually listening to it.

Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit I really like this album.

Carrie and Lowell As much as I've gotten into Grimes lately, Carrie and Lowell is easily going to be on my all-decade list.

Maury Island incident · Sat Jan 02, 2016 10:19 am

TPAB

Hamilton

Currents

Art Angels

Bosa of York · Post by **Bosa of York** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 10:59 am

Summertime '06

Hamilton

Currents

Carrie and Lowell- when I was listening to the rest of these so I could vote for Hamilton this was the only other one I actually liked.

Victor Prieto · Post by **Victor Prieto** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 11:10 am

MALIK SECTIONAL
#1 To Pimp a Butterfly vs. #3 Summertime '06

HORAN SECTIONAL
#2 Hamilton vs. #4 In Colour

This one is annoying, because I'd vote for In Colour over most of the other albums here. But Hamilton is just so masterfully put together, and there's so much raw talent there.

STYLES SECTIONAL
#1 Currents vs. #3 Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit

PAYNE SECTIONAL
#1 Carrie and Lowell vs. #2 Art Angels

Rococo A Go Go · Post by **Rococo A Go Go** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 12:58 pm

To Pimp A Butterfly: This album gets better on multiple listens, and seems to have established some cultural impact.

Hamilton: I think this albums has a chance to be remembered for a long time. This doesn't make it the best necessarily, but is a big point in its favor.

Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit: These albums were both pretty good, but Courtney Barnett is more unique.

Carrie and Lowell: Tough choice, and I'm kind of inclined to go with Grimes, but Sufjan really outdid himself here.

Post by **Auks Ran Ova** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 8:19 pm

Generating Steam Heat wrote:TPAB

Hamilton

Currents

Art Angels

my thoughts exactly

gustavadolf · Post by **gustavadolf** » Sun Jan 03, 2016 9:27 am

Summertime

Hamilton

Currents

Carrie and Lowell

Sun Jan 03, 2016 1:16 pm

TPAB
In Colour
Sometimes I Sit
Art Angels

Cody · Post by **Cody** » Sun Jan 03, 2016 4:50 pm

MALIK SECTIONAL
#1 To Pimp a Butterfly vs. #3 Summertime '06

HORAN SECTIONAL
#2 Hamilton vs. #4 In Colour

STYLES SECTIONAL
#1 Currents vs. #3 Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit

PAYNE SECTIONAL
#1 Carrie and Lowell vs. #2 Art Angels

Post by **Smuttynose Island** » Sun Jan 03, 2016 5:17 pm

MALIK SECTIONAL
#1 To Pimp a Butterfly vs. #3 Summertime '06

HORAN SECTIONAL
#2 Hamilton vs. #4 In Colour

STYLES SECTIONAL
#1 Currents vs. #3 Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit

PAYNE SECTIONAL
#1 Carrie and Lowell vs. #2 Art Angels

gyre and gimble · Post by **gyre and gimble** » Sun Jan 03, 2016 6:28 pm

To Pimp a Butterfly
Hamilton (here's where I let you all know I hate musicals, but really, In Colour is barely even music)
Currents
Carrie and Lowell (Art Angels is enjoyable, but in the end not all that special)

Irreligion in Bangladesh · Sun Jan 03, 2016 8:46 pm

TPAB

In Color

Currents

Carrie and Lowell

Quinctilius Varus · Post by **Quinctilius Varus** » Sun Jan 03, 2016 9:11 pm

TPAB
Hamilton
Sometimes I Sit and Think
Carrie and Lowell

Stinkweed Imp · Post by **Stinkweed Imp** » Mon Jan 04, 2016 6:35 pm

TPAB
Hamilton
Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
Art Angels (though I'll probably regret this choice pretty soon)

Ailing Knight-at-Arms · Mon Jan 04, 2016 6:45 pm

MALIK SECTIONAL
#1 To Pimp a Butterfly vs. #3 Summertime '06

HORAN SECTIONAL
#2 Hamilton vs. #4 In Colour

STYLES SECTIONAL
#1 Currents vs. #3 Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit (Lonerism was one of the first albums I listened to repeatedly in full. Currents is better. It is also very good.)

PAYNE SECTIONAL
#1 Carrie and Lowell vs. #2 Art Angels (I have listened to Kill V. Maim every day since this album came out, and it pains me to vote against Sufjan, but I am a sucker for inventive synthpop (read: I've listened to Bones of What You Believe and Visions obsessively since 2012) and this album hits me in all the right spots.)

schen · Post by **schen** » Mon Jan 04, 2016 7:47 pm

Summertime '06
In Colour
abstain
Carrie and Lowell

vengefulsweatermensch · Mon Jan 04, 2016 8:41 pm

To Pimp a Butterfly
Hamilton
Currents
Carrie and Lowell

Beevor Feevor · Post by **Beevor Feevor** » Mon Jan 04, 2016 9:45 pm

To Pimp a Butterfly
AL-EX-AN-D (ah fuck it, Hamilton)
Currents
Art Angels

Ndg · Post by **Ndg** » Mon Jan 04, 2016 10:15 pm

To Pimp a Butterfly
In Colour
Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
Art Angels

The King's Flight to the Scots · Tue Jan 05, 2016 1:30 pm

Sectional Results are in!

In the Malik Sectional, To Pimp a Butterfly won by acclamation, defeating Summertime '06 21-2, proving again that Kendrick has produced a crucially important yet listenable set of tracks on race in the 21st century, blah blah blah, please let some other album at least give it a challenge.

In the Horan Sectional, Hamilton defeated In Colour 16-7. Matt Jackson's cultural influence truly knows no bounds.

In the Styles Sectional, Currents prevailed 13-10 in a tough contest against Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit.

In the Payne Sectional, Art Angels tied with Carrie and Lowell in a 12-12 cheesemelter; I broke the tie and promoted Carrie and Lowell.

Your semifinal matchups are To Pimp a Butterfly vs. Hamilton, and Currents vs. Carrie and Lowell. Voting will close Thursday at 11:59 P.M.

EDIT: I originally missed Dylan Minarik's ballot, and have updated this post accordingly. Sorry for the mistake.

gimmedatguudsuccrose · Tue Jan 05, 2016 1:33 pm

To Pimp a Butterfly vs. Hamilton

Currents vs. Carrie and Lowell

EDIT: Replaced Art Angels with Carrie and Lowell and changed my vote.

Post by **Auks Ran Ova** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 1:36 pm

Hamilton
Art Angels

gyre and gimble · Post by **gyre and gimble** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 1:42 pm

I count 12 votes for Carrie and Lowell, not counting the ballot with only 3 of 4 votes. Am I miscounting?

You know, before people get all excited about the Tame Impala-Grimes matchup.

LHDoroschuk · Post by **LHDoroschuk** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 2:22 pm

To Pimp a Butterfly vs. Hamilton

Currents vs. Art Angels

Bosa of York · Post by **Bosa of York** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 3:37 pm

Hamilton

Currents

Cody · Post by **Cody** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 3:40 pm

Hamilton

Currents

The King's Flight to the Scots · Tue Jan 05, 2016 3:53 pm

gyre and gimble wrote:I count 12 votes for Carrie and Lowell, not counting the ballot with only 3 of 4 votes. Am I miscounting?

You know, before people get all excited about the Tame Impala-Grimes matchup.

Yeah, stop the presses, people. sorry!

I missed Dylan's ballot because it came in before my second post. I recounted, and Sufjan and Grimes did, in fact, tie 12-12. Since I didn't vote, I'll cast the tiebreaker. I think that Carrie and Lowell is the better album, so I will be promoting it to the next round in place of Art Angels. Sorry for the inconvenience here. If this changes your vote for or against Currents, please post and I'll update. Otherwise, I'll consider your ballot as is, with Carrie and Lowell in place of Art Angels.

Again, apologies for the mistake.

The Stately Rhododendron · Tue Jan 05, 2016 4:45 pm

I hate musicals, so TPAB. Butterfly also is a really great album.
I dislike Tame Impala, so Carrie & Lowell. Carrie & Lowell also is a really good album.

Victor Prieto · Post by **Victor Prieto** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 4:57 pm

boo, democracy won

doesn't matter, currents is better

To Pimp a Butterfly vs. Hamilton
Currents vs. Carrie and Lowell

p.s. it sucks that TPAB and Hamilton are in the same semifinal, since they're probably the two strongest contenders.

Auroni · Post by **Auroni** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 4:59 pm

TPAB
Currents

Bosa of York · Post by **Bosa of York** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 5:02 pm

I'll change my vote to Carrie and Lowell (keeping Hamilton for the other one)

ryanrosenberg · Post by **ryanrosenberg** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 5:11 pm

boo grimes is better
Hamilton
Currents

More on the Hamilton/TPAB matchup later.

Rococo A Go Go · Post by **Rococo A Go Go** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 5:29 pm

Hamilton
Carrie and Lowell

Beevor Feevor · Post by **Beevor Feevor** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 5:44 pm

Hamilton
Carrie and Lowell

gyre and gimble · Post by **gyre and gimble** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 6:06 pm

To Pimp a Butterfly (To me, musicals are only artistic insofar as they are musicals--a musical soundtrack on its own is just a gimmick.)
Carrie and Lowell

Maury Island incident · Tue Jan 05, 2016 6:20 pm

To Pimp A Butterfly (Why does this have to be facing Hamilton?)

Currents (RIP Art Angels)

Quinctilius Varus · Post by **Quinctilius Varus** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 6:21 pm

Hamilton- This one was really close for me, and I would be happy if either album won, but only one has Hercules Mulligan.
Carrie and Lowell- Not a big Grimes fan.

EDIT: Got my matchups mixed up, Carrie and Lowell is facing Currents this round, not Art Angels. My vote still stands.

Habitat_Against_Humanity · Tue Jan 05, 2016 7:15 pm

gyre and gimble wrote:To Pimp a Butterfly (To me, musicals are only artistic insofar as they are musicals--a musical soundtrack on its own is just a gimmick.)
Carrie and Lowell

To lazy to post thoughts; this is the correct ballot.

John Ketzkorn · Post by **John Ketzkorn** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 7:17 pm

TPAB
Carrie and Lowell

Sylvia Pankhurst · Post by **Sylvia Pankhurst** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 8:01 pm

Hamilton
Carrie and Lowell

tpmorrison · Post by **tpmorrison** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 8:05 pm

TPAB
Currents

Steeve Ho You Fat · Post by **Steeve Ho You Fat** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 8:41 pm

TPAB, I guess
Carrie & Lowell, although Currents is a good album.

gustavadolf · Post by **gustavadolf** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 9:55 pm

Hamilton
Carrie and Lowell