I wrote a post like this last year and I'm writing one again this year. Music is very special to me and one of my favourite things in life. I love discovering new albums and artists and getting to experience the joy of new releases from my favourite artists. I never seem to stop thinking about music, so here are some thoughts on my favourite releases of 2016!
Death of a Bachelor by Panic! At The Disco
Death of A Bachelor was released very early in 2016, by sole survivor and all round amazing musician, Brendon Urie. I’m always saying that there is a Panic! At the Disco album for everyone, as each album is quite different from the last and whilst Death of a Bachelor has similar tones to the previous release, it definitely has a distinct sound and vibe. The overall tone is very upbeat, with the exception of the songs ‘Death of a Bachelor’ and ‘Impossible Year’ but the album flows so astoundingly. Brendon Urie’s vocals and songwriting continue to improve with each album, both on the album and live. I had the absolute privilege of seeing them live, not once, but twice last year! Urie has an amazing voice and can put on one hell of a performance. This album has been the soundtrack to my year, to the point where Victorious has become my go to song for good luck and positive vibes. Panic At The Disco albums always seem to hold a special place in my heart, they seem to reach me at just the right time and never fail to reignite my passion for music and improve my life. Sounds dramatic but this album is so special to me.
Recommended Listening: Victorious, Golden Days, Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time & Impossible Year.
Mind of Mine by Zayn
Honestly, this is not something I would usually listen to. I’m not a One Direction fan, but somehow found myself listening to Zayn’s single, which then snowballed into listening to the entire album, over and over. I listened to this album a lot whilst completing university work; it’s mellow enough to have on in the background and not provide too much distraction but also has a pretty motivating beat. Whilst I don’t necessarily have too much to comment on the lyrically, the album feels very authentic, especially considering Zayn left one of, if not the most popular boyband of the decade. It oozes fermented passion and his vocals are stunning (obvs.)
Recommended Listening: lUcOzAdE, BeFoUr, & INTERMISSION: fLoWeR
Misadventures by Pierce the Veil
Pierce the Veil are one of those classic ‘emo’ bands that I took a while to get into. I listened to ‘King for a Day’ and a few of their other popular songs but it wasn’t until the release of the singles from Misadventures that I realised just how much I love this band. I remember buying this album for myself, muddling through HMV in a sleep deprived state after handing in one of my dissertations, and thinking ‘what a reward!’ Piece the Veil retain their intense lyrics and rocky sound, but also bring some diversity with some slower and more experimental songs like ‘Floral and Fading’ and ‘A Song for Isabelle’ and they nail it. They also have this amazing interactive website with images and doodles documenting bits and pieces of the writing and recording process for each song. It’s a pretty interesting little behind the scenes-making of the album. Definitely check it out if you're a fan!
Recommended Listening: Dive in, Texas is Forever, The Divine Zero, & Floral and Fading.
Holy Ghost by Modern Baseball
Holy flip what an album. The album is split into two sections, the first half written by one member and the and the second by another. One of my favourite things about Modern Baseball is that they have two vocalists, it just sounds amazing. Modern Baseball are an almost genreless, it’s hard to pin point their sound, but their lyrics are witty, clever and relatable, ranging from relationships, to growing up, to mental health, and they do it well. Holy Ghost has some 90s rock kinda vibes going on and has a really honest and authentic sound. I used to be a simple casual fan of Modern Baseball, but after listening to Holy Ghost, they have quickly become one of my favourite bands around. Holy Ghost is such a heartfelt, honest and moving album. Honestly the more I listen to Holy Ghost the more special it becomes to me. Plus I am seeing them live in February, very excited! Also Modern Baseball are a pretty rad band - they are one of the few bands that actively try to be inclusive with support bands and also set up a # number to try and tackle harassment at gigs.
Recommended Listening: Holy Ghost, Every Day, Hiding, What If, & Just Another Face.
If I'm The Devil by letlive.
The revival of my love for letlive is tinted with a bit of nostalgia, as I can vividly remember listening to their earlier albums while revising for my A-Levels. Letlive are energetic punk rock and with this album they make some biting social commentary. I saw them supporting Pierce the Veil in November last year, and wow it was an experience. Their sheer stage presence was astoundingly impressive and there was so much passion and energy in their performance. There’s so much social commentary in this album and particularly in light of recent events (brexit, trump), it’s a perfect soundtrack for making changes, resistance, and stomping out hatred and prejudice. Lyrically it's loaded with commentary on important topics, and the songwriting remains both clever and complex. Honestly, bands that deal with social and political issues are so important to me, especially in a scene that is dominated by white males. I just want to scream WHAT A BAND and introduce everyone to letlive. Listen to them! Recommend listening is listed below for a reason!!Recommended Listening: Good Mourning America, A Weak Ago, Reluctantly Dead & I’ve Learned to Love Myself.
Notable Mentions:
Needy When I’m Needy by The Front Bottoms - Technically an ep with two songs but very good. Saw them play Joanie live and it was pretty amazing. Contains lyrics about being a bag of bags. Good stuff!!
Blush by Moose Blood - Really emo and really good. Lyrics are probably relatable for a lot of people and very honest and raw. Mellow rainy day vibes.
Blush by Moose Blood - Really emo and really good. Lyrics are probably relatable for a lot of people and very honest and raw. Mellow rainy day vibes.
Thanks for reading and have great day! What was your favourite 2016 release? I'd genuinely love to know!
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