Tag Archives: Best of 2015

Miscellaneous, WGOM

The Best of [everything] … or at least most mentioned

33 Comments

Fun aggregation: essentially, "The Best of [everything] - 2015" ranked according to number of mentions on critic's year-end best-of lists. You could probably go further with it, ranking according to average placement on lists, but for CoC purposes, this is more than enough info:

Top Threes

Movies:
Carol - 82% of lists
Spotlight - 77%
Inside Out - 73%
Mad Max: Fury Road - 73%

Television Shows:
Master of None - 83% of lists
Fargo - 83%
Mr. Robot - 75%
Mad Men - 75%

Books:
Between the World and Me - 80% of lists
A Little Life - 60%
The Story of the Lost Child - 60%

Albums:
Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp A Butterfly - 100% of lists
Vince Staples, Summertime ’06 - 63%
Carly Rae Jepsen, Emotion - 63%

And just for fun, because we at the WGOM are so hip, tied for fourth place are few the Citizenry crowed about this year:

Courtney Barnett, Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit - 58%
Joanna Newsom, Divers - 58%

WGOM Videos

Grimes – “REALiti”

Video 9 Comments

There aren't a lot of live vids for her new album yet, but I've listened to Art Angels repeatedly since it came out a couple of months ago. There were a lot of contenders here, but I think I listened to this the most.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H2adrVAwdY

3 votes, average: 6.67 out of 103 votes, average: 6.67 out of 103 votes, average: 6.67 out of 103 votes, average: 6.67 out of 103 votes, average: 6.67 out of 103 votes, average: 6.67 out of 103 votes, average: 6.67 out of 103 votes, average: 6.67 out of 103 votes, average: 6.67 out of 103 votes, average: 6.67 out of 10 (3 votes, average: 6.67 out of 10)
You must be a WGOM Citizen to rate WGOM Videos.Loading...
WGOM Videos

Kurt Vile – Pretty Pimpin

Video 5 Comments

This video was very nearly quite a few different things; so many new albums were released this year by bands I love. Off the top of my head,* and in no particular order, there were new releases from Alabama Shakes, The Decemberists, Tame Impala, Silversun Pickups, Beirut, Wilco, Father John Misty, Kendrick Lamar, Cage The Elephant, Ben Folds, Mark Ronson, Zac Brown Band, Beach House, CeeLo Green, Best Coast, The Tallest Man on Earth, Twenty One Pilots, Low, Metric, Blitzen Trapper, Jason Isbell, Of Monsters and Men, Kid Cudi, The Arcs ... and I'm sure I've missed a few.** Point is, all of these bands dropped new music in 2015 making this a very tough choice.

One of my favorites of the year showed up on bootsy's list (and he actually prompted me to get Smoke Ring For My Halo a few years back) - Kurt Vile's b'lieve i'm goin down... is home to Pretty Pimpin:

*not really. I had to look a few up to be sure the album I was thinking of was released this year.
**not to mention all the new bands I've yet to get to.

5 votes, average: 9.20 out of 105 votes, average: 9.20 out of 105 votes, average: 9.20 out of 105 votes, average: 9.20 out of 105 votes, average: 9.20 out of 105 votes, average: 9.20 out of 105 votes, average: 9.20 out of 105 votes, average: 9.20 out of 105 votes, average: 9.20 out of 105 votes, average: 9.20 out of 10 (5 votes, average: 9.20 out of 10)
You must be a WGOM Citizen to rate WGOM Videos.Loading...
WGOM Videos

Girl Band “Why They Hide They Bodies Under My Garage?”

Video 19 Comments


I know nothing else about this band other than this fantastic cover of a great techno song. All of the concert clips were from London or Paris, so maybe they're Brits?
Not sure if it's my favorite song of the year, but it's definitely the song I'm most excited about RIGHT NOW.
Continue reading Girl Band “Why They Hide They Bodies Under My Garage?” →

6 votes, average: 8.67 out of 106 votes, average: 8.67 out of 106 votes, average: 8.67 out of 106 votes, average: 8.67 out of 106 votes, average: 8.67 out of 106 votes, average: 8.67 out of 106 votes, average: 8.67 out of 106 votes, average: 8.67 out of 106 votes, average: 8.67 out of 106 votes, average: 8.67 out of 10 (6 votes, average: 8.67 out of 10)
You must be a WGOM Citizen to rate WGOM Videos.Loading...
WGOM Videos

Tame Impala – The Less I Know the Better

Video 21 Comments

DK is unsurprised.

I heard this song the first time while waiting for TV on the Radio to come onstage (great show), and it got its hooks in me instantly. There were lots of warm summer days soundtracked by this song, as well as the rest of Currents.

I haven't solidified a lot of my list, but this one has been the only realistic choice for "Song of the Year" for me.

Weird that the next song on the album is the worst song created by an artist that I like all year.

8 votes, average: 7.63 out of 108 votes, average: 7.63 out of 108 votes, average: 7.63 out of 108 votes, average: 7.63 out of 108 votes, average: 7.63 out of 108 votes, average: 7.63 out of 108 votes, average: 7.63 out of 108 votes, average: 7.63 out of 108 votes, average: 7.63 out of 108 votes, average: 7.63 out of 10 (8 votes, average: 7.63 out of 10)
You must be a WGOM Citizen to rate WGOM Videos.Loading...
WGOM Videos

EL VY – Return to the Moon

Video 9 Comments

Here's the new collaboration between Matt Berninger (of the National) and Brent Knopf (of Ramona Falls), doing the title track from their record on Conan. Also, their touring drummer has been Andy Stack of Wye Oak.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cJabOt6zIM

I can't play my favorite track off this album, since this is a family website, so instead, here's a stripped-down version of the closing track, "Careless".

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hRlt7xEx9c

I hope we're not all supposed to be putting our 2015 lists in these, cause...mine's not totally ready yet.

6 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 10 (6 votes, average: 8.17 out of 10)
You must be a WGOM Citizen to rate WGOM Videos.Loading...
WGOM Videos

Julia Holter – Have You In My Wilderness

Video 11 Comments

It pretty much came down to a tie between Ms. Holter and Joanna Newsom for album of the year.
Both were records I had eagerly awaited and neither disappointed. Just incredibly lovely music.
A stripped-down version of the beautiful closer to Have You In My Wilderness
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd94q_jHblA
I saw Joanna on Thursday night at The Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, my first visit that venue. Gawd, what a dump. 🙂
In all seriousness, truly one of the best concerts I've ever seen--and I've seen a few in my day.
This baroque country western(?!) number from Divers was one of the many highlights.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTOREKA4DiA

Best of 2015
1. (tie) Julia Holter Have You In My Wilderness
Joanna Newsom Divers
Gorgeous genre-defying, dare I say, masterworks. Seriously. Both sound timeless to my ears. Well done, ladies.
3. Kurt Vile b'lieve i'm going down<
Another artist who has quietly become a favorite of mine. Mellower than anything he's done, this one didn't grab me like some of his earlier records but it grew on me big time.
4. Giant Sand Heartbreak Pass
Like a letter from an old friend. Cult artist Howe Gelb has been recording for over 30 years and this is one of of his best. Sadly, but not surprisingly, slipped under most folks radars.
5. Sleater-Kinney No Cities to Love
Northwest power trio returns with a more mature sound that still takes names and kicks ass.
6. Beach Slang The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us
Cut from the same cloth as Japandroids, but with a heavier Replacements vibe than the latter's Husker Du leanings. Still, it scratches that same itch.
7. Destroyer Poison Season
Dan Bejar releases a record, I'm in.
8. Sufjan Stevens Carrie and Lowell
Full disclosure, I'm a longtime fan but I only listened to this one a few times before setting it aside. I just found it way too sad for me to enjoy at the time. I also heard enough that it will likely become another important record in my life. Giving the guy the benefit of the doubt.
9. Kendrick Lamar To Pimp a Butterfly
Picked up because both Ms. Holter and Ms. Newsom have cited it as a fave. Still digesting, but headphones are quickly proving them right.
10. Floating Points Elaenia
Like Bitches Brew Miles Davis fed through somebody's laptop and reconfigured as dance music for replicants.

6 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 10 (6 votes, average: 8.17 out of 10)
You must be a WGOM Citizen to rate WGOM Videos.Loading...