It’s July now, which means we’re halfway through another year of music. Check out what the MEB staff has kept on repeat over the first part of 2015 and what we’re still anticipating for the rest of the year! You can click any of the art to hear its album, hyperlinked artists and albums link to full reviews for if you want to read in-depth coverage of those records, and staff photos link to staff pages for if you share similar tastes with a writer and want to see more of what they’re into. Let us know in the comments if you agree with our picks or if we missed anything!
Click to listen along as you read!
Jacob: Sufjan Stevens – Carrie & Lowell
Carrie & Lowell is precisely what fans needed to sate the lingering want for the songwriting Sufjan is known for. Tragic, personal, and wonderfully understated, this record is a beautiful means of coping with the loss of something never quite grasped. Channeling an aesthetic that’s heartbreakingly effortless and both contemporary and timeless, it’s an instant classic. In a year where so little music has been truly great, Carrie & Lowell isn’t only the best album of 2015 so far; it’s among the best of the century so far.
Most-Anticipated: Lucy Rose – Work It Out
Christina: Action Bronson – Mr. Wonderful
“It’s hard for me to not love a Bam Bam drop above all else. Between pro-cooking references to cheeky puns about girls, what’s not to always love? “All I do is eat oysters, and speak 6 languages in 3 voices.” Beyond his usual MO, this album features top production from the likes of The Alchemist and Mark Ronson. As a result, the album is pretty experimental for Action. There are times I have shuffled through Spotify to songs from the album and mistook the first few seconds of tracks for the likes of Supertramp.”
Most-Anticipated: Against Me! – 23 Live Sex Acts
Tim: Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly
You don’t even need to dig deep into the sociopolitical aspects of To Pimp A Butterfly to recognize its sheer brilliance. Songs like the sprightly “Alright” are uplifting and full of color, and yet, others like “i” are on the opposite end of the spectrum, coming either as grey as the cover art or as black as the crafty songwriter’s skin. Unless “King Kunta” being stuck in your head annoys you, I’m sure you love this record just as much as I do – whether or not you think it’s the “rap album of our generation.”
Most-Anticipated: The Wonder Years – No Closer To Heaven
Nick: Sorority Noise – Joy, Departed
One listen through Sorority Noise’s sophomore effort, I knew it was something special. It hit me in a way that no record has since my 2014 AOTY, Home, Like NoPlace Is There. Joy, Departed flawlessly transitions between soft, bare bones instrumentation and thundering garage rock and never feels out of place. When you take that and combine it with the introspective gaze of Cam Boucher’s lyrics, this record is as powerful as we will see all year.
Most-Anticipated: Frank Ocean – Boys Don’t Cry
Heather: All Time Low – Future Hearts
I may or may not be a little biased to pick this as one of my favorite albums so far, because All Time Low is my second favorite band like ever, but I do think that they have grown up a little more on Future Hearts. Almost every song is a powerful anthem that could easily lift the spirits of any listener, and they remind us that that’s what the true purpose of music should be.
Most-Anticipated: Simple Plan – TBA
Connor: The Ongoing Concept – Handmade
Not only does Handmade top The Ongoing Concept’s debut Saloon, the title is quite literal; the band handmade every instrument and even built the set for the music video they shot and directed themselves. On record, TOC displays immense growth and delivers rhythmic, soulful (post-)hardcore throwdowns in the vein of letlive., mixed with Foxy Shazam in both sound and show. This band is going to be massive and this record is proof.
Most-Anticipated: The Dear Hunter – Act IV: Rebirth In Reprise
Eli: Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly
As a hip-hop record, To Pimp A Butterfly is excellent, but as a piece of social commentary, it’s exactly what America needs to hear right now. Kendrick puts everything he experiences as a young black man in the year 2015 out there – what pressures him, what threatens him, what inspires him, and what tempts him – and wraps it all up in an expertly produced package, symbolically laden with jazz, funk, and soul influences throughout.
Most-Anticipated: Mac Demarco – Another One
Craig: Twenty One Pilots – Blurryface
Everything I love about Blurryface needs more than 515 characters to explain, but if I was to put it into a few words, it would go something like this: cathartic organised chaos. It is a driving collection of mismatched sounds that work so incredibly well together, and driving one deep into the darkness that consumed Tyler Joseph while writing the album. It is just exquisite.
Most-Anticipated: Bullet For My Valentine – Venom
Murjani: Purity Ring – Another Eternity
This album seems to slither its way into my daily playlist every day in some way, shape, or form. Purity Ring seemed to improve on their 2012 album Shrines, which was a dream pop tinged composition. Another Eternity infused trap beats into a more accessible pop sound. The mesh it itself makes for a pretty good damn album.
Most-Anticipated: Kanye West – SWISH
Gene: Hop Along – Painted Shut
I could try to sell you on Painted Shut‘s storytelling, or Frances Quinlan’s voice, or the album’s pacing, but you’ll find your own reason to love these 10 songs.
Most-Anticipated: Titus Andronicus – The Most Lamentable Tragedy
Emma: Florence + The Machine – How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
It’s no secret that I’m crazy about Florence + The Machine. After four long years of waiting, Florence inspired her fans with yet another masterpiece. Lungs has harp, Ceremonials has organ, and this album has trumpets. They blare and project underneath Florence’s ethereal and heavenly vocals, bringing out elements from the band that we’ve never seen before. Even bonus tracks and demos have the power to complete the album. I suggest any music lover experience her bliss.
Most-Anticipated: Lana Del Rey – Honeymoon
Jackson: Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly
To Pimp A Butterfly solidifies Kendrick’s progression from rapper to cultural icon, unphased by the pressure of following up his breakout release and undeterred by the struggles that come with fame. The record is a path through depression, fear, and racial disparity to the tune of hip-hop, funk, jazz, and blues. It’s a celebration of what life has to offer and a reminder to be the best person you can be before it ends, a powerful message for the times we find ourselves in.
Most-Anticipated: Frank Ocean – Boys Don’t Cry
Norman: Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar is a respectable competitor as well as a headache for these other hip-hoppers. The hard-yet warm beats, detailed themes, and strong vocal execution are the reasons why K. Dot debunked his sophomore jinx. Even the overall album concept has its own concepts. It pretty much set the bar for any MC who decided to release a project in 2015. I say this sparingly, but To Pimp A Butterfly may be a perfect album.
Most-Anticipated: Chinx – Welcome To J.F.K.
Adit: Sufjan Stevens – Carrie & Lowell
Five years removed from his last album, Sufjan Stevens changed directions again. Yes, this kind of career move isn’t really new for Stevens, but Carrie & Lowell was a decision that stemmed from more than just fulfilling a creative prophecy. The way he tackles the death of his mother isn’t just intensely personal, but its intimacy and emotional weight carry themselves in ways few records can. These songs are among some of the best in his career, and are even more powerful as a whole album.
Most-Anticipated: Kanye West – SWISH
Jerrell: Charlie Lim – Time/Space
Charlie Lim’s double EP Time/Space has easily redefined music here in Singapore. With one side of the release exploring melancholic singer-songwriter melodies and the other featuring experimental electronic soundscapes, there’s something in this for everyone. Add some beautifully executed production into the mix, and we have an impeccable collection that will sweep you into a whirlwind of emotions. I may be a little biased as a Singaporean, but if you haven’t heard our music, this is the place to start.
Most-Anticipated: Night Beds – Ivy Wild
