Rick Henry's Top 100 Albums of The Decade 2010 - 2019

Each year since 2011, I have published my list of Top 15 albums of the year. Therefore I felt it appropriate that I combine those years (plus 2010) to publish my Top 100 albums of the decade. Hope you enjoy my list.

Top 100 Albums of the Decade

2010-2019

100. "Storytone" by Neil Young (2014)
99. "Vulnicura" by Bjork (2015)
98. "Azul, Mis Dientes" by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (2017)
97. "Surfing The Void" by Klaxons (2010)
96. "Le Noise" by Neil Young (2010)
95. "Violence" by Editors (2018)
94. "Lurid Glow" by Reptar (2015)
93. "I Learned The Hard Way" by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (2010)
92. "Otra Cosa" by Julieta Venegas (2010)
91. "Saudade" by Theivery Corporation (2014)
90. "Fear Inoculum" by TOOL (2019)
89. "A Lovejoy" by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (2016)
88. "Ninety Miles" by Stefon Harris with David Sanchez and Christian Scott (2011)
87. "Blunderbuss" by Jack White (2012)
86. "Hippopotamus" by Sparks (2017)
85. "Utopia" by Bjork (2017)
84. "Black & White America - Lenny Kravitz (2011)
83. "Sunken Condos" by Donald Fagen (2012)
82. "Sound and Fury by Sturgill Simpson (2019)
81. "Zoo" by Ceremony (2012)
80. "A World Of Masks" by Heliocentrics (2018)
79. "Gloss Drop" by Battles (2011)
78. "Mountain Moves" by Deerhoof (2017)
77. "My Way" by Willie Nelson (2018)
76. "To The Sea" by Jack Johnson (2010)
75. "Mojo" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (2010)
74. "Some Need It Lonely" by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (2016)
73. "Little Broken Hearts" by Norah Jones (2012)
72. "Is This The Life We Really Want" by Roger Waters (2017)
71. "In The Spirit World Now" by Ceremony (2019)
70. "Odd Blood" by Yeasayer (2010)
69. "Nontourniquet" by The Mars Volta (2012)
68. "Small Car Big Wheels" by Enjoy (2018)
67. "Another Word For Joy" by Enjoy (2016)
66. "Radio Music Society" by Esperanza Spalding (2012)
65. "Woman Gives Birth To Tomato" by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (2013)
64. "Concrete Jungle" by Blktop Project (2016)
63. "Memories" by Mind.In.A.Box (2015)
62. "Reveries" by Joe Henry (2011)
61. "Ride Me Back Home" by Willie Nelson (2019)
60. "Oklahoma" by Keb' Mo' (2019)

59. “The Reflection” by Keb’ Mo’ (2011)

58. “More Fast Songs About The Apocalypse” by Moby (2017)

57. “Boarding House Reach” by Jack White (2018)

56. “Thrum” by Joe Henry (2017)

55. “Roman Lips” by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (2016)

54. “Call It What It Is” by Ben Harper (2016)

53. “All The Light Above It Too” by Jack Johnson (2017)

52. “Western Stars” by Bruce Springsteen” (2019)

51. “Exposure” by Esperanza Spalding (2017)

50. “Standing In The Breach” by Jackson Browne (2014)

49. “Sad Clowns and Hillbillies” by John Mellencamp (2017)

48. “For The Good Times” by The Little Willies (2012)

47. “Tribute To Bobby” by Stephen Hobbs (2018)

46. “From The Deep” by Heliocentrics (2017)

45. “This Land” by Gary Clark Jr (2019)

44. “The Road From Memphis” by Booker T. Jones (2011)

43. “Algo Sucede” by Julieta Venegas (2015)

42. “Mantra Hiroshima” by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (2010)

41. “Lazeretto” by Jack White (2014)

40. “Africa Speaks” by Santana (2019)

39. “The Genius Of Eddie Jefferson” by Allan Harris (2018)

38. “Raise Vibration” by Lenny Kravitz (2018)

37. “These Systems Are Failing” by Moby (2016)

36. “Soul of A Woman” by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (2017)

35. “Black Star” by David Bowie (2016)

34. “Hypnotic Eye” by Tom Petty (2014)

33. “Someday World” by Brian Eno & Karl Hyde (2014)

32. “Black Sun” by Gold Fields (2013)

31. “Rammstein” by “Rammstein (2019)

30. “Last Man Standing” by Willie Nelson (2018)

29. “Umbrella Mistress” by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (2016)

28. “in.ter.a.lia” by At The Drive-In (2017)

27. “The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim” by Gary Clark, Jr. (2015)

26. “Sonic Creed” by Stefon Harris (2018)

25. “Harry Styles” by Harry Styles (2017)

24. “New Devices” by Roller Trio (2018)

23. “The Sea” by Corinne Bailey Rae (2010)

22. “Soldier Of Love” by Sade (2010)

21. “Un Corazon de Nadie” by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (2012)

20. “Rattle That Lock” by David Gilmour (2015)

19. “Sinatra & Jobim @ 50” by John Pizzarelli and Daniel Jobim (2017)

18. “The Music In My Head” by Michael Franks (2018)

17. “Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & John Frusciante” by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & John

      Frusciante (2010)

16. “Twin Danger” by Twin Danger (2015)

15. “Yesterday I Had The Blues: The Songs of Billie Holiday” by Jose James (2015)

14. “Day Breaks” by Norah Jones (2016)

13. “The Endless River” by Pink Floyd (2014)

12. “Monolith of Phobos” by Claypool Lennon Delirium (2016)

11. “A Sailor’s Guide To Earth” by Sturgill Simpson (2017)

10. “The L-Shaped Man” by Ceremony (2015)

With this album Ceremony is as close to Joy Division as a band can get yet still maintaining their own unique sound and style

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00TL6QU5S/ref=nosim/populasongsmu-20

9. “Lean On Me” by Jose James (2018)

A fantastic R&B jazz filled tribute to the music of Bill Withers

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B07F5CPBMM/ref=nosim/populasongsmu-20

8. “Corazones” by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (2016)

This is one of ORL’s most pop oriented efforts of his entire career. His voice is engaging, guitar work flawless and the songs are filled with catchy hooks

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01IQMMAQ0/ref=nosim/populasongsmu-20

7. “TajMo” by Keb’ Mo’ and Taj Mahal (2017)

R&B and blues from two legends of the genre

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B06XH1Q5K8/ref=nosim/populasongsmu-20

Grammy Winner

6. “The Heart Speaks In Whispers” by Corinne Bailey Rae (2016)

Sweet voiced Corinne Bailey Rae shines on what I call her best effort

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01C7PNOAS/ref=nosim/populasongsmu-20

5. “Foreverly” by Billie Joe + Norah (2013)

Norah Jones and Billie Joe Armstrong harmonize beautifully on this stirring tribute to the Everly Brothers’ 1958 “Songs Our Dady Taught Us”

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00G4EXNNM/ref=nosim/populasongsmu-20

4. “South Of Reality” by Claypool Lennon Delirium (2019)

Les Claypool (Primus) and Sean Ono Lennon team up to create an album that rivals the best of the best by the Beatles and for that matter Pink Floyd.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B07JX4SG54/ref=nosim/populasongsmu-20

3. “12 Little Spells” by Esperanza Spalding (2018/2019)

Esperanza gets in touch with her inner soul on this album as she beautifully sings her experimental jazz songs and plays bass like no other woman in music

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B07PBT5T2Y/ref=nosim/populasongsmu-20

Grammy Winner

2. “Birth Of A Ghost” by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (2017)

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez steps out of his comfort zone and composes a classical album - and guess what he - succeeded way beyond expectation

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B071VT31MM/ref=nosim/populasongsmu-20

1. “Emily’s D+Evolution” by Esperanza Spalding (2016)

One word for this one: CLASSIC. Esperanza takes her jazz to a new level and adds some rock to it. Esperanza co-produced this album with David Bowie’s producer Tony Visconti.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B019PL3BYG/ref=nosim/populasongsmu-20

Top 10 Artists
2010 - 2019
10. Gary Clark, Jr.
9. Willie Nelson
8. Ceremony
7. Keb' Mo'
6. Corinne Bailey Rae
5. Jose James
4. Norah Jones
3. Claypool Lennon Delirium
2. Esperanza Spalding
1. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

Top Female Performers
5. Sharon Jones
4. Sade
3. Corinne Bailey Rae
2. Norah Jones
1. Esperanza Spalding

Top Male Performers
5. Gary Clark, Jr.
4. Willie Nelson
3. Keb' Mo'
2. Jose James
1. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

Breaking them down by genres

Top Jazz Performers
5. Michael Franks
4. Twin Danger
3. Stefon Harris
2. Jose James
1. Esperanza Spalding

Top Country Music Performer
5. Tim McGraw
4. The Little Willies
3. Billie + Norah
2. Sturgill Simpson
1. Willie Nelson

Top R&B/Soul Performers
5. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
4. Lenny Kravitz
3. Gary Clark, Jr.
2. Corinne Bailey Rae
1. Jose James

Top Soft Rock Performers
5. Julieta Venegas
4. Jack Johnson
3. Harry Styles
2. David Gilmour
1. Norah Jones

Top Hard Rock Performers
5. Rammstein
4. At The Drive-In
3. Jack White
2. Ceremony
1. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

Top Classic Rock Performers

5. David Bowie

4. David Gilmour

3. Pink Floyd

2. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

1. Claypool Lennon Delirium

Top Alt-Rock Performer
5. Moby
4. Jack White
3. Ceremony
2. Claypool Lennon Delirium
1. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

Top New Wave/Punk/Post-Punk Performers

5. Enjoy

4. Brian Eno / Karl Hyde

3. Gold Fields

2. Moby

1. Ceremony

Top Electronic/Electronica Performers
5. Gold Fields
4. Roller Trio
3. Pink Floyd
2. Moby
1. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez


Top Americana Performers
5. M. Ward
4. Neil Young
3. John Mellencamp
2. Joe Henry
1. Keb' Mo'

Top Blues Performers
5. Taj Mahal / Ben Harper (tie)
4. Booker T. Jones
3. Jose James
2. Gary Clark, Jr.
1. Keb' Mo'

Top Latin Performers

5. David Sanchez

4. Daniel Jobim

3. Santana

2. Julieta Venegas

1. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

Thank you for checking out my blog... I hope you enjoyed this post. 

Please leave a comment!!! I'd love to hear from you!!!

Rock Music XXI: The Best Albums of 2019

It's the end of a decade and I am presenting my 9th annual "15 Favorite Albums" of the year. I started this in 2011 and have continued every year since. In the next month or so I will post my 15 or maybe 20 favorite albums of the decade 2010 - 2019.

As always my best of list contains a diverse variation of musical genres including jazz, blues, rock, electronic, experimental, country and Americana. 

Scroll to the end of this blog post to see the links to my "Best Albums" posts from 2011 to 2018.

15. "What A Wonderful Industry" by M. Ward

Link to "What A Wonderful Industry" (Click Here)

I have long been a fan of Ward's lofi Alt-Country, indie folk sound. "What A Wonderful Industry" finds Ward dipping more into alt-rock guitar with "Sit Around The House" and "Return To Neptune" and hints of surf guitar in "Shark" and "Motorcycle Ride."

"Miracle Man" by M. Ward (2019)

14. "Help Us Stranger" by The Raconteurs

Link to "Help Us Stranger" (Click Here)

One name stands out here and that is of course Jack White. He is the star of the band. His distinctive voice is prominent throughout the album as well as his recognizable guitar work. But let's be certain Raconteurs is not a one-person show. Brendan Benson's contribution to this spotless garage rock album is just as important as White's. Benson's co-wrote all the songs with White (with the exception of the Donovan song). However much of the album does move like a followup to Jack White's 2018 masterpiece "Boarding House Reach," especially in the White's use of electronics and synthesizers and Vance Powell's and Joshua V. Smith's work in engineering and mixing both albums. 

"Help Me Stranger" by Raconteurs (2019)

13. "Ride Me Back Home" by Willie Nelson

Link to "Ride Me Back Home" (Click Here)

Willie Nelson presents his special blend of jazz infused country music. 2019 finds Nelson in top form and sounds better than ever with a supporting band that suits his voice perfectly.

Willie treats us to his dry humor with "Seven Year Itch" while he and his sons Micah and Lukas join him on a great cover of Mac Davis.

"Seven Year Itch" by Willie Nelson (2019)

12. "Inoculum" by TOOL

Link to "Fear Inoculum" (Click Here)

It was a long 13 year wait for this fifth studio album from Tool. It was well worth the wait. This album contains all the elements with love about Tool. The depth of musicianship - which borders on ethereal, experimental, progressive and all out rocking, intense dark lyrics and the intricate guitar work.

"Fear Inoculum" by TOOL (2019)

11. "This Land" by Gary Clark Jr.

Link to "This Land" (Click Here)

What captured me regarding this album is Gary Clark Jr's fearless ability to speak up on what he believes and has experienced in his life. 

In the title track Clark clearly speaks out on racism in the United States as he poignantly sings, "This is where I come from. This land is mine." Clark continues this theme throughout the album calling out the plight of a government that works for some but not all. Thematically this is a tough album that is heavy with Clark's viewpoints shaped from his life experiences.

Beyond the lyrical themes of the album, the musicianship is tihht and Gary Clark Jr's guitar work once again proves he is amongst today's finest and most exciting guitarists.

One of the highlights of the album is the inclusion of Sheila E on drums. She plays on 6 of the 15 tracks. 

"This Land" by Gary Clark, Jr.

10. "Steamy!" by The Jukka Eskola Soul Trio 

Link to "Steamy!" (Click Here)

This was one of the most exciting albums of 2019. This Finnish trio delivers an eight cut explosion of soulful and progressive jazz numbers with a heavy influence of 1960’s and 70’s aesthetic that tilts on the experimental side on occasion.

"Hanky Panky" by The Jukka Eskola Soul Trio (2019)

#jukkaeskola #steamy! #exciting

9. "Africa Speaks" by Santana 

Link to "Africa Speaks" (Click Here)

Carlos Santana and his band have been on a roll for the past 20 years. In 1999 he made a huge come back with his classic album "Supernatural," which has sold more than 30 million copies around the world. "Africa Speaks" follows suit reaching #3 in the US and Top 20 throughout the world.

"Africa Speaks" incorporates tribal rhythms and African choral vocals. Spanish singer Buika provided the lead vocals and co-wrote all the songs. 

8. "Oklahoma" by Keb' Mo'

Link to "Oklahoma" (Click Here)

From the beginning of his career blues man Keb' Mo' has consistently released quality music filled with great vicals, guitars and insightful lyrics. "Oklahoma" follows that trend of great music. The album includes guest appearnces by Rosanne Cash and Taj Mahal. Mo' touches on his views on immigration and other current day political issues. (Take a good close look at the album cover - Keb included many of the things that are important to him)

"Oklahoma" by Keb' Mo' (2019)

7. "A Tuba To Cuba" by The Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Link to "A Tuba To Cuba" (Click Here)

"A Tuba To Cuba" is the soundtrack from the documentary of the same name. The film follows the Preservation Jazz Hall Band's leader Ben Jaffe as he worked to retrace the connection of New Orleans jazz to indigenous Cuban music, which was a dream of his late father, Preservation Hall founder Allan Jaffe. 
  
“A Tuba To Cuba” is the identity of great jazz music in the modern age.

"Keep Your Head Up" by The Preservation Hall Jazz Band (2019)

6. "Sound & Fury" by Sturgill Simpson

Link to "Sound and Fury" (Click Here)

Country music rebel, Sturgill Simpson, shook off his cowboy hat and country twang in favor of an edgy alt-rock essence with crisp guitar chords, sharp drum rhytms and synth vibes. Simpson has produced another winnig album.

Link to “Sound & Fury” by Sturgill Simpson: 

The album was released along with an original Netflix dystopian anime film titled "Sturgill Simpson Presents Sound and Fury," written and produced by Simpson with Japanese director Junpei Mizusaki of the animation studio Kamikaze.

"Sing Along" by Sturgill Simpson (2019)

5. "Drift Series 1 Sampler" by Underworld

Link to "Drift Series 1 Sampler Edition" (Click Here)

This release is a sampler of a much larger work spanning 6 unique discs recorded and originally released in 2018 and 2019. 

Each track is beautifully produced with a discernible intention toward the arrangement of electronic layers to establish powerful, thematic settings.

Each song is layered with danceable beats, ambient moods and creative artistry designed to pull the listener in to listen to this entire sampler from start to finish.

Just as compelling as the music are the music videos. Each music video contains images that thrill as well as tell a story of each song.

"Listen To Their No" by Underworld (2019)

4. "Rammstein" by Rammstein

Link to "Rammstein" (2019)

Fans waited ten long years for this album. Are we disappointed? Not in the least. They're back with hard rock guitars, grinding industrial synths and pounding drums. Let's hope the next one doesn't take 10 years.

"Radio" by Rammstein (2019)

#rammstein

3. "Plastic Anniversary" by Matmos

Link to “Plastic Anniversary” (Click Here)

This gets the tags of most original and most creative album of 2019. 

The interesting fact of this album is the that all the sound originates from plastic objects. The album is intended to explore our relationship to plastic and how its qualities of "durability, portability, and longevity" are both useful for humans and harmful to the environment.

The plastic objects used as instruments include vinyl fragments, exercise ball, ATM card, DNA kit, pelican cases, plastic containers, billiard balls, bakelite dominoes, salad bowl, plastic flutes, PVC panflute, poker chips, riot shield, nurdles, toilet brushes, PVC pipes, LEGO bricks, whistles, plastic gloves, packing tape, plastic emergency stretcher and various plastic objects. The most interesting object is a silicone gel breast implant used in the song, "Silicone Gel Implant."

The songs are all mixed and augmented with synthesized sounds and electronic sequencing and sampling.. 

The album is playful and experimentally poppy while conveying a very serious message on the darker implications of ignoring the havoc we are imposing on the earth all for the sake of convenience.

"Silicone Gel Implant" by Matmos (2019)

#mostoriginal #most creative #original #creative #matmos

2. "South of Reality" by The Claypool Lennon Delirium

Link to "South Of Reality" (Click Here)

There's a lot of connections here which make this album appealing to a wide range of people. There are connections to the Beatles, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon, Primus, Les Claypool, Cake and to a lesser degree Pink Floyd. Beyond these stellar connections it is the music first and foremost that propels this unit.

Sean Lennon and Les Claypool teamed again for their second album and gifted us with an album that far surpasses their debut album. That was a tall order to fill as their first album was above and beyond exceptional. 

Sean Ono Lennon's influence is quite a bit more prevalent on this album which gives it more of a Beatlesque feel than their debut. Both Sean Lennon and Les Claypool produced the album, wrote all the songs and played several of the instruments.

The album makes good use of humor - not so much in a silly manner - but in a dark and dry manner. But to be certain they also touch on some important topics such as the levels of mercury found in fish and in the oceans of the world which makes its way into the stomachs and bodies of human beings. I will be so bold as to call this album a work of genius. 

Those that have asked, "is possible for the offspring of a Beatle to produce an album as good as a Beatles album?" My answer is yes and Sean Lennon (with Les Claypool) has succeeded in accomplishing this.

"Love and Rockets/Saga of Jack/Too The Moon" by Claypool Lennon Delirium (2019)

1. "12 Little Spells" by Esperanza Spalding

Link to “12 Little Spells” (Click Here)

This is the second time Esperanza Spalding has topped my Favorite Albums list. Her first list topper was 2016's "Emily's D+Evolution." She also made my list in 2012 with "Radio Music Society." 

“12 Little Spells” finds Spalding conjuring in the medium of musical creation, through an exploration of the body, human energy and healing. 

Esperanza does not write pop songs… so this is not for the one that wants pop hooks and catchy melodies. Esperanza is an artist of the utmost sense of experimentalism and eclecticism. She is not like anybody else out there. She records albums, not individual songs looking for that hit single. Her goal is to express her inner soul and create a work of art instead of a work of commercialism – I respect her for that. Now to be certain with the vocal ability Esperanza possesses and the musical talent with which she is gifted, she has the ability to produce the most polished pop music out there and make hits – but that is not who she is. She is an artist – not a product.

With this album, Esperanza calls her songs spells instead of songs. I am guessing because there’s a magical quality to each and every one of them. Each song (‘er spell) is about a body part.

 "Thing" by Esperanza Spalding (2019)

Worthy Mentions

These are the ones that did not make the Top 15 but are worth mentioning
"She Remembers Everything" by Rosanne Cash
"Look Alive" by Guster
"What's My Name" by Ringo Starr
"Rewind, Repeat, Rebound" by Volbeat
"Phase" by Jessy Wilson

Links to previous "Best Albums" posts:

2011: http://rock-music-more.blogspot.com/2011/12/rock-albums-post-x-15-favorite-albums.html 

2012: http://rock-music-more.blogspot.com/2012/12/rock-albums-post-xii-favorite-albums-of.html

2013: http://rock-music-more.blogspot.com/2013/12/rock-albums-xiii-favorite-albums-2013.html

2014: http://rock-music-more.blogspot.com/2014/12/rock-albums-xiv-my-favorite-albums-of.html

2015: http://rock-music-more.blogspot.com/2015/12/rock-albums-post-xv-top-15-albums-of.html

2016: http://rock-music-more.blogspot.com/2016/12/rock-albums-post-xvi-top-15-albums-of.html

2017: https://rock-music-more.blogspot.com/2017/12/rock-albums-post-xix-best-albums-of-2017.html

2018: https://rock-music-more.blogspot.com/2018/12/rock-albums-xx-best-albums-of-2018.html

Thank you for visiting! :)

Rock Albums Post XVI: The Best Albums of 2016

The Best Albums of 2016

This is my sixth annual Top 15 Albums of the Year post. Every  year I assess the albums I feel were the best of the year. Like the previous years this year I have a list of 15 diverse albums ranging from pop, post-punk, jazz, soul, alt-rock, industrial and experimental. The artists range from first release such as Kandace Springs to longtime superstar as Paul Simon. The one thing each of these albums have in common is their sense of quality musicianship and unique originality.

For those of you interested in seeing the previous Top 15 charts the following is a list of links to see each one:

2011: http://rock-music-more.blogspot.com/2011/12/rock-albums-post-x-15-favorite-albums.html 

2012: http://rock-music-more.blogspot.com/2012/12/rock-albums-post-xii-favorite-albums-of.html

2013: http://rock-music-more.blogspot.com/2013/12/rock-albums-xiii-favorite-albums-2013.html

2014: http://rock-music-more.blogspot.com/2014/12/rock-albums-xiv-my-favorite-albums-of.html

2015: http://rock-music-more.blogspot.com/2015/12/rock-albums-post-xv-top-15-albums-of.html

Without further ado I present the Top 15 of 2016. I hope you enjoy this list and hopefully you will discover (or rediscover) some great music here!

15. "These Systems Are Failing" 

by Moby and the Void Pacific Choir

"These Systems Are Failing" by Moby (Click Here)

Release Date: October 14, 2016

Label: Little Idiot, Mute

Producer: Moby
Genres: Electronica, Alternative Rock, Downtempo, Electronic Dance Music (EDM), Industrial, Punk

Chart Positions: #39 (Belgium), #63 (France), #75 (Switzerland)
Certification: N/A

Singles and Chart Positions: "The Light Is Clear In My Eyes," "Almost Loved," "Don't Leave Me," "Are You Lost In The World Like Me?"

Best Cuts: "Hey! Hey!," "Break.Doubt," "Erupted and Matter," "Are You Lost In The World Like Me?," "Almost Loved," "Dark Star"

Moby's 13th studio album "These Systems Are Failing" was a decide shift from his previous recent releases which were becoming more and more instrumental, ambient, gospel and featured less of Moby's lead vocals and more guest vocalists. "These Systems Are Failing" finds Moby handling lead vocals on all nine of the album's song along with an additional three songs found on the deluxe edition. For his 2016 work Moby completely dumped the ambient sounds and went straight for an aggressive industrial style. This is Moby's most furious album in 20 years and takes him back to his New York City punk years. Much of the album has an 80s Gary Numan electronic influence along with a 90s industrial metal sound. This combinations makes for some great sounding music that keeps you moving whether on the dance floor or in the car on your way to your next stop. Right from the start I was captured by the excellent gang vocals featured on the opening track "Hey! Hey!" By the way did I mention Moby wrote all the songs also!!!

"Are You Lost In The World Like Me?" by Moby

⇆⇆⇆⇆⇆⇆⇆⇆⇆⇆⇆⇆⇆⇆⇆⇆⇆⇆⇆⇆

14. ★ by David Bowie

★ by David Bowie (Click Here)

Release Date: January 8, 2016

Label: ISO, RCA, Columbia, Sony

Producer: David Bowie and Tony Visconti
Genres: Rock, Art-Rock, Jazz-Influenced

Chart Positions: #1 (US, UK, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Portugal, Croatia, Costa Rica, Czechoslovakia, Ecuador, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Slovakia, Ukraine), #2 (Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan), #3 (Colombia, Hong Kong, South Africa, Turkey), #5 (Japan), #9 (Thailand), #15 (Bulgaria, Vietnam), #29 (South Korea), #30 (Indonesia)
Certifications: Platinum (UK, Australia, Austria, Canada, Belgium, France, Italy), Gold (Germany, New Zealand, Denmark, Poland, Spain)

Singles and Chart Positions: "Blackstar," #20 (Switzerland), #31 (Italy), #44 (Netherlands), #45 (France), #50 (Sweden), #69 (Austria), #97 (Denmark),  "Lazarus," #10 (Belgium), #16 (Switzerland), #23 (Italy), #32 (Netherlands), #35 (France), #38 (Austria), #42 (Sweden), #49 (Spain), #77 (Denmark), "I Can't Give Everything Away" #45 (Switzerland), 3142 (France)

Best Cuts: "Blackstar," "Lazarus," "Dollar Days"

★ is David Bowie's final studio album to be completed and released before his death on January 10, 2016. The album was released on January 8th and was his 29th studio album. The mood and the atmospheric style attracted me to the album as well as the swells of jazz influence throughout. Bowie's lyrics are prophetic as he sang of the pain he experienced and his impending death. Many music critics (and fans) say this is his best album since "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)" released in 1980. ★ debuted at #1 on both the US and UK charts and was Bowie's first album to reach #1 in the US. The single "Lazarus" was his first Top 40 hit in the US since 1987's "Never Let Me Down."

"Lazarus" by David Bowie (2016)

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13. "Concrete Jungle" by Blktop Project

"Concrete Jungle" by Blktop Project (Click Here)

Release Date: May 27, 2016

Label: Grand Palais

Producer: Tommy Guerrero (?)
Genres: Jazz, Rock, Funk, Soul, Surf

Chart Positions: N/A

Singles and Chart Positions: N/A

Best Cuts: "And The Stylus Followed," "Year of the Drum" "In The Moment"

"Concrete Jungle" is one of those albums that blends genres to form new ones. The album seamlessly moves from jazz to surf rock to revved up soul  like no other band of the past five years. Sadly Blktop Project has gone almost unnoticed, except for their thousands of loyal fans (you can count me in as one of their new loyal fans). "Concrete Jungle" sits amongst my collection of great instrumental albums and I rank it high along with works such as Dave Brubeck's "Time Out," Joe Satriani's "Surfing With The Alien"  and Jaco Pastorius' self titled album. Drums and bass drive the album but be assured the guitar work is outstanding as are the keys.

"In A Moment" by Blktop Project

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12. "Stranger To Stranger" by Paul Simon

"Stranger To Stranger" by Paul Simon

Release Date: June 3, 2016

Label: Concord

Producer: Paul Simon and Roy Halee
Genres: Pop, Electronic, Alt-Pop, Tribal beats, Folk, World

Chart Positions: #1 (UK, Scotland), #2 (Belgium, Ireland), #3 (US, Czechoslovakia) #4 (Canada), #7 (Austria), #8 (Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland), #14 (German), #18 (Denmark), #21 (France), #24 (Australia), #26 (Italy), #36 (Spain), #37 (Finland), #67 (Japan)
Certifications: N/A

Singles and Chart Positions: "Wristband"

Best Cuts: "Wristband," "The Clock" "Stranger To Stranger," "In A Parade"

"Stranger To Stranger" is one of those albums that both looks back and looks forward. This album stands alongside 1987's "Graceland" in respect to innovation and diversity. Paul Simon has never recorded an album that is so diverse in musical selections. The album is largely an electronic based album with touches of Paul Simon's 60's folk roots. Each song is heavy on percussion looking back at Simon's classic "Graceland." He combines the eclectic with the conventional. I would categorize this album as being very modern and groundbreaking while maintaining Simon's roots in music.

With "Stranger to Stranger" Paul Simon is experimental yet remains close enough to the "middle of the road" to appeal to a large cross-section of listeners. Simon moves not only into the present day but into the future of music. After near 60 years on the music charts, Simon is still an innovator who has the ability to carve a next generation of music. Paul Simon is not a retro-artist but he is one of today's most relevant musicians. 

 "Wristband" by Paul Simon

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11. Barbara Barbara, We Face A Shining Future" by Underworld

"Barbara Barbara, We Face A Shining Future" by Underworld: Click Here

Release Date: March 18, 2016

Label: Caroline International

Producer: Rick Smith, High Contrast, Steven Hall
Genres: Electronic, Alternative Dance, Experimental, Progressive House

Chart Positions: #7 (Belgium), #8 (Scotland), #10 (UK), #12 (Netherlands), #14 (Japan), #34 (Ireland), #36 (Australia), #44 (Denmark, Germany), #50 (Austria), #51 (Switzerland), #158 (France), #200 (US), #1 (Japan Dance and Soul chart, US Dance and Electronic chart), #2 (UK Dance chart)
Certifications: N/A

Singles and Chart Positions: "I Exhale"

Best Cuts: "Motorhome," "I Exhale," "Ova Nova" 

"Barbara Barbara, We Face A Shining Future" is Underworld's 9th studio and is a comeback of sorts being their first release since 2010's "Barking." The band that has been around for near 30 years is still as fresh and influential as ever. "Barbara Barbara, We Face A Shining Future" is propelled by electronic grooves that are quite often filled with atmospherics and sometimes tribal beats. The lyrics at times are dark with a feel of somberness. The weaving of synthesizers into the guitars and other instruments is magically and beautifully Brian Eno-esque. Filled with the same charm and heart you would hear from a Brian Eno album in his prime. As I listen to this album artists as diverse as Gary Numan, Kraftwerk and Talking Heads come to mind yet always ending up with Brian Eno. This album is an evolution for Underworld which for a band nearing 30 years is remarkable. Underworld is on the verge of becoming one of the world's most influential underrated bands. 

"Motorhome" by Underworld

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10. "Soul Eyes" by Kandace Springs 

"Soul Eyes" by Kandace Springs (Click Here)

Release Date: June 24, 2016

Label: Blue Note, SRP Records

Producer: Larry Klein, Carl Struken
Genres: Jazz, Soft Rock, Adult Contemporary, R&B, Pop

Chart Positions: #99 (Netherlands), #185 (Belgium), #5 (US Jazz Charts), #15 (US R&B Charts)
Certifications: N/A

Singles and Chart Positions: "Talk To Me" #28 (Japan Charts)

Best Cuts: "Soul Eyes," "Talk To Me," "Fall Guy," "The World Is A Ghetto," "Rain Falling"

Who is this beautiful brown eyed freckled girl? She is the 27 year old Kandace Springs. Raised surrounded by music from her father jazz singer Scat Springs. Kandace's first breaks came when Prince saw a video clip of her singing Sam Smith's "Stay With Me." Spring's 2016 debut album is filled with luscious soul and soothing jazz. Her voice is a powerhouse that sits well alongside those such as Billie Holiday and Whitney Houston. Kandace Springs is my choice for best new artist of 2016.

"Talk To Me" by Kandace Springs"

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9. "Overseas" by Milemarker

"Overseas" by Milemarker (Click Here)

Release Date: August 26, 2016

Label: Lovitt Records

Producer: Greg Norman
Genres: Alt-Rock, Post Hardcore, Electronic Rock, Industrial, Post Punk

Chart Positions: N/A
Certifications: N/A

Singles and Chart Positions: N/A

Best Cuts: "Conditional Love," "Untamed Ocean," "Luxuria," "Supercomputer" 

"Overseas" is one of those albums that I really loved right from the start. It did not have to grown me it was love at first listen. I began with the album cover. When I first saw it I was completely intrigued. I just knew I would like the music behind the cover and sure enough I did. Milemarker gives us a blend of guitar driven electronic post punk sounds with a heavy does of crunchy industrial. The odd thing is, why didn't I discover them sooner. Milemarker has been releasing albums since 1998 and "Overseas" is their 8th studio album, I guess I have a lot of catching up to do.

Untamed Ocean by Milemarker

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8. "Another Word For Joy" by Enjoy

"Another Word For Joy" by Enjoy (Click Here)

Release Date: February 20, 2016

Label: Burger Records

Producer: Wyatt Shears
Genres: Post Punk, EDM (Electronic Dance Music), California Punk, Cosmo-Pop

Chart Positions: N/A
Certifications: N/A

Singles and Chart Positions: N/A

Best Cuts: "Travel," "What It Takes," "The Golden State," "Geography" 

Enjoy has an interesting backstory in that Enjoy is simply one person named Wyatt Shears. Wyatt is the 22 year old Orange, California resident who is one held of the Californian-Punk duo Garden. The other half is his twin brother Fletcher Shears. Enjoy (and Garden for that matter) remains in the underground for the time being. By why I ask? Wyatt Shears is reshaping the sound of California punk giving it a cosmopolitan style and throwing a little jazz as well as a heavy dose of electronics and cool guitar chords and vibes and the always present driving bass.  Wyatt is a trendsetter who is just waiting to be noticed and discovered by the masses of music lovers that yearn for more than the ordinary pulp that floats around near the top of the music charts. Enjoy may not be on any music charts just yet but his music is well worth taking notes. Wyatt takes the convention and throws in his own unconventional twists to create some truly worthwhile music. While Wyatt isn't making music is a walking the runways of the world or posing for the cameras of photographers as a model for Yves Saint Laurent. Born on October 28, 1993, Wyatt wrote and produced all the songs on his album and says that melody is the most important part of the song. Shears states, "I usually set out to produced feel good sounds with attractive melodies."

"What It Takes" by Enjoy

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7. "Umbrella Mistress" 

by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

"Umbrella Mistress" by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (Click Here)

Release Date: September 9, 2016

Label: Ipecac Records

Producer: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
Genres: Psychedelic Pop, Cosmo-Pop, Power Pop 

Chart Positions: N/A
Certifications: N/A

Singles and Chart Positions: N/A

Best Cuts: "Saloenliaze," "Umbrella Mistress," "Blood Count," "Winter's Gone"

Omar is on a mission - throughout 2016 he released twelve albums. Some of them were just okay but for the most part these albums were all quality with some great tracks. "Umbrella Mistress" is one of the twelve that  stands above the rest. I call it Cosmopolitan Pop (Cosmo-Pop), it's an uptown sort of modern pop sound that lives in a class of it own (I also put Enjoy's "Another Word For Joy" in that Cosmo-Pop category). Omar wrote all the songs on "Umbrella Mistress" and performs lead vocals and plays most of the instruments. The man is a true music genius and legend. He is the world's most underrated legend. I like "Umbrella Mistress" for it's spacey psychedelic pop style. The songs are quite a bit more melodic and catchy than your usual ORL music. I like hearing a more accessible Omar (but still always love my more avante-gard Omar also). Right from the opening song "Saloenliaze" I was captured by the crisp clean power pop guitars that quickly work into a Beatles type psychedelic swirl and moves right into a catchy hook and chorus. My favorite song is the title tune "Umbrella Mistress," it's a sort of warped love song and is the epitome of my "Cosmo-Pop" tag. It has 60s influenced organ that pops with pop and smart guitar parts with Omar's wry and sweet voiced lead vocals. I love the Elton John stylized keyboards on "Blood Count." This is one of those album I can listen to several times over and still love it in the morning. "House Full Of Hurt" is a dark number reminds me a bit of Bauhaus.

"House Full Of Hurt" by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

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6. "Yesterday I Had The Blues: The Music of Billie Holiday" by Jose James

"Yesterday I Had The Blues: The Music of Billie Holiday" 
by Jose James (Click Here)

Release Date: March 15 2015

Label: Blue Note

Producer: Don Was
Genres: Blues, Jazz, Neo Soul, Adult Contemporary

Chart Positions: #26 (Netherlands), #38 (Belgium), #66 (Spain), #5 (US Jazz Albums)
Certifications: N/A

Singles and Chart Positions: N/A

Best Cuts: "Body and Soul," "Fine and Mellow," "What A Little Moonlight Can Do," "Lover Man," "Strange Fruit"

"Yesterday I Had The Blues - The Music of Billie Holiday" is one of those sleeper albums that catches up on you. As time goes by you come to love it more and more. Jose James gives us his usual smooth soulful delivery of these classic tunes all associated with Billie Holiday. James recorded this album to commemorate the 100th birthday of the legend Billie Holiday. He takes each of these familiar songs and makes them his own while maintaining the soulful integrity of Billie Holiday. 

I am a huge fan of the Blue Note record label and this one almost got away from me... I was browsing the Blue Note website and discovered it. Jose has a deep and romantic voice that pierces the soul in a way that Lou Rawls was able to do. The album is a piano vocal jazz album that flirts with freeform and advent hard jazz. The overall sound is sweet and pure.

"Strange Fruit" by Jose James

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5. "The Heart Speaks In Whispers" 

by Corinne Bailey Rae

"The Heart Speaks In Whispers" 

by Corinne Bailey Rae (Click Here)

Release Date: May 13, 2016

Label: Virgin EMI Records

Producer: Corinne Bailey Rae, Stephen James Brown, Steve Chrisanthou, Paris Strother, James Ryan Ho
Genres: R&B, Jazz, Neo Soul, Adult Contemporary

Chart Positions: #14 (UK), #17 (Scotland), #31 (US), #63 (Belgium), #74 (Netherlands), #100 (Ireland), #2 (US R&B), #3 (US R&B Hip Hop), #10 (US Digital)

Certifications: N/A

Singles and Chart Positions: Been To The Moon," "Green Aphrodisiac" #13 (US Adult R&B), "Stop Where You Are," "The Skies Will Break," "Hey, I Won't Break Your Heart"

Best Cuts: "The Skies Will Break," "Been To The Moon," "Tell Me," "Green Aphrodisiac," "Horse Print Dress," "Caramel," "Walk On," "Ice Cream Colours"

Corinne Bailey Rae is one of this generations finest singer/songwriters who improves and matures with each successive album. "The Heart Speaks In Whispers" treats us to a well focused CBR who has expanded her emotional range and has sharpened her artistic direction to a point of creating her most compelling album to date. "The Heart Cries In Whispers  is a well balanced album included soulful ballads, electric groove oriented R&B, splashes of adult contemporary, hints of jazz and a robust helping of everything fantastic. Corinne's voice as always is well sculptured with her own recognizable twist. 

My favorite song "Horse Print Dress" has a noticeable Prince influence while "Ice Cream Colours," a track from the Deluxe Edition grooves with a sunny pop rhythm. 

What I do not understand is why this album did not chart higher or in more countries as it really is CBR's best work to date. This one should have been a solid #1 hit.

"Horse Print Dress" by Corinne Bailey RaeRae

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4. "Day Breaks" by Norah Jones

"Day Breaks" by Norah Jones ( Click Here)

Release Date: October 7, 2016 

Label: Blue Note Records

Producer: Norah Jones, Eli Wolf, Sarah Oda
Genres:  Jazz, Adult Contemporary, Pop Rock

Chart Positions: #1 (Switzerland, Germany, Brazil, Lebanon, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Thailand, Inited Arab Emirates, Estonia), #2 (US, Austria, Belgium, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hungary, Mongolia, Turkey), #3 (France, Japan, Chile, Luxemboug, Vietnam, Indonesia), #4 (Australia, Argentina, Bahrain, India, Czechoslovakia, South Africa, Colombia), #6 (Puerto Rico, Canada, Bulgaria), #7 (Italy), #8 (Netherlands, Poland, Mexico), #9 (UK, Scotland), #10 (Denmark), #12 (Sweden, Russia), #14 (Spain, Greece), #17 (South Korea), #18 (Ireland), #23 (Norway), #34 (Finland), #1 (US Jazz Albums)

Certifications: Gold (Austria)

Singles and Chart Positions: "Carry On," #37 (Japan), #107 (France), "Flipside"

Best Cuts: "Burn," "Flipside" "Day Breaks," "Peace," "Once I Had A Laugh," "Fleurette Africaine (African Flower)"

I anticipated the release of this album for nearly a year. It seemed to take forever but it finally arrived. When I read the first reviews I was not so excited about the album. The comments were that Norah was venturing back to her days of "come Away With Me," an album which I love and I consider a classic but I was much hoping for another move forward as Norah has done with each successive album. she experiments here and there with different styles and genres. I was not looking forward to a step backward especially after her bold 2012 album, "Little Broken Hearts," which was produced by Danger Mouse, one of the most respected producers of the past ten years.  Regardless I still purchased the album as I am a diehard Norah Jones fan and figured there would at least be two or three songs that excel. Well, I was wrong! There weren't two or three songs that excelled from the album. Instead I was treated to a solid album from start to finish upon my first listen. Norah Jones did not go back to the country-esque adult contemporary sounds of "Come Away With Me," instead she dug deeper and further into the variations of jazz music. She gifts us with her adaptations of hard bop, bebop, post-bop and jazz-fusion. What a delight. "Day Breaks" is an album Blue Note can be seriously proud of. "Flipside" turned me on with fire. The groovin' keyboards. the fiery organ, funky bass and Norah's cool soul vocals make this song really move. "Fleurette Africaine (African Flower)" written by Duke Ellingon moves along in a modal jazz manner that remains true to the genre and is only bested by the masters as Miles Davis and John Coltrane. The visualization of the African Flower comes to life in your mind as you soak in Norah's dark toned hums adding the final texture to an already well textured song. One of the most remarkable aspects of this album (and there are many remarkable aspects) is the use of jazz bass lines that really send a groove in an irresistibly understated manner. Norah Jones thank you for this surprisingly excellent album once again you have not disappointed. A+

"Flipside" by Norah Jones

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3. "Corazones" by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

"Corazones" by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (Click Here)

Release Date: July 29, 2016 

Label: Ipecac Records

Producer: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Sam Margolis
Genres:  Alternative Rock, Experimental Rock, Americana, Folk Rock, Post Punk

Chart Positions: N/A

Certifications: N/A

Singles and Chart Positions: N/A

Best Cuts: "Running Away," "It Was Her," "Dead Heart," "Arrest My Father," "Five Different Pieces" 

"Corazones" is one of those albums that digs deep into your soul right from the first few seconds of hearing it. It's like an early 70s Pink Floyd album that has the soul of an acoustic album and the experimentalism of an Eno influenced synthesized work of art. Omar released twelve albums in 2016 and this one was his most personal he dedicated it to his mom, Frances, who passed away in 2012. The album cover sports a lovely photo of Frances, I suspect taken in the 1980s. The music is straight ahead folk inspired pop with a dreamlike quality the seeps right into every bones in your body. It is chillingly beautiful and personal. some of the songs are of pain and love while other display a certain angst Omar holds as he grieves his mother's passing. As you listen to each song you can feel Omar's loss and how he misses his mom. This is the second album he has dedicated to his mom, the first was 2012's "Un Corazon de Nadie." "Running Away" is a sunny sounding pop song yet behind the cheerful feel the lyric touches on the mournful yearning of running away from the pain of losing a loved one. One of my other favorites in "Arrest My Father" an aggressive dark themed post-punk song. Omar's calling out to have his father arrested is symbolic of an attempt to contain pent up emotions that want to explode all over the place. The song contains some tasty Americana guitar work and in some ways reminds me of something Johnny Cash may have written. The song is peppered with a locomotive beat and sprightly harmonica. 

"Arrest My Father" by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

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2. "From The Deep" by The Heliocentrics

"From The Deep" by The Heliocentrics

Release Date: February 19, 2016 

Label: Now Again Records

Producer: Malcom Catto, Eothan Allapatt, Jake Ferguson
Genres:  Jazz, Experimental, Electronic, Psych, Funk

Chart Positions: N/A

Certifications: N/A

Singles and Chart Positions: N/A

Best Cuts: "Discovery," "The Five Thing," "Thunder & Lightning," "The Pit," "Primitivos," "The Gas Bottle," "Into The Vortex" 

"From The Deep" is one of those albums that thrills me every time I listen to it. Each listen is like my first listen, I discover something new in the music that I didn't hear before. The music is amazingly textured and diverse with everything from hints of Middle Eastern sounds, bits and pieces of hip hop, contemporary adult styles and psychedelic jazz. Steeped in experimental forms of jazz influences "From The Deep" is musically one of the strongest albums I've heard in the past few years. Hiding beneath the unconventional is an undeniable beauty in the emotion of the music. Artistically woven we hear magical horns, shimmering vibraphone, a full line of percussive instruments, heartfelt keyboards, state of the art guitars and grooving' bass. It's a voyage through noises and conversations through thunder and lightning and every experience through the solar system. This is the album for which you put your best headphones on and listen closely to every intertwined intricate sound.

"The Five Thing" by The Heliocentrics

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1. "Emily's D+Evolution" by 

Esperanza Spalding

"Emily's D+Evolution" by Esperanza Spalding (Click Here)

Reelase Date: March 4, 2016 

Label: Concord

Producer: Esperanza Spalding, Tony Visconti
Genres:  Contemporary Jazz, Jazz Fusion, Experimental Jazz, Funk, Art Rock, Math Rock

Chart Positions: #88 (US), #148 (Belgium), #181 (France), #1 (US Jazz Albums), #6 (US Tastemakers Albums), #10 (US Rock Albums, US Alternative Albums)

Certifications: N/A

Singles and Chart Positions: "Good Lava," "One"

Best Cuts: "Good Lava," "Noble Nobles," "Ebony and Ivory," "Unconditional Love," "Elevate Or Operate," "Funk The Fear," "Earth To Heaven" 

There's a lot to ingest here, "Emily's D+Evolution" is not your ordinary album. There's a mountain of messages and overlapping doses of soul and art to contemplate. Let's start out with one of it's producers, Tony Visconti. Visconti is a living legend having produced albums for T. Rex, The Strawbs, Caravan, Sparks, Iggy Pop, Thin Lizzy, Rick Wakeman, Hazel O'Connor, Boomtown Rats, John Hiatt, The Moody Blues, Morrissey and most importantly David Bowie. Visconti produced thirteen albums for Bowie including the classics: "The Man Who Sold The World," "young Americans," "Low," "Heroes," "Lodger," "Scary Monsters and Super Freaks" and Bowie's final album "Blackstar." With this knowledge we discover that Esperanza has taken a decided turn into the world of art-rock. It's worth noting that Esperanza duly influenced Visconti as he infused a good amount of jazz inflections in Bowie's "Blackstar."     

Music critics across the board have given high ratings for this album suggesting it is one of the finest albums of the year and quite possibly of all-time. Many stating that "Emily's D+Evolution" is a redefining moment in Spalding's career (of course critics have been rightfully saying this of Spalding's last three albums). It seems that with each album Spalding continues to break new ground by building on and improving from past efforts. With each album she introduces a new genre to her oeuvre of music, this time around being Math-Rock. Spalding cleverly incorporates this complex, rhythmic off-shoot of prog-rock seamlessly with her unique blend of funk filled experimental jazz creating a most delectable tasty treat that is more palatable than the famous merging of peanut butter and chocolate.  

John Fordman from the Guardian says, "Spalding's voice has never sounded so assured in it's dizzying ascents from mid-range murmurs to falsetto swoops."

"Emily's D+Evolution" is my favorite album of 2016, Matthew Stevens' crunchy guitar chords and Esperanza's vocals that recall Joni Mitchell's jazz-tilted explorations soar right past anything I was expecting from her before I took my first listen of the album. With Emily's D+Evolution" Esperanza Spalding gave us something quite a bit more distinguished and richer than I ever dreamed would be flowing through my ears into the most pleasurable parts of my mind and soul. 

* As a side note "Emily" is Esperanza's middle name. She says that Emily is her alter-ego. 

"Good Lava" by Esperanza Spalding

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Worthy Mentions of 2016

The following is a list of albums that did not make the Top 15 but merit a mention:

"Amen and Goodbye" by Yeasayers

"Dark Passenger" by Decoded Feedback

"case, lang, viers" by case, lang, viers

"Santana IV" by Santana

"Radio Love" by Radio Player

"Pure and Simple" by Dolly Parton

"A Moon Shaped Pool" by Radiohead

"Wild World" by Bastille

"Detour" by Cyndi Lauper

"Invention of Knowledge" by Jon Anderson and Roine Stolt

Thank you once again for visiting "Rock Music and More..." I hope that you may have learned something from this post or at the very least discovered some great new music!!!

2016 in Music!