Tag Archives: Tame Impala

Top Albums of 2015: 15 National

(in 140 Characters or Less)

Words by Submerge Staff

Like holiday party hangovers and overly optimistic new year’s resolutions, year-end best album lists are a dime a dozen. So what makes ours so special? Well, for one thing, we made it. And we obviously have the kind of refined musical palate you don’t just find by clicking around on the damn internet. More importantly, we split this year’s Top 30 albums list into two distinct portions: 15 albums with connections to the Sacramento area, and 15 albums from the world beyond. There are, of course, many, many, albums that came out over the last year deserving of praise, but these 30 were our favorites. Why? Our staff explains, with Twitter-esque succinctness.

Submerge-15-Hiatus Kaiyote

15.

Hiatus Kaiyote
Choose Your Weapon

I bet Jamiroquai is in his room enjoying this amazing, raucous, jazzy neo-soul album right now. Silky Rhodes piano over Roy Ayers grooves.

Submerge-14-Kendrick Lamar

14.

Kendrick Lamar
To Pimp A Butterfly

One of the most timely pieces of street-influenced hip-hop shimmers w/ brilliant musicianship, immense production and one talented emcee.

GDOB-30H3-007

13.

Hop Along
Painted Shut

Equal parts punk, folk and indie music led by a female singer who can lull you into a sleepy daze or kill you in any moment on Painted Shut.

Submerge-12-La Luz

12.

La Luz
Weirdo Shrine

Their third album on Hardly Art/Burger Records, La Luz is a badass, Seattle-based lady surf rock band. Weirdo Shrine will make you a Luzer.

Submerge-11-Batushka

11.

Batushka
Litourgiya

A mix of religious imagery, Slavonic chanting & monolithic black metal conjuring images of Satanic rituals performed in a Catholic church.

Submerge-10-Sleater-Kinney

10.

Sleater-Kinney
No Cities to Love

After a 10-year studio hiatus, the original Riot Grrrls have re-emerged and released a collection of enthralling, liberationist sonic waves.

Submerge-9-Tuxedo

09.

Tuxedo
Tuxedo

Slick, suave and oh-so smooth. Over Jake One’s funky beats, Mayer Hawthorne is finally making the kind of R&B tunes that suit him best.

Submerge-8-The Cairo Gang

08.

The Cairo Gang
Goes Missing

Bonnie Prince Billy smoking hash with old Fresh & Onlys while tickling Greg Cartwright and James Mercer’s moody taints.

Submerge-2-Viet Cong

07.

Viet Cong
Viet Cong

Angular post-punk from Canada featuring members of the sadly defunct Women. For fans of Echo & The Bunnymen and Joy Division.

Submerge-6-Mbongwana Star

06.

Mbongwana Star
From Kinshasa

Intertwining African music, Congolese to be exact, with psychedelic, post-punk & modern electro sounds. Will blow your mind rhythmically.

Submerge-5-Tame Impala

05.

Tame Impala
Currents

Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker is a psychedelic pop rock genius. Take an interstellar trip with his latest, on which he played every note.

Submerge-7-Sufjan Stevens

04.

Sufjan Stevens
Carrie & Lowell

A cathartic journey: Sufjan returns to his trademark sparse, moody instrumentations. Exorcising family demons never sounded so lovely.

Submerge-3-Courtney Barnett

03.

Courtney Barnett
Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit

Delivering on the promise of a great 2014 EP, Aussie grungester Barnett broke out big in ‘15 with a critical and commercial homerun.

Submerge-4-Jason Isbell

02.

Jason Isbell
Something More Than Free

Gritty blue collar Americana from a songwriter filled with addiction and regret that weaves together stories of passion, sobriety and hope.

Submerge-1-Neon Indian

01.

Neon Indian
VEGA INTL. Night School

Less chill, more thrill. A glitzy paean to Italo-disco & intoxicated nocturnalia. Don your transparent raincoat & get on the dancefloor!??

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See our local 2015 list

Submerge’s Top 20 of 2012

From local bands and beyond, here are Submerge’s favorite albums of 2012, in tweet-friendly format. These albums are certified #awesome!

20) Jessica Pratt
s/t

(Birth Records)

Pratt’s debut of home-recorded, time-capsule folk stood as a brilliant reminder of the beauty in lo-fi love letters.

19) Wife & Son
This That and the Other

(self-released)

A brilliant indie-pop record from one of our favorite new local bands. The suburbs of Sacramento have never sounded so good!

18) Marina and the Diamonds
Electra Heart

(679 Recordings)

Pop anthems with heart and humor for disenfranchised prom queens and introspective home-wreckers.

17) The Ross Hammond Quartet
Adored

(Big Weezus Music)

Jazz requires inspiration. The Ross Hammond Quartet’s Adored comes from a budding father’s lullabies fed through free jazz spontaneity.

16) Beach House
Bloom

(Sub Pop)

Called a “dream pop duo,” Beach House records a calming and eerie sound unique to much of the music today.

15) Metz
s/t

(Sub Pop)

Sporadic screaming bursts, fuzzy bass and plenty guitar chaos, this album has ears both assaulted and surrendering over and over.

14) Thee Oh Sees
Putrifiers II

(In the Red)

Veteran psych-punk loonies leapt out of the garage and into national consciousness with their liveliest cuts of fuzzy fun.

13) Action Bronson and Party Supplies
Blue Chips

(mix tape)

Skillful rapping mixed with humor and bravado over a range of stellar production, and it’s a wrap. It’s a fun album with rewards for mindful ears.

12) Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
Here

(Rough Trade)

The perfect band of misfits surpasses all expectations with their second studio album full of charismatic, folk-y love songs and smiles.

11) Fine Steps
Boy’s Co.

(self-released)

Fine Step’s Boy’s Co. should be on Slumberland. On Captured Tracks. Hell, even Burger. Two self-presses later, Fine Steps gets the glory.

10) Witchcraft
Legend

(Nuclear Blast)

Pure, heavy riff alchemy. Progressive, yet retro. Metal shouldn’t sound this groovy, but we’re glad it does.

9) Japandroids
Celebration Rock

(Polyvinyl Record Co.)

A fitting album title, indeed. Anthemic as all hell, this is a singalong, raise your glass type punk rock record.

8 ) St. Lucia
s/t

(Columbia)

Catchy, dreamy electro-pop fit for a night club or sweaty hipster venue. Leader Jean-Philip Grobler is a pop-music force to be reckoned with.

7) The Sword
Apocryphon

(Razor & Tie)

The lords of stoner rock reach new heights on a space-y trip down the heavy metal rabbit hole.

6) The Mars Volta
Noctourniquet

(Warner Bros.)

Nearly three years in the making, Noctourniquet was worth the wait. Sounds exactly like a Volta record should, and that’s why we love it.

5) C-Plus & Lee Bannon

Young Champions
(self-released)

Two of Sacramento’s finest team up for an epic release. No features, just Plus’ smooth flows over Bannon’s undeniably sick beats. Go cop it!

4) Kendrick Lamar
Good Kid M.A.A.D. City

(Aftermath/Interscope)

Believe the hype. A brave debut, from a bright mind who showed that you can create outside the box and succeed. Truly masterful in every respect.

3) Tame Impala
Lonerism

(Modular)

Lonerism is damn near perfect. It’s a psych album with pop melodies; heavy guitars, intricate drumming, humming keys and an irresistible sonic sheen.

2) Death Grips
The Money Store

(Epic)

Weird, angry, non-imitable experimental hip-hop from Sacramento. Is it rap? Is it punk? What the fuck is it? Don’t ask, turn it up!

1) Solos
Beast of Both Worlds

(Joyful Noise)

The sonic symbiosis of this Aaron Ross/Spencer Seim collaboration explored bold and bizarre realms. Sleeper LP of the year.