Summer 2015: A Summation in Albums

   Summer is always when I discover my new favorite artist (ex: Lights circa 2013) or album (Danger Days circa 2012). Maybe it's with the excessive free time I get but I'm always hooked on someone new by the end of the season and this year was no exception with a pretty wide array of albums.

♥American Candy (The Maine)
key song: "Diet Soda Society"
I'd heard a couple songs off this one (meaning "English Girls") before the summer started but hadn't really listened to it in full or on complete repeat. I've never been a giant The Maine fan (I'd only seen them at Warped 2014 and maybe knew a couple songs) so the entire album wasn't a huge priority but I'm so so so happy I actually got around to it. Though they lack in lyrical development, the songs are incredibly catchy and easy to be used as background music while writing (something I can just kind of sing along to without paying much attention). The vocals are also extremely well done (I find it interesting the album is called American Candy when there's kind of a British twang to everything). 

♥How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (Florence + The Machine)
key song: "Hiding"
I took way too long to get around to listening to this one. Florence is one of my favorite singers but when the album came out, I skimmed through it without really going through everything as it deserves. Her vocal progression is pretty much the same, if not calmer, but the songs are a lot darker. A common theme of HBHBHB is danger I'd noticed and I appreciate how her voice puts that across- she sounds a lot more intense and almost frightening at points. All together, yet another good Florence + The Machine album (can you ever go wrong with her?)

♥Mayday Parade (self titled album)
key song: "No Heroes Allowed"
This is such emo trash oh god. Overall, I don't think any band (other My Chemical Romance) can hold a candle to the amount of emo in these songs- is there any type of enjoyable, feel good, Mayday Parade song? Pretty good track list though- about everything is catchy once you get past the incredibly dark pieces, it's fun to kind of zone out and sing to (there's a common theme here I think).

♥Cavalier Youth (You Me At Six)
key Song: "Room To Breathe"
Though I considered You Me At Six to be my second favorite band in 2012 (I found this out in an ancient artifact called "Ann's 7th Grade Journal"), I'd never actually heard their latest album (which had come out in 2014) and I wasn't sure what to expect. Sinners Never Sleep was already so good it really can't be beat and though Cavalier Youth really can't stand to it, in a way, I could call the album the darker older brother of SNS. The tracks are pretty heavy and though vocals really haven't changed, it's not exactly a bad thing. In truth, Josh isn't the greatest vocalist but he makes up for it in the emotion within his voice. It was the best it could be after Sinners Never Sleep.

♥Throne (Bring Me The Horizon)
key song: "Happy Song"
This can't even count as an EP but the two new songs Bring Me The Horizon released this summer were exceptional. With BMTH, I'm either in love (ex: Sempiternal) or think it's shit (ex: Suicide Season) and as good as "Drown" was, I didn't have much faith in these two new singles but after listening, I can't be more excited for the new album. When hearing this with Sam, we both commented on how damaged Oli's voice is- which oddly enough, is my favorite part. It's rough and scratchy-ness adds texture to the tracks. Though "Throne" sounds incredibly like something you'd hear in an emo hair dye tutorial, I'm surprisingly into it. Also, BabyMetal. You can't go wrong with them. Ever.

♥Rooms of the House (La Dispute)
key song: "Hudsonville, MI 1956"
Never listened to much of La Dispute. I've skimmed through Somewhere At The Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair (typical) but really hadn't given them much of a chance. The thing with La Dispute is that about everything sounds the same (fast paced guitar, scared talking, then a breakdown full of breathing) but I mean, I'm into it. The album is well done and tells a really clear story which is always a bonus for me. As I said early, though the vocals are about always the same, I'm really in love with the strange style.

♥Consider This (Tonight Alive)
key song: "5 Years"
Two words: Jenna McDougall. Extremely strong vocals beyond belief and Tonight Alive before signing to Fearless. Pretty self explanatory. I mean my best friend is practically Jenna so how can I not be absolutely in love with this EP?

♥New Politics (self titled, Vikings, and "West End Kids")
I've been somewhat big on New Politics since around the end of eighth grade- I even saw them live. This summer, I just got listening to their first album along with the newer songs and sneak peek of Vikings. Fun stuff. As absolutely great as Bad Girl in Harlem was, I'm extremely excited for something that sounds marginally different.

Best Albums Of The Year (2013)

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Save Rock And Roll-Fall Out Boy
After a four year hiatus, the punk pop band came right back with their single "My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark" and came out with the eleven track album, "Save Rock And Roll". By listening to this album, you can really see the changes the band went through compared to their last album, "Folie A Deux". They sound much more pop than before and though I am not a big fan of the genre, it really flatters the band. "Save Rock And Roll" also features artists such as Courtney Love, Foxes!, Big Sean, and Elton John that really add a lot to the tracks.
Organs-Tom Milsom

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Tom's sixth album was no disappointment. After releasing his "Take Me Out" EP, Tom didn't stop there for 2013. In July, the mystical and thought provoking music video for "Pipes" was put up onto his YouTube channel with the announcement that a full album titled "Organs" would be released in the Fall. Though this album can clearly be identified as Tom Milsom's work, you can really tell that the British psychedelia singer pushes his boundaries with this new album.
Epigrams And Interludes-Alex Day

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Though it is arguable that "Epigrams and Interludes" is more of a compilation of songs than an actual album, in my book, it counts.  This twenty track album is really unique from anything any artist I have seen has ever come out with for not only does it feature seven new songs (I've Got What It Takes, Here Comes Trouble, Oh No I'm In Love, Jack and Coke, Wish Is For You, Losing A Future, and Wannabe a Star) but also features his four greatest hits (Stupid Stupid, She Walks Right Through Me, Lady Godiva, and Forever Yours). On top of all that, Alex collected all the songs he has collaborated with someone and produced for people such as Carrie Hope Fletcher, Bryarly Bishop, Tom Milsom and many more.

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Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die!-Panic! At The Disco
Brendan Urie, Spencer Smith, and Dallon Weekes or as you may know them, Panic! At The Disco finally released this album in the fall! Though I have always really liked this band, I have to say this is probably their best album yet (well aside from the first). Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die! has amazing variety of styles from powerful songs such as "This Is Gospel" to rather creepy songs like "Casual Affair"
Just like Fall Out Boy, Panic has gone through many different changes (and band members) and after all this, the band has come out with an amazing finished product for their comeback.

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Sunflower-Never Shout Never
Never Shout Never's newest album can be described in one word as "chill". Unlike a lot of the other albums this band has released, Sunflower isn't as chimy and even has a bits and pieces of psychedelia. There tons and tons of harmonies and acoustic guitar featured on "Sunflower".
Paramore (Self Titled)

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I am a pretty huge fan of Paramore and was rather sad when the band lost two of its members thinking, their quality would die. God was wrong. The band has gotten much stronger since becoming a three piece! This self titled album could most likely be the best put together album of the year not only how the variety of styles of songs are placed throughout the album but also the interludes used. Paramore has never used ukulele in any of their songs and making three (short) songs to put on their album seemed like a rather weird thing for them to do. I can honestly say, putting Moving On, I'm Not Angry Anymore (my favorite song by them ever), and Holiday was an amazing decision. The three interludes are so raw and pretty and just my God I loved them.

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Sempiternal-Bring Me The Horizon 
After releasing the ten track compilation, "Count Your Blessings", I was pretty surprised when the hardcore punk band came out with "Sempiternal". The album has a load of electric guitar which I find they used rather well in their music and though I am not a big fan of techno at all, their usage of it in the first track, "Can You Feel My Heart", really made the song more intense and beautiful.
Girl Talk-Kate Nash

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Kate Nash came back with yet another unique collection of songs this year! Though there is no actual description in which the album is titled "Girl Talk" I interpret the reasoning behind it is for in about every track on the album, Kate's lyrics look like something written by a teenager. Not in the sense that it is bad quality, but just the view point. I mean the sixth track is in fact, titled "OMYGOD". Kate's voice is extraordinarily beautiful and really blew me away with this album. She put so much power and emotion into the songs features and I was really able to relate to what she was singing about.

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Siberia (Acoustic)-Lights
I absolutely loved the songs on Light's 2011 Siberia and once she came back this year with an acoustic version of the album, I was amazed. Though her voice is already gorgeous on her other three albums, I was blown away by how raw and beautiful her voice is in Siberia Acoustic. She had so much personality in these versions of her songs (not that she didn't in the originals) and I absolutely loved how she added the verse in French (she grew up in Canada).
We'll Fall Together-Austin Jones

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My favorite part of Austin Jones is his connection with his fans. When I bought his latest album, We'll Fall Together, and tweeted him telling him that I loved it, he personally thanked me. All of the songs on this album have a personal backstory to why he wrote it. Austin's entire music career is impressive all together too. I mean he has a fairly large fan base without the help of a record label, agent, or manager!

Happy new year!

-Ann