Sound Obsession

Another year done and gone, and what a great year for music.  These are my top ten favorite albums of 2023, in alphabetical order by artist name . . . . Baroness:   Stone     (Abraxan Hymns - 9/15/23) Not so long prior to 2015’s   Purple , Baroness’ excellent fourth album in a color-coded series that concluded this year, their tour bus flipped in Bath, England, resulting in both shattered bones and band lineup.     Founder and frontman John Baizley remains as the sole original member of this Savannah, GA, sludge and progressive metal group.     2017’s   Gold & Grey   introduced fans to axe-shredder extraordinaire Gina Gleason, cementing a new and now consistent dynamic that pays dividends on Baroness’ latest LP,   Stone .     As its title implies, this one is rock solid with drums and bass locked in propulsive motorik tempo, Gleason’s soari...

What a year, right?  With live music shutting down in mid-March, the last nine months or so have been all about studio albums for me.  Here are my top ten favorites of 2020, in alphabetical order.  Not too many curveballs.  We're talkin' comfort food here.  Many of these artists have made my top ten favorites lists in recent years, and here they are again.  This time though I was happy to see and hear some stylistic experimentation, lineup changes, and pushing of envelopes.  Check out my runners up and honorable mentions list too.         Have a listen.  Hope you enjoy, and Happy New Year! Brent Cobb:   Keep 'Em On They Toes    (Ol' Buddy - 10/2/20) South Georgia native Brent Cobb, cousin to country super-producer Dave Cobb, released his fourth studio album this year.  This time Brent switched gears, enlisting indie-folk p...

1.  David Bowie:   Blackstar   (ISO - 1/8/16) David Bowie - "Lazarus" David Bowie - "Blackstar" David Bowie - "I Can't Give Everything Away" 2.  Vektor:   Terminal Redux   (Earache - 5/6/16) Vektor - "Charging The Void" Vektor - "Ultimate Artificer" Vektor - "LCD (Liquid Crystal Disease)" 3.  Skepta:   Konnichiwa   (Boy Better Know - 5/6/16) Skepta - "Shut Down" Skepta - "Man" Skepta - "That's Not Me" 4.  A Tribe Called Quest:   We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service   (Epic - 11/11/16) A Tribe Called Quest - "We The People" A Tribe Called Quest - "Dis Generation" 5.  Sturgill Simpson:   A Sailor's Guide To Earth   (Atlantic - 4/15/16) Sturgill Simpson - "In Bloom" Sturgill Simpson - "Breakers Roar" Sturgill Simpson - "All Around You"...

We're midway through 2016 and already have a surplus of excellent music to enjoy.  In alphabetical order, the following fifteen albums are my favorite this year so far. . . . Autolux:   Pussy's Dead (30th Century - 4/1/16) Reclusive Silver Lake threesome Autolux drop their third album in a dozen years, moving even farther away from their shoegaze and noise-rock roots into Radiohead-style glitch IDM territory while showcasing Carla Azar's always-excellent drumming. David Bowie:   Blackstar   (ISO - 1/8/16) Music legend David Bowie caps off his unparalleled fifty-plus year career with a haunting 26th album released on his 69th birthday, just days before losing his battle with cancer.  An arresting and graceful blend of experimental jazz and trip-hop, Bowie confronts mortality and legacy head-on. Commodo:   How What Time (Black Acre - 4/8/16) Releasing over a dozen bangers on single and EP over the years via heavyweight dubstep la...