5 & 4
5) Carly Rae Jepsen -
E-MO-TION: Side B
I'll admit it, placing this album on my list is a little bit of a cop-out. I mean, technically speaking this release is just an EP consisting of the leftover tracks from Carly Rae Jepsen's breakout 2015 release. It's just too damn good to leave off of my list though. It's hard to imagine a studio album, especially one that both I and so many others adored, being outclassed by the album's outtakes. Yet that's exactly what happened on this thing.
The same retro synth based style Jepsen used to fuel the full-length version is present on this EP, yet it feels much hookier and primed for radio play. The catchy choruses' on tracks like Body Language and Fever may be amongst the best the Canadian pop star has even delivered. Beyond that is the large variety in sound between the tracks. Of course you wouldn't go into a project of this nature expecting a huge variation in sound, yet it's still there is a welcomed element in separating this from the album itself. In fact, the only reason I can see for leaving these tracks off of the full-length is due to how different they are sonically, at least when placed next to the album tracks which all seemed to follow a certain sound.
A must hear for all fans of the genre, Carly Rae Jepsen furthers her position as the Internet's pop darling with a stellar follow-up to her breakthrough project.
4) David Bowie -
Blackstar
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Up until just a few weeks ago I figured this would finish the year as my number one album. I will admit my enjoyment of the music might of declined a bit throughout the year (keep in mind this was released all the way back in January) however it is still one of the most powerful and well written albums I've heard in 2016. It's hard to imagine the landscape of popular music with Bowie and his influence, and for an artist of his stature to leave with such a beautiful swan song will undoubtedly lead to this album being one of the most highly regarded albums in his discography.
It's been said that Bowie took influence from many younger acts with his construction of the release, some publishers even threw around Death Grips as being an influence on his sound. Regardless of who exactly it was that compelled yet another change in style for the ever-evolving musician, it was certainly a change for the better. The jazzy approach of the production on the album coupled with the experimental edge makes for an immaculate sound, one that constantly entertains and enthralls the listener while also provoking a multitude of emotions. The peak of the album, as far as I'm concerned, will always be Lazarus, driven by the heart wrenching opening line "Look up here, I'm in heaven."