2016 in music: dad, rock
I’m a simple man. I like bars and beats, hooks and riffs. I value the new but do not let the old go lightly.
Technology does its job too well, as there are too many interesting things to hear but a limited amount of time and energy for listening.
Below is a list of things that caught — and kept — my attention this year. It is not exhaustive or authoritative. It’s a cheat, a “best of 2016” list that doesn’t satisfy those conditions. It is the music that meant the most to me this year. That’s it. Enjoy!
Honorable mention: The first 270 seconds of this video
The rest of it is great too, but the thermonuclear pop when they hit the chorus of You Vandal was like a lightning bolt to the heart.
WARNING: may result in uncontrolled smiling or spontaneous singing.
Ed note: why 270 seconds? One for every stage dive 💗
Band name salad
Some records that came out this year that I liked just fine: You Blew It!, Frank Ocean, Chance The Rapper, Hesitation Wounds, Frameworks, Signals Midwest, G.L.O.S.S. and a bunch more.
In too deep
Russian Circles put out a record every other year. Each is distinctly a Russian Circles record and nothing else. They tour and play about the same venue in front of roughly the same group of people and play a delightful setlist of heavy instrumental post-rock and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Is the new record a revelation? That I don’t know. But it’s great as a Russian Circles record that sounds new and familiar at the same time. It doesn’t sound forced or like the band is straining to create new material. They just bang heads and tour Europe. We should all be so lucky.
See also: Thrice.
Things I liked the most
5. A Tribe Called Quest
Malik Taylor died in March, and his death sent many folks of a certain age back down through the Tribe catalog. It was good to be there. There was even some solo tracks of his that floated to the surface and they sounded great! And then Tribe put out a new record with Busta Rhymes and it sounded even better! A joyous note to finish what was a bummer of a year.
4. Blowout
Sometimes a record shows up in your lap at just the right moment. No Beer, No Dad is just that record. I had never heard of Blowout before but this punky Portland group is on to something.
Digging back into their catalog reveals the standout track from the record, Guts Grown Up, is well on its way to becoming Blowout’s Disconnected. I can think of no higher compliment.
3. Nails
Please do not watch the above video. It’s ridiculous.
This band — the video, the lyrics, the song titles — is a bigger guilty pleasure than one thousand sugary pop acts.
This record, heavy and hideous, is also ridiculous. But goddamn if I didn’t play it to death this year. I love it for the variety of stink faces it drags out of me as I speed home, beating my steering wheel senseless all the while.
2. Vince Staples
Vince Staples is a “Best of” list success story. Many list touted the greatness of 2015’s Summertime ’06 and I’m better for it. It’s still in heavy rotation, and 2016 saw the Long Beach MC pop up with more testaments to his skills.
His track with Clams Casino stood out from that DJ/producer’s solo record, an impeccably produced song with typically strong work from Staples.
Later in the year, Staples dropped Prima Donna, which I predictably loved. Maybe not as transcendent as Chance or Danny Brown but it perfectly strikes the aforementioned “bars and beats” balance.
1. Julien Baker
Technically, Julien Baker didn’t put out a new record this year. But her music came my way via the magic of algorithms and I’m forever grateful. her spotify sessions or her audiotree live recording or her AV Undercover entry or the “she’s a dad rock robot from beyond the moon” live Jawbreaker cover or her bummer-ass Christmas song, she’s been around.
Despite all that, it is her guest spot on Touche Amore’s Skyscraper that stands out. A song that should be cringe-worthy is instead devastating, a decent shorthand for the music of Julien Baker.
Raw, real and shattering, I’m thankful 2016 brought me her music, my favourite of the year.
