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WINNERS POSTED || • Vilppu's Best of 2015 •
Member Since: 8/6/2015
Posts: 5,766
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Quote:
Originally posted by sticks
Damn, Chrvches got lacerated. But I do agree, I barely had any interest in their new album.
Nice layout too!
~I think your link in signature is broken though FYI~
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Now that I read my write-up, I really was harsh on them. I don't hate them though, Every Open Eye just had, like, zero replay value for me and very few songs stood out.
Thanks for telling, I see what's wrong with it. I'll fix it.
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Member Since: 1/4/2014
Posts: 22,877
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Slay CHVRCHES making it on there.
Great graphics by the way! Very fancy!
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Member Since: 5/23/2007
Posts: 65,087
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Your Body
Good For You was a grower! Selena Gomez can't release a bad song
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Member Since: 2/5/2014
Posts: 29,111
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The write-up for the weaknd
Shameless is nice.
Kelly does have a nice song every once in awhile
Everglow is a sweet little song even though I do love A Head Full Of Drems. It's one of my favorite pop albums of the year. I love the production and how all the different beats and loops scatter like a Kaleidoscope through the album[/Coldplay stanning]
I keep meaning to check FFS. But keep forgetting Added to my list.
Nice to see Jazmine though.
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Member Since: 4/16/2007
Posts: 30,963
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Nice songs
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Member Since: 8/6/2015
Posts: 5,766
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Aftertaste
Keep on Dancin'
Devotion
Heal | 25. Ellie Goulding - Delirium
Interesting and inconsistent. These are possibly the two best nouns to describe my relationship with Ellie Goulding. We've been through indifference (Bright Lights), real love (Halcyon) and passionate hate (Halcyon Days and the few singles/songs afterwards). I decided to listen to Delirium just out of curiosity, I expected the worst. However, the devil is not so black as he is painted.
Well, Delirium is no Halcyon. There is not a single song as good as Only You or Figure 8. But if you think about it as a pop girl record in 2015, you'll find quite a few bops here. With some help of Greg Kurstin, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Max Martin and Ali Payami, Ellie created an army (literally; the most extended edition has 25 songs) of pop tracks, nearly all of which having infectious hooks and smash potential. It's really an unstoppable party, chorus after chorus, bop after bop. It works perfectly when you need some maybe a bit basic and generic but cheerful and catchy tunes. Let's be real, we all want to have fun and listen to not-so-ambitious music.
The album has its flaws, like the single off 50 Shades of Grey, the unnecessary We Can't Move to This or the (mostly) dull bonus tracks but you'll forget all about them having Keep on Dancin', Something in the Way You Move, Heal, Don't Panic or the glorious Devotion. |
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Member Since: 8/6/2015
Posts: 5,766
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24. Janet Jackson - Unbreakable
Janet Jackson kind of stopped existing for me after the masterpiece The Velvet Rope. I tried to get into the albums she released after that but none of them was interesting/good enough to keep my attention for further listenes. I was pretty sure Unbreakable would suffer the same fate. However, Mrs. Jackson proved me wrong.
The thing I love most about Unbreakable is the fact that in spite of the little experimenting, both with the production and the vocals, here and there Janet managed to put her heart and soul into the record. Unlike the infamous Discipline, her newest effort does have personality. It doesn't matter which song you're listening to - the major bop BURNITUP!, the emotional ballad After You Fall or the MJ impression The Great Forever - you can hear it's Janet and no other artist here. It's also impossible to ignore the sound and the production. It doesn't use any complex effects or breakdowns, yet still feels very fresh. Long short story: it's a record Janet can be proud of in 2015. |
BURNITUP!
The Great Forever
Night
No Sleeep |
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Member Since: 8/6/2015
Posts: 5,766
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Figure 8
I'm Your Doll
In Time | 23. FKA twigs - M3LL155X
Gosh, I remember how I hated this girl back in 2014. Like, her LP1 was so acclaimed and all, and I was sure I'd love her as well... but no. The record seemed somewhat empty but also uninspired and simply lazy for me. I was able to understand why everyone was going crazy about her, she just didn't do anything for me, personally...
...until now. Yeah, it's far from being her most ambitious, most complex or simply her best work but it was M3LL155X which helped me to fully appreciate FKA and her previous material. It's definitely the artist at her most accessible - in a way, I could imagine Figure 8 or Glass & Patron becoming minor hits on some alternative, hipster radio stations. But even then, she managed to capture the little magic which made her earlier work so special. The songs are still relatively simple, yet addictive and hypnotizing.
So why is the EP so low? The answer is simple - it's an EP, so it can't really compete with full releases. However, if she keeps making such fantastic songs, I'll stan. |
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Member Since: 9/4/2012
Posts: 23,263
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Unbreakable was the much needed return to form for Janet, just hope it's not a farewell album like some people have suggested. Burnitup didn't do much for me, but I agree with your other picks.
I don't know that other girl.
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Member Since: 8/6/2015
Posts: 5,766
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Quote:
Originally posted by Subomie
I don't know that other girl.
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dd poor Ellie. I can definitely see why someone would hate her tho
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Member Since: 8/6/2015
Posts: 5,766
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22. Adele - 25
When the album was released, I unintentionally (really!) put it at... #21. It stayed there for a pretty long time, being punched out by a last minute addition which will appear later on but wow, it really is her lucky number, isn't it?
So here we've got the record everyone was perched for, out of sudden, everybody bought and everybody loved to death. How cute. I kind of hoped I would hate it because I hate overexposure and overhyping but I guess Adele is just too adorable to be trashed. Of course, 25 is not a life-changing experience, I could make a pretty long list of albums more worthy of outselling Lotus in its first 10 minutes but it's definitely good. In some ways it works even better than its predecessor. The main advantage of 25 (and Adele's music in general) is how honest she is. She can even sing cliches like hello, it's me and you still believe she's true and she's singing straight from her heart, no matter how lame it sounds. Her vocals are also jaw-drop-inducting, and match all these nostalgic ballads perfectly.
The record has some duds and uninteresting tracks but the highlights totally make up for them. I kinda died when I first heard I Miss You and River Lea, who else does that? |
I Miss You
When We Were Young
River Lea
Million Years Ago |
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Member Since: 8/6/2015
Posts: 5,766
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Shudder Before the Beautiful
Weak Fantasy
Yours Is an Empty Hope
Our Decades in the Sun
The Greatest Show on Earth | 21. Nightwish - Endless Forms Most Beautiful
Ok, let's say it straight, being only #21 on my countdown for Nightwish is a big failure. Especially considering that Imaginaerum from 2011 would definitely be my no. 1 as it's one of my favourite albums of all-time and what's more, Floor Jansen, an incredibly talented metal chick has just joined them. Yeah, I expected top 5 at least.
The problematic thing about Endless Forms Most Beautiful is the fact that it's really a mixed bag. Some brilliant, aggressive, anthemic songs... and then some trite piece of trash, like the title track. Some outstanding vocal parts... and also a lot of unimpressive ones, which are ruined even more by the poor mixing. The lyricism... okay, this is something I'd never complain about, it's pretty great with Tuomas finally being happy and embracing life, as a scientist-that-was-meant-to-be-but-never-will I also love the biological inspirations, something new for the band. It all makes a really good record, I won't deny that. It's just that they're my favourite band and I expect more from them with each release while EFMB is a bit reductive. Great, enjoyable but reductive. It has Nightwish written all over it and with the exception of the last song it doesn't bring anything new to the table. But after all, something which is slightly below their average level is still above every other artist's average level.
But then again, if you've never listened to anything by them and aren't afraid of electric guitars, this is definitely something you should try. The bombastic opener Shudder Before the Beautiful, the euphoric Alpenglow, the emotional ballad Our Decades in the Sun, the brilliant folk-influenced ending of My Walden... and much more! |
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 6,292
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m3ll155x is incredible
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Member Since: 8/7/2015
Posts: 16,967
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The album has its flaws, like the single off 50 Shades of Grey,
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I thought I was the only person who doesn't love LMLYD.
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In some ways it works even better than its predecessor.
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no
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I kinda died when I first heard I Miss You and River Lea,
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I claimed River Lea as my fave song on my first listen and everyone called it the worst track and I was so sad.
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Member Since: 1/16/2011
Posts: 24,638
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Unbreakable omg yay
It's a much needed return to form after the absolute trash that is Discipline and 20 Y.O. (although each has a few good tracks)
I feel like I'm the only person that liked Halcyon Days
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 12,760
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Quote:
There is not a single song as good as Only You or Figure 8.
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Tea! It's still alright though, I expected worse. 25 and Unbreakable are nice too, I was surprised by how much I liked the latter because I've never been a huge Janet fan.
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 4/3/2014
Posts: 34,134
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Keep on Dancin', Something in the Way You Move, Heal, Don't Panic or the glorious Devotion.
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Yas Heal! The song that really matters
Enjoyed M3LL155X. Unbreakable and 25 as well
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Member Since: 8/31/2013
Posts: 12,948
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Janet and Adele making it.
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Member Since: 2/5/2014
Posts: 29,111
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I honestly haven't checked out Ellie Goulding until this year. She's alright though and Delirium has its bright spots, and you singled out glitchy masterpiece Devotion as one of your highlights!
Let me praise you for Ms. Jackson also You're right, it feels classic Janet, but really fresh without sounding like it's pandering or trend-hopping. No Sleeep is endlessly replayable, BURNITUP! has Missy, and The Great Forever is a classic Jackson song and I love it.
Wow and Adele too, and you naming my 3 favorite songs on the album in your write-up It is a solid album and just has a certain classic feel to it.
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I could make a pretty long list of albums more worthy of outselling Lotus in its first 10 minutes but it's definitely good
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I don't know Nightwish, but they're metal right? I like me a good metal album. Let me add to my list
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Member Since: 4/7/2009
Posts: 34,961
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I was so disappointed in Delirium but then again I only gave it one listen..
Janet and Twigs
I haven't had the chance to listen to 25.
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