My list, along with some of the initial reaction notes I wrote to myself after first listen. Enjoy learning that I write notes to myself as though I'm posting on a message board:
1) Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly 15
>> Shit's fire…yo.
2) Wolf Alice My Love Is Cool 12
>> WOLF ALICE
3) Kamasi Washington - The Epic 10
4) My Morning Jacket - The Waterfall 9
>>Definitely a favorite of theirs. Hoo boy.
5) Twin Shadow - Eclipse 8
>>I'm just going to have to reserve myself to the fact that I adore stupidly bombastic music... A lot.
6) Brandon Flowers - The Desired Effect 8
>> "This is, at the moment, my least favorite Killers released anything, and that includes Big Talk, but I don't think that's going to last….I think relistens will improve it…I hope…I mean…oh dear…
UPDATE: I won't erase the above, but I couldn't feel further from this now, definitely enjoy this. It's weak, but not THAT weak, and has much higher highs than I initially gave credit for."
7) Viet Cong - Viet Cong 7
>> It's like if Interpol and David Bowie had a baby that loved The Horrors. If there's a better album out this year, that would be fantastic news.
8) Westkust - Last Forever 6
9) Churches - Every Open Eye 6
10) Joanna Gruesome Peanut Butter 5
>> Listened to everything they released in a day, it's all so great. Exactly my alley, too.
11) Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs 4
12) Lupe Fiasco - Tetsuo & Youth 3
>>If this album had been about two or three tracks shorter, it would've been my number one for the year. The beats are great, the lyrics are pretty much phenomenal across the board. I anticipate this actually rising after a few more listens, as I grow more accustomed to its slightly unwieldy length.
13) Cheatahs - Mythologies 3
14) Sufjan Stevens Carrie & Lowell 2
>>I guess thinking this sounds like Illinois isn't a good enough a critique, so it definitely needs a relisten.
15) Pinkshinyultrablast - Everything Else Matters 2
>> This is a go-to album for the year, it seriously just hits all of the right notes, but does have a few moments where I wish there was just a bit more. A few more stand-out tracks would be nice as well, but I intend to let this album grow for me a bit more.
Close but no cigar:
Panda Bear - Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper
Joey Bada$$ - B4.Da.$$
The Decemberists - What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World
Bjork - Vulnicura (honestly, I think if I'd had time to listen to this album more this year, it would've been in my top 15.)
Caliofrnia X - Nights in the Dark
The Dodos - Individ
John Carpenter - Lost Themes
Miami Horror - All Possible Futures
Mark Ronson - Uptown Special
Shamir - Ratchet