Even with our expanded Best-Of list courtesy of The Process, there were still a ton of great albums released last year that were worthy of recognition. Since we here at Rust Is Just Right are big believers in spreading all good music, we’re going to put a spotlight on some other great records that you may have overlooked from the past year.
Action Bronson – Mr. Wonderful.
His big-league debut was hit-and-miss, but when Action was on his game, it made for some of the most fun hip-hop of the year.
Baroness – Purple.
These guys should be viewed as more than our token metal pick, since this was a truly enjoyable album with absolutely monster hooks.
Beach House – Depression Cherry.
The band has begun to reach the point of diminishing returns with their trademark sound, but there are still undeniably beautiful moments to be found, like in the gorgeously stunning “PPP.”
Built to Spill – Untethered Moon.
One of our all-time favorites returned with a workmanlike effort. No extra-long solos, just good solid rock. And it seems to have rejuvenated the band in their live show.
Lou Barlow – Brace the Wave.
The Dinosaur Jr. bassist is famous for being a member of possibly the Loudest Band in Rock, but his solo work explores the opposite end of the spectrum. A haunting, delicate work.
Pusha T – King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude.
If this is the prelude, I can’t wait for the main course.
The Sonics – This Is The Sonics.
One of the original garage rock bands reunited to create one of the most improbably awesome comeback albums fifty years after their initial heyday. Pure rock’n’roll, no bullshit.
Tame Impala – Currents.
If only the rest of the album was as awesome as its amazing opening track. Unfortunately, the efforts to incorporate soul influences led to some rather unmemorable results.
Wolf Alice – My Love Is Cool.
They were able to switch between a wide variety of styles on their debut album, but it was their post-grunge single “Moaning Lisa Smile” that got our attention.
Also Worthy of Praise
Beach House – Thank Your Lucky Stars; Ceremony – The L-Shaped Man; Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit; Death Grips – The Powers That B; The Decemberists – What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World; Deradoorian – The Expanding Flower Planet; Eagles of Death Metal – Zipper Down; Moon Duo – Shadow of the Sun; Pfarmers – Gunnera; Ratatat – Magnifique; Wavves – V; Wire – Wire.
All Albums That Were Considered
In the interests of full disclosure, here are all the other albums that we listened to last year, in full. Most of these were quite good and worthy of repeated listens, but they just could not crack the previous lists.
The Arcs – Yours, Dreamily,; Coldplay – A Heart Full of Dreams; The Dead Weather – Dodge and Burn; Death Cab for Cutie – Kintsugi; Death Grips – Fashion Week; Deerhunter – Fading Frontier; Destroyer – Poison Season; Destruction Unit – Negative Feedback Resistor; Dr. Dre – Compton; Ducktails – St. Catherine; Editors – In Dream; Elvis Perkins – I Aubade; FFS – FFS; Frog Eyes – Pickpocket’s Locket; Fuzz – II; The Go! Team – The Scene Between; Helvetia – Dromomania; Hot Chip – Why Make Sense?; J Fernandez – Many Levels of Laughter; Kurt Vile – B’lieve I’m Going Down; Martin Courtney – Many Moons; My Morning Jacket – The Waterfall; Panda Bear – Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper; Refused – Freedom; Reptar – Lurid Dream; Silversun Pickups – Better Nature; Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – The High Country; Surfer Blood – 1000 Palms; Swervedriver – I Wasn’t Born To Lose You; Tyler, the Creator – Cherry Bomb; Wavves x Cloud Nothings – No Life For Me; !!! – As If.
Rust Is Just Right 