My Favorite Albums of January, 2015

At KSLU, we receive hundreds of new albums a month, usually weeks prior to their official release date. Since I get the pleasure of hearing a plethora of new music before anyone else, I thought it would be a good idea to share which albums I enjoyed the most. At the end of each month, I will be profiling my three favorite albums to be released that month.

#3 Bjork - Vulcinura

This revolutionary musician from Iceland has released her 8th studio album in her widely-successful 30-plus year career. (She released her first album at the age of 12; she is 49 now)  This album (like her previous releases) does not disappoint.  It is impossible to narrow Bjork's music into one specific genre.  Her music continues to push over typical standards of what "pop music" should sound like: very experimental, very emotional and very powerful. Her wonderfully constructed pieces blend classical instruments with electronic sounds along with her powerful voice soaring above it all.

For Fans of: Imogen Heap, Beck, Fiona Apple

#2 Sleater-Kinney - No Cities to Love

The highly-anticipated album from Sleater-Kinney, following their ten year hiatus shows the band can still produce excellent music.  Very catchy music with hints of punk and garage rock throughout provide for a fantastic ten song album that seems to continue to grow and get better with each listen. Every song on this album is bound to get your heart pumping while you hum along at the same time. 

For Fans Of: The Raconteurs, Dead Sara, Protomartyr

#1 Marduk - Frontschwein

Swedish black metal veterans release politically-charged album. Since 1990, Marduk has been putting out some of the most underrated black metal. With 12 studio albums under their belt, their 13th goes in a much different direction, lyrically.  With songs about political corruption, genocide in Africa, and a the through-out anti-war theme, this album is very different from the typical black metal album. The sound, however, has roots of the lo-fi origins of black metal that has since become a thing of the past for many big acts in black metal.  There are no pretty bells or whistles on this album.  It is very straight forward in every sense of the word. 

For Fans Of: Emperor, Funeral Mist, Behemoth