Your favourite albums of the year so far!

[SoundscapeMN]

2/3 the way through for me, so my list is a bit different, but here's my midseason list from early May
https://allmediareviews.blogspot.com/2016/05/2015-2016-midseason.html

Cloud Cult - The Seeker is still the best record I've heard thus far.

but since that update, stuff like

Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
The Monkees - Good Times!

are also in the mix.

[ariich]

There's been some awesome releases so far this year. My favourites (all 8/10 or more) look something like this:

1. Haken - Affinity
2. Thrice - To Be Everywhere Is to Be Nowhere
3. Dissona - Paleopneumatic
4. Dream Theater - The Astonishing
5. Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
6. Big Big Train - Folklore
7. Long Distance Calling - Trips
8. Frightened Rabbit - Painting of a Panic Attack
9. Snarky Puppy - Culcha Vulcha
10. Olaf Stuut - Run
11. Headspace - All That You Fear Is Gone
12. Hiromi - Spark
13. Pellek - A Marvelous Method of Reclusion
14. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
15. Myrath - Legacy
16. Weezer - Weezer

[KevShmev]

I don't listen to nearly as much new stuff as I used to. Just four albums so far this year on any kind of regular basis.

The best two easily:

Dream Theater - The Astonishing
David Bowie - Blackstar

Both are 4 or 4 1/2 star albums, IMO.

Other two are:

Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool (very good, but hasn't wowed me or gotten me addicted yet)
Haken - Affinity (least best of the four, but still quite good overall, with some great songs on there)

[twosuitsluke]

Everyone's lists are going to need updating as soon as Devin Townsend and The Dear Hunter release their albums this year.

[Elite]

Everyone's lists are going to need updating as soon as Devin Townsend and The Dear Hunter release their albums this year.

Not for Devin, but probably for TDH.

Also, lots of good suggestions here in this thread for stuff to check out.

[kipkjustm]

1. Megadeth- Dystopia
2. Dream Theater- The Astonishing
3. Anthrax- For All Kings

[Kwyjibo]

I obviously forgot to mention Megadeth, that's a great one also.

Not sure about the upcoming Devin Townsend. It's a long time since he really grabbed me, but we'll see.

[pogoowner]

1. Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
2. Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor's Guide to Earth
3. Tremonti - Dust
4. The Avett Brothers - True Sadness
5. David Bowie - Black Star
6. Larkin Poe - Reskinned
7. SHEL - Just Crazy Enough
8. Haken - Affinity

[Evermind]

Everyone's lists are going to need updating as soon as Devin Townsend and The Dear Hunter release their albums this year.

Same goes for Opeth and Evergrey for me. I highly doubt Devin and TDH will even crack the Top 10. I reserve judgment on The Dear Hunter though... I only heard a few songs from them and planning to get into them with the Act V release.

[TAC]

Everyone's lists are going to need updating as soon as Devin Townsend and The Dear Hunter release their albums this year.

Same goes for Opeth and Evergrey for me. I highly doubt Devin and TDH will even crack the Top 10. I reserve judgment on The Dear Hunter though... I only heard a few songs from them and planning to get into them with the Act V release.

Not everyone's. Those are 4 albums that I'll never hear a note from.

[twosuitsluke]

Everyone's lists are going to need updating as soon as Devin Townsend and The Dear Hunter release their albums this year.

Same goes for Opeth and Evergrey for me. I highly doubt Devin and TDH will even crack the Top 10. I reserve judgment on The Dear Hunter though... I only heard a few songs from them and planning to get into them with the Act V release.

Oh shit, forgot about Opeth. I'm hoping they deliver, I really do.

[Evermind]

Everyone's lists are going to need updating as soon as Devin Townsend and The Dear Hunter release their albums this year.

Same goes for Opeth and Evergrey for me. I highly doubt Devin and TDH will even crack the Top 10. I reserve judgment on The Dear Hunter though... I only heard a few songs from them and planning to get into them with the Act V release.

Oh shit, forgot about Opeth. I'm hoping they deliver, I really do.

Pale Communion was excellent as far as I'm concerned. If they top that one, they will end up quite high in my list.

Everyone's lists are going to need updating as soon as Devin Townsend and The Dear Hunter release their albums this year.

Same goes for Opeth and Evergrey for me. I highly doubt Devin and TDH will even crack the Top 10. I reserve judgment on The Dear Hunter though... I only heard a few songs from them and planning to get into them with the Act V release.

Not everyone's. Those are 4 albums that I'll never hear a note from.

I actually missed the word "everyone" in the original post, I meant my list will probably change with new Opeth and Evergrey albums released. Besides, you didn't end up liking Evergrey after that live tune I sent you in your roulette? That's a shame.

[twosuitsluke]

Everyone's lists are going to need updating as soon as Devin Townsend and The Dear Hunter release their albums this year.

Same goes for Opeth and Evergrey for me. I highly doubt Devin and TDH will even crack the Top 10. I reserve judgment on The Dear Hunter though... I only heard a few songs from them and planning to get into them with the Act V release.

Not everyone's. Those are 4 albums that I'll never hear a note from.

Are you seriously saying that you will 100% never listen to these bands? I'm assuming you've already tried and didn't dig them? Even so, I don't think I'd ever limit myself and say I'll never listen to any band/artist/album.

[Tomislav95]

1. Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
2. Haken - Affinity
3. Dream Theater - The Astonishing
4. Redemption - The Art of Loss
5. Gojira - Magma
6. Anthrax - For All Kings

There are few more albums I didn't listen to enough time to decide how much I like them.

[twosuitsluke]

Everyone's lists are going to need updating as soon as Devin Townsend and The Dear Hunter release their albums this year.

Same goes for Opeth and Evergrey for me. I highly doubt Devin and TDH will even crack the Top 10. I reserve judgment on The Dear Hunter though... I only heard a few songs from them and planning to get into them with the Act V release.

Oh shit, forgot about Opeth. I'm hoping they deliver, I really do.

Pale Communion was excellent as far as I'm concerned. If they top that one, they will end up quite high in my list.

Oh yeah, I didn't mean I disliked PC. I liked it a lot more than Heritage and thought it was a great album. I just meant in general, I hope they deliver a great album.

[Zydar]

The only upcoming albums left this year I am waiting for is Opeth and Pain Of Salvation.

[Evermind]

I don't have a lot of hope for Pain of Salvation, maybe they'll surprise me.

[The Letter M]

The only upcoming albums left this year I am waiting for is Opeth and Pain Of Salvation.

Since we're citing upcoming albums we're looking forward to, I have to bring up the trifecta of Neal Morse Band, Marillion, and Kansas, all due out in September. I'm not sure how I am going to juggle spinning these three albums, especially since the new NMB album will be a double-disc concept, so that'll take awhile to really get into, and Marillion's albums tend to be pretty dense and take quite a few listens to get into as well. Either way, the fall will be a fun time for new music for me personally.

-Marc.

[home]

I am really, really looking forward to Karnivool's new album too, there is no release date yet but I think theirs a big chance it's released later this year. Also since Sigur Ros have recently released a new single and are playing new songs live I guess they might release a new album this year too.  Óveður sounds really promising 

[wolfking]

The new Fates Warning is climbing the ranks of album of the year at the moment.

[SoundscapeMN]

Anticipation the rest of the year?

July:
8: Biffy Clyro - Ellipsis
22: Dream the Electric Sleep - Beneath the Dark Wide Sky

September:
2: Nosound - Scintilla
9: Local Natives - Sunlit Youth
9: Oddland - Origin
9: The Dear Hunter - Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional
23: Emanuel & the Fear - Primitive Smile
23: Kansas - The Prelude Implicit
23: Marillion - F*** Everyone And Run

October:
7: Archive - The False Foundation

TBA:

Klimt 1918 – Die Sentimentale Jugend
Opeth - Sorceress
Pain of Salvation - In the Passing Light of Day
The Woods Brothers - The Woods Brothers

22
Anakdota
The Reign of Kindo
Pepe Deluxe
Fjokra
Tiny Giant
Journal
The Family Crest
Moonloop
The Faceless
Bullet Height
Neverending White Lights
Ours
Subterranean Masquerade
Small Leaks Sink Ships
Spencer Ludwig
Major Parkinson
Sculptured
Diablo Swing Orchestra
Blackfield
Karnivool
Brice Plays Drums
Painted in Exile
Opus Dai
Genders
Ramona Falls
East of the Wall
House of Fools
Spawn of Possession
Disillusion
The Dissociatives
The Barnum Meserve
Bubblemath
Between Two Skies
Lehto and Wright
RisingSide

[NoseofNicko]

Album of the year so far:

Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool

Loved:

David Bowie - Blackstar
Dream Theater - The Astonishing
Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas - Mariner
Swans - The Glowing Man
Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
Moonsorrow - Jumalten aika
Vektor - Terminal Redux

Really liked:

Circus Maximus - Havoc
Borknagar - Winter Thrice
Haken - Affinity
Ihsahn - Arktis
Be'lakor - Vessels

Liked:

Redemption - The Art of Loss
Myrath - Legacy
Kanye West - The Life of Pablo
Kendrick Lamar - untitled unmastered.
Oranssi Pazuzu - Värähtelijä
Deströyer 666 - Wildfire
Obscura - Akróasis
Omnium Gatherum - Grey Heavens
Anthrax - For All Kings
Abbath - Abbath
Katatonia - The Fall of Hearts
Fleshgod Apocalypse - King
Megadeth - Dystopia

[Crow]

East of the Wall

PLZ

[lonestar]

7. SHEL - Just Crazy Enough

Wow, I was sure I was the only one aware of these girls. Such a delightful group, I was very bummed I missed their SF show.

As to AOTY so far, I  haven't really been spinning a ton of new stuff, but a few I was happy to see here listed were Textures (bought it a week ago, been blowing my ears out with it) and Mandroid Echostar (so good to see these guys get some love, they deserve it)

Headspace is a sure standout, still haven't given Anderson/Stoldt a good spin and still awaiting the new Marillion.

[pogoowner]

7. SHEL - Just Crazy Enough

Wow, I was sure I was the only one aware of these girls. Such a delightful group, I was very bummed I missed their SF show.

They ARE delightful. And I was bummed that I had to miss their shows in my area too. I think they picked up a lot of exposure when NPR shared their "Enter Sandman" cover, though.

[PuffyPat]

death grips - bottomless pit
kanye west - the life of pablo
chance the rapper - coloring book
bear hands - you'll pay for this
music band - wake up laughing
diarrhea planet - turn to gold
earthless/harsh toke - acid crusher/mt. swan
animal collective - painting with
deantoni parks - wally
sturgill simpson - a sailors guide to earth

[pogoowner]

sturgill simpson - a sailors guide to earth

Glad to see someone else giving him some credit! I don't care if you're a country person or not, it's a good album.

[dparrott]

Astonishing is the only album I've heard this year that is really good.  Weezer white is good but sounds like the same old stuff, kinda goes over my head.  I'm hoping the next Warpaint album will be great, the last one was a bit weak. 

[RoeDent]

Honorable mentions: The Fringe's self-titled debut (needs more spins)

Hang on...when did that come out? I've heard nothing about it apart from one song, and I'm following their Twitter page.

[Zantera]

I threw up the full top50 list on RYM.. I did spoil the top10 here already, but here goes: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Zantera/2016___best_of_so_far/

[Dellers]

I'm not into that much new music, but my favorite is easily Myrath - Legacy. It's one of the most consistently good albums I've ever heard, perhaps only rivaled by their previous record in that regard.

[The Letter M]

Honorable mentions: The Fringe's self-titled debut (needs more spins)

Hang on...when did that come out? I've heard nothing about it apart from one song, and I'm following their Twitter page.

I got mine in the mail on July 2nd from Reingold Records (along with my copy of the Anderson/Stolt album). Not sure when the official release date it, but I know they had sold albums at some shows back in June I think, so I'm not sure what the deal is with their release schedule.

-Marc.

[LudwigVan]

Only bought 3 albums from 2016, in order:

Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
Megadeth - Dystopia





Dream Theater - The Astonishing

[Elite]

I threw up the full top50 list on RYM.. I did spoil the top10 here already, but here goes: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Zantera/2016___best_of_so_far/

Nice list to read through! Lots of interesting stuff in there that I might like to try out.

But, damn man, 50(!!) new albums this year alone. That's like a new album every 3-4 days. How do you manage to do that and keep listening and exploring older, other stuff as well?

[twosuitsluke]

I threw up the full top50 list on RYM.. I did spoil the top10 here already, but here goes: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Zantera/2016___best_of_so_far/

Nice list to read through! Lots of interesting stuff in there that I might like to try out.

But, damn man, 50(!!) new albums this year alone. That's like a new album every 3-4 days. How do you manage to do that and keep listening and exploring older, other stuff as well?

I know what you mean!! My current playlist of albums I've discovered and started listening to this year is up to 81 at the moment. But only about 10% of that number are albums that have actually been released this year!!