As each year comes to a close, I’m left to reflect on the incredibly rich plethora of music that has graced my ears. This music reaches my ears in many ways. It comes from friends, acquaintances, musicians I’ve never heard of whom I hope to meet and hear live someday, and PR agents from all over the world, to name a few. Just like last year, I reached out to two of my favorite similarly music-adoring fanatical friends: Mark Levy of Bozeman’s own Ranges and Brian Haviland, a decade long friend who still finds time to talk music with me despite our geographical distance, his demanding job and his new (more?) demanding job as a father.
A little late this year but better late than never, here are the top 5 albums (5.5 from Mark because he can never stick to only 5) and the greatest song from each album, according to Deann Snyder (MFL), Mark Levy (Ranges) and Brian Haviland (Alaska-based music-loving smarty pants father).
Here is a playlist of all the favorite tracks as well:
Brian Haviland (from favorite to 5th favorite)
1.Teens of Denial by Car Seat Headrest
Fav track: “Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales”
2.The Hope Six Demolition Project by PJ Harvey
Fav track: “Orange Monkey
3.Human Performance by Parquet Courts
Fav track: “Human Performance”
4.A Moon Shaped Pool by Radiohead
Fav track: “Burn the Witch”
5. Next Thing by Frankie Cosmos
Fav track: “If I Had a Dog”
Mark Levy (in no particular order)
1. Hypercaffium Spazzinate by Descendants
Fav track: “Shameless Halo”
2. Magma by Gojira
Fav track: “The Cell”
3.Real by Lydia Loveless
Fav track: “Out on Love”
4.United Crushers by Polica
Fav track: “Someway”
5. The Impossible Kid by Aesop Rock
Fav track: “Blood Sandwich”
5.5 Heaven or Somewhere In Between by Kitten
Fav track: “Knife”
MFL (in no particular order)
1. Beneath a Yellow Moon by I Have a Tribe
Fav track: “La Neige”
2. Jumping the Shark by Alex Cameron
Fav track: “Holding Roses”
3. Dance Sunshine, Dance by Another Juggle
Fav track: “Not Now”
4. Shoo by Lionlimb
Fav track: “Just Because”
5. Feet First by Nive and The Deer Children
Fav track: “Are You Ready”