Skip to content

Music Reviews - Thunderclap tops 2016 list of music

This week I continue my best music picks of 2015. 2015 was the kind of year that experienced some of the best music in years. Music lovers of every genre have never found it easier to access and devour their fill of the “musical drug “they crave.
Best of 2015

This week I continue my best music picks of 2015.

2015 was the kind of year that experienced some of the best music in years.  Music lovers of every genre have never found it easier to access and devour their fill of the “musical drug “they crave.

One of my “drugs” of choice was the new album by Holly Golightly, “Slowtown Now”. Holly was quite prolific this year releasing two brilliant albums, one solo and one with her partner Lawyer Dave aka The Brokeoffs.

Her solo effort “Slowtown Now” makes my list due to the album’s cohesiveness. The way Holly presents her 12 tracks of vintage ‘60’s twang mixed with blues, twisted pop and R&B is nothing short of genius. She molds her various styles of music into a complete unit that flows from start to a wonderful leave me wanting more so I put the needle back on track one finish. Get it now.

Laura Marling’s new album, “Short Stories”, released earlier this, was a surprising departure for her. With the addition of a muted electric sound, Marling continues to produce groundbreaking music that just gets better and better. With a generous mix of acoustic and electric tunes, Marling never disappoints those of us that enjoy intelligent lyrics, painting mental pictures that walk hand in hand with a musical soundtrack that is unequalled.

Metal heads rejoiced this year with the many, I mean, many, top quality heavy metal releases that were unleashed upon the world.

One of my picks that blasts above the rest is the new one by Motorhead. To celebrate their 40th anniversary, Motorhead released the album “Bad Magic” that fittingly sounds the same as any other Motorhead album. Is that bad? Nope, far from it. I would not expect anything else. One of the years best for sure.

When people ask me what my favourite album of 2015 is I say, people it was tough choice.

These next two are tops for me because of their originality and overall musical quality.

Buffy Saint Marie’s “Power In The Blood” is by far the best album of her amazing career. The winner of the prestigious 2015 Polaris Music Prize, “Power In The Blood” contains some of the most powerful, thought provoking music of the year. Buffy’s voice is as powerful today, both in volume and content, as it was earlier in her life. With a mix of reworked Buffy classics and newly composed tunes, Buffy shows she still has lots to say about subjects that are important to us all.

I recommend that everyone listen to this album, it is that good.

This next guy, what can I say, was a pleasant surprise to say the least. The indescribable Adam Buller, aka Thunderclap, released his three-year in the making musical masterpiece, “Hellbent On Success”. Hailing from Niagara Falls Ontario, this young man is about to conquer the country with this critically acclaimed new album.

Buller describes the songs on the album, on his Indiegogo crowd funding page, as a “concept album of a mishmash of socioeconomic commentary, flashes of pop media, and surreal narrative brilliance.”

Buller mixes together twisted to the point just below insane music, along with short narratives, to create a musical feast that takes your ears and brain on a culinary journey of epic proportions. I couldn’t get enough of this album.  “Hellbent On Success” is one of those albums that get better after every listen, as you are immersed deeper and deeper into the murky, foggy conscience that is Thunderclap.

Thunderclap “Hellbent On Success” is by far my favourite album of 2015, and I look forward to seeing the brilliant lad perform live in the near future.

There were many honorable mentions too numerous to list here so please search my past reviews and please continue to listen to and experience interesting new music throughout 2016.