Best of: Top 30 of 2016: My favourite albums of 2016

Here are my 30 favourite albums of 2016. And, yeah, they're kind of in order this year. Best at the top!

The Zolas Swooner

July Talk Touch

Yuck Stranger Things

Wintersleep The Great Detachment

Sate RedBlack&Blue

Warpaint Heads Up

Bob Mould Patch The Sky

The Kills Ash And Ice

Public Animal Palace Arms

Dinosaur Jr. Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not

The Temperance Movement White Bear

Sunflower Bean Human Ceremony

White Lung Paradise

White Denim Stiff

Weaves Weaves

Split Single Metal Frames

Ron Hawkins Spit Sputter and Sparkle

Pup The Dream Is Over

Catfish & The Bottlemen The Ride

Sleigh Bells Jessica Rabbit

Frightened Rabbit Painting of a Panic Attack

The Balconies Rhonda

Marlon Chaplin Wanderer By Trade

Eagulls Ullages

TacocaT Lost Time

John Moreland In The Throes

The Joy Formidable Hitch

The Strumbellas Hope

Drowners On Desire

Viola Beach Viola Beach

Best of: Top 50 of 2016: My favourite songs of 2016

I loved 2016.

Lots of other people didn't. And that's okay. There was lots to get down about. Lots of aging (and not so aging) rockers that dove into the inevitability and lots of pretty shitty human behaviour, just to name a couple of things.

But there was lots to be very, very happy about. Life was pretty damn good to me, personally. I spent much of the year bathed in art. Lots of real "me time". I attended more shows and saw more bands in 2016 than I have in any other year. I spent a lot of time with a lot of very cool people. It's a concert-going record I don't think I'm going to break any time soon. Or any time at all.

And there was great music. So much great music. This year, I probably listened to less recorded music than I have in many, many years, but I made up for it with live shows. This is reflected in the fact that my favourite songs of the year came mostly from acts I saw live. Many of them I saw multiple times, giving their tunes more time to wedge themselves into my consciousness.

The bonus that comes with this post is that you're also getting a preview of my favourite albums list if you notice the number of repeat songs by certain artists that appear amongst my favourites. It'll be coming soon. And so will a post of my favourite concert photos of 2016. Which comes with a special announcement.

And so, here they are, at long last, my latest ever best of list, except for the ones for my favourite albums and favourite concert photos, which are still in progress... These are my favourite fifty tunes of 2016:

50. "Break My Heart Sweetly" John Moreland

49. "In Stars" Marlon Chaplin

48. "Radio of Lips" The Joy Formidable

47. "Blank Ribbons" Split Single

46. "We Had Everything" Broods

45. "Personal Weekend" Partner

44. "City Club" The Growlers

43. "Molotov Girls" The Zolas

42. "Voices In My Head" Bob Mould

41. "Kiss Me When I Bleed" White Lung

40. "Coo Coo" Weaves

39. "Cannonball" Yuck

38. "Fossils" Marlon Chaplin

37. "Money Money" The Balconies

36. "Easier Said" Sunflower Bean

35. "Swooner" The Zolas

34. "Beautiful Girl" Ron Hawkins

33. "Santa Fe" Wintersleep

32. "Goin' Down" Dinosaur Jr.

31. "Doing It To Death" The Kills

30. "Lemontrees" Eagulls

29. "White Bear" The Temperance Movement

28. "Miracle" The Darcys

27. "Silence" Sate

26. "Beck + Call" July Talk

25. "Swings and Waterslides" Viola Beach

24. "CV Dazzle" The Zolas

23. "Cruel Ways" Drowners

22. "DVP" Pup

21. "Pen to Paper" Modern Space

20. "Wall Watcher" Sunflower Bean

19. "Soundcheck" Catfish and The Bottlemen

18. "Ha Ha Ha Ha (Yeah)" White Denim

17. "Human" Weaves

16. "Blood In The Cut" K.Flay

15. "Give It Up" The Beaches

14. "Get Out" Frightened Rabbit

13. "It Don't Seem Right" Public Animal

12. "It's Just Us Now" Sleigh Bells

11. "Hold Me Closer" Yuck

10. "Tiny" Dinosaur Jr.

9. "The End of Things" Bob Mould

8. "Heart of a Dog" The Kills

7. "Warrior" Sate

6. "Amerika" Wintersleep

5. "Invisible" The Zolas

4. "Hearts In Motion" Yuck

3. "New Song" Warpaint

2. "Spirits" The Strumbellas

1. "Push + Pull" July Talk

New music from The Kills: Siberian Nights from Ash & Ice

I got to see the amazing band known as The Kills the other night here in Toronto. Sadly, no pics. But today we get the official video for "Siberian Nights" from their forthcoming June 3 release Ash & Ice. This song made an appearance in the middle of their encore.

In case you missed them, check out "Heart of a Dog" and "Doing It to Death", also from the new album.

Pic from Facebook.

New music from The Kills: Heart of a Dog

The Kills' new album Ash & Ice comes out June 3. The band are in Toronto at The Danforth Music Hall on May 21 and I'm hoping to have some pics to share with you after that show.

In the meantime, here's the new video from the new album. The track is called "Heart of a Dog" and it's got that patented Kills groove, cool riffing from Jamie Hince and killer vocal from Alison Mossheart.

Check out the new tune and click through for "Doing it to Death".

New music from The Kills: Doing It To Death from Ash & Ice

The Kills, who I love and got to see live at Field Trip 2014, have just announced a new album and a slate of tour dates. The album is called Ash & Ice and it comes out June 3. The tune "Doing It To Death" is available for listening and video viewing now. It's a cool tune with a deep groove, Alison Mosshart's fantastic vocals and Jamie Hince's solid riffing.

The band will be in Toronto for a show at The Danforth Music Hall on May 21. I'm hoping to be there to capture the event.

The Kills at Field Trip 2014

I really like The Kills. And I was really excited when I saw that they were playing Field Trip. They're definitely one of the bands that made me want to attend. I've only ever written one post about them, way back in November of 2011.

And I know what you're wondering about now: how were they live? Well, true to their name, they killed. They had four drummers along with the core duo of Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince. They pounded and wailed through a high energy setlist featuring tunes from Blood Pressures, Midnight Boom, No Wow and Keep On Your Mean Side. These guys know how to pull in the festival sized audience and hold each of us in rapt attention. Great show.

Alas, we didn't get any sneak previews on the new album they're reportedly working on.

Here are some of the show's personal highlights, in the order of the set.

"U.R.A. Fever" from their 2008 album Midnight Boom

"Future Starts Slow" from 2011's Blood Pressures

"Satellite" from Blood Pressures

"DNA" from Blood Pressures

"Baby Says" from Blood Pressures

"Tape Song" from Midnight Boom

"No Wow" from their 2005 album No Wow

"Black Balloon" from Midnight Boom

I took pics at Field Trip with my iPhone. Hopefully next year, I'll be in the photo pit with my better gear.

The Kills

The Kills are a pretty cool band. Roots-y, garage-y, blues-y guitars with dark harmonies and just enough catchiness to reel you in.

Their most recent album is called Blood Pressures and here are a few tunes.

The new video for "Baby Says",



"Satellite",



and "Future Starts Slow"



I have all their albums, but 2008's Midnight Boom is probably my favourite. Here are a few from that album.

"Cheep and Cheerful",



"Black Balloon",



and "Tape Song"



They're playing Toronto on February 7th at Kool Haus.