It’s been a fantastic year in music so far. The following are my personal favorite quarter one 2015 releases, in no particular order. New Liturgy, Nicolas Jaar, Sufjan Stevens, Modest Mouse, Death Grips, Torche, The Pop Group, Father John Misty, Bjork, and Panda Bear albums not included because I don’t like them :V

Viet Cong – Viet Cong
I could write a lot about the impact the band Women had on me in its short career, (Chris Reimer’s passing was probably the first time I’d ever experienced the death of one of my musicians) but even without that history, Viet Cong is a triumph. Easily my album of the year, until further-but-unlikely notice.

Sleater Kinney – No Cities to Love
I admit I’m only just boarding the Sleater Kinney train with this release, but it’s a great ride.

Open Mike Eagle – A Special Episode Of EP
In terms of style and theme this feels like an addendum to last years Dark Comedy Morning show, which I adore. OME is as funny and timely as ever, this is probably some of his best work.

Waxahatchee – Ivy Tripp
Some of Katie Crutchfield’s strongest songs on what is likely her most inconsistent release. But a spotty Waxahatchee album still manages to outdo most everything else.

The Soft Moon – Deeper
At this point I don’t even know if this album is just a guilty pleasure for me or what. The lyrics are completely ridiculous, they read like a parody of 90’s electro-goth angst (“Take me far away, to escape myself, I was born to suffer, and it kills my mind, it kills me inside” “I CAN’T SEE MY FAAAAAAACE,” etc). But I love it. Dear god, I love it so much.

Toundra – IV
I’m not even going to pretend like I’m an avid follower of the instru-metal scene, but I really fucking love this.

Sannhet – Revisionist
And this too.

Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
While her songwriting chops were certainly on display in her EP release last year, Courtney Barnett really steps it up on her debut album. She writes the catchiest garage rock tunes this side of Jay Reatard.

Lower Dens – Escape From Evil
Lower Dens’ music has always had a post punk edge, but Escape From Evil is the first time they’ve felt so distinctly 80’s-looking. New wave suits the band well, and Escape From Evil is every bit as dense and hypnotic as Nootropics while keeping a sense of its own identity.

Elder – Lore
Trippy doom metal, good stuff.

Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly
I have a weird relationship with Kendrick Lamar, but this is by far my favorite thing he’s ever done (and the first time I feel like his concept has lined up perfectly with his execution, the main thing that held me back on GKMC).

The Mountain Goats – Beat the Champ
It’s The Mountain Goats. I’m not sure what to even say about The Mountain Goats that won’t sound completely redundant. John Darnielle probably has “I write from limited concepts to contextualize songs with much a broader emotional meaning” printed on his business cards at this point. I mean yeah sure, Beat the Champ is probably their most instrumentally expansive album to date, while songs like Foreign Object and The Ballad of Bull Ramos put me in mind of their oldest material. But really, it’s The Mountain Goats.