Collaborators' Top Albums of 2015

The second post is a list of top alums.

CCVP wrote: Sagichim wrote: Yay! My no.1 came in #106 LOL, get #rekt. LearsFool wrote: Ah, Swilson didn't get #1. There is justice in the world! And many more thanks to you, Andy. If SW came ahead of Anekdoten this year there would be NO justice in this world. EDIT: The biggest surprise IMHO was Jaga Jazzist coming in third. Not the album's bad, but it's very underwhelming, specially considering that it came after two excellent albums: the Zappa-esque One Armed Bandit and the ethereal What We Must. I really hope they don't continue like this in the future.

Baron is awesome. Haven't heard Torpor yet, but Columns was one delightful record.

Gr8 to see Anekdoten bagging the top spot. Their best album since debut
Gr8! Work Andy

Edited by addictedtoprog - February 02 2016 at 09:24

Guldbamsen wrote: CCVP wrote: EDIT: The biggest surprise IMHO was Jaga Jazzist coming in third. Not the album's bad, but it's very underwhelming, specially considering that it came after two excellent albums: the Zappa-esque One Armed Bandit and the ethereal What We Must. I really hope they don't continue like this in the future. I think Starfire is every bit as good as the albums leading up to it...maybe with the exception of the live release they cut with the "Britten Symphonia", which imo smokes everything else they've done. Also, I really dig the way they've incorporated electronics into their sound. Feels fresh and bubbly like sodapop.

Sorry, maybe my reference to the other album's styles may have given you the impression I didn't liked the style, which isn't the case: innovation and reinvention is something I very much look forward to in a prog band. I didn't like the compositions. Same thing with Riverside's newest: they are one of my all-time favourite bands (I've been following them since the debut), but Love is their absolute worst release, tied in the bottom with the EPs Memories in My head and Voices in My Head.

I just didn't point out Riverside because it's basically prog's equivalent to FM radio: easy listening, 0 risks and it marked all the checkboxes regarding "do this in order to sound prog".

That last line is exactly how I feel about them as well, Caio.

Edited by The Neck Romancer - February 02 2016 at 12:54

Fantastic work Andy .

Nice to see two of my top 5 in THE top 5!!

Of the ones voted in the top ten that I haven't heard I'm going to pickup Jaga Jazzist and Unreal City. I wasn't going to check out Jaga Jazzist only because I wasn't much into the one("What We Must") I do have but seeing CCVP's dislike of "Starfire" probably means I'll like it. We have the opposite tastes it seems which is cool. For example my two fav Riverside albums are Love, Fear And The Time Machine and Memories In My Head 

The Schnellertollermeier album is really getting to me....in a good way. Funny how many great albums seem to reveal themselves slooowly. I love how they make the strings sound like a knife edge being plucked in these spiralling sequences.

Guldbamsen wrote: Did you by any chance check out Agusa's second album Två?

I just spun this on Youtube the other day, Dave, and I plan on buying the vinyl, it sounds really great! A very folky kind of symphonic prog with a welcome hint of darkness.