In my last review of 2015 I look back at my favourite albums. I would say that 2015 brought an array of great albums without any that one might like to be considered classics. Hip hop I think had a pretty great year. Of course Kendrick Lamar dominated discussions but we also received great albums from Vince Staples and Earl Sweatshirt. Some older acts returned with very solid albums such as Built to Spill, Wilco, Modest Mouse and My Morning Jacket. Panda Bear reminded us why he such a musical genius and Titus Andronicus gave us an epic opus that took months to digest properly. Whilst Kurt Vile and Deerhunter showed that they are two of the more vital and creative acts going around at the moment. On the local scene I couldn't love Tame Impala and Courtney Barnett but I did love Dick Diver, Royal Headache and Gang of Youths. But one album gave me more pleasure than any other. Californian songsmith Mikal Cronin returned with his third album and it was an ecstatic triumph. It was ambitious, full of imagination and brimming with melody. I sincerely loved every song on the album. Therefore MCIII was my album of 2015.

1. MCIII-Mikal Cronin
2. The Most Lamentable Tragedy-Titus Andronicus
3. Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper-Panda Bear
4. B'lieve I'm Going Down-Kurt Vile
5. I Love You, Honeybear-Father John Misty
6. Carrie & Lowell-Sufjan Stevens
7. Poison Season-Destroyer
8. Untethered Moon-Built to Spill
9. Sauna -Mount Eerie
10. Fading Frontier-Deerhunter
11. Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress-Godspeed You! Black Emperor
12. Pickpocket's Locket-Frog Eyes
13. To Pimp a Butterfly-Kendrick Lamar
14. Mutilator Defeated at Last-Thee Oh Sees
15. Divers-Joanna Newsom
16. Acne/Ears-Roadside Graves
17. Depression Cherry-Beach House
18. Star Wars-Wilco
19. Gliss Riffer-Dan Deacon
20. Strangers to Ourselves-Modest Mouse
21. No Cities to Love-Sleater-Kinney
22. Summertime '06-Vince Staples
23. Melbourne, Florida-Dick Diver
24. Individ-The Dodos
25. Viet Cong-Viet Cong
26. Death Magic-HEALTH
27. High-Royal Headache
28. Thank Your Lucky Stars-Beach House
29. Sun Coming Down-Ought
30. Payola-Desaparecidos
31. Dumb Flesh-Blanck Mass
32. Ivy Tripp-Waxahatchee
33. Savage Hills Ballroom-Youth Lagoon
34. New Gold Mountain-New Gum Sarn
35. Many Moons-Martin Courtney
36. Teens of Style-Car Seat Headrest
37. Ones and Sixes-Low
38. What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World-The Decemberists
39. Club Meds-Dan Mangan and Blacksmith
40. Goon-Tobias Jesso Jr
41. IF-Paul De Jong
42. II-Fuzz
43. Sound & Color-Alabama Shakes
44. The Positions-Gang of Youths
45. Return to the Moon-EL VY
46. We Are Undone-Two Gallants
47. Gunnera-Pfarmers
48. Primrose Green-Ryley Walker
49. The Waterfall-My Morning Jacket
50. Half Free-U.S. Girls