The end of the year brings about competing degustations of art, music, and books. And so let mine be added to the compendium.

5. Youth Lagoon: There’s something to be said for keeping with melody. Even when it is strongly lo-fi , the lyrics behind it are indistinguishable, and it drones on in places, I will remember these melodies for a long time.

4. Real Estate: This album is a lot like their first, but more refined. It’s hi-fi, the melodies work, the lyrics are fresh, descriptive of our moment, and the album coheres the way an album should. Not much to be said for originality, but when you do something better than most others, why change?

3. Girls: I first heard “Vomit” and fell in love, then after another few listens fell out of love, then found I liked it again, then downloaded the album and was stoked about the hard-rocking instrumentals, then disheartened by the sad songs toward the album’s end. Any piece of art that makes me requestion why and how I liked it is usually pretty good.

2. Oneohtrix Point Never: Yes it takes some listening to to really appreciate, but what’s done on this album is unlike anything else going on in the music world.

1. Bon Iver: The guy is a master. He records with confidence, incorporates different sounds in ways that make them sound new again, without nostalgia or irony (ahemDestroyer. Sorry).  Overrated? Maybe. Great album? Yes.