For the close to zero people waiting for me to announce my grand list for 2015...tough nugs. I'd much prefer to let my buddy Greg (kit master in Del Paxton) dispense what releases made him take notice this year.
It is perhaps more important to point out that Del Paxton released their excellent split with Gulfer this year and if you haven't...its something that you need to be digging into. Both groups always have a great showing and this is no exception.
Without further babbling, take it away Greg...
"Hi I’m Greg and I play drums in Del Paxton.
End of the year lists are HARD!
Here is a list of releases that best define my 2015.
OK here I go."
1 Toe
“Hear You” When I first heard Toe I was mega jacked up on caffeine I watched every youtube video that exists of them. Like… seriously every single one. There’s a lot. This vinyl got pushed back by plants for months. Now that I finally got mine in I treat it like an only child.
This is the solo release of Seth Engels. Dude is crazy talented and in about 3242135 bands. I met him after our set at Fest. I tried to play it v cool but I’m such a fan boi so I’m guessing I was probably not that v cool :-/
This record actually might be too good. There are days where I get struck by an urgent need to hear the song Garden Secrecy like some kind of anxiety attack. It’s also a double LP which is cool.
This record is as relevant today as it could have been back in the early 90’s when this band put out their first record. I however was too busy listening to Ace of Base to check them out back then.
We played with the ratpeople in Albany before either of our bands announced we had signed to Topshelf Records. We def clicked right away… cool people putting out cool music is the easiest thing to back. Hope to play more with them.
The only thing I don’t like about this band is that I’m not in it.
7 Alaska
“Shrine”I kept hearing about Alaska and putting off a good honest listen. We all do it OK!?. Then we played with them in Savannah and they really blew me away. We listened to their record many times on the rest of that tour. Big future on this band. Listen to Hashish Christo.. it might actually be my favorite song of 2015.
This record is going to make everyone’s list. I will add that at first I didn’t love it, but it sat in my car stereo on low key repeat until one day I realized I knew every word.
9 Sonny
Baker “Flesh It Out”I have this rule of thumb, if you release music that sounds like it could have been on the soundtrack for the movie Angus, I will probably love it. Such is the case for this incredible Buffalo native releasing music. I saw them play this live in a basement before it was released and I think that was the right way to do it.
This record actually came out in 2013. But I found it in 2015 and it’s the most important record that I discovered in the last 12 months. Every single second of this absolutely rips. Listen to it from front to back.
Again....check out Greg's band Del Paxton
If you already have then check them out again because once is not enough.
Happy New Year Everyone
