One of the main reasons I keep coming back to this godforsaken site is the off topic conversation. Whether folks choose to discuss the opposite sex, the definition of chili, movies that we have enjoyed (or not), the banter is usually witty and full of good information. This will be the 3rd year in a row I've done a music OT, and I've enjoyed reading the varied and diverse tastes of Rangers fans all over. While gloating over how eclectic my tastes are might seem like the reason I do this, it's honestly to stir up some good natured rabble and learn about what posters enjoy listening to.

A quick note: I'm changing the format of how I do this, just a bit. I realized with some albums not even being out a month, it's hard for me to truly give a fair slotting/ranking to any of these albums. The artists who released their albums earlier in the year will have a natural edge over the ones who just released in October or November. So, I've decided that I'll order the top album or 2 in each of the 4 genres I'm covering (Rock/Indie/Alternative, Rap/Hip Hop, Metal/Hardcore, Instrumental/Post Rock/Ambient), and then give a non ordered list of the "best of the rest". Like last year, I'll include youtube links to songs from each album so you can give a listen to something in which you might be interested.

With that, let's look at what I've got this year:

ROCK/INDIE/ALTERNATIVE

AOTY: Toro y Moi - Underneath The Pine

Favorite tracks: New Beat, Go With You, Divina, Still Sound, Elise

Best of the Rest (alphabetical):

The Black Keys - El Camino

Favorite tracks: Gold on the Ceiling, Run Right Back, Stop Stop, Mind Eraser

Braids - Native Speaker

Favorite tracks: Lemonade, Plath Heart, Glass Deers, Lammicken

Cut Copy - Zonoscope

Favorite tracks: Need You Now, Blink And You'll Miss A Revolution, This Is All We've Got, Alisa

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Favorite tracks: Montezuma, Sim Sala Bim, Helplessness Blues, Lorelai

Fucked Up - David Comes To Life

Favorite tracks: The Other Shoe, Turn The Season, The Recursive Girl, I Was There

Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost

Favorite tracks: Honey Bunny, Die, Magic, Love Like A River, Jamie Marie

JEFF The Brotherhood - We Are The Champions

Favorite tracks: Cool Out, Endless Fire, Bummer, Ripper

Radiohead - The King of Limbs

Favorite tracks: Bloom, Lotus Flower, Little By Little, Codex

RAP/HIP HOP

AOTY 1A: Big K.R.I.T. - Return Of 4Eva (IT'S FREE ON HIS SITE. GET IT.)

Favorite tracks: R4 Theme Song, Dreamin', Rotation, My Sub, Sookie Now, Made A Lot (Feat. Big Sant), Get Right

AOTY 1B: Trae - Street King

Favorite tracks: Strapped Up (Feat. Pyrexx), Inkredible (Feat. Rick Ross & Jadakiss), I Am the Streets ( Feat. Rick Ross, Lloyd & Game), Life (Feat. Jadakiss), Street King

Best of the Rest:

Big K.R.I.T. - Last King 2 (Also free: LINK)

Favorite tracks: Pimps Remix (Feat. 2 Chainz & Bun B), 4Eva & A Day (Feat. Big Sant), Happy Birthday Hip Hop (Feat. Yelawolf), So Be It (Feat. Rapsody)

Childish Gambino - Camp

Favorite tracks: Bonfire, Backpackers, Hold You Down, That Power

Childish Gambino - EP

Favorite tracks: Be Alone, Freaks & Geeks, My Shine

Freddie Gibbs & Statik Selektah - Lord Giveth, Lord Taketh Away

Favorite tracks: Lord Giveth Lord Taketh Away, Rap Money, (Feat. Dat Nigga Daz), Already (Feat. Trae)

Pimp C - Still Pimping

Favorite tracks: Watch the Reaction (Feat. Lil' Keke & Killa Kyleon), Grippin' on the Wood (Feat. Bun B & Big K.R.I.T.), Bread Up (Feat. Paul Wall), Notes on Leases (Feat. Da Underdawgz), Gorillaz (Feat. Bun B & Da Underdawgz)

Project Pat - Loud Pack

Favorite tracks: Bloodhound, Everythang's High, Kelly Green (Feat. Juicy J), Gang Signs, Money On My Mind

METAL/HARDCORE

AOTY: Hate Eternal - Phoenix Amongst The Ashes

Favorite tracks: Thorns of Acacia, The Eternal Ruler, The Art of Redemption, The Fire of Resurrection

Best of the Rest:

All Pigs Must Die - God Is War

Favorite tracks: The Blessed Void, God Is War, Third World Genocide

Cave In - White Silence

Favorite tracks: White Silence, Summit Fever, Serpents, Vicious Circles

Trap Them - Darker Handcraft

Favorite tracks: Damage Prose, Slumcult & Gather, All By The Constant Vulse, Saintpeelers

INSTRUMENTAL/POST ROCK/AMBIENT

AOTY: And So I Watch You From Afar - Gangs

Favorite tracks: BEAUTIFULUNIVERSEMASTERCHAMPION, Gangs, 7 Billion People Alive At Once, Lifeproof

Best of the Rest:

Explosions in the Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care

Favorite tracks: Last Known Surroundings, Trembling Hands, Postcard from 1952

Russian Circles - Empros

Favorite tracks: 309, Mladek, Atackla

There you have it. There are some other albums that I enjoyed, but simply couldn't justify putting in my top group (Watch The Throne/KEN Mode/This Will Destroy You), some that disappointed quite a bit(Tha Carter 4), and some that make me jagsfan.gif (Wheelchair Jimmy/).

What did you enjoy this year?