This year gave us so much good music and picking out my favorite albums was quite the task. I spent a lot of time working on this list and feel like I can confidently say these are my ten favorite albums of 2016.
A Loss for Words - Crisis
An album that caught many by surprise, A Loss for Words put out Crisis at the end of December and I immediately fell in love. What's more impressive is the work vocalist Matty Arsenault has done with local bands. Helping manage Under Fire and appearing on Acadia's debut EP In Focus. This album is everything AL4W fans could ask for and is one hell of a way to say goodbye.
Listen to: Existential Crisis at the Cask 'n Flagon
Boston Manor - Be Nothing
This debut album from UK punks Boston Manor is a great way to jump into the scene and make yourself known. An album many seemed to enjoy, Be Nothing drew a ton of attention from those in the industry, as shown by the shows Boston Manor has played and is scheduled to play. Touring with Like Pacific, Broadside, and Rarity in October exposed Boston Manor to a large number of new fans. The band is scheduled to tour parts of Europe and the UK with Four Year Strong in February followed by a tour with Moose Blood, Trophy Eyes, and A Will Away which stops in Boston on March 14th.
Listen to: Lead Feet
Save The Lost Boys - Temptress
Another debut album, and not the last, Temptress by Save The Lost Boys makes the list. The perfect album for fans of blink-182, Temptress is a great album for someone who is looking to start listening to pop-punk. They also put on one hell of a good show, as I personally saw multiple times during the Long Days and EZ Nights of Summer Tour. Look for another band from that tour later on in this list. Going through a breakup? Listen to this album as STLB subtly bashes their exes.
Listen to: Bad Names
PUP - The Dream Is Over
As you may have read in Gunnar's top-five PUP finally put out a new album after their self-titled album released in 2014 kept fans wanting more. One of the less-recognized bands out there, PUP spent nearly all of the year on the road. The opening song "If This Tour Doesn't Kill You, I Will" is all about that special time spent on the road with your best friends. Sure touring is great, but sometimes you just need to get away from everyone, and that's exactly what this song covers. The Dream Is Over gives us that classic PUP sound we all love and is an album everyone needs to hear.
Listen to: DVP
I Prevail - Lifelines
A band that exploded onto the scene with their cover of Taylor Swift's 'Blank Space,' I Prevail put out an EP 'Heart vs Mind" that sold exceptionally well. I was lucky enough to interview clean vocalist Brain Burkheiser and drummer Lee Runestad when the band stopped in Boston in early August. Their debut album Lifelines was relentlessly pushed by their publicist and for good reason. The only non-punk album on the list, Lifelines deserves all the praise in the world, as does I Prevail. While on tour with Neck Deep and Pierce The Veil in October the band's bus caught fire. However, despite the setback I Prevail did indeed prevail and finished the tour.
Listen to: Scars
Albums five through one will be published tomorrow.
