Chad Rad’s personal stash: 24 records that took the edge off of 2015

These albums stood apart from the trends; each one is a triumph of creative indulgence that looks inward to create singular and vital music.

Mediocrity has a stranglehold on pop culture. … Same is it ever was. Such a state of affairs is distressing: Nearly every one of our cultural establishments, from religious institutions and government to shoe and pharmaceutical companies use music to broadcast their messages. Music transcends the limits of speech and time; it puts perspective on love, war, the daily grind, death, and our place in the universe. Looking beyond the lowest common denominator to find truly brilliant music is more important now than ever before. The following 24 albums stood apart from the trends; each one is a triumph of creative indulgence that looks inward to create singular and vital music. They were sometimes overlooked, even cast aside by commercial notions of cool. But that’s all the more reason to embrace and celebrate this music.



<a href=”http://protomartyr.bandcamp.com/album/the-agent-intellect” target=”_blank”>The Agent Intellect by Protomartyr</a>
<a href=”http://thesoftmoon.bandcamp.com/album/deeper-2” target=”_blank”>Deeper by The Soft Moon</a>
<a href=”http://profoundlorerecords.bandcamp.com/album/frozen-niagara-falls” target=”_blank”>Frozen Niagara Falls by PRURIENT</a>
<a href=”http://jennyhval.bandcamp.com/album/apocalypse-girl” target=”_blank”>Apocalypse, girl by Jenny Hval</a>
<a href=”http://blanckmass.bandcamp.com/album/dumb-flesh” target=”_blank”>Dumb Flesh by Blanck Mass</a>


<a href=”http://staticshockrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ordered-image” target=”_blank”>Ordered Image by Perspex Flesh</a>
<a href=”http://erstetheketontraeger.bandcamp.com/album/ett-028-the-coneheads-l-p-1-aka-14-year-old-high-school-pc-fascist-hype-lords-rip-off-devo-for-the-sake-of-extorting-from-helpless-impressionable-midwestern-internet-peoplepunks-l-p” target=”_blank”>ETT - 028 - The Coneheads - L.P.1. aka &quot;14 Year Old High School PC-Fascist Hype Lords Rip Off Devo for the Sake of Extorting $$$ from Helpless Impressionable Midwestern Internet Peoplepunks L.P.&quot; by The Coneheads</a>
<a href=”http://lavidaesunmus.bandcamp.com/album/slurping-at-the-cosmos-spine-lp” target=”_blank”>Slurping At The Cosmos Spine LP by Dawn Of Humans</a>

<a href=”http://pnlkvduo.bandcamp.com/album/the-lions-have-eaten-one-of-the-guards” target=”_blank”>The Lions Have Eaten One of the Guards by Paal Nilssen-Love / Ken Vandermark duo</a>
<a href=”http://dadaism-999.bandcamp.com/album/the-misery-book-with-edward-ka-spel” target=”_blank”>The Misery Book (with Edward Ka-Spel) by Dadaism 999</a>
<a href=”http://hollyherndon.bandcamp.com/album/platform” target=”_blank”>Platform by Holly Herndon</a>

<a href=”http://deafwishstyle.bandcamp.com/album/pain” target=”_blank”>Pain by Deaf Wish</a>

5. Dick Diver: Melbourne, Florida
Photo credit: Chapter / Trouble in Mind
<a href=”http://chaptermusic.bandcamp.com/album/melbourne-florida” target=”_blank”>Melbourne, Florida by Dick Diver</a>
4. Kamasi Washington: <i>The Epic</i>
Photo credit: Brainfeeder

3. Zs: <i>Xe</i>
Photo credit: Northern Spy
<a href=”http://zstheband.bandcamp.com/album/xe” target=”_blank”>Xe by Zs</a>
2. Beauty Pill: <i>Describes Things As They Are</i>
Photo credit: Butterscotch Records

1. The Membranes: <i>Dark Matter/Dark Energy</i>
Photo credit: Metropolis Records