This has been a brilliant year for music. Whatever the huge labels and magazines might say in lamentation, the music world is far from dead. Indeed, contrary to the doomsayers, music seems to have been given new life as it has gracefully escaped the clutches of colossal corporate labels and PR rags disguised as legitimate newsstand publications.
In the best sense, the decentralization of the market—because of the internet—has given us access to the work of those who love the art but simply cannot devote the entirety of their professional lives to it. Things created in the study of a Yorkshire flat, for example, find their way into the writing den of a professor of history in Michigan. I love it.
And, to celebrate the end of the calendar year, the season of Advent, and the week before Winter Solstice, I give you my best of. For what it’s worth, I love everything listed below and have, therefore, decided not to rank each. Instead, I’ve simply listed my ten favorite albums of 2015 in alphabetical order, and, after, offered five of greatest awards.
Advent, SILENT SENTINEL. Unrivaled Chestertonian prog. Intricate awesomeness.Glass Hammer’s latest and, even after 1/4 of a century, their best. THE BREAKING OF THE WORLD, a deep look into mythopoeic prog wonder.Kinetic Element’s 2015 release, TRAVELOG. Imagine mid-70s AOR done well and with no small amount of American confidence!As with Glass Hammer this year, THE GRAND EXPERIMENT is Neal Morse’s all-time best. Pure, gorgeous, meaningful prog. My wife and I got to see him twice in concert this year, and neither of us could be happier.Rhys Marsh, THE BLACK SUN SHINING. Beautifully immersive gothic prog with an almost-beatnik sense of wordplay in this song cycle that begins in darkness but ends if light.Calming down some of their trademark heaviness, this album seems Riverside embrace and progify such 80’s bands as The Cure and Tears for Fears. Overall, glorious.Slander’s third release, THE FRAGILITY OF INNOCENCE is so good and intense, I’m unable to review it. The theme of exploitation and abuse is utterly tangible. The music experimental.While not Wilson’s best (GRACE FOR DROWNING), HAND.CANNOT.ERASE. sees him and the band taking great strides into narrative.Pure Andy Tillison. Always a great thing! Lots of exploration into Americana and, especially, Hollywood.A criminally-underrated band, 3RDegree. Incredible melodies, fascinating lyrics, and very groggy compositions on their latest, ONES AND ZEROS.
As always, yours is the top ten list that matters the most. Thank you for including us amongst many of my favourite albums of the year too. This makes it all worthwhile and will inspire me to write one more in the new year. Merry Christmas to you, your family and the Progarchy readers everywhere.
Progarchy 
Surprised you warmed up to Riverside so much! I meant to message you that I love it and it is close to the top of the year for me as well!
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We’re so happy to have been included here Brad! We really would love it if you can come see us and Riverside in May. Bring your wife! 😉
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As always, yours is the top ten list that matters the most. Thank you for including us amongst many of my favourite albums of the year too. This makes it all worthwhile and will inspire me to write one more in the new year. Merry Christmas to you, your family and the Progarchy readers everywhere.
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