Without further ado, here are numbers 10 through 1 of L4LM’s list of the Top 20 Albums Of 2015…

10. Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color

Brittany Howard is a force of nature. The Alabama Shakes frontwoman has an incalculable control of her guitar-playing and vocals, merging together to form the perfect explosion of blues-soaked rock and roll. Right from the getgo, the album rocks relentlessly, defying the sophomore slump with ease. Considering Howard got to play with Prince and Paul McCartney in 2015, the sky’s the limit for Howard and her musical crew.

Listen to the rocker “Don’t Wanna Fight” below:

9. Galactic – Into The Deep

No band embodies the New Orleans brand of funk today better than Galactic. Their new album, Into The Deep, brought a bevy of powerful performers into the Galactic fold, including Macy Gray, Mavis Staples, Maggie Koerner, JJ Grey, and so many more. That guest lineup is a mere testament to the persistence and dedication that Galactic bring to the scene, as well as their downright energy in the live arena.

Check out the album’s title track, ft. Macy Gray, below:

8. Yonder Mountain String Band – Black Sheep

While fans of Yonder Mountain String Band were a bit shaken when Jeff Austin departed the band in 2014, the group has emerged triumphantly. 2015 marked the official inclusion of Jake Jolliff and Allie Kral into the Yonder lineup, with their debut album Black Sheep. The album itself deals with the emotional struggles of any break-up, rebuilding the pieces of a broken situation to make something both new and beautiful. Black Sheep is easily one of the most heartfelt releases of all of 2015, not to mention the band shows off their punk side with a cover of The Buzzcocks.

 

7. Warren Haynes with Railroad Earth – Ashes & Dust

When news of Warren Haynes’ collaboration with Railroad Earth broke, fans had no idea what to expect. Known for his Southern-infused style of rock and roll, how would that sound translate while playing with the acoustically-oriented bluegrass group? The resulting Ashes & Dust came out magnificently, showing off a side of Haynes that no one ever imagined. The songs had been written over the course of many years, and with the Allman Brothers Band finished, Haynes was able to compile them into a beautiful new release. Well done, Warren, well done.

6. Widespread Panic – Street Dogs

For the first time in five years, beloved Southern rockers Widespread Panic came out swinging with a brand new album of original music. Street Dogs is a rocker from cover to cover, showcasing the high-energy style that WSP fans have come to know and love. With spectacular efforts from everyone in the band, it’s no surprise that WSP’s new album made the top 10.

Stream it below:

5. Umphrey’s McGee – The London Session

Seemingly out of nowhere, Umphrey’s McGee delivered one of the best listens of all of 2015. The band hit the world-famous Abbey Road Studios in late 2014, recording a full album’s worth of music in one day. Naturally, the resulting release was one of their best yet, blending alternate takes, new originals, and a powerful cover to bring it all together on The London Sessions. Of course, the cover was a rendition of The Beatles’ “I Want You (She’s So Heavy),” featured on that band’s Abbey Road album. Umphrey’s does it justice, that’s for sure.

4. Trey Anastasio Band – Paper Wheels

With all of the many projects Trey Anastasio took on in 2015, it’s almost understandable to neglect Paper Wheels. The man led Phish on an incredible summer tour and played lead guitar for the Grateful Dead’s 50th anniversary celebration, Fare Thee Well. Despite all of that, Anastasio led his solo outfit through an exciting fall tour that highlighted the release of the band’s newest studio effort. Paper Wheels is a downright fun album to listen to, backed up by impressive songwriting and a thorough use of the talented musicians in the lineup. Vocals from Jennifer Hartswick and Natalie Cressman stand out throughout the release.

Check out “Bounce” from the new album below:

3. Lettuce – Crush

Some years in the making, funk act extraordinaire Lettuce brought their brand new album to the scene. Without being too punny, it absolutely crushed. Laced from start to finish with some of the most original, groovy tracks around, Lettuce not only kept the funk alive but successfully delivered a complete album experience. From the opening notes, the band enraptures with tight musicianship and intricate songwriting, bringing out the boogie in ways not previously thought possible. No joke, this is a bona fide funk masterpiece.

Listen to “Phyllis” below:

2. Vulfpeck – Thrill Of The Arts

Though Vulfpeck has been performing together for a number of years, 2015 certainly felt like a breakout for the group. A unique blend of rock, funk, jazz, and everything in between, once Thrill Of The Arts gets going, you can’t stop listening. The lyrics are humorous, the songs are infectious, and the musicians are bringing top-notch playing to each song. It’s wholly unique and fully original, rooted in soul but blossoming into something that can only be described as Vulfpeck. Thrill Of The Arts is as thrilling as it gets.

Stream it below:

1. My Morning Jacket – The Waterfall

Recovering from a back injury, My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James emerged stronger and more insightful than ever in 2015. His songwriting always set MMJ over the top, but The Waterfall seems to possess an almost ethereal quality to James’s patented brand of rock music. It’s blaringly honest and thoroughly emotional, giving the listener a complete sense inside the mind, body, and soul of the artist himself. MMJ paints a picture on each track, opting for subtlety to convey their heartfelt message. The Waterfall is the most complete album of 2015, and for that we’ve crowned it as #1. We’ll play you out with “In Its Infancy (The Waterfall),” to give you a taste of this release…

Read part one of this list (20-11) by following this link!

Some honorable mentions:

Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds – The Weather Below
Nigel Hall – Ladies And Gentlemen, Mr. Nigel Hall
The Nth Power – Abundance
Papadosio – Extras In A Movie
Circles Around The Sun – Interludes For The Dead
Twiddle – PLUMP
The Werks – Inside A Dream
ALO – Tangle Of Time
The Dead Weather – Dodge & Burn
Gary Clark Jr. – The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim
Neil Young & Promise Of The Real – The Monsanto Years
Modest Mouse – Strangers To Ourselves
Anders Osborne w/ North Mississippi Allstars – Freedom & Dreams
Father John Misty – I Love You Honeybear

…maybe next year we’ll do a top 30 list!