The Year in Music, vol 5 — Debuts

To keep the ball rolling — here are my favorite solo debuts from 2015:

1. Kamasi Washington, The Epic. This is one of the first jazz records that I’ve felt compelled to purchase in years, a deep, soulful exploration of the sound pallet.
2. Leon Bridges, Coming Home. This flat-out rocks.
3. Shamir, Ratchet. A brilliant debut both musically and lyrically.
4. Chris Stapelton, Traveller. He has recorded before, with earlier bands, but his solo album was a breath of fresh air on country radio.
5. Elle King, Love Stuff. This is her first full length, and it is a fully realized melange of alternative, country, soul and pop.
6. Seinabo Sey, Pretend. Simply breathtaking soul.
7. Salad Boys, Metal Mania. This band wears its influences on its sleeves in the best of ways — Ought, The Feelies, The Dream Syndicate.
8. Sharkmuffin, Chartruese. Among the best female-fronted punk records released in a good year for punk women.
9. Sam Outlaw, Angelenos, and 10. Banditos, Banditos. Like Chris Stapleton’s Traveller, these are real country records, in the mold of Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, and Waylon Jennings.

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Author: hankkalet

Hank Kalet is a poet and freelance journalist. He is the economic needs reporter for NJ Spotlight, teaches journalism at Rutgers University and writing at Middlesex County College and Brookdale Community College. He writes a semi-monthly column for the Progressive Populist. He is a lifelong fan of the New York Mets and New York Knicks, drinks too much coffee and attends as many Bruce Springsteen concerts as his meager finances will allow. He lives in South Brunswick with his wife Annie. View all posts by hankkalet