Cheap Girls Records, Instant Netflix

I love watching TV. Here is a list of my favourite shows that I watched this year.

Atlanta

I realize that as a white Gen Y-er, the following statement has no legitimacy or authority, but Atlanta felt very authentically Black to me. Always funny, smart, and, even when it's a surreal BET spoof, true. My favourite thing on TV in a landslide victory. God, what a great show.

Documentary Now!

Documentary Now! was one of my favourite shows last year and it's sophomore season was just as good. A little bit bigger in scope, but equally as zany and on-point.

Regular Show

Following a 7th season that, while still good, showed significant signs of slowing down, Regular Show went all-in and put the park staff in space for the last season. A big gamble, but it paid off. Still fun and funny, but always underpinning that with great emotional moments. 

Love

Rebecca and I watched all of Love in about 3 days, which is fast for me. Gillian Jacobs was wonderful and the above scene was no doubt one of my favourite moments of TV this year.

Master of None

After watching the first episode of this show, I wasn't sure if I would like it or not. Then I finished it two days later. I really enjoyed the way that Aziz Ansari writes romantic comedy and I feel like the show is a great reflection of Aziz's personality and skill. Eric Wareheim!

Easy

Given how much I love the "M word" and everything I've seen from Joe Swanberg, I was surprised how long it took me to find Easy. Some of the episodes were better than others, but it hit much more than it missed and always found a way to be intensely real.

Togetherness

Hey! Speaking of excellent mumblecore TV shows, Togetherness had another great season this year. The show obviously ended too soon and I feel that the second season's happy and neatly wrapped up ending, the only thing close to a smudge on its reputation, was a result of that. DUPLASS BROTHERS, NEVER STOP MAKING THINGS.

Man Seeking Woman

It would be hard for Man Seeking Woman to top its monumental first season, which I thought was perfect in pretty much every way, but the second season does an admirable job and can certainly stand side by side with it. They dabble in more long term storylines with Rosa and it works great! Simon Rich is cool!

Silicon Valley

Season 3 of Silicon Valley suffered from the same expectations as Man Seeking Woman; I enjoyed the two earlier so much that it created an unrealistic expectation for quality. The show is still great though. Super smart and super funny, but what's most impressive is that the best jokes often hide in the smallest details.

The 2016 I, Musical Genius Musical Revue

Once more, we are about to embark on an engaging journey through my year in music. As usual, I'm not going to number the releases, because I feel like the degree to which I enjoy my 7th-ranked album over my 8th-ranked is pretty negligible. If you really need a #1 pick, let's give it to Joyce Manor, with Crying as a close second.

Joyce Manor- Cody

Every time Joyce Manor puts out a new record, I remember how much I love everything that Joyce Manor has put out. Cody continues the trend towards a polished sound started with Never Hungover Again and is certainly their most poppy material yet. The band leans huge on Weezer, Big Star, and Cheap Trick sound-wise and I fucking adore it. This is a record I wish I had written. I've come back to it many times and love love love it. Easily my favourite release of theirs.

Crying- Beyond the Fleeting Gales

I started listening to Crying last year and found their emo/shoegaze/chiptune hybrid really fun and catchy. While I was excited for new music, I wasn't expecting this huge of jump in quality at all. Crying has catapulted themselves up list of favourite current bands. The emo parts of their sound has been layered with more spacey indie influences and the chiptune side with more synth-pop. A phenomenal and impressive in songwriting ability and a fucking great record. 

Nothing- Tired of Tomorrow

I was pretty late to the party on Nothing and only started listening to Guilty of Everything shortly before Tired of Tomorrow came out, so this album has really been my main introduction to the band. The emo/shoegaze/vaguely-grunge thing is everywhere right now and if every band did it as well as Nothing, I probably wouldn't roll my eyes at it the way I do. Perfectly heavy, spacey, and dark. A tight and accessible album that will surely be a great time capsule of punk in 2016.

The Hotelier- Goodness

I seem to be much higher on this album than all of my friends, kind of like how they were all way higher on Home, Like No Place is There. Goodness and HLNPIT are way more alike sonically than any other two albums in their catalogue, so I guess the reason that I like this one more is the songwriting. Imagine that. The last song on this album kills me.

Childish Gambino- Awaken, My Love!

I'll be honest, Childish Gambino's music up to this point has done nothing for me. I've tried to get into it because of how much I appreciate everything else that Donald Glover has done, but I just couldn't. The short film that he made hinted at a direction that I would enjoy and that change happened this year with the combination of his TV show Atlanta, which is 100% my favourite thing I watched this year, and this album. I love seeing artists take gambles like Glover has this year. He's making things that are unexpected, biting, and important and I couldn't happier about it.

Daniel Romano- Mosey

Easily his best solo effort since Sleep Beneath the Willow. This is a huge change in sound, dabbling in some of 60's more obscure musical styles like, big band pop, and further showcases that DR can basically work in any genre he chooses to.

Diarrhea Planet- Turn to Gold

I only started listening to Diarrhea Planet this year. They have the best band name of all-time. A band that's equal parts Van Halen and punk with four guitar players? Bud, it sounds like drew it out of my skull.

Har Mar Superstar- Best Summer Ever

I only discovered who Har Mar Superstar is this year. Apparently that was a trend in my listening this year? I didn't notice. He also came up in the book Army of Lovers, which I was reading shortly after finding out who he is. This album is a fun cross-section of R&B and dance music since the 60's. "Anybody's Game" is especially great.

John K Samson- Winter Wheat

I have accepted that I will not like John K Samson's current output as much I love the Weakerthans. Now I listen for the stories, as his songs have turned much more into fiction set to song. This album provides that in spades. Also, all of his songs about the mundaneity and frustrations of post-grad studies KILL ME.

Young Thug- Slime Season 3

2016 was pretty light on rap for. Young Thug continues to be the most interesting and innovative person in trap.

LVL Up- Return to Love

I saw LVL Up in 2014 and, to be honest, they didn't do tons for me, but this LP is wonderful. I get a big Neutral Milk Hotel vibe from their arrangements and melodies, except they're done with fuzzy guitars instead of acoustic instruments. Great catchy indie rock.

The Frightnrs- Nothing More to Say

I find it frustrating that there is so little contemporary ska music that I connect to, because there is nothing I would love more than to keep supporting good bands who work in the genre. This is the only ska record from this year that I really connected to. It's refreshing to see a band who isn't the Slackers or Deals Gone Bad work in older 1st Wave styles and even more refreshing to see them use old-style production. A great rocksteady release, it's the small stuff in the songs that makes them great.

TUNS- TUNS

I saw TUNS play a short 3-song debut set earlier in the year and wondered what their recorded output would be like, given the members' pedigree. This release is exactly what I wanted: Tight, to-the-point power pop that is heavy on jangle and melodies.

Japanese Breakfast- Psychopomp

To be honest, I forgot this came out this year, but I did listen to it a lot in the front half of the year. Great spacey and synthy shoegaze.