Hi again!
2015 has been a year full of emotions for me, so many positive vibes and equal amounts of dips and uncertainties in my life. Music and my great group of friends has been the common strand that has been getting me through most of my feelings/experiences in what adult life is throwing at me this year. Here are some of my personal highlights for 2015.

Crossing the border once again for another punkation to Pouzza Fest and poutine! (I really like poutine)

Crossing off seeing the Foo Fighters on my bucket list.

Celebrating my fourth year of marriage with my husband at Wreckingball ATL.


I know that 2016 is going to a very productive year for me, looking forward to turning 30 this year and continuing to listening to records on my turntable with my pup for another year. Keeping the #PMA up for 2016.

Here is a playlist of some great 2015 jams...

10. Carly Rae Jepsen : Emotion

Interscope

I have not been into a super pop record in a hot minute now. This record Carly Rae has really turned up the emotions. This album is just a lot of fun, so catchy and apparently something I needed in my system to lighten some of the gloomiest times of my life. A very solid pop record.

9. Banquets: Spit At The Sun

Black Numbers

After releasing their 2013 self-titled release this band can do no wrong in my books ever especially when this is their last album ever. Spit at the Sun is nothing groundbreaking, same Banquets song formulas. They do a great job in merging punk guitar work with singer Travis Omilian’s dynamic vocals and personable lyrics. “Hell, Hello” is my recommended track on this album.

8. After the Fall: Dedication

Bridge Nine Records

Having gone through a tragic loss of a friend this year, this album rings true to me on so many levels and may be the perfect listen for all what I was thinking about with his death this year. After the Fall has always been a band I would frequent. The lyrical passion put into this album seems to harks so much raw and heavy feelings of loss. The music is super fast and very technical like other efforts with so much heart embedded into the music. Thank you guys for giving me an album so perfectly placed for me to help me cope.

7. Bad Cop/Bad Cop: Not Sorry

Fat Wreck Chords

These are some rad ladies making even radder music. Hailing from So-Cal, these bad ass ladies brought their all for their debut full length album. Not Sorry is a perfect example of their beautiful three-part vocal harmonies working together. The lyrics are full of sass and attitude, they are anthems of heartache and living life. "Like, Seriously?" is everything this band represents.

6. Atlas Losing Grip: Currents

Creator-Destructor / Revelation

This year, Creator-Destructor has picked up the most perfect band to round out their already expansive melodic punk group of bands. Coming from Sweden, Atlas Losing Grip released a super epic release this year. Currents is Rodrigo Alfaro’s last release with the band and this will be his most personal lyrically yet. The guitars are super speedy, technical and full of shredding. “Cast Anchor” is my favorite track off of this album.

5. The Isotopes: Nuclear Strikezone

stomp

I blame this find on my fanatical baseball loving husband to how this came to my door steps. But seriously this album is bat flipping great, this Punk Rock Baseball Club has put together a super fun and catchy pop punk album. The riffs hearken back so much of the Ramones. The lyrical puns are so good, it's sarcastic satirical content about baseball's first world problems sticks in your head for days of the long baseball season.

4. Make Do and Mend: Don’t Be Long

Rise Records

I have loved this band for a while now and this album has been a happy surprise earlier this year. In this effort the band seems to have matured and have came to terms with their musical past. The tracks are truly Make Do and Mend with a toned down gruffness and less aggressiveness than End Measured Mile. James Carroll’s lyrics in this album is a great example of his personal plights translated into great melodic storytelling. I absolutely love the song “Ever Since,” it encompasses so many elements that made me fall in love with this band in the first place.

3. Beach Slang: The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us

Polyvinyl Records

This album is purely magical and one of my most anticipated this year. Beach Slang’s first two EPs (Cheap Thrills On A Dead End Street and Who Would Ever Want Anything So Broken?) have been on my constant rotation since I found out about them. Their debut full length The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us continues on the trend of becoming a classic and did not disappoint my expectations. James Alex seems to capture the best of what got me into punk the pure passion and youthful energy. His nostalgic and romantic spirit rings through in the strands of each song making it a very cohesive record.

2. Pentimento: I, No Longer

Bad Timing Records

Pentimento’s 2012 self-titled release was my jam for such a long time. I am really glad to see how this band has progressed to maturity and to create such an lyrically emotional follow up album. The way that Jeramiah Pauly uses words to paints such a descriptive picture of feeling is quite impressive. His use of vocal ranges from really soft to impactful yells really shows the severity of the message he is trying to convey.

1. Strung Out: Transmission.Alpha.Delta

Fat Wreck Chords

Having been six years since their last studio effort, Strung Out’s Transmission. Alpha. Delta. takes the highest spot on my list this year. They have continued churning out tunes in using the same formula, melodic, fast and technical but with a modern flair. "Black Maps" is the best song on this album it shows off Jason Cruz’s range of vocal and perfect guitar work. Everything about this album is perfect.

Honorable Mentions for 2015 (in no particular order)
Desaparecidos - Payola
Wilderness Dream - S/T
No Weather Talks- Undoing Defeat
Success - Radio Recovery
Wild Moth - Inhibitor