Alt-J An awesome wave - it really is considered as a whole in its creation. There are interludes, dips & swells in the energy, and a whole journey of sonically related songs which keep introducing new variations and sounds.

Sufjan Stevens the BQE - another album that really should be enjoyed as a whole journey, it follows the daily commute of so many along the Brooklyn Queens Expressway in NYC. It wanders from orchestral to electronic noise, and is a wonderful album to put on for a slow Sunday morning.

Tool - Lateralus. It’s an album best played from start to finish, and takes a very dynamic ride that I interpret as a ride through human consciousness, communication with others and ourselves.

Good Kid, maad City by Kendrick Lamar. It’s a concept album that tells a non-linear coming of age story. It’s a nice throwback to 90s west coast hip hop and the message behind the concept is powerful and relatable to anyone who has ever lived in low income neighbourhoods. Pretty much every thing this man has made is gold but GKMC is the one that impacted me most.

To Pimp a Butterfly - Kendrick Lamar

It’s a hip-hop album with a strong focus on themes of race in America and mental health. Lamar’s lyricism is incredible.

The instrumentation is equally great, drawing inspiration from jazz, funk, and soul.

The Kinks, Preservation Act 1 & 2

The Kinks modernized rock, progressing through similar phases as The Beatles, they became increasingly experimental, taking on many different genres and instruments. I believe that The Beatles and many others learned different avenues to expand their sound from listening to The Kinks. Preservation Act 1 & 2 were a exposition into the realm of rock opera. It touches upon super modern and relevant concepts, such as crooked politicians, gentrification, getting old, censorship, etc. It plays out like a story, so please take the time to listen to the albums in order and not skip around. It is a master class of diverse rhythm and harmony. Any one of the songs on each album can get stuck in your head for days. In my mind, every song including the intro is a hit. If you like the album and want to listen to other ones by them, I would also recommend The Village Green Preservation Society, Schoolboys in Disgrace, Muswell Hillbillies, Everybody’s in Showbiz, Misfits, and Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One. What’s so interesting about The Kinks is you can ask someone else what their favorite albums are and they may list totally different ones by them from what I listed because they were so versatile across several decades, but I like these the best.