So, a couple of weeks ago I went on an insane album binge. I was listening to at least 10 albums a day. Some albums new to me and re-listening to some I've heard before. I listened to about 75 albums on this binge. For the last week or so I've been letting it settle down and processing all of the great albums I've heard recently. Kind of embarrassing that I haven't listened to a lot of these until recently.

Just to preface this, these are not my top 5 albums of ALL TIME. These are my top 5 albums of the 75 or so that I've listened to over these past couple of weeks.

My criteria for ranking these will be kind of loose. It will be around the sounds, emotions they evoked, the feelings and sensations I was feeling during the listen, and if I felt the artists made me feel how I think they intended the album to feel. I'll be giving a short summary of each album and my opinion.

I'll be starting with three honorable mentions.

Fawning - All Around Me

This was just released a few days ago. Part of the reason it didn't make the cut.
Gothic dream pop to soothe your ears. I've been anticipating this album for a few months and it surely did not disappoint me. Throughout this album, the incredible bass guitar accompanied by the ethereal vocals makes me feel like I'm in an 80s horror film before the scary shit happens. I think everyone should listen to this album!
My standout track is 'In Memory'.


Staind - Break The Cycle

An alt-metal album released in 2001. Some would call this 'divorced dad rock' but that term is kind of corny to me. The guitars will absolutely make you want to bang your head. This will make you want to crack open a couple of Bud Lights for sure (I've never drank a day in my life).
My standout track is 'Can't Believe'.

smokedope2016 - 2016

Not gonna say much about this album. Incredibly vibey with the Clams Casino-esque type beats. If you enjoy cloud rap then you should definitely listen to this, but if that's not something you're interested in then you're not missing out on much. I love this album myself.
My standout track is 'Mobile'.

Okay, now I will get to the actual list.

1. Belong - October Language

A drone/ambient album released in 2006. Listening to this album is like a cleanse. You feel as if you're floating through an endless nothingness while being washed over by the waves of your favorite ocean. An absolutely trancing listen from start to end. Everything that was on my mind before listening to this album was completely swept away. All I was able to focus on in the moment was the beautiful sounds gracing my ears. It genuinely felt like my ears were being washed over by a river. If you listen to this, which I think you should, you should make sure nothing can interrupt your listening and turn the volume all the way up to get the absolute optimal experience.
My standout track is 'October Language'.

2. Songs: Ohia - Magnolia Electric Co.

Songs: Ohia was one person, Jason Molina. Magnolia Electric Co. is an alt-country/country rock album. Just because it has a country title over it PLEASE don't let that turn you away. PLEASE!!! This is one of the most devastating albums I've listened to. Lots of metaphors are used to describe Jason's suffering which is a great testament to how incredible of a songwriter he is. The guitar solos throughout the album are shrouded and presented with such a vast amount of emotion. What an incredible masterpiece this album is! Again, PLEASE don't let the country title turn you away.
My standout track is 'The Old Black Hen'.

3. Pallow - Blueprints for an Empty Vessel

Here we have a slowcore/heavy shoegaze album. As a fan of heavy rhythm guitars, melancholic lead guitars, somber vocals, and heart-twisting lyrics, this is a gold mine. I discussed this album with a friend of mine and we both agreed that the vocals kind of sound like Dan Barrett of Have A Nice Life. Not so much in the actual voice but rather in the delivery. While listening to this I felt a longing for someone that isn't there. If I could relate that feeling of longing to someone then this would have hit A LOT harder than it was already tearing at me.
My standout track is 'Holding'.

4. Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas

An absolute classic dream pop album that I'm embarrassed that only recently was my first full listen to it. I've always had a handful of Cocteau Twins songs in my playlists but never listened to a full album until 2 weeks ago. I listened to this album, Treasure, and The Moon and The Melodies. Each album was a unique and remarkable listening experience. This is their most popular album but that's for good reason. The ethereal singing blended with the layers of dreamy guitars is the absolute perfection of this sound.
My standout track is 'Cherry-coloured funk'.

5. Jeff Buckley - Grace

Jeff Buckley's only album he was able to fully finish. A damned good one to have though. This album is full of honesty, intimacy, and dagger-to-the-heart singing. When musicians can get intimate through lyrics and singing is when I can truly respect their craft.
My standout song is 'So Real'.