Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2016. Our next list is from volunteer Nick Ammerman.

this is a list of the 2016 albums that gave me the most pleasure in 2016

Last Chance Power Drive by Alpha Hopper (Radical Empathy)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

gnarly/gnarled riffs, shredded vocals, someone spilled the hooks all over the floor [url=https://alphahopper.bandcamp.com/]https://alphahopper.bandcamp.com/[/url]

Mangy Love by Cass McCombs (ANTI-)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

satisfyingly embarrassing smooth-rock arrangements of excellent songs

Interventions by Horse Lords (Northern Spy)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

endless lockstep spasms of sax/guitar/bass/drums [url=https://horselords.bandcamp.com/album/interventions]https://horselords.bandcamp.com/album/interventions[/url]

Honor Killed the Samurai by Ka (Iron Works)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

the hardest working/grimmest man in hip-hop

Nonagon Infinity by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (Flightless)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

terrible band name, insane band. a circular album of relentlessly frantic riffs on riffs on riffs. [url=https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/nonagon-infinity-2]https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/nonagon-infinity-2[/url]

Sleepyhead by Lala Lala (self-released)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

this album will meet all your dour fuzz-rock needs [url=https://lalabandlala.bandcamp.com/album/sleepyhead]https://lalabandlala.bandcamp.com/album/sleepyhead[/url]

Rainbow by Robert Stillman (Orindal)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

beautiful and hypnotic jazz-influenced instrumentals [url=http://orindal.limitedrun.com/products/560467-robert-stillman-rainbow]http://orindal.limitedrun.com/products/560467-robert-stillman-rainbow[/url]

III by Sheer Mag (Wilsuns RC/Static Shock)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

the platonic ideal of "rock and roll" [url=https://sheermag.bandcamp.com/]https://sheermag.bandcamp.com/[/url]

Blood//Sugar//Secs//Traffic by The Gotobeds (Sub Pop)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

who gave these wiseacres guitars? [url=https://thegotobeds.bandcamp.com/album/blood-sugar-secs-traffic]https://thegotobeds.bandcamp.com/album/blood-sugar-secs-traffic[/url]

Origin of What by Tyvek (In the Red)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

the poet laureates of trash-rock

Honorable Mentions

some other good albums (but not all of them):

75 Dollar Bill - Wood/Metal/Plastic/Pattern/Rhythm/Rock
A Giant Dog - Pile
A Tribe Called Quest - We Got It From Here … Thank You 4 Your Service
Battle Trance - Blade of Love
Cavern of Anti-Matter - void beats/invocation trex
Chants - The Zookeeper
Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition
David Bowie - Blackstar
Fake Limbs - Matronly
Frankie Cosmos - Next Thing
Huerco S. - For Those Of You Who Have Never
Jenny Hval - Blood Bitch
J-Zone - Fish-n-Grits
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith and Suzanne Ciani - Sunergy
Kevin Gates - Islah
Mitski - Puberty 2
Octagrape - Aura Obelisk
Parquet Courts - Human Performance
ScHoolboy Q - Blank Face
Terry - Terry HQ
The Blind Shake - Celebrate Your Worth
Tim Hecker - Love Streams
Trust Punks - Double Bind
Violent Change - VC3