45 Favorite Album Releases Of 2016 - Part 2: 1 through 20

This is in no way a Best Of List, since I was only able to listen to a fraction of the music that came out last year. The albums are arranged in order of preference. I’d like to extend my gratitude to all the artists, press agents, and labels that sent CDs and downloads. I sincerely apologize that due to time constraints, I wasn’t always able to respond to the messages I received. Note: Some of these albums were actually released in 2015. So, here is the Top 20 of this year’s list. The numbers in parenthesis are the date the review was posted on Broken Hearted Toy.

(Numbers 21 through 45 were posted here yesterday.)

1. Cheap Trick - Bang, Zoom, Crazy . . . Hello Released at the same time the band was inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, this guitar-driven collection offered the energetic, highly melodic rock Cheap Trick is known for, along with some more experimental material. (4/11)

2. The Shelters - The Shelters The Los Angeles-based band drew inspiration from The Beatles, glam rock, and Led Zeppelin to create their own unique sound on this impressive debut. (8/30)

3. The Smithereens - ESP3PECIALLY F0R For You Two-CD set celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the band’s debut with live and acoustic tracks, demo versions, and rarities. (10/25 and 10/27)

4. Trolley - Caught In The Darkness All three members of the Milwaukee-based band can sing lead, and the power pop arrangements they create together are consistently inventive. (2/1)

5. Ex-Norwegians - Glazer Hazerr The Miami-based band once again featured Roger Houdaille and Michele Grand’s dynamic vocals on off-kilter but infectious power pop songs.(11/15)

6. Graham Nash - This Path Tonight His first solo album in several years found him striking a balance between exploring romantic relationships and exposing society’s ills. (5/9 and 5/10)

7. The Chills - Silver Bullets Frontman Martin Phillipps combined gorgeous arrangements with caustic lyrics about economic inequality and environmental disasters. (3/10)

8. Wolf Alice - My Love Is Cool English quartet’s adventurous debut was fueled by vocalist-guitarist Ellie Rowsell breathing fire into various genres and personas (4/13)

9. The Monkees - Good Times Micky Dolenz, Mike Nesmith, and Peter Tork made good on the inspired concept of having modern rock stars compose songs for their new album. (6/29)

10. The Pretenders - Alone Chrissie Hynde retained her status as one of rock’s premier vocalists, even if some of the material was a little soft at times. (12/31)

11. Dot Dash - Searchlights Another engaging effort from the Washington, D.C. band, with added nuances to its guitar-driven, 1980s alt rock approach. (8/9)

12. The Zombies - Still Got That Hunger Founding members Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent tapped into the American blues and soul music that has inspired them since the 1960s. (6/10)

13.The Flat Five - It’s A World Of Love And Hope Band of veteran Chicago musicians created catchy songs with vintage vocal interplay and arrangements. (1-7/17)

14. The Weeklings - Studio 2 Second effort from these music veterans once again seamlessly blended original tunes with vintage rarities composed but never released by The Beatles (1/1/17)

15. Arvidson And Butterflies - Arvidson And Butterflies Swedish singer Roger Arvidson explored broken relationships via guitar-driven songs and impeccable harmony vocals (6/23)

16. The Vulgar Boatmen - You And Your Sister - Remastered 25th Anniversary Edition celebrated songs that were never hits but are still highly regarded by critics and fans. (11/10)

17. The Forty Nineteens - Rebooted Another fun collection of energetic songs with catchy melodies and the exuberant vocals of lead singer-bassist John Pozza. (5/30)

18. Sidewalk Society - Sidewalk Society The California-based trio did a great job of covering David Bowie and the lesser-known 1960s Brit act The Action on this four-song EP. (7/28)

19. The Lash Outs - State Of Excess Third album from the Dallas-based quartet mixed quick-rhyming put-downs and aggressive arrangements in equal measures. (8/11)

20. whitewolfsonicprincess - Shadow Of The Marigold Spinoff of Chicago theatre group Black Forest established its own identity with an enchanting mix of rock, jazz, and blues. (2/23)