[Reaper16]

46.) La Dispute - Wildlife
La Dispute are a post-hardcore band who are sort of reclaiming the original intent of the emo movement. I’m talking about way back when emo was first applied to a subgenre of hardcore punk. Las Dispute’s songs scoff at conventional song structure; there are basically no choruses on the album at all. Instead, each song is a carefully paced narrative, with the importance placed on the lyrics and vocal performance. I don’t know the name of La Dispute’s vocalist, but he has one of the most sincere and affecting voices I’ve heard out of this scene. His lyrics are always drenched with emotion, sure, but it is specifically his delivery that moves his audience. And you will be moved. Just listen to the song I’ve linked to, album standout “King Park,” which tells the story of innocent lives taken by stray bullets. When, during the song’s crushing climax, the vocalist gives a repeated cry of “Will I still get into Heaven if I kill myself?” you will feel desperation and fear right alongside the character. This album is one of the most genuinely moving emotional experiences I’ve had listening to music this year.