Justin's Favorite Albums and Songs of 2015

As with any year in music, honesty is what makes an album stick. Sometimes that honesty is brutal. Torres' Sprinter, my favorite record of the year, tears her religious upbringing to shreds as she builds her new identify. Here her raw screams live hammered home the point. Björk chronicled her breakup with long-time partner Matthew Barney in ways that made me cringe and cry.

Other times honesty is joyful. Daddy Issues took not giving a fuck to another level and spoke their own truth without a care of who was listening. John Darnielle reveled in his love of professional wrestling with an entire album about it. It's not a passion I share, but his enthusiasm had me wanting to jump off the top rope.

Tift Merritt to play 'Bramble Rose' in Carrboro

Raleigh singer-songwriter will revisit her 2002 debut album Bramble Rose in early 2016 with a deluxe reissue of the album on February 19 and a special Triangle show where she and her band will play the album front to back.

The show will be at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Friday, February 26. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. today, December 18, via Ticketfly for $25.

Check out the title track from the album Bramble Rose below.

Carly Rae Jepsen kicking off 2016 tour in Raleigh

Canadian pop singer Carly Rae Jepsen released her critically acclaimed third album earlier this year titled Emotion and she'll kick off her 2016 winter/spring tour right here in the the Triangle.

Jepsen will play The Ritz in Raleigh on Friday, February 12. Tickets will go on sale at noon on Friday, December 11, via Live Nation for $25. A pre-sale for Citi Card members will begin at 2 p.m. today, December 10.

Check out the music video for "Your Type" from the aforementioned album Emotion below as well as Jepsen's newly released cover of the Wham! holiday classic "Last Christmas."

Wavves & Best Coast announce winter tour, coming to Carrboro

Indie pop bands Wavves and Best Coast both released new albums this year titled V and California Nights respectively. The pair will team up for a tour in early 2016 called Summer Is Forever II that will bring them the Triangle.

Wavves and Best Coast will play the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Monday, February 15. Cherry Glazerr will open. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, December 11, via Ticketfly for $30.

Check out Wavves' music video for "Way To Much" and Best Coast's music video for "In My Eyes" below.

ODESZA, Gary Numan, Reggie Watts, Laurie Anderson to play first Durham Moogfest

Gary Numan

After months of anticipation, the initial lineup has been announced for Moogfest, the music festival and conference once located in Asheville but moving to Durham in 2016.

The four-day event will take play May 19-22 and topping the bill are ODESZA, Gary Numan, GZA, Laurie Anderson, Explosions in the Sky, Blood Orange, sunn O))), Oneohtrix Point Never, Suzanne Ciani, Reggie Watts, Sun Ra Arkestra and The Orb. Gary Numan will be featured in a three-night residency and GZA in a two-night residency. Check out a lineup video featuring musician and funny man Reggie Watts below.

Garth Brooks announces 2016 dates, coming to Raleigh

Country superstar Garth Brooks is showing no signs of slowing down the big comeback he launched earlier this year as he has just announced a new round of dates in 2016 that will bring him to the Triangle for the first time in over 18 years.

Brooks will play the PNC Arena in Raleigh with Trisha Yearwood on March 11 and 12. Tickets will go on sale via Ticketmaster at 10 a.m. on Friday, December 11, for $65.73 plus fees. There are no pre-sales and tickets will not be available at the box office on Dec.11, only online or by phone.

UPDATE: With both shows selling out within an hour, Brooks has added a third Raleigh show for Sunday, March 13. Tickets are on sale now.

Check out Brooks performing his hit "Friends in Low Places" on the Today Show earlier this year below.

The Avett Brothers releasing 'Live, Vol. 4' recorded in Raleigh

Continuing their ongoing series of live albums, the last of which was released in 2010, The Avett Brothers will release Live, Vol. 4 in just few weeks.

Live, Vol. 4 was recorded and filmed at the Avetts big New Year's Eve show Raleigh at the PNC Arena last year. The CD/DVD set will be released on December 18. Check out the track list below that includes two new songs from the show, "Satan Pulls The Strings" and "Rejects in the Attic."

The Avett Brothers just announced their spring tour plans and they include a return to the Azalea Festival in Wilmington on Thursday, April 7. Tickets will go on sale HERE at 9 a.m. on Saturday, December 5.