2014 in music. • Page 2

In retrospect I probably still listen/enjoy 1989 the most, but I had to give it to Transgender Dysphoria Blues. LJG's transition and the lead up to that album was such an eye opening learning experience for me. I also remember they released acoustic versions of Fuckmylife666 and True Trans Soul Rebel before the album dropped, and I probably played those versions 1,000 times before the album finally came. And the album release show in Williamsburg was a fucking blast.

 

1. John Fullbright - Songs
2. Hiss Golden Messenger - Lateness of Dancers
3. Jennifer Castle - Pink City
4. Sturgill Simpson - Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
5. Dangelo - Black Messiah
6. Amen Dunes - Love
7. Strand of Oaks - Heal
8. Doug Paisley - Strong Feelings
9. Spoon - They Want My Soul
10. Protomartyr - Under Color of Official Right
11. Kevin Morby - Still Life
12. Elisa Ambrogio - The Immortalist
13. Robert Ellis - The Lights From The Chemical Plant
14. The Delines - Colfax
15. Frazey Ford - Indian Ocean

 

1. Against Me - TDB
2. The Hotelier - Home…
3. Future - Monster

great year

 

1. the hotelier – home, like noplace is there
2. run the jewels – run the jewels 2
3. the menzingers – rented world

4. joyce manor – never hungover again
5. every time i die – from parts unknown
6. d'angelo – black messiah
7. the war on drugs – lost in the dream
8. copeland – ixora
9. flying lotus – you're dead!
10. tiny moving parts – pleasant living
11. mitski – bury me at makeout creek
12. circa survive – decensus
13. st. vincent – st. vincent
14. pvris – white noise
15. mø – no mythologies to follow

 

1. Cold World - How The Gods Chill
2. Sturgill Simpson - Meta Modern
3. Makthaverskan -II

I was blown away when I played this record and heard this hidden track for the first time. It was a true surprise.

 

HM:

TR/ST - Joyland
Taylor Swift- 1989
Perfume Genius - Too Bright
Rich Gang - Tha Tour Pt. 1
Lydia Loveless - Somewhere Else
Abhi//Dijon - EP
arrange - Their Bodies in a Fog
German Error Message - Haunts
Joyce Manor - Never Hungover Again
The Lawrence Arms - Metropole
YG - My Krazy Life
DJ Dodger Stadium - Friend of Mine
How to Dress Well - What Is This Heart?
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Piñata
Isaiah Rashad - Cilvia Demo
Rome Fortune - Beautiful Pimp II
The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream
Your Old Droog - S/T
Run the Jewels - RTJ2

 

What a song

 

dude rules

 

I'd forgotten this came out in 2014.

 

My top 3:
1. Taylor Swift - 1989
2. Sia – 1000 Forms of Fear
3. Jason Lancaster – As You Are

Other albums I loved:

Selena Gomez – For You
Dirty Heads – Sound of Change
The Pretty Reckless – Going to Hell
Sam Smith – In the Lonely Hour
Miranda Lambert – Platinum
Ed Sheeran – X
Bleachers – Strange Desire
Jason Mraz – Yes!
Eric Clapton & Friends – The Breeze: An Appreciation of JJ Cale
Wiz Khalifa – Blacc Hollywood
Ariana Grande – My Everything
Maroon 5 – V
Vance Joy – Dream Your Life Away
Meghan Trainor – Title
Blake Shelton – Bringing Back the Sunshine
Cold War Kids – Hold My Home
Nicki Minaj – The Pinkprint
Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness – S/T
Young the Giant – Mind Over Matter
Aloe Blacc — Lift Your Spirit
Language & Perspective – Bad Suns

 

Need more love for Ixora by Copeland in here!

 

I didn't get into Copeland until Blushing!

 

Was amazed and how much my rankings have changed since I wrote an original list. Currently these are my favorites:

01) AGAINST ME! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues

The hype about this record was well deserved as Laura Jane Grace came out raging post-transition with all the anger, sadness and confusion she'd been holding in.

02) THE WAR ON DRUGS - Lost In A Dream

A beautiful heartland rock record made by a band from the coast that soundtracks many a hazy afternoon or road trip.

03) GLASS ANIMALS - Zaba

Sexy and smooth indie R&B and a fantastic debut

04) LANA DEL REY - Ultraviolence

A major course correction after the backlash from her debut, this record is somber and beautiful.

05) TOVE LO - Queen Of The Clouds

The best pop debut and overall pop album from 2014 with just one classic after another

06) BLEACHERS - Strange Desire

Jack Antanoff finally struck out on his own and made a worthwhile debut incorporating his love of 80's synths mixed with 00's indie rock

07) SPOON - They Want My Soul

Nothing can really be said about Spoon that hasn't been said, this was a welcome song-oriented return to form after Trasference proved to be divisive for the fanbase.

08) KASABIAN - 48:13

Enormous sounding UK rock meant to be played in stadiums (as it is in Europe).

09) SYLVAN ESSO - Sylvan Esso

Electro-pop made by a couple who are equally invested in song-craft as they are fun

10) CHROMEO - White Women

Chromeo's records have always been a bit scattered to me but this one is the most overall consistent batch of their goofy modern funk songs

11) WALK THE MOON - Talking Is Hard

Following up on a good debut with a global smash as well as 11 other tracks that are just as strong, Walk The Moon were also another frontrunner in the 80's embrace of 2014

12) BROKN BELLS - After The Disco

I still prefer Broken Bells to any album from The Shins as Danger Mouse is able to draw out more discernable melodies from James Mercer

13) ROYAL BLOOD - Royal Blood

A hyped UK band that actually delivers, this two-man crew is able to make the most basic rhythm instruments interesting and fun in these tight rock songs

14) THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM - Get Hurt

A soundtrack to a man who lost is marriage and in the process of losing his band, this is The Gaslight Anthem at their most vulnerable

15) HOZIER - Hozier

Another mega-hit song supported by an equally strong album of soulful singer/songwriter tracks, there should have been more hits from this

16) MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA - Cope

A natural reaction to Simple Math, Cope rocks harder than Manchester ever had while not sacrificing on the beauty that makes us all love them

17) WEEZER - Everything Will Be Alright In The End

Another tale of course-correction after a near decade-long slide into confusion, this is Weezer regaining control of the plot

18) THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS - Bill Bruisers

Like Spoon, THe New Pornographers are just an insanely consistent and catchy indie pop band full of excellent songwriters and Bill Bruisers is another great addition to their catalog

19) LA ROUX - Trouble In Paradise

Given the troubled recording sessions for this, it's amazing it sounds so hooky and effortless with these laid-back disco pop songs

20) COLDPLAY - Ghost Stories

Another divorce album and Coldplay's most insular and least commerical which slowly unravels over time

21) GEORGE EZRA - Wanted On Voyage

Lots of UK troubadors were popping up around this time but I love George Ezra's playful take on the genre

22) JUNGLE - Jungle

Fun electric soul-influenced pop from the UK with cheeky vocals

23) THE STAVES - If I Was

Beautiful harmonies from three sisters from the UK over gorgeous acoustic instrumentation

24) ANDREW MCMAHON IN THE WILDERNESS - Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness

Andrew McMahon's third project found him getting more personal and shedding a lot of the emo trappings of his earlier work. It's also been his most succesful.

25) BECK - Morning Phase

A surprising "Album Of The Year" win at Grammy's, this is Beck fully embracing middle age and making a spiritual sequel to Sea Change

26) OK GO - Hungry Ghost

They got a ton of attention for their videos but OK Go's music is consistently also great, incorporating various influencer to update their brand of power-pop

27) JACK WHITE - Lazaretto

Probably Jack's angriest and all around tightest record

28) TAKING BACK SUNDAY - Happiness Is

The return of John Nolan was probably better for band chemistry than songs in TBS's case but this album makes a case for the reunion

29) ALT-J - This Is All Yours

An amibitous follow-up to an acclaimed debut, Alt-J got weirder as well as poppier at the same time

30) FUTURE ISLANDS - Singles

Dad-friendly synth pop driven by another excellent lead single

 

That was this show, right?

Against Me! Setlist at Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Was at that, excellent fucking night.

 

Yep that was it!
And if I remember correctly, the show was originally booked at Rough Trade, but they upgraded to meet demand.

 

Tried to hype this band 8 years ago, lets try again

 

Similar to 2013, not the deepest year, but there are some gems

1. Taylor Swift - 1989
2. Against Me! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues
3. The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream
4. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2
5. Sun Kil Moon - Benji
6. Spoon - They Want My Soul
7. The Lawrence Arms - Metropole
8. Joyce Manor - Never Hungover Again
9. The Hotelier - Home, Like Noplace is There
10. Sturgill Simpson - Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
11. Perfume Genius - Too Bright
12. Alvvays - Alvvays
13. Bleachers - Strange Desire
14. Antlers - Familiars
15. Drive-By Truckers - English Oceans

 

1. Field Report - Marigolden
2. Coldplay - Ghost Stories
3. Taylor Swift - 1989

The asterisk: Noah Gundersen's Ledges was far and away the most important album of this year for me, for a lot of reasons. I feel uncomfortable giving it points, given the allegations that have come out about Noah recently, and I honestly haven't really figured out how to reconcile how much his music meant to me with what he did. Maybe I'll get there someday.

Tough cuts:

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness – Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
Yellowcard – Lift a Sail
John Fullbright – Songs
The War on Drugs – Lost in the Dream

Also love:

Tyler Hilton – Indian Summer
Twin Forks – Twin Forks
U2 – Songs of Innocence
The Hotelier – Home, Like NoPlace Is There
Dierks Bentley – Riser
Chad Perrone – Kaleidoscope
Ingrid Michaelson – Lights Out
Damien Rice – My Favourite Faded Fantasy
Counting Crows – Somewhere Under Wonderland
Hailey, It Happens - Under the Brilliant Lights
Miranda Lambert – Platinum
Steve Moakler – Wide Open
The Gaslight Anthem – Get Hurt

Honorables:

Bleachers – Strange Desire
The Alternate Routes – Nothing More
Tom Petty - Hypnotic Eye
Lori McKenna – Numbered Doors
Stolen Silver – We Have Everything We Have Nothing
Copeland – Ixora
Sturgill Simpson – Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
Augustana – Life Imitating Life
Eric Church – The Outsiders
The Hold Steady – Teeth Dreams
Charlie Simpson – Long Road Home
The New Basement Tapes - Lost on the River
Beck - Morning Phase
Bruce Springsteen - High Hopes
Manchester Orchestra - Cope
Spoon - They Want My Soul

 

wasn't aware anything came out about him

 

1. Weezer - EWBAITE
2. Spoon - They Want My Soul
3. Royal Blood - S/T
—-
Honorable mention to 1989, the pop masterpiece that it is (Wonderland being a bonus track was such a “I have too many JAMS to fit on the standard record” statement).

 

I posted this on Facebook in 2014:

1. YG – My Krazy Life
2. The Lawrence Arms – Metropole
3. Transit – Joyride
4. Intuition & Equalibrum - Intuition & Equalibrum
5. The Madden Brothers – Greetings From California
6. New Found Glory – Resurrection
7. Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga – Cheek To Cheek
8. The Roots – And Then You Shot Your Cousin
9. Ariana Grande – My Everything
10. J. Rawls – The Legacy
11. Sturgill Simpson – Metamodern Sounds In Country Music
12. Wu-Tang Clan – A Better Tomorrow
13. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Piñata
14. Tinashe – Aquarius (R&B)/ Mariah Carey - Me. I Am Mariah [...]
15. Rick Ross – Mastermind

I'm not sure how I arrived at that order, it feels very off, but #1 and #2 are for sure correct, so Imma leave it as is.

My Krazy Life is the best rap album of the 2010s. Bye.

 

1. Joyce Manor - Never Hungover Again
2. Sharon Van Etten - Are We There
3. Against Me! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues

All three are amongst my favorite albums ever. Lots of other great albums this year, as well.

 

The U2 album from this year is actually better than anyone gives it credit for. The iPhone debacle totally overshadowed the music.

 

1. Taking Back Sunday-Happiness Is

When S/T first came out, I enjoyed it a lot, but it didn't stick with me as long with the exception of a couple songs. This album was a bit of new direction for them and I ended up really liking it. The only song I never got into really on here is Like You Do, but every other song is pretty consistent. There aren't as many super highs on the album as my #2, but just a very consistent, good track list. My favorites to this day are probably Beat Up Car, All The Way, It Takes More, and Better Homes and Gardens. We Were Younger Then is a very different TBS song that I really like but also need to be in the mood to listen to. I love the John/Adam dual vocals in the chorus of It Takes More. Beat Up Car is a jam.

2. Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness-S/T

There are songs on here that I like more than any song on my #1, but there also some songs on here I just didn't get into much, or liked a lot. But DAMN the highs are good on here. I was a little bit let down by People & Things, just wasn't what I was looking for, so I was curious to see what his next release was gonna be like. The first 3 tracks crush it, with High Dive being up there with my top Andrew McMahon tracks. Driving Through a Dream is a nice little dreamy song. Maps For the Getaway is another GOAT McMahon song for me. Me and my wife did a 2 month road trip around the country and I still have a plan to do take all the video I took on my video camera and editing it together to Maps For The Getaway playing in the background. Just a great great song. I already did that with a mini 2 week roadtrip we did through the middle of the country with "At Full Speed" and it came out pretty cool I thought. So Maps for the Getaway is next, whenever I find the time and the motivation to do it lol

 

david you always vote for two albums. you realize you get three votes, right?