My Favorite Albums of 2014 I made a commitment to listen to more music in 2014. And I did. As the year comes to a close I’m reading a lot of best of the year in music lists and I’m pleased to see that a lot of my favorites ended up on a lot of those lists. And some of my favorites didn’t show up anywhere, which is as it should be. So here are my top albums of the year based solely on what I listened to the most. Ages and Ages – Divisionary It has great harmony, handclaps, folky elements, pure pop hooks and it has my favorite song of the year. One thing that is really unique about Divisionary is that the album actually has some of the lesser songs first and builds towards the stronger songs, ending with “Do The Right Thing” which is a great song and my favorite tune of the year hands down. This album has not left my rotation since it came out in March. If you like the folk/pop stuff of Mumford or The Lumineers then be sure and check out this album. Ty Segall – Manipulator Ty has been putting out albums at an astonishing rate. Solo stuff, collaborations, side projects, bands; he just seemed to be cranking out tunes with reckless abandon. And that was my issue. While each thing I listened to by Ty had at least one killer song, the rest of it was often lacking or not fully realized. I just never could listen repeatedly to an entire Ty Segall album. Manipulator however changed it up, finally a truly great album end to end with one terrific song after another. Acoustic buzz, wicked abstract guitar in the midst of a hook laden rocker, slower moments, times where the entire structure of the song seems to be totally breaking down only to be saved and pulled back into frame at the last moment. It’s just great rock and roll with plenty of edge. Ty, Thanks for finally focusing totally in and delivering this gem, please do it again real soon! The Rural Alberta Advantage – Mended With Gold I love this album! But it really didn’t get any buzz at all. Maybe it’s because they are Canadian and don’t get much push in the US. Many of the best songs have a thick electronic buzz underlying them with great alt-country and guitar pop kinds of touches. It’s hard to describe unless you hear it but it totally works. I hope they pick up more fans in the states, their music certainly deserves it. Give a listen to “On The Rocks” and “Terrified”. You’ll be hooked! Sylvan Esso – Sylvan Esso Completely defies convention. Vocalist Amelia Meath and electronic musician Nick Sanborn combine to give a perfect blend of organic and beautiful vocals with odd subtle electronic sounds and beats that come together in almost miraculous ways. The two best known songs are “Hey Mami”, a call and response that builds layer upon layer with every new chorus and “Coffee” a disjointed angular verse pattern that folds into a hooky and beautiful chorus that will rattle around in your head for hours. Put on some headphones and just get lost in the intricate and wonderful world that SE creates. TV On The Radio – Seeds TVOR didn’t release Seeds until mid-November so it’s missed a lot of the best of the year lists. That’s a shame because this is one amazing album. From the opening bombshell of “Quartz” to the frantic “Happy Idiot” to the restrained insights of “Test Pilot” TVOR have pushed well beyond their already wide boundaries of sound. Everything is heavily processed and machined, which in the hands of lesser musicians would be a disaster but not so here. TVOR has managed to use the studio to refine and manipulate their music in ways that add depth and power while never overshadowing the songs themselves. Lyrically, they are perhaps more on target than ever. This is a mature band that has delivered a masterpiece. I can’t say enough good things about this album.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 03:25:50 +0000
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