Albums of 2014

jamieW
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by jamieW »

Nassim wrote:
jamieW wrote:
whuntva wrote:I'm going after TV on the Radio Next. But after this, I dunno what I should listen to. Any more recommendations?
I'd be curious to hear what you (or anyone) thinks of "Do To the Beast" by The Afghan Whigs. It was certainly one of my most pleasant surprises of the year, but I haven't heard much of a reaction about it, either good or bad...
That's my favorite rock album of the year, partly because the year hasn't been strong imo but also because it is very well written and executed. There's nothing groundbreaking in there, it's fairly classic modern rock with a touch of indie, but it's full of great hooks and clever arrangements... It's not witty and brash like their early album but to be honest I like them better this way, old and wise.
Excellent description! For me, the Afghan Whigs were always rather hit-and-miss, which is why I was so surprised how consistently I enjoyed this one. With a lot of albums reliant on hooks, I tire of them after a few listens. However, "Do To the Beast" continues to grow on me, probably because there is also a languishing quality to songs like "Algiers" and "The Lottery" that really appeals to me.
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whuntva
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by whuntva »

jamieW wrote: Excellent description! For me, the Afghan Whigs were always rather hit-and-miss, which is why I was so surprised how consistently I enjoyed this one. With a lot of albums reliant on hooks, I tire of them after a few listens. However, "Do To the Beast" continues to grow on me, probably because there is also a languishing quality to songs like "Algiers" and "The Lottery" that really appeals to me.
I actually just heard it and loved it. It's a comeback album for a band I never heard of! Makes me wonder how big they were bak in the 90s. Thanks, Jamie. I think I have a new darkhorse candidate for album of the year!

2014 has been a really good year IMHO. I gave five 5-stars already and the new stuff has been good also. Even the albums I didn't really like were better than in most years.

In other news, someone I went to high school with actually made an album. This is kinda shameless shilling, but it isn't bad for a first effort. He is obviously emulating Kanye, but you got to admire a 19-year old for his ambition. He has some clever rhymes, and the title track is really great.

If I were to give an honest rating, it would probably be a 3/5, but he's got a good story behind this album.

Listen here.
" Ah, yes! Our meager restitution"
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Maschine_Man
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Maschine_Man »

10 more albums, in bold. Foxygen would be number 1 if it weren't for the last 3rd of the album. I can't believe I didn't listen to the Van Etten album until now, it's stunning. Solid albums from Hozier, Perfume Genius, Banks and Caribou. I'm not sure how the album reads in French but I enjoy the Tellier album (Romain, look, a french album!).

Philip Selway's effort is much better than the Thom York effort. Great ambient soundtrack by Sinois Caves. Taylor Swifts album would be much higher if it took a page from the La Roux album and cut it down to 9 tracks (of which I think all of them are potential "hits").

Great

St. Vincent - St. Vincent
La Roux - Trouble In Paradise
Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence
Alt J - This Is All Yours
Neneh Cherry - Blank Project
Foxygen - ...And Star Power

Good

EMA - The Futures Void
Damian Jurado - Brothers And Sisters…
Damon Albarn - Everyday Robots
Robyn - Do It Again
Ty Segall - Manipulator
Sharon Van Etten - Are We There
Dan Croll - Sweet Disarray
Metronomy - Love Letters
Hozier - Hozier
Jack White - Lazaretto
Todd Terje - It's Album Time
Young Fathers - Dead
Broken Bells - After The Disco
Perfume Genius - Too Bright
Azelia Banks - Broke With Expensive Tastes
Sébastien Tellier - L'Aventura

Tune Yards - Nikki Nak
Caribou - Our Love
FKA Twigs - LP1
Beck - Morning Phase
Chromeo - White Girls
Death Grips - Niggas On The Moon
Philip Selway - Weatherhouse

Okay

Sinoia Caves - Beyond The Black Rainbow OST
Jungle - Jungle
Little Dragon - Nabuma Rubberband
Sia - 1000 Forms Of Fear
Taylor Swift - 1989
Pixies - Indie Cindy
SBTRKT - Wonder Where We Land
Kelis - Food
Spoon - They Want My Soul
Mac Demarco - Salad Days
Wild Beasts - Present Tense
Kasabian - 0:13:00
Angus And Julia Stone - Angus And Julia Stone
The New Pornographers - Bill Bruisers
Quilt - Held IN Splendor
Liars - Mess
jamieW
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by jamieW »

whuntva wrote:
jamieW wrote: Excellent description! For me, the Afghan Whigs were always rather hit-and-miss, which is why I was so surprised how consistently I enjoyed this one. With a lot of albums reliant on hooks, I tire of them after a few listens. However, "Do To the Beast" continues to grow on me, probably because there is also a languishing quality to songs like "Algiers" and "The Lottery" that really appeals to me.
I actually just heard it and loved it. It's a comeback album for a band I never heard of! Makes me wonder how big they were bak in the 90s. Thanks, Jamie. I think I have a new darkhorse candidate for album of the year!

2014 has been a really good year IMHO. I gave five 5-stars already and the new stuff has been good also. Even the albums I didn't really like were better than in most years.

In other news, someone I went to high school with actually made an album. This is kinda shameless shilling, but it isn't bad for a first effort. He is obviously emulating Kanye, but you got to admire a 19-year old for his ambition. He has some clever rhymes, and the title track is really great.

If I were to give an honest rating, it would probably be a 3/5, but he's got a good story behind this album.

Listen here.
Glad you liked it! I'm hoping it will show up on some end-of-year lists, but I'm not optimistic. A lot of the hip publications will probably dismiss the Whigs as being past their prime, while they're not iconic enough to get the standard rave reviews Rolling Stone (and others) reserve for their aging faves.

BTW, I did listen to the first couple of tracks from your high school friend and I thought they were pretty good. The production's strong (especially for a first release) and there was a dark intensity I really liked. But then I've always really enjoyed listening to these types of first releases from new, aspiring artists. For decades, friends of mine brought me tapes and CDs of local artists and asked my opinion, since they knew my love of all music. Then again, one of the demo tapes that was brought to me that I kind of dismissed was The Verve Pipe, and they did become pretty big for a while, so it shows you what I know...
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Matski
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Matski »

Really enjoyed Andy Stott's new record - 'Faith in Stranger'. Hard to tell whether I'll end up loving it as much as I did 'Luxury Problems' or the 'Passed Me By/We Stay Together ' compilation but if it holds up on repeated listens it's definitely good enough to hit my top fifty of the year. Has anyone else checked it out yet?
jamieW
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by jamieW »

Matski wrote:Really enjoyed Andy Stott's new record - 'Faith in Stranger'. Hard to tell whether I'll end up loving it as much as I did 'Luxury Problems' or the 'Passed Me By/We Stay Together ' compilation but if it holds up on repeated listens it's definitely good enough to hit my top fifty of the year. Has anyone else checked it out yet?
I'm really looking forward to listening to it this weekend. "Violence" is one of my absolute favorite songs of the year, and if the rest of the album is anywhere close in quality, it will be near the top of my albums list, as well.
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Nassim »

Matski wrote:Really enjoyed Andy Stott's new record - 'Faith in Stranger'. Hard to tell whether I'll end up loving it as much as I did 'Luxury Problems' or the 'Passed Me By/We Stay Together ' compilation but if it holds up on repeated listens it's definitely good enough to hit my top fifty of the year. Has anyone else checked it out yet?
I was a bit worried at first because the opening track is the kind of minimal music I don't care for, but from Violence on it's pretty great (except No Surrender which I find very annoying). I especially like the techno track Science and Industry and the synth-pop Faith in Strangers but overall Andy Stott always goes right when you expect him to go left and that makes for a very surprising and rewarding album.
Jirin
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Jirin »

This is my first time hearing an Afghan Whigs album, any other I should listen to?
Nassim
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Nassim »

Jirin wrote:This is my first time hearing an Afghan Whigs album, any other I should listen to?
I'd say Gentlemen has their best couple of tracks (the 2 ranked in AM actually).
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by catsafterme »

Jirin wrote:This is my first time hearing an Afghan Whigs album, any other I should listen to?
The last album they made before they broke up is called "1965" and it is an absolute powerhouse that comes out blazing and doesn't let up for the first seven songs, when it finally slows down and gives you a chance to breathe...while still remaining sexy as hell. This album definitely ranks in my top 25 albums of all time. After fifteen years of listening, it still amazes me.
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Matski
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Matski »

jamieW wrote:I'm really looking forward to listening to it this weekend. "Violence" is one of my absolute favorite songs of the year, and if the rest of the album is anywhere close in quality, it will be near the top of my albums list, as well.
Nassim wrote:I was a bit worried at first because the opening track is the kind of minimal music I don't care for, but from Violence on it's pretty great (except No Surrender which I find very annoying). I especially like the techno track Science and Industry and the synth-pop Faith in Strangers but overall Andy Stott always goes right when you expect him to go left and that makes for a very surprising and rewarding album.
Thanks for the replies. If either of you are hungry for more of Andy Stott's handywork, I recommend checking out the collaboration that he did with Miles Whittaker, released earlier this year under the aliases 'Millie & Andrea'. You can listen to many of the tracks from 'Drop the Vowels' here.
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whuntva
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by whuntva »

Here I am. I actually listened to a fair few albums in the past week or so.

Afghan Whigs-Do to the Beast 5/5
Alt-J-This is All Yours 3.5/5
Asgeir-In the Silence 3.5/5
Band of Skulls-Himalayan 4/5
Black Stone Cherry-Magic Mountain 2/5
Damon Albarn-Everyday Robots 3/5
Dan Bern-Songs of Fall 4.5/5
Disparition-Granicha 4.5/5
Foo Fighters-Sonic Highways 4/5
Flying Lotus-You're Dead 4.5/5
Grouper-Ruins 4/5
Iceage-Plowing into the Field of Love 3.5/5
Jack White-Lazaretto 4.5/5
Kasabian-48:13 2.5/5
KONGOS-Lunatic 4/5
Mastodon-Once More Round the Sun 5/5
My Glorious-Hold What We Can Hold 4.5/5
Mystic-Beautiful Resistance 4/5
Nonchabont-8x10's and Murals 3.5/5
Paolo Nutini-Caustic Love 4.5/5
Pink Floyd-Endless River 3/5
Run the Jewels-Run the Jewels 2 4/5
Scott Walker and Sunn O)))-Soused 3/5
Spoon-They Want My Soul 4/5
Sun kil Moon-Benji 5/5
Swans-To Be Kind 5/5
TV on the Radio-Seeds 4/5
U2-Songs of Innocence 3/5
Vance Joy-Dream your Life Away 4/5
War on Drugs-Lost in the Dream 5/5
Weird Al Yankovic-Mandatory Fun 4.5/5

Do to the Beast was a diamond in the rough. It completely blew me away and I look forward to exploring Afghan Whigs' back-catalog.

I told you about my high school buddy Nonchabont, so I feel no need to repeat myself

Everyday Robots is yet another case of a great album I don't really have a strong relationship with.

TV on the Radio puts out a well-produced, catchy effort that reminded me why I loved this band in middle school. It might make my EOY list, it might not. But it is still well worth a listen. The first half has one of the best selections all year.

Sonic Highways was also a pleasant surprise. A big improvement over the poppy, and (for lack of a better term) lazy Wasting Light
" Ah, yes! Our meager restitution"
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notbrianeno
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by notbrianeno »

My rankings and scores as of this week:

Spoon-They Want My Soul(90)
Ariel Pink-Pom Pom(90)
Against Me!-Transgender Dysphoria Blues(90)
Azealia Banks-Broke With Expensive Taste(90)
Caribou-Our Love(90)

TV on the Radio-Seeds(85)
Alt-J-This Is All Yours(85)
St. Vincent-St. Vincent(85)

Aphex Twin-Syro(80)
FKA Twigs-LP1(80)
The Antlers-Familiars(80)
Run The Jewels-RTJ2(80)
Kelis-Food(80)
Swans-To Be Kind(80)

Lana Del Rey-Ultraviolence(75)
Interpol-El Pintor(75)
Jenny Lewis-The Voyager(75)
The War On Drugs-Lost In The Dream(75)
Taylor Swift-1989(75)
Tove Lo-Queen Of The Clouds (75)
Sun Kil Moon-Benji(75)

Ryan Adams-Ryan Adams(70)
Manchester Orchestra-Cope(70)
King Tuff-Black Moon Spell(70)
Beck-Morning Phase(70)
Real Estate-Atlas(70)
First Aid Kit-Stay Gold(70)

Coldplay-Ghost Stories(65)

Katy B-Little Red(60)
U2-Songs of Innocence(60)
Future Island-Singles(60)
Stars-No One Is Lost(60)
Metronomy-Love Letters(60)
Todd Terje-It's Album Time(60)
Bryan Ferry-Avonmore(60)

Brody Dalle-Diploid Love(55)
The Gaslight Anthem-Get Hurt(55)
Calvin Harris-Motion(55)
Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga-Cheek To Cheek(55)

Shakira-Shakira(40)
Last edited by notbrianeno on Fri Nov 28, 2014 5:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Mattceinicram
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Mattceinicram »

My current list:

Swans- To Be Kind 92
FKA Twigs- LP1-91
Run the Jewels- Run the Jewels 2-88
Sun Kil Moon- Benji 88
Iceage- Plowing Into the Field of Love-88
Caribou- Our Love- 87
The War on Drugs- Lost in the Dream- 87
Aphex Twin- Syro- 86
Grouper- Ruins- 86
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib- Pinata- 85
St Vincent- St Vincent- 85
Sharon Van Etten- Are We There 85
Todd Terje- It’s Album Time- 85
Flying Lotus- You’re Dead!- 85
Cloud Nothings- Here and Nowhere Else-84
Pallbearer- Foundations of Burden- 84
Uncommon Nasa- New York Telephone- 84
United Nations- The Next Four Years-84
Andy Stott- Faith in Strangers- 84
A Sunny Day in Glasgow- Sea when Absent- 84
Ought- More Than Any Other Day- 84
Thou- Heathen- 84
Behemoth- The Satanist- 84
Clark- Clark- 83
Clipping- cLPPNG- 83
White Lung- Deep Fantasy-83
tUnE-yArDs- Nikki Nack- 83
Mick Jenkins- The Water-83
Pharmakon- Bestial Burden- 83
Ben Frost- A U R O R A- 83
Jenny Hval and Susanna- Meshes of Voice- 83
Wild Beasts- Present Tense- 83
The Antlers- Familiars- 83
How To Dress Well- What is This Heart- 83
Busdriver- Perfect Hair- 83
Mac Demarco- Salad Days- 83
Dean Blunt- Black Metal- 82
Spoon- They Want My Soul- 82
Hookworms- Hum- 82
Indian- From All Purity- 82
Wovenhand- Refractory Obdurate-82
Thantifaxath- Sacred White Noise-82
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra- Fuck Off Get Fee We Pour Light on- 82
Damien Jurado- Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son- 82
Future Islands- Singles- 82
Adult Jazz- Gist Is- 82
Ratking- So It Goes- 81
Cymbals Eat Guitars- Lose- 81
Total Control- Typical System- 81
Fear of Men- Loom-81
Carla Bozulich-Boy- 81
Owen Pallett- In Conflict- 81
Yob- Clearing the Path to Ascend- 81
Perfume Genius- Too Bright- 81
Hundred Waters- The Moon Rang Like A Bell- 80
EMA- the Future’s Void- 80
Angel Olsen- Burn Your Fire for NO Witness- 80
Scott Walker & Sunn 0)))- Soused- 80
Tinariwen- Emmaar- 80
Parquet Courts- Sunbathing Animal- 80
Open Mike Eagle- Dark Comedy- 80
Frankie Cosmos- Zentopy-80
Krieg- Transient- 80
Mr. Twin Sister- Mr Twin Sister- 80
Strand of Oaks- Heal- 80
Arca- Xen- 79
Botanist- VI: Flora- 79
The Hotelier- Home, Like No Place is There-79
Shabazz Palaces- Lese Majesty- 79
Schoolboy Q- Oxymoron- 79
BADBADNOTGOOD- III- 79
Isaiah Rashad- Cilvia Demo-79
Ex Hex- Rips- 79
Fennesz- Becs-79
Protomartyr- Under Color of Official Right- 79
Neneh Cherry- Blank Project- 79
Liars- Mess- 78
Timber Timbre- Hot Dreams- 78
Sturgill Simpson- Metamodern Sounds in Country Music-78
Alvvays- Alvvays- 78
La Dispute- Rooms of the House- 78
Real Estate- Atlas- 78
Marissa Nadler- July- 78
F(x)- Red Light- 77
Interpol- El Pintor- 77
Perfect Pussy- Say Yes to Love- 77
Slow Club- Complete Surrender- 77
The Soft Pink Truth- Why Do The Heathen Rage?-77
East India Youth- Total Strife Forever 77
DJ Dodger Stadium- Friend of Mine- 77
Beck- Morning Phase-76
Young Fathers- Dead- 76
Los Angeles Police Department- Los Angeles Police Department- 76
Mayhem- Esoteric Warfare -75
Death From Above 1979- The Physical World- 75
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings- Give the People What The Wants- 75
Nickel Creek- A Dotted Line- 75
James Vincent McMorrow-Post-Tropical- 74
Damon Albarn- Everyday Robots- 74
La Roux- Trouble in Paradise- 74
Ariana Grande- My Everything- 73
Against Me!- Transgender Dysphoria Blues- 73
Jack White- Lazaretto- 73
Twin Peaks- Wild Onion-72
Rustie- Green Language- 71
Stephan Malkmus and the Jiks- Jig Out at Wigbags- 70
The Black Keys- Turn Blue- 70
Pink Floyd- The Endless River- 69
Future- Honest- 67
Weezer- Everything Will be Alright in the End- 66
Lana Del Rey- Ultraviolence- 65
Taylor Swift- 1989-54
Foo Fighters- Sonic Highways- 53
U2- Songs of Innocence-51
Coldplay- Ghost Stories- 49
Bruce Springsteen- High Hopes- 42
Sam Hunt- Montevallo- 21
Skrillex- Recess- 10
Check out my music review blog! Matt and Music! mattandmusic.blogspot.com
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Nick »

There aren't any more albums on my radar for 2014, so this will probably be my last update to my albums list. As such, this can be considered a somewhat definitive EOY list.

1. Todd Terje- It's Album Time: 90
2. Sun Kil Moon- Benji: 90

3. St. Vincent- St. Vincent: 85
4. Swans- To Be Kind: 85
5. The War on Drugs- Lost in the Dream: 85
6. LCD Soundsystem- The Long Goodbye: LCD Soundsystem Live at Madison Square Garden: 85

7. Flying Lotus- You're Dead!: 80
8. Aphex Twin- Syro: 80
9. Run the Jewels- Run the Jewels 2: 80
10. Cloud Nothings- Here and Nowhere Else: 80
11. Freddie Gibbs and Madlib- Piñata: 80
12. A Sunny Day in Glasgow- Sea When Absent: 80
13. Perfume Genius- Too Bright: 80
14. Spoon- They Want My Soul: 80
15. Weezer- Everything Will Be Alright in the End: 80
16. Damon Albarn- Everyday Robots: 80
17. Perfect Pussy- Say Yes to Love: 80
18. Iceage- Plowing Into the Field of Love: 80
19. Azealia Banks- Broke With Expensive Taste: 80
20. How to Dress Well- "What Is This Heart?": 80
21. Angel Olsen- Burn Your Fire for No Witness: 80

22. Caribou- Our Love: 75
23. Parquet Courts- Sunbathing Animal: 75
24. Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra- Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light on Everything: 75
25. Future Islands- Singles: 75
26. Ariel Pink- Pom Pom: 75
27. Real Estate- Atlas: 75
28. Tune-Yards- Nikki Nack: 75
29. Duck Sauce- Quack: 75
30. TV on the Radio- Seeds: 75
31. Mr Twin Sister- Mr Twin Sister: 75
32. Elbow- The Take Off and Landing of Everything: 75
33. "Weird Al" Yankovic- Mandatory Fun: 75
34. Clipping- CLPPNG: 75
35. Jack White- Lazaretto: 75

36. Schoolboy Q- Oxymoron: 70
37. FKA Twigs- LP 1: 70
38. Vince Staples- Hell Can Wait (EP): 70
39. Against Me!- Transgender Dysphoria Blues: 70
40. Beck- Morning Phase: 70
41. Neneh Cherry- Blank Project: 70
42. Mac DeMarco- Salad Days: 70
43. Foo Fighters- Sonic Highways: 70
44. Phantogram- Voices: 70
45. Thom Yorke- Tomorrow's Modern Boxes: 70

46. Tweedy- Sukierae: 65
47. The Black Keys- Turn Blue: 65
48. Interpol- El Pintor: 65
49. Pink Floyd- The Endless River: 65
50. U2- Songs of Innocence: 65
51. Fucked Up- Glass Boys: 65
52. Hercules and Love Affair- The Feast of the Broken Heart: 65
53. Lana Del Rey- Ultraviolence: 65
54. Broken Bells- After the Disco: 65
55. Fear of Men- Loom: 65

56. Grouper- Ruins: 50
57. Coldplay- Ghost Stories: 50
58. Bruce Springsteen- High Hopes: 50
59. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart- Days of Abandon: 50
60. Metronomy- Love Letters: 50

61. Foxygen- ...And Star Power: 35
Nassim
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Nassim »

The new Twilight Sad album is once again a bit of a disappointment, it's quite good but it always feels like there is some restraints that prevents them for being truly great, there is really the seeds of some fantastic music in there but they never fully deliver.
They should take model on The Hotelier new album's opener, which sounds like how Twilight Sad should sound. Home, Like Noplace Is There has a staggering 91 on Metacritic, though it is based on only 8 reviews. Bathed in punk-rock and emo, their music is not really in a critically or AM appreciated genre but they still manage a 8.2 by Pitchfork. It has the cathartic effect of the best emo albums, the melodic qualities of the best punk rock, pretty great lyrics, riffs, group chorus... 20 year old me would have considered it the best album of the year, and 30 year old me still find it quite awesome.

Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2 : 9.5
The Afghan Whigs - Do to the Beast : 9
Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else : 9
Ought - More Than Any Other Day : 8.5
Swans - To be Kind : 8.5
The Hotelier - Home, Like Noplace Is There : 8.5
Todd Terje - It's Album Time ! : 8
Andy Stott - Faith In Strangers : 8
EMA - The Future's Void : 8
Aphex Twin - Syro : 7.5
Protomartyr - Under Color of Official Right : 7.5
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra- Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light on Everything : 7.5
Mac Demarco - Salad Days : 7.5
Damon Albarn - Everyday Robots : 7.5
Caribou - Our Love : 7
The Twilight Sad - Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave : 7
Spoon - They Want My Soul : 7
FKA Twigs - LP1 : 7
Neneh Cherry - Blank Project : 7
The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dreams : 7
Beck - Morning Phase : 7
Perfect Pussy - Say Yes To Love : 7
Parquet Courts - Sunbathing Animal : 6.5
Agalloch - The Serpent & the Sphere : 6.5
Alvvays - Alvvays : 6.5
Saint Vincent - Saint Vincent : 6
Brody Dalle - Diploid Love : 6
Wye Oak - Shriek : 6
Pharmakon - Bestial Burden : 5.5
Sunn O))) & Scott Walker - Soused : 5.5
OFF! - Wasted Years : 5
Against Me! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues : 5
Pixies - Indie Cindy : 4.5
The Roots - And Then You Shoot Your Cousin : 4
Sun Kil Moon - Benji : 3
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PlasticRam
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by PlasticRam »

Updated list, new ratings in bold.

Mac DeMarco - Salad Days: 9.2
Swans - To Be Kind: 9.1
Todd Terje - It's Album Time: 9.1
Future - Honest: 9.0
Big K.R.I.T. - Cadillactica: 8.9
Popcaan - Where We Come From: 8.8
Jack White - Lazaretto: 8.8
Wild Beasts - Present Tense: 8.6
Behemoth - The Satanist: 8.5
Damon Albarn - Everyday Robots: 8.5
Aphex Twin - Caustic Window: 8.4
Parquet Courts - Sunbathing Animal: 8.3
Neneh Cherry - Blank Project: 8.1
St. Vincent - St. Vincent: 8.0
Brian Eno / Karl Hyde - High Life: 8.0
Ben Frost - Aurora: 8.0
Coldplay - Ghost Stories: 7.7
Alvvays - Alvvays: 7.6
Willie Nelson - Band of Brothers: 7.5
Beck - Morning Phase: 7.5
FKA twigs - LP1: 7.4
Fear of Men - Loom: 7.3
Damien Jurado - Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son: 7.3
The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream: 7.3
Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else: 7.2
Aphex Twin - Syro: 7.0
The Black Keys - Turn Blue: 7.0
Thom Yorke - Tomorrow's Modern Boxes: 7.0
U2 - Songs of Innocence: 6.2
Sun Kil Moon - Benji: 6.0
Bruce Springsteen - High Hopes: 4.5
I feel like that
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notbrianeno
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by notbrianeno »

Some new releases and honest reevaluations:

J. Cole-2014 Forest Hills Drive(95)

TV on the Radio-Seeds(90)
Spoon-They Want My Soul(90)

Azealia Banks-Broke With Expensive Taste(85)
Caribou-Our Love(85)
Against Me!-Transgender Dysphoria Blues(85)
Lana Del Rey-Ultraviolence(85)
St. Vincent-St. Vincent(85)

FKA Twigs-LP1(80)
The Antlers-Familiars(80)
Kelis-Food(80)
Alt-J-This Is All Yours(80)
Run The Jewels-RTJ2(80)
Ariel Pink-Pom Pom(80)
Swans-To Be Kind(80)

Interpol-El Pintor(75)
Jenny Lewis-The Voyager(75)
Aphex Twin-Syro(75)
The Afghan Whigs-Do To The Beast(75)
Sun Kil Moon-Benji(75)
The War On Drugs-Lost In The Dream(75)
Taylor Swift-1989(75)
Tove Lo-Queen Of The Clouds (75)

Ryan Adams-Ryan Adams(70)
Manchester Orchestra-Cope(70)
King Tuff-Black Moon Spell(70)
Beck-Morning Phase(70)
Real Estate-Atlas(70)
First Aid Kit-Stay Gold(70)

Coldplay-Ghost Stories(65)

Katy B-Little Red(60)
U2-Songs of Innocence(60)
Future Island-Singles(60)
Stars-No One Is Lost(60)
Metronomy-Love Letters(60)
Todd Terje-It's Album Time(60)
Bryan Ferry-Avonmore(60)

Brody Dalle-Diploid Love(55)
The Gaslight Anthem-Get Hurt(55)
Calvin Harris-Motion(55)
Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga-Cheek To Cheek(55)

Shakira-Shakira(40)

The Smashing Pumpkins-Monuments To An Elegy(30)
Jackson
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Location: Los Angeles

Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Jackson »

Surprised this thread isn't more active with all of the EOY action...

Here's my preliminary top 5:

1. Swans - To Be Kind
2. Dean Blunt - Black Metal
3. Ariel Pink - pom pom
4. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Pinata
5. RTJ - RTJ2

Caribou, Todd Terje, and Sun Kil Moon will factor in too...
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Romain
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Location: Lyon, France

Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Romain »

Rival Sons - Great Western Valkyrie 6 Not in the mood for this but obviously not bad.
The Drums - Encyclopedia 6,5 Good with some pleasant songs but not much more.
Shaka Ponk - The Black Pixel Ape [Drinking Cigarettes To Take A Break] 7 Full of energy, as usual. But less melodic than The white Pixel Ape
Timber Timbre - Hot Dreams 8 The beginning is excellent and the rest only good.
Eugene McGuinness - Chroma 8,5 En excellent pop album. Simple and very catchy melodies. Very Beatlesian.
Sondre Lerche - Please 8,5 Yes, please please please… more songs like this please.
The Dø - Shake Shook Shaken 9 How this album, with so much potential hits, don't make the end of year lists at all ?


Moodoïd - Le Monde Moo 9
Ty Segall - Manipulator 9
Jack White - Lazaretto 9
Damon Albarn - Everyday Robots 9
The Dø - Shake Shook Shaken 9
The Goast Of A Saber Tooth Tiger - Midnight Sun 9

Alt-J - This is all yours 8,5
Sondre Lerche - Please 8,5
Ed Harcourt - Time Of Dust 8,5
Eugene McGuinness - Chroma 8,5
Thee Oh Sees - Drop 8,5
Archie Bronson Outfit - Wild Crush 8,5
Eels - The Cautionary Tales Of Mark Oliver Everett 8,5
The Antlers - Familiars 8,5
tUnE-yArDs - Nikki Nack 8,5
Young Fathers - Dead 8,5
Mando Diao - Aelita 8,5
King Tuff - Black moon Spell 8,5
Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings - Give the People What They Want 8,5

Glass Animals - Zaba 8
Woods - With Light and With Love 8
The Horrors - Luminous 8
Metronomy - Love Letters 8
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Revelation 8
Let's Wrestle - Let's Wrestle 8
Malachai - Beyond Ugly 8
Timber Timbre - Hot Dreams 8
Wooden Shjips - Back To Land 8
Damien Jurado - Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son 8
Dorian Pimpernel - Allombon 8
Maximo Park - Too Much Information 8
School Of Language - Old Fears 8

Foster the People - Supermodel 7,5
The Black Keys - Turn Blue 7,5
Arthur H - Soleil Dedans 7,5
Prince - Art Official Age 7,5
Prince & 3rdeyegirl - Plectrum Electrum 7,5
Shaka Ponk - The White Pixel Ape 7,5
Skip The Use - Little Armageddon 7,5
Cascadeur - Ghost Surfer 7,5
Triggerfinger - By Absence Of The Sun 7,5
Cheveu - Bum 7,5
Sébastien Tellier - L'Aventura 7,5

Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence 7
Kid Francescoli - With Julia 7
Kasabian - 4813 7
Interpol - My Desire 7
Temples - Sun Structures 7
Gruff Rhys - American Interior 7
Cold War Kids - Hold My Home 7

François & The Atlas Mountains - Piano Ombre 6,5
Sinead O'Connor - I'm Not Bossy, I'm The Boss 6,5
Mogwai - Rave Tapes 6,5
St. Vincent - St. Vincent 6,5
Emilie Simon - Mue 6,5
Notwist - Close to the glass 6,5
Kaiser Chiefs - Education, Education, Education & War 6,5
Esben and the Witch - A New Nature 6,5
U2 - Songs Of Innocence 6,5
Chapelier Fou - Deltas 6,5

Gush - Mira 6
Rival Sons - Great Western Valkyrie 6
The Black Angels - Clear Lake Forest 6
Wild Beasts - Present Tense 6
The Flaming Lips - 7 Skies H3 6
The Hold Steady - Teeth Dreams 6
Beck - Morning Phase 6

The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers 5,5
Mac DeMarco - Salad Days 5,5
Spoon - They Want My Soul 5,5
The Afghan Whigs - Do To The Beast 5,5
Augustines - Augustines 5,5
Ben Watt - Hendra 5,5

Broken Bells - After The Disco 5
Breton - War Room Stories 5
Bob Mould - Beauty and Ruin 5
EMA - The Future's void 5

The War On Drugs - Lost in the Dream 4,5
Todd Terje - It's Album Time 4,5
Sun Kil Moon - Benji 4
Liars - Mess 4
La Roux - Trouble in Paradise 3
Chrissie Hynde - Stockholm 3
Caribou - Our Love 3
Sia - 1000 forms of fear 2
Coldplay - Ghost Stories 2
Klaxons - Love Frequency 2
Aphex Twin - Syro 0,5
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Dan
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Dan »

The vast majority of the albums on my list are discoveries from critics’ year-end lists, ranging from consensus favourites to lesser known albums that only made an appearance on 1 or 2 critics’ lists. So I can’t really be too critical of the critics. Yet when I look at the consensus top 100 as it stands at the moment, I can’t help but feel that it’s a shame certain genres don’t get the recognition they deserve. We all feel that way, I guess. And because our tastes in music differ, we will probably have different views on exactly which genres are undervalued. For me, there’s never enough world music in most publications’ year-end lists. Every year there are some very good world music albums that deserve a bit more love, and this year was no exception.

From Africa, noteworthy albums with a more traditional feel include Aurelio’s elegant and breezy Lándini, which is a collection of Garifuna folk songs he learned from his mother. Then there’s the subtle kora duets from Toumani Diabaté and his son Sidiki Diabaté, as well as Aziza Brahim’s sparse Saharan desert blues, which is combined with elements of flamenco (she is currently based in Spain). Also, Ladysmith Black Mambazo released a tribute to their family matriarch, Nellie Shabalala, and on the album you can hear their trademark, powerful a cappella singing along with Nellie and her church choir. Other artists did interesting fusions of traditional African sounds with more contemporary genres, like Ibibio Sound Machine’s exciting mixture of afro-funk, disco and other electronic styles, and Clap! Clap!’s experimental blend of African vocals, UK Bass and extensive drum fills and snares.

In South America, Melingo and his gravelly voice combined Argentine tango with a variety of other styles in an inventive way, and Jorge Drexler’s Bailar en la Cueva is a pleasant blend of folk pop and a wide range of Latin styles. And in Europe, Maria Rodés covered a number of songs in the style of copla, a genre apparently often associated with the Franco era in Spain, and turned it into something charming and credible, and Forabandit’s Port takes the ports of Marseille and Istanbul as inspiration for their synthesis of Occitan folk music and Turkish folk music.

But most of the albums on my list are sung in English. And I can hear why the critics have thrown their headphones in the air in delight over The War on Drugs’ dreamy, atmospheric take on heartland rock, and although I prefer St. Vincent’s previous album, I can certainly hear why the critics also went wild for her latest. Other favourites of mine include Leonard Cohen’s cunning, mature (no shit!) Popular Problems and Perfume Genius’s simultaneously intimate and chilling Too Bright.

If I may be so bold as to throw the genres of soul, R&B and hip hop all in one basket, I would say that I found plenty to enjoy in the albums by Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings, Run the Jewels, Azealia Banks, Kelis, and Kate Tempest (although Azealia Banks’s album is arguably as much a dance/electronic album as it is a hip hop one).

Finally, to these ears of mine it was a pretty wonderful year for folk and country, with personal favourites that include First Aid Kit’s Stay Gold, Sturgill Simpson’s Metamodern Sounds in Country Music, Peggy Seeger’s Everything Changes, and, above all, Old Crow Medicine Show’s Remedy. I have a soft spot for old-time bluegrass and country when it’s done as well as on Remedy. So bring on those banjos, fiddles and mandolins; bring on that adrenaline-fuelled cowboy swagger, those close harmonies, that affectionate homage to Doc Watson… and give me some of that “Sweet Amarillo”.

01 | Old Crow Medicine Show | Remedy
02 | The War on Drugs | Lost in the Dream
03 | Aurelio | Lándini
04 | Leonard Cohen | Popular Problems
05 | First Aid Kit | Stay Gold
06 | Perfume Genius | Too Bright
07 | Ibibio Sound Machine | Ibibio Sound Machine
08 | Sturgill Simpson | Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
09 | Melingo | Linyera
10 | Peggy Seeger | Everything Changes
11 | Toumani Diabaté & Sidiki Diabaté | Toumani & Sidiki
12 | Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings | Give the People What They Want
13 | St. Vincent | St. Vincent
14 | Run the Jewels | Run the Jewels 2
15 | Azealia Banks | Broke with Expensive Taste
16 | Wild Beasts | Present Tense
17 | Kelis | Food
18 | Beck | Morning Phase
19 | Aziza Brahim | Soutak
20 | Maria Rodés | Maria canta copla
21 | alt-J | This Is All Yours
22 | Ray Bonneville | Easy Gone
23 | Damon Albarn | Everyday Robots
24 | Erlend Øye | Legao
25 | Robert Plant | lullaby and… The Ceaseless Roar
26 | Lykke Li | I Never Learn
27 | Piers Faccini & Vincent Segal | Songs of Time Lost
28 | Sun Kil Moon | Benji
29 | Kate Tempest | Everybody Down
30 | Clap! Clap! | Tayi Bebba
31 | Forabandit | Port
32 | Alvvays | Alvvays
33 | Todd Terje | It's Album Time
34 | Ladysmith Black Mambazo | Always with Us
35 | Jungle | Jungle
36 | Jorge Drexler | Bailar en la cueva
37 | Marissa Nadler | July
38 | Douglas Dare | Whelm
39 | Ikebe Shakedown | Stone by Stone
40 | Caribou | Our Love
...will keep us together.
Zorg
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Zorg »

Over the last year or so, I've been trying to focus more towards electronic music and more away from "indie rock"...so my favourite albums of the year include:

Todd Terje (top 50 all time, easily)
Sun Kil Moon
Caribou
Clark
Andy Stott
East India Youth
Max Graef
Taylor Swift (ha)
Lone
Objekt
Swans


nothing ranked at this point though (bar Todd Terje at #1)
sonofsamiam
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by sonofsamiam »

This year I stayed up to speed more than I have in many years, and it's been rewarding. At the same time, picking a top album was HARD ... any of my Top 8 could fit that bill based on my mood, which is very unusual. And the D'Angelo drop really made things crazy -- it could end up #1 in time, I think, but I'll be conservative with it at 2:

1 | Flying Lotus | You're Dead!
2 | D'Angelo and The Vanguard | Black Messiah
3 | Jenny Hval & Susanna | Meshes of Voice
4 | Ibibio Sound Machine | Ibibio Sound Machine
5 | Swans | To Be Kind
6 | John Luther Adams | Become Ocean
7 | Todd Terje | It's Album Time!
8 | Wadada Leo Smith | The Great Lakes Suite
9 | Dean Blunt | Black Metal
10 | C L E A N E R S | Real Raga Shit, Vol. 1
11 | Angles 9 | Injuries
12 | Jane Weaver | The Silver Globe
13 | Scott Walker & Sunn O))) | Soused
14 | St. Vincent | St. Vincent
15 | Fire! Orchestra | Enter
16 | Aphex Twin | Syro
17 | Valerio Tricoli | Miseri lares
18 | Andy Stott | Faith in Strangers
19 | Freddie Gibbs & Madlib | Pinata
20 | Sturgill Simpson | Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
21 | Steve Lehman Octet | Mise en Abîme
22 | Owen Pallett | In Conflict
23 | Barry Guy New Orchestra | Amphi/Radio Rondo
24 | Run the Jewels | RTJ2
25 | Innercity Ensemble | II
26 | Orlando Julius with The Heliocentrics | Jaiyede Afro
27 | Jeremiah Cymerman | Pale Horse
28 | Darkspace | Dark Space III I
29 | Marissa Nadler | July
30 | Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 | A Long Way to the Beginning
31 | Steve Gunn | Way Out Weather
32 | Kasai Allstars | Beware the Fetish
33 | Grouper | Ruins
34 | Caribou | Our Love
35 | Linda Perhacs | The Soul of All Natural Things
36 | Jucara Marcal | Encarnado
37 | Azealia Banks | Broke with Expensive Taste
38 | YOB | Clearing the Path to Ascend
39 | Kelis | Food
40 | Ariel Pink | pom pom
41 | Earth | Primitive and Deadly
42 | Neneh Cherry | Blank Project
43 | Soundcarriers | Entropicalia
44 | Toumani Diabate & Sidiki Diabate | Toumani & Sidiki
45 | Perfume Genius | Too Bright
46 | Sharon Van Etten | Are We There
47 | Shabazz Palaces | Lese Majesty
48 | Lykke Li | I Never Learn
49 | OOIOO | Gamel
50 | Kayo Dot | Coffins on Io

Also, albums I enjoyed but that didn't quite make the cut:

A Winged Victory for the Sullen | Atomos
Actress | Ghettoville
Agalloch | The Serpent & The Sphere
Ambrose Akinmusire | The Imagined Savior is Far Easier to Paint
BADBADNOTGOOD | III
Ben Frost | A U R O R A
Brian Eno & Karl Hyde | Someday World
The Budos Band | Burnt Offering
The Bug | Angels & Devils
Charli XCX | Sucker
First Aid Kit | Stay Gold
FKA twigs | LP1
Goat | Commune
Gruff Rhys | American Interior
Kairon; IRSE! | Ujubasajuba
Kashiwa Daisuke | 9 Songs
Kevin Drumm & Jason Lescalleet | The Abyss
Laetitia Sadier | Something Shines
Leonard Cohen | Popular Problems
Liars | Mess
Mastodon | Once More 'Round the Sun
Pallbearer | Foundations of Burden
Peter Evans Quintet | Destination: Void
Pharmakon | Bestial Burden
Rosanne Cash | The River & the Thread
Somi | The Lagos Music Salon
The Souljazz Orchestra | Inner Fire
Spoon | They Want My Soul
Steve Reich | Radio Rewrite
Sun Kil Moon | Benji
Tinariwen | Emmaar
Tinashe | Aquarius
TV on the Radio | Seeds
Last edited by sonofsamiam on Thu Dec 18, 2014 2:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jirin
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Jirin »

My current top 20:

The biggest beneficiaries of my year end contest ritual were Perfume Genius and Flying Lotus. Biggest victim was Beck, falling from the top five down to 23.

1) Fennesz - Becs
2) First Aid Kit - Stay Gold
3) Ambrose Akinmusire - The Imagined Savior Is Easier To Paint
4) Perfume Genius - Too Bright
5) Steph Cameron - Sad Eyed Lonesome Lady
6) Flying Lotus - You're Dead
7) Somi - The Lagos Music Salon
8) The Afghan Whigs - Do To The Beast
9) Neneh Cherry - The Blank Project
10) St Vincent - St Vincent
11) Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels 2
12) Quilt - Held In Splendor
13) Squarepusher x Z-Machines - Music For Robots EP
14) Sun Kil Moon - Benji
15) Iceage - Plowing Into The Field Of Love
16) Todd Terje - It's Album Time
17) Pere Ubu - Carnival Of Souls
18) Black Prairie - Fortune
19) Dan Bern - Songs Of Fall
20) Sondre Lerche - Please
Jirin
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Jirin »

Dan wrote: 01 | Old Crow Medicine Show | Remedy
I will second this recommendation. Easily the most catchy, singable album of the year. "It's an already mean enough world, baby without you".
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Romain
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Romain »

Nicki Minaj - The Pinkprint 2 Not my thing (and the first album this year where I couldn't go to the end)
Pink Floyd - The Endless River 2,5 We have to be honest, this album is a bad easy listening album… where is my elevator?
FKA Twigs - LP1 4 Because some songs are not too bad.
Thom Yorke - Tomorrow's Modern Boxes 5 I don't know what to think about this one.
Florent Marchet - Bambi Galaxy 6 Not as good as their previous albums.. by far.
Christine and the Queens - Chaleur Humaine 6,5 I understand why a such "success" in France, but it's not what I want now.
Iceage - Plowing Into the Field of Love 7 Nick Cave? Almost! But very good too!
Simple Minds - Big Music 7,5 What a good surprise! They are still here with a very pleasant and enjoyable album.
D'Angelo - Black Messiah 8 I don' t know who was this guy before this month but the sensation to discovering a compilation of Prince's original ballads is really cool ;-)


Moodoïd - Le Monde Moo 9
Ty Segall - Manipulator 9
Jack White - Lazaretto 9
Damon Albarn - Everyday Robots 9
The Dø - Shake Shook Shaken 9
The Goast Of A Saber Tooth Tiger - Midnight Sun 9

Alt-J - This is all yours 8,5
Sondre Lerche - Please 8,5
Ed Harcourt - Time Of Dust 8,5
Eugene McGuinness - Chroma 8,5
Thee Oh Sees - Drop 8,5
Archie Bronson Outfit - Wild Crush 8,5
Eels - The Cautionary Tales Of Mark Oliver Everett 8,5
The Antlers - Familiars 8,5
tUnE-yArDs - Nikki Nack 8,5
Young Fathers - Dead 8,5
Mando Diao - Aelita 8,5
King Tuff - Black moon Spell 8,5
Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings - Give the People What They Want 8,5

Glass Animals - Zaba 8
Woods - With Light and With Love 8
The Horrors - Luminous 8
Metronomy - Love Letters 8
D'Angelo - Black Messiah 8
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Revelation 8
Let's Wrestle - Let's Wrestle 8
Malachai - Beyond Ugly 8
Timber Timbre - Hot Dreams 8
Wooden Shjips - Back To Land 8
Damien Jurado - Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son 8
Dorian Pimpernel - Allombon 8
Maximo Park - Too Much Information 8
School Of Language - Old Fears 8

Foster the People - Supermodel 7,5
The Black Keys - Turn Blue 7,5
Arthur H - Soleil Dedans 7,5
Simple Minds - Big Music 7,5
Prince - Art Official Age 7,5
Prince & 3rdeyegirl - Plectrum Electrum 7,5
Shaka Ponk - The White Pixel Ape 7,5
Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence 7,5
Skip The Use - Little Armageddon 7,5
Cascadeur - Ghost Surfer 7,5
Triggerfinger - By Absence Of The Sun 7,5
Cheveu - Bum 7,5
Sébastien Tellier - L'Aventura 7,5

Kid Francescoli - With Julia 7
Kasabian - 4813 7
Interpol - My Desire 7
Temples - Sun Structures 7
Gruff Rhys - American Interior 7
Iceage - Plowing Into the Field of Love 7
Cold War Kids - Hold My Home 7

Christine and the Queens - Chaleur Humaine 6,5
François & The Atlas Mountains - Piano Ombre 6,5
Sinead O'Connor - I'm Not Bossy, I'm The Boss 6,5
Mogwai - Rave Tapes 6,5
St. Vincent - St. Vincent 6,5
Emilie Simon - Mue 6,5
Notwist - Close to the glass 6,5
Kaiser Chiefs - Education, Education, Education & War 6,5
Esben and the Witch - A New Nature 6,5
U2 - Songs Of Innocence 6,5
Chapelier Fou - Deltas 6,5

Gush - Mira 6
Florent Marchet - Bambi Galaxy 6
Rival Sons - Great Western Valkyrie 6
The Black Angels - Clear Lake Forest 6
Wild Beasts - Present Tense 6
The Flaming Lips - 7 Skies H3 6
The Hold Steady - Teeth Dreams 6
Beck - Morning Phase 6

The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers 5,5
Mac DeMarco - Salad Days 5,5
Spoon - They Want My Soul 5,5
The Afghan Whigs - Do To The Beast 5
Augustines - Augustines 5,5
Ben Watt - Hendra 5,5

Broken Bells - After The Disco 5
Thom Yorke - Tomorrow's Modern Boxes 5
Breton - War Room Stories 5
Bob Mould - Beauty and Ruin 5
EMA - The Future's void 5

The War On Drugs - Lost in the Dream 4,5
Todd Terje - It's Album Time 4,5
Sun Kil Moon - Benji 4
Liars - Mess 4
FKA Twigs - LP1 4
La Roux - Trouble in Paradise 3
Chrissie Hynde - Stockholm 3
Caribou - Our Love 3
Pink Floyd - The Endless River 2,5
Sia - 1000 forms of fear 2
Coldplay - Ghost Stories 2
Klaxons - Love Frequency 2
Nicki Minaj - The Pinkprint 2
Aphex Twin - Syro 0,5
Jirin
Running Up That Hill
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Jirin »

Does anyone know a service that does nothing but takes a list of artists and alerts you when they release a new album? I just found out Anais Mitchell released an album this year. Plus there's all sorts of other artists who released albums I love but might not get enough attention to reach the channels I look at.
Jirin
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Jirin »

So my yearly tournament ritual is down to the semifinals.

Flying Lotus - You're Dead vs Sun Kil Moon - Benji
First Aid Kit - Stay Gold vs Perfume Genius - Too Bright

First Aid Kit is the ostensible favorite, but Benji is the album I've been listening to all year, and You're Dead knocked off both Fennesz and Ambrose Akinmusire which have both spent time in my #1 spot this year. And Perfume Genius eeked out a very close quarterfinal victory against Afghan Whigs. Anyone's game really.

(I end the year by taking my favorite albums and putting them in a bracket where whichever album I enjoy more on that listen advances.)
Gillingham
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Location: The Hague, The Netherlands

Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Gillingham »

Jirin wrote:Does anyone know a service that does nothing but takes a list of artists and alerts you when they release a new album? I just found out Anais Mitchell released an album this year. Plus there's all sorts of other artists who released albums I love but might not get enough attention to reach the channels I look at.
I would love a service like this too. Don't have the ideal sollution though.

The Rate Your Music 'Upcoming' section is quite elleborate, but it includes all artists I have ever rated which include quite a bit of artists I'm not really interested in (anymore). It also includes releases of singles, compilations, live albums etc., which makes it not very easy.
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Romain
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Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Romain »

Tom Vek - Luck 9 The last great album of the year. Eleven songs…all good or great.
Forever Pavot - Rhapsode 8,5 It's an album with hommage all the kind of music I love the most. (phsyche60's - Morricone - Goraguer)
Jungle - Jungle 7 Pleasant album.
Julian Casablancas and The Voidz - Tyranny 8 Melodies and rock. A mix I like.


Moodoïd - Le Monde Moo 9
Ty Segall - Manipulator 9
Jack White - Lazaretto 9
Damon Albarn - Everyday Robots 9
The Dø - Shake Shook Shaken 9
Tom Vek - Luck 9
The Goast Of A Saber Tooth Tiger - Midnight Sun 9
Alt-J - This is all yours 8,5
Forever Pavot - Rhapsode 8,5
Sondre Lerche - Please 8,5
Ed Harcourt - Time Of Dust 8,5
Eugene McGuinness - Chroma 8,5
Thee Oh Sees - Drop 8,5
Archie Bronson Outfit - Wild Crush 8,5
Eels - The Cautionary Tales Of Mark Oliver Everett 8,5
The Antlers - Familiars 8,5
tUnE-yArDs - Nikki Nack 8,5
Young Fathers - Dead 8,5
Mando Diao - Aelita 8,5
King Tuff - Black moon Spell 8,5
Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings - Give the People What They Want 8,5
Glass Animals - Zaba 8
Woods - With Light and With Love 8
The Horrors - Luminous 8
Metronomy - Love Letters 8
D'Angelo - Black Messiah 8
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Revelation 8
Let's Wrestle - Let's Wrestle 8
Malachai - Beyond Ugly 8
Timber Timbre - Hot Dreams 8
Wooden Shjips - Back To Land 8
Damien Jurado - Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son 8
Julian Casablancas and The Voidz - Tyranny 8
Dorian Pimpernel - Allombon 8
Maximo Park - Too Much Information 8
School Of Language - Old Fears 8
Foster the People - Supermodel 7,5
The Black Keys - Turn Blue 7,5
Arthur H - Soleil Dedans 7,5
Simple Minds - Big Music 7,5
Prince - Art Official Age 7,5
Prince & 3rdeyegirl - Plectrum Electrum 7,5
Shaka Ponk - The White Pixel Ape 7,5
Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence 7,5
Skip The Use - Little Armageddon 7,5
Cascadeur - Ghost Surfer 7,5
Triggerfinger - By Absence Of The Sun 7,5
Cheveu - Bum 7,5
Sébastien Tellier - L'Aventura 7,5
Kid Francescoli - With Julia 7
Kasabian - 4813 7
Interpol - My Desire 7
Temples - Sun Structures 7
Gruff Rhys - American Interior 7
Iceage - Plowing Into the Field of Love 7
Cold War Kids - Hold My Home 7
Christine and the Queens - Chaleur Humaine 6,5
François & The Atlas Mountains - Piano Ombre 6,5
Sinead O'Connor - I'm Not Bossy, I'm The Boss 6,5
Mogwai - Rave Tapes 6,5
St. Vincent - St. Vincent 6,5
Emilie Simon - Mue 6,5
Notwist - Close to the glass 6,5
Kaiser Chiefs - Education, Education, Education & War 6,5
Esben and the Witch - A New Nature 6,5
U2 - Songs Of Innocence 6,5
Chapelier Fou - Deltas 6,5
Gush - Mira 6
Florent Marchet - Bambi Galaxy 6
Rival Sons - Great Western Valkyrie 6
The Black Angels - Clear Lake Forest 6
Wild Beasts - Present Tense 6
The Flaming Lips - 7 Skies H3 6
The Hold Steady - Teeth Dreams 6
Beck - Morning Phase 6
The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers 5,5
Mac DeMarco - Salad Days 5,5
Spoon - They Want My Soul 5,5
The Afghan Whigs - Do To The Beast 5
Augustines - Augustines 5,5
Ben Watt - Hendra 5,5
Broken Bells - After The Disco 5
Thom Yorke - Tomorrow's Modern Boxes 5
Breton - War Room Stories 5
Bob Mould - Beauty and Ruin 5
EMA - The Future's void 5
The War On Drugs - Lost in the Dream 4,5
Todd Terje - It's Album Time 4,5
Sun Kil Moon - Benji 4
Liars - Mess 4
FKA Twigs - LP1 4
La Roux - Trouble in Paradise 3
Chrissie Hynde - Stockholm 3
Caribou - Our Love 3
Pink Floyd - The Endless River 2,5
Sia - 1000 forms of fear 2
Coldplay - Ghost Stories 2
Klaxons - Love Frequency 2
Nicki Minaj - The Pinkprint 2
Aphex Twin - Syro 0,5
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Romain
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Posts: 5431
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2012 2:25 pm
Location: Lyon, France

Re: Albums of 2014

Post by Romain »

The last listen of 2014. A great year.

Camélia Jordana - Dans la Peau 6,5 The two first songs are excellent but the rest is less good.
Future Islands - Singles 6,5 Some good melodies and an interesting voice.
Jeanne Cherhal - Histoire de J 7
Ez3kiel - Lux 7,5 An excellent post-rock album.
Swans - To be kind 7,5 Some great songs. With a lot of energy.
Eno and Hyde - Someday World 8 Almost an "old school" album for Eno… always brillant in his melodies.
JL Murat & The Delano Orchestra - Babel 8 Excellent. A long beautiful album.
Antemasque - Antemasque 8,5 What a great discoverig. A lot of energy, but only accompagnied with beautiful melodies.

Moodoïd - Le Monde Moo 9
Ty Segall - Manipulator 9
Jack White - Lazaretto 9
Damon Albarn - Everyday Robots 9
The Dø - Shake Shook Shaken 9
Tom Vek - Luck 9
The Goast Of A Saber Tooth Tiger - Midnight Sun 9
Alt-J - This is all yours 8,5
Forever Pavot - Rhapsode 8,5
Sondre Lerche - Please 8,5
Ed Harcourt - Time Of Dust 8,5
Eugene McGuinness - Chroma 8,5
Thee Oh Sees - Drop 8,5
Archie Bronson Outfit - Wild Crush 8,5
Eels - The Cautionary Tales Of Mark Oliver Everett 8,5
The Antlers - Familiars 8,5
Antemasque - Antemasque 8,5
tUnE-yArDs - Nikki Nack 8,5
Young Fathers - Dead 8,5
Mando Diao - Aelita 8,5
King Tuff - Black moon Spell 8,5
Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings - Give the People What They Want 8,5
Glass Animals - Zaba 8
Woods - With Light and With Love 8
JL Murat & The Delano Orchestra - Babel 8
The Horrors - Luminous 8
Metronomy - Love Letters 8
Eno and Hyde - Someday World 8
D'Angelo - Black Messiah 8
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Revelation 8
Let's Wrestle - Let's Wrestle 8
Malachai - Beyond Ugly 8
Timber Timbre - Hot Dreams 8
Wooden Shjips - Back To Land 8
Damien Jurado - Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son 8
Julian Casablancas and The Voidz - Tyranny 8
Dorian Pimpernel - Allombon 8
Maximo Park - Too Much Information 8
School Of Language - Old Fears 8
Foster the People - Supermodel 7,5
The Black Keys - Turn Blue 7,5
Arthur H - Soleil Dedans 7,5
Simple Minds - Big Music 7,5
Ez3kiel - Lux 7,5
Prince - Art Official Age 7,5
Prince & 3rdeyegirl - Plectrum Electrum 7,5
Shaka Ponk - The White Pixel Ape 7,5
Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence 7,5
Swans - To be kind 7,5
Skip The Use - Little Armageddon 7,5
Cascadeur - Ghost Surfer 7,5
Triggerfinger - By Absence Of The Sun 7,5
Cheveu - Bum 7,5
Sébastien Tellier - L'Aventura 7,5
Kid Francescoli - With Julia 7
Jeanne Cherhal - Histoire de J 7
Kasabian - 4813 7
Interpol - My Desire 7
Temples - Sun Structures 7
Gruff Rhys - American Interior 7
Iceage - Plowing Into the Field of Love 7
Cold War Kids - Hold My Home 7
Christine and the Queens - Chaleur Humaine 6,5
François & The Atlas Mountains - Piano Ombre 6,5
Sinead O'Connor - I'm Not Bossy, I'm The Boss 6,5
Mogwai - Rave Tapes 6,5
St. Vincent - St. Vincent 6,5
Emilie Simon - Mue 6,5
Camélia Jordana - Dans la Peau 6,5
Future Islands - Singles 6,5
Notwist - Close to the glass 6,5
Kaiser Chiefs - Education, Education, Education & War 6,5
Esben and the Witch - A New Nature 6,5
U2 - Songs Of Innocence 6,5
Future Islands - Singles 6,5
Chapelier Fou - Deltas 6,5
Gush - Mira 6
Florent Marchet - Bambi Galaxy 6
Rival Sons - Great Western Valkyrie 6
The Black Angels - Clear Lake Forest 6
Wild Beasts - Present Tense 6
The Flaming Lips - 7 Skies H3 6
The Hold Steady - Teeth Dreams 6
Beck - Morning Phase 6
The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers 5,5
Mac DeMarco - Salad Days 5,5
Spoon - They Want My Soul 5,5
The Afghan Whigs - Do To The Beast 5
Augustines - Augustines 5,5
Ben Watt - Hendra 5,5
Broken Bells - After The Disco 5
Thom Yorke - Tomorrow's Modern Boxes 5
Breton - War Room Stories 5
Bob Mould - Beauty and Ruin 5
EMA - The Future's void 5
The War On Drugs - Lost in the Dream 4,5
Todd Terje - It's Album Time 4,5
Sun Kil Moon - Benji 4
Liars - Mess 4
FKA Twigs - LP1 4
La Roux - Trouble in Paradise 3
Chrissie Hynde - Stockholm 3
Caribou - Our Love 3
Pink Floyd - The Endless River 2,5
Sia - 1000 forms of fear 2
Coldplay - Ghost Stories 2
Klaxons - Love Frequency 2
Nicki Minaj - The Pinkprint 2
Aphex Twin - Syro 0,5
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