(20) Totem - Baton Rouge (Pure Pain Sugar/Bakery Outlet)
Baton Rouge are a band from Lyon, France that truly came out of nowhere to kick my ass. Totem is some good, dynamic emo that is heavy on the groove. The song structures are surprisingly straightforward and repetitive, but, the musicianship is relatively technical, considering. This isn't your typical twinkly emo, either, and I'm feeling hard pressed to come up with anyone to compare it to. It was most definitely THE grower of 2014.
Top jam: "Guetter les Ondees"
(19) Torch Song - Radiator Hospital (Salinas)
I liked Radiator Hospital's Something Wild last year, but, I'm way more into it now, and it would have ranked pretty high if I were to re-do that list now. But, I'm here to talk about this year's album, Torch Song, which is even better. Usually jangly, sometimes fuzzy guitar pop with exceptional melodies. Sam Cook Parrott knows his way around a hook, and surely can write a damn fine pop song. I'm not as much of a fan of the ballads, but, thankfully, there are considerably more rockers here. "Leather & Lace" is maybe the best album opener of the year, and "Midnight Nothing" could be the best closer.
Top jam: "Midnight Nothing"
(18) The Spirit of the Beehive - The Spirit of the Beehive (Ice Age/Ranch)
The Spirit of the Beehive's self-titled debut LP is yet another 2014 surprise. They are a Philadelphia band that features one of the guys from Glocca Morra (I'm having a hard time figuring out which one, but, it's one of the guitar players). This is some great dreamy shoegaze, less like like MBV and more like Swirlies and Lilys' Eccsame the Photon Band. Sparse and dynamic with both bendy and chimey guitars, smart melodies and tight-ass drumming. I'm most definitely looking forward to more from this young band in the future.
Top jam: "Roll Over"
(17) Dissed and Dismissed - Tony Molina (Slumberland)
Tony Molina is a Bay Area dude who has played in many hardcore bands. Dissed and Dismissed is his solo album originally released in 2013, and reissued in 2014 by Slumberland Records. This album has 12 songs, and averages less than one minute per song (it's running time is under 12 minutes). So, he uses the GBV/Joyce Manor strategy for writing songs, which is to include only the bare minimum in a song's structure, cutting all of the excess. This does not take away from the quality of Molina's songs, which pay lo-fi homage to early Weezer and Teenage Fanclub equally, guitar harmonies and rippin' solos and all.
Top jam: "Don't Come Back"
(16) Tropical Jinx - Little Big League (Run for Cover)
Like I said in my favorite EPs and 7"s list, I stupidly skipped on Little Big League's 2013 LP, These Are Good People. I didn't make the same mistake twice. I don't know that I'd consider this year's Tropical Jinx the better album, but, it is at least on par. They've matured a little bit in their take on 90s jagged indie rock guitars, but, they keep most of the tempos up and unleash all of those young-adult-trying-figure-life-out emotions. Michelle Zauner's vocals are attractively flawed and impassioned, and the upbeat drumming and bright guitar leads cut into the sadness enough to keep these songs in the realm of pop. I get a little bored by the end of the record, but, overall, it's another bad ass entry in the year in music. Oh, and they're from Philly. That city really killed it in 2014.
Top jam: "Dixie Gun"
(15) Vacation Vinny - Grass is Green (Exploding in Sound)
Boston's Grass is Green is part of the whole Exploding in Sound Records scene, which is pretty much a collection of bands deeply influenced by the more obscure side of 90s indie rock. One of their guitarists is also now in Speedy Ortiz. The first band that comes to mind when listening to Vacation Vinny is Polvo, but, Grass is Green is probably a little messier, albeit not quite as weird. The songs vary in volume and degree of noisiness, but they are generally complex, melodic guitar jams that hit the sweet spot for me.
Top jam: "Sammy So-Sick"
(14) Singles - Future Islands (4AD)
Early on in 2014, Future Islands performed "Seasons (Waiting on You)" on Late Show with David Letterman with singer dude singing and dancing like the awesome maniac that he is, and then took the music world by storm. "Seasons (Waiting on You)" is certainly the best song on their fourth LP, first for 4AD, Singles, and it may even be the song of the year, but, the rest of the album isn't too shabby, either. This is some glorious synth pop with driving bass (played on an actual bass guitar, which is a really nice touch) and Samuel T. Herring's signature gruff crooning. I didn't get these guys before this album, and I really want to work my way backward and see what I think.
Top jam: "Seasons (Waiting on You)"
(13) Brill Bruisers - The New Pornographers (Matador)
Supergroup The New Pornographers returned to form in 2014 with Brill Bruisers. It's their best since 2005's Twin Cinema, and, I am very grateful for this after 2010's snoozefest, Together. Carl Newman, Neko Case and Dan Bejar are all back at the top of their songwriting game, and of course their melodies and harmonies are spectacular. The production is enormous, which works really well for their slightly modified, futuristic power pop sound. A new albums of theirs and the quality thereof was a pleasant surprise, and even more so that I ended up liking the album as much as I do.
Top jam: "Wide Eyes"
(12) Pup - Pup (Side One Dummy)
I owe thanks to my friend Sean Clancy for getting me into Pup by posting a song from their self-titled debut full length on another friends Facebook wall. They're a melodic punk rock band from Toronto, and this record was originally released in Canada in 2013, and Side One Dummy released it to the States this year. These songs are a bit too complicated and varied to be considered straight up pop punk, but, there is plenty of pop sensibility amongst the chaos. The musicianship here is inspiring, and even if some of the songs are a little too dramatic for me, I appreciate that Pup sound relatively unique going against the sound of a lot of other punk bands this year. I'm not sure what direction the band will be going in next, but, count me in.
Top jam: "Guilt Trip"
(11) Foulbrood - Two Inch Astronaut (Exploding in Sound)
Here's a 2014 record that I got into last minute. Two Inch Astronaut are another Exploding in Sound band, hailing from Maryland. Two complaints: (1) Considering their sound (angular, knotty, somewhat mathy guitar rock), the drum sound should be bigger and better, and, (2) they really blew their load with the opening track, "Foulbrood." It is far and away the best song on the record, and would be a contender for song of the year, if I were keeping track. Don't get me wrong, the rest of the record absolutely rules too, or else it wouldn't have landed so high on this list. I'm just sayin'.
Top jam: "Foulbrood"
(10) Salad Days - Mac DeMarco (Captured Tracks)
Mac DeMarco captured the hearts of many a hipster with his two 2012 albums, Rock and Roll Night Club and 2. I liked some of the songs on those releases, but, wasn't entirely won over until Salad Days. This album of smooth soft rock tunes rules. The rhythm section grooves and the bright guitars jangle. DeMarco's melodies are hard to get out of your head. There are definitely some songs that are better than others (title track, "Let Her Go," "Passing Out Pieces"), but, as a whole, Salad Days is a consistently great album.
Top jam: "Salad Days"
(9) If Anything - Greys (Carpark)
Thanks to Ryan Allen for the tip on Toronto's Greys. Loud, yell-y punk rock that recalls Fugazi and early Nirvana, to name a few. There isn't really much else to say. If Anything rips.
Top jam: "Flip Yr Lid"
(8) Famous Graves - Cheap Girls (Xtra Mile)
Lansing's Cheap Girls are back again with another quality LP of throwback alternative rock in the vein of Gin Blossoms and The Lemonheads. I really liked 2012's Giant Orange, however, between the songwriting and improved production, Famous Graves is even better. Good fuzz, good riffs, good melodies.
Top jam: "Short Cut Days"
Couldn't find a stream of this song, or my second favorite song, so here's my third fav, "Amazing Grace."
(7) The Sky as Well as Space - Memory Map (Joyful Noise)
I last wrote about Memory Map on my 2010 year-end list. Finally, the Bloomington, IN supergroup made up of members from Good Luck, Prayer Breakfast and Push-Pull (producer extraordinaire and Lil' Bub owner Mike Bridavsky) return with a follow-up LP, and it is a doozy. While The Sky as Well as Space wasn't quite as immediate for me as Holiday Band was, it's a more mature effort (though, slightly less consistent, too) with more variation in sound. The band has calmed and mellowed a bit, while maintaining their tangled, intricate guitar pop sound. I prefer the more urgent vibes on Holiday Band, but, not significantly. This is probably the most Quillen-rock album on this whole list.
Top jam: "Hunger Poem"
(6) They Want My Soul - Spoon (Loma Vista)
I did not like having to wait four years for another Spoon record, but, They Want My Soul makes it worth it. For the first time, at least in a long while, they recorded with someone outside (Dave Fridmann!), and that was my initial concern, but, the record sounds fantastic. For the most part, it is a subtle and diverse rock and roll record that utilizes space better than anyone out there. This is all typical of Spoon. They do experiment with synthesizers, samples and electronic drum beats, putting a new twist on their tradition. "Inside Out," "Do You," "They Want My Soul" and "Let Me Be Mine" rank among their greatest songs.
Top jam: "Do You"
(5) Pom Pom - Ariel Pink (4AD)
I don't really understand the difference between an Ariel Pink solo record and a Haunted Graffiti one, as Pom Pom just sounds like the next step in his outstanding run of bizarre, sexual, impossible to define, psychedelic pop music. I thought 2012's Mature Themes was weird, but, somehow, Pink one-ups himself on Pom Pom. At 17 songs, it's a lot to digest, and there are certainly songs that aren't very good, however, they play a role in the album's flow, and they are necessary. The obnoxious, hard to follow, yet stellar "Plastic Raincoats in the Pig Parade" and "White Freckles" make for an awesome opening. "Dinosaur Carebears" and "Sexual Athletics" are two of the craziest, most difficult songs in all of their genre bending, but, they both have moments of pure brilliance. Lastly, "Put Your Number in My Phone," "One Summer Night," "Black Ballerina" and "Dayzed Inn Daydreams" became all-time favorite Ariel Pink songs for me. It took a little while for me to wholly grasp this record, and, I'm glad that I do now.
Top jam: "Black Ballerina"
(4) Benji - Sun Kil Moon (Caldo Verde)
Based on the year Mark Kozelek had, plus the stories of how much of a jerk he seems that I've heard from friends who have seen him live, he is not someone that I would ever care to interact with. That being said, amid all the obnoxious trolling he did, he happened to also release the first record that I absolutely loved in 2014. Benji is stunning. It is a brutally honest, soul crushing, beautifully sparse folk record that I will revisit many a fall. It really only has one flaw: that it's too long. Everybody talks about the pulverizing, depressing, sometimes embarrassing lyrics, but, Koz's rich voice and fluid guitar playing has always been the draw to any Sun Kil Moon album for me. And, when Steve Shelley's drums kick in on "Dogs" and "Richard Ramirez Died Today of Natural Causes," those are my favorite parts.
Top jam: "Dogs"
(3) Glass Boys - Fucked Up (Matador)
I was under the impression that 2011's best album (and possibly the greatest album so far this decade), David Comes to Life, was going to be Fucked Up's final album. So, when Glass Boys was announced, I was thrilled. It showcases more of their epic, melodic hardcore punk, this time at a manageable length and minus all the conceptual stuff. Sure, it's not as good, but, it's still excellent. Per usual, Damian Abraham's shrieks and screams offer a nice contrast to all the major key chord progressions and catchy, singable guitar leads. The highlights are "Sun Glass," "The Art of Patrons," "Paper the House," "Led by Hand" and the closer/title track. What sets Glass Boys apart from other Fucked Up records is the multiple drum tracking gimmick. If I remember correctly, Jonah Falco recording four takes of drums for each song: two at double-time, two at half-time. As a drummer, I love that shit.
Top jam: "Paper the House"
(2) Under Color of Official Right - Protomartyr (Hardly Art)
I was a little late to the Promotartyr game. Their debut LP, No Passion All Technique, was released in late 2012, and for some reason I convinced myself to let it count toward 2013 so I could include it in my year-end list. I was looking forward to the 2014 follow-up, Under Color of Official Right, and it exceeded my expectations so much that it landed in the #2 spot. As much as I loved Glass Boys, it is a huge drop-off from this. Protomartyr merge garage rock guitars with bouncy post-punk bass and drums. Throw in Joe Casey's tired, bored drawl and you have quite a unique sound. It's hard to point out specific elements that make this such a great record. The musicianship is perfect for these songs, as is the production. I don't know what else to say. Under Color of Official Right completely blew my mind, and I'm looking forward to whatever these boys do next. It's been a while since I've been so excited about a Michigan band.
Top jam: "Ain't So Simple"
(1) Never Hungover Again - Joyce Manor (Epitaph)
Here it is, my favorite album of 2014. It would have been my favorite of 2013, too. 2012? Not so much, but, hey, you can't win 'em all. I very much enjoy Joyce Manor's 2012 album, Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired, more and more still as time goes on, too. Never Hungover Again, though, takes them to a whole other level. They don't cover as many different punk sub-genres here, but, the melodies, guitar leads and overall songwriting and performance are leaps and bounds better. Yes, this is emo-y pop punk, but, it is also much more than that. Not only is Never Hungover Again the smartest, best sounding record of 2014, and one that I still think about and crave all the time; it is an instant classic.
Top jam: "Falling in Love Again"
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