(40) Rabid Moon - Acid Fast (Protagonist)
Acid Fast is an Oakland, CA punk rock band made up of former members of Big Kids (one of the earlier Topshelf bands). Rabid Moon was one of the first records I listened to in 2014. Generally, these songs remind me of a mix of Jawbreaker and early Archers of Loaf's punkier moments. I had actually sort of forgotten about it until I was prepping to make this list.
Top jam: "Tease"
(39) Barragan - Blonde Redhead (Kobalt)
I'm no Blonde Redhead professional, but, I'm aware that I've done things all wrong with them. I have neglected 2004's Misery is a Butterfly and everything before then, and will be changing that soon. What I have spent time with, their last two records (23 and Penny Sparkle) are not particularly good. Barragan, however, is some really good, subtle, artsy weirdo pop. The first two-thirds of it are amazing, and I could see the remainder of it growing even more on me in time. More than Tomorrow's Modern Boxes, I feel like this is the closest we got to a Radiohead record this year.
Top jam: "Cat on Tin Roof"
(38) Two - Owls (Polyvinyl)
There had been rumors of an Owls reunion for a couple years. I'm just still shocked that it really happened and they released a sophomore LP in 2014. Victor Villareal, Sam Zurick and the Kinsella brothers return to the flowing, waterfall guitars, sometimes pocket, sometimes off-kilter bass and drumming, and impossible to follow time signatures of their 2001 self-titled Jade Tree effort. This time, the songs are darker, and I miss Steve Albini's production. But, yeah, pretty cool to have these guys back.
Top jam: "I'm Surprised..."
(37) Shrink Dust - Chad VanGaalen (Sub Pop)
I really liked Chad VanGaalen's 2008 album, Soft Airplane, but, nothing he's done since (outside of producing the two Women records) has been on the same level. His latest, Shrink Dust, is good enough to crack my top 40, though. It is not particularly weird or challenging in the way that Soft Airplane is, but, that's okay. It's a good mix of haunting backwoods folk and 60s psych pop. I am a huge fan of VanGaalen's voice.
Top jam: "All Will Combine"
(36) Bros Canoeing! - Monument (self-released)
Maryland catchy, technical emo band Monument has called it quits, but, I greatly appreciate the artifact they've left behind in Bros Canoeing! I've been aware of this band for a couple of years, but, this was my first time diving in. It's not overtly twinkly, noodly or mathy, but, it's complex in the way I like enough to stick out against a lot of the other emo records from this year. I'd wager that these dudes were listening to a lot of Frame and Canvas when writing these songs.
Top jam: "Rich Girl Pt. 2"
(35) Lost in the Dream - The War on Drugs (Secretly Canadian)
This is one of the most overrated albums of 2014, and I strongly prefer 2011's Slave Ambient. Still, Lost in the Dream is totally good. The War on Drugs are still doing the shoegazey Springsteen/Dylan/Young thing, this time with more synthesizers and some 80s production flourishes thrown in. At 10 tracks and more than an hour of running time, this is too long of a record, but, I am a forgiving human.
Top jam: "Red Eyes"
(34) Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son - Damien Jurado (Secretly Canadian)
I have a lot of friends who have been hip to Damien Jurado for various lengths of time, but, all of them longer than myself. I enjoyed 2012's Maraqopa, and this year's Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son is even better. These are some utterly beautiful folk songs, but, as much as I like Jurado's unique vocals, Richard Swift's wall of sound production is the best thing going here. Does he get a lot of Neil Young comparisons? It seems like he might. Hey Damien Jurado fans, if I were to go back to a pre-Maraqopa album, which one should I start with?
Top jam: "Silver Timothy"
(33) After the End - Merchandise (4AD)
Merchandise have made the jump from moody, noisy, ambient, lo-fi post-punk band to accessible, still moody some of the time, mega-produced pop band with a stadium-sized sound. Singer Carson Cox still Morrisseys all over the place, vocally, and that sits in well with this newer material, as the Smiths/Cure/New Order influences come through a little clearer. Admittedly, After the End didn't quite meet my expectations (which were maybe unfairly high), but, I still dig it. "Enemy," "Green Lady," and "Little Killer" are three of the best songs I've heard all year.
Top jam: "Little Killer"
(32) More Than Any Other Day - Ought (Constellation)
Ought is a newer Montreal band who released their first full length in 2014. I didn't really get More Than Any Other Day at first, but, it grew on me with every listen (the most recent time, it was actually pretty mind-blowing). The band mixes 80s post-punk and DC-style art-punk with some elements of Sonic Youth to craft a totally unique sound. Sometimes the talky and out of tune vocals aren't my thing, but, then sometimes they totally rule. I love when an album deceives me at first, and then I finally come around to it.
Top jam: "The Weather Song"
(31) Cheatahs - Cheatahs (Wichita)
Last year, London's Cheatahs re-released two EPs together as the Extended Plays collection, and it was my fourth favorite album of 2014. Thus, my expectations were very high for this year's self-titled full length debut. It did not match said expectations (this always seems to be the theme of the early portion of my year-end music lists), but, yes, it's good. Perhaps it's a more consistent version of their slightly Swervedriver-inspired shoegaze pop. Closer, "Loon Calls," is THE jam.
Top jam: "Loon Calls"
(30) Heartleap - Vashti Bunyan (Fat Cat)
Heartleap is Vashti Bunyan's third record, her first since 2005's Lookaftering, and second since 1970's (!) Just Another Diamond Day. So, yeah, she's been around for a good while, despite her limited and ridiculously spread out discography. She is said to have been the primary inspiration for the mid-2000s "freak folk" movement, which, typically would rub me the wrong way (though, I really like The Milk-Eyed Mender). She entered my radar a few years ago when I finally got into Prospect Hummer, her collaboration EP with Animal Collective. Regarding the album at hand, these are some sparse, straightforward folk songs showcasing Bunyan's breathy, tired vocals, which are quite nice. I don't really know what else to say, except that Heartleap is gorgeous, and these are some prime fall jams.
Top jam: "Across the Water"
(29) Everything/Nothing - Hurry (Hot Green)
Yet another Philadelphia band, Hurry is the project of quality poppy emo dudes Everyone Everywhere's Matt Scottoline. Straight up fuzz pop with big guitars, simple drums, and plenty of hooks. What Everything/Nothing lacks in variety, it makes up for in the solid melodies and tasteful guitar solos. Also, "Oh Whitney" is one of the best songs of the year.
Top jam: "Oh Whitney"
(28) Sea When Absent - A Sunny Day in Glasgow (Lefse)
A Sunny Day in Glasgow are a band that is impossible to define, particularly on their latest, Sea When Absent. They tend to get the dream pop and shoegaze tags thrown at them a bit, and I can definitely hear that (more so in their previous material), but, they don't really sound like anything else out there right now. It's extremely rare these days to sound as unique as they do, and that's what a thing to have going for you. This record has boy/girl vocals, some chimey guitars, crazy sounding drums and lots of synths and samples. If that sounds appealing to you, then, I recommend you listen to it.
Top jam: "Oh, I'm a Wrecker (What to Say to Crazy People)"
(27) Rips - Ex Hex (Merge)
My expectations for Mary Timony's (Helium/Autoclave/Wild Flag) new band, Ex Hex, were through the roof. Unfortunately, their debut full length, Rips, lands on the long list of 2014 albums that didn't entirely live up to the hype for me (I'm sounding like a broken record, I know). Of course, it's still really good. Gone are the heavy 90s indie rock vibes, and their place is a catchy garage rock sound with wailing guitar leads. "Hot and Cold" is another one of 2014's best songs.
Top jam: "Hot and Cold"
(26) Bon Voyage - Sport (Pike)
France's Sport put out the best beard-emo album of the year in Bon Voyage. The album's 11 tracks (well, with the exception of the intro) are generally loud and fast, but, with dynamics more typical of the 90s midwest emo scene than the Gainesville, Florida punk one. Lots of emotive, melodic yelling and guitar noodling, with some finger-tapping and open chords to boot. I totally get it if this style is not your thing. I'm pretty picky about it, myself, but, when a band does it this well, I'm a fan.
Top jam: "Charlotte Cooper"
(25) Too Shabby - Rozwell Kid (Broken World)
Here's another pleasant surprise album. On Too Shabby, Rozwell Kid do big hooks, heavy distortion and all sorts of nods and winks to early Weezer, The Rentals, and sometimes even early Smashing Pumpkins. They seem to tour with emo bands, and I can hear a slight element of that in some of the songs, but, not much. The album's production is of the highest quality, and, I think with more time, it would have ranked higher.
Top jam: "Sick Jackets"
(24) Beauty & Ruin - Bob Mould (Merge)
Beauty & Ruin is basically Bob Mould's Silver Age (2012), part two. It sounds like his early-90s band Sugar. Loud, upbeat rock songs, with a ballad or two thrown in for good measure. Two bad songs, and ten that are at least good, some even great. Can you tell that I'm growing bored writing this shit? This does not bode well for the remaining 23 albums.
Top jam: "Hey Mr. Grey"
(23) Tomorrow's Hits - The Men (Sacred Bones)
Last year's New Moon was a boring let down after 2012's Open Your Heart. Thankfully, The Men are back at it with Tomorrow's Hits. Not that it sounds anything like their louder, Sonic Youth/post-punk days, but, you know what I mean. This has got some country, some classic rock, and even a smidge of blues, making it an alcohol-infused dad-rock record if there ever was one. It sounds like CCR, The Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen.
Top jam: "Another Night"
(22) Boys - Herzog (Exit Stencil)
Herzog came out of nowhere to release an excellent exercise in power pop. Peppy, upbeat jams with blaring guitars and uber-catchy melodies. Within a song, they can go from sounding like Weezer, to T. Rex, to Thin Lizzy. Boys is a ver fun record.
Top jam: "Teenage Metalhead"
(21) Hoodwink'd - LVL UP (Double Double Whammy/Exploding in Sound)
Hoodwink'd is LVL UP's second album, and it has 15 songs, which is usually too many, but, is not much longer than a half-hour, so it's cool. Also, the songs rule. It's like marijuana-induced 90s slacker indie rock. Some songs are uptempo and jangly, some are slower and sort of like Pavement minus the guitar heroics. They even sing about Silver Jews.
Top jam: "I Feel Extra-Natural"
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