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. 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
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
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.
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
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