Hi,
everybody! 2014 was yet another year in which I listened to tons and tons of
new music. I disliked a bunch and liked even more, but did not have time to get
as intimate as I’d like with most of it. Work can be blamed for some of that,
and my obsessive study habits and dedication to obtaining my second degree (and
first one I actually want to use) also required huge time investments. It’s
probably also worth noting that despite how much of a blithering idiot I think
Howard Stern the person is, I still listened to every minute of his show due to
the value in his unmatchable, incredibly insightful interviews (belying his
lack of intelligence, reasoning ability, and comprehension skills in almost all
other areas of life) and his irreverent way of looking at the oddities of human
behavior. The ongoing sagas of people like Sal The Stockbroker, Ronnie The Limo
Driver, Bigfoot, and Beetlejuice entertain me endlessly. Also, I would be
remiss to not mention the genius of Fred Norris behind the boards, dropping the
most perfect sound effects in the most perfect of spots, almost without fail.
Still, I
think the biggest reason for not being able to spend the time with each release
is that I feel some sense of duty in combing through as much music as possible
so that I can inform you about it in hopes that you might find something you
like and tell me about it. I crave interaction with people about music, and
nothing gives me greater joy than talking with a friend about our mutual love
for an album or band, especially if I was the one responsible for turning them
onto it. To those of you with whom this scenario has unfolded, thank you from the depths of my beard. It means a lot to me that
there are a few of you who take my words, efforts, and suggestions to heart,
and for that I am forever grateful. You keep me going.
Now, before we get to the countdown,
I feel the need to restate the purpose and intent of this blog. This is really
not meant for public consumption, although I appreciate every random reader
from across the globe (and shout out to Zorak out there in space, my most
distant reader). The intended audience for this, which informs the way I write
and describe/compare the music, is the friends I’ve accumulated in my 35 years
with whom I’ve shared mutual enjoyment of music in the past, and it’s my desire
to foster or rekindle that facet of those relationships.
I also want
to say that I regret that listening to so much music prevents me from knowing
the lyrics and nuances like I used to with most music. My feel for hip-hop is
largely production-based these days, although I can still tell the general
difference between embarrassing (Troy Ave, Lil’ Wayne, Lil’ B, etc.), marginal
(G-Dot & Born), and truly talented (Your Old Droog, yU from Diamond
District & The 1978ers, Ghostface, etc.) lyricists.
I started
doing quarterly blogs this year so my readers could better keep up with new
stuff throughout the year rather than being barraged at the end. Accordingly,
I’m not doing an Honorable Mentions section this year because pretty much
everything that was covered in those blogs but isn’t included here should be
considered an Honorable Mention.
I’ve done my
best to find streaming audio links. I don’t have any personal use for Spotify,
but I’m sure you can find most of this there. I’ve thought about getting a
Spotify account just to make playlists to distribute to you guys, but I think I
put in enough effort already, plus I don’t want to contribute to the attitudes
of laziness and disinterest in valuing music, which services like Spotify and
Pandora only serve to foster.
And finally,
let me state for the record up front that
I don’t care when it came out. This is my list, and it’s called “My Favorite”, not
the more pompous “Best of”, so your end-of-year list rules do not apply.
If it did not enter my awareness until 2014, it’s eligible. OK, sorry
faithful readers who know that already, but a couple labels/bands have re-posted
my past lists on facebook with comments like “It’s cool to see ____ on this
year-end list even though this guy doesn’t realize it came out the previous
year”. Also, I don’t care if it’s a mixtape or an official album. Both make the
cut.
OK, in honor
of Kasey Kasem’s corpse still rotting above ground in Norway, let’s get on with
the god damn countdown!!!
EP’s/7”s/Singles
15. Fel Sweetenberg – The Invisible Garden
Here’s some
very solid boom-bap from a dude who I need to look into more. He’s from Camden,
NJ, one of the poorest and most violent cities in the US, and his perspective
on it is genuine. I found out he put out an album in 2010 or 2011 that’s being
reissued, and I hope the production is at least as good as that found here.
It’s pretty consistent throughout.
14. Koss & A.G. – Natural High
This dude
Koss is a Belgian DJ/producer who is apparently incredible at production but
terrible at getting his fantastic EP’s properly marketed. He put out another one
with El Da Sensei (from Artifacts) that completely slipped under my very
sensitive radar when it came out. A.G. is a vet who has been putting out albums
with his partner Show(biz) since 1991 and is a founding member of Diggin’ In
The Crates Crew. These are all solid tracks, although you can’t hear all of
them unless you buy it because I cannot find a full stream anywhere.
13. Supastition – Honest Living
Thanks to
production solely from relative newcomer Croup, this EP is probably Supastition’s
most consistently enjoyable work. His constant struggle between giving in to
the quicksand of the self-destructive “I don’t give a fuck” ghetto mentality
and striving to be successful enough to escape the ghetto show a vulnerability
that’s often lacking in hip-hop. The title track is dope, as is the rest.
12. Low Cloud – Dust Collection
It really
sucks that Grand Rapids has now lost both Low Cloud and Cain Marko, which
shared 2 members. Furniture City post-hardcore is now noticeably lacking. It
kind of makes me want to move back to Grand Rapids and dust the old drum set
off to jam with these guys. The gravelly vocal style will turn most people off,
but it’s my bread & butter. I like this one from beginning to end but don’t
quite love any particular song.
11. MindsOne & Kev Brown – Pillars
It’s a
damn shame that this is only an EP because it definitely leaves me wanting
more. Kev is the producer and MindsOne is an MC duo. I was very into Kev
Brown’s sound in the mid-00’s when he really started picking up steam &
popularity, but in the latter part of that decade and the early part of this
one, I can't recall hearing much I liked from him. Beginning with Sean Born’s
excellent Behind The Scale album in 2012 (my #16
LP for that year), on which Kev did all the production, he began to re-emerge
as one of my favorite producers. This EP solidifies that resurgence, with “Pop (ft. Homeboy Sandman)” being my
#1 highlight.
10. Souvenirs – Tired Of Defending You
These
guys have a new album coming out soon. The first single sounds like they
might’ve fallen flat on their faces (just like Muscle & Bone and Have Mercy
before them) thanks to what appears to me to be a newfound emphasis on
minimalism and simplicity. That makes me value this even more. I first heard
this band via their 2011 EP, Sadder Days, which was promising but very uneven (and had
fucking great cover art). They followed it up with this in
2013, and somehow it unfortunately slipped under my radar until February 2014.
That might’ve been due to an unconscious bias because this came out on my least
favorite label in music today (fuck you and your shady/incompetent business
practices very much, 6131!). It’s an engaging take on 90’s emo- &
indie-influenced rock, with more emphasis on the brooding, moody side of that
sound. I can’t pick a particular track, so just listen to the whole damn thing
and like it.
9. Pep Love – Dolla Daily
The
Hieroglyphics crew had a pretty strong year, and for my money this is probably
the best 2014 release from any of the crew members. (Can Del the Funky
Homosapien please come back from space and give us some solid boom-bap just one
more time before he dies? Please & thanks. That new Deltron was garbage.)
Pep is a very spiritual and forward-thinking guy, which can lend itself to
cheesiness sometimes, but I like his take on the world, and his backing
soundscape has never been better. Check out “Chilley Lime (ft. Tajai)” or “Just
One” to see what I mean. Opener “Y.O.L.O.” is probably my least favorite, so
don’t judge it by that one. In searching for a video off this, I discovered
that I completely missed an album that he & Opio did together in 2013 under
the group name First Light. Gotta get on that immediately.
8. Water Canvas – At Least
Here’s
some faithfully replicated and updated 90’s emo/indie rock for your sorry ass. They
remind me of when fellow UK band Basement was enjoyable. I also hear some
Benton Falls, Engine Down, and The River Bed-era
Small Brown Bike creeping in there too. Check out “Memorial Drive” with its big
swaying beat and shouted chorus, and if you don’t like it, I can’t help you.
You’re truly reprehensible.
7. Gameday Regulars/Guerrilla Monsoon
– split 7”
This is
a trans-Atlantic split, featuring GR from New York City and GM from Brighton,
England. GM are a more straight-ahead mid-tempo melodic punk rock band who
didn’t really turn my head but are enjoyable nonetheless. Gameday, on the other
hand, is a band I can really sink my teeth into, and I’ll tell you more about
them in a few spots.
Listen (GR)
Listen (GM)
6. Hassaan Mackey & Kev Brown – That Grit
Kev
Brown had a fantastic year and finally appears to have overcome the
productivity block that used to hold him to a new release every 2-3 years. His
production is even better than ever too. Mr. Mackey sort of resembles Marshawn
Lynch , both in appearance (I know, that might be a stretch – maybe it’s just
the hair) and the beastly way in which he attacks his profession. My favorite
jam here, in which Mackey tears through Brown’s instrumental with nimble ease,
is “Hassaan Be Rappin’”.
5. Prawn - Settled
Prawn
has been one of the most consistent emo/post-rock bands of the last 5 years,
and they were extremely prolific in 2014, putting out a full length (see below),
this 7”, a split 7” with two songs, and a split 12” with another two songs,
with no songs used twice. I probably could’ve put the split 7” at the bottom
end of this list, but this is definitely my favorite of the non-LP stuff. It
features two songs that were intended for the full-length Kingfisher but had to be cut due to them needing to keep it a
single LP. Apparently the track sequence had to be altered from the original
intent too. These two songs, which I like equally, would’ve fit perfectly with
the rest of the LP, and I’m very glad they decided to release them this way for
Black Friday Record Store Day.
4. Park – Jacob The Rabbit
At this
point I think I can probably count on one hand the number of my favorite
90’s/early 00’s emo bands that haven’t gotten back together (not complaining at
all). Given all the lineup issues this band had during their original run, they
were one of the last I would’ve ever expected to resurface, but damn am I glad
they did. They certainly have not lost their touch, and if anything I think
they’ve stepped up their immediacy and energy for these 3 songs. They’ve also
upped the creativity ante, as this EP accompanies a pretty cool short story
(no, seriously – I usually have little interest in concept albums and the like,
but I actually found value in having read the story before hearing the songs)
that lends more meaning to the lyrics and overall feel of the songs. Leadoff
track “Lepus Fugam” is my favorite here.
3. Gameday Regulars – Nobody Likes A Quitter
If you can’t
handle glass-gargling vocals over fairly straightforward melodic mid-tempo punk
rock, stay way, but if you dig Hot Water Music’s Fuel For The Hate Game and/or Caution,
you will probably like this. It has the grit of the former with some of the
catchier elements of the latter, albeit without the intricate rhythm section
work. This is another 2013 release that I missed until I read other people’s
2013 lists, but I’ve been a full-on Gameday fan ever since I heard this for the
first time. Beyond the split that’s three spots above this, don’t miss their
previous EP It’s Hell In The Hallway
as well. As for this particular 7”, “Kids of the Cove” is the ass-kicker.
2. Banquets/Nightmares For A Week –
split 12”
I’m
sure NFAW are nice lads and all, but I really don’t understand their music or
what the appeal could be. Accordingly, this release is all about Banquets for
me, and you should know by now that I, in turn, am all about Banquets and their
catchy punk-tinged rock. Their five songs here would’ve all been welcome on
last year’s self titled effort (my #2 LP of 2013). So naturally
they hit my ear perfectly and travel through my aural nerves to the brain,
which directs the facial muscles to smile, the leg/foot muscles to tap, and the
arm/hand muscles to fist-pump. “Matters” and “Come Home Ragged” are my two
favorites here.
1. Doc Browne ft. Warren Lotas &
PJ Phinney – Mixtape Vol. 1
Yes,
quality boom-bap that’s faithful to the original elements is still being made
in 2014. Much of it is still being made by aging veterans from the 90’s and
early 00’s, but it’s perhaps even more inspiring when people born in the 90’s
are creating it, signifying that it refuses to be choked out by the stutter
hi-hats and ignorant trap rap that is dominant among the lowest common
denominators of the music-buying public. Thanks to modern studio technology,
many artists who collaborate on projects are never in the same room together,
and that’s the case here with Doc and the two emcees. Lotus & Phinney sound
like two lyrically ambitious young dudes who have some worthwhile life
experience to season their still-developing rhymes (check the struggle raps on
“Patience”) while Doc’s beats sound like he’s been worshipping at the thrones
of Premier and Pete Rock and studying their craft for eons. The results are
impeccable, and I consider all four of these songs to be 4 stars or above.
Rumor has it that this may be a one-off, as the collaborators have lost touch,
and that’s a damn shame considering how great this is.
Listen (FREE DOWNLOAD)
LP’s/Full-lengths
25. Opio & Equipto – Red XX
Here’s
further evidence of Hieroglyphics’ strong year, as ¼ of Souls of Mischief
hooked up with indie San Fran MC Equipto for their second collaborative release
(the previous being 2011’s Red X Tapes). This is an
improvement on their sound, although some of the production is irritating to my
ears. Still, strong songs like “Understand” and closer “Love It All” help it
kick off the LP countdown.
24. Bronze Nazareth – Thought For Food, Vol. 3
This is
the first of two albums on this list that were entirely produced by Bronze, and
in my opinion he’s the most reliable and enjoyable Wu-affiliated producer these
days (not that the competition is stiff – did you hear the garbage/bore-fest
that A Better Tomorrow is?) with his
jazzy, soulful boom-bap. Michigan hip-hop has never been in better hands.
“Blenderz” is my highlight here.
23. Skyzoo & Torae – Barrel Brothers
These
two burst into the awareness of most hip-hop fans thanks to the Premo-produced
single “Click” b/w ”Get It Done” back in 2007. They’ve done features on each
other’s solo stuff since, but this is their first long-form collaborative
effort, and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts when comparing this
to their solo efforts. This is what I think of when I think “New York City
hip-hop”, and thankfully it’s pretty much free from any radio chasing or the
obligatory Southern bullshit bounce track. The production is pretty even
throughout. It’s rarely sub-par but also rarely great, so on the strength of a
fantastic Sean Price appearance, I’d have to say “All In Together Now” is my
favorite track.
22. Your Old Droog – Your Old Droog LP
For
quite a while after this dude’s self-released debut EP surfaced in June 2014,
he stayed in the shadows and let the music speak for itself. The move was
probably calculated, as I’d have to assume he knew that he sounds almost
exactly like Nas, and he knew there’d be a way bigger buzz around it if nobody
knew who Droog was. Instead, it seemed like everybody who heard it was
absolutely convinced it was Nas with some vocal effects. The voice is very
close to Nasir’s, and the flow and cadence are eerily similar as well, so I get
where everybody was coming from. However, this is certainly not Nas, but is
obviously someone who studied at Nas’ throne for many years and honed his rhyme
ninja skills to near expert level before he exited the dojo and put his music
out to be judged by the public. The kid really has undeniable rhyming skills.
The production is pretty good throughout, but there are no songs on which it
really wows me though either. It’s laced with samples from rock, soul, jazz,
and funk, and it mostly would fall under the “boom-bip” (sic) category with
nary a hard snare to be found. Maybe that’s why I’m not going gaga over it.
Still, this is an incredibly consistent effort from front to back, and I’d
suggest starting at the top and letting the whole thing ride through your
brain. The stream link below is for the EP, but the LP is basically just the EP
with some bonus tracks, so you can hear most of the LP at the link.
21. CJ Fly – Thee Way Eye See It
I’m a
pretty big fan fan of Joey Bada$$’s PRO ERA crew so far (in spirit even if I don’t think
everything they do is great), of which CJ Fly is a member. They really seem to
have their heads screwed on straight as far as what the essence of hip-hop is
and what goes into creating it from the heart. They tread the thug line lightly
most of the time, and their rhymes generally contain enough insight or
introspection to carry value. Sadly Joey’s Summer
Knights was nothing special, but I have high hopes for his early 2015
full-length B4 Da $$ (based on stuff
like “No. 99” and in spite
of the hi-hats in “Curry Chicken”). As for this
FREE mixtape, I’d recommend “FlintRock”, “Loco Motives”, and “Side (ft.
Buckshot of Black Moon)” but stay away from “Q&A” because it stinks like
doo-doo.
20. Diamond District – March On Washington
The
trio of yU, Oddisee, and Uptown XO are responsible for my third favorite
hip-hop record of 2009, their debut In The Ruff. Since then, each has
released numerous solo and group projects, most of which were a mixed bag but
always had some gems to behold. Oddisee has unfortunately developed a synth fetish which
rears its ugly head and almost ruins an otherwise fantastic song like “First
Step”, as well popping up in a few other spots. Still, cuts like “Erything”,
“Say What You Mean”, and “Bonus Flow” (borrowed from Oddisee’s last solo
effort), plus yU’s superior MCing, keep me coming back for more.
19. Cormega – Mega Philosophy
Thanks
to production solely from Large Professor that is his best cohesive work in
years, Cormega has the perfect backdrop to become a wiser, more introspective
MC with greater conviction and more thoughtful lyrics than ever before.
“Industry” (as well as its two non-album remixes)
takes aim at the business environment surrounding the profession and how the
ignorance of the new generation of rappers and their followers fuels the beast.
“Honorable (ft. Raekwon)” is one of the top hip-hop songs of the year. Although
2 out of the last 3 songs are a little lackluster, the short length of this
thing is really its main detriment. It definitely leaves me wanting to hear
more new stuff from both ‘Mega and Extra P.
18. Paranom & Purpose – Life Outside The Frame
On this
collaborative effort, Purpose mostly takes a break from MCing to stay behind
the boards and provide all the production (he performed the opposite role over
Confidence’s production on my #7 LP of 2012). Dude is certainly a multi-talent.
He also participated in my #11 LP of 2013 as part of his Tragic Allies crew
who partnered with Tragedy Khadafi for the Seven G.E.M.S. project. Paranom
provides the vast majority of rhymes and employs the honest, introspective
style I prefer these days, which follows in line with his 2013 LP Five Seasons, my #20 of 2013. My favorite tracks
here are “Dayz Go By” and “I Remember”.
17. EdO. G. – After All These Years
It’s not
often that an artist creates his best album 23 years into releasing them, but I
strongly believe Ed-O from Beantown has achieved exactly that. He’ll never wow
you with his lyrics or delivery, but he drops plenty of old man wisdom in a
straightforward fashion. With noteworthy production from Pete Rock (3 songs!), 9th
Wonder, and Marco Polo (as well as a few unknowns nailing it), it’s an
extremely enjoyable listen to nod your head to. “The Anthem” and “Make Music”
are outstanding.
16. You Blew It! – Keep Doing What You’re Doing
Do you
prefer your emo with minimal moping but not too much anger either? Well, look
no further, because these young chaps have managed to punch up their sound with
more energy and groove than Grow Up, Dude.
It’s a very consistent listen with no standouts and no duds. I think most
people that dig Braid and Everyone Everywhere would dig it. Get down.
15. Gnarwolves – Gnarwolves
These young
chaps have chops and teeth (figurative, though possibly literal, I don’t know)
that belie their goofy band name. Plainly and simply, they rip. Some parts
remind me of the early Rancid stuff that sold me on punk rock in the first
place, while the raspier parts bring to mind the more straight-ahead punk songs
that Hot Water Music has peppered throughout their career. This one is another
consistent listen with no songs that stick out that far above the rest, but
there are also no turds in the punch bowl. Everybody circle pit!
14. People Under The Stairs – 12 Step Program
Man, these
guys had me scared that the shark had been jumped after their previous LP Highlighter was a pretty major
disappointment and then the first single they released for this came off cornier than a
post-Thanksgiving shit (please tell me there was a corn dish on your
table, if not you were robbed). Thankfully, that ended up being the only song I
really don’t like from this. On the other hand, “The Strand” is one of my
favorite things they’ve ever done. “Roundabouts” is pretty damn good too, and the
goofy intro is entertaining. I’d love to know the source of that clip. These
guys will never bowl you over with their rhyme skills, but if you’re just
looking for an enjoyable boom-bap listen with a nostalgic West Coast flavor,
then look no further.
13. Willie The Kid & Bronze
Nazareth – The Living Daylights
It’s such a
cool thing to finally have fully professional sounding, well-crafted boom-bap emerging
from my hometown of Grand Rapids, where nearly 20 years ago a 1987 Chrysler
LeBaron was cruising the streets, blasting stuff nearly nobody had heard of by
relatively obscure (at the time) artists such as Jay-Z and Common Sense. It’s
even cooler that it’s Wu-Tang related, and frankly Bronze and Willie are
representing the Wu ethos better than the Clan itself these days. Willie does
an incredible job straddling the line between philosopher, observer, and
materialistic gangster, managing to never go over the line on the latter and
turn me off. Bronze lays out a near-perfect backdrop of soul- and jazz-laden
hip-hop with lots of neck-snapping snares and hard kicks for Willie to weave
his lyrical cinematography into. “Avalon (ft. Roc Marciano)” is damn good, but
my favorite track is “The Guilt” (see video below) where Willie paints pictures
of street violence from the atypical perspective of understanding the
motivations of those who perpetuate it but also taking note of the toll it
takes on the community and the senselessness of it all. I’ll never understand
how he got his first big exposure through a Lil’Wayne affiliation. I’m so glad
he took a completely different direction from there.
12. Statik Selektah – What Goes Around
A musical
artist harkening back to the sounds of his earlier years is so rare that it’s
almost like there’s some unwritten law against it, as if somehow one can’t be
creative without continually moving toward a more widely accessible sound.
Granted, Statik has always managed to drop some Golden Era sounds on tracks
here and there for other artists’ albums, but his last couple producer albums (namely 2011’s Population Control and 2013’s Extended
Play, neither of which made my lists for those years) have been gravitating
toward more of a mainstream sound. I remember him stating that he was “taking
it back” to his jazzy roots (his debut, Spell
My Name Right is a personal classic) but thinking, “Yeah, right. I’ve heard
that a million times before. I’ll believe it when I hear it.” Lo and behold,
dude was not bullshitting. This is a jazzy boom-bap tour de force. It’s so
incredibly consistent across its 20 tracks (and don’t miss the hidden track
featuring Kool Keith over the only decent production he has touched in over 10
years), with only two tracks falling slightly below 3 stars on my scale.
(Granted, I did edit “Carry On” to cut off just before Freddie Gibbs’ verse
starts because he really does irritate me that badly.) Given the
expansive guest list (41 different MC’s by my count), the lyrical quality is
all over the place, but do not miss Black Thought putting on an MCing clinic as
usual on “The Imperial”. My favorite tracks are “My Time”, “Heltah Selektah”,
and “The Chopper”, which is funkier than a hangover shit. By the way, how the
hell are there not more music videos for this? I guess maybe it’s tough to get
everybody together in one place to shoot one.
11. Such Gold – The New Sidewalk
I see
people using the all too widely appropriated term “pop-punk” to refer to this
slobberknocker of a punk fucking rock album, and it's quite annoying. It would
have been more appropriate for anything they did before my #1 LP of 2012, the
stupendous Misadventures,
but this is a step in a much more technical and ambitious direction. It also
annoys me to no end when bands continually shift toward a teenage radio-rock
sound/audience and people feel the need to defend it as "growth" and
"maturing". My friends, THIS is a prime example of what it
really means to inject growth and maturity into your sound, not pandering to
make your music more digestible by the lowest common denominators. Bravo, boys.
In fact, this thing has so many layers that I'm still working to peel back and
examine them almost two months after its release. I will definitely say that
fans of Propagandhi (no, they don't sound exactly like them and the comparison
is admittedly coming from a non-fan) and Strung Out (I'm 100% in on that one)
should definitely give this an honest shot. Just go right for opening tag-team
"Engulfed In Flames" and "Faced".
10. G.Dot & Born ft. EdO. G. – Confidence presents…
This
fucker is STACKED with awesome production thanks to Confidence. Between him,
Purpose, and Doc Browne, my ears think it’s 1994 and I’m watching Yo! MTV Raps again
(but with no fucking garbage E-40 videos). This album
leans more in a direction akin to Group Home’s Livin’ Proof, where the production is light years
ahead of the lyrics in most parts, but GOD DAMN are these some tasty beats. The
videos look like they might be awful though (I didn't dare watch because I love
this so much), so be careful not to ruin a good thing and bail quickly if you
have to. My outstanding tracks here are “Grammer’s (sic) Strong” (but spelling
is not, apparently), “Manhunt”, “It’s Real”, “Class Is In Session”, and
“Confidence”.
9. Ghostface Killah – 36 Seasons
The
most consistent Wu-Tang Clan member by a mile thankfully blessed us with this
extraordinarily well produced concept/story album, which helped dull the sour
taste and earache induced by the Clan’s A
Better Tomorrow (check the AV Club review for more on
how I feel about that). The production is handled by The Revelations. I haven’t
been exposed to any of their previous work, but this is certainly a favorable
first impression. Add some nice guest spots by fellow vets AZ and Kool G Rap,
and you have one hell of a hip-hop album.
8. Luca Brasi – By A Thread
This group of lads from Tasmania came
into my awareness thanks to a Facebook post from Australian band Paper Arms (creators of my #7 EP & #21 LP of 2013). They don’t have the gravelly vocals quite like PA do, but they still
fall under the punk rock umbrella (probably skewing more toward the mid-tempo
pop-punk designation) with vocals on the raspy/brash side of
"normal". A lot of the aesthetic, tempos, guitar work, and vocal
cadence remind me of Transit’s Keep
This To Yourself, although I really can’t say its quality quite matches
that almost unmatchable personal classic. There are also shades of parts from
the few Listen & Forgive songs
I like. I ended up listening to this
almost daily for a month earlier this year and really grew to love a lot of the
songs, including “Benthos”, “Get Sad, See Mates”, “Death Rattle”, “Here’s
Looking At You, Kid Rock”, and “Two Snakes”. I was lucky enough to get this LP
for Xmas, and thankfully it made its journey across the Pacific in fine shape.
I’m eager to hear what they come up with next.
7. The Great Explainer – The Great Explainer
If you’ll humor me that beardcore (or
beard emo/punk) is a term that can be applied to the trademark sound of early
to mid-era Hot Water Music and Small Brown Bike (among others like Fuel and
Leatherface), then allow me to state that if the size of the beard were
directly proportional to the voice, this dude would look like Rip Van Winkle. Unfortunately for
my analogy, he does not have a beard, and he doesn’t look like this voice could
possibly come from him. He has an unmatched rumble that gives his words weight
and impact, and I can’t help but wish he could donate half of it to (ex?) Polar
Bear Club frontman Jimmy Stadt. The post-hardcore thunder the band creates
matches the voice. I think this is a great album that could build perfectly
toward a really fucking awesome follow-up. My favorites here are
“Shadowcaster”, “Phrases & Logos”, & “Untitled”.
6. Anti-Lilly & Phoniks – Stories From The Brass Section
Here we have my favorite hip-hop LP of
the year. Anti-Lilly is a much better MC than name chooser, but for me Phoniks’
incredible take on the jazzy Golden Era sound is the best I encountered this
year, and it’s 90% of why I like this so much. Considering what Confidence put
together on the G.Dot & Born LP, that’s high praise. It’s so good I’d
almost listen to Eminem’s cartoon voice over it (almost). About half of
this is outstanding, including tracks “Blue In Green”, “Respiration” (an ode to
the Black Star & Common joint), “14 Till” (an ode to the Souls of Mischief
classic), “Descension”, and “Young G”. Be sure to check out Phoniks’ bandcamp site and other projects as well. None
of them top this, but they’re still far better than most hip-hop of the day.
Listen
(FREE download)
5. Sport – Bon Voyage
Major props to the writer of this blog for bringing this
excellent band from France to my attention. Don’t worry, xenophobes. They sing
in English. For the record, I am absolutely in love with my entire top 5, and all
5 of them got serious, agonizing consideration for the #1 slot. This one is generally
faster emo-punk showing influence by practically all of my favorite late 90’s
& early 00’s bands like Braid, Latterman, Hot Water Music, & Small
Brown Bike, and the overall energy here is god damn great. Parts also remind me
of the Algernon Cadwallader style. My favorite songs are “Reggie Lewis”,
“Florence Griffith-Joyner”, “Ulrike Maier”, “Doris Sams”, and the tremendously
triumphant “Jacques Mayol”, which is in my third favorite song of the year.
Listen (FREE download)
4. Somos – Temple of Plenty
I initially
hated this album for what it’s not, but I quickly grew to love it for what it
is. Make no mistake, the loss of energy and aggression (compared to their demo) was quite
disappointing. However, when examined completely on its own, this is an example
of yet another young band coalescing a wide range of my favorite sounds of the
last 20 years into a very cohesive record that brings to mind Alkaline Trio,
Park, Name Taken, Jimmy Eat World, Texas Is The Reason, The Swellers, Balance
& Composure, and Moving Mountains (Waves era).
Thankfully the rhythm section maintains some groove and urgency even if the
overall feel of the music isn't as crunchy as the demo. It also strikes me as a
sound that could’ve been the bridge between Transit’s Keep
This To Yourself and the third of Listen
& Forgive that I enjoy. I really like what I’ve
picked up from the lyrical themes as well, especially the assessment of the pointlessness
of average adult working life in the modern age on “Dead Wrong”, my favorite
song from this. I also thoroughly enjoy “Familiar Theme”, “Domestic”, “Lives of
Others”, and “Distorted Vision”. Given their continual progression toward a
lighter sound, as evidenced by their split with Sorority Noise later in the
year, I’m lead to believe I’ll be jumping off the train soon, but I’m thankful
to have this stop along the track of their career to remember and cherish.
3. Prawn – Kingfisher
Other than
the band at #1 below, for me Prawn has to be the most consistently great
emo-related band making music in the last 5 years. They also have a heavy
atmospheric post-rock vibe in many parts. I can only think of two songs they’ve
made that don’t float my boat, but never before have they laid out a work of
art so fully realized and congruent unto itself. The fact that they had to
rearrange the tracks from their original order and then chop out the two songs
from the Settled 7” to make this fit
a single LP makes it even more remarkable how well this baby flows together. The
drummer is especially exceptional to me. He reminds me of Kevin Ratterman from
Elliott in that he often finds a way to weave a more dynamic drum pattern into parts
where most people would play it safe, yet somehow instead of sticking out like
a sore thumb, it actually makes the song for me. Check the beat he lays down
during the verse of “First As Tragedy, Second As Farce” (my favorite song of
the year). It’s exactly what I would want to play if someone presented
me with the guitar and bass and said “play something to this”. My other
favorites are “Dialect of…” and “Thalassa”.
2. Banner Pilot – Souvenir
What a
banner year (pun intended) it has been for some of my most loved bands to become
even further adored by releasing their best work yet….or damn close to it in
this case. Even after letting this marinate for months, I still can’t decide
whether it beats 2009’s Collapser. It’s
probably a moot point, as I’d score both of them 10/10. If you don’t know by
now, Banner Pilot is a pretty straight-ahead melodic punk rock band from
Minneapolis who can paint as vivid of a picture of the struggles of Midwest
winter life (and the people it affects) as anyone. It’s gritty, world-weary,
worn out, guttural, and visceral yet sometimes hopeful. Their ability
to cultivate and tweak their core sound results in pretty much the perfect
amount of change (minimal) for me from album to album. It’s just enough to
sound fresh every time but still familiar. I’m hoping they continue to
stay this dependable as long as they’re together, and for fuck’s sake, I’d love
to finally get a chance to see them live. They somehow never play Michigan. As
for favorite tracks, I realized I would be better off telling which tracks I
think are good but not great, and then you can assume the rest are exceptional.
Those would be “Modern Shakes”, “Hold Fast”, “Springless”, and “Summer Ash”.
The other 8 songs all get me going.
1. gates – Bloom & Breathe
Here we
are at the end of the road. In an incredible year for truly great music, this
is what I found most enjoyable. Given how much I loved their previous two EP’s,
I had extremely high expectations for this. That type of unbridled anticipation
almost always results in some level of disappointment, but not here, my
friends. This baby managed to exceed and astound from the moment I first heard
the first song they played live from it (“Born Dead” – LISTEN to
those fucking drums!). I also had the pleasure of seeing them after the
album came out, and once again they impressed. They are incredibly tight and
have a commanding stage presence, largely thanks to animated guitarist Ethan
Koozer, whose energy and passion is always on full display. Singer Kevin Dye
really put some serious work and pain into constructing the lyrics, as there
are revolving themes about life and repeated phrases throughout the album. It’s
really a true masterpiece in every sense of the word, and it shows just how
impactful the right mix of post-rock and gut-wrenching (but not sappy) emo can
be. They even turn up the intensity with a little bit of unprecedented screaming
near the end of “At Last the Loneliest of Them”. On the other hand, my second
favorite song of the year, “Low”, is one of their most mellow and subdued, but
it still manages to be very impactful. “Not My Blood” (5 stars all the way), “Bloom”,
“The Thing That Would Save You”, “Born Dead”, and “Again At the Beginning” are
all exceptional as well. I get such joy from listening to this that I genuinely
feel sorry for those who can’t feel it. I want at least one of these songs
played as my survivors dump my ashes into Lake Superior. Could there be any
more melodramatic of a statement for me to convey how I feel about this? I
think not, and there you have it.
Before
I go, allow me to note that one of my former favorite hip-hop groups, the
Doppelgangaz, put out a woefully uninspired and disappointing album called Peace Kehd, complete with mainstream
pandering via use of trap rap production. Seriously, listen to this shit and tell me it
doesn’t make you cringe. I found it so revolting that I never even opened my
pre-ordered vinyl and sold it as quickly as I could. The new Weatherbox and
Dikembe were also highly anticipated and fell flat for me (although this song fucking rules),
but nothing like the steaming pile of Doppelcrap.
OK, I
think that’s all for this year. I really hope I will have time to do the
quarterly blogs again for 2015, but if you know what my life will be like for
the next 6 months, you’ll understand it might not be possible. Anyway, I wish
you all a safe and happy new year (more happy than safe), and above all, thank
you from the bottom of my heart for taking your precious time to check this
out. It means the world to me. Aus out.
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