My top 30 songs for 2014 with some added perhaps unwanted commentary on each. The only condition was I didnt pick anymore than one track per album, otherwise I may have had several tracks from Ariel Pink, Shihad and The War on Drugs. Enjoy, I hope you like the selection. Go easy on the comments, I'm not a professional music reviewer.
Part of my reason for posting this is the constant whinge I hear from older people that there is no good new music these days. That's complete horse shit, you just have to go find it.
30 - My Mama's Dead - Dream Police
Dream Police is the side project for Brooklyn punk rockers Nick Chiericozzi and Mark Perro who are the foundation members of The Men. I hadn't heard about this side project until I came across the album but I like what I hear. My Mamas Dead is the second track on the album and is built upon a backbone of solid and consistent rhythm and synths with overlaying psychedelic guitar and megaphone vocals. Think young punk rock band jamming Hey Joe in the garage.
29 - On Leaving - Hookworms
Hookworms is another new band for me in 2014. Supposedly just a "hobby" band these guys are from Leeds, the lead singer MJ also produced the first Eagulls album (a song of theirs is in this top 30), another so called DIY band where the members do most of the production work, marketing, management, art work etc etc. Funnily enough this song reminds me of My Mamas Dead in its tribal rhythm and use of the synths / organ as the heartbeat of the song albeit less of a jam session. 6 mins of casual head nodding the way I like it...
28 - I Don't Want To Be Here Anymore - Rise Against
Ok so the first of the simple formulaic punk rock anthems, and I don't apologise. I mean isn't that what makes Punk so good? You know exactly what you are getting and Rise Against latest effort proves that after 15 years of doing this they are still one of the best. I imagine this one gets massive crowd response not only at Rise Against gigs but probably at many protests in America this year.
27 - Flying Lotus - Never Catch Me (feat Kendrick Lamar)
"And now for something completely different". Jazz meets electronica meets hip hop, Steven Ellison (Flying Lotus) brings all these elements together at break neck speed almost like a producer with tourettes. Interesting thing about this track for me is Kendrick Lamar, who lyrically more than manages to keep up with Ellison making the whole track sound like some sort of free form jam session. Or what it might sound like if Lamar and Ellison got on stage at a speak easy with a few cognacs and cigars...
26 - The Lords Favourite - Iceage
Ok, back to punk...There is something special about being able to listen to the great bands "mature" from their first album through the years and listen to the armchair critics refer to the bands "new directions". There is no doubt Iceage are a truly great band, and yes the differences between each of their albums through to today is very noticeable, but to me this is just a reflection of their age. Don't forget their first album was recorded when they were just 18. To me this track typifies the main change with the band which is Elias Bender Ronnenfelt's lyrics. A combination of getting a better grasp of English but also his experiences and maturity.
25 - True Monument - Merchandise
Merchandise released their first album "After the End" last year which instantly connected with fans of 80s acts like The Smiths, The Cure and New Order. I like the fact that the "music industry" have found it hard to categorise this band in the current day genre nomenclature which straight away appeals to my desire to find the next "different sound", harping back to my teens and hearing bands like Pixies and Sonic Youth for the first time. Merchandise don't reach those heights in terms of "difference", but they do have a sound unique to current trends in rock music. Anyway this track is a good example of listening to a song recorded in 2014 but feeling as though you could be in 1986.
24 - Her Hands - Jack Ladder, The Dreamlanders
First (and only) Australian act to make my top 30 in 2014. Continuing my love of re imagined 80s sounds, (and acts) Jack Ladders latest effort could easily have been a New Order hit in 1984. I think this bloke is probably the most important artist in Australia right now, will be interesting to see if he can sustain a career as long as his fellow baritone Nick Cave. Her Hands is probably best described as Nick Cave guest singing on a New Order track in 1984...got it? Right.
23 - Seasons (Waiting on You) - Future Islands
Suspect this would be most peoples number one song for 2014, but I'm not sure if that's a product of the song or the David Letterman film clip.
Seasons on Letterman. Unless you have been living in the middle of the Gobi desert or something, you would know the performance of Samuel T. Herring live on the show drummed up millions of hits on youtube, propelling the band forward in more commercial and mainstream circles. For me the song is great, but not the standout track many are voting it to be. Frankly his lyrics are more like poems you are asked to write in high school but he delivers them with great passion and belief. Just a great catchy sentimental song, but not song of the year for mine.
22 - I'm Not Part of Me- Cloud Nothings
My favourite band from the last 3 or 4 years since my first experience of the band which was Attack on Memory. Have seen these guys twice live now, once at the Annandale in Sydney when they toured attack on memory and more recently in Brisbane at The Zoo. I remember exchanging tweets with Zan Rowe after the Annandale gig (which she was also at) and we both were amazed at the energy the band commanded from the audience with their psychedelic anthemic tantrums tracks like Wasted Days.
This new album and I'm Not Part of Me highlights the journey Dylan Baldi has been on over the past few years of touring and developing his style working with geniuses like Steve Albini and now John Congleton (Bill Callahan, The Mountain Goats, Franz Ferdinand). Many will laugh but Baldi to me has produced some of the most interesting and different sounds on these two albums since I first heard Surferosa / Come on Pilgrim. I'm not saying he is anywhere near as talented as Black Francis, but one day you never know. He is certainly entering a new chapter with his music and will be taken more seriously in the years to come if this album and song is anything to go by.
Interesting opening lyric to the song....
It starts right now, there's a way I was before
But I cant recall how I was those days anymore
I'm learning how to be here and nowhere else
How to focus on what I can do myself
21 - Don't Wanna Lose - Ex Hex
Interesting band and album from Ex Hex last year.I remember watching Sonic Highways recently and in particular the LA episode that had some focus on Joan Jett and The Runaways, If I was going to describe Ex Hex I would suggest The Runaways meets Thee Oh Sees...If you don't know who Thee Oh Sees are give yourself several uppercuts, once you wake up download Help, Castlemania and Floating Coffin. Anyway this song is definitely a "summer favourite" and has been played at several BBQ's over a few beers.
20 - Lazzaretto - Jack White
Its Jack White. Nothing to say but *dayum!
*Texan for Damn
19 - Gunshot - Lykke Li
Beautiful song, beautiful lady. My favourite female artist over the past 10 years probably equal with Robyn.
18 - The Feast and the Famine - Foo Fighters
The first time in the history of music has the Foo Fighters released an album and I don't have one of their songs in my top 10. Pretty much sums up the new album Sonic Highways although I don't think it deserves all the negative press it has received. It is still a great Foo Fighters album and way in front of the Echoes and Silence years. I think the album plays perfectly as accompaniment to the TV series, much the same way Regurgitators Mish Mash album struck a completely different chord if you sat through
Band in a Bubble. You get more of a sense of the songs sounds and lyrics once you have seen the show.
Most would have Something From Nothing as their top song off the album but I felt it was a little lazy, too similar to I Should Have Known off Wasting Light, in particular Krist Novoselics bass lead. Feast and the Famine is more like your typical Fooeys radio song (think The Pretender) with simple riff and straight to the point tight structure. Just fooeys rock porn and that's all we need.......A monument!
17 - Cant Do Without You - Caribou
Not the biggest fan of pinga music, particularly when its heavy in computer production. This would be one of the few exceptions with its simple but catchy hook and lyrics. Yes it is simply a couple of drum and synth pads with vocal samples and Daniel Snaith (Caribou) looks a little like he has strapped himself to Senator Christine Milne and a Tasmanian Oak at some stage of his life but it is damn catchy...
16 - Cant Leave The Night Badbadnotgood
Hands down my favourite discovery of 2014. In my pursuit for new study music (usually instrumental only) like Explosions in The Sky, I came across this three piece from Toronto Canada. Labelled as experimental jazz hip hop fusion yada yada yada, basically its great musicians playing funky tracks. This track Cant Leave The Night has the best bass line of any (non pinga) tracks this last year. Play it loud! Also my fav video clip of the year.....
Cant Leave The Night
Keep an eye out for these guys next year as they will be providing the music for Ghostface Killah's new album :)
15 - Passing Out Pieces - Mac Demarco
"What mom don't know, has taken its toll on me".... Another song in 2014 with undoubted roots in the 80s from the so called slack rocker. The best description I have read about Demarco is that he is a bluesy version of Ariel Pink, both of whom spew out copious recordings seemingly without giving a fuck what the fans think of their work. Another song in 2014 with a huge organ / synth backbone. I can see/imagine the plumes of funny smelling smoke coming out of the crowd at his gigs when he plays this track.
14 - Talking Backwards - Real Estate
More lo-fi laid back alternative country sounds before we hit another stretch of heavier songs. Real Estate are one of the truly great guitar based groups at a time where guitar is no longer the popular instrument of choice. Amazingly simple lead guitar licks inter playing with Martin Courtney's smooth lyrics this track typifies the complex yet easy listening style Real Estate has developed over the past 2 records and now on their third studio album Atlas. Great Sunday afternoon session song with a few beers and a game of pool.
13 - Red Eyes - The War on Drugs
Oops, looks like 3 in a row....Probably not surprising that these 3 ended up around the same area of my chart as they are definitely 3 of my favourite laid back tracks of the year and hard to separate. The War on Drugs album Lost in the Dream would have to be my album of 2014, if not closely tied with Ariel Pinks Pom Pom. Although it is more alternative country (if you want to categorise it), it would be the heavier of the Alt country efforts in my list for 2014 which is no surprise to TWOD fans. Sun Kill Moon, in an attempt to dis the band described their music as "Don Henley meets John Cougar meets Dire Straits meets 'Born In The USA'-era Bruce Springsteen". Sorry, but I'm struggling to see how that is offensive? Are you kidding me, who wouldnt want to see that band!!
There is something in Sun Kill Moons comments that even extend to bands like The Travelling Wilburys in the driving rhythm of the song which is almost like a steam engine travelling through the old west. It has an almost TVOTR Wolf Like Me feel to it and probably why its a good road song.
12 - Johnny and Mary - Todd Terje, Brian Ferry
Simple reason for this, firstly its a cover of Robert Palmer 80s classic of the same name. I took some time to choose this song off Todd Terjes album
Its Party Time, as it was a hard decision to choose between it and
Dolorean Dynamite. In the end this song is just too damn awesome with Bryan Ferry doing the singing and Terjes wave like synths rolling in around the lyrics. One of the best cover songs in recent years.
11 - Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck) - Run The Jewels
One name, Zack De La fucking Rocha. The RATM lead singer features in this 4th track of Run The Jewels second album
Run The Jewels 2. You cant miss his voice looping throughout the song and he raps his own verse which is pretty bloody awesome to hear after his relative retirement since RATMs disbanding in 2007. For anyone who yearns for some hip hop that is closer to the heights of the early 90's I think Run The Jewels will satisfy. For this track in particular you could easily place it on the
Judgement Night soundtrack without it sounding out of place. Good energy and tough lyrics, will offend plenty = the way it should be.
10 - Good Sex - Kevin Drew
Time to clam down a little before we get into a block of punk and metal with this brilliant single from the "defacto leader" of Broken Social Scene, Kevin Drew. My theme for 2014 has been heavily 80s influences and organs / piano..... this track ticks both of those boxes with a pogo like piano riff and licks supported by a smooth sweep picking guitar arpeggios. Sexy smooth song and very unlike the free wheeling Broken Social Scene yet still typically Drew..
9 - Amber Veins - Eagulls
Back to the DIY punk with Hookworms associates, Eagulls. This band got everyone offside with a hand written letter they wrote to
"All beach bands sucking each others dicks and rubbing the press clits" after attending SXSW in 2014 (check link). This letter is fucking awesome and immediately garnered my interest for the band. My favourite quote from the letter is:
Gary Numan would knock ALL of your dads out!
I have no idea why "all" had to be underlined and capitalised, the thought of him being able to knock out any one of their dads is just as fucking funny to me. Needless to say I love their attitude and as such I got to listening their self titled debut album which was not well received by the industry types but no doubt would have a cult following. Amber Veins is angry punk contempt for heroin addicts in their Leeds neighbourhood. Its like an anthem against the drug addicted youth pawning family goods for their next fix. Something far removed from my existence but as depressing and scary to me as the movie Trainspotting was. Sad that it hasn't received critical or commercial success, its a cracking song.
Possessions Pawned
Prickles of thorns
Plucked open pains
False and forsworn
Forgetting all
For what you take
Drained and debauched
Exhausted worn
Adorned in scrapes
Cratered and coarse
Cold shades of taupe
Turned amber grey
Used up and undone
Erasing all
Inside its flaked
Weak wretched thoughts
Feelings flow sworn
In sour tastes
Insist in all ways
Shapes and forms
It desecrates
No one will mourn
Now that you're gone
In amber veins
8 - In The Lurch - Antemasque
Heard this for the first time in America earlier last year and thought it must have been a new pop direction for the Mars Volta. Turns out it was a new band for Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala of At The Drive In and Mars Volta fame. I wasn't wrong about the new direction though, listening to Omar explaining the bands formation he said that he and Cedric wanted to write some shorter, pop'ier songs and they have achieved that on the new self titled debut album Antemasque. In The Lurch is the first single off the album and its just typical flat out rock music for these guys. Catchy as fuck, play it loud...
7 - Out of The Black - Royal Blood
In a long list of bands still trying to emulate the sound of their idols Queens of the Stone Ages, and in particular the album Songs For the Death, 2 piece rock band Royal Blood have probably come closest to pulling it off. Over the past few years the number of bands trying to be Joshua Homme has become an industry joke, bands like Australia's *Kingswood are a perfect example. Boring, boring boring formulaic rock egged on by Australia's mainstream national radio station JJJ. Although you can still hear the obvious influences, Royal Blood actually pull it off with some cracking tracks on their self titled debut album. Out of the Black was releases in 2013 in England, but I have classed it as 2014 for the purpose of this list. Don't take it too seriously, think White Stripes meets Queen of the Stone Age meets Muse.
*Apologies to Mellisa who wasn't happy with this comment.
6 - I Am Machine - Three Days Grace
Dave Grohl once said 'I don't believe in guilty pleasures. If you fucking like something, like it". Thanks Dave, cause I fucking love this song. First heard it driving from LA to Las Vegas in 2014 and then another 20 times between Vegas, San Fran and LA again. Just a fucking unapologetic sing along no nonsense nu metal track done exceptionally well. The hipsters wont approve, but this is really what musicianship is all about. They put together all the elements to produce an instantly memorable song. Play it loud.
5 - Right On, Frankenstein! - Death From Above 1979
Another theme running through my list, 2 and 3 piece bands. DFA1979 have waited 10 years to follow up their debut album You're a Woman, I'm a Machine with this album The Physical World. To be honest I didn't get into them first time around, but this album has made me go back and reflect on the first album. The album title and the lyrics on track 4 Always On point towards a need for people to get off facebook, twitter and social media all together and get back to reality. "Show me something new, something I can like, Cause were always, always on now" and my favourite "If we brought Kurt back to life, there is no way he would survive, no way not a day". Pretty much sums up the way kids grow up theses days, always on, always connected, never alone......being alone from time to time is good for you. People have started to forget that.
Anyway all that philosophical shit aside. This was just my favourite because it fucking rocks!
4 - Aunt Lisa - Mastodon
Still cant believe these fuckers are going to be playing at the EH (Eatons Hill Pub) in Brisbane, an absolute fucking must! Could have picked 5 songs off this album, but I love the final chant at the end of this track. Goosebumps. Bring on the Drop A power chords!! Play it loud!
3 - Think You're So Free - Shihad
In a three-way tie for my favourite album of the year, quintessential 90s EnZed rockers Shihad with FVEY. Its amazing that this band has been around for 25 years and yet have arguably just produced their finest effort yet with this politically and emotionally charged rock masterpiece. Jon Toogoods lyrics on this album expose a man fiercely frustrated with the current state of politics and the human condition, and this frustration converts to a call to arms through the lyrics supported by the fist pumping rhythm of the music. I had heard a story about how they got the sound for this record with Jon tuning for standard E but dropping the bottom string to a bass register A. Apparently he had that tuning and went on a flight and when they arrived the bottom string had dropped further to a G#. They then recorded the second track off the album Fine Lines, they loved it and then decided to record the whole album in this weird tuning. What transpires is one of the heaviest bass sounding rock albums I have heard in 10 years. I saw them twice last year, once at The Zoo and a second time at The HiFi and the wall of sounds was just fucking amazing, one of the greatest gig experiences I have had for sheer musicality.
So here's to the old people still doing it as good as the kiddies and respect to Shihad, truly one of the greatest NZ/Aus rock bands ever.
2 - Blue Moon - Beck
I have been a long time Beck fan, and to me this is the greatest thing he has ever composed and recorded. Although the music appears upbeat and positive the lyrics suggest something completely different, a style perfected by bands like The Smiths. A beautiful folk standard that could easily have been my number 1 for the year.
See the turncoat on his knees
A vagabond that no one sees
When a moon is throwing shadows
You can't save the ones you've caught in battle
1 - Black Ballerina - Ariel Pink
What can I say, its taken me three albums to come to my full conclusion but this guy is a fucking musical genius. In an attempt to define him others have referred to Ariel Pink as the modern day Frank Zappa. I guess that's what first drew me to his music, once again you couldn't really categorise him he was a musical nutri-shake made from bubble gum pop, 70s glam, 80s pop all blended up with some novelty songs. One thing I do know, you either fucking love Ariel Pink or you fucking hate Ariel Pink....there is no grey areas with this musician.
Black Ballerina is about the night "One-Eyed Willie" took "Shotgun Billy" to L.A.’s finest strip club for his first lap dance. Weird, quirky or genius? I'm going with the latter. Do yourself a favour and check out his back catalogue (albums) including
Mature Themes and
Before Today.
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