This is brutal. Almost exactly a year ago, in my post about my favorite albums of 2013, I joked I would never come back and edit the list. Now I’m kind of tempted. The last year was a big one for me, I mean I graduated (again), got a real job, bought my first car, and moved to Seattle all in about a six month span. I also spent less time working on the blog, as I got comfortable being the podcast host guy and felt less compelled to work on my post count. That, coupled with the fact that I no longer had bus rides to school during which I could listen to music, meant I took music a lot less seriously this year. So when I sat down to write my list, I realized I had four albums I really loved (mostly from the first half of the year when I was still in school) and about 20 that I thought definitely deserved a spot on my list below them.

I don’t know if that means it was a great year or an OK one, I should have paid more attention, I guess. But here are some albums that very narrowly missed my list: High Life, the Brian Eno and Karl Hyde collaboration, which has some awesome 9 minute songs on it. The latest Gaslight Anthem album, Get Hurt, which is a pretty great return to form for them. Salad Days by Mac DeMarco, which I hope will make John’s list at least. Warpaint’s self-titled album, which you should listen to right now. And a few albums that I think might have made my list if I listened to them more: The Moon Rang Like a Bell by Hundred Waters, Rave Tapes by Mogwai, Blue Planet Eyes by Preatures, and Sea When Absent by A Sunny Day in Glasgow.
Continue reading →

Unlike most years, 2014 didn’t ever really feel like a year where I had to go too far out of my way to find good music.  So much so that I’m still catching up with really good late December releases like Charli XCX’s Sucker (it’s like bratty pop music! But with guitars!) or D’Anglelo’s Black Messiah (it’s like Prince! But sloppier!), both of which I just haven’t spent enough time with to put in to consideration.  Also, I guess 2014 was a year in which I ended up listening to music in a lot of different formats, because looking at my list, I can see there’s at least one album I bought on vinyl, a couple I bought on CD, one I bought on iTunes, one I got for free directly from the artist’s website, and several that I acquired by much less respectable means.  Anyways… on to the list.

Honorable Mentions:
Tony Molina – Dissed And Dismissed
The Hold Steady – Teeth Dreams
Cloud Nothings – Here And Nowhere Else
Sharon Van Etten – Are We There

Continue reading →