Indietalk Album of the Year 2014

cheeseandachallenge

cheeseandachallenge

Due to this being a film forum and one with relatively few (for the internet) regular contributors, this might not work due to there not being enough responses/enough of a cohesive music taste amongst members... but may as well give it a shot. I find these kinds of threads a good way to catch up on music I've missed :)

Did a quick search and it appears there hasn't been a thread like this for at least a couple of years - apologies if there is someone who regularly does this and I've missed it.

Anywho, how it works:
  1. You create a list of your top 10 albums (you can do more, but albums lower than 10 won't be included in the final list).
    Try and have each album listed in the format of
    Artist - Album
    Click to expand...
    (it makes it easier for me to compile things at the end). It's also nice if you can add a little description of the album/why you enjoyed it and a link to a song from the album.
  2. Rank each album. The album ranked number 1 receives 10 points, the album ranked number 2 receives 9, etc etc, until we get to album 10 with 1 point
  3. I'll compile a list at the end of the year with everyones picks, ranking them in order of points
  4. Album must have been released in 2014. Since different regions get different release dates, just use your local release dates.
  5. You have until January 1st to submit/edit your list. I'm opening this thread a bit early in the hopes of provoking discussion.

Easy enough? Go.
 
My list

  1. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2
    I liked their debut album last year, but when I saw them live early this year I became a full fledged fan. There was something oddly charismatic about 2 dudes dressed in jean shorts rapping about pulling a pistol on a poodle. Despite being huge and a father of four, Killer Mike raps flawlessly live (whereas younger talents like Kendrick Lamar and Earl Sweatshirt seem to have issues keeping up with their own music).

    That post-modern sense of self-awareness continues in RTJ2, as they both pay homage to and well as mock the hip hop genre. Behind the irony and humour is still the lyrical prowess and social commentary present on both Killer Mike's and El-P's solo records.

    Song pick: Early - possibly not the best track, but is representative of their goofy-seriousness.
  2. Benjamin Booker - Benjamin Booker
    Booker has an interesting and almost too fitting backstory to go with his rock n roll/blues/punk/folk sound. It's worth having a read into while you listen to the album, it gives a lot of insight into his lyrics. It's a hard album to describe, but I think the cringe-worthy label 'folk-punk' (or maybe 'blues-punk') kind of works. It's probably best to just have a listen to him

    Song Pick: Have You Seen My Son?
  3. Clipping - CLPPNG
    Once you get used to the noise-driven nature of Clipping, they become kind of addictive. They feel like the natural, more rhythmic progression of what Death Grips started. They're one of those deceptively complex bands. It's easy to dismiss as violent rap, but when you properly listen to them you realise they actually have a lot to say. Probably the most powerful hip hop album I've listened to in a long long time.

    Song pick: Knees on the Ground - this ones not actually from the album, but something they recorded in response to Ferguoson. It's pretty powerful (worth reading the write up, too). It's not that representative of their sound, however, soooo
    Song Pick 2: Story 2 - I like narrative songs, and this one is 'fun,' and unlike most story songs, it doesn't get tiresome, and there's something new to gain from each listen.
  4. Aphex Twin - Syro
    This album would've felt more significant a decade and a half ago. But that doesn't mean it's mastery can't be enjoyed. It received a lot of attention on it's release, but it doesn't feel like Richard D James is the forefront of electronic music anymore. If it had been released and marketed as a remastering of James' 90s unreleased demos, I wouldn't have any reason not to believe that.

    Song Pick: minipops 67 - I would've liked to have aisatsana here, as it's beautiful - but I can only find covers on youtube.
  5. Electric Youth - Innerworld
    There's nothing particularly special about this album, but it is a really well done 80s inspire synthpop album

    Song Pick: Runaway
  6. Young Fathers - Dead
    A slightly disappointing album after the strength of their mixtapes Tape One and Tape Two, but still a strong debut album. A pretty unique sound, which does genuinely push the boundaries of hip hop (without sounding like Death Grips) - but there wasn't a huge progression between this and their mixtapes, so I hope they continue to grow their sound, rather than doing what Sigur Ros did and repeating themselves for the next decade.

    It seems like they're gaining some mainstream exposure after winning the Mercury Prize, so that's always good for them.

    Song Pick: Get Up
  7. Logic - Under Pressure
    Under Pressure has to be my favourite song this year. Unfortunately, like Young Fathers, Logic's debut album didn't live up to the hype his mixtapes created for me. The album feels like Kendrick Lamar's Good Kid Maad City two years too late. It's fund to draw Kendrick parallels, but the sheer volume that exist taint the listening experience. The 'Nikki' twist is cool the first time round, but on repeated listens it feels like a gimmick.

    But I have high hopes for future work from Logic, as a few of these songs show his flow and lyrical ability could rival those at the very top of the rap game. At his best he's simultaneously as catchy as his lyrics are dense.

    Song Pick: Under Pressure (Kendrick Parallel: Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst)
  8. Spider Bags - Frozen Letter
    Just a fun garage rock/country-punk album. It makes you feel as if you're sitting on a couch at the end of party becoming best friends with that person you've just met.

    Song Pick: Chem Trails
  9. Azealia Banks - Broke with Expensive Taste

    I didn't give her much of chance a couple of years ago when she became huge with 212. But the album is actually really interesting. Her production style, her flow (and her ability to actually sing) is really unique and cool. The album is damaged from being produced over such a long period of time - it feels like a collection of songs, rather than a cohesive album.

    Song Pick: JFK
  10. Shabazz Palaces - Lese Majesty
    It's hip hop, but it doesn't really sound like hip hop. It feels more like a trip. It's hard to describe. Maybe this is the music Yung Lean would make if he was 10 years older and had half a brain?

    Song Pick: Forerunner Foray
 
I don't really like ranking music, and I didn't hear all that many new records this year, but here's a few I did like:

Aphex Twin - Syro. (me too!) Great to have RDJ back.
Alcest - Shelter. In addition to yet another great Alcest album (often blending metal and shoegaze, this record reminding me a lot of Opeth once they started getting good), guest vocals on a track by Neil Halstead of Slowdive/Mojave 3! Just before the Slowdive reunion (I really wish that I would have caught one of those shoes).
Lana del Ray - Ultraviolence. I didn't like her at first, but around "Ride" I got it. If David Lynch isn't listening to her, he should be because she certainly watched a lot of his films.
Pink Floyd - The Endless River. Though I wish they would have released the vocal track as a single and not put it on the album. Beautiful and everything that I ever loved about Floyd.
Swans - To Be Kind. Okay, I'm a huge Swans fan, so I'd like it no matter what it was, but this album is wonderful and sinister.
Tanya Donelly - Swan Song Series vol 5 An ep, and the first 4 came out last year. Vol 2 was my favorite, but they're all great and they all make me happy. She's making music again!
mc chris - Foreverrr one of my favorite rappers doing songs about ghosts. Yeah, this album is for me.

And some local stuff!
Troxum - Gaia Omen http://music.troxum.com/releases Overloaded electronica. One of the better guys working around town these days.
Action Camp - PA http://actioncamp.bandcamp.com/ Surf-influenced Doom Pop. Nice folks and some great tunes.
and mine (since I'm my biggest fan):
http://doorsinthelabyrinth.bandcamp.com/ Droney abstract music, so not everyone's cup of tea, but it's free so download it and make me feel loved.

Disappointment of the year:
The Church - Further/Deeper A favorite band of mine, first album without guitarist Marty Willson-Piper. I wanted to be blown away by this and not sad that Marty was gone. That didn't happen. I'm still waiting for the album to grow on me.

I'll come back and put listening links in later. Music is the best.

Appending my list: I did not know James put out a new album this year! Listening now and love the opening track. If the rest is as good this will belong on the list too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY_VXvQFRBk
 
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10) Hans Zimmer - Interstellar soundtrack (Yeah, I know, I've made it abundantly clear that I did not like Interstellar, but the soundtrack, man...)

9) Indian - From All Purity (If being punched in the teeth felt good, that would be this album)

8) Aphex Twin - Syro (I thought it was a really solid release, but I'm not well versed in the world of edm, so I'll just say that I like it a lot)

7) Jack White - Lazaretto (Jack White is eccentric as usual. Really glad he's doing this rather than trying to replicate what made the white stripes great.)

6)Pink Floyd - The Endless River (Okay, so not as good as Pink Floyd was in the seventies, but that doesn't mean it's not good)

5) Clipping - CLPING (Not a particular hip hop fan, but you gotta make an exception sometimes, right?)

4) The Black Keys - Turn Blue (A departure from their old skuzzy blues rock style, which is what makes it so great)

3) Botanist - VI Flora (Really refreshing and new, for a genre that honestly needs a new coat of paint)

2) Thee Silver Mount Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra-la-la band with choir (or whatever they call themselves now) - Fuck Off Get Free We Pour light on Everything (Really great GY!BE side project band, with this being imo their best album thus far)

1) Swans - To Be Kind (Wow, this is an intense two hour experience of an experimental rock/post rock album -- not to be missed. Honestly, this ranks pretty highly for me all time)
 
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