It’s me! I’m back again, here to recap the year in music! You may remember my article last year, where I crowned Kanye West’s spectacular album Yeezus as the best album of 2013. I then challenged 2014 to beat 2013, for the latter was an incredible year for music. And 2014 flexed its muscles and proved to be a worthy musical competitor. This year, I’m gonna shake things up a bit by counting down the best albums, songs, and a few honorable mentions. Feel free to comment below what your favorite songs or albums were from 2014! As usual, this is all opinion based—you don’t have to agree with me!

Honorable Mentions

•  They Want My Soul– Spoon

  • The Austin, Texas indie rock outfit blasted back to the music scene with a album that not only strengthened their songwriting chops, but also showed that they could surprise us with some interesting instrumentation, glossy yet meticulous production, and some catchy singles here and there. Check this out if you’re into some alternative rock that isn’t afraid to experiment with different sounds.

•   Lazaretto – Jack White

  • Jack White’s solo career dabbles in the sounds of country music and folk rock. And while its admirable for White to reach out and find new areas of music to play in, we still need him to throw us an ear-shattering rock song every now and then. Luckily for us, Lazaretto perfectly balances the two genres. From the paint-peeling instrumental “High Ball Stepper” to the Southern-fried “Entitlement,” there was a little something for everyone on this album.

•   Salad Days – Mac DeMarco

  • One of our generation’s most eccentric artists gave an album that combined psychedelic pop, singer-songwriter, and some jangle pop tunes, effortlessly blending them into a cohesive album that evoked much more emotion than expected. From the synth-heavy “Passing Out Pieces” to the bluesy “Blue Boy”, Mac DeMarco’s eccentric personality shined in every track on Salad Days and it made him a much more likeable and relatable person.

•   CLPPNG– clipping.

  • Noise hop masterminds, clipping., brought furiously produced hip hop beats in their debut. On their latest full length, CLPPNG, the trio managed to fuse together odd samples (like an alarm clock on “Get Up”), lightning fast flows, and glitchy beats, all with a gangster rap sensibility. What was truly remarkable about the album however, was how catchy almost every song was. For a genre that is meant to make noise and evoke dissonance, I found myself singing these lyrics over, and over, and over again.

•   Turn Blue – The Black Keys

  • Everyone’s favorite garage rock duo came back in 2014, abandoning their hard rock sound for a more psychedelic route. Backed up with a full fledged band, lush instrumentation, and some interesting arrangements here and there The Black Keys showed that their musical palettes had a lot more colors than you think. What will happen next? Who knows?

TOP 10 SONGS

10. “Never Catch Me (feat. Kendrick Lamar)” Flying Lotus
9. “Blank Space” Taylor Swift
8.  “Uptown Funk” Mark Ronson (feat. Bruno Mars)
7. “Red Eyes” The War On Drugs
6. “Go (feat. Blood Diamonds)” Grimes
5. “Weight Of Love” The Black Keys
4. “Chandelier” Sia
3. “Schley” Joyce Manor
2. “Had To Hear” Real Estate
1. “I’m Not Part Of Me” Cloud Nothings
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA-Fz7Zd39k]

Top 10 Albums

10. Gone Girl OST – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (Columbia Records)

Genre: Dark Ambient

“A film score?? What’s Jon thinking?!” Hear me out on this one! The masterminds behind the score of The Social Network and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo are at it again with a score that works wonders, even beyond the screen. Given the film’s themes of discovery, deceit, and trust, Reznor and Ross take us on numerous journeys as they toy with harrowing soundscapes, frenetic synths, sonar bleeps, and even some black metal-influenced guitar parts. The score still evokes the haunting feelings, all while creating an atmosphere filled with dread, tension, and paranoia. You won’t need David Fincher’s highly-acclaimed film to be sitting on the edge of your seat with this spectacular album.

FAV TRACKS: What Have We Done To Each Other?, Sugar Storm, Just Like You, Clue One, Clue Two, Technically, Missing

9. Run The Jewels 2 – Run The Jewels (Mass Appeal Records)

Genre: Hardcore Hip Hop

While their debut, a criminally overlooked album, introduced the world to this duo on a very high note, the expectations for this album were very high. Run The Jewels 2 not only breaks those expectations, but also proves that Run The Jewels are a group you do not want to miss out on. This album is very angry. Now when I say angry, I mean “punching the wall-ALL CAPS-screaming to the top off your lungs-jumping all over the place” angry. A kind of righteous anger, that you can feel but not necessarily agree with. If you’re looking for melodic hip hop, pop rap, a “Macklemore/Hoodie Allen/G-Eazy” substitute, STEER CLEAR OF THIS ALBUM because you it will not only be unpleasant, but it will up front insult and deter you. Throughout 2014, there hasn’t been a more upfront, explicit, and hard-hitting album like RTJ2.

The truth of the matter is that Mike and El-P are at the height of their creative powers here. With RTJ2, they’ve crafted a record that, in all its grit, humor, and ambitious glory, speaks messages on a multitude of levels ranging from politics to racism. With some of the best flows and production accompanying their fury-filled thoughts, RTJ2 is an album that not only gets fists pumping, but will get you punching through walls, with reason and meaning.

FAV TRACKS: Jeopardy, Oh My Darling Don’t Cry, Close Your Eyes (And Count To F***) [feat. Zach De La Rocha],All My Life, Early (feat. BOOTS), Angel Duster

8. Guilty Of Everything – Nothing (Relapse Records)

Genre: Shoegazing, Noise Rock, Slowcore

Nothing is a Philadelphian shoegaze band that makes some of the noisiest music out there. However, it’s also one of the most melodic releases of the year. Nothing is composed of many different figures from music’s corners: Dominic Palermo of the hardcore punk band Horror Show, and Nick Bassett, former guitarist for Deafheaven (who made the #2 album of the 2013 slot) and is also the current guitarist for the shoegaze band Whirr. Nothing’s music can only be described as loud, dissonant, and atmospheric. Shoegaze, for you amateurs, is a subgenre of underground music that references the act of guitarists gazing at their shoes, to use pedals in order to make the effects (delay, flanger, distortion, loops) on the guitar happen. And for a majority of Guilty Of Everything, their dissonant noise, and their pummeling rhythms, with some unexpected ethereal vocals, maintain a wrenching, cathartic aesthetic that, despite how noisy it gets, will still force you to keep the headphones on and listen.

FAV TRACKS: Hymn To The Pillory, Dig, Bent Nail, Somersault, B&E

7. Trouble In Paradise – La Roux (Polydor Records)

Genre: Synthpop, New Wave, Disco

You should never, ever, EVER disregard an artist just because of their past hit single, especially one that once plagued airwaves. Who knows? Maybe they’ll improve on their next album/single? Or even better: an entirely different yet familiar territory to tread. Artists naturally change things up a bit. Imagine a band doing the same style over and over again. The whole fan-base will get bored and leave; change is necessary and inevitable. The artist I’m talking about is La Roux, and the song: “Bulletproof”. Now that isn’t to say that the change isn’t drastic in her music, it’s still within the realm of electronic pop, but this time she has more impressive instrumentation, lyrics, and production.

Trouble explores the rockier side of love in a much deeper way, delivering brightly colored tracks that overflow with sentimentalism, dramatic delivery, and instrumental variety. There are the crisp synths on “Kiss And Not Tell”, but by “Paradise Is You,” lush strings bring in a very dramatic presentation of want and need. “Sexoteque” brings in funky and catchy hooks while the tempo switch-up on “Tropical Chancer” keeps the album from being redundant.

But one of the most important aspects to gather from this album is empowerment; Jackson has become wiser and smarter. Don’t go into this album looking for a “Bulletproof” replacement or for an artist transformation. Instead, expect an artist strongly producing eight tracks that, for the most part, teem with power, brilliance, and wisdom.

FAV TRACKS: Uptight Downtown, Kiss And Not Tell, Cruel Sexuality, Paradise IS You, Silent Partner, Let Me Down Gently

6. 1000 Forms Of Fear – Sia (Monkey Puzzle/RCA Records)

Genre: Pop, R&B, Electro Pop

Sia has been around in the pop music world for about ten years, yet if you ask anyone who she is, you’ll most likely hear “Titanium” or “Wild Ones,” her real presence never fully acknowledged. Sia is much more involved in the pop culture world than most know. Some would be surprised to find out that she co-wrote the sultry Beyonce ballad “Pretty Hurts” and Rihanna’s chart topping track “Diamonds,” the latter’s signature vocal swoons and dips being Sia’s vocal trademark.

1000 Forms Of Fear is chock full of hits: Chandelier” overflows with emotion and her vocal range shows her pain, along with her triumph. “Big Girls Cry” finds Sia at her most vulnerable, but her perception, clear as day. While on “Hostage” contrasts uppity beat along with her despondent lyricism. On “Fair Game” however, Sia has the upper hand, proudly proclaiming “I’m like a rubberband until you pull too hard/I may snap and I move fast/But you won’t see me fall apart,” true evidence of Sia gaining the upper hand, and finding power within herself.

You can’t see her face on the cover, but you can feel her prescence, imminently looming out over the horizon. 1000 Forms Of Fear finds Sia coming off a string of some of her most vulnerable moments, but by the time it’s over it’s as if she never fell.

FAV TRACKS: Chandelier, Big Girls Cry, Eye Of The Needle, Hostage, Fair Game, Elastic Heart, Fire Meets Gasoline

5. Never Hungover Again – Joyce Manor (Epitaph Records)

Genre: Punk Rock, Pop Punk, Emo, Jangle Pop, Indie Rock

Torrance, California’s summer crushes Joyce Manor know how to deliver the good-feels. While maintaining an emotionally punk-ish vibe, Joyce injects saccharine melodies and vocal lines into their tunes. On Never Hungover Again, the band changes gears, abandoning the visceral energy of their past records for a more sweet sound, while also maintaining some punkish energy.

And for a majority of the album, Joyce Manor delivers catchy song after catchy song, each complete with a sticky hook, mosh-worthy potential, and the brevity of a punk rock album. There’s the post-punk-ish “In The Army Now,” the instantly catchy “Schley,” and the sweet yet frequently-changing “Falling In Love Again.” Lead singer Barry Johnson’s voice vacillates from the sweetness of pop punk to the ferocity of hardcore punk, giving the album a varying aesthetic.

Given these admirable trademarks, all these songs are prime examples as to why this album, which clocks in at under 20 mins long, is a stellar record. It gets the job done quickly, and can be listened to three times in a row without exhausting the magic. Joyce Manor may have taken a stark left turn on this new record of theirs, but as a whole, it’s a pretty good one. Never Hungover Again perfectly balances immaturity and maturity (take another look at that album title). For an 18 year old high school student like myself, balancing these two facets of a person can be both fun and enriching.

FAV TRACKS: Christmas Card, Falling In Love Again, End Of The Summer, Victoria, Schley, Heart Tattoo, The Jerk, Catalina Fight Song

4.  Lost In The Dream – The War On Drugs (Secretly Canadian Records)

Genre: Indie Rock, Americana, Krautrock, Heartland Rock, Folk Rock, Singer-Songwriter, Alternative Country

The War On Drugs are masterminds when it comes to muddying up the atmosphere, and they do it beautifully, carrying each rhythm gracefully, packing it with buoyant instrumentation and production. The opening track “Under The Pressure” has tons of room to breath through as Granduciel sings Tom Petty style vocals over lushly composed instrumentation, a steadying beat that never overstays its nine minute length as it showcases dueling guitars, bright synths, and a gentle piano finish. The band’s magnum opus “Red Eyes” feels much like a long lost demo of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire,” if it had actually been ablaze; powering solos, emphatic piano chords, and a steady beat . The song then rips itself open, and at the heartstrings, as Granduciel delivers one of the most, if not THE most, memorable moment of the entire album as it vacillates between a sound that is melancholic, to a sound that is empowering, a moment where the band are conscious of their weaknesses, and their strengths.

However, it’s in the tiny, minuscule details where the ambitious and artistic scope of the whole album coalesces. Each song has a hidden greatness that only time can fully show; songs where a simple solo or comforting piano chords can upset the balance and feel of a song, boosting it up to proficient expectations. Not only does this drastically improve the album, but it expands the album’s horizons. Each listen rewards itself with new discoveries, new moments previously unheard the first time around. And with all these moments of self-realization, communal catharsis, and grand swells of emotion, it’s no wonder why this album can bring even the strongest of people to their knees. Breezy, yet heavy. Subtle, yet effective, the album’s power is inescapable, and its message, memorable. In a way, this is the band’s most personal album, yet their most expansive, and emotional one. As Granduciel rediscovers himself, reinstating new life into his music, all of his work culminates into an album that really feels, alive.

FAV TRACKS: Under The Pressure, Red Eyes, An Ocean In Between The Waves, Eyes To The Wind, Lost In The Dream

3. You’re Dead! – Flying Lotus (Warp Records)

Genre: Jazz Fusion, Experimental Electronica, Experimental Hip Hop, Nu Jazz, Neo Jazz, Psychedelic Jazz IDM, Wonky-Hop, Space Jazz, Experimental-Futuristic-Jazz-Infused-Electronic-Magic

Flying Lotus’ music is heavily rooted in jazz, hip hop, and IDM. His inspirations include hip hop greats such as J Dilla to jazz greats, his aunt (Alice Coltrane), and his uncle (legendary John Coltrane). If you listen to Flying Lotus’ music, you’ll see that the songs never stay firm or still, kind of like a kid with ADHD. One minute it’s improvisational jazz, the next minute wonky synths come in, and to close it off he’ll drop some of the sickest beats to grace your ears, all in one song. (Imagine Miles Davis + Pink Floyd’s “On The Run” + a simple Madlib beat.) Now picture that journey expounded to nineteen tracks, and that’s what Flying Lotus basically is. You’re Dead!, in a way, seems to have encapsulated every single album FlyLo has done.

The tracks range from fully fleshed out tracks to brief interludes: the hauntingly beautiful suite “Coronus, The Terminator,” the harmonious “Descent Into Madness (feat. Thundercat),” the sample heavy “Turtles,” the grandiose “Obligatory Cadence,” and the deep psych-jazz cut “The Protest”; these all stand equally on their own, fully illustrating FlyLo’s technical prowess and ear for a good tune, compositionally and stylistically.  And while all these songs are packed with incredible production and heaps of creative ideas, they never drag on. This nineteen song album clocks in at only thirty eight minutes, the longest track lasting a little over three minutes, the shortest, just about thirty seconds. So while every song is meaty to its core, they’re fleeting and not too overwhelming for newcomers.

Infusing jazz, electronica, hip-hop overtones, a slew of talented guest artists and neo-psychedelia, Flying Lotus does it all with an experimental approach. They craft one of the most profound and noteworthy albums of the year. As he explores death and beyond, FlyLo takes his conceptual approach towards his music and transforms these trademarks into an album that, despite its short running time, makes an everlasting mark, all while remaining just as meaningful. You’re Dead! will no doubt make my Top 5 Albums list and will be a record I will listen to frequently in the near future. I urge everyone with the desire to listen to new music, or anything at all, to listen to this wonderful album. The first five tracks on this album is, by far, the greatest and most cohesive openings I’ve heard in a long time.

FAV TRACKS: Theme, Tesla, Cold Dead, Fkn Dead, Never Catch Me (feat. Kendrick Lamar), Turkey Dog Coma, Stirring, Coronus, the Terminator, Siren Song (feat. Angel Deradoorian), Turtles, Eyes Above, Moment of Hesitation, Descent Into Madness (feat. Thundercat), Obligatory Cadence, Your Potential//The Beyond (feat. Niki Randa)

2. Plowing Into The Field of Love – Iceage (Matador)

Genre: Punk Rock, Noise Rock, Art Punk, Post-Punk, Gothic Rock, Cow-Punk

Allow me to catch you up to speed, because this band is criminally under-covered. Formed in 2008,  Danish punk band Iceage released their debut albumNew Brigade in 2011, introducing the world to a band that combined ferocity and emotion with high energy, otherwise known as a mind-blowing twenty four minutes that melted faces and burst eardrums worldwide.

Amidst the disorder of styles, you’ll find a band maturing in every facet of their existence: age, songwriting, and instrumentation. Iceage formed when the members were 17; now that they’re in their 20s, they have proven themselves to be a force to be reckoned with. Lead singer Elias Bender Rønnenfelt moans and croons, reminiscent of early Nick Cave and your uncle at his most-drunk state. However, behind the slurring lies some incredibly morose yet enlightening lyrics: “I always had the sense that I was split in two/ It seems so complicated/ To shift between existence,” sung as if Rønnenfelt is balling like a baby. A sense of precision and elegance solidify Iceage’s transition into this new entity that they’ve encompassed. There’s a moment in the song “Forever” where trumpets come into the fold of this morose, Western ballad; I found this addition to be quite beautiful. I also appreciated the banjo solos on “Abundant Living,” the waltzy “Stay,” and with the brutal closer which, despite its Western twangs, still lives and breathes like a normal Iceage song, nihilistic to its core but expounded in its beauty.

With improvement in mind, Iceage crafts one of the most creative albums to come out of 2014. Fusing noise rock, gothic rock, country, rockabilly, and punk rock, Iceage show no signs of slowing down, continuously putting down high octane track after track. Surprisingly, the band finds a stable balance between the archaic and the controlled. Iceage may be young, and this new direction may sound as if they’re growing up, but once you hear Rønnenfelt’s drunken slurs, you’ll see that the Iceage members aren’t ready to grow up just yet…and that’s the way we like it. Plowing is basically the soundtrack to a Sid Vicious-John Wayne buddy comedy. If that doesn’t pique your interest, I don’t know what will.

FAV TRACKS: On My Fingers, The Lord’s Favorite, How Many, Glassy Eyed, Dormant and Veiled, Let It Vanish, Abundant Living, Forever, Cimmerian Shade, Simony, Plowing Into The Field Of Love

1. To Be Kind – Swans (Young God/Mute Records)

Genre: Experimental Rock, Art Rock, No Wave, Noise Rock, Post Rock

We’ve finally made it. Here’s the best record I’ve heard all year. These guys have been around since the eighties, and their ages range from the mid-30s to over 60 years. Swans has made some of the most exciting, inventive, and energetic experimental rock music of 2014. It’s so energetic and inventive that it puts other, younger bands to shame (*cough* Young  The Giant, Foster The People, Coldplay, U2 *cough*).

Describing a band like Swans is like describing the taste of water; it’s practically impossible. First off, the band has been around for more than THIRTY years, and, despite a few hiatuses, they have become one of the most well-known names in underground music. Second, if you do have the ambition and guts to listen to a song by Swans, you will be heavily overwhelmed, yet undeniably interested. Known for their experimental instrumentation (gongs, dulcimers, bells) and long, repetitive song structures, the band makes heavy, disturbingly loud and alienating music.

Another aspect of Swans music is the vocals, which vacillate between somewhat melodic (“Oxygen”), nonsensical (“Bring The Sun/Toussaint L’Ouverture”), and straight up babbling (“Just A Little Boy (For Chester Burnett)”). Swans’ last attempt to work melodically happened way back in the day when they recruited singer/songwriter vocalist Jarboe, culminating in an era that pushed Swans towards a more folky, country toned direction. However, with this new album, those folky influences (last seen on 2012’s The Seer) appear to be pushed far away, and for all the right reasons. Album number thirteen, To Be Kind is the heaviest of its nature, brutally cutting deep into our eardrums, all while piquing our interests. The opening ten minutes of the 34-minute epic “Bring The Sun/Toussaint L’Ouverture” are some of the most raw, gut wrenching, exciting, and entertaining moments of music I have heard all year. A FANTASTIC way to build up a reformation period.

As the album cover suggests, there’s tons of character to this album. “A Little God In My Hands” will support the cruelest, most cartoonish villain out there with its cajun, funky-groove romp. The album “To Be Kind,” belied by its name, will be the soundtrack to the apocalypse. But with all the heaviness surrounding the album, there are moments of meditative tranquility. The track “Some Things We Do” follows the same lyrical structure of the opening track “Screen Shot,” with Gira listing all the things that ‘we” do: “we seed, we feel, we need, we fight / We seal, we cut, we seek, we love”; it’s creepy and hypnotic, yet slow, oddly reflective, and pensive. In a way, it works as a calm interlude, for the tracks preceding it are pretty brutal and dark. It also closes off the first disc sweetly, on a slow yet admirable note.

Granted, all these elements sound alienating and horrible: cult chants, disturbingly loud noise, long repetition, babbling, nonsensical lyrics, and incredibly heavy instrumentation. What makes an album like To Be Kind so intriguing is the power it contains; it’s presence can be felt when it’s played, yet it comes unexpected every time. To Be Kind was, by far, the loudest, most interesting, and most rewarding listen of 2014. It’s dark, spooky, loud, punishing, and epic—a behemoth of power, noise, and character stemming from one of the most inventive musicians of our time.

FAV TRACKS: Screen Shot, Just A Little Boy (For Chester Burnett), Some Things We Do A Little God In My Hands, Bring The Sun/ Toussaint L’Ouverture, She Loves Us, Oxygen, To Be Kind

That’s a wrap! 2014 was a great year for music, and with more records coming every month, the anticipation for 2015 is now at an all time high.