Tuesday, January 20, 2015

The 55 Best Albums of 2014 (1-11)

At the end of the day, the top albums came down to the ones I found myself listening to the most.  There were albums I respected but I never had the urge to play, so they ended up lower on the list.  These were the albums that kept finding themselves in my heavy rotation.  These albums deserve top billing. Probably the biggest surprise here is the U2 album.  I have no idea why so many people criticized its delivery method.  People have been complaining that the old system doesn't work anymore; labels and bands need to try new things.  U2 did. They gave the fans exactly what they asked for and the people still complained.  People didn't complain this much about Zooropa (which deserved it). My favorite criticism of the band is now they're corporate.  I hate to break it to you all, any band on a record label is corporate. U2 took a risk and I commend them for it. I'd rather a band take a risk and fail then play it safe and be ordinary.  If people stopped complaining and listened, they might actually be surprised. Here are the 55 Best Albums of 2014 (1-11):
1.  Broken Bells - After the Disco
2.  Antemasque - Antemasque
3.  Eagulls - Eagulls
4.  TV On The Radio - Seeds
5.  White Sea - White Sea
6.  Against Me! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues
7.  Cheatahs - Cheatahs
8.  Jack White - Lazaretto
9.  James Vincent McMorrow - Post-Tropical
10. Run The Jewels - RTJ2
11. U2 - Songs of Innocence
  Buy all of these albums and more...now!!  

Monday, January 19, 2015

The 55 Best Albums of 2014 (12-22)

Lots of guilty pleasures on the list today.  And I may be the only one on the planet who liked the Foster the People album. Here are the 55 Best Albums of 2014 (12-22):
12.  Foster The People - Supermodel
13. Conor Oberst - Upside Down Mountain
14. Klaxons - Love Frequency
15. Spoon - They Want My Soul
16. Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence
17. Gardens & Villas - Dunes
18. First Aid Kit - Stay Gold
19. Pure X - Angel
20. The War On Drugs - Lost In The Dream
21. The Sunshine Underground - The Sunshine Underground
22. FKA Twigs - LP1
  Buy these albums and more now!!!  

Sunday, January 18, 2015

The 55 Best Albums of 2014 (33-23)

There have been questions about this year's countdown...to answer the big one:  I did not do a poll this year.  Though I promised, I ran out of my time in my life, day job, and parenting duties.  So, this year, you're just going to have to live with my list and my list only.  Enjoy the kitty. Here are the 55 Best Albums of 2014 (23-33):
23. Johnny Cash - Out among the Stars
24. Movement - Movement EP
25. Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams
26. Jenny Lewis - The Voyager
27. Merchandise - After the End
28. Beck - Morning Phase
39. Y.G. - My Krazy Life
30. You Blew It! - Keep Doing What You're Doing
31. Cloud Nothings - Here And Nothing Else
32. The Black Keys - Turn Blue
33. Claire - The Great Escape
Buy these albums and more...now!!!    

Friday, January 16, 2015

The 55 Best Albums of 2014 (34-44)

2014 was filled with 90s superstars, indie rap reinvention, 80s throwbacks, and some of the best EPs to come out in recent memory. The 55 Best Albums of 2014 (34-44):
34.  Nothing - Guilty of Everything
35.  D'Angelo - Black Messiah
36.  Protomartyr - Under Color of Official Right
37.  Future Islands - Singles
38.  LA Dispute - The Rooms of the House
39.  Freddie Gibbs and Madlib - Pinata
40.  Stevie Nicks - 24 Karat Gold
41.  Smashing Pumpkins - Monuments To An Elegy
42.  Schoolboy Q - Oxymoron
43.  Ought - More Than Any Other Day
44.  Small Black - Real People EP
Buy these albums and more...now!!!          

Thursday, January 15, 2015

The 55 Best Albums of 2014 (45-55)

Back from vacation and back on the horse.  I will be attending Sundance next week and will keep on top of all the music shenanigans happening.  Until then, let's finish off 2014 the right way. Here are the 55 Best Albums of 2014 (45-55):
45. Kele - Trick
46. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Only Run
47. Phantogram - Voices
48. Metronomy - Love Letters
49. The Faint - Doom Abuse
50. Death From Above 1979 - This Physical World
51. PS I Love You - For Those Who Stay
52. Sharon Van Etten - Are We There?
53. Tom Petty - Hypnotic Eye
54. Chris Robinson Brotherhood - Phosphorescent Harvest
55. Pixies - Indie Cindy
Buy These albums now!!