Guest List Week 2014: Carl's Top 20

It's the triumphant return of Guest List Week!  Every day from now until I run out of lists, we'll take a look at 2014 through the eyes of people who are not me.  (My list, if you missed it, is here).  I'm lucky that my friends have such uniformly exquisite taste in music. 

Kicking off Guest List Week Three, it's Carl Anderson!  Carl's 2013 Guest List is here, his 2014 Guest List is below.

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(1) Alvvays – “Archie, Marry Me”

This could be the college rock track of the decade, if college rock was still a thing, which it isn’t because everyone in this band is younger than college rock itself.  I love them for carrying forward the banner of write-it-record-it-release-it albums, and for doing it so well.  Lyrics with just the right amount of pretense to crush it once in a while: “So honey take me by the hand and we can sign some papers. Forget the invitations, floral arrangements, and breadmaker.”  The first time I heard that I knew I was hooked. 

(2) Colony House – “Silhouettes”

As much as I like bands who take the necessity of low budget recording and somehow turn it into a virtue, I’m in awe of the sound these guys achieved.  I guess it shows what you can do if you grow up in a musical household learning to play on incredible instruments (their dad is a Christian music star).  And never listening to anything that suggests a need to improve on the music of the 50s?  I bet they know some of the most talented engineers in Nashville.  This makes me wish everybody recorded there.        

(3) MisterWives – “Reflections”

A perfect match of Mandy Lee’s on-the-edge-of-crazy delivery with a narrative of being on-the-edge-of-crazy.  Right from the opening: “You didn't close the door/Left a crack open, I couldn't ignore the/Faint possibility/Of having hope in this insanity that/We still could be.”

(4) Parquet Courts – “Black and White”

These guys put out a lot of music and spend a lot of time trying be the reincarnation of the Velvet Underground.  This track strikes 70s gold (in the VU sense). 

(5) Cathedrals – “Harlem”

Every San Francisco band with ambition takes a similar arc: we’re on bandcamp, we got a record deal, Hype Machine loves us, and now we only play here at music festivals.  These two kids did the whole thing in like six months.  Listening to this, you can hear how they did it. 

(6) Generationals – “Black Lemon”

Generationals is back on stride, consistently writing pop songs that you swear you heard in commercials even in the rare case that you really didn’t.  Just don’t go see them live.

(7) Zola Jesus – “Dangerous Days”

Don’t know much about this except that it is possible to enjoy it for months without feeling any need to find out who Zola Jesus is.  It’s that kind of thing, the music you want in the background all the time.

(8) Lake Street Dive – “You Go Down Smooth”

If you didn’t hear this in 2014, you must have been living in a cave.  At the bottom of the ocean.  And dead.  Basically, you were Osama Bin Laden.  Easier to respect than to love, you can forget how good their new songs are. 

(9) Emma Blackery – “Perfect”

Emma Blackery is not the music industry.  She’s just a musician, which is pretty much synonymous with being a victim of the music industry.  She is also a YouTuber.  That means her day job is posting her thoughts and then coping with torrents of bile that flood back at her.  She is fighting the good fight, and we should pay more attention to people like her and less to the extremely boring people who are the music industry. 

(10) Grimes, Blood Diamonds – “Go”

I aspire not to care what the Internet says, but when the Internet says trite and stupid things about a new song I like, I probably listen to the song more.  That happened here. 

(11) Röyksopp – “Something in my Heart”

Röyksopp takes over the charts. There will never be a more Röyksoppian hit than this.

(12) St. Vincent – “Birth in Reverse”

This year’s CD from St. Vincent broke through for me.  The earlier stuff was just over the line of trying too hard to be different, and I’m kind of over that.  This is just on the right side of the line.

(13) Bilderbuch – “Maschin”

Here’s this year’s most anticipated Austrian electro-prog rock single, and it is also the best.  I know you are thinking: I did not know that.  And also: because why would I care?  Bear with me.  One cool thing about listening to euro music is that some concepts that would be instantly fatal here are viable there.  In Vienna, everyone listens to electronica and apparently there’s a lot of respect for progressive rock, so combining the two doesn’t seem like a bad idea.  No label in the U.S. would buy studio time for this, but it works. 

(14) Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – “Coming Down”

Apparently Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is now just Alec Ounsworth and everyone else is a replacement. What a huge improvement.

(15) Knox Hamilton – “Work It Out”

This track is my bandcamp find of the year. Although the sound hints at Sweden, the video suggests something a little different.  It just goes to show, anyone you meet could be spending weekends playing synth and xylophone in an indie band. 

(16) Bleached – “For the Feel”

Girls who like the Ramones, there can never be enough.  This sounds like a Santa Monica bar.  Or rather a movie version thereof.  If you could really expect to hear this in a Santa Monica bar, I would move there.

(17) Broods – “L.A.F”

I only heard this CD recently.  I'm not sure this is the best track on the album but so far it is my favorite.

(18) Lykke Li – “Heart of Steel”

Lykki Li the contrarian.  She made a long playing record.  There really is no single.  The whole is better than any particular track.  I picked this one to represent because it comes near the end, and we are nearing the end of this list.

(19) Foxygen – “How Can You Really”

I was listening to this when I read that Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 reached number one on the Billboard album chart.  It made me think that if these guys could find a way to try on a whole album’s worth of material, they could be number one too.

(20) Nick Mulvey – “Fever to the Form”

A singer and his acoustic guitar make a natural final entry.  Happy new year, everybody.

Guest List Week 2014: Scott's Best of 2014

It's the triumphant return of Guest List Week!  Every day from now until I run out of lists, we'll take a look at 2014 through the eyes of people who are not me.  (My list, if you missed it, is here).  I'm lucky that my friends have such uniformly exquisite taste in music. 

Closing out Guest List Week Two, it's Scott Lawson!  Scott's 2013 Guest List is here, his 2014 Guest List is below.

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Following is a selection, in no particular order, of song samples from albums I find to be among the best released in 2014.  If anyone wants my entire list of the top 150 albums of the year, just let me know and I’ll email you.

Sharon Van Etten, Are We There (“Afraid of Nothing”)

This was the album of the year.  For that matter, Sharon Van Etten’s last three albums form the best three-album stretch of any artist over the same 2010-14 period.  From the first notes, these alternately soaring and intimate portraits swoop beneath the surface and immediately and mercilessly swirl the deep sands.  The album as a whole sounds like a giant dare—or, perhaps more accurately, a threat.  “Afraid of Nothing” is a startling opener, announcing the dramatic emotional stakes to come.  It’s almost impossible to pick one song from this collection, so please listen from start to finish.  Van Etten’s songwriting confidence is remarkable.  The artist she most clearly resembles is Patti Smith (listen, particularly, to “Your Love Is Killing Me”), but the overall result is more approachable—albeit with caution.

Elbow, The Takeoff and Landing of Everything (“New York Morning”)

Elbow’s 2011 album, Build a Rocket Boys, was an eye-opening coming-out party for a band that had, in fact, been around for years (those in the know had thought The Seldom Seen Kid in 2008 or Cast of Thousands in 2004 should have broken them as pop stars of a U2 level).  Still and all, while big in England, the band has never fully caught on here.  That’s a shame.  This record is utterly gorgeous—a fully-realized masterpiece of restraint and drama.  Guy Garvey’s beautiful poetry is again on display, backed as always by a subtly progressive musical underpinning.  The album is almost novel-like—a series of portraitures and delicate social commentaries that feels a little like Joyce or Sherwood Anderson.  “New York Morning” is, to quote my wife, “the best song Peter Gabriel has done in years.”  It develops slowly and dramatically, adding new rhythmic and melodic elements over a steady repeating harmonic base—like Philip Glass or Steve Reich if they hung out in British pubs—until, by the end, it’s a vast post-modern kumbaya. 

Steve Gunn, Way Out Weather (“Milly’s Garden”)

Steve Gunn is a longtime sideman and journeyman guitarist who hits his stride on this record.  His new 8-song album, Way Out Weather, is a beautifully-recorded amalgam of country, blues, rock and (sorta) pop.  His anguished voice sounds slightly choked, as if he recorded the lead vocals in a fit of asthma.  As exemplified by the track here, “Milly’s Garden,” much of the album sounds like the long-separated conjoined twin of the Stones’ Exile on Main Street.  The interplay of the lead guitar, slide, bass and drums sounds so much like what oozed out of Nellecotte in 1972 that it’s almost eerie.  There is a relaxed ease about this record that begs repeated listening.

Jeremy Messersmith, Heart Murmurs (“Heidi”)

Two years ago, Jeremy Messersmith’s sole “Bay Area” concert was an appearance at a 12-table family-run Thai restaurant in Davis.  Sad, considering that his then-current album was arguably the best record released that year.  Some justice that with his new album, Heart Murmers, he got an appearance on Letterman this year.  Heart Murmurs is a fantastic slice of power and baroque pop.  “Ghost” was a minor hit (very very minor, although Campbell, my 12-year-old daughter, can pick it out on the radio), but every song is a miniature masterpiece.  “Heidi” is everything I want a pop song to be—romantic yearning, unrequited love, beautiful melody, and a Spector-like closing build that ends up drenched in melancholy and reverb.  A master class in pop arrangement.  Fantastic.

Jenny Lewis, The Voyager (“The New You”)

I’m not sure anyone would have predicted this, but what Jenny Lewis apparently needed was the production hand of everyone’s favorite rock-and-roll bad-boy genius, Ryan Adams.  This album is a timeless marvel.  I dare you to place it in any particular era.  It seems clear that Adams learned a lot of lessons working with Glyn Johns on his 2011 album Ashes and Fire.  Lewis’s The Voyager is infused with an insistent-if-idiosyncratic groove and a low-key energy, emphasizing a rock-solid rhythm section and perfectly understated vocal harmonies.  On it, Lewis comes into her own, realizing the promise of her Rilo Kiley albums and the sometimes-brilliant work she did with Jenny and Johnny.  Every song is good, but “The New You” is as good a place to start as any, as it highlights four key elements of the album:  Lewis’s smart, sardonic lyrical imagery, a spot-on pop arrangement, lovely vocal harmonies, and Adams’s subtle jangly lead guitar playing.

Bob Mould, Beauty and Ruin (“Low Season”)

Twenty-five years into his post-Husker Du solo career, Bob Mould has hit his stride.  Bolstered of late by the rhythm section of bassist Jason Narducy and drummer Jon Wurster (Superchunk/Mountain Goats), this record continues the great work of The Silver Age.  Beauty and Ruin combines the melodicism and subtlety of his solo debut Workbook with the sheer electric power of the best of Sugar and early albums like Black Sheets of Rain.  There’s a reason Mould is one of the godfathers of Post-Punk, and this album shows it off in spades.

The War on Drugs, Lost in the Dream (“Lost in the Dream”)

Adam Granduciel is ready to share, and share he does on this ambitious tome of a record.  Song after beautiful song, this record reveals Granduciel’s melancholic world—full of hope but draped in despair.  The production and engineering, by Granduciel himself, is exquisite.  With the possible exception of the coda to the lovely “Under The Pressure,” which lingers like a pesky houseguest who stays a week too long, the arrangements are subtle and powerful.  The guitars are spare and evocative, bathed in delays and tremolo, a pedal steel here and there for atmosphere.  Hard to pick any one song here (“Eyes to the Wind,” for example, is a phenomenal piece), but “Lost in the Dream” is a good example of the craft at play here. 

Hotel Lights, Girl Graffiti (“All My Asshole Friends”)

Although Hotel Lights continues in much the same vein as its previous outings, new intriguing elements are added here—strings, Mellotron, keys and banjo—and the result is a fuller realization of Darren Jessee’s quirky and often hilarious songs.  “All My Asshole Friends” makes me laugh every time I hear it.  It’s a song every songwriter wishes he/she’d written.

The Hold Steady, Teeth Dreams (“The Ambassador”)

After a pretty lackluster last album, THS is back on this record.  Craig Finn remains one of the best lyricists on the planet, and the energy of the music here—particularly the layered guitars, which would make Bob Mould proud—finally again matches the energy and inventiveness of the tales Finn is so adept at spinning.  The rock songs here truly rock, but the heart of the record is “The Ambassador,” the ballad of the year.  Beautifully recorded, arranged and produced, this one song makes the album one of the best of the year.  It sounds like a Denis Johnson short story set to music—desperation, aimlessness, confusion, with a vaguely sinister overlay.  To properly use the term so currently misused, it is EPIC.

New Pornographers, Brill Bruisers (“Champions of Red Wine”)

I admit that I’m fonder of the power-pop version of New Pornographers than I am of the more prog-rock  leanings of the last few albums, but Brill Bruisers strikes a nice balance between the two.  On “Champions of Red Wine,” the Rick Wakeman-inspired keyboards and Carl Palmer drums are balanced by Neko Case’s subtle-yet-soaring vocal, the beautiful layered harmonies supporting her, and the four-to-the-measure power chord backing.  Taken as a whole, the work of this band over the last ten years is pretty amazing (even if you don’t consider the solo works of the band’s members).

Jeffrey Dean Foster, The Arrow (“The Sun Will Shine Again”)

Jeffrey Dean Foster is an old-style purveyor of power pop and lush ballads—underappreciated but remarkably talented.  Here, with the help of “old-school” producer Mitch Easter (of early-REM fame), he covers a lot of musical ground, but every song is marked by exquisite production, tasteful playing, and perfect arrangements.  “The Sun Will Shine Again” is a good example—a return to the great sophisticated pop records that came out of the Athens scene in the early 80s.  Check it out.

Gruff Rhys, American Interior (“Walk into the Wilderness”)

Gruff Rhys, formerly of Super Furry Animals, was fiddling around on ancestor.com and discovered that he is a descendant of a Welsh explorer named John Evans, who in the last decade of the 18^th century undertook a voyage across the still-untamed American continent.  Rhys decided to duplicate the journey and this album is the quirky-yet-affecting result.  It is the kind of record that makes you think music will survive whatever may happen to the so-called “record industry.” 

Field Report, Marigolden (“Home”)

Field Report’s first album remains one of my favorite records ever.  It is my standard airplane listening fare—utterly absorbing and perfectly distracting.  After a long long wait, Marigolden came out this year displaying many of the same traits evident in the earlier effort, including odd enigmatic song subjects and countless curious couplets.  The album rewards repeated listenings, as its highly-literate writing is not first-listen friendly.  That said, “Home (Leave the Lights On)” is a pretty darn poppy song that may permeate the membrane of what passes for AOR radio (e.g., XM’s The Loft) these days.  A great album—again.

Cory Branan, The No Hit Wonder (“The Only You”)

On The No Hit Wonder, Cory Branan realizes the promise of his inconsistent earlier records.  This great record defies categorization.  Drop the needle in one spot and it’s a stone country record.  Drop it in another spot and it’s pure punk revelry.  In still another it’s old-school rock.  Throughout, the songwriting is excellent.  On “The Only You,” Branan sings “I hear you got another boy / I hear he looks a lot like me / Did this one come with some kind of guarantee? / Well, I got me another girl and she looks like you at 23 / While she sleeps I trace the places where your tattoos used to be.”  You can’t go wrong from there.

Sturgill Simpson, Metamodern Sounds in Country Music (“The Promise”)

This album was the revelation of the year.  It would seem to have fallen from outer space.  Simpson’s voice is startlingly like Merle Haggard’s and the production has an occasional Bradley’s Barn sensibility to it, but the lyrics are genuinely odd and not a little psychedelic.  “The Promise” is arguably the oddest song on the record, as it is a very very country cover of an 80s post-New Wave song.  But Simpson so owns the song that it is not even fair to call it a cover.  The album is undeniably one of the best of the year, and one of the best country records in years.

The Antlers, Familiars (“Palace”)

I still haven’t recovered since, at Aaron’s recommendation, I first heard “Two” five years ago.  It’s hard ever to top that song, but the collection of songs on Familiars does its best and some come pretty close, although it’s unlikely any of them will be the theme music to an Anthony Robbins seminar any time soon.  The instrumentation has expanded, and the song structure is broader than on previous efforts, but the lyrical content remains deeply affecting.  “Palace” is a wonder of a song.  The trumpet line is somehow both mournful and hopeful, and the singing is fantastic.  The song builds persistently and leaves you in a place that, although not so dark and almost a little optimistic, is not unlike the heap of despair I find myself in whenever I put “Two” on.

Real Estate, Atlas (“Talking Backwards”)

I don’t know enough about the members of Real Estate to say why, but something happened between their first two albums and their latest, Atlas.  Although offering up much of the same instrumental lightness and cheery Vampire-Weekend like chiming guitars of the earlier efforts, the emotional heft of Atlas is significantly increased.  Suddenly I find myself stopping along the frat row of their music and actually interested in what they’re singing about.

Frontier Ruckus, Sitcom Afterlife (“Sad Modernity”)

Although silly record industry folks use the term “Americana” to describe the band, Frontier Ruckus’s new album proves that to be utter nonsense.  Although there are banjos here and there and a honky-tonk piano or two, this is primarily a power pop/jangle pop record—and a good one at that.  “Sad Modernity,” with its lilting horn riff, slinky Stratocaster licks, and Philly-sound stringbed on the chorus, is a perfect example.  If any of you didn’t listen to this record because of the genre label associated with this (Detroit-based!) band, toss away your preconceptions and take a listen.  Good stuff.

Justin Townes Earle, Single Mothers (“White Gardenias”)

It can’t be easy to be the son of an ex-con, former heroin-addict, absentee father who also happens to be one of the most acclaimed songwriters of the last thirty years.  It would seem that Justin Townes Earle has tried a number of different ways of working through whatever issues have plagued him, including a pretty significant drug problem of his own.  But he seems more together now than in past years, and this album reflects both a coming-to-grips and a certain kind of artistic directedness that his prior records have occasionally lacked.  This is an excellent collection of songs that ranges from obvious kiss-offs (“Single Mothers”) to swaggering guitar-driven rockers (“My Baby Drives”) to contemplative what-if ballads (“White Gardenias”).  With Single Mothers, dare I say it, JTE threatens to become the songwriter his father was.

Strand of Oaks, Heal (“Goshen ‘97”)

First of all, I don’t have any idea what “Strand of Oaks” is supposed to mean (did he mean to name the band “Stand of Oaks”?).  Regardless, this is a great collection of songs by Timothy Showalter.  The album deftly explores a broad swath of emotional territory—and it rocks.  I personally like that he refers not only to “singing Pumpkins in the mirror,” but also to listening to Sharon Van Etten on his headphones.  Nice.

John Hiatt, Terms of My Surrender (“Long Time Comin’”)

John Hiatt has been one of the world’s great songwriters since the late-1970s.  He has popped his head up into the world’s consciousness a few times—most notably during the period from 1987 through 1990, when Hiatt produced a set of albums (Bring The Family, Slow Turning, and Stolen Moments) that well showcased both is lyrical finesse and his various bands’ (particularly the slide work of Ry Cooder and Sonny Landreth) remarkable flexibility.  He hasn’t produced a crappy album for 30 years, which is remarkable considering the subject matter he takes on.  Terms of My Surrender is no exception.  Low-key and casual, but at the same time harrowing and hilarious, the songs have the feel of a bunch of musical compatriots sitting around a campfire.  His vocals justify the long-held critical belief that his is among the most soulful and expressive of all voices in contemporary music.  This record rewards repeated listens.

Guest List Week 2014: Desa's Best of 2014

It's the triumphant return of Guest List Week!  Every day from now until I run out of lists, we'll take a look at 2014 through the eyes of people who are not me.  (My list, if you missed it, is here).  I'm lucky that my friends have such uniformly exquisite taste in music. 

Today, ring in the new year with Desa Warner!  Desa's 2013 Guest List is here, her 2014 Guest List is below.

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Hi! Desa here.  I have two main playlists I add to on Spotify: “Living Room Dance Party” and

“Not Quite Dance Songs.”  Although my dance party mix tends to get more plays, my Guest List

this year is a bit less dance-y than I would have initially expected.  I recognize this list is not for

everyone.  I jump (unapologetically!) from country (Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Eric

Church and Little Big Town) to hip hop (Kevin Gates and Kendrick Lamar), indulge in catchy

sugar pop (G.R.L and Jesse J) and even pay tribute (via The Chainsmokers) to all of those who,

deep down, just want to be like Kanye.

Big thanks to Aaron for providing a platform for this list.  The opportunity encourages me to sit

for a couple hours to look back on my year and give it a soundtrack that will resonate with me

for years to come.

(1) Miranda Lambert - “Somethin' Bad” (f/ Carrie Underwood)

(2) Ella Eyre - “Comeback”

(3) The Chainsmokers - “Kanye”

(4) Bishop Allen - “Black Hole”

(5) Walk the Moon - “Sidekick”

(6) Jessie J - “Bang Bang” (f/ Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj)

(7) Kendrick Lamar - “i”

(8) Robert DeLong - “Isabel Street”

(9) G.R.L. - “Ugly Heart”

(10) Kevin Gates - “I Don't Get Tired (#IDGT)”

(11) Zella Day - “Hypnotic”

(12) Ex Cops - “Wanna Be” (f/ LP)

(13) Frankie Ballard - “Sunshine & Whiskey”

(14) Bleachers - “I Wanna Get Better”

(15) Walk the Moon - “Shut Up and Dance”

(16) Pharrell Williams - “Come Get It Bae”

(17) Eric Church - “Cold One”

(18) La Roux - “Sexotheque”

(19) Little Big Town - “Stay All Night”

Guest List Week 2014: Gene's Top 15

It's the triumphant return of Guest List Week!  Every day from now until I run out of lists, we'll take a look at 2014 through the eyes of people who are not me.  (My list, if you missed it, is here).  I'm lucky that my friends have such uniformly exquisite taste in music. 

Today, live from Nigeria (and soon to be live from Pakistan), it's Gene Novikov!  Gene's 2013 Guest List is here, his 2014 Guest List is below.

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15. Bishop Allen – “Start Again.”  

Lights Out didn’t quite have the oomph of Grr… or The Broken String, at least for me, but I did really dig this catchy little tune, and particularly the contrast between the synthy soundscape and the jangly guitar that propels the song forward.

14. Jeremy Messersmith – “Steve.” 

Because, I mean, come on.

13. Owen Pallett – “Song for Five & Six.” 

Pallett’s hardest-driving song to date, opening with a gorgeous vocal melody and progressing to an absolutely soaring arrangement of violins and cascading keys. If you’ve previously thought Pallett’s stuff was sort of almost there, pop-music-wise, this might be your entry point.

12. The Rural Albert Advantage – “Vulcan, AB.” 

One of the reasons I love these guys is that their quieter songs often pack just as much punch as the jaunty singles. Here’s a case in point, beautiful and melancholy; I only wish it were longer.

11. Together Pangea – “Badillac.” 

Generally speaking this band can safely be categorized under “not my thing,” but there’s something about this shambling rock song that really caught my ear – particularly that triumphant shouty refrain.

10. The Apache Relay – “Katie Queen of Tennessee.” 

Like Blondfire's "Waves" last year, here’s a song that plays to seemingly my every predilection. Swooping violins? Check. Propulsive 4:4 shuffle? Yup. Rousing, wordy sing-along chorus? Roger that. Thanks, guys!

9. Royskopp & Robyn – “Every Little Thing.” 

Wish Robyn would hurry up and record another actual album, but this thing’s shimmering, metallic menace will hold me over nicely. Love Robyn’s vocals here, with what may seem at first blush like vamping instead integrating perfectly into the melody.

8. Generationals – “Black Lemon.” 

These guys’ previous project, The Eames Era, is one of my all-time favorite bands, seemingly incapable of producing a bad or even mediocre song. Generationals is more prolific but also more uneven – the last couple of albums have had more misses than hits, by my count. But when they nail it, they nail it, and here they most certainly nail it.

7. Katy B – “5 AM.” 

Not at all surprised to learn that Katy B has an honest-to-goodness college degree in pop music composition. This seemingly frivolous, radio-friendly single is just impeccably orchestrated, with stabbing synths and Phil-Spector-y girl-group backing vocals complementing an irresistible combo of hooks.

6. Conor Oberst – “Artifact #1.” 

Ho hum, another terrific album from Oberst in one of his many incarnations. What got me here is the acoustic guitar seemingly trying to wrestle the melody away from Oberst himself. I know he’s yesterday’s news to many, but I’m constantly agog at this dude’s consistency and versatility.

5. La Roux – “Sexotheque.” 

This song is idiotic. And I spent much of the second half of 2014 humming it under my breath.

4. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – “Simple and Sure.”  

That's about right, actually. Is there a term for a song that describes itself?

3. Tennis – “Never Work for Free.” 

This is sort of a throwback-y She & Him-like number except… I dunno… better. I mean, that chorus is pretty undeniable, isn’t it? I’m pretty disappointed this song and album got precisely zero attention this year – does no one care about this sort of straight-ahead earworm anymore?

2. Marina and the Diamonds – “Happy.” 

Marina is hands-down my favorite of this new crop of divas we’re presently inundated with, mostly because of her interesting voice (lush and husky) and unerring melodic instinct. When was the last time someone delivered an unadorned piano ballad this immediately compelling? In a saner world this would top the Billboard charts for months.

1. The New Pornographers – “Champions of Red Wine.” 

My favorite song of the decade, really, and the culmination of Carl Newman’s gradual move from angular, inscrutable guitar pop to a style more lyrically straightforward and musically complex. This is probably the most comprehensible NPs song ever, and perhaps the most beautiful – some days the contrast between the bittersweet and mournful verses and the simple declarative chorus chokes me up. And when, at the end, the rest of the band suddenly joins Neko on “we’re coming over” – and the plinking synths respond – it’s a moment that kind of defines why I listen to music, if that makes any sense.

Guest List Week 2014: Mike's Top 15

It's the triumphant return of Guest List Week!  Every day from now until I run out of lists, we'll take a look at 2014 through the eyes of people who are not me.  (My list, if you missed it, is here).  I'm lucky that my friends have such uniformly exquisite taste in music. 

Next up, it's Mike Joslin!  Mike's 2013 list is here, and his 2014 favorites are below.

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To be completely honest, I really struggled to find 15 songs that I absolutely loved this year as 2014 seemed to be a relatively weaker year in terms of great music. Having a new-born baby probably didn’t help much either (though it did help in making this list concise). Regardless, there were several songs that really took a hold of me and clearly established themselves relative to others as the best of the year. Hope you enjoy!

1. "Busy Earnin'" - Jungle

Soulful brits that you can’t stop singing along with. A bit of dance/disco can’t hurt either. 

2. "Fall In Love" - Phantogram

Strong beats with an electro vibe and killer voice. Love it.

3. "Happy Idiot" - TV On The Radio

Yes, I am. TOTR keeps on making similar sounding songs and I keep getting hooked. 

4. "Seasons (Waiting on You)" - Future Islands

An instant classic pop song - what a weird guy though.

5. "i" - Kendrick Lamar

Aaron got it right - the SNL rendition of this song was one for the ages. 

6. "Red Eyes" - The War On Drugs

Pushing indie rock forward. Experimental at times. 

7. "Everyday Robots" - Damon Albarn

Nearly hypnotized me - just like an everyday robot would be. 

8. "Man of the Year" - Schoolboy Q

A great beat - could probably do without the lyrics though: "Bruh, I see, girls everywhere. Titties, ass, hands in the air, it's a party over here. Shake it for the man of the year. Uh, man of the year, man of the… bounce” 

9. "My Silver Lining" - First Aid Kit

A little bit country, a little bit rock and roll. Junebug meets Stevie Nicks?

10. "Black Out Days" - Phantogram

So many great Phantogram songs, just had to pick one to reinforce how great I think they are.

11. "Tough Love" - Jessie Ware

Feels a bit Haim-ish in a good way, but with a bit more chilling, amazing voice

12. "Water Fountain" - tUnE-yArDs

Those wacky tune-yards always making weird off-beat pseudo-music. Often doesn’t work for me, but this one did.

13. "Jealous (I Ain’t With It)" - Chromeo

I’m with it. 

14. "Digital Witness" - St. Vincent

Funky synth-infused beats. Great lyrics too. 

15. "Two Weeks" - FKA twigs

A unique sound with synth-heavy R&B. 

Guest List Week 2014: Gina's Top 25

It's the triumphant return of Guest List Week!  Every day from now until I run out of lists, we'll take a look at 2014 through the eyes of people who are not me.  (My list, if you missed it, is here).  I'm lucky that my friends have such uniformly exquisite taste in music. 

Kicking off Week Two, it's Gina Uriarte!  Check out Gina's 2013 list here, or keep reading for the 2014 magic.

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I wasn't going to do a guest list this year for a few reasons:

1) I'm still stuck in 2013 and "Rage" remains at the top of my heavy rotation playlist

2) Before even putting pen to paper (or, actually, fingers to keyboard), I was worried that my list would basically just be Taylor Swift's 1989, but with the songs in a different order than they actually appear on the album.

3) It's really hard to rank favorite songs. Even just five or ten. I can't imagine the poor soul who would try to come up with 100 - though I do admire the effort greatly.

Then I found myself car dancing to Walk the Moon's "Shut Up and Dance" on my commute home tonight and I realized that there was more to 2014 than Taylor Swift. 

So here are, in no particular order, 25 songs that I loved this year almost as much as "Blank Space."

1. "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon
2. "I Won't Let You Down" by Ok Go (let's be honest, this is as much for the video as it is the track)
3. "Dead Air" by CHVRCHES (preaching to the choir with this one, pun intended)
4. "Stolen Dance" by Milky Chance
5. "Don't Tell" by Mansions on the Moon
6. "Go Slow" by Lenachka
7. "Dreamers" (Dan Dan Noodle remix) by Scavenger Hunt (I could have used the original but how do you not type "Dan Dan Noodle" when you have the option?)
8. "Young Hearts" by Strange Talk (or substitute this with pretty much any song on the Cast Away album, I love them all equally)
9. "Seasons (Waiting on You)" by Future Islands
10. "Calling Out" by Penguin Prison
11. "You're Still a Mystery" by Bleachers (because there's more to this awesome album than just "I Wanna Get Better" and "Rollercoaster") (just kidding, I take it back, use "I Wanna Get Better.") (No, actually use "Roallercoaster")
12. "Left Hand Free" by alt-J
13. "Free & Lonely" by X Ambassadors
14. "Riptide" by Vance Joy
15. "Break the Rules" by Charli XCX
16. "Bad Habit" by The Kooks
17. "Rocking Chair" by The Districts
18. "Cardiac Arrest" by Bad Suns
19. "Thousand Miles" by Tove Lo
20. "Coattails" by Broods
21. "Waves" by Magic Man
22. "All of the People" by Panama Wedding
23. "Play the Fool" by Chromeo
24. "Where the Kids Are" by Blondfire
25. "Kiss and Not Tell" by La Roux

Honorable mention that should have been on my 2013 list but I didn't discover them until Outside Lands this year - "You & Me" by Flume

Guest List Week: Curt's Best of 2014

It's the triumphant return of Guest List Week!  Every day from now until I run out of lists, we'll take a look at 2014 through the eyes of people who are not me.  (My list, if you missed it, is here).  I'm lucky that my friends have such uniformly exquisite taste in music.

Closing out Week One, it's Curt Trnka!  Check out Curt's 2013 list here, or scroll down for all the hits from 2014!

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Free albums worth checking out

Keeton Coffman - The Ghost: I'm a huge sucker for Greg Laswell and pianos, Keeton is either acutely aware of this or just doing his own thing. I'm gonna guess it's the former.

The Dirty Guv'nahs - Hearts on Fire: Is this country? Indie? Folk? Not sure. But it's good. Check out "Morning Light" and "Where We Stand" for starters.

Songs from 2014

"Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon

This song makes me want to dance. That's really saying something. 

"Hey Doreen" by Lucius 

One of my favorite songs from the year. I catch myself chair-dancing at work to this all the time. 

"Home" by Johnny Swim

There are times when we all think, "I need me some home." 

"I Won't Answer" by Noel

His voice, the lyrics, and stuff. "What are 'Reasons I like this stuff,' Mr. Trebek."

"At Least I'm Yours" by Ethan Luck

For whatever it's worth, I think this is an accurate love song. 

"Sheep in Wolves Clothes" by Little Hurricanes

Kinda reminds me of Rural Alberta's stuff. That is ALWAYS a good thing. 

"Bone Digger" by Bear Hands

When he sings "Old Imperial Grounds" I can't help but think this is some weird sort of Star Wars reference that I don't get. (Kinda like how it took me a second to figure out Eye Emma Jedi...)

Music that found me in 2014

"Won't Get Up Again" by Young Rebel Set

I'm not Irish, but this song makes me wanna drink like I am. 

"Mississippi" by The Griswolds

Of the 126,909 plays of this song on Soundcloud, I must have been about 4,560. 

"What I Did" by Cutty Gold

This is new music, right? That or I now own a Delorean...

"Spotlight" by Leagues

"You wanna know what love's about? Give it when you feel nothing." 

"Pieces" by Andrew Belle

This song always makes me feel like I'm in a slow-motion scene in a movie. To me, that's a good thing.

Guest List Week: Garrett's Top Ten

It's the triumphant return of Guest List Week!  Every day from now until I run out of lists, we'll take a look at 2014 through the eyes of people who are not me.  (My list, if you missed it, is here).  I'm lucky that my friends have such uniformly exquisite taste in music.

Today, it's the return of Garrett Tillman!  Check out his 2013 list here, or scroll down for a journey into the fitness heart of darkness.

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{I created my 2014 top 10 list only to find that a spin instructor wanted to use it as the soundtrack for a spin class. I investigated, and what I found was astounding, inspirational, disgusting, and a testament to modern fitness. The following is a transcript from that spin class on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. 11 AM, Tuesday December 2nd, 2014}

***

WHATS UP FAT BITCHEZZZZZZZ WELCOME TO AURASPIN!!! We’re gonna blow you’re fuckin' minds today with this 45 minute spin class. 

Did anyone have trouble setting up your bike? It’s so easy a retard could do…Oh you need help? Jamal can you help her set up her bike? Well I don’t know what she needs help with JUST DO IT JAMAL WE DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THIS.

[Starts playing "Pray to God" by Calvin Harris, Haim]

Ok guys deep breaths, let the stress of the day fall away as you put two turns on and get warmed up. That’s right feel that tappy beat. 123412341234rightleftrightleftrightleft WOO Feel it beitchez! Get that heart pumping.

Let’s GO LADIES AND THAT ONE GAY DUDE IN THE BACK! Oh and you, sir, you’re not wearing bike shorts, are you straight? WHAT?! Speak up I can’t hear you! Bi? Oh god, well maybe you can Bi some Bi-cycle shorts and come dressed for class next time. Just LOOK at Taniesha! She’s got her mesh body thong tucked into her muscle printed tights. If I was straight and into vaguely asian chicks i’d bend her over on the bike right now and fuck her! Kidding, Taniesha, you know I love you byotch! You okay? This is your third class today! Girl you are either a super trooper or an exercise bulemic. LOL!

[Song changes to "Open Season" by Josef Salvat]

Awww shit, y’all you ready for a climb?? That’s right, this fat beat can only mean one thing!  Turn that resistance to the right three turns and come out of the saddle for a big climb. Imagine you’re cycling up Everest! Kilaminjaro! That hill that killed Casper! ONE TWO ONE TWO RIGHT LEFT. GET UP! GET UP! PINK TOP IN THE BACK WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING SITTING DOWN oh you’re just super short nevermind. Jamal keep an eye on that midge and make sure her ass is off the seat. Jamal! Jamal!! Oh you’re not Jamal you’re just mexiblack too - where’s Jamal?!

Okay guys, keep those asses back and I MEAN BACK. I want the person behind you to be able to lean forward and rim you. Back back back. Feel it in those quads! Listen to the lyrics! Are they making sense to you? Can you FEEL IT?! Can someone explain the lyrics to me after class because I have no idea what they mean. I’m being serious I just like the beat. Whoo, okay, climb over - turn that resistance all the way down and pick up the pace.

[Song changes to "i" by Kendrick Lamar]

Yes! That’s right. This song is the shit. I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. Hold up! I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. I love myself. 

Okay recovery is over let’s make it raw. Two turns to the right!

[Song changes to "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj]

Here we go. Here we go. My anaconda don’t. want. nun. unless. you. look. like Taniesha. hun. Thtat’s right I want to fuck Taniesha y’alllllll. Just kidding. Two turns to the right and come up out of the saddle. Chyeah! Cumon!

Now, I want three taps back when she says “real real real”. That’s right here it comes! Tap tap tap. That a girls! Now three more! Tap tap tap that booty on the saddle! Okay last three TAP TAP TAP. Just kidding three more TAP TAP TAP. Yeah, okay three more TAP TAP TAP. Okay NOW it’s the last three TAP TAP TAP. Just kidding I lied here come three more TAP TAP TAP. Boom I blew your minds with that one. Just like life and most monkeys, I keep throwing shit at you. Yeah life in here is about lessons for out there. Just remember that IN HERE you’re on a stationery bike and OUT THERE you’re probably not. IN HERE…oh shit is this a new song?

[Song changes to "Les Soupirs et les refrains" by Yelle]

Oh fuck okay take the resistance down to 2 while I keep up my inspirational rant. This song is French or whatever anyways. 

IN HERE you’re the person you want to be, 

OUT THERE you’re just a person!

IN HERE you’re moving your legs fast, 

OUT THERE you’re going nowhere fast!

...uhhh let’s see what else...

IN HERE feeling hot because I won’t turn on the fan.

OUT THERE the HEAT of reality is what burns you! Shit that was good I gotta tweet that. JAMAL! Tweet that for me! From my handle @Spindick!

IN HERE we don’t give a fuck what people say about us!

OUT THERE people call you FAT, they say YOU’RE UGLY, they call you MEAN, a BITCH, a WHORE, a FAT WHORE, a FAT BITCH WHORE, a MEAN UGLY BITCH, and a MEAN FAT BITCH SLUT. 

Don’t listen to those people! Just keep spinning your legs. This $60 spin class is all that matters right now! You! Here! In this room! Spinning your legs! Going nowhere! Going Everywhere! In the dark! To loud music!

[Song changes to "Bang Bang" by Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj]

Okay slow your legs and grab those weights from behind your bike. Let’s get it pumping. 

Pump those biceps, now doubletime. Look at me, eyes up here! Look at my biceps! See how well defined they are? See how big and beautiful my arms are? Keep it up and you’ll get there! Well, this spin class and an hour and a half of heavy weight lifting after. Also I eat 3000 calories of pure protein per 50lbs of body weight every day! My kidneys have failed 3 times, but did I let that stop me? NO! And I don’t even do steroids anymore! That’s right these biceps are allllllll natural and you can get them too if you just keep wasting your money on these classes. These 5 minutes of extremely light and repetitive weightlifting are all you need to look super fucking hot!

[Song changes to "It Was Always You" by Maroon 5]

Okay weights down let’s kick it up. Put the resistance up to 5. That’s three turns to the right, a half turn to the left, a quarter turn to the right, and then just put your hand on the knob and imagine all your belly fat melting away. Do it. Keep it on the nob. Don’t let your legs lose the beat. That’s right. Okay up to position two for bicycle pushups. 

Keep doing pushups while I fix myself a mid-class pick-me-up. Shit, Jamal I lost my rolled up $20! Did you fucking take it? What do you mean "where was it"? It was right here on the mirror next to my cok-umm my energy powder. Well, turn on your fucking flashlight and find it. Careful of the mirror this shit is pure. What? Okay I guess I can use a five, but I’m not returning it afterwards because I know you stole my $20. You owe me $15 after class or I’m deducting it from your paycheck. That’s TWO HOURS of pay that you’re going to lose if you don’t return that $20 to me.

Okay guys stop doing pushups and let’s get a couple of deep inhales in before the next song starts SNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFFFFFFFFFFFF

[Song changes to "Do It Again" by Röyksopp & Robyn]

Great job guys great inhaling that was like so fucking perfect you’re all beautiful and amazing. God this shit is strong...I mean...you’re all so strong and beautiful. 

Okay last song and I mean it this time guys, try to actually break a sweat. Taniesha are you passed out on your bike? Jamal can you pour some cold water on Taniesha while I turn the fan on? That’s the trick! Don’t you dare fucking get off your bike Taniesha! That’s right pump your legs. I guess it’s just your muscle print leggings that made me think you were in shape, but now that I look at you, you’re kind of skinnyfat. I’m just being honest, guys. Honesty is what keeps us real. It is the best policy. It’s why I continually put Taniesha down - it MAKES HER STRONGER. Taniesha stay with us...

Okay we’ll do sprints, 30 seconds out of the saddle and then 30 seconds seated and spin your legs as fast as they can go. This song is 5 minutes long which means 5 more chances for you to not be a fat slob. That’s right, this is YOUR workout. YOUR chance to prove it to YOURSELF that you’re not fat and lazy and dumb. YOUR chance to prove you can accomplish something five times for half a minute each time. Just think, if you can do something for 30 seconds, you can do it for 30 years. Right? RIGHT? SCREAM FOR NO REASON! 

[Song changes to "Flawless (Remix)" by Beyoncè and Nicki Minaj]

Okay guys here’s your cool down. That’s right, Bey is gonna take it down for us nice and slow. keep your legs moving and drink water.

Do you guys ever dream as Beyoncè? I do, and it’s not only when I’m in the hospital for kidney failure and they give me all that valium and ketamine. Some times I just have lucid dreams where I can control her/my life. Like sometimes I’ll just dream for 10 hours about choosing which wig to wear to the VMAs, or I’m in my suite in Hong Kong trying to talk to Tina Knowles while Blue runs around playing crazy baby with her real mom….uh I mean “the nanny". Sometimes I’ll just come into my own bedroom as Beyonce and sit next to my sleeping body and sing myself lullabies, but, like, quietly, you know? Because I don’t want to wake myself up and stop being Beyoncè? What do you think that means?

[Song changes to "Light Will Keep Your Heart Beating In The Future" by Mike Doughty]

Okay guys, time to stretch. Jamal can you come help me carry Taniesha out? I think she’s passed out again. 

Listen you guys, great job today! The three of you are really amazing. I’ll tell Taniesha when she wakes up how fucking great she was. Ugh, gross, a clump of her hair just fell right there - can you pick that up with a paper towel Jamal? Carefully, please!

I’m going to go, but you should spend the last 5 minutes of class stretching and also cleaning up everything around you. The mop is in the closet - make sure you wipe up your sweat and disinfect the bikes. I’d ask Jamal to do it but I have to go fire him after the ambulance for Taniesha leaves. 

Great job again, you guys, give yourselves a round of applause just like you solved world hunger and gave AIDS to ISIS! Kidding! You guys rock my cock! See you soon!