2014 And A Half
Here's the stuff I've liked this year vaguely ranked. |
| 18 |  | Down Hazard
Lenses
A great mallsoft/vaporwave album. I'm not particularly well-versed in this genre but this album is very easy to listen to. It has a lot of variety, and doesn't sound like the watered down stuff I've often heard within the genre. I will say, however, that the first half of this album is significantly better than the second half, and that's why it just barely made my list. |
| 17 |  | The Hotelier
Home, Like NoPlace Is There
This album is original in virtually no way, but I'm a sucker for this type of Kinsella-inspired emo/post rock stuff, and this is simply a good example of that. |
| 16 |  | A Sunny Day In Glasgow
Sea When Absent
This album continues to grow on me with every listen. This is some top notch dream pop, you can certainly hear many influences on here, but there is definitely an original sound here, and it's just so blissful, I could see this climbing up near the top of my list by the end of the year. |
| 15 |  | Animals As Leaders
The Joy of Motion
Who doesn't love some good djent? |
| 14 |  | Chevelle
La Gargola
I was very pleasantly surprised by this. I always thought Chevelle were just a generic radio rock band, but after this album exploded here on sputnik I decided to give them a chance. I quickly fell in love with their sound - like a more simplified version of Tool. Love it. |
| 13 |  | Nothing
Guilty of Everything
A great shoegaze album, basically ripping off Slowdive, but I'm also a sucker for this stuff. An absolutely beautiful album. |
| 12 |  | Trophy Scars
Holy Vacants
I'm not as crazy about this album as others on here, and I don't think it's quite on the level of Bad Luck, but I still do enjoy this album. Trophy Scars' incredibly unique sound is just intriguing, and not to mention their song writing skills have led a very consistent discography, and this will certainly go down as a huge highlight in their discography. |
| 11 |  | Wild Beasts
Present Tense
This is another band I only discovered this year, and I love their minimal post-punk type sound. Such a great album when you're in the right mood. |
| 10 |  | La Dispute
Rooms of the House
La Dispute doesn't quite bring the same raw edge that made their previous releases so profound, but Rooms of the House is still quite an enjoyable album. As always the lyrics are amazing, but the change in sound doesn't quite hit me like their previous releases, still a great album. |
| 9 |  | Fennec
Let Your Heart Break
Let Your Heart Break is another album that's incredibly easy to listen to. It's great for parties, it's great for just putting on as background music, and when listened to attentively, it's like an adventure packed into a house album with some vaporwave elements. It's just fantastic, and well produced. |
| 8 |  | The Antlers
Familiars
I'm with pretty much everyone when I say this is a grower. The Antlers have incorporated a huge post-rock vibe, and while it is a bit monotonous, Familiars is just beautiful. As always The Antlers bring it with the lyrics, but the music itself has changes, The Antlers always find such interesting ways to change their sound. |
| 7 |  | Gridlink
Longhena
Incredibly melodic grind. So glad I found this album, I've never heard something quite like it and I can't stop listening to it. |
| 6 |  | XO
Heart
Another really good shoegaze album. This time moreso rippong off MBV. Even if it's not particularly original, I just can't get enough of it. |
| 5 |  | Have A Nice life
The Unnatural World
I was actually a bit disappointed with this. But I can't expect something as good as Deathcon out of any band. This is still a fantastic release though. |
| 4 |  | Future Islands
Singles
Singles is such an easily enjoyable album. The new wave vibes are great. I had never heard Future Islands before this, but I've been loving this a lot. |
| 3 |  | Death Grips
The Powers That B - Part I: Niggas on the Moon
Another DG album out of nowhere. Liked it a lot more than GP. By far their most experimental. Big Dipper is one of my favorite tracks of the year. |
| 2 |  | Closure In Moscow
Pink Lemonade
This album was an absolute surprise. After hearing the two songs released before the album came out I was expecting a disappointment. Turns out this album is one of the most fun albums I've ever listened to. It has great climaxes, crazy fun, and features more influences than it appeared in their debut album. |
| 1 |  | Cloud Nothings
Here and Nowhere Else
More of the same. Which I'm absolutely ok with. Cloud Nothings could be on their way to becoming one of the best modern rock bands. |
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