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| 2014 In Review - 35 Albums Rated
A brief guide to some of the records I gave a proper listen to this year - some amazing, some not so brilliant. I didn't have real time to do proper scoring or soundoffs for Earth, ETID, Baptists, OMG or Aeges but they also all released great albums this year. Wrote some of the summaries over the course of the yeat but you get the picture. | | 35 |  | Fatherson
I Am an Island
Was expecting something quite special from these guys and the album just doesn't deliver. Decent ideas are stretched within an inch of their lives, too many songs rely on stop-start-y rhythms and there's a real dearth of proper HOOKS which is where I felt they truly shined on their EP. Everyone emotes flawlessly and they really have put in a massive effort but it just feels like such a slog to get through. Disappointing, to put it mildly. | | 34 |  | Royal Blood
Royal Blood
Aaaaaah, I want to like this so much more. I actually like each song by itself but not when they're stacked up next to 10 or so songs which sound exactly the same...'Out of the Black' bursts in with Muse-like ferocity, 'Little Monster' struts the way a QoTSA song used to and you can hear the influence of Jack White all over this album but...it's all just so BEIGE where we're caught in a catch-22 where every song is a standout and therefore none of them are. It's very odd as I understand the contradictions but, if I'm honest, I just can't bring myself to play this as much all the way through as I would listen to an odd song every so often. Not awful by any means but...meh. | | 33 |  | Foo Fighters
Sonic Highways
Gotta admit - I am disappointed with this album. It's not downright awful but when compared to the Foo Fighters' stellar back catalogue, this doesn't deliver like it should. My personal feeling is that the HBO project took over from the songcraft and basics like having a strong song structure in place before recording just weren?t adhered to. A shame as there is some quality here; the bluesy interlude in 'Congregation', the go-go punk at the close of 'Feast and the Famine', the bouncy chorus of 'In the Clear' but it doesn't make wholly digestible and enjoyable songs. As I said, it's not bad and perhaps will stand up in years to come but, overall, this is at the bottom of the Foo's pile for me. | | 32 |  | Cloudkicker
Little Histories
Disappointing EP from an extremely talented bandcamper. I've only recently gotten into Cloudkicker thanks to MetalSucks but have quickly found adoration for last year's Subsume, 2012's Fade and his debut Beacons (not to mention the numerous EP's he put out before his debut....does this man ever sleep??!) so hopes were high for this. I can't really go into too much detail because it's just a bit boring; song riffs are recycled repetitively and don't really go anywhere (as opposed to Subsume which was heavy and lengthy but actually progressed in a natural way) and the bits I do like are over all too briefly. The EP feels extremely lightweight in comparison to his other stuff which is a shame but perhaps not surprising given how good the rest of his stuff is. With this said; the man gives all his music away for free and deserves support from all listeners of instrumental metal music. He really is that good and I can't praise him enough. It's just a shame this EP doesn't live up to his sterling reputation. There's always next year, eh? | | 31 |  | Greys
If Anything
Same case as Here and Nowhere Else with this one - like Fatherson, all signs based on their EP's were pointing to a modern punk classic in the vein of early Nirvana and Fugazi and I so, so, so want to love it now it's here but...I just can't bring myself to like it. Guitars drone like buzzsaw's, there are screams and off-kilter yelling, there's a real sense of a HOLY BALLS attack where songs hit you square in the face but - to my ears, it sounds repetitive, a little tired and slightly contrived. Again, this is such a shame as I didn?t get this impression from their EP?s at all (maybe this band is best in short bursts) and I'm really hoping it grows on me but...argh, so disappointed! | | 30 |  | Cloud Nothings
Here and Nowhere Else
Really, really wanted to like this more (and it is GOOD, but not great) but so far not having the impact that Attack on Memory did in 2012. Solid collection of head-down lo-fi punk with a barnstorming performance from everyone involved (especially drummer Jayson Gerycz who propels these songs forward with a ridiculous momentum), but something's not quite connecting as well as I'd hoped. Baldi's songwriting seems to have become at once more accessible and alienating as pretty chord changes and hummable choruses give way to absolutely throat shredding screams that are way, way heavier than anything on their sophomore record. Still decent though, and I?m hoping more time with it will unfurl and reveal something that, so far, hasn't quite clicked. | | 29 |  | Piano
Salvage Architecture
This album doesn't work for me, at least not like it should have done. Six years in the making with tracks and ideas going back to 2003, this album has been on top of my most wanted list for a long time as I know how talented Piano are but also how brilliant they work with Daniel Tompkins - his voice was MADE for this kind of music and sounds perfectly at home behind the wash of the guitar and punchy bass lines. 2008's Valediction of Verse worked brilliantly as it combined the stabbing frenetic guitar bursts with wonderful pop hooks and was (still is) my favourite release by Piano. This album, unfortunately, isn't up to the same standards - everything just feels painted by the same brush, far too familiar and bland in comparison to the colour on previous records. Songs don?t seem to have any sort of structure and Dan's vocals aren't hooky through most of this record. This vocal approach works for a band like Tesseract but doesnt suit Piano. When they get it right on tracks like 'Disappearing Ink, this album can be thrilling and worthy of the length it took to record but too often, songs meander on apropos of nothing. It's such a shame as they're amazingly talented. Perhaps their next album will focus on the good stuff with a bit more tenacity but this is still underwhelming considering what's come before. | | 28 |  | Weezer
Everything Will Be Alright in the End
Weezer return with another fairly solid collection of power-pop which, while absolutely not the second coming that some are hailing it as, is a fairly decent album in its own right. Combining his own song writing strengths with Justin Hawkins and that dude from Titus Andronicus works well but River's concerns still fall under the topics of 'girls, gimmicks and past glories' which mean the lyrics are always sub-par in spite of the stronger songs (come to think of it -what post-Pinkerton album hasn't had subpar lyrics?). Not much else to say about this album - it's as good, if not slightly better, than most latter-day Weezer albums post-Maladroit but is certainly not the masterpiece its fans are setting it up as. A shame, as I really, really dig Weezer and have nothing against writing silly pop songs but there's always a general air of disappointment once I've digested a new album of theirs and this one is no different. Good fun for what I assume will be multiple spins but won't touch the first four. | | 27 |  | The Gaslight Anthem
Get Hurt
The fifth record from the Gaslight Anthem finds them in new duds but ultimately singing from the same hymn sheet - the Springsteen-isms of yesterday are still there but they're dressed up with a smidge of the National, a bit of New Wave and (oddly) some Stone Temple Pilots thrown in for good measure. Strangely, this whole concoction works with songs such as the title track an 'Stray Paper' hitting just as hard as anything on '59 Sound. The main reason this doesn't have a higher score is because a couple of failed experiments within the songs fail to pay off, but mostly it's down to Brian Fallon - the man is a parody of himself, from his 'I can save your soul tonight, baby' caterwauling to the banal and juvenile lyrics. This taints a record which, with a little restraint vocally, could have been a fair amount better than it actually is. Still, it's listenable and I give it a spin from time to time which is a pretty decent compliment, in my eyes. | | 26 |  | Mogwai
Music Industry 3. Fitness Industry 1.
Nice little EP to round the year off. You get 3 slices of premium 'gwai (with the added bonus that the opening song has lyrics!) plus 3 remixes that don't quite do it for me. One of the reasons I thought Rave Tapes worked earlier this year is that tracks like 'Remurdered' had a dark Tron-like undercurrent to them which doesn't translate in the remix of the same track. Only 'The Lord is Out of Control', which deconstructs the song to its bones, turning it into something quite beautiful in the process, works out of the 3 latter tracks. Only reason this isn't rated higher is because you don't get much bang for your buck and the three tracks, while great, are the same Mogwai from January. Still, entertaining if nothing else. | | 25 |  | Mongol Horde
Mongol Horde
I haven?t been digging it quite so much recently but that shouldn't put anyone off. This is PROPER hardcore music for anyone missing their Refused fix and it completely took me by surprise this year. Frank's Sleeping Souls thing has never been my cup of tea so it was a really, really nice moment when I first heard the furious roar of 'Make Way' all the way through to, well, the furious roar of 'Hey Judas'. The album really doesn?t let up over its 35 minute run time (total compliment) and only loses points for silly lyrics (which I at first REALLY liked because hardcore takes itself too seriously but I've found have become a little annoying over time) and maybe sticking a little TOO closely to the Refused template (there are even a few WOO'S on 'Casual Threats From Weekend Hardmen'). Still, this is great stuff. | | 24 |  | Brody Dalle
Diploid Love
With the first album released under her own moniker, this is Dalle's most confident and assured collection of songs to date. Stellar production (woozy bar-room piano, mariachi trumpets, the sound of children's laughter) add colour to an impressive set of tunes with stand outs being 'Meet the Foetus / Oh the Joy', 'Blood in Gutters' and 'Dressed in Dreams'. Sounds seriously impressive on the first listen as Brody exhibits real mastery of tone and song structure while injecting killer melodies, although subsequent spins perhaps take the shine off a little as you know when the surprises are coming (see the bar-room piano et al.). With that said this remains very impressive stuff. | | 23 |  | The Black Keys
Turn Blue
Nice, languid instrumental jams with pained vocals and lyrics that're a nice break from their usual 'groove-n-roll' stuff. Some songs drag a bit and the bleak mood is rather all encompassing but, so far, not bad. Actually, this album is great. Nothing world changing but it's got a lovely smoky atmosphere throughout and the song writing really is first rate. Last song kinda comes out of nowhere considering what came before but I actually dig that it's a clean, funky break after the emotion of the last 40 mins. Great album, wasn't expecting to like as much as I do which is a lovely surprise. | | 22 |  | Killer Be Killed
Killer Be Killed
Considering the knotty, prog-fuelled ass-kicking that the members of this supergroup dole out in their regular jobs it's surprising how straightforwardly 'metal' this album is. With this said, if you're going to kick back with a 'safe' metal record this year it may as well be this one - it's ferociously heavy with nasty uppercuts delivered song after song and it's also genuinely thrilling to listen to each members vocals co-mingle so liberally. Basically, if DEP, Mastodon and Soulfly had a metal baby this is EXACTLY how it would sound and this is both profoundly awesome and a little disappointing. Still, don't let that detract from the fact that this album rocks. | | 21 |  | Mogwai
Rave Tapes
A lot of people rip on Mogwai for not really changing all that much over the course of their career but I'd argue that they're one of the few bands I know where that's actually a compliment. They have it in them to put out less-than-stellar albums (see Come On, Die Young, in my opinion) but this is as fine a collection of songs as they've released since their debut. There are straightforward headbangers, a couple of ambient synth-fest freak outs, spoken word passages and the obligatory vocoder - basically, all Mogwai parts are present and correct. If this makes the whole thing sound a bit dull, I'm doing it a disservice as it really isn't and Mogwai continue to issue superb music a good 20 years into their career. If they keep producing work of this quality, I really don't see why they can't go another 20 (also, as a footnote - I saw them live for the first time this year and they still have the ability to slice your head off so more power to them!). | | 20 |  | Damien Rice
My Favourite Faded Fantasy
Ireland's favourite self-flagellating recluse returns from the wilderness for his first album since 2006's 9 and not much has changed; he's still miserable, he still writes songs about girls and he still hasn't swapped his acoustic for an electric. This album works, though, in a way that his sophomore didn't as it really feels like he has gone away, written a bunch of songs and honed them to the point where they don't feel meandering or self-indulgent. Sure, Rice still does far too much naval gazing to ever be considered an excellent lyricist but he often captures a feeling of desolation and despair with a melody and a turn of phrase better than pretty much any singer-songwriter going today (the line about legs in 'The Greatest Bastard' in particular is a favourite of mine). There's real craft to these songs, they feel lived in and decorated (see the occasional woodwind flourish or vocal accompaniment) and, while it perhaps won't be going on at any New Year's parties, is mostly a pleasure to listen to and a worthwhile follow up to the still-wonderful O. | | 19 |  | Crosses
Crosses
Now here's a fun little record. Though perhaps too long as it primarily consists of 3 separate EP's squashed onto one album, the quality throughout is pretty high and is a very pleasurable experience thanks to superb production, excellent musicianship and the always-superb Chino's brilliant vocals. This man can't sing a bad note, although admittedly his sex n' disco lyrics become a bit trying towards the end of the record. Think a slightly neutered Deftones (though there are occasional bursts of heaviness) coupled with some trip-hop ala Team Sleep and you probably know exactly what this is going to sound like. That's not a negative mark at all as it's like being enveloped in warm blanket from your childhood - safe, warm and lived in though perhaps not adventurous enough for some. Still, I dig. | | 18 |  | Opeth
Pale Communion
The second of Opeth's shag-carpet records (or, in layman's terms, 70's prog excess and indulgence) works in ways that 2011's Heritage didn't; this definitely feels more like an Opeth record without the growling but still retains some of the first records experimentation and softness (see the rather nice 'River' which has vocal harmonies up the wazoo). There's still definitely a lingering feeling that Mikael is simply taking the band for a long, meandering wander through some proggy wilderness before coming back full-bore into the world of heavy metal that they left behind, but it's an entertaining journey and I've listened to this record quite a bit this year. My favourite track is actually the instrumental 'Goblin' which is rather clever - the stars are the riffs (which is how it should be) but they're not showy and tell something of a story which I can't really say for the rest of the record despite the vocals. Still, a decent album and one which I'll still listen to next year. | | 17 |  | Wo Fat
The Conjuring
Here's the thing with Wo Fat - they do nothing original. At all. They take tiny moments from other bands (the strut of Clutch, the boogie of ZZ Top, the bottom-heavy rumble of Sabbath) and don't even try and twist it into something semi-original (see: Red Fang)...but, but, but they're just so damn FUN! 2012's The Black Code had a wicked sense of humour and great songs to boot and, to be honest, they don't seek to reinvent the wheel here; songs like 'Pale Rider From the Ice' and the 16 minute 'Dreamwalker' meander a bit more than that album ever did but there's always a riff to latch on to and a hook to bellow at the top of your lungs. The Conjuring ain't original but it is damn good and I'll take that any day of the week. | | 16 |  | Alt-J
This is All Yours
Alt-J?s first record was a minor wonder as it combined really heady (some might say pretentious) concepts with proper pop BANGERS to bewildering effect. They're a band who really sound like no one but themselves and I've been eagerly anticipating this release for a long while. My very first listen wasn't strong but TIAY (and even An Awesome Wave, to some extent)is designed primarily as a headphones record so I hadn't listened to this gentler album on the right system. Once I had, things started knocking into place. Although there's nothing as catchy or as immediate as 'Breezeblocks' or 'Fitzpleasure' (though 'Every Other Freckle' and 'Left Hand Free' certainly give them a good go), this is a brilliant if not quite as good album as their debut. The 'Nara' sequence of songs sound flat and empty initially but with repeated listens are actually quite lovely. 'The Gospel of John Hurt' and 'Hunger of the Pine' are both stunning and wouldn't be out of place on Wave and most of the rest of the album seems like a stranger, gentler, warmer version of that album. 'Pusher' lets the side down as it doesn't really go anywhere and this, on top of a general lack of focus through the rest of the record which gives it its hazy atmosphere, knocks points off. Still, this is a great album and really gets under your skin in a way that only Alt-J can. | | 15 |  | Fucked Up
Glass Boys
A far more digestible proposition than 2011's epic David Comes to Life, Glass Boys asks what it means to be in a modern hardcore band for over 10 years and whether there's still anything worthwhile left to say. Typically lofty ideas but, as is par for the course with Fucked Up, the music never gets bogged down by the high concept; 'Echo Boomer' sets the mission statement out plainly with bright, shoegaze guitars generously coating Pink Eyes' guttural roar, 'Sun Glass' bursts out of the gate with a joyous momentum and sunny harmonies while 'Paper the House' reads like grown-up punk rock with soaring dynamics and a touching chorus. The record runs out of steam towards the end (particularly the languid 'D.E.T.' which doesn't really go anywhere, although it does have a pretty middle eight) but this record is an extremely solid addition to an already stellar back catalogue. The fact it asks big questions about the music they play just happens to be a nice bonus. | | 14 | | Godmaker
Godmaker
Ah man, this record is super fun. It's not wholly original (though there's something thrilling about the Dr Frankenstein-y way they sew multiple genre's and bands together to create something not quite new but not quite derivative either) but this wins big points for the passion in which the music is played and the ROAR that their twin vocalists deliver (seriously, one of these boys screams is the tastiest I've heard in a while). If you take a bit of Red Fang, some Mastodon, some Clutch, some Sabbath (there's that name again) some Tool and some...I dunno, early Baroness maybe, you'll get this band. They're awesome but will win no originality competitions, though that doesn't matter when you're thrashing you're head around like a maniac. Slight record at 32ish minutes which loses points but overall, this is great fun and an album I spin often and LOUD. | | 13 | | Mastodon
Once More 'Round the Sun
I absolutely adore Mastodon; Remission - Crack the Skye is as good a run of classics as Kill 'Em All - 'And Justice for All, so hopes were high for this (especially in light of the good but not great The Hunter) but I have to admit, I was initially disappointed. It really sounds like they want to have their prog/pop cake and eat it as songs can't decide whether to be guitar freakouts or titanic anthems. Gave it a few weeks off though and it?s all starting to come together - where 'High Road' initially sounded tired, it's now got me headbanging with the best of them. 'The Motherload' and 'Ember City' both have superb choruses (actually, it must be said - these dudes have improved their vocals ENORMOUSLY) and 'Tread Lightly', 'Halloween' and 'Aunt Lisa' all balance aforementioned freakouts well within the confines of a tighter structure. Basically, this is a master class in streamlining your sound without selling out (I borrowed that) and I've warmed to it hugely. Great stuff, worthy of the 'Don canon. | | 12 |  | Soundgarden
Echo of Miles: Scattered Tracks Across the Path
Brilliant collection of odds and ends from one of my favourite bands on earth. Not every track is a keeper but they all work for their era and give you a little look into the bands history and progression. The sheer growth from the squealing and wink-wink-nudge-nudge humour of 'Sup Pop Rock City' to the mature, groove-laced and just plain strange 'Black Rain' is astounding for a band that started out as jock-rock shockers and blossomed into possibly the most artistically fruitful band from the Grunge era. I wouldn't recommend this to everyone (if you're only a passing 'Garden fan, there's nothing for you here as it's just too weird and long) but for completists it's essential listening from one of the greatest rock bands ever. EVER. | | 11 |  | Animals as Leaders
The Joy of Motion
Phenomenal return to form for this instrumental threesome after a disappointing second LP. Proper weighty metal adventurousness which isn't afraid to be colourful, melodic and playful; Tosin Abasi's wonderful control of his instrument means that, despite nearly 55 minutes worth of music, there's nary a dull or boring moment to be heard. Songs shapeshift from crushing metal bruisers to pretty harmonic guitar runs in a heartbeat - check out 'Physical Education' for an example of the bouncy, positive vibes this album sends out before delving into some crushing METAL proper. Highly recommended, and in a year with two other exceptionally strong instro-metal releases there really can?t come be any higher endorsement. | | 10 |  | The Contortionist
Language
Nothing disappoints me more than to hear that a music journalist I really respect (Mr. Anthony Fantano) dislike intensely an album with which I had such an amazing connection with. I had never heard of the Contortionist before but I went back and listened to their first two records and didn't respond well at all, so Language was a lovely introduction to them. Vocals soar over wonderfully played and pristine sounding guitars, drums and prog-bass while songs can turn on a dime from shimmering prog-pop into heavy-as-f*ck Dillinger style noise tracks. I understand what Mr. Fantano finds alienating about this album (notably, it's too perfect and sounds lifeless) but there's magic here in the way the guitars and bass interlock at the end of 'Language II' to return to the main theme set in 'Language I'. The album is full of little moments like this and I found it to be an astonishing listen, though obviously not for everyone. Recommended. | | 9 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Monuments to an Elegy
Lovely surprise at the end of the year, this one. Billy Corgan has been making some kind of comeback or another with every album from Adore onwards but this is the first absolute knock-out he's delivered in years. It's not got an ounce of fat on it (unless you count the poorest track on the album 'Run2me' which I cannot stand) and every song is honed to a riff, a hook and a sneer from Corgan himself. I felt they were getting back to something good on 2012's Oceania but by dropping the exhausting lengths, silly concepts and pretending to be something other than a very, very good songwriter, Billy delivers his best work in years and something which I have revisited many times since its release in early December. Hopefully Day for Night (which will follow next year) will be just as strong, but I'll be content with this if it's the last we see of the Pumpkins at this level. | | 8 |  | Ben Howard
I Forget Where We Were
I have no idea how this happened. Genuinely don't. Ben's 2011 debut Every Kingdom was nice enough and reminds me of my partner whenever I listen to it (she enjoys it ever so) but when in all hell did this man grow up and start writing dark pop music? I honestly cannot see how he has morphed from happy-go-lucky surfer into the maelstrom-conjurer from the Burgh Island EP and then SOMEHOW managed to combine the two and alienate neither groups of each phases fans? The growth is outstanding but the songs still crackle with pop hooks and warm rhythms and just feels artier, more lived in and romantic than the sunnier Every Kingdom. As good as that record was, there's a bounce to this one, a lilt which allows him to get away with a darker theme as the music is so good. Genuinely surprised when this landed and with how good it is. Get it. | | 7 |  | Trudger
Dormiveglia
There's something...disturbing about this record which is perfectly encapsulated in the opening notes and the album artwork - on a cold field, an enormous Bison (which looks more like a creature from an H.P. Lovecraft novel) wanders aimlessly accompanied by a solitary guitar laced with echo and reverb. It's the eeriest music listening moment I've experienced in 2014 (and yes, that includes the bewildering You're Dead!) and what's crazy is it's absolutely not in tone with what follows - ear-piercing and bowl-shaking sludge in the vein of Remission-era Mastodon but played by 5 blokes from Yorkshire. Everything's grounded in a Tolkein-esque fantasy as opposed to the astral flights of fancy a band like Mastodon take (in fact, it's probably got most in common with Blood Mountain, conceptually) but Trudger have more of a scorched earth policy - every riff hits like a ten-ton hammer (son), every lyric is bellowed like an orc and every instrument is battered to within an inch of its life. The post-rock interludes pick you up and dust you off only to slam you back down again when the next track begins. It's exhausting but made vital due to the absolute commitment by every member to their sound and the sheer volume of riffs that spew forth out of this hellish package. Not for the faint of heart but there's gold here for those willing to venture into the depths. | | 6 |  | Hark
Crystalline
Had never heard of these guys until about six month ago and omg, have I been missing out. Proper prog-sludge which is smart AND super-heavy (like a Welsh Mastodon), these tracks go on epic journeys into the ether but are kept bound to earth by crushingly tactile bass and guitar work, so weighty you could almost touch them. Only reason it's not a 9 or a perfect 10 is that a couple of tracks outstay their welcome towards the end of their run time but seriously - with a bit of editing this could have been an AOTY contender. As it is, it's amazing - and I can live with that just fine. | | 5 |  | YOB
Clearing the Path to Ascend
Cheese and crackers, this album is just ridiculous. I was intrigued to check out YOB on the strength of my admiration for Pallbearer but I either listened to the wrong band or something didn't click. I've recently gone back and actually listened to Clearing the Path to Ascend all the way through and holy s**t, what was I thinking. It's an absolute BEAST with four tracks spread out over an hour or so of extra-heavy slabs of doom, psych-rock and heavy blues. Vocalist Mike Scheidt moves from lullaby-like crooning to CRUSHING bellows of hate, certainly some of the heaviest screaming I've heard in a long time. I've not spent as much time with this album as I'd like but can already tell it's going to be with me for a while, to the point where I've gone back and downloaded their 2012 effort Atma to prolong the YOB love. Superb album from a superb band that have a vast back catalogue for me to explore. Exciting! | | 4 |  | Sun Kil Moon
Benji
Equal parts harrowing, hilarious, embarrassing and moving, Sun Kil Moon's Benji is one of the most personal albums I have ever heard. Every song is a story but they all share the same over-arching theme; death. Mark Kozelek spins rambling stream-of-conscience lyrics into something poetic and beautiful where the more personal and specific a song becomes the more it transforms in something universal for the listener. Although definitely not without humour (the 12 bar blues of 'I Love my Dad' in particular makes me chuckle) the power of this album lies in the fact that for each listener it connects with there will be a completely different meaning buried under each song. I can say, hand on heart, that listening to this was one of the most moving experiences I've gone through this year and I think of revisiting it often. Nearly an AOTY for me. | | 3 |  | Pallbearer
Foundations of Burden
So this year I discovered I like doom. I started off with baby steps, consolidating my Sabbath collection a bit further into my head but then took the full plunge with Pallbearer's excellent 2012 debut Sorrow and Extinction. This album has everything a doom-virgin could want - lengthy but beautiful song passages built like a cathedral with soaring and mournful vocals coupled with guitars tuned so low they could wake Godzilla. What makes Pallbearer work is everything here works in service to a song; no riff feels drawn out too long, no song feels longer than it should be. This also sums up Foundations of Burden to a tee, though here everything is even more streamlined. The only place where Pallbearer really pick up the pace beyond a crawl is the galloping mid-section of 'Ghost I Used to Be' which suddenly bursts into life. Although this sounds like a criticism, it absolutely isn't as everything is exquisitely arranged, performed and recorded. This record sounds HUGE and, if not quite the 9.5 listening experience that Sorrow and Extinction was, it's still a masterclass in doom. | | 2 | | Flying Lotus
You're Dead!
This album hit me between the eyes this year in a way I did not expect at all. I've often found Flylo's albums quite alienating and deliberately cold so I've never been able to latch onto anything for long enough to keep me enthralled. Not so with You're Dead! - it starts with the literal sound of someone dying and from the bones of jazz, hip-hop, electro, rock and practically every other genre on the planet, Flylo creates a vessel in which to explore the outer-reaches of the human condition in death. If this sounds just SUPER heavy and buzz-killy it really, really isn't as it's a dense, magical listen which unfurls itself over multiple spins but is instantly likeable. Saxophone solos come and go, guitars pop and snarl then quiet back down and hip-hop luminaries like Snoop Dogg and a song-stealing Kendrick Lemarr show up to rhyme a bit then slowly fade away into the ether. The Kendrick track 'Never Catch Me' I initially didn't like but is now a real favourite of mine as it really only works within the context of this astonishing album; hell, take any single track off this one and it won't make a lick of sense but give the whole 40-ish minute disc a spin (conservative for a Lotus record) and you'll be in for one of the strangest acid trips in your whole life. By exploring death and using his music to make sense of it all, Flylo has crafted the year's most exhilarating genre-shifting willow-the-wisp of a record and deserves all the accolades that are surely coming to him. In a word, stellar. | | 1 |  | Lazer/Wulf
The Beast of Left and Right
Now THIS is the surprise of the year - a small band I'd never heard of releases a quasi-palindromic sophomore album through Kylesa's RetroFuturist label and it's ALREADY possibly my AOTY? How has this happened? Well, the title of this album kind of sums up how I feel because this is an absolute BEAST of a listen. Sure, it's not truly palindromic but my adoration for this record wouldn't change even if I wasn't aware of the concept at all; this band have TREMENDOUS chops, more ideas in a single song than most bands manage in an entire career and such a masterful control over each pieces structure that it leaves me speechless. Seriously, this record is like a Pandora's Box of twists and turns and yet, even now, my jaw-drop amazement at their technical wizardry is never overshadowed by the sheer joy of furiously nodding my head. Imagine two thirds of the Mars Volta at their proggiest jamming with Slayer, all the while covering Mastodon's Remission (throw a few Isis vocal breaks in there for good measure) and you MIGHT have some idea how this sounds - hell, even the not-very-clever vocals that occasionally pop through sound like the work of mad geniuses rather than an overcooked afterthought. I checked out their first album and it left me quite cold (basically take any home produced tech-instro-metal from the past 10 years and it sounds like that) so the fact that this is SUCH a huge leap forward amazes me in the present but also makes me insanely excited for their future (a small mention in the way of production - their first album sounds computerised (as most modern metal does), distant and alienating. This record sounds warm, inviting and lived in, like it's being played on real amps; seriously top notch effort by whoever the hell produced this). I honestly don't think this is far off a 10 (time, obviously, will tell) but so far, this is my AOTY 2014...and it's only August. It's that good. Get it. | |
Thibs
12.22.14 | a few of these did nothing for me but props for 3 | VinVal
12.23.14 | nice |
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