My Favorite Albums of 2014

So the last 3 years I’ve been lucky enougn to be able to do a best of year list on my old radio show on Preston FM.What with moving home over a distance of ~6000 miles, I had to give up the radio show and stop buying records for a while. Hence this list is

a) a blog (booo, another music blogger, boo!)

and

b) incomplete and should be treated as such. Since October I have only bought 3 records and am way behind on things.

That said, this is what I liked the most in 2014:

1. Ultimate Painting – “Ultimate Painting” – Trouble in Mind

A British Indie-rock meeting of the minds. Jack from Mazes and James from Veronica Falls. Sounds nothing like either of those bands. This is a perfect piece of indie-rock.  I buy (almost) everything that TiM put out but I was especially excited for this one, having had the chance to catch them live before the record came out, both supporting Parquet Courts and being lucky enough the be in the front row of their first ever headlining gig at the Castle, in Manchester (having darted across town from a Hookworms support slot!) I was hooked from the first listen and I like it more and more with each subsequent listen. (Can’t wait to finally listen to the LP once our hifi equipment arrives from the UK!) 

Buy here: http://troubleinmindrecs.com/bands/ultimatepainting.html

Suggested track: Talking Central Park Blues

 

2. Hookworms – “The Hum” – Weird World/Domino

The best live band on the planet, hands down, no argument. I will fist fight anyone who wishes to disagree on that. I saw them 4 times this year and I wish I could’ve seen them some more. There are bands out there dumb enough to let these guys be their support act. Bad idea. Their set supporting someone (I forget who) at the Brudenell in the summer was maybe the best of the shows i saw this year. Then some other band had to play to a half empty room of people who had just been decimated by Leeds’s finest.

After all the hype of their debut, I love that they felt zero pressure for the follow up and just did whatever they wanted at their own pace. The Hum builds on everything from Pearl Mystic whilst also better capturing the high energy of the live show. Everything here is exactly what I was hoping for from a new Hookworms record.  They can only continue getting better. I can’t wait to see them again in 2015.

Buy here: http://weirdworldus.dominorecordco.com/wwus/albums/27-08-14/the-hum/

Suggested track: Radio Tokyo 

 

3. Allah-Las – “Worship The Sun” – Innovative Leisure

It would be an easy knock on their 2^nd LP to say it’s a direct continuation of their debut. Whilst they’ve lost nothing of their signature sound from the first album, that would be unfair. There are some great songs on this record and the vintage sound is just as well crafted. Nobody writes an instrumental like these guys do. Seeing them headline the Friday night of Liverpool Psych Fest, playing a big room with great sound and cool visuals playing behind them, was a definite highlight of the year.  This is absolutely one of my favourite bands going right now.

Buy here: http://www.innovativeleisure.net/shop/worship-the-sun/

Suggested track: Buffalo Nickel 

 

4. Woods – “With Light & With Love” – Woodsist

Here’s a band it took me a while to fully embrace. It was tough to know where to begin with their catalogue. I kinda got into their previous LP but if you want an in for Woods, this is it. This is 10 songs filled with beauty and sunshine. The epic title track has the sort of extended jam you would expect from these guys, but the rest of the albums keeps the songs shorter and tighter but without losing anything. Seeing them on the Saturday of Liverpool Psych Fest was another absolute year highlight, particularly the set closing version of “With Light & With Love.” It was enough to convince my good friend Paulie (@dearMrB) to immediately go buy this record. I can think of no better endorsement.

Buy here: http://www.woodsist.com/woods/

Suggested track: New Light 

 

5. Ar-Kaics – “Ar-Kaics” – WINDIAN

It’s tough to talk about anything WINDIAN related without thinking about the death of Travis Jackson in January, which I still can’t get my head around (and I didn’t even know him outside of emails about buying records.) But, the label continues, and has had a tremendous year, no more so than the debut LP from Richmond, Virginia’s Ar-Kaics. I assume these guys have listened to every 60s garage comp ever? This is a perfect take on primal, primitive 60s rocknroll pounding with a filter through a more contemporary lens. A great record that benefits from repeated listens. Track down their singles too.

Buy here: http://www.windianrecords.com/store.html

Suggested track: Get My Way 

 

6. Eagulls – “Eagulls” – Partisan

Leeds’ other gang of live show killers turned out their first full length after a series of high profile US appearances (SXSW, Letterman etc). I’m not sure there is another record that speaks to the current state of Northern England right now as much as this one does. (Short version: it’s fucked up and shitty.) Taking a cue from 80s British post punk/punk but also sometimes sounding like they’d be at home playing to a packed stadium, this is a pulsating, pounding, simultaneously joyous and miserable brute of a debut. Expect more great things from these guys.

Buy here: http://shop.partisanrecords.com/products/eagulls

Suggested track: Tough Luck 

 

7. Doug Tuttle – “Doug Tuttle” – Trouble in Mind

My favourite psych record of 2014 (closely followed by label mate Morgan Delt!). The solo debut of one of the men behind MMOSS (who are responsible for my favourite modern psych record “Only Children”) continues from where that group left off, but with a slightly poppier bent. This is a beautiful sounding record, filled with good vibrations. Put it on in the back yard on a sunny day, sit in the sun and think about how great life is.

Buy here: http://troubleinmindrecs.com/bands/dougtuttle.html

Suggested track: I Will Leave 

 

8. Dan Sartain – “Dudesblood” – One Little Indian

Always a pleasure to get a new Dan record, but I wasn’t sure what to expect after the Ramones-core of “Too Tough To Live”. Dudesblood is definitely a combination of styles, often changing from one track to the next, but I like that. When the songs are good, like they are here, that works just fine.  There are some solid gold radio hits here “You Gotta Get Mad To Get Things Done” and some punk ragers “Smash The Tesco”.  The addition of DJ Bonebreak on drums, marimba and other percussion is a big plus. It’s just great to hear another Dan record. Hopefully there will be some shows to support this record soon (the EU/UK tour was cancelled.)

[For bonus Dan, check out the Grave Walks 7” on WINDIAN}

Buy here: http://joindansartain.bandcamp.com/album/dudesblood-12

Suggested track: Pass This On 

 

9. New Swears – “Junkfood Forever, Bedtime Whatever” – Bachelor

There can never be enough party music. Never! These Canadians are the latest to celebrate celebrating. I don’t have this level of party in me anymore, but it’s nice to listen to this record and think of the old times when I did. This would have been a rager record on any of the old canal boat booze cruises I went on with the late-noughts (2006-2009?) Preston crew. (Shout out the crew: Stevie Nicks, Ste-Bay, Raulo R Raulson, Widge, Bam-Bam, Mikey & Craig!)

Anyway, this is a solid record, their second as I understand it. Think it’s on a different label in the US/Canada but we got the Bachelor press before we split the UK. I dream of New Swears/Mean Jeans tour. I could summon some party energy to see that show (so long as it was on a weekend!)

Buy here: http://newswears.bandcamp.com/album/junkfood-forever-bedtime-whatever

Suggested track: Stay Gold

          

 

10. OBN III’s – “Live in San Francisco” – Castle Face

The Castle Face live series is batting at 100%. Every entry thus far is a winner! (And there’s a Ty Segall Band entry to come in January!) OBN III’s is one of those bands that I’d never quite gotten around to checking out, despite people I trust talking them up. From what I had heard, they were a wild live band, so this seemed like a great place to get onboard. Which it is. There’s a definite energy to the tracks here and it is clear this is a band that knows how to get the job done. That said, as great as the songs are, my favourite bits are the bits in between and during songs, where Orville is giving shit to people in the crowd (“Hey, we get to stay at your house tonight, right?”) That might just be me though. I love that stuff.

Buy here: http://www.castlefacerecords.com/products/obn-iii-s-live-in-san-francisco

Suggested track: So What If We Die 

Other Really Good Stuff:

Parquet Courts – “Sunbathing Animal” – What’s Your Rupture.

A slower overall vibe than “Light Up Gold” but it works for them. Suggested Track: Instant Disassembly 

King Tuff – “Black Moon Spell” – SubPop.

So much fun. Think “Was Dead” filtered through 70s rock nostalgia. Bummed I missed the tour for this record. Suggested Track: Eddie’s Song 

Ty Segall – “Manipulator” – Drag City

I felt the double album length killed some of the momentum. But everyone else didn’t seem to mind? Either way, there are some all-time great Ty songs on here. Fuck Drag City forever for their refusal to provide mp3s with LPs. It reeks of a money grabbing attempt to get me to buy two versions of the album. Suggested Track: Manipulator 

Cozy – “Button by Button” – HoZac

It’s a weird thing to compliment but the backing vocals/harmonies on this album are so good. Power pop good times all round here. Suggested Track: Button by Button 

Cretin Stompers – “Looking Forward To Being Attacked” – HoZac

Takes a few listens to get into but this is a unique sounding record with some really great songs buried under a heavy sheen of weirdness. Which is meant to be a compliment. Suggested Track: Eye of the Storm 

Teledrome – “Teledrome” – Mammoth Cave/FDH/P.Trash

On first listen, I thought it was too 80s synthy, laughed it off and kind of made fun of it to myself. Then the songs got stuck in my head and I listened to it again. And again and again. It’s a solid record. I had to accept that I like synth pop. It was a moment of human growth. Or something. Just enjoy it on its own terms. Suggested Track: Blood Drips 

 More LPs I Enjoyed: 

• Mazes – “Wooden Aquarium” – Fat Cat
• White Fence – “For The Recently Found Innocent” – Drag City
• Verma – “Sunrunner” – Trouble in Mind
• White Reaper – “White Reaper” – Polyvinyl
• Klaus Johann Grobe – “Im Sinner Der Zeit” – Trouble in Mind
• Warm Soda – “Young Reckless Hearts” – Castle Face
• Morgan Delt – “Morgan Delt” – Trouble in Mind
• Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs – “Gates of Hell” – Southpaw
• Thee Oh Sees – “Drop” – Castle Face

 Caveat – The List of Records I don’t own (yet) that I have heard and know are good or I assume are good and want to hear:

• Total Control – “Typical System”
• Thee Yolks – “Kings of Awesome”
• Son Of A Gun – “Bread”
• Gotobeds – “Poor People Are Revolting”
• Ausmuteants – “Order of Operation”
• Reigning Sound – “Shattered”
• Meatbodies – “Meatbodies”
• Matthew Melton – “Outside of Paradise”
• John Wesley Coleman III – “The Love That You Own”
• Theo Verney – “Heavy Sunn”
• Mariachi El Bronx – “Mariachi EL Bronx” (III)