you take the cards that you're dealt

I've already written a post about my love addiction obsession with Dry the River's two albums. But I have to be pretty honest here: I haven't listened to much of anything else in the past six weeks. I mean, I haven't even had much of a desire to listen to anything else since March 7.

Now, look, this isn't really major news. I've binged on a lot of bands in my time. I have an addictive personality. (It's the reason why I don't trust myself to have children; I've loved a lot of bands that I've quickly tired of.) But a lot has been said for binging on television shows, about sitting in your pajamas on your couch for an entire weekend and watching all six seasons of Lost but where are the articles about spending an entire Saturday listening to Shallow Bed? (If there's someone else other than my best friend and I doing that, point me in their direction because clearly we need to become friends.)

Anyway, this isn't about Dry the River, they're just my band of choice right now. (I swear, I cannot start my day without listening to "Weights and Measures" lately. I tried to yesterday but after a few songs, I needed to go back to it. It was almost like an addiction.) It's about the relationship with (other) music I've had over the past six weeks. Tons of great records have been released, and some of them I haven't even bothered to listen to. I've partially listened to a handful, turning them off after four or five songs because I'm bored, or to put on "Shaker Hymns" or "Vessel." I've listened to three new records all the way through (DCFC, Sufjan Stevens, and Lower Dens, and only the latter two have I listened to more than once.) I've basically lost interest in all new music. (I do recall, however, listening to Jeff Buckley a bit...)

When I'm binging on a band or an album, it's really, really difficult to listen to my old music. It's really difficult to not just press play on that one artist and ignore all the others. I mean, it's practically a chore to listen to songs I really do love. And I've forgotten about so many of them too. It's kind of like when you run into someone you know and you really don't want to talk to him or her but you end up chatting and it's awkward. But you forget that you really love "The Woodpile" or "Terrible Love" or "Tables and Chairs" (oh, don't get me started on Andrew Bird.) You kind of even forget these songs exist. I accidentally pressed play on "Acts of Man" when I scrolling for "Alarms in the Heart" and was like, "oh, yeah, this song, right, it's...been awhile, hasn't it?" I listened to it, sure, but it just didn't give me the excitement it used to. How sad is that? I mean, "Acts of Man." Y'all know how much I fucking love that song, and what it means (meant?) to me.

Eventually I'll burn out on DtR, or I'll find a new band to obsess over, and I'll go back to listening to "Old Old Fashioned" and "Cold Day From the Birdhouse" and the like, and I'll probably never want to hear "The Chambers and the Valves" ever again. It's what I do. Binge and purge music. Even if I stop listening to you completely, there's a good chance I will see you when you announce your NYC-area show. In fact, I can't remember the last time I saw a band while I was in the midst of actually listening to them. My latest trend in concert-going is to know and like a few of your songs and decide, hey, why not, let's go see them. I guess going to see a band and then buying their music is not the correct way to do things?

And I know this is not the normal way people listen to music. Of course, I do know that people do tend to listen to songs over and over and over again and play them out and never think about them again. I also know that there are many people out there who don't listen to albums, and don't really have bands or artists they can refer to as their "favorites." And of course, there are even more people who just do not buy any music anymore. But when you listen to so much music, and especially now that so much is available to you at anytime on Spotify or YouTube, it is really so easy to forget about bands and songs. I swear, if I went to look through my vinyl collection, I'd probably be really surprised I own records by Caveman and The Morning Benders. I'd suspect that a lot of people stick to their favorite artists and don't exactly branch out to find new ones. I also suspect a lot of people don't binge on music. Am I wrong here? But I'm pretty certain that most people don't care enough about the songs they used to love to ever go back to them. I mean, for cryin' out loud, taking songs off of my iPod is a huge to-do because who knows when I'll want to listen to "Testament to Youth in Verse?" If I take it off, will I ever remember it existed in the first place? What does it matter? I'll just find a new song/band to listen to anyway.

And maybe that's how I should think about it. So what if I don't want to listen to We Were Promised Jetpacks anymore? Who cares? Does it really matter? Music, I guess, is fluid. You're not always going to want to listen to the same bands or songs. God knows I don't want to listen to Hanson anymore (what, I was like 10 years old!)

But imagine how boring life would be if we just listened to the same songs over and over again.

I may not see the future but I've seen it's lonely architect

My recent love of Dry the River deserves a post of its own.

I am not exaggerating, and I am not being hyperbolic, but I haven't felt this strongly about a band since Frightened Rabbit. (I mean, I fell really hard for The Twilight Sad at the end of last year, and don't get me wrong, I fucking love them but Dry the River are just so. damn. good.)

My love of Dry the River basically highlights why I am very pro-streaming, pro-Spotify. A few months back, I was actually listening to Frightened Rabbit radio on Spotify and a song called "No Rest" by a band called Dry the River came on and I was like, "huh, never heard of them but I'll let it play." And oh, my goodness. That voice. I mean, you know what I'm talking about if you've ever heard that song. That voice. I typically like deeper, huskier voices but Peter Liddle's voice is stunning and so full of emotion that you just can't not love it. It reminds me of a rougher version of Jeff Buckley's. (I normally roll my eyes when people make comparisons to him, especially when it involves Andrew Bird since I NEVER hear it but this one is dead-on.) But anyway, I fell in love with "No Rest" but didn't fall head-over-heels in love with the rest of their album (Alarms in the Heart hadn't been released yet).

And then I saw this:

This has become one of my favorite Youtube videos ever. It's stunning (that's going to be the running theme of this post). It made me fall in love with this song, and it's probably my favorite DtR track. This video made me really pay attention to them and really start listening to Shallow Bed (I think by that time, Alarms in the Heart was out). I liked Shallow Bed enough (I mean, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better sequence of songs on an album than "Demons" to "Weights and Measures") and while their second record was a bit different, I still liked it enough. I was even considering going to see them back in November but I was at concert #99 and already had tickets to see We Were Promised Jetpacks/The Twilight Sad, and didn't think they were a good enough #100 (funny, huh?)

And then DtR came back around and announced another NYC show and I was like, "um, do I want to see them? I guess I do. It's been five months since I've been to a show and this one is cheap and on a Saturday night and yeah, I don't know. They'd be #100 but whatever. I'll sleep on it." And the week of the show, I listened to their records again and decided, sure, I'll get tickets. What the hell.

Oh. my. God.

They are fantastic live. Peter Liddle's voice is just beautiful in person, and their harmonies! My goodness! I brought a friend with me who didn't know any of their songs and went in completely cold and hasn't listened to anything else since that night. And well, neither have I. That's when you know you've been to a great concert. I promptly bought both of their records after the show, and my goodness, they're both so ridiculously good. The songwriting is incredibly strong, and Peter Liddle is probably the best lyricist I've discovered since Scott Hutchison (yep, I went there.) I mean, I was listening to a song the other day on my walk to the subway and actually said, "Goddamn it" aloud because the lyric was that great. The last time I did that, I was listening to "Scottish Winds."

Dry the River doesn't actually sound like Frightened Rabbit. (They remind me of a mix of Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver with a little bit of Patrick Watson, and a much, much better Bear's Den/Mumford and Sons. I know, don't look at me like that. But c'mon, "Hope Diamond," for example, sounds like a better version of a Mumford and Sons song. I'll admit though, it's really reductive to compare them to Mumford and Sons but I cannot lie, I hear it.) I compare the two because FR is probably the most solid band around right now, and Scott Hutchison is probably the best songwriter around right now, and while I'm not ready to anoint DtR with the same accolades (I'll give them another album or two before I do so), DtR is so solid and talented already. There are quite a few bands who come right out the gate with great debut records who can't live up to them with their second records. But not DtR; Alarms of the Heart isn't as excellent as Shallow Bed (not too many records are; seriously, I must have listened to it a dozen time all the way through since I bought it on Tuesday) but it is still pretty great (hey, I did put it on my Honorable Mentions list last year, didn't I?) Their music is just beautiful, and I don't think I've listened to music this stunning since Andrew Bird. (I know, these are major comparisons I'm making, huh?)

I also haven't been this excited about a band since Frightened Rabbit (I know, The Twilight Sad, I KNOW but I cannot tell a lie), simply because of their level of talent. If they're this good now, can you imagine what their third record will be like? Can you imagine how fantastic their live shows will become, considering they're already great? A lot of times I feel like these younger, newer bands come around who are hyped up to the high heavens but either can't deliver live or cannot deliver good (not even good enough, just plain good) second albums. Because they don't have it (I love We Were Promised Jetpacks but I've even said this about them). Dry the River have it. They take something that sounds familiar (i.e. folk and Americana and indie-rock) and make it fresh. And that voice.

Things I Am Sick of Hearing/Being Asked

1. Where do you find these bands?
Most of the time, this question is asked rhetorically but in a world where you can find EVERYTHING on the internet, it should not baffle you that I can find small bands from all over the world. Especially with Spotify, Pandora, and YouTube. You don't have to rely on the radio (who listens to the radio anyway?) or television to find new music. Quite frankly, I don't think anyone just listens to mainstream stuff really cares about music/discovering new bands. I'm not being snobby about it; some people just don't care enough about music to worry about the new Matthew E. White album. I've had a ton of people tell me they don't go to concerts because they don't listen to someone enough to pay to see them live. Sure, I find this odd but it's fair.

So where do I find "these bands?" The internet! Also, music blogs, word of mouth, and through bands I already listen to. This may sound ridiculous but it's a lot of work, and takes a lot of time to find new music.

2. Oh, what do they sing?
Nothing you know, don't worry. Again, don't want to be a snob, but you will be able to knock me down with a feather if you said, "Oh! I know that one!" after I replied with "Cold Days From the Birdhouse" or "Tenuousness."

3. That's not a thing. You made that up.
This a common response to Frightened Rabbit. Look, don't write off band because they have stupid names. And some of these, I couldn't even make up if I tried.

4. If they're so good, why aren't they more well-known?
What kind of logic is this? Psy had a super popular song but nobody would argue he was a good musician, or that was a good song. Don't even get me started on Meghan Trainor or Ke$ha. Popular doesn't mean good. There are a handful of bands I love who I wish were bigger and more popular and making more money, simply because I think they're very talented and decent people and deserve to be bigger. I feel like it's simply the luck of the draw when it comes to which bands blow up. Look how long it took The National! I just think it's silly to assume a band isn't good because they're unknown when a lot of popular stuff is just fucking terrible.

5. Vinyl!? Who still buys vinyl!?
Sure, it's more expensive but it's pretty! And it's something tangible and physical that you will  presumably get to own for forever. Plus the act of putting a record on your turntable and sitting on your bed to listen to it is incredible. I guess if you don't care about music and aren't attached to the idea of owning an album (or the idea of an album in general), vinyl is a baffling concept.

6. You go to so many concerts!
Because it's what I truly like to do! Because I listen to a lot of small bands who play small venues and the tickets are usually $20 or less! If I was listening to bigger names who were charging $200+ for decent seats in huge arenas, no, I would not go as frequently as I do. I think a lot of people are under the impression concerts are exclusive, expensive events. I used to.

People are also baffled by my willingness to stand at shows. Sorry, I like to feel like an active participant at concerts.

7. This song is weird/this sucks/how can you listen to this/what the fuck is this/he sounds like Groundskeeper Willie, etc....
Yes, the last one is true, courtesy of my mother.

Taste is personal and music is very personal but it's incredibly rude to look someone in the eye and tell him or her that the song or band he or she likes is bad. Because you don't know how much a song means to someone. If Taylor Swift's music makes you feel good, lifts you from your bad mood, gets you through the day, all power to you and to her songs. Who am I to judge?

Favorite Tracks of 2014

1. James Vincent McMorrow-Repeating

We delay every horse in the kingdom

We divert every flow to a sinkhole

And I stare at the room in the send off

To repeat every word as it sings out

2. Future Islands-Back in the Tall Grass

One step takes me home
Two steps back on my own
Three skips to each stone
Four steps back and I'm gone

3. Spoon-Inside Out

Break out of character for me
Time keeps on going when
We got nothing else to give
We got nothing else to give

4. Owl John-Cold Creeps

5. Owl John-Stupid Boy

A rubber mind, a messy heart,
I'm breaking down on boulevards,
A dumb and dickless rocking horse,
Forever witless and never fully grown

(Yeah, I put two Owl John songs on the list back-to-back. They're both that good.)

6. James Vincent McMorrow-Red Dust

 

Sometimes my hands they don't feel like my own
I need someone to love

I need someone to hold

7. FKA Twigs-Two Weeks

 

Give me two weeks, you won’t recognize her

8. The Twilight Sad-There's a Girl In the Corner

You said you'd love me but you'll just forget 

(goddamn this song, goddamn it)

9. Sia-Chandelier

1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, drink
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, drink
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, drink
Throw 'em back 'til I lose count

10. Sam Smith-Stay With Me

But you can lay with me so it doesn't hurt

11. Kevin Drew-Good Sex

I'm still dreaming with you, baby

12. The Felice Brothers-Saturday Night

I ain't the Boss but I'm his illegitimate son

'cause baby, I was born to run 

(I love that lyric. Come at me, Pitchfork.)

13. St. Vincent-Prince Johnny

I wanna mean more than I mean to you

14. Owl John-Don't Take Off the Gloves

 

So come at me when I'm weak, degraded, and undone

just don't take off the gloves

15. Sylvan Esso-Coffee

 

The sentiment's the same but the pair of feet change

16. tUnE-yArDs-Real Thing

Water if water is wet

don't have a penny, I look good in debt

17. The Antlers-Revisited

You can’t unbreak our broken leases

holding on to broken pieces, so return them

no guilt, no sorry speeches

18. The War on Drugs-Red Eyes

(I dare you not to dance)

19. We Were Promised Jetpacks-I Keep It Composed

I keep it composed, I keep it so poised

I keep it together by keeping the ship but sinking the treasure

20.  The Twilight Sad-Sometimes I Wished I Could Fall Asleep

 

Will you call me when you're there

run your fingers through your hair

(I just had to include this song on the list in some way, shape, or form. Why? For one, it was a favorite for me on this album right off the bat, and I think it's very different from other TTS songs. And, you know, James Graham's voice is absolutely incredible.)

Lust is my friend. She comes to me when I'm tired.

I feel like I'm constantly writing about how disappointed I am by artists I used to love (I'm beginning to just feel like music just belongs to a moment, not forever). I guess because the only bands I've truly loved over the last two years or so are Frightened Rabbit and The Twilight Sad, and really, how much do you want to hear about them? (But seriously, go listen to both of those bands. Now.)

Anyway, enough about those Scottish bands because it's a new year and new records are being released (and lemme just say, it's already been a great year, three weeks in). And this week saw the release of albums by two bands I listened to a lot of in college: Belle and Sebastian and The Decemberists. The latter, let me tell you, was one of my favorite bands about 10 years ago or so, and their first three albums are very important to me. I can still listen to "The Bagman's Gambit" and "We Both Go Down Together" and "The Island" and get excited and overwhelmed (tell me the tempo change in "The Bagman's Gambit" isn't incredible). The lyrics to "On the Bus Mall" are some of my favorite of all time, and you know how I feel about lyrics. Colin Meloy is a genius, and they are a terrific live band. I admired The Hazards of Love (my favorite thing about it was probably Shara Worden's vocals) but didn't care much for The King is Dead (sounded like a bunch of late-era R.E.M. b-sides) but once I heard they were releasing a new record this year I was like YES! NEW DECEMBERISTS! But basically that was out of habit. Everyone gets excited when they hear a band they really like/liked is gong to release a new record, especially now when you can stream everything so there's nothing to lose by listening to it. It was nice to have The Decemberists back, even if I didn't end up enjoying the record.

Well, now the record is out. Meh. But this isn't going to be a post about how disappointed I am about What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World because I had no expectations. And it's a nice album. It's been called "unambitious" in a lot of reviews, and I think that's probably the best way to describe it. All of the songs, to me, sound the same, and that is never the case with The Decemberists. I get it, they're getting older, I understand the path they're going, whatever. It doesn't seem as offensive to me as The Avett Brothers (because I don't feel like they have anything to gain from changing their sound). I accept it. They may never write a song as epic as "The Wanting Comes in Wave/Repaid" and may never use a harpsichord again. I guess that's...okay. My only issue is that those things, the harpsichord, the elaborate string sections, the songs about rakes and knaves and pirates and whales and chimbley sweeps, the whole epic nature of it all, that's what makes The Decemberists The Decemberists. All of the down tempo songs, the Americana on the new record are fine but not for The Decemberists. It's nice to have you all back, truly, but I'll be listening to Picaresque and  Her Majesty The Decemberists and Castaways and Cutouts (and some of The Crane Wife, actually) while being very glad of the fact that you're no longer on hiatus.

(I just want to say that yes, you're right, I did think ever song on Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave sounded the same upon first, second, and third listen but...the great reviews made me want to keep trying. I am going to keep trying with What a Terrible World... too but nobody is saying much about it other than, "uh...it's nice.")

Speaking of Scotland...Belle and Sebastian also have a new record out. My love of that band lasted about...six months, and over the years, I've basically distanced myself from them. They are very twee, yes, and sometimes kind of lame but when I heard the new album was coming out, I thought, "Well, something to listen to." I mean, they're always a band I felt affinity towards (probably because "Dress Up In You" is one of my favorite songs ever), and I always want them to do well (this is the story with every Scottish band, isn't it?) So, I'm not in love Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance yet but it excites me. Every B&S record should sound like ABBA. (Every record ever should sound like ABBA.) I don't want you to think that I love (or even like) every track but Jesus Christ, when it's good, it's good. I thought "The Party Line" was good but holy shit, "Enter Sylvia Plath" and all its europop-goodness! We're less than a month into 2015 and I'd be hard pressed to find a) a better song this year and b) a lyric I'll like more than "be your sidecar if you want to race." And then you get to "Play For Today," which is such a sweet song, and Stuart Murdoch's vocals are so incredible, they almost make me emotional (and my goodness, Dee Dee Penny has some voice, doesn't she?).  Or maybe the rush of emotions is just from the fact that song is so good. Or...and I had this thought too but...maybe it has to do with the fact that Murdoch's voice just brings me back to being younger, and listening to "Lord Anthony" and "If You Find Yourself Caught in Love" or "If She Wants Me." It's a comfort. In the same way Colin Meloy's is. The only difference is that where Meloy is writing less-exciting songs that could have been written by anyone, Murdoch stepped up his game and embraced a new sound. I may never love the B&S record beyond these three songs (but I will say, "Nobody's Empire," "The Cat With the Cream," and "The Everlasting Muse" are very good) but I cannot not like it. These three songs are some of the best to come out in a long time, and dare I say better than anything that came out last year?

In other early 2015 releases, Panda Bear's "Mr Noah" is another fantastic song. My God. When the percussion comes in in the beginning! I'm still a bit cold towards the rest of the record but I plan on giving it some more time. Animal Collective-related work really needs some time before it reveals its greatness.

The Viet Cong record (also out this past week) is incredible. Incredible. I can't believe how exciting it! It's a no frills, guitar-heavy record, and it's beautiful (although I find the drums even more exciting than the guitars!) "Continental Shelf"is a fantastic song, and tell me you don't get chills during the tempo change at 1:30.

I'm overwhelmed by how many great tracks we've already gotten so early in the year. That was my big problem in 2014: there were a lot of songs I really loved but nothing spectacular. Nothing like "The House That Heaven Built" or "Dance Yourself Clean" or "Bay of Pigs," even "Acts of Man." But so far, so great. And I'm sure there are a ton of others to come. (Also, props to Dan Mangan for "XVI," even if I'm kind of so-so on the record. The A-side is strong but the B-side seems like a whole lot of filler. Like most of his records. But his voice!)

Know what I don't care for? Brace yourself: the new Sleater-Kinney. Seriously, I am really trying with it, waiting for it to get better. Maybe it's just not for me? It's not like I've always been a fan anyway. But all I keep hearing is how fantastic it is and I'm like, "whatever, nothing special." I'm beginning to think it's just a whole lot of people expressing their pleasure over them coming back from hiatus. Lately I feel like people just have knee-jerking responses to records and are all like IT'S FANTASTIC! and then their opinions come to change. We all know I have the opposite responses to records. But for me, it's the opposite, and it is an amazing feeling when a record finally clicks with you. For me, it's the stuff  I love right away that I end up listening to less.

Favorite Records of 2014

Look, every year I feel like I say the same thing: this year was disappointing. But something was very off about how I listened to music in 2014. Typically, I find my "January," a band or an artist I fall madly in love with, binge on for at least the first half of the year, see at least once live, and buy all of their back catalog on vinyl. That didn't happen this year. Well, technically it didn't. See, I think part of the reason was that I'm still binging on Frightened Rabbit, my artist of 2013. And another part of it is because although my favorite record of the year was released in January, I didn't find myself becoming too attached to the artist. In fact, I didn't actually binge on any particular band until October rolled around, and it's not fair to say that 2014 was the year of The Twilight Sad.

2014 also felt like the year of "Pretty Good But Still a Disappointing Follow-ups" That is to say that I enjoyed a lot of albums by artists I loved but they just weren't as great as their predecessors. 2014: the year of disappointment.

Anyway, onto the list...

1. James Vincent McMorrow-Post Tropical
I think I initially fell in love with this record because it was like some beautiful cross between Bon Iver and James Blake. It was also very different from JVM's first record, which I thought was fine but unforgettable (I still haven't warmed up to it.) But from the moment I pressed play on that January evening, I was hooked (well, it was really the first time I heard "The Lakes" but we'll let that go). This was probably the record I listened to the most this year, and it is truly a stunner. Aside from JVM's beautiful voice, there are just so many stunning little moments (sort of like Grizzly Bear's Shields from a few years back) throughout the album. It really is a all-encompassing listening experience, and honestly, I found it really accessible right off the bat. This record has been out almost a year and I'm still listening to it regularly.

Favorite Tracks: Repeating, Red Dust, Outside, Digging

2. Owl John-Owl John
I really went back and forth about my number one this year. As much as I love Post Tropical, I didn't feel an emotional connection to it. But with Owl John, I clearly did because Scott Hutchison is basically my favorite musician. I likened it to reading a brand new book as opposed to reading the next book in a beloved series. It's always a lovely surprise when you pick up something you don't know, with new characters, and end up loving it, whereas you're pretty certain you're going to really enjoy a book in a series filled with characters and plots you already adore. So I thought, well, which record really shaped your 2014? To be honest, neither. But for me, it's a matter of two things: I genuinely like every song on Post Tropical, whereas I really don't care for "Los Angeles Be Kind" on Owl John, and well, I don't know if I could recommend the latter to everyone. It feels like a special record for people who are already fans of Hutchison's work. Does it sound like a Frightened Rabbit record? No, it does not. But it's not an immediate record, and I think you have to go into with already liking (or loving) the guy's music.

Anywho, with that being said, I was still pretty apprehensive about this when I listened to it the first time. I'm always kind of nervous about pressing play on a new record by an artist I love but to be honest, I didn't love "Hate Music" or "Red Hand" when I initially heard them, so I was pretty convinced I'd be disappointed with the whole record. But then I heard "Cold Creeps" and holy shit, all apprehension was completely erased. That song, I mean, it's like nothing Scott has ever written before, and it's absolutely incredible. And for some reason, that last chorus always makes me smile and remember just what it is I love about his music. Never let it be said the man can't write a killer opening track.

The rest of the album took a bit of time to grow on me (seeing him live definitely helped) but I think it's all pretty much perfect (not you, "Los Angeles Be Kind"), especially "Stupid Boy." (Jesus Christ, "Stupid Boy" is so so so so good.)  Even something like "Don't Take Off the Gloves," which initially struck me as really bizarre and kind of off-putting, became one of my favorite songs of the year.

Bottom line: this is a really, really solid album by a really, really talented songwriter.

Favorite Tracks: Cold Creeps, Stupid Boy, Don't Take Off the Gloves

3. The Twilight Sad-Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave
This record is one of my most rewarding listening experiences of 2014, and proves that sometimes you really have to have patience with a record or else you'll miss out on a gem. When "There's a Girl In the Corner" was first released, I was like, "where's the chase and how can I cut to it?" And then when the whole thing was streaming on Stereogum, I tried my hardest to get into it but it just did not capture my attention at all. Nothing stood out for me. I tried, and tried, and tried, really I did. (I also have this problem with The National sometimes.) But for some reason, I really kept trying. And suddenly, it all clicked and I realized, "Dammit, this is amazing!" I mean really, the A side is stellar (and the B side but that's neither here nor there), and I think this is The Twilight Sad's most accessible (jeez, there's that word again) record, and certainly their catchiest album. (Catchy seems really reductive but I suppose it's better to say that their clearest melodies are on this record.) And uh, let's talk about James Graham's vocals. They really are quite beautiful on this record (see: "Sometimes I Wished I Could Fall Asleep") and I don't think he's ever sounded better.

I mean I could go on forever about how great I think this album is, about how amazing the way "There's a Girl in the Corner" builds, or how "Last January" should've been a bigger song than it was (a la "The Woodpile"), or how amazing the vocals in the first chorus of "It Was Never the Same" are. But the bottom line is that the album is a great achievement and everyone should listen to it.

Favorite Tracks: There's a Girl In the Corner, It Was Never The Same, Sometimes I Wished I Could Fall Asleep

4. Spoon-They Want My Soul
Perfect record is perfect. Like "Nobody Want to Be Here...," I wasn't completely enamored with this right away. I really liked "Inside Out" and "Knock Knock Knock" but it all blended together for me, and upon initially listens I was just like, "meh, whatever. Spoon." And again, I gave it a few more tries and once again, it clicked and suddenly it was like, "WHOA! WHAT AN ALBUM!" As I've already said, it is perfect. And "Inside Out" is probably the most perfect song released this year. Not to mention, Britt Daniels' vocals are so killer. He's truly one of the best frontmen in music today.

Favorite Tracks: Inside Out, Knock Knock Knock, Rainy Taxi

5. tUnE-yArDs-Nikki Nack
Like I've said before, I adore Merrill Garbus. She is an outstanding talent and her music is so original and creative. She manages to be confident and vulnerable at the same time, sexy and insecure. She's also one of the most consistent artists these days. I may not have loved this one as much as w h o k i l l  but it was still incredibly enjoyable, with amazing vocals and amazing lyrics. I rank this only at #5 because I've kind of stopped listening to it, so I don't know how great its lasting power is but as a complete work, it's very, very good.

Favorite Tracks: Real Thing, Hey Life, Left Behind

6. Sylvan Esso-Sylvan Esso
This record was a complete surprise, and a delightful one at that. It's catchy, infectious, and Amelia Meathe's vocals are amazing. It also reminds me of the good old days of CocoRosie.

Favorite Tracks: Coffee, Could I Be, Dress

7. The Antlers-Familiars
The Antlers are such a solid, consistent band, and consequently, one of my favorites. Okay, so this record wasn't as immediate as Burst Apart (but Burst Apart is perfection), and I was a wee bit disappointed by it but it's an album that quietly reveals its greatness. And there's a lot of beauty in it. Peter Silberman has one of my favorite voices in music at the moment, and he never fails to devastate me with his vocals (and his lyrics too). A lot of people slept on this record, and I don't think The Antlers get the attention they deserve.

Favorite Tracks: Revisited, Director, Hotel

8. We Were Promised Jetpacks-Unravelling
I love We Were Promised Jetpacks but my biggest complaint about them has always been a lack of variety in their music. All of their songs were very loud, and emotional, and fast-paced. I wanted a bit more nuance from them (and this is coming from someone who loves Japandroids). Well, they delivered it on Unravelling. As much as I love These Four Walls, I think their third album is most certainly their best. Their songwriting alone is way stronger than on their first two releases. Maybe it's not as immediate but it's also far more rewarding, and way less repetitive.


(I rank this so low simply because it's fallen out of rotation a bit.)


Favorite Tracks: I Keep It Composed, Night Terror, A Part of It


9. St. Vincent-St. Vincent
Annie Clark, what am I going to do with you? Yes, I think she's one of the most talented musicians making music right now, and I think St. Vincent is superficially a great album but it left me so cold. The songs are great, don't get me wrong, but nothing on in comes close to "Marrow" or "The Party" or "Surgeon" or "Neutered Fruit." Nothing hits emotionally on St. Vincent (maybe "Prince Johnny" comes close.) I was so disappointed in this album, especially since Actor and Strange Mercy are two of my favorite albums of all-time. But at the same time, I do really like it. Am I contradicting myself You get me, right?

Part of it is that I don't really buy this persona Annie Clark has constructed for this album. It doesn't quite feel genuine to me, and if I can't find genuineness in your music, I can't really love it.


Favorite Tracks: Prince Johnny, Regret, Every Tear Disappears

10. The War On Drugs-Lost in the Dream
Obligatory The War on Drugs mention.

I'm kidding. This is a great album. I mean, very well-written and executed. Another one that kind of leaves me cold but still a really good work of art. That's just the best way to describe it for me. It's nothing I can get really into but I can acknowledge that it's a great album.

Favorite Tracks: Under the Pressure, Red Eyes

Honorable Mentions:
First Aid Kit-Stay Gold
FKA Twigs-LP1
Dry the River-Alarms In the Heart
Kevin Drew-Darlings

Albums Released in Previous Years That I Want to Mention Anyway:
We Were Promised Jetpacks-These Four Walls
The Twilight Sad- Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters
Chvrches-The Bones of What You Believe
Dry the River-Shallow Bed

Most Disappointing Records:
Damien Rice-My Favorite Faded Fantasy
Future Islands-Singles (I even bought this record and I still can't find it in me to enjoy it. Glad everyone else does. It is sort of unfair to say it was disappointing because I had no expectations for it and I've never been a huge fan of theirs. It's more of a "I bought this but I don't get it" thing.)
Wye Oak-Shriek (After loving their last record, this was such a let down. I barely listened to it after it was released.)

Favorite Concerts/Sets of 2014

1. Owl John + Mike Pace and the Child Actors//The Bell House
(Note: the opening act for this show is completely irrelevant. Completely.) Sometimes I just know a concert is going to be amazing before it even starts. This was one of those shows. Two hours of Scott Hutchison and a guitar, pretty much playing only requests, in a room that only stood 500? It doesn't, and won't, get any better than that. (I mean, if you're a big Scott Hutchison fan, of course.) I remember walking out of The Bell House in complete shock and awe that night. And the set! "Scottish Winds?" "Good Arms Vs. Bad Arms?" "Floating the Forth?" "Footshooter?" Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. And "The Loneliness and the Scream" and "The Woodpile" are pretty much the most perfect songs in a live setting. And I won't even get into all of the other amazing songs played that night. I walked out of the venue thinking, "Jesus Christ, Hutchison is the best songwriter right now." He's also one of the better performers I've seen (I immediately likened him to Glen Hansard, so you know I'm serious about it. Thou shall not bare false comparisons to Glen Hansard. That's my second commandment, after "He is Glen Hansard, there is nobody better than Glen Hansard.") Everyone deserves to see their favorite musician play solo in an intimate space.

It also helps that I managed to meet Scott before the show. I'm not sure how it happened or what I said to him but it happened. And I'm still fangirling about it.

2. We Were Promised Jetpacks + The Twilight Sad//Webster Hall
I'm putting this out there right now: this show happened at just the right time for me. I basically listened to only the new Twilight Sad record in the weeks leading up to this show. So I was really psyched to see The Twilight Sad (even though I had seen them the month before, I don't know, it's very complicated, I suppose). Throw in WWPJ (who were one of my favorite bands of 2014) and you've got one hell of a bill.

I saw WWPJ back in March and it was kind of an odd show. They didn't have it, and the tone of the show seemed off to me. They'd do songs like "Quiet Little Voices" and "Ships With Holes Will Sink" and the crowd would get really into it but then they'd do new songs and the crowd would just shut down completely. There was no momentum. I felt like they had the capacity to be a great band, they just needed a bit more charisma and personality. Well, fast forward eight months and it was like a totally different band on that stage. All of their songs worked so well (especially the new ones), and they sounded very tight. They looked like they really wanted to be up on that stage, and that they were having fun. I still can't quite figure out their fans, and why they don't respond to some great songs (i.e. "I Keep It Composed) but lose their shit for stuff on These Four Walls (I know, that's a killer album). I still think they lack something, maybe whatever it is but I really enjoy them and I think they are really improving with every record.

But for me, this show was about The Twilight Sad. Now, I've been a casual listener/fan of theirs since 2012 (does this all sound like a song and dance I gave about another Scottish band?), and for some ungodly reason I got tickets to their show at Rough Trade because well...Scotland. (Scottish men, you are my weakness.) But holy shit, if I didn't fall in love with Nobody Wants To Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave. And I enjoyed every damn second of their set at Webster Hall (as I held said album in my hands because I just had to buy it and worried it was going to sell out after the show.) They're sort of an intense live experience, and I know they get compared to Frightened Rabbit all the time (I don't see nor hear it), but I feel like watching James Graham is similar to watching Matt Berninger.  They are a really great, unfairly underrated band (I suspect accessibility is the case with them but fuck that) and let me just say, I haven't listened to anyone but them in the two weeks since this show. You know it's love when I binge on you after seeing you live (see: Andrew Bird in the summer of 2009).

This has nothing to do with how much I enjoyed this entire night but...I met James Graham after the show and he was very, very lovely.

3. Kevin Drew + Andy Kim//The Bowery Ballroom
2014 was the year of impulse concert going (see: The Twilight Sad at Rough Trade). I also thought 2014 was going to be the year of Kevin Drew (it was more like the month of Kevin Drew) but regardless, this was an incredibly fun show. Wanna talk about personality! I'd seen Kevin with Broken Social Scene open for TV on the Radio, which is one of my favorite sets I've ever seen, so I know he is a great performer. No, "Darlings" isn't as great as any of the BSS stuff but the live show was, as I just said, very, very fun. Complete with crowd spooning and hugs!

Andy Kim, while a bizarre pick for an opener, was also strangely very fun. Sometimes all I want is a fun concert and to have a good time.

4. Phosphorescent//Webster Hall
I often get annoyed when I see a band and their songs sound exactly the same live as they do on the album (looking at you, Bell x1). Well, Phosphorescent changes his songs up so much to the point where some of them are unrecognizable, and frankly, it's amazing. Matthew Houck is truly amazing live, period, end of story, and really, he's just so damn talented. And look, "Wolves," "Song for Zula" (that song will never not be incredible in any context), and "Ride On/Right On" back to back to back just about killed me.

I also saw Phosphorescent open for The National about a month later (this was a running theme of the year I see), and they were still pretty damn awesome.

5. James Vincent McMorrow//Town Hall
I was very apprehensive about this show. For one, it was at a seated venue, which I always find can be hit or miss when it comes to enjoyment. I like to feel like an active participant at shows. I like that feeling of collectivity. The feeling of being in the same room with your favorite artists. For me, seated shows can often just feel like I'm there, sitting, watching you play. If I wanted that, I'd go to the theater. Another reason I was a bit apprehensive was that although I love Post Tropical, I don't love his first record and wasn't super familiar with it.

Well, the show began and JVM is just playing song after song and I guess the crowd was into it,  but JVM wasn't really doing much in terms of entertaining us. But then something changed, and I was suddenly really enjoying myself. I think it has to do with his voice. Jesus Christ, that voice! And once he started talking and interacting with the crowd, I found him very engaging and the show became a bit more intimate. Look, not everyone needs to be like Glen Hansard or Scott Hutchison when it comes to stage banter but I do like it when artists acknowledge their crowds. When they don't, it almost feels invasive on the part of the audience. Or like they don't want us to be there. I also find it very uncomfortable as well. But anyway...back to James Vincent McMorrow. He just came off so charming, and with a voice (again, my goodness, that voice!) and those excellent, excellent songs, it made for a great night.

He also did one of his new songs, "When I Leave," and it was so frickin' good that I bought it right away. It's a bit more straightforward than his stuff on Post Tropical but I'm excited for whatever direction he goes in.

6. Sylvan Esso//Webster Hall
This was actually in support of tUnE-yArDs, and you know me with tUnE-yArDs: I cannot say a bad thing about Merrill Garbus. She is fantastic live. Really, her live shows are practically unparalleled. But that night, I wasn't feeling the whole atmosphere. It was really crowded, and there were a few people around me who were very, very annoying, and in total disregard for the people around them, and that pretty much soured me on the whole show. (Let it be known that tUnE-yArDs sounded really fantastic anyway. It wasn't them, not at all.)

Sylvan Esso however...boy are they a blast live. I know a lot of people are turned off by the whole karaoke singer vibe (look, I get it; it's one of the reasons I haven't seen Chvrches live) but when the songs are that fantastic, fuck it, just go along for the ride.