Habits, Beggin' for Thread, Don't, I'm Not The Only One, All About You, Pompeii, Really Don't Care, Rather Be, Ghost, Come With Me Now, Boom Clap and Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?
Good news everyone, I have been given permission to start! This will the top 50 albums, up from 45 last year. And while it may not have any instant classics like Vampires or Yeezus, 2014 was sneaky good in the sheer amount of quality music, and the sonic diversity of it all. There are four albums worthy of #1 and even I'm not sure which way the great leader will go. As is tradition, there were plenty of rock bands that only 1% of this board has heard of. Yet more than any other year, hip-hop and pop stepped up big. Call me Palladia! OK I'm out of prologue material, so let's go! A couple of familiars kick us off. Tube vids will only be used when necessary.
50. Do It Again by Royskopp and Robyn
Favorite Song - "Do It Again"
-The last time we saw Robyn, she was going ark of the covenant on us and melting nazi faces with her epic 3-part album Body Talk in 2010. That placed #2 that year, and could very well be the greatest pop album of all time. No hyperbole needed because it is the truth! We've all been eagerly anticipating her follow up for three years and honestly, I'm still waiting. There's a reason Royskopp is listed first, despite it not fitting alphabetically, this is his album with Robyn singing. And that is fine. Dude can make some good electro beats. There's only six songs, but they're all over 5 minutes, some even hitting 9. So I consider this a full length release, a solid one, and hopefully it will get Robyn's creative juices flowing so she can drop another nuke on us in 2015.
49. Seeds by TV On The Radio
Favorite Song - "Happy Idiot"
Ignorance is bliss, they say on "Happy Idiot", the lead single and best song on the album. I can see where they are coming from. In between the release of this and their last album, bassist and keyboardist Gerard Smith passed away. Damn you, cancer! So right off the bat this album is very sad. Yet you wouldn't be able to tell by just listening to the upbeat riffs and vocal tones. My initial thoughts of this album were of a person who just suffered a huge loss (as they did) going to a party and pretending like everything is alright, as their friends and onlookers shift around nervously. It's an interesting sound, don't get me wrong. It's kind of astonishing that they even recovered so quickly to put out Seeds. In the hands of most artists this would have been a mess, but TV are able to salvage it. Gerard would be proud, I think.
48. Strange Desire by Bleachers
Favorite Song - "I Wanna Get Better"
Another lead single as my favorite song? I'm so boring. Anyways this album has an interesting story behind it as well, that is a lot more fun instead of depressing. In fact, it even involves the band Fun! During their last tour, guitarist Jack Antonoff began writing songs in secret, preparing for a side project, which turned into Bleachers. I'd say it was a good move, since I enjoyed this album more than Fun's last one. This is full of the catchiest alternative pop songs you could want, in a genre that became a little too big over the last year IMO. "I Wanna Get Better" is undeniable, infecting your ears and staying there. Kid Rock will have to remake "All Summer Long" to accommodate for its catchiness. Luckily it's not the only one! The first four songs are all pop powerhouses, "Wild Heart" , "Rollercoaster" and "Shadow". The rest of the songs are fine too, but if you are short on time check out those four and thank the greatest of nations later.
And that's a wrap for set one. I'll be back! *Jumps from a helicopter into another helicopter*
Hello all. Thank you for the comments. I know it isn't easy loading an ATRL thread these days. So slow! We need an anonymous billionaire to buy dem new servers. Is Batman around?
47. A Better Tomorrow by Wu-Tang Clan
Favorite Song: "Keep Watch"
The WU! So this is one of two albums they released/are releasing, the other I'll probably never hear. It's not a terrible idea, basically taking the album around the country and making people pay to listen to it right in front of them. I would still find a way to download it, right in front of their faces. Muhahaha. So naturally one had to wonder if they saved all the best stuff for the touring album, and left the b sides on A Better Tomorrow. Luckily (for most), this was not the case! They may not be still #1, but definitely still got it.
46. Unraveling by We Were Promised Jetpacks
Favorite Song: ???
No, I don't really have a favorite song. I could've just picked a random one, but it would have been a lie, and we do not lie ... much. This is one of those rock albums where you enjoy it while you listen, forget it the next day, and then are surprised once again by how good it is when you relisten to it. I know that isn't a glowing recommendation, but for me it works. I'm usually drawn to the big stand out tracks, and if I don't have one of those then the album fades forever. Jetpacks avoided that fate. And not just because of their awesome name! Also this album deserves to be labeled as Modern Rock more than any other. It's mostly good ole fashion strummin', but there's also electro parts, low-fi punk and angst.
45. New Crown by Wolfmother
Favorite Song: "New Crown"
After who knows how long, Wolfmother decided they were not content to merely collect royalties from the Jackass franchise and got back on the horse. We are very happy they did, there sure aren't enough albums like this anymore. I'm getting older and my generations music was clearly the best ever (quit skateboarding on the sidewalk you damn kids!), so this brings out a little something called nostalgia. Not sure what else to say here. It's Wolfmother, they rock the f out and that's what they do.
Sorry for no tube vids, I'll get on that next time.
O!!!! A whole group of albums I haven't listened to in full! I really ought to check that Bleachers album out, I like every song i've heard off it a lot. The Wu, the songs i've heard haven't been outstanding and not to the level of 8 Diagrams (which is an unappreciated masterpiece!), but I still love that they are getting together to record new material. I need to listen to that Wolfmother album!
This is going to the metal update. Rahhhhhhh \m/ Sadly the only metal update on the chart though.
44. The Satanist by Behemoth
Favorite Song: "The Satanist"
I'm not sure if they are really satanists or if the album is ironic or in character or what. I suppose it doesn't really matter though. I guess it just amuses me that someone would reject god, but instead of going towards atheism, agnosticism or Jongism, they decide to start worshipping the anti-god. I'd love to have a conversation with a real satanist one day, just to learn the inner workings of their mind, and hopefully I won't get stabbed. Anyways, this is an album that is what you'd expect. You headbang, you air guitar, you try to do the deep scream voice and immediately start coughing cause its mad hard. Another topic for another day.
43. Once More 'Round The Sun by Mastodon
Favorite Song: "The Motherload"
I love "The Motherload", but how weird is it coming from Mastodon? Almost like metal pop. A fascinating sound that carries for most of the album, although not always as successfully. "The High Road", the lead single, is another example of metal-pop being done well. Very catchy but also head bangin worthy.
Hmm, I'm not sure what to put at #42, so I'll go to a sidelist instead.
WWE Match of the Year:
Yes, I like WWE. I know that it isn't very cool nowadays, but I don't care. So here's my favorite matches of the year.
1. Daniel Bryan vs Bray Wyatt at the Royal Rumble
2. Daniel Bryan vs HHH at Wrestlemania
3. Sami Zayn vs Adrian Neville at NXT Takeover Revolution
4. Seth Rollins vs Dean Ambrose Lumberjack match at Summerslam
5. Antonio Cesaro vs Sami Zayn at NXT Arrival
6. Survivor Series Main Event
7. Antonio Cesaro vs John Cena at Raw in February
8. The Shield vs The Wyatt Family at Elimination Chamber
9. Dolph Ziggler vs Cesaro vs Tyson Kidd at Smackdown .. in October I think
10. tie between Charlotte vs Natalya and Charlotte vs Sasha Banks at NXT Takeover and Takeover R Evolution
Thank you, the great leader appreciates the support.
A Classic O update: talk about Satanism (your entire Behemoth write-up had me laughing)... well that's all that fits. Do I associate you with Satanism? I apologize! Anyway, I haven't listened to the Mastodon album in full, but you're right that it was a pretty new direction for them, but I have enjoyed the songs i've heard (including the one you embedded). And your WWE list! That's a really good list, a mix of matches that have gotten lots of attention and matches that people might have forgotten. Which is the perfect balance to strike with any kind of list!