As we enter the top 30, we can notice there are lots of ties with high scores. Honestly, I thought I wouldn't have much albums to rank until I checked all the 2013 and 2014 albums from my library I'd heard throughout 2014. Ha! and I remember this year I used to complain that I heard less albums than last year when in fact it was the opposite. From this point, it starts to get more difficult to make a top 3 songs.
Also, we've got reviews!
Top Albums/EPs 30-26
Albums/EPs #60 - #31
#60. Calvin Harris - Motion [2014]
#59. Matana Roberts - Coin Coin Chapter Two [2013]
#58. Suede - Bloodsports [2013]
#57. Ex Cops - True Hallucinations [2013]
#56. The Black Angels - Indigo Meadow [2013]
#55. The Boxer Rebellion - Promises [2013]
#54. Angel Olson - Burn Your Fire For No Witness [2014]
#53. Phoenix - Bankrupt! [2013]
#52. Avicii - True [2013]
#51. Cloud Nothings - Here And Nowhere Else [2014]
#50. Frightened Rabbit - Pedestrian Verse (Deluxe) [2013]
#49. Empire Of The Sun - Ice On The Dune [2013]
#48. The Dodos - Carrier [2013]
#47. Mogwai - Rave Tapes [2014]
#46. Local Natives - Hummingbird [2013]
#45. Disclosure - Settle (Deluxe) [2013]
#44. Ariana Grande - My Everything (Deluxe) [2014]
#43. Wild Beasts - Present Tense [2014]
#42. Coldplay - Ghost Stories [2014]
#41. Editors - The Weight Of Your Love [2013]
#40. Warpaint - Warpaint [2014]
#39. The Men - New Moon [2013]
#38. Daughter - If You Leave [2013]
#37. The Coasts - Paradise EP [2013]
#36. Alkaline Trio - My Shame Is True (Deluxe) [2013]
#35. Jorge Drexler - Bailar en la Cueva [2014]
#34. Maxïmo Park -Too Much Information [2014]
#33. Foxygen - We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors [2013]
#32. The Men - Tomorrow's Hits [2014]
#31. Alcest - Shelter [2014]
#30. Cymbals - The Age Of Fracture [2014] / Indie Rock, Dance
Score // 79
This album is so eclectic. It has moments where it sounds like a dance album, others where it sounds like indie rock, and others where it glimpses dreampop moments. One thing's for sure, songs may be long but you won't feel the sense of getting bored. I still think it could have ranked higher if I had given it more spinning time on my playlist. Guitar and bass is to say the least captivating here.
Top 3 tracks:
Like An Animal
The Natural Rock
Erosion
#29. Causa Sui - Euporie Tide [2013] / Psychedelic / Stoner Rock
Score // 79
If you think Tame Impala is the only current band delivering some good psychedelic tracks, listen to this instrumental album and you will be pleasantly amazed at how wrong you where. It's so good to still have great exponents of this genre keeping the psychedelic rock flame alive. Main reason it didn't rank higher is the same one I have for Cymbal's Age Of Fracture.
Top 3 tracks:
Homage
Echo Springs
Euporie
#28. Yuck - Glow And Behold [2013] / Shoegaze, Indie Rock
Score // 79
The slow-paced guitar and the pedal effects used in some of the songs are mesmerizing and undoubtedly the stand-out of the album. Don't worry Middle Sea, you're still cool.
However, I feel Glow And Behold lacks a bit of constistency overall. Some songs create a tension that doesn't reach a climax, which can get pretty frustrating sometimes. If you love the feeling of nostalgia, I recommend you check this out. 'Somewhere' might be your favorite track.
Top 3 tracks:
Rebirth
How Does It Feel
Memorial Fields
#27. The War On Drugs - Lost In The Dream [2014] / Indie / Psychedelic Folk
Score // 79
While in moments inconsistent and bland, Lost In The Dream manages to be an album pleasant to listen to from beginning to end. Perhaps it's not an album you'll love at first listen, but as you listen to it a couple more times, it really gets to you. The guitar pedal effects are so dope. It still gives me the goosebumps on Disappearing.
Top 3 tracks:
Lost In The Dream
Disappearing
Red Eyes
#26. Cheatahs - Cheatahs [2014] / Shoegaze
Score // 79
This is the last shoegaze album of the list. First heard in early 2014, it is characterized for being
a fast-paced, heavier shoegaze, which brings some memories of shoegaze classic Swervedriver's River from 1991. It's got pretty memorable guitar riffs. Intro of Geographic and The Swan, my two favorite songs from the album, are a clear example of this.
Top 3 tracks:
Mission Creep
The Swan
Geographic
Friendly version: Albums/EPs #30-#26:
#30. Cymbals - The Age Of Fracture [2014]
#29. Causa Sui - Euporie Tide [2013]
#28. Yuck - Glow And Behold [2013]
#27. The War On Drugs - Lost In The Dream [2014]
#26. Cheatahs - Cheatahs [2014]