My Top 8 Albums of 2014

This year I felt like I’ve gotten some groove back. I am finding myself experimenting with new stations on my streaming services and finding great new sounds and groups. There are a ton of tracks I have liked (you can see those here) but I thought I would narrow down my top 58 albums of 2014.

And if you aren’t feeling the albums, here is my list of my top singles of 2014.

Album Favorite Single Comments

Sylvan Esso – Sylvan Esso

SYLVAN_ESSO-self_titled-900x900

 Could I Be This album is just plain smooth. It varies in style including some Applachian folk sounds on a few tracks.

You’ve probably heard the single…Coffee.

FKA Twigs – LP1

FKA_twigs_-_LP1

 2 Weeks  This may be the weirdest one on the list. I have been listing to every single she has dropped for more than a year. Her style is very haunting and erotic. I’ve read this style coined as “indie R&B”. It seems every sound and word is heavily thought about and just fascinating to listen to. I encourage you to go back to her previous singles as well.

You’ve probably heard the single…2 Weeks? I know it is on BBC some but haven’t heard mainstream in the US anywhere.

Glass Animals – ZABA

Glass-Animals-Zaba

 Hazey  Need an album to just put on on a lazy afternoon and chill out? Here ya go. Hell need an album to makeout to? This is also for you. Just smooth indie pop.

You’ve probably heard the single…Gooey.

Pharrell Williams – Girl

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 Come Get It Bae  Good ole Pharrell. I’ve been loving him since Rump Shaker (yeah he did the beat). Fun poppy sound. I listened to this album a lot just playing with the kids and stuff. Some tracks made me dance and some made me want to sit and relax. Gust of Wind is another favorite but I chose Come Get It Bae because it never ceases to make me smile and clap.

You’ve probably heard the single…Happy. Duh.

Broods – Evergreen

broods

 Never Gonna Change  Another indie breakout of 2014 here. A brother and sister combo from New Zealand with an electronic sound with very nice vocals. I saw someone coin this “trip hop” and I enjoyed that. Another album that I am pretty sure we be on Garden State if it came out today.

You’ve probably heard the single…Bridges.

SOHN – Tremors

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 The Wheel  I might put this at #1 for me for the year. I love every freakin track. By their biography, it is a “melding of singer/songwriter fare with abstract electronic beats”. It basically encapsulates all things I like music wise. Every track is different but still the same

You’ve probably heard the single…Artifices.

St. Vincent – St. Vincent

stvincent

Birth in Reverse Not sure how to describe St. Vincent but definitely in the indie pop category. Interesting lyrics and just good to put on your headphones and knock out some house work too.

You’ve probably heard the single…Digital Witness.

Great lyrics:

Digital witnesses, what’s the point of even sleeping?
If I can’t show it, if you can’t see me
What’s the point of doing anything?
This is no time for confessing

Banks – Goddess

banks

This is What It Feels Like Banks has a high spot on my “I’d have sex to that” list (no that’s a real thing). Her low alto voice and sex lyrics remind me of Fiona Apple with a newer electronic sound. She did something similar as FKA Twigs with an EP late 2013 and then trickled tracks to a release this past fall. Hers fell short for me but still some great track to check out.

You’ve probably heard the single…Waiting Game.

 

For a complete list of them all together, you can check out this playlist on Spotify.

 

So what were your favorites?

 

One thought on “My Top 8 Albums of 2014

  • December 29, 2014 at 12:38 pm
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    Are you abandoning Rdio for Spotify? What is your favorite streaming service?

    Reply

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