As 2014 rolls into 2015 and KRLX starts up for another winter term, here’s a collection of top tens lists from the board members. Pages and pages after the jump…
Jake Yanoviak: 10 Good Albums from 2014 in No Particular Order
Elephant – Sky Swimming J
The biggest surprise of the year arrived in an inconspicuous card stock sleeve. It covers so much ground, but still remains coherent as an album. It’s not really about anything in particular, and its not abrasive or inaccessible, so everyone should just like it already.
PORCHES – Ronald Paris (Mdou Moctar Split)/Ronald Paris House/ YAK Sessions
I really love PORCHES. The music keeps evolving, getting dancier and poppier, but the melancholy ranchero molasses still seeps through every now and then. Aaron Maine is so prolific and his music so timeless. Check out his Arthur Russell cover, and if you’re like, “who’s Arthur Russell?” listen to the compilation Album Love is Overtaking Me.
Makthaverskan – II
Swedish Girl Band, really rocking the synth and F-bombs. Angst-y teenage heartbreak in a perfume bottle or Molotov cocktail. The album holds together really nicely.
Web of Sunsets – Room of Monsters
If you like Mazzy Star/Hope Sandoval check this out, it’s so dreamy and relaxing. mmm zzzz.
Dub Thompson – 9 Songs
The pop punk reggae of “No Time” is so refreshingly so unlike the Police. Good album and even better when you learn they’re only like 19 years old.
Strand of Oaks – Heal
Take Springsteen vocals and Dinosaur Jr. guitars and combine them to make deeply personal, introspective and critical material, and you have Strand of Oaks. Still incredibly poppy and universally satisfying. The cool thing about this album is that I think it can appeal to any type of music listener, from tube amp snobs to people who still think the Grammys mean anything.
Babes – Babes EP
They only released a 4 song EP but it was pretty damn good, be on the look out for more in the future.
Emerald Odyss – The Chaotic Neutral
Friend from back home. Really trippy rap album, sample heavy poetic violence. Recommend if you like MF Doom. The one thing that annoys me is that Chinedu (Emerald Odyss) frequently changes his pseudonym (a few times a year on average) thus killing his brand recognition. He currently raps under Rhetoric Wallace.
Frankie Cosmos – Zentropy
I don’t know if this album was her best, but the recording quality was and it helped to further launch her musical career. Greta Kline is known for being Kevin Kline’s daughter and her 50 some albums on bandcamp. Her live show was a disappointment because she mumbled and whispered all her songs, but none of her recordings will let you down.
Alex G – DSU
It’s so great to see an artist you love rise from the underground and still make incredible music even as they slowly sell out (not to dis selling out—if you can, you should). This year Alex G bought a car, toured Europe, and stopped binge drinking before shows so he can be a better person.
Zoë Levin: Top 10 Songs I Listened to in 2014
1. Jaymes Young – Habits of My Heart
With a sample of Sufjan Stevens’ “Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois” and R&B, Rock and Pop influences, this song successfully conveys both the anger and sadness that we all feel after a break up.
2. Ryn Weaver – OctaHate
Produced by Passion Pit’s Michael Angelakos, Charli XCX, Benny Blanco and Cashmere Cat, OctaHate is another breakup song, but this one is much more upbeat.
3. Clean Bandit Feat Jess Glynne – Rather Be
This song has been the soundtrack to many of my favorite memories of the past year. I would be crazy not to include it.
4. Luke Sital-Singh – Greatest Lovers
A pure love song Sital-Singh wrote about his wife.
5. MØ – Don’t Wanna Dance
Probably the most light-hearted song on her debut album, titled No Mythologies to Follow. Despite the name, dancing is pretty much all I want to do when this song comes on.
6. Caroline Smith & Lizzo – Let ‘Em Say
I love Caroline Smith and Lizzo separately, and together they are pretty close to perfection. Let ‘Em Say is the perfect ‘do you and fuck everyone else’ anthem. Plus, the music video features a Carleton sweatshirt (worn by Caroline Smith).
7. How to Dress Well – Repeat Pleasure
A smooth and dreamy track featuring Tom Krell’s angelic voice professing his undying love.
8. Lenachka – Good Luck
Addictive modern pop with dance beats reminiscent of a disco song.
9. Ella Eyre – If I Go
Ella Eyre’s voice is soulful and passionate in this ever-changing song. It starts slow, it picks up and you might start to think you have the rhythm figured out, but then it slows down and suddenly it’s building again. All you can is belt it out along with her.
10. Misterwives – Reflections
Mandy Lee’s voice has an incredible range in this pop song that dominated my iTunes last winter.