Best albums of 2014

[MiketheangrydrunkenCUfan]

I don't know if any of you guys are nerdy enough to put a proper top 10 list together like me, but I feel kind of obligated to do so, since I still get a ballot for the Village Voice Pazz & Jop poll. My top 10 always ends up being pretty heavy on the metal (pun intended), so if you guys have some non-metal recommendations for me to check out (or metal ones, for that matter), post them here. The only non-metal albums currently in contention for a spot in my top 10 are Sharon Van Etten's Are We There and Moodie Black's Nausea.

If you guys have any interest in delving into some of the metal I've enjoyed this year, here are some albums I really dug.

Trap Them - Blissfucker
Spoiler alert: This is pretty much a shoo-in for my #1 slot. It's a damn-near perfect blend of metal and hardcore. Fast when you want it to be fast, slow when you want it to be slow, and ridiculously fucking heavy throughout.

Other contenders include Godflesh, Mastodon, Floor, The Flight of Sleipnir, Eyehategod, Pallbearer, Helms Alee, Wayfarer, Skull Fist (awesome name and a fun old-school sound), Ancient VVisdom, Job For a Cowboy, Young And In The Way and Fallujah.

I'm sure I'll discover some more contenders in the next few weeks. I always feel like I'm cramming for a final this time of year. Let me know if you guys have any suggestions for me to check out.

[buckeye_in_sc]

I can get down with a little Job For Cowboy...

what about Upon A Burning Body, Texas Hippie Coalition, and honestly I know you and I are pretty divergent (as I am more into the commercial Nu Metal, Metal Core), but I thought SLIPKNOT really put out a fabulous album with the Gray Chapter

anyway...just some thoughts...

[Dinsdale]

Fucking awful.

[MiketheangrydrunkenCUfan]

Sam,
You're the second person to recommend I check that album out. I started listening to it a few months ago and it didn't really blow me away. I'll have to give it another chance.

buckeye,
The new JFAC album is really a giant leap forward for them. I can't say I've ever been a fan, but I always kinda rooted for them since they're a Phoenix band. I've been following them for most of their career and interviewed them once or twice. If you had told me six or seven years ago that they'd be capable of creating something like Sun Eater, I'd have laughed in your face. It's almost straight-up prog rock, but with death metal vocals. Not to mention it has some of the best metal bass work since Master of Puppets.

I've been successfully avoiding that new Slipknot album so far, but I'll probably have to give it at least a courtesy listen before I put my final list together.

[Dinsdale]

For metal, how about YOB?

They get a bunch of critical acclaim, and since I'm holed up working in their town (Eugene), I decided to take a listen.

[Screw_Michigan]

New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers
New Interpol album
New Belle and Sebastian album

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers
New Interpol album
New Belle and Sebastian album

That would be exciting...

...if this was 2006.

[BSmack]

Any Top 10 list the omits Reverend Horton Heat's "Rev" is suspect.

Others to consider...

Joe Bonamassa - Different Shades Of Blue
The Black Keys - Turn Blue
The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers
Joe Louis Walker - Hornet's Nest

[MiketheangrydrunkenCUfan]

Dins,
YOB is pretty dope too. Forgot to mention them in my initial post.

Sam,
Still need to listen to The Skull. Did you hear the Trouble record that came out last year with Kyle Thomas from Exhorder on vocals? Took me a spin or two to get used to not hearing Wagner's voice, but it's still classic Trouble.

[MiketheangrydrunkenCUfan]

Also, if you any of guys are into early Judas Priest, definitely check out Saturn - Ascending (Live in Space). It's got a serious Sad Wings of Destiny vibe going on.

[MiketheangrydrunkenCUfan]

Have you heard of Lo-Pan? Their album Colossus is probably the best straight-up stoner rock album I've heard this year. I think you'd like it a lot, if you're not already familiar with them.

[MiketheangrydrunkenCUfan]

I'm pretty sure this is my pick for song of the year, despite the cheesy video:

[MiketheangrydrunkenCUfan]

Here's my blog post with commentary. Better late than never, I guess.

http://tempecarnivore.blogspot.com/2015 ... -2014.html

[Joe in PB]

A few good ones.
Kenny Wayne Shepherd - Goin' Home



Joe Bonamassa Tour De Force

[Joe in PB]

Gary Clark Jr Live