@Under_The_Mayo and
@Gh0sty , I have no idea what your both getting at. A lot of good albums came out this year. You guys just need to do some research and find the hidden jems. This is going to be hard to comprise. I have listened to a lot of albums this year that I just fell in love with while others are good, but unfortunately wont make the cut. I'll include everything that didn't make my top 10 and maybe reasons why.
@Zoidberg747 , hope this is enough variety for you. Not to sound ostentatious, but I have an expansive taste in music.
*** Also, Mayo. Both Ki and good kid, m.A.A.d city didn't come out this year, but I'm assuming you just added them because you heard them this year? If you enjoyed Kendrick's debut album you should listen to his mix tape "Section 80". It's a lot better. At least in my opinion. ***
Top 10 albums of 2014
1) Busdriver - "Perfect Hair"
2) Mick Jenkins "The Water(s)"
3) FKA Twigs "LP1"
4) Run the Jewels - "Run the Jewels 2"
5) Flying Lotus - "You're Dead!"
6) Behemoth "The Satanist"
7) Hail Mary Mallon - "Bestiary"
8) Sam Smith - "In the Lonely Hour"
9) Milo - "A Toothpaste Suburb"
10) Opeth - "Pale Communion"
Things that didn't quite make it
* J.Cole - "2014 Forest Hills Drive"
- I like this album, but it literally just came out 2 weeks ago. I have only listened to this album about 2 - 3 times. I have not given it enough time to listen to it thoroughly. The rest of the albums I have put more time into.
*Open Mike Eagle - "Dark Comedy"
- I love this rapper. I enjoy his voice, his flow, his lyrics, and pretty much everything. Under the same label as Busdriver, Milo, Kenny Seagal and Nocando, Open Mike Eagle is an art rapper from the west coast whose hip-hop is on the softer side, yet filled with captivating and though provoking lyrics. Anyone who is into hip-hop and has an open mind should download this album and take a listen to it.
*Clipping - "clppng"
- Clipping is a hip-hop group from the west coasts that combines elements of slam poetry and electronic, industrial, and trap sounds into their music. I saw these guys live along with milo and Busdriver. Their performance was dope and their lyrics off the album is dope as well. It has come interesting stuff while combining some elements of contemporary hip-hop lyricism in it as well (drugs, women, et ctera). Check this album out! It's so good. It was so hard not putting this one in my top 10.
*At the Gates - "At War with Reality"
- I WISH I HAD MORE TIME TO FOCUS ON THIS ALBUM! I've been so caught up in other genres that I haven't given this album a fair listen. I've listened to it 2 times, but it blew my fucking mind into little tiny pieces. It's been about 19 years since their last album Slaughter of the Soul and they still got it!!!! THEY STILL GOT IT!!!!
*Mastodon - "Once More 'Round the Sun"
- I was so hyped for this album to be released and when it came out it made me so happy. I love the album in its entirety. Its overall feel is spacey, yet simultaneously groovy. A lot of people had problems with this album being somewhat streamlined in terms of sound. Personally I don't see how that's a problem. They decided to drop a part of their progressive sound to focus on something more on the groovy side, but it still has it's moments where it gets progressive/abstract. It's not like Mastodon is going to sell out like All That Remains. Come one, guys!
*Devin Townsend - "Z2"
- I absolutely love Devin Townsend. He is currently one of my favorite musicians. I screamed like a little girl scout who just met her quota of thin mint cookies when this album dropped. I listened to Sky Blue close to 10 times before being draw away from it by other albums that were being released, or have already been released this year. I have yet to listen to "Dark Matters" and I'm beating myself up for it. There are times where I hate how diverse my music taste is, because I forget to go back to albums for a while and end up missing out on conversations I get to have with people about the album(s). I'll hopefully get to it before spring.
* Wolves in the Throne Room - "Celestite"
- These guys are my absolute favorite black metal band of all time, and when I found out that their latest album was going to be more ambient sounding than black metal sounding I jizzed a little bit. This album is completely different from anything they have ever done, but I thoroughly enjoy it anyway. Why is it not in my top ten? Well, like for most of these albums reasons. I didn't put enough time into them. I know, I'm a terrible person. -____-
* Fallujah - "The Flesh Prevails"
- This album!!!! UHHHHHH, SO GOOOD! Only reason this album didn't make it on my top 10 of this year was because I enjoyed "Pale Communion" more, however, I'm bias because Opeth is my favorite metal band. A technical death metal at finest. Well, The Faceless is better, but that's just my preference.
* Grieves - "Winter and the Wolves"
- Grieves is a rapper from Washington state whose music happens to be on the softer, catchier, and sensitive side. This rapper was heavily influenced by the blues and soul. If you want something catchy whose subject matter focuses on life, love, and people then this album is for you.
* Ghostface Killah - "36 Seasons"
- This album was sooooooooooooooooooooooooo close to making it into my top 10. I love the story on this album and the beats are just great. Very similar in the style of "12 Reasons to Die", "36 Seasons" is a story based album about Tony Starks. This time Tony Starks returns to Staten Island after 9 years, or 36 seasons, and his hometown is in chaos. Drugs and crime rule the streets, people who he once worked with are no longer there, his girl is with another man. His life is in a knot and he attempts to restore order in Staten Island. I wont spoil the rest of the album for you, but if you enjoyed "12 Reasons to Die" then you'll enjoy this album. At least this album has a proper ending and didn't leave its listener hanging like the last album did.
* Sage Francis - "Copper Gone"
- For those who don't know, Sage Francis THE slam poet hip-hop artist. He can and will win any slam poetry competition he so pleases. The man is a genius when it comes to it and Copper Gone goes to show you some of his talents. After taking a long break from his last lp "Li(f)e" which was met with mixed reviews, Copper Gone is a accumulation of a lot of Sage's stress over the years with some standard trash talking hip-hop songs thrown into the mix. If you want to check out Sage's work I suggest you listen to "Personal Journals" first to get an idea of his flow and then listen to whatever album you want after that. Preferably "Copper Gone".
* Spirit Charge - "The Plastic Key"
- This is the last album I want to talk about. This album is was introduced to me by "someone" and I thank them for being such a great person and sending me this album. It was my favorite album to listen to during the spring. The combination of rock and industrial just flows and feels so right, and the acoustic songs also sound wonderful too. You can tell a lot of hard work was put into this album by just the lyrics and how well they are presented. Can't wait to get my physical copy of this album.
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