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Rainy Dawg Radio's Favorite Albums of 2014

The Blawg Team got together and compiled their top five albums of 2014, ten years later.

Emi

Chuuwee, Trizz - Amerikka’s Most Blunted

One of my favorite rap albums ever, Chuuwee never got his limelight. Fun vocal interludes in between brilliant sampling and blunt, catchy verses.

Twin Peaks - Wild Onion

Good indie music from my middle school days.

Ariel Pink - Pom pom

I don’t care that he stormed the capitol.

(Editors note: Rainy Dawg Radio does not endorse the January 6th insurrection.)

Nicki Minaj - Pinkprint

Iconic, formative album. My sister had it on CD and put the foldout poster from the case on our wall.

Mac Demarco - Salad Days

Nobody can’t not like this one.

Sean

Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence

Lana Del Rey embodies “the woman on the side” on her gothic Ultraviolence. Sex, money, and infidelity circulate the project as Lana channels a “mistress” persona on swirling Americana instrumentals.

FKA Twigs - LP1

On her debut LP1, FKA Twigs’ voice effortlessly glides across delicate, porcelain beats that sound like they could shatter at any given moment. Exploring themes of sexuality and devotion, Twig’s invites the listener to step into her world.

Aphex Twin - Syro

Richard D. James’ most intimate digital experiments come to life on Syro. Skittering breaks layered with acidic bass lines ricochet across the tracklist, creating a delightfully unpredictable listening experience. The project is peacefully brought to an end with the astounding closing track aisatsana [102].

Arca - Xen

Arca’s iconic debut Xen combines hazy synths and drum samples with dissonant acoustics. Through the harshness, Xen’s haunting beauty never ceases to shine through.

Tinariwen - Emmaar

The nomadic Taureg rock group made their triumphant return in 2014 with Emmaar after being displaced from Mali. Despite being recorded outside their homeland, Tinariwen makes no compromises on Emmaar; their smoldering lead guitars and resilient lyrics are as strong as ever.

k-murph

mitski - bury me at makeout creek

although the competition is steep, i believe bury me at makeout creek is mitski’s best. although i adore every mistki album, only this one has “last words of a shooting star”. and “francis forever”. and “i will”. and every song on the album. i rest my case.

hozier -hozier

hozier’s debut album will forever stand to me as one of the most enchanting projects of all time. his lyrical genius, beautiful vocals, and sheer force of mystical magical forest man-ness propel this album to the status of a forever classic. i love you hozier. i’m sorry i passed out in the pit of your seattle show four times.

TV girl- french exit

french exit has some of the most enjoyable production out of any album i’ve ever heard. every time i play “lovers rock” at the function, the crowd goes wild. guaranteed! also, apparently, this album was released on my 10th birthday! cool!

adrienne lenker, buck meek - a-sides

i love adrienne lenker more than maybe any other person on earth. the haunting beauty of this album is incredible. also b-sides. this kind of includes both, because i’m famously indecisive. i’ve always said i think adrienne lenker is the perfect artist for some good old-fashioned washington clouds and rain.

taylor swift - 1989

sue me. i simply cannot resist a little bit of sparkle and glitter and corny pop—plus, 1989 undoubtedly marked a cosmic shift in our universe. the impact of “blank space”, let alone this album, is undeniable.

Ben

Mitski - Bury Me At Makeout Creek

Had “Texas Reznikoff” not opened this album, it would still be my favorite album of 2014, but it does, so Bury Me At Makeout Creek is also one of my favorite albums of all time.

Pinata - Madlib/Freddie Gibbs

At fourteen or fifteen years old, you (I) discover an album that not only contains strictly songs you enjoy, but also makes you want to discover more music that sounds just like it. That was Pinata for me… also the production on “Knicks” is ridiculous. And “Shame.” “Robes” too. I’m constantly asking myself “how did he do that” in regards to Madlib’s work on this, but he’s not really reinventing the wheel or anything, it’s just like he woke up and decided to make the best beat you’ve ever heard seventeen times.

Black Kray - 700 Dagreez

I was very late to the Black Kray party but I’ve come to understand 700 Degreez as one of the best cloud rap projects ever released. No album released since has mingled lyrics about crying your eyes out and putting 28-inch rims on a NASCAR Chevy so seamlessly.

Black Messiah - D’Angelo

“Really Love” alone justifies this album at #4 to me…

How To Leave Town - Car Seat Headrest

Confession: I listened to How To Leave Town for the first time two weeks ago. However I’ve listened to “I Want You To Know That I'm Awake / I Hope That You're Asleep" enough since then to last me a lifetime, so I feel entitled to putting it on my list.

Parks

Ten years ago, American/UK album releases were a mess. Two albums stood out to me as being worthwhile… see below

Spoon- They Want My Soul

They Want My Soul is exactly what is to be expected from Spoon. It’s a solid record. “Rainy Taxi" and title track, "They Want My Soul" are standouts.

Les Claypool - Primus and The Chocolate Factory With the Fungi Ensemble

In a dark year for music, Les Claypool blessed us with his presence, if only for a moment. Primus and the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble has exceptional instrumentation and is delightfully creepy.

Honorable Mentions:

The War on Drugs- Lost in the Dream: Great album, just not too familiar with it.

Tom Petty- Hypnotic Dream: Its a 2014 Tom Petty album.

Dishonorable Mention:

Pitbull- Globalization : Thank you dear Pitbull for defining my middle school experience.

Zola

Taylor Swift - 1989

Pop perfection. Perfectly emulates the vibes of the mid 2010’s. One of the first times I remember an album being everywhere. Had 6 singles, all of which achieved massive success, proving that Taylor swift was a crossover mastermind. Unfortunately she desecrated “Style” when rerecording it. Thank you mom for buying this on cd.

Lana Del Ray - Ultraviolence

A perfect follow up to 2012’s Born to die. Helped her usher in a new sound while still staying familiar to her roots. Almost featured Lou Reed.

Lorde - Pure heroine

While technically not released in 2014, nothing encapsulates the 2014 tumblr vibes than Pure Heroine. Lorde ran tumblr, she ran south park, and she ran the radio. It gets a spot on my 2014 list because I was genuinely obsessed with this album in 2014.

TV girl - French Exit.

TV girl’s debut album, which unfortunately did not catch on until tik tok got a hold of it. Featuring the ultra classic “lover’s rock”. The impact this album had on teenage girls in 2021 cannot be understated.

Tove lo - Queen of the clouds.

Stunning debut from Tove Lo. The album is a concept album split into three parts, “The Sex”, “The Love”, and “The Pain''. Overall a 2014 sleeper hit with some memorable bangers. One time “talking body” came on my sixth grade social studies pandora during class time, and I remember some random kid in my class singing along. On the plus side he's now a kicker on the Oregon State football team so maybe he was onto something. (#31)

tide2004

Flowers Taped to Pens - s/t

San Diego screamo. Very unique and influential sound. This album is one of the first screamo releases that I really got into a couple of years ago.

Machine Girl - WLFGRL

Electronic/digital hardcore from Long Island. My best friend Maddie and I listened to this album constantly the summer before I went to college (favorite tracks: “Krystle”, “Ghost”, and “Mg1”).

Alex G - DSU

My favorite Alex G album. I bought the CD last year and I have the lyric booklet up on my wall. When I saw him live he only played one song off it :/

OFF! - Wasted Years

Los Angeles hardcore punk. Ex Black Flag/Circle Jerks

Cuckoo - Magpie e.p.

Math rock from Hakodate, Japan. I love the guitar on this album so much. Really good staring out the window music, reminds me of taking the train down through California for the first time.

Pal

This took some research, because the music that I was listening to in 2014 consisted of “Fireflies” by Owl City, 1989 by Taylor Swift, the Weezer Christmas album, and that one U2 album that got downloaded onto everyone’s iPod. but looking back, there were some really great albums that year.

First and foremost, we have to talk about Mitski’s Bury Me at Makeout Creek. That album dosen’t have a bad song on it, and I can’t count how many times I’ve played it all the way through. “I Don’t Smok”e actually shatters my ribcage every time and so does “I Wil”l, and “Drunk Walk Home”, and “Townie”, and like every other song also. It’s incredible.

You’re Gonna Miss it All by Modern Baseball was a staple of my sophomore year of high school. It was written when the band was in college and realizing that they were going to be graduating soon and moving on with their lives. Coping with that feeling is a lot, and “Fine, Great” as well as “Your Graduation” will probably resonate with most people who feel like they’re losers in a small town.

Syro by Aphex Twin isn’t my favorite Aphex Twin album, but sometimes I put it on just to feel like I’m hanging out in one of those star nurseries the James Webb telescope keeps taking pictures of.

Alvvay’s self titled is the perfect thing to throw on to get some good old fashioned pining in. It’s indie/dream pop sound is light enough to not make you too sad, but also not peppy enough to get your hopes up too high. Also, it just sounds amazing. I’d eat it and it would taste like caramel and strawberries maybe.

How to Leave Town by Carseat Headrest is one of CSH’s best albums in my opinion. It’s more electronic and the themes of teenage romance in their earlier stuff fade more into adult uncertainty.

Too Bright by Perfume Genius is what I think of when I think 2014. I remember my dad playing Queen in the car on the way back from summer camp. Looking back on it, the album's emotional explosion of empowerment, queerness, drag, and radical self-acceptance is incredibly powerful, and I will definitely be playing it more.

Steven Neff

La Dispute - Rooms of the House

One of my favorite albums ever. I revisit this album so regularly so I can practice my cold hard scowl while walking home from class in pouring rain. Woman (In mirror) is genuinely a perfect song.

Adrianne Lenker + Buck Meek - B-Sides

The pinnacle of absolutely crushing acoustic singer-songwriter projects. It is incredible to think that this project is now ten years old considering Big Thief’s increase in cultural relevance. This was before Big Thief was formed as a band and a year before the two got married as well which you can just feel that emotion in this project. I weirdly like the B-Sides far more than I like A-Sides.

Car Seat Headrest - How To Leave Town

Will Toledo. Man. I believe that he claims that How to Leave Town is just a compilation album of stuff that he was working on around the time but you would never tell. “The Ending of Dramamine” and “Hey, Space Cadet” are in the running for my favorite opener and closer to an album genuinely ever.

Modern Baseball - You’re Going To Miss It All

Nostalgia packed up into thirty mins of angst. The quintessential midwest emo album. Timeless. I can sing the entire album from front to back without missing a single word.

Freddie Gibbs, Madlib -Pinata

Not a single skip all the way through. Madlib masterclass as always making it real easy for Freddie Gibbs to do what he does best. “Deeper” is such a good song and easily my favorite Gibbs song ever.

Sofia

Dean Blunt - Black Metal

Mix of alternative/indie and Americana, among other things, that really works when you’re trying to pass time. I first got into this album over the summer when I heard “100” for the first time on vacation – big fan of “HUSH” because of the jazz kind of thing it’s got going on. I also like the way Dean Blunt uses samples in this album; he samples “Over Your Shoulder” by the Pastels in “100” and “For You” by Big Star in “LUSH”, both of which work really well.

Whirr, Nothing - Whirr & Nothing (Split Version)

Noisy and heavy shoegaze/rock split EP. Listened to this EP a lot over the summer lying in bed and counting down the days until I could leave town and come back to school… My favorite song is “Chloroform” by Nothing because it does a quiet-loud-quiet thing that I love.

Brian Jonestown Massacre - Revelation

Dense, long shoegazey psychedelic rock album. The title track (“Vad Hände Med Dem?”) is sung in Swedish. I listened to this album on the ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island on a stormy day, which is exactly what it calls for, I think. When I put this album on I skip “Duck and Cover” because it scares the fuck out of me.

Alex G - DSU

Another album that’s great for summer listening. Alex G’s high-pitched voice works really well with the twangy guitar and piano. The lyrics to the tracks on this album are enigmatic as ever, with a bunch of sentimental/emotional lines (“I love you, Harvey, I don’t care” in “Harvey”, for example). Seeing “Sorry" live during his acoustic Seattle show changed my life fall quarter freshman year.

Mac DeMarco - Salad Days

This album is mostly on my list for nostalgia – I did a decent amount of listening to this sophomore year of high school, and I feel like this is the type of music, that lazy-day mix between melancholia and indie guitar. Even though “Chamber of Reflection” got beat to death a few years ago, I still think it holds up, although I’d say my favorites are the first three tracks (so “Salad Days,” “Blue Boy,” and “Brother”). Recorded in Mac DeMarco’s Brooklyn apartment!

Dawson

Aphex Twin - Syro

Slightly less game changing compared to 30 years ago, Aphex Twin’s Syro shows the continuation of his sound. While hits like “180db” grow popular on social media, ambient songs like “aisaitsana”appeal even to audiences not interested in electronic music as a whole.

Machine Girl - Wlfgrl

While in my opinion Wlfgrl is significantly overrated by fans compared to the rest of Machine Girl’s discography, it still shines through as a beautiful album. Their debut on streaming services, this album continues to draw in new fans more than recent works, and esoteric sampling introduces fans to various other niche works such as “The Machine Girl” and “Ginger Claps.”

Joy Again - Forever

No longer named Forever Lesbians, the debut album by Joy Again remains an homage to their former name. A mix of intriguing instrumental tracks and melancholy hits, Forever’s 30 song, 1 hour 17 minute runtime makes current Joy Again fans jealous with its length. The combined length of Joy Agains entire discography since 2014 is less than the length of Forever.

PUP - Self Titled

PUP’s self titled album still hits hard today, despite its 10 year age. Hits like “Reservoir” and “Factories” are a clear demonstration of the talent the band has - vocalist Stefan Babcock’s grandmother’s comment about a “pathetic use of potential” (resulting in the name of the band) are easily proven wrong on this record.

Death’s Dynamic Shroud - NEON GENESIS EVANGELIS

A precursor to their 2015 hit I’ll Try Living Like This, NEON GENESIS EVANGELIS is a must listen for fans of the band. The song “CD Player” is an earlier version of the much more popular song “CD Player, Pt. III”, my personal favorite, “Strange Scenery” creates beautiful soundscapes that almost evoke imagery of the aforementioned strange scenery.

Skyler

(In no particular order)

Kagayaki - Masakatsu Takagi One of my favorite albums of all time. Pure joy for the entire runtime, Masakatsu Takagi’s ear for contemporary classical composing on top of sonically effervescent soundscapes is genuinely so beautiful. I’ve cried to this album –I wanna say, like– 10 times over. His ongoing Marginalia series continues the grounded, blissful tones that Kagayaki started and I couldn’t be happier.

N****s On The Moon: The Powers That B Disc 1 - Death Grips

Conversely, the first half of what would be a completed The Powers That B is composed in what’s nearly an opposite direction to Kagayaki. Compared to their other works, it’s easily overlooked (and while I can absolutely understand why), N****s On The Moon’s dynamic, Björk-fuelled brutalist production and harsh lyricism is such a good time.

You’re Dead! - Flying Lotus

Really incredible hip-hop/jazz-fusion record by Flying Lotus. I remember being given a hand-me-down of this record on vinyl (along top of a fresh copy of his 2010 LP Cosmogramma around 2016, thank you Nolan) and just gawking at the interior artwork while listening to “Tesla.” Really incredible stuff.

Three Love Songs - Ricky Eat Acid

BANGER AFTER BANGER AFTER BANGER. Ricky Eat Acid’s Three Love Songs is in a similar breadth to that of Takagi’s Kagayaki in its minimalist, earthy tones with tracks like “Big Man’s Last Trip Outside” to the grand orchestral airy vocalizations on “I Can Hear Breaking As One,” all accompanied by rounding Moog synths. Sounds like the word “honeycrisp.”

Gray Data - Five Star Hotel

Bombastic harsh noise with gripping discordant beats, Gray Data’s expansion on hardcore EDM means so, so much to me. Incredibly funny and inventive use of sampling (thinking of the siren on “Outside Solaris”). Hypnotic and migraine inducing in the best way possible.

Honorable Mentions: Swans - To Be Kind; Sun Kill Moon - Mom, Benji

Willow Goetting

BLAWG 2014 top albums

Machine Girl - WOLFGRL (2014) (Electronic/breakcore)

Machine Girl is one of the most iconic alternative electronic artists to come out of the 2010s, and has had a large influence on the rise of ‘hyperpop’ and similar genres. WOLFGRL is a favorite of mine not only because of its impeccable tracklist, but also because it heavily features samples from Ginger Snaps (2000). Top tracks: “Frenesi (Machine Girl GabberTrap Mix)”, “Mg1”, and “Out by 16, Dead on the Scene”.

Waveless - Waveless EP (originally released 2014 on BandCamp–says 2017 on Spotify but IDC) (Shoegaze)

The first song on this album is one of my favorite shoegaze songs of all time, and the whole EP is an incredible release. I am pretty sure the band is long gone and broken up now, but it's been a favorite of mine this winter. Top tracks: “Nausea (song for Proski)”, “UPCLOSE/UNCLEAR.”

Alex G - DSU (2014) (Indie rock)

DSU still goes down as one of Alex G’s best albums to date–a perfect follow up to the 2012 release TRICK. It also features a re-recording of the demo “After Ur Gone”, which definitely still recirculates on Spotify as a favorite pick of the rampant ‘alex g archive’ accounts. Top Tracks: “Serpent is Lord”, “Axesteel” and “Harvey”.

Mac Demarco - Salad Days(2014) (Indie/synthpop)

Salad Days planted the seed for the explosion of indie artists from 2014 onwards, with his style still inspiring so many acts coming out today. I still hear “Chamber of Reflection” playing in coffee shops to this very day. Top track: “Treat Her Better.”

Jessica Lea Mayfield - Make My Head Sing…(2014) (Singer-songwriter)

Very sweet and lovely springtime music for when I need some easy listening. I listened to it a lot when I was about to roadtrip to Montana last May, so it holds a very special place in my heart. Top tracks: “Seein* Starz” and “Standing in the Sun.”

Thanks for reading! Be on the lookout for the next joint Blawg Team post, which will see our writers put together some of their favorite lines in music history...

#spotify #2014

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