Zestyverse: December 2014

by Sean Morris

I made my first Best Albums of the Year list twenty-five years ago. When I was eleven, my music preferences were almost entirely dictated by MTV and pop radio. Nowadays, I discover new favorites via live shows, blogs, and even a random Twitter follow. I’ve had a list-making fetish since the days of Casey Kasem’s Top 40. Beyond acknowledging cultural zeitgeists, revealing music snobbery, and instigating bickering, for me, 'Best of' lists collect memories just as vividly as any camera roll.

This was not the hottest year for full length releases, which sent me running into the arms of several EPs and a couple Soundcloud playlists. However, there is no such thing as a bad year for music. Many genre subdivisions that I invented names for (new classic rock, ignorap renaissance, nouveau trip-hop) are chugging merrily along. As Resurrection-era Common Sense would say, “we got mo’ many mo’ many mo’ many mo’ flavors,” yet people still mainly listen to whatever the market decides to oversaturate them with. There are no excuses. Don’t be ashamed to adore ubiquitous hits, and don’t be afraid to explore other avenues either.

Honoroable Mentions:

Deerhoof-La Isla Bonita
Dum Dum Girls-Too True
Letting Up Despite Great Faults-Neon
Liars-Mess
Miniature Tigers-Cruel Runnings
MØ-No Mythologies to Follow
Sweet Valley-F.A.N.G.
White Lung-Deep Fantasy
Wu-Tang Clan-A Better Tomorrow
Wye Oak-Shriek

Here are my Top 40 Albums of 2014:

#40 Sun Kil Moon-Benji

Alt-folk’s Curmudgeon of the Year may not have won the war against the album that toppled the 80’s retro bandwagon, but Mark Kozelek released a more arresting and absorbing hour of music. Cascading acoustic guitars are the only accompaniment for ninety percent of Benji, adding gravity to solemn confessions and plaintive reminiscences. Kozelek’s warbling is a soothing tour guide through a frequently perilous thought process.

#39 Prince & 3RDEYEGIRL-PLECTRUMELECTRUM

Art Official Age lived up to the common pronunciation of its title’s first four syllables. Thankfully, Prince saved the invigorating numbers for his current touring bandmates. 3RDEYEGIRL is no Vivian Girls (R.I.P.), but they get the job done. This is the most “Prince as shred-tastic axeman” we’ve gotten since the mid-90s mercy recordings. Blues-metal breakdowns rub shoulders with Paisley Park’s trademark funk pop. For anyone who can’t afford to plop down $200-300 whenever The Purple One decides to grace a stage with his presence (which is a lot of anyones), this is the next best thing.

#38 Ariel Pink-Pom Pom

In interviews, Ariel Pink is yet another intolerable episode of Men Say the Darndest Things. On record, he keeps my ears on their toes (in Pink’s world, ears probably have toes, too). Pom Pom is the happy medium between the accessible quirk of Before Today and the messy digressions of Mature Themes. Each track is its own mini-album, a series of unpredictable transitions enveloped in silly, cranky, and creepy melodies. These dense homages to a lengthy list of idiosyncratic, melancholy influences are consistently engrossing.

#37 Thee Oh Sees-Drop

John Dwyer’s idea of a “hiatus” in 2014 was playing half a dozen live shows with a pared-down lineup and only releasing thirty minutes of new music. Drop is a notable departure for Thee Oh Sees. The San Francisco psych-punk outfit is more psych than punk this time around. There are leisurely paced arrangements, less fuzzy mixes, and even a mellotron. All the tweaking pays off, and the album that sounds the least like their volcanic live shows ends up being one of their most definitive.

#36 Little Dragon-Nabuma Rubberband

So far the majority of this decade’s R&Btronica craze has been needlessly chaste. Little Dragon’s fourth album is a fine example of how much nouveau trip-hop excels when reveling in sensuality. With welcome assists from Robin Hannibal (Rhye, Quadron) and Dave of De La Soul, Nabuma Rubberband gracefully smolders from beginning to end. Though I will always maintain that the group doesn’t utilize Yukimi Nagano’s vocal talents as fully as Koop did, this is their strongest release yet.

#35 NehruvianDOOM

Bishop Nehru’s mature, assured flow fits DOOM’s trusty special herbs so snugly that NehruvianDOOM sounds like a regrettably shelved side project from 2004. Obviously that’s not the case, because ten years ago Nehru was eight (#getoffmylawn). The villain’s signature beats (some old, some new) are as sinister and goofy as ever, while his protege’s lyrics reveal a thoughtful old soul. NehruvianDOOM eschews modern hip-hop’s “either it’s a classic or it’s trash” mindset with a sturdy bridge across the generation gap.

#34 PRhyme

Heads have been clamoring for a full-length collaboration from Royce da 5’9” and DJ Premier since 2002. On PRhyme, Nickel Nine’s bars lean more towards Bad Meets Evil’s nonstop braggadocio than Success is Certain’s varied topics, and Premo keeps the boom bap at a mid-tempo simmer. The combination of our hosts’ impressive gifts briskly gathers momentum, and not one rapper on the guest list drops the ball. PRhyme manages to be both unassuming and flashy at the same time, all leading up to an explosive finish.

#33 Bibio-The Green EP

Ostensibly an extension of the drifting mist that is Silver Wilkinson’s “Dye the Water Green,” The Green EP further solidifies Bibio’s vintage filter folktronica technique. While his dulcet singing voice is plenty expressive, Stephen Wilkinson’s true eloquence resides in instrumental passages. The peaceful vitality of this EP wisely pointed the UK producer into an inevitable next direction: scoring a film. If only more afterthoughts were this powerful.

#32 Coldplay-Ghost Stories

Coldplay has always been an “every other album” band for me, so I wasn’t surprised that Ghost Stories ear-wormed its way onto my list. What was unexpected was how successfully the arena rock juggernauts incorporated “come see my laptop live” culture into their repertoire. The ambient odes to “Conscious Uncoupling” may be mopey, but they’re also Coldplay’s most satisfying melodies since Viva La Vida. When Chris Martin & Co. finally huddle around Avicii’s equipment, the ensuing techno pop catharsis is simply stunning. If I cared about the Grammys, I would root for “A Sky Full of Stars” to win Best Pop Duo/Group Performance (but not Best Pop Vocal Album. Fucking Bangerz).

#31 Freddie Gibbs & Madlib-Piñata

Aside from Charli XCX (sigh), Freddie Gibbs was the only person to truly capitalize on his appearance on Danny Brown’s Old, and that includes Danny Brown. Considering that the grunge revival is already in full swing, the Golden Age of Ignorap was overdue for its own retro phase. Gangsta Gibbs’ contemptuous delivery breeds familiar subject matter in himself and his high profile cameos, but Madlib’s production wizardry substantially elevates the material. Dusty soul samples feel deliberately drained of warmth even before the bitter, guttural rapping begins. Evoking multiple Clinton-era recordings, Piñata breathes life into fatalism.

#30 Antemasque

After last year’s trial separation projects (Bosnian Rainbows and Zavalaz), the masterminds behind At the Drive-In and The Mars Volta (R.I.P. Ikey Owens) are back together. Three to five-minute songs with no abrupt time signature changes or multilingual esoteric lyrics? Who are you and what have you done with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala? At its core, Antemasque is revivalist emo metal, all gnarled guitars, brassy wails, and Flea. Their playfulness even permeates the album’s inevitable dark detours. Working within convention has rejuvenated one of modern rock’s greatest partnerships.

#29 Open Mike Eagle-Dark Comedy

Busdriver’s spastic Perfect Hair and Milo’s pensive A Toothpaste Suburb both had the misfortune of coming out three months after a fellow Hellfyre Club member had beaten them to the punch. On Dark Comedy, Open Mike Eagle brilliantly fuses trenchant anxiety and ennui to his distinctively dignified, half-sung rapping style. Most of the minimalist alt-hop beats don’t live up to the expertly written rhymes, which is a testament to Mike Eagle's high level of skill. He patiently proffers each line with a corresponding wink, frown, and/or smirk. Listening to Dark Comedy is a deep philosophical exchange with a friend who drenches sentences with obscure pop culture references.

#28 Ty Segall-Manipulator

Manipulator’s surging first half alone belongs on a 21st Century classic rock radio station playlist. Ty Segall has gotten so proficient at headbanger glam alchemy that if MTV didn’t stand for Mischievous Teenager Vehicles these days, his face would be all over it. Following up the sobering Sleeper with an epic hour of polished guitar gems, the hardest working man in garage rock once again delivers his best album to date. This reoccurrence would be ho-hum if Segall’s songs weren’t so damn infectious.

#27 Thievery Corporation-Saudade

Rob Garza and Eric Hilton first bonded over bossa nova, and this is their tribute to the genre. With an emphasis on live instruments and wistful guest vocalists, Saudade is basically downtempo electronica’s Random Access Memories. These compositions are as much of a throwback to the 1960’s as they are to the early 2000s, when Latin jazz and French lounge regularly issued from coffee shop speakers and scored various basic cable TV love scenes. Thievery Corporation’s most moving work since The Richest Man in Babylon is slathered with a calming, understated joy.

#26 Perfect Pussy-Say Yes to Love

Syracuse distortion-mongers Perfect Pussy made sure their towering debut was as unforgettable as their moniker. Say Yes to Love is a brief but thrilling flurry of gnawing riffs, riotous drum fills, and ear-splitting screams. Hiding behind this clamorous curtain is the group’s secret weapon: Meredith Graves’ flair for stark poetics. “We can speak the words of women and angels, but without real love, it’s just sad noise.” Punk’s future continues to brighten.

#25 Snowmine-Dialects

Snowmine is a Brooklyn-based dream pop quartet. Dialects, their second album, is a subtle storm of arpeggiated guitars, expansive strings, and chillwave textures. Grayson Sanders follows in the footsteps of luxuriant lead singers like Beach House’s Victoria Legrand and Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold. Armed with transfixing harmonies and full of warmth, Snowmine gives soft rock a good name.

#24 The Drums-Encyclopedia

Few young musicians do “more of the same” as well as Jonathan Pierce and Jacob Graham. The moony surf rock duo is in a perpetual catchy hook surplus. Synthesizers play a larger role on Encyclopedia, further infusing their frequently morbid heartbreak anthems with a goth sensibility. With most of their peers ditching reverb pedals, The Drums could soon become the last lo-fi band standing.

#23 DaVinci & Sweet Valley-Ghetto Cuisine

The Bay Area rap scene has been buried under an avalanche of novelty songs and excessive E-40 releases for far too long. Fillmore District’s DaVinci fights his way above the fray by teaming up with the most underrated, unorthodox beat makers working today. Sweet Valley (aka Nathan Williams of Wavves and his brother Kynan) mashes up crunk, doo wop, video game noises, and whatever else they feel like. Ghetto Cuisine’s grisly hustler narratives get a robust boost from its inventive accompaniment.

#22 pizza boy.-no tip necessary.

Enigmatic internet MC pizza boy. sprinkles a little bit of filth and a whole lot of self-deprecation on top of his brainy, witty couplets. Furnished with emo trap production described as “all them beats that Melvin Burch won’t cuss on,” no tip necessary. is an auspicious beginning. Undaunted by the niche proclivities and distractions that constantly threaten to derail his creative process, pizza boy. is brimming with contemplative charm. In his own words, “the next time I drop something on fucking Soundcloud, you should listen to it because… whatever.”

#21 Warpaint

Warpaint’s subdued follow-up to The Fool traverses murky channels to a sea of despondency. Jenny Lee Lindberg’s bass and Stella Mozgawa’s drums are an offbeat blend of drone and hip hop, while Theresa Wayman and Emily Kokal’s fluttering guitars and breathy passages form seductive shadow animals. Although uptempo numbers drag slightly under the revamped formula, the bulk of Warpaint is stuffed with jazzy, magnetic slow-burners.

#20 Gangsta Boo & La Chat-Witch

Producing a high quality Three 6 Mafia-related project without any input from DJ Paul or Juicy J seemed impossible until Witch dropped. The beats are an impressive balance of 6ix Commandments’ throwback hardcore and Stay Trippy’s ratchet pop. Gangsta Boo and La Chat spit their most spellbinding, sultry, and venomous verses in ages. Referencing everything from Thelma & Louise to Mean Girls, the Hypnotize Minds alumni resume their duties as two of the Dirty South’s heaviest hitters.

#19 Kate Tempest-Everybody Down

I was inexplicably ignorant of Kate Tempest’s existence for nearly all of 2014. Her skillful characterizations are as awe-inspiring as her wordplay. Collaborator Dan Carey fleshes out dire surroundings with taut techno. It’s probably not a coincidence that Everybody Down was released one day shy of the ten year anniversary of another ambitious UK spoken wordtronica concept album. Tempest’s scope is more cinematic than soap operatic, spinning a gritty saga of men and women who have convinced themselves that they’re “happiest when struggling.”

#18 Baths-Ocean Death

Will Wiesenfeld picks up right where Obsidian’s superior second half left off. Forbidding industrial house fills the air with grave omens. Steering his falsetto away from pinched whines and into eerie crooning is one of many wise decisions Baths makes on the EP. Ocean Death is a danceable, succinct, and sincere romanticization of his recent staring contest with mortality.

#17 Yellow Ostrich-Cosmos

Just when I had gotten used to the idea of never getting the audacious, loop pedal symphony version of Yellow Ostrich back, the mellower indie rock incarnation called it quits as well. When first released back in March, Cosmos felt like a confident carrying on. Now it has become an uncomplicated conclusion. Guided by Alex Schaaf’s captivating tenor, Yellow Ostrich’s measured crescendos are as inviting as ever, and hold up on repeat listens. See you next lifetime.

#16 Phantogram-Voices

Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel kinda sorta blew up this year when “Fall In Love” made it into regular rotation on pop rock radio. Unfortunately, the rest of Voices didn’t get as much attention as it warranted. On their sophomore effort, Phantogram sharpens their style to glitzy effect. Merging moody boom bap with buzzy techno had already pushed them to the forefront of nouveau trip-hop, and adding more energetic numbers with stadium-ready choruses upped the ante. With both their sound and the size of their audience growing exponentially, Phantogram deserve to be treated as something greater than a one-hit wonder.

#15 Mr Little Jeans-Pocketknife

Considering Monica Birkenes originally hails from Norway, I’m inclined to think that she is joking on her Facebook page when she describes her music as “Korean Pop.” Months after seeing her storm a side stage at Monterey’s First City Festival, Mr Little Jeans’ compelling set remains a highlight. Pocketknife opens harmlessly enough with a series of semi-saccharine upbeat electro ditties. Once the gloomy ballads start appearing, Birkenes’ singing becomes more passionate. All of it builds to a thrilling finale, cementing Mr Little Jeans’ status as one of the year’s most addictive surprises.

#14 Beck-Morning Phase

My first thought when Morning Phase came out was, “at least SOMEONE knows how to make a sequel to their classic.” My second thought: “this new Air acoustic album is dope!” Kidding aside, Beck revisiting Sea Change’s orchestral alt-country template in a markedly lighter disposition is a joy to behold. Though still tinged with pain, his baritone soars triumphantly. “Woe is me” poetry has been replaced with cautious optimism. Beck’s palpable excitement at fully recovering from a 2008 spinal injury and reuniting his revered lineup yield vibrant results.

#13 D’Angelo & The Vanguard-Black Messiah

As seemingly one of the few writers who first listened to Black MBV, I mean Black Messiah with the lyrics in front of them, I assure you it’s not the sociopolitical treatise the oft-quoted liner notes would (mis)lead you to believe. D’Angelo’s overarching theme is not “we only got outlined in chalk,” but thank Yeezus it’s not “I give her a pacifier” either. “If you’re wondering about the shape I’m in, I hope it ain’t my abdomen that you’re referring to.” African-American male R&B artists have either grown toothless and complacent (hello, Autotune) or simply disappeared (where Donnie at?!). As D’Angelo genuflects to organic funk revolutionaries and soulful idols, he acknowledges all the time squandered and loved ones lost. The prime conceit of Black Messiah is the ability to save oneself.

#12 Nocando-Jimmy the Burnout

The first of Hellfyre Club’s four 2014 solo releases stands tallest due to Nocando’s effortless mastery of a diverse array of production styles. Experimental ambience, traditional jazz loops, and menacing bounce are equally potent showcases for the noted battle rapper and Low End Theory host’s flexible flow. Breaking up, breaking even, settling down, visiting an incarcerated relative, dealing with jet lag, and fantasizing about Obama stopping the apocalypse barely scratch the surface of the topics touched on in Nocando’s incessantly clever lyrics. Jimmy the Burnout dropping the same day as Piñata was the earliest indication that it was going to be (gasp!) a good year for hip-hop.

#11 Vacationer-Relief

Vacationer give their distinctive, breezy pastiche of tropical samples and psychedelic rock an easy identifier: “nu-hula.” Relief, like 2012’s Gone, perfectly encapsulates an idealized summertime with no bad sunburns, illnesses, or accidents. Kenny Vasoli (The Starting Line) and his bandmates aren’t out to delude anyone. Their effervescent melodies and euphoric synchronization come from a genuine place. Every single track expresses a simple wish that the only true contagion in the world were positivity, and Vacationer successfully sells the hell (or heaven, rather) out of this idea.

#10 Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks-Enter the Slasher House

Joining forces with Angel Deradoorian (ex-Dirty Projectors) and Jeremy Hyman (ex-Ponytail), Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks injects freak folk punk funk lunacy with healthy doses of glee. Lyrically, Enter the Slasher House returns David Portner to Incoherentville, but sonically it’s the closest he has come to accessible since you know what. There’s a great deal more screaming than singing, but the jubilance behind it suggests freshly healed wounds. No longer a grief-stricken underwater carnival ride operator or an enraged dystopian circus performer, Avey Tare is once again in the mood for merriment.

#9 Run the Jewels 2

Now on his fifth straight notable release since 2010, El-P is the person to beat for Hip Hop Producer of the Decade. Killer Mike made Top Five MC lists just for getting cable pundits to shut up and listen in the wake of Ferguson’s ongoing tragedies. Run the Jewels 2’s scorched-earth soundscapes are often intentionally dialed back to draw focus to Mike and El’s vehement disdain of crooked cops, blowjob queen worship, and everything in between. Vividly brutal punchlines over punishing bass drops remains RTJ’s specialty. Simultaneously jolting rap and EDM awake, this partnership is nowhere near done accumulating titles.

#8 The Roots-…And Then You Shoot Your Cousin

Twenty (hell, ten) years ago, who would have guessed that the standard bearers of progressive hip hop AND the Tonight Show house band would be The Roots? …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin is less dreary and ostentatious than Undun, but only just. At one point Illadelph gospel stomp dissolves into a requiem by an avant garde French composer. Among the cast of characters in this thirty-three minute satirical melodrama are an authoritative Black Thought, a guilt-ridden Dice Raw, and the ghost of Nina Simone. …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin takes bold, disorienting snapshots of a community brainwashed to believe that their lives are inherently worthless.

#7 Vaniish-Memory Work

While Hether Fortune toured with White Lung this past summer, two members of Wax Idols’ powerhouse rhythm section launched an exhilarating new project. Helmed by the multi-faceted Keven Tecon, Vaniish filters spiky post-punk through chilling nü-shoegaze (nü-gaze?). Dolorous bass, blistering percussion, harsh guitars, and stoic synths blanket Memory Work’s mournful reverie. Incorporating atmospheric electronic textures from various eras allows Vaniish to dig deeper than the average retro goth band, resulting in a mesmerizing debut.

#6 tUnE-yArDs-Nikki Nack

Following up a masterpiece is an unenviable burden, unless you’re the superhuman Merril Garbus. Setting aside her singular playbook, tUnE-yArDs tosses Haitian drums, a Casio keyboard, a fiddle, a Seussian skit, and even a bag of rice into the art pop mixer. Garbus flexes her production chops, processing live instruments so that they sound mechanized, not unlike humanity’s metamorphosis into oversharing social media bots. Tackling drought, cultural appropriation, vigilante justice, and sexual assault, virtuosic layered vocal loops rattle off silly catch phrases just as loudly as they shout insightful slogans. Nikki Nack is a challenging, genre-hopscotching jamboree.

#5 pizza boy.-futility.

Welcome to the Struggleverse. The directionless crossroads better known as post-collegiate life prompted pizza boy. to record six odes to futility. Uploaded less than two months after no tip necessary., this probing, anxious concept EP is an astonishing evolution. Lyrics are delivered with focused urgency over somber, sumptuous beats. Even amidst the defeatist frenzy, pizza boy. is an expert at infusing humor into his rhymes. “It’s all futile, cry into your bowl of Lime Chicken Ramen noodles… cause that’s the nastiest flavor, and dump that bowl on all your sassiest haters.” Look no further for inspiring contemporary indie hip hop.

#4 Li Xi-Meet Me Somewhere

Rising above some stiff competition, my vote for Best New Artist of 2014 (well, new to me) is San Francisco’s Li Xi. Their combination of vintage synths, fuzzy bass, and anthemic hooks is immediately familiar, yet far from conventional. Alluring instrumentation and stunning synchronicity reimagines post-rock and psychedelic electro pop for a new generation. Devoid of filler, Meet Me Somewhere is an accomplished half hour of futuristic lounge.

#3 St. Vincent

With the arch of an eyebrow, St. Vincent surveys the mainstream music landscape and proceeds to one-up every last drop of it. “You rode a wrecking ball naked? Time to take off all my clothes and run through the desert.” “You think you’re a god? Not compared to my mother you aren’t.” Despite the wide-eyed guitar prodigy droid she portrays on stage, Annie Clark has never been more corporeal. Her brilliance lies in her ability to funnel animalistic urges into biting verses, celestial harmonies, and of course that face-melting fretwork. Intelligent, eccentric, and erotic, St. Vincent is the birth of a 21st Century icon.

#2 Lykke Li-I Never Learn

Of all the chapters of Youth Novels, hardly anyone expected brooding epilogue “Window Blues” to be the one that would foreshadow Lykke Li’s career trajectory. To be fair, 2008 Lykke Li probably never dreamed she would be unlucky in love with the same person three times, as she confessed during her set at this year’s Outside Lands festival. I Never Learn is a gloomy gut punch destined for the Breakup Album Hall of Fame. Björn Yttling gets tempestuous strings, dejected pianos keys, and massive echo chamber drumbeats to gather like storm clouds. Li’s quavering soprano in and of itself is technically not any stronger, yet anguish turns out to be her most commanding pose. All hail the new Queen of Misery!

#1 Caribou-Our Love

Far removed from the exquisite baroque pop of Andorra, Caribou reaches a much loftier level of hip-house greatness on Our Love. Plenty of electronica producers juxtapose provocative, unhurried stutter-step 808s with delirious disco shuffle, but molding them together on the same track ("All I Ever Need") is a stroke of mad genius. “Second Chance,” a slinky collaboration with Jessy Lanza, is frankly the best kneepad R&Btronica song ever made (so far). Refusing to drop the beat until the song’s final seconds is a sly subversion of DJ culture’s current demands. Minutes later, he goes in the opposite direction, instigating a magnificent four on the floor drum dogpile. Whether meditating on romantic, fatherly, or unrequited love, Dan Snaith’s singing has become more emotive, which in turn fills his compositions with deeper intimacy. Few albums are so adventurous in so many different directions at once. Our Love is Caribou’s crowning achievement.

Keep your feet off my lawn, and keep reaching for the stars.

Zestyverse's resident Music Geek Sean Morris is an SF Bay Area native with a photographic memory and encyclopedic knowledge of popular culture. He is a graduate of UCLA's School of Theater, Film, and Television, a former Los Angeles Slam Team member, part of the collective Art 4 A Democratic Society, and a music blogger for The Owl Mag. Find him on Twitter, SoundCloud, and YouTube.

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