Wrapping up 2014 in End of Year Lists

I spent most of 2014 as an observer and occasional participator rather than a recorder. My new full-time journalism course and new job at a newspaper meant I saw fewer gigs and interviewed fewer musicians than before. Admittedly, I also wrote an awful lot about things besides music. Because of this I am putting little stock in this year's lists. As with every year, there are too many blind spots to render it of much use rather than keeping score of the year's releases and cultural tendencies. Benji may be a depressing listen for many, but as an achievement in storytelling and mining a seam of songwriting rarely sought in this day and age, it's a massively impressive work. Sonically, A Sunny Day in Glasgow seem to remain one of the most under-appreciated bands currently working. The cross-continental collective sound like they're breaking new ground with every release and this was a real surprise. The divisive song Seasons by Future Islands seems to be feted so highly because it must surely appeal to a great many music nerds to see a fearless, charismatic man on stage with a slightly receding hairline. It's a cracking song, though the album doesn't quite hold up all the way through. Caribou's Our Love does, though it never touches the heights of opener Can't Do Without You. Alvvays were on repeat for much of the year, though their infectious indie pop is unlikely to win fans to the genre despite being well-reviewed.
Anyway, these are the records that made 2014 for me:
 

TOP TEN ALBUMS

1. Benji SUN KIL MOON

2. Sea When Absent A SUNNY DAY IN GLASGOW

3. Our Love CARIBOU

4. Alvvays ALVVAYS

5. Cyro APHEX TWIN

6. Run the Jewels 2 RUN THE JEWELS

7. The Long O PETER ESCOTT

8. Lowtide LOWTIDE

9. Makthaverskan II MAKTHAVERSKAN

10. Atlas OWLS OF THE SWAMP

TOP THREE MISCELLANEOUS ALBUMS

1. L For Leisure JOHN ATKINSON (Soundtrack)

2. L’amour LEWIS (Reissue)

3. Spiderland SLINT (Reissue)

TOP TEN SONGS
1. Marry Me Archie ALVVAYS

2. Can’t Do Without You CARIBOU

3. Oppressive (The Best Gay Possible) PET SHOP BOYS

4. Seasons FUTURE ISLANDS

5. Joy HIDEOUS TOWNS

6. Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck) RUN THE JEWELS FEAT. ZACH DE LA ROCHA

7. No Thoughts CLOUD NOTHINGS

8. Asleep MAKTHAVERSKAN

9. Easy Money JOHNNY MARR

10. Style TAYLOR SWIFT

BEST NEW ARTISTS

1. L-Fresh the Lion
2. Hideous Towns

3. Alvvays

4. Blair Dunlop

5. Viet Cong

TOP FIVE WEBSITES

1. guardian.com.au

2. messandnoise.com

3. icheckmovies.com

4. letterboxd.com

5. lindywest.net

TOP FIVE INTERNATIONAL ARTIST GIGS

1. Dolly Parton ETIHAD STADIUM

2. Suzanne Vega MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE

3. Johnny Marr CORNER HOTEL

4. Blair Dunlop SPOTTED MALLARD

5. Parquet Courts LANEWAY FESTIVAL

TOP FIVE AUSTRALIAN ARTIST GIGS

1. The Stickmen CORNER HOTEL

2. Love of Diagrams CORNER HOTEL

3. Kirin J Callinan LANEWAY FESTIVAL

4. Jack Ladder  CORNER HOTEL

5. Dynamo CHERRY BAR

TOP FIVE TV SHOWS

1. Fargo

2. Media Watch

3. True Detective

4. At the Movies

5. Sherlock

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TOP TWENTY MOVIES

1. Frank

2. Under the Skin

3. Her

4. Nightcrawler

5. L For Leisure

6. Force Majeure

7. Nymphomaniac Vol I

8. Sunshine on Leith

9. We Are The Best

10. Blue is the Warmest Colour

11. Whiplash

12. Interstellar

13. Black Coal, Thin Ice

14. Gone Girl

15. The Theory of Everything

16. Edge of Tomorrow

17. Predestination

18. Cavalry

19. The Grand Budapest Hotel

20. It Follows

TOP FIVE RADIO SHOWS/PODCASTS

1. Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo’s Film Reviews – Radio Five Live
2. Serial - NPR

3. Screen Talk - Indiewire
4. In Our Time With Melvyn Bragg – BBC Radio 4

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5. From Our Own Correspondent – BBC Radio 4

THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES AWARD

Alt-J. I listen to it, I frown at it, and I just don't get it.

QUOTE OF THE YEAR

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“I don’t think anybody, me included, knew it was illegal.” - Rebekah Brooks

PREDICTION FOR 2015

The Calgary band Viet Cong will blow up, and Taylor Swift's Australian tour to break records.