10. Supersuckers - Get The Hell

The greatest rock n roll band in the world's newest release is probably one of their best....for a band that has been around for over 20 years these guys know the formula and stick to their guns....pure satanic rock n roll with a hint of outlaw country....from the opening title track this album promises nothing more than a good booze and drug filled ride through the gates of hell....musically these guys are tighter than i think they have ever been....in an interview earlier this year Eddie Spaghetti says "it's a crime that we are this good this late in the game"....looking forward to their next release in 2015....another album of country anthems



9. Conan - Blood Eagle

The opening track of this album is by far one of my favorite songs released this year.....the anticipation of waiting for the bass to kick in is like being on some ancient battle field staring at the opposing army and waiting for that first feeling of your hammer going through your foes face....and when it hits....it hits hard and heavy....Conan is by far one of the best doom bands out right now....super slow riffs with thunderous base lines and war like bellowing of lyrics....this album requires and demands loud play and leaves the listener struck hard and bleeding....purrrrfection.



8. Many Arms - Suspended Definition

i remember when The Dillinger Escape Plan's Calculating Infinity came out and there was so much praise about them really inter-grating John Coltrane like scales into hardcore.....this is that time 100 billion....pure thought out and interesting free jazz played in a noise fused punk rock fashion.....atmospheric and chaotic but actually quite an easy listen if the mood fits you right.....this album which is only four songs long has become my stand by "stuck in LA traffic" album.....it's just noisy enough to keep my nerves on edge while taking me to those wonderful places i thought only the greats in free jazz could take me



7. Micachu (Mica Levi) - Under The Skin OST

I honestly do not think there is another album this year that had such a profound effect on me.....putting what i think of this AMAZING film aside.....the music is incredibly beautiful while at the same time being very alienating and even at time jarring....i really am surprised at just how much i have really enjoyed this album outside of what it does for the film itself....it really stands on its own and reveals wonderful feelings....this really is the perfect soundtrack for late night walks and or drives....as it really is as comforting in its isolation as it is terrifying.



6. Electric Wizard - Time To Die

in all honesty i would not call myself a "fan" of metal.....i mean i still dig my old Slayer albums, i still consider Master of Puppets an opus, and from time to time i have been known to listen to nothing but Iron Maiden for days

but for the most part...i really find most metal far to overt the top and boring....but man i do love some good doom albums

and like pretty much everybody here who listens to metal.....this album was high on my expectation list....and boy do they deliver.....this is by far the best "take a huge rip from that bong and murder your neighbors daughter" album i've heard in years....from the opening almost ambient but heavy as fucking hell track and into what i think is the best track on here "I am Nothing" into the whirling 1960s b satanic movie psychedelic nightmare "Destroy Those Who Love God" and all the way through Lucifer's Slaves and Satan Dethroned....this album is seriously the perfect blend of sludge prone blues mixed with occult rock metal....Black Sabbath must be soooooo proud of what they started

5. TacocaT - NVM
so i admit i'm a little biased when it comes to this band.....all four of them are seriously wonderful people whom i've had the pleasure of long late night drunk conversations with and i was at their first show and many more to follow....but i have to say their purrrfect style change just fits so well for them.....while still holing onto what i can only describe as flirty feminism they managed to take what was fairly typical but good 90s style punk rock and add a wonderful fun flair of surf/60s garage and just a feeling of good will....with songs ranging from friends loosing their minds at burning man, to fucking stereograms, to the annoyance of "cat calls", to the damn near purrfect Crimson Wave (take a guess)....this album is nothing short of absolute fun with a smidgen of social commentary....don't miss these kids if they come to your town.....it's worth it

^Crimson Wave "pop up video style"


4. Survival Knife - Loose Power

in 2013 Survival Knife dropped two singles....both of which were promising but seemingly below what the talent in this band could produce.....then their first full length came out and boom

this is why i can honestly say that post hardcore is by far one of my all time favorite genres.....and to see two members of one of the genres most important bands, Unwound.....doing exactly what they did with that band but at the same time creating a completely different sound.....seriously mad my year.....the music takes me back to my early 20s and the lyrics are cynical and intelligent....also catching these guys in what i can only describe as a room the size of a broom closet with two wonderful friends was a highlight of my year as well....seriously this band should be get much more attention both here and world wide....they just released a new EP and are talking another full length and tour this coming year



3. Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence

i can honestly say that if you told me in the beginning of this year that a Lana Del Rey album would be in my top 1000 of this year i probably would have spit my beer in your face during a fit of uncontrollable laughter
i seriously had no intention on even giving this album a single listen let alone the countless listens i've given it.....but a member here posted a track in the "how i feel" thread and i listened to.....intrigued i decided to download the album and give it a proper listen while driving 11 hours from Vancouver WA to Reno NV....and i ended up listening to it on repeat for that entire 11 hours

i'm still not a huge fan of her first album but i seriously love every track on this one....there is no denying that this woman has exceptional talent with her voice (and apparently other parts of her body)....but i think as a songwriter she is clever, dirty and fun.....as well as dark, depressing and despondent....the music itself is neo something....i really can't put my finger on it....maybe noir if that was ever a musical fashion....either way this album probably generated more listens from me than anything else released this year (779 to be exact and i only listened to Born to Die once) and would have easily been my album of the year had two of my all time favorite bands not put out quite possibly their best releases this year



2. Shellac - Dude Incredible

what can i say....Steve Albini could urinate into a record press and sell it for 100 bucks and i'd buy it

and this is Shellac.....well produced, thought out, timed purrfectly and full of everything i love about this band....this album takes no time in letting you know what your in for embracing you with loud noise rock that only these three madmen can produce

this is definitely a fans album....as there is nothing really jumping on it that may draw people in....what it is is exactly what i want from them from track one through the end....this is what you get a face value and nothing more.....this also has my track of the year on it....an instrumental about the wall street protests that is a purrfect example of the pure talent oozing from all three members and a testament to why bands grovel to Steve Albini in hopes of him producing their album



1. Swans - To Be Kind

ever seen the classic Steve Martin film "The Jerk"?....there is a hilarious scene in that movie where he sees his name in the phone book....that was me when i came home and saw a package from Young God Records which contained this album with MY NAME in the production credits!....i then took my phone out of my pocket, placed it on the table and went for a four hour drive with this cd only

as most of you know i've been a fan of Swans since i first heard them in the early 90s and i would say this is the best thing they have ever put out....which i said with The Seer....and god be willing i will say it again in a year or so

i think i said in my original review of this album that there is an almost optimistic feel in this album....and i still agree with that statement but it is very much drowned out by what makes Swans so amazing....loud misanthropy......lyrically this is by the numbers Gira....wonderful lyrics about self and the world around you....about depression and the warm happiness that comes with it....but lets face it....we really don't listen to Swans for the lyrics.....the music is unlike anything else out there....and this album transcends anything they have done to this date

if i died tomorrow this album will be played at my funeral....to both the delight and discontent of everybody who loves me