January 5, 2015

Top 10 Favorite Portland Albums from 2014


1.     Ages And Ages - Divisionary

Played this for more friends than any other album because I knew they'd like their personal and cathartic chorals. And they always did.



2.     A Happy Death - Introducing: A Happy Death

A perfect mix of punk aggression, psychedelic fuzz, and barstool stagger. (Bandcamp)



3.     Talkative - Hot Fruit Barbeque

Playful, fuzzy, sprawling, and spazzy in all the right ways. Splitting the difference between Animal Collective and Nurses. (Bandcamp)



4.     Daydream Machine - Twin Idols

Immediately loved this album; pure shoegaze bliss. (Bandcamp)




5.     Modern Kin - Live from the Banana Stand

The Banana Stand and Modern Kin really nailed this one, capturing an exciting and raw performance. Somehow knocking the doors off their killer debut album. (Bandcamp)


6.     Battleme - Future Runs Magnetic

After being blown away live, these songs kept those those moments fresh on my stereo, again and again. But will admit my favorite songs are off last year’s EP. 



7.     Thanks - Blood Sounds

Shoegaze soul, a hybrid genre out of my melodic fantasies. On heavy rotation for the first few months of the year and is still one of my favorites. (Bandcamp)


8.     Horse Feathers - So It Is With Us

Won over at just the prospect of a joyful Horse Feathers album, especially after hearing the terrific lead single, Violently Wild. (Bandcamp)



9.     Sallie Ford - Slap Back

Love that while she pushes sonically beyond her rockabilly roots, her frank lyrics are still delivered with a charismatic grin. 



10. TXE - Vs PRTLND

Terrific Portland hip hop album that samples the vibrant local indie rock scene making familiar songs their own. (Bandcamp)

2 Comments:

awmercy said...

Ten is way too few to capture 2014. Aan, Doubleplusgood, the Eyelids, Hands In, Jackson Boone, Lubec, Mimicking Birds, Mufassa, Run On Sentence, and Souvenir Driver were all great too and should be on here as well. Might have to repost as a Top 20.

awmercy said...

Sama Dams too! Oh man, it was a good year.