Favorite Portland EPs from 2014

Oh man, it was another great year for Portland music and already the Willamette Week is promising next year is going to be even better. While I continue to try and whittle down my list of Portland albums, here's my favorite local EPs from the year. I can't claim this is comprehensive or even representative; it's just a mess of EPs I loved, mostly by new and exciting Portland bands that I picked up on Bandcamp. Please let me know what I missed. I love suggestions.

Sleep School - White Girl Wasted
Fell for the thumping wall of fuzz that kicks off the EP, but the other songs are great too.

Summer Cannibals - Make You Better
Every time I see this band they seem to be getting louder, tighter, and more exciting.


Padre
One of my favorite new bands first heard on the PDX Pop Now! compilation. 

The Century - Oddfellows
Foot stomping, beer splashing, feel good rock n' roll.

We Miss Earth - Destroyed
Beautiful distortion with a knack for JAMC-style hooks.


Big Haunt - Devotionals
Captivated by their dark and meditative indie folk.

woolen men - Quick Trips

One of a couple great no-frills, lo-fi rock n' roll EPs they released this year. Better grab it quick, as they usually disappear.

The Zags - Small Bags
Classic power pop with that late 70s LA punch.


The Beauty - Mash Notes
Gritty call-and-response vocals over a Queen-through-blown-out-speakers beat. 

NTNT - And Then The Moon
Dig the keys and beats on this blissful dance pop that practically bursts with sequins and sunshine.


Family Night - Emperors of America
Sibling pop band delivering their local social commentary with a shimmer and a shake.



pigWar
Sexy psychedelic soul, easily slipping from smooth and funky to powerful and gritty.


Ladywolf - Vamp Queen
Youthful shredders cranking out boisterous psychedelic garage rock.


Fremont - Keep Me Still
Builds on the breezy pop of their wonderful LP released earlier in the year.


Pop Zeus - Tell Me So
It's the off-the-cuff casualness and intimacy that makes this lo-fi pop so appealing. Well, that and the hooks.

Autonomics - Keep Tulsa Ugly
Wonderfully loose and lo-fi rock n roll.


Fog Father - Razzle-Dazzle
A trippy dream pop haze of keyboards, harmonies, and guitars.


Leading Psychics - Reconnoiter
Waves of gently buzzing guitars wrap around moody and romantic pop.


Super Soaked
A simple recipe with smashing results: garage rock guitars propelled by youthful punk energy.

Top 15 Portland Albums from 2013

Limiting the list to 10 albums was impossible this year. Even at 15, I am still forced to leave off a couple favorites. At least the EPs will be posted separately.

1.     Radiation City - Animals In The Median

An outstanding and beautiful album. If this is the soundtrack a past-future lounge, I'll take a Vesper.

 2.     Portugal. The Man - Evil Friends 

Long-time favorite keeps the streak alive. With each stylistic shift I love them even more.

3.     Typhoon - White Lighter

Orchestral, intricate, and emotional indie rock. For all the moving parts and tempo changes, it's strikingly intimate.

4.    The Memories - Love Is The Law 

Maybe if Guided by Voices preferred weed to cheap beer they’d make lazy, amazingly catchy, lo-fi pop like this.

5.    Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside - Untamed Beast 

Updating rockabilly, by avoiding stylistic cliches, and delivering propulsive, simple, vintage pop songs.

6.     The Thermals - Desperate Ground 

Portland punk rock veterans strip back down to just pointed anger and giant hooks. Always good, always seem to be getting better.

7.    Summer Cannibals - No Make Up 

They won me over live. Just the right mix of attitude and chops, aggression and charisma.

8.     Wild Ones - Keep It Safe

Many a sunny late afternoon was spent lounging to this upbeat and occasionally dreamy midsummer indie pop.

9.      The No Tomorrow Boys - Bad Luck Baby Put The Jinx On Me 

Exceedingly fun vintage rock n' roll bashed out with energy and abandon.

10.    WL - Hold 

Easy to get swept up in their sweet and hazy shoegaze. 

11.    Genders - Get Lost

Great all around indie rock album, but I especially love the guitars.

12.    The Woolen Men - The Woolen Men 

Very satisfying lo-fi, elemental rock n’ roll.

13.    The Pynnacles - The Pynnacles

May not be original artyfacts, but these songs sound like solid gold nuggets to me.

14.     Fanno Creek - Monuments 

Energetic indie folk with beautiful yet powerful harmonies. 

15.    The We Shared Milk - Lame Sunset 

Laid back, soulful, experimental indie rock. Really hits stride on the second side.