The 55 Best Albums of 2014 (1-11)

At the end of the day, the top albums came down to the ones I found myself listening to the most.  There were albums I respected but I never had the urge to play, so they ended up lower on the list.  These were the albums that kept finding themselves in my heavy rotation.  These albums deserve top billing.

Probably the biggest surprise here is the U2 album.  I have no idea why so many people criticized its delivery method.  People have been complaining that the old system doesn’t work anymore; labels and bands need to try new things.  U2 did. They gave the fans exactly what they asked for and the people still complained.  People didn’t complain this much about Zooropa (which deserved it). My favorite criticism of the band is now they’re corporate.  I hate to break it to you all, any band on a record label is corporate. U2 took a risk and I commend them for it. I’d rather a band take a risk and fail then play it safe and be ordinary.  If people stopped complaining and listened, they might actually be surprised.

Here are the 55 Best Albums of 2014 (1-11):

1.  Broken Bells - After the Disco
2.  Antemasque - Antemasque
3.  Eagulls - Eagulls
4.  TV On The Radio - Seeds
5.  White Sea - White Sea
6.  Against Me! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues
7.  Cheatahs - Cheatahs
8.  Jack White - Lazaretto
9.  James Vincent McMorrow - Post-Tropical
10. Run The Jewels - RTJ2
11. U2 - Songs of Innocence

 
Buy all of these albums and more…now!!

 

The 11 Best Songs By TV On The Radio

It’s December, which means it’s time for the onslaught of best of lists.  They’ve been pouring on hot and heavy over the past few days.  I will get to my annual best of list this week…including my massive 111 best of list with help from all you pretty people.  But I like to wait a couple weeks and scour other “best of” lists in case there’s an album out there I’ve missed.  You never know…the new Smashing Pumpkins and Charli XCX are supposedly pretty epic.  Here’s the last of my catch-up list

My first introduction to TV on The Radio was on a bachelor party trip about 10 years ago.  Strangely, that marriage is over but TVOTR is still rocking stronger than ever.  When I first heard the feedback-laden caterwaul that would become TVOTR’s staple sound it made my skin crawl in the way a trailer for an exciting new movie can give you a rush.  (think the Millenium Falcon racing onto the screen in the new Star wars trailer)  Sadly, I was the only one on the trip who loved what we were listening to.  After three songs from Desparate Youth, the guys in the car voted to remove the CD and move onto something more palpable like…Dave Matthews (yes, it was hell).  All I wanted to do was get home so I could listen to the album…but I was stuck at the bachelor party enduring fancy dinners, drinking, and strip clubs.  Even though Tom Petty may disagree, the waiting isn’t always the hardest part.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By TV On The Radio:

  1. Dancing Choose (Dear Science)
  2. Wolf Like Me (Return To Cookie Mountain)
  3. Staring at the Sun (Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes)
  4. Crying (Dear Science)
  5. Second Song (Nine Types of Light)
  6. Dreams (Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes)
  7. DLZ (Dear Science)
  8. Hours (Return To Cookie Mountain)
  9. No Future Shock (Nine Types of Light)
  10. Halfway Home (Dear Science)
  11. Don’t Love You (Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes)

Buy TV On The Radio’s new album, Seeds!!!

Buy this book or everyone you know will die.

Don’t forget to check out our blog’s awesome book The 111 Best Lists of the 2000s.  Available now!  (featuring TV On The Radio)

The 11 Best Songs By TV on the Radio

It seems to the be the year of the side project/solo album:  Gayngs, Tired Pony, Broken Bells, Dead Weather, Junip, S. Carey and about a dozen more solo albums.  Looks like TV on the Radio does not want to be left out of the trend.  David Sitek has put out his own side project called Maximum Balloon.  After a few listens, this might the best one yet. 

Believe it or not this is the third side project from TV on the Radio.  Kyp Malone put out his band’s debut last year called Rain Machine.  Tunde Adebimpe has CD/DVD out under the name Fake Male Voice.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By TV on the Radio:

1.  Wolf Like Me (Return To Cookie Mountain)

2.  Dancing Choose (Dear Science)

3.  Staring At the Sun (Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes)

4.  Stork & Owl (Dear Science)

5.  Dreams (Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes)

6.  Hours (Return To Cookie Mountain)

7.  DLZ (Dear Science)

8.  New Health Rock (New Health Rock EP)

9.  Crying (Dear Science)

10.  Blues From Down Here (Return To Cookie Mountain)

11.  I Was A Lover (Return To Cookie Mountain)

Buy the debut album from Maximum Balloon….now!!