Moderate Rock

It’s all about what stays with you, right? You could be listening to some of the busiest, best new metal of the year or losing yourself in wordless soundscapes, but unless it sticks somehow, makes some kind of mark, it might not be remembered later that day, nevermind six months after the fact.

This year, for me, these are the records that stuck. Moderate Rock’s albums of 2014.

11 because Spinal Tap:

11. MAYBESHEWILL- ‘Fair Youth’
10. EVERY TIME I DIE- ‘From Parts Unknown’
9. APHEX TWIN- ‘Syro’
8. DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979- ‘The Physical World’
7. ’68- ‘In Humor and Sadness’
6. RUN THE JEWELS- ‘Run the Jewels 2’
5. TALONS- ‘New Topographics’
4. MOGWAI- ‘Rave Tapes’
3. BRONTIDE- ‘Artery’
2. KEATON HENSON- ‘Romantic Works’
1. GOODTIME BOYS- ‘Rain’

A few extremes of sound represented there- hyper-catchy indie rock, incendiary hip hop, expertly produced electronica, and maybe one of the saddest albums I’ve ever heard. But in the end a scrappy UK hardcore punk album took the top spot. The first Goodtime Boys album full-length combines everything I want from that sort of sound and I can’t recommend it enough.

Shout out also to Cloudkicker’s ‘Little Histories’ EP which would have made the cut if it was an album and not an EP, and to Arcade Fire’s Her soundtrack for being the album that I listened to most this year that actually came out last year.

Peace.