Little Machines
Favourites: Muscle Memory, How We Do It, Running With The Boys
Earning one of the top spots in my list is the beautiful synth-pop Little Machines. From start to finish it took me on a journey of the last year of my life in particular, sound tracking my trip around Europe for me to relive over and over when I got home. Lights' vocals are sweet and stunning as ever and the musical arrangements draw the very best from her previous albums whilst introducing new elements even on the equally as sublime bonus tracks. My original ramble described Little Machines as breathtaking and a masterpiece and honestly, I still stand by that.
White Noise
Favourites: Holy, Ghosts, Let Them In
This album is what dreams are made of I swear to whatever higher entity there is up there. If I could write an album this would probably be it. If I could sing I would pick Lynn Gunn's voice. If I could pick someone to work on my album with it would be Blake Harnage. Honestly this has got to be the most impressive debut i've ever heard. PVRIS have found their sound and holy hell is it good. Everything about this album is so incredible I don't really have the right words for it, the only disappoint is that it ends. If you do just one more thing this year please, please, please make it listening to White Noise.
Weird Kids
Favourites: Manners, Come Back Home, Reflections
After Best Intentions and seeing them live several times I was wondering whether the five piece would head into a more pop direction or if their second full length would be more punk and Weird Kids kind of does both. I don't think it's necessarily the music with We Are The In Crowd I think it is a lot to do with them. They've made an album which has honed in on their own unique sound that straddles both sides of the fence jumping back and forth for different songs and depending on the crowd. They sound better than ever and their future gets brighter looking every single day.
La Dispute
Rooms Of The House
Favourites: Woman (In Mirror), Stay Happy There, For Mayor In Splitsville
I can't think of any other band that sounds like La Dispute they're in their own league where they continue to make albums unaffected by what the rest of the music world is doing. Rooms Of The House continues to hit hard and beautifully and is verging into Deja Entendu worship worthy territory.
I can't think of any other band that sounds like La Dispute they're in their own league where they continue to make albums unaffected by what the rest of the music world is doing. Rooms Of The House continues to hit hard and beautifully and is verging into Deja Entendu worship worthy territory.
Going To Hell
Favourites: Absolution, House On A Hill, Blame Me
Long awaited second offering from The Pretty Reckless exceeded my expectations. Light Me Up was brilliant but made a lot of people stick their noses in the air and I wasn't expecting Going To Hell to be able to change that but I think it did. Yes, in places there was crass immaturity but overall this album has something more to say than 'hey i'm high and underage but please have sex with me.' A couple of the songs are pretty hard hitting, musically they've changed it up a bit dabbling with different sounds and Taylor's vocals shine as ever.
I'll Keep You In Mind, From Time To Time
Favourites: Cherry, Bukowski, Boston
ENGLAND HAVE THEIR VERY OWN BRAND NEW CIRCA YFW. There isn't much more to say about this really other than the album artwork is one of my favourite people shot by another one of my favourite people so there's that.
Transit
Joyride
Favourites: The Only One, Follow Me, Ignition & Friction
Transit have done it again. Joyride is yet another exceptional album that I will spin all summer long. I feel bad for people that don't understand their sound and the direction they're going in and can't see past their own ideas for the band because their sound is such a uniquely charming one.
Transit have done it again. Joyride is yet another exceptional album that I will spin all summer long. I feel bad for people that don't understand their sound and the direction they're going in and can't see past their own ideas for the band because their sound is such a uniquely charming one.
You Me At Six
Cavalier Youth
Favourites: Forgive And Forget, Cold Night, Wild Ones
It took a long time for this album to grow on me. When I first heard it I thought all the songs sounded the same and they lacked any real feeling. Generic music with a generic emotion. Eventually though after listening to it so many times something about the way my brain perceived it changed. It's not Sinners Never Sleep and they were never going to write Sinners Never Sleep Part II because somewhere during that album cycle and the potential break up they grew up. And that's what Cavalier Youth is - a nostalgic, half terrified half hopeful collection of songs for darker summer days.
Taking Back Sunday
Happiness Is
Favourites: Better Homes And Gardens, All The Way, Nothing At All
I have a lot of time for Taking Back Sunday. For me, despite their line-up being anything but, their music has always been consistently fantastic and whatever stage I am at in my life it is always relevant and there for me to go back to. They are a safe place. Happiness Is hits all the emotions with its' sound progressing forward but somehow being more reminiscent of earlier Taking Back Sunday albums.
Favourites: Better Homes And Gardens, All The Way, Nothing At All
I have a lot of time for Taking Back Sunday. For me, despite their line-up being anything but, their music has always been consistently fantastic and whatever stage I am at in my life it is always relevant and there for me to go back to. They are a safe place. Happiness Is hits all the emotions with its' sound progressing forward but somehow being more reminiscent of earlier Taking Back Sunday albums.
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Taylor Swift
1989
Favourites: Out Of The Woods, Bad Blood, New Romantics
Ah, Taylor Swift who knew that 2014 would be the year the world watched you learn and grow and turn into a kick butt fairy princess feminist icon? And as for 1989, whilst a lot of the older die hard fans are gutted by the disappearance of the country sound, as a sucker for synths I am completely in love with the synth pop direction. There's straight up love songs, songs blasting the shitty media and songs for shitty friends that all come with excellent vocals and synth goodness. Scattered throughout is a fairy tale theme and on the bonus track 'Wonderland' tips over and, obviously, plays a lot on Alice In Wonderland which made me positively giddy with joy.
Honourable Mentions:
Ah, Taylor Swift who knew that 2014 would be the year the world watched you learn and grow and turn into a kick butt fairy princess feminist icon? And as for 1989, whilst a lot of the older die hard fans are gutted by the disappearance of the country sound, as a sucker for synths I am completely in love with the synth pop direction. There's straight up love songs, songs blasting the shitty media and songs for shitty friends that all come with excellent vocals and synth goodness. Scattered throughout is a fairy tale theme and on the bonus track 'Wonderland' tips over and, obviously, plays a lot on Alice In Wonderland which made me positively giddy with joy.
Honourable Mentions:
Neck Deep / Wishful Thinking
Real Friends / Maybe This Place Is The Same And We're Just Changing
Aaron West and The Roaring Twenties / We Don't Have Each Other
Charli XCX / Sucker
Tigers Jaw / Charmer
Modern Baseball / You're Gonna Miss It All
Yellowcard / Lift A Sail
New Found Glory / Resurrection
Natives / Indoor War
Bayside / Cult
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