Year-End Critics' Polls 2014

I keep forgetting about that deadmau5 album; I only got through half of it but that half was really good

i cosign all support of "dipshits"

the rap albums list is really good imo w/the exception of j. cole

10. Freddie Gibbs & MadLib, Piñata eh
9. Future, Honest This was disappointing
8. Big K.R.I.T., Cadillactica I found this hard to enjoy
7. Kevin Gates, By Any Means Kind of an odds & ends tape, where was everybody on his last two?
6. ScHoolboy Q, Oxymoron this was disappointing AF
5. Jeezy, Seen It All: The Autobiography dope record, probably underrated by publications more broadly, belongs ~ here
4. Migos, No Label II this is pretty uneven and whatever.
3. J. Cole, 2014 Forest Hills Drive its very easy to over or underrate this. i'm not as mad at this as other rankings tbh
2. Run the Jewels, Run the Jewels 2 become overrated but who wants to be a hater, good 4 them
1. YG, My Krazy Life dope

the best thing about this list though is that at least its not full with boring ass top tier 'whatever jay z released this year' type records ... it's a lil more interesting for that, certainly

10. Freddie Gibbs & MadLib, Piñata haven't heard
9. Future, Honest haven't heard
8. Big K.R.I.T., Cadillactica haven't heard
7. Kevin Gates, By Any Means haven't heard
6. ScHoolboy Q, Oxymoron this was disappointing haven't heard
5. Jeezy, Seen It All: The Autobiography haven't heard
4. Migos, No Label II haven't heard
3. J. Cole, 2014 Forest Hills Drive haven't heard
2. Run the Jewels, Run the Jewels 2 haven't heard
1. YG, My Krazy Life pretty good

― Lamp, Friday, December 12, 2014 12:53 PM (4 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

am very excited in general for lamp's assessments this year

the best thing about this list though is that at least its not full with boring ass top tier 'whatever jay z released this year' type records ... it's a lil more interesting for that, certainly

― deej loaf (D-40), Friday, December 12, 2014 12:54 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i guess that's closer to what i meant, bc i didn't exactly unabashedly love honest or cadillactica or no label II. i'm glad those are the albums billboard is putting on its rap albums list.

like maybe a dude like gates will get noticed outside his core audience as a result of this. then again that could be idealistic on my part.

26. Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Ensemble: Intergalactic Beings (FPE Records)

^ highly recommended

thx crut & sleeve, that is hitting all my pleasure spots right now

new york times critics put their lists in

jon caramanica:
1. young thug/bloody jay - black portland
2. beyonce - s/t
3. YG - my krazy life
4. sturgill simpson - metamodern sounds in country music
5. future - honest
6. jason derulo - talk dirty
7. taylor swift - 1989
8. tinashe - aquarius
9. your old droog - s/t
10. jason aldean - old boots, new dirt

ben ratliff:
1. fka twigs - LP1
2. george cables - icons and influences
3. scott walker/sunn 0))) - soused
4. mary j. blige - london sessions
5. ratking - so it goes
6. great thunder - groovy kinda love
7. mark turner - lathe of heaven
8. ian william craig - turn of breath
9. protomartyr - under color of official right
10. black bananas - electric brick wall

jon pareles:
1. calle 13 - multiviral
2. angel olsen - burn your fire for no witness
3. azealia banks - broke with expensive taste
4. fka twigs - LP1
5. sia - 1,000 forms of fear
6. rosanne cash - the river & the thread
7. st. vincent - s/t
8. tv on the radio - seeds
9. leonard cohen - popular problems
10. mary j. blige - london sessions

xp Nicole Mitchell is criminally underrated/overlooked, glad you dig it William

Nice to see Motorpsycho...
yeah that is a good one! genuine prog but doesn't feel explicitly retro to me

Like on Still Life With Eggplant it features Reine Fiske of Dungen. This time he's on nearly all the tracks! Hope they left him some time to finish a new Dungen album.

oooh shit! wow why didn't i put that together

There's a fourth NY Times list, Nate Chinen's:

1. Beyoncé, s/t
2. David Virelles, Mbókò
3. Dan Weiss, Fourteen
4. Mark Turner Quartet, Lathe of Heaven
5. Fred Hersch Trio, Floating
6. Miranda Lambert, Platinum
7. Flying Lotus, You’re Dead
8. Sturgill Simpson, Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
9. Ambrose Akinmusire, the imagined savior is far easier to paint
10. Run the Jewels, Run the Jewels 2

2014 POLL RESULTS COUNTDOWN - ILM Metal Albums of the Year

49 Tinariwen - Emmaar

^^wish this was getting more love :-\

― ✓ out this insane nakh yall (gr8080), Monday, December 1, 2014

__________________________________________

otm, amazing album

― Lorde 2Pac Beck Mashup (crüt), Monday, December 1, 2014

underscoring this again. best guitar album of the year.

I have always been mightily impressed when a song has come up on shuffle from the Tinariwen lp, which is the fragmented manner in which I have got into it after initially thinking it decent but not one of their best. I was slow to it but for me it is one of the more enduring releases of the year and I agree about underrated.

Wondering if we will see year-end lists from Wondering Sound next year? They were doing good work

http://www.poynter.org/news/mediawire/308009/wondering-sound-cuts-operations/

that sucks on a number of levels, a personal one being that I just had my first article for them published and am now anticipating a Kafka-esque attempt to get paid for it

wondering sound is outstanding, but i didn't realize it was an independent entity. i thought it was a division of emusic (it was billed as the successor to the 17 dots blog).

It may still be a division of emusic

might be. i saw the "looking for partnerships/funding" line and made assumptions.

yeah when i did stuff for them i got paid by emusic, which isn't going anywhere so hopefully you should have no problem getting paid. it seems like the ed in chief is staying on and they're attempting to continue on in some form, so i imagine they're still able to pay for work that's already been done.

speaking of olden tymes wierdos, Chrome - Half Machine from the Sun (Lost Tapes 79-80) is worthy of your consideration

― you say tomato/i say imago (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, December 9, 2014 12:36 PM

oh my yes, didn't think about that in terms of EOY stuff

― some kind of terrible IDM with guitars (sleeve), Tuesday, December 9, 2014 1:14 PM

it's newly released though right?

― you say tomato/i say imago (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, December 9, 2014 1:17 PM (4 days ago)

UMS I hate to say it but this was a 2013 release

http://youknowigotsoul.com/youknowigotsoul-x-soul-stereo-present-top-100-rb-songs-2014-countdown

http://www.npr.org/2014/12/13/370303259/best-global-music-of-2014

1- Stromae: ‘Racine Carrée’ (Square Root)(Belgium)

2- Toumani & Sidiki Diabete (Mali)

3- French-born Chilean rapper and singer Ana Tijoux: Vengo (I come)

4- English singer, songwriter and painter Piers Faccini & French cellist Vincent Segal’s: Songs of Time Lost

5- Morocco’s Hassan Hakmoun: “Unity”

6- Irish band the Gloaming: “The Gloaming”

7- Mauritanian vocalist Noura Mint Seymali (and band): Tzenni

8- Greek Master of Cretan lute (with Dirty 3 drummer), Yiorgos Xylouris: “Goats”

9- Seun Kuti: “A Long Way to the Beginning” (Nigeria)

10- 3-CD compilation Various Artists: “real World 25.”

speaking of olden tymes wierdos, Chrome - Half Machine from the Sun (Lost Tapes 79-80) is worthy of your consideration

― you say tomato/i say imago (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, December 9, 2014 12:36 PM

oh my yes, didn't think about that in terms of EOY stuff

― some kind of terrible IDM with guitars (sleeve), Tuesday, December 9, 2014 1:14 PM

it's newly released though right?

― you say tomato/i say imago (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, December 9, 2014 1:17 PM (4 days ago)

UMS I hate to say it but this was a 2013 release

Yup, but there was a proper new Chrome album this year — Feel It Like a Scientist. Easily their best since Scary Monst 3rd from the Sun.

thank you!

PMA Tracks

100 Gorgon City, “Ready For Your Love”
99 Tegan And Sara, “Everything Is AWESOME!!! (featuring The Lonely Island)”
98 The War on Drugs, “Eyes To The Wind”
97 Savages, “Fuckers”
96 White Lung, “Snake Jaw”
95 Kyla La Grange, “Cut Your Teeth”
94 Damon Albarn, “Everyday Robots”
93 Neneh Cherry, “Blank Project”
92 Julian Casablancas + The Voidz, “Human Sadness”
91 Isaiah Rashad, “R.I.P. Kevin Miller”

90 Trust, “Capitol”
89 Rick Ross, “Sanctified” (featuring Kanye West & Big Sean)
88 Lewis, “I Thought The World of You”
87 Sun Kil Moon, “Micheline”
86 Supreme Cuts, “Gone” (featuring Mahaut Mondino)
85 Perfect Pussy, “Interference Fits”
84 YG, “Who Do You Love?” (featuring Drake)
83 Liars, “Vox Tuned D.E.D.”
82 White Sea, “Prague”
81 Angel Olsen, “Lights Out”

80 Against Me!, “True Trans Soul Rebel”
79 David Bowie, “Sue (Or in the Season of Crime)”
78 Strand of Oaks, “JM”
77 Beck, “Country Down”
76 Baths, “Ocean Death”
75 Phantogram, “Fall In Love”
74 Zola Jesus, “Dangerous Days”
73 Real Estate, “Talking Backwards”
72 Shabazz Palaces, “Forerunner Foray”
71 tUnE-yArDs, “Water Fountain”

70 Hundred Waters, “Murmurs”
69 SBTRKT, “NEW DORP. NEW YORK” (featuring Ezra Koenig)
68 Lana Del Rey, “Brooklyn Baby”
67 Ariana Grande, “Break Free” (featuring Zedd)
66 Jessie Ware, “Tough Love”
65 The War On Drugs, “Under The Pressure”
64 Todd Terje, “Johnny And Mary” (featuring Bryan Ferry)
63 Andy Stott, “Faith In Strangers”
62 Sharon Van Etten, “Every Time the Sun Comes Up”
61 Azealia Banks, “Ice Princess”

60 Swans, “A Little God In My Hands”
59 Mac Demarco, “Passing Out Pieces”
58 Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, “High” (featuring Danny Brown)
57 Future, “Move That Dope” (featuring Pharrell & Pusha T)
56 Ought, “Today More Than Any Other Day”
55 Lykke Li, “No Rest For The Wicked”
54 Charli XCX, “Boom Clap”
53 Jamie xx, “Sleep Sound”
52 Grimes, “Go” (featuring Blood Diamonds)
51 SOPHIE, “Hard”

50 Rustie, “Attak” (featuring Danny Brown)
49 Azealia Banks, “Chasing Time”
48 Drake, “0 To 100 / The Catch Up”
47 Beyoncé, “Partition”
46 A. G. Cook, “Keri Baby” (featuring Hannah Diamond)
45 Spoon, “Inside Out”
44 Alvvays, “Archie, Mary Me”
43 Aphex Twin, “minipops 67 [120.2][source field mix]“
42 Mr. Twin Sister, “Blush”
41 Röyksopp & Robyn, “Do It Again”

40 How To Dress Well, “Repeat Pleasure”
39 Tinashe, “2 On” (featuring Schoolboy Q)
38 Real Lies, “North Circular”
37 Vic Mensa, “Down On My Luck”
36 Sharon Van Etten, “Your Love is Killing Me”
35 Perfume Genius, “Grid”
34 Cloud Nothings, “I’m Not Part of Me”
33 Flying Lotus, “Never Catch Me” (featuring Kendrick Lamar)
32 QT, “Hey QT”
31 Shamir, “On The Regular”

30 Beyoncé, “Flawless (Remix)” (featuring Nicki Minaj)
29 The Antlers, “Palace”
28 Wild Beasts, “Wanderlust”
27 Lana Del Rey, “West Coast”
26 FKA twigs, “Pendulum”
25 Schoolboy Q, “Man Of The Year”
24 Run The Jewels, “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry”
23 Sun Kil Moon, “Ben’s My Friend”
22 Nicki Minaj, “Anaconda”
21 St. Vincent, “Digital Witness”

20 Ms. Lauryn Hill, “Black Rage”
19 Ariana Grande, “Problem” (featuring Iggy Azalea)
18 Spoon, “Do You”
17 Beyoncé, “XO”
16 Future, “Benz Friendz (Whatchutola)” (featuring André 3000)
15 Kendrick Lamar, “i”
14 Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks, “Little Fang”
13 Taylor Swift, “Blank Space”
12 The War On Drugs, “An Ocean In Between The Waves”
11 Against Me!, “Transgender Dysphoria Blues”

10 Caribou, "Can't Do Without You"
9 St. Vincent, "Prince Johnny"
8 “Drunk In Love” (ft. Jay Z)
7 ILOVEMAKONNEN, “Tuesday” (ft. Drake)
6 Future Islands, "Seasons (Waiting On You)"
5 Todd Terje, "Inspector Norse"
4 FKA Twigs, "Two Weeks"
3 The War on Drugs, "Red Eyes"
2 Perfume Genius, "Queen"
1 Sia, "Chandelier"

Didn't Inspector Norse come out in 1978?

Oh, if Stromae is eligible, then that is quite listworthy. Some of the tracks were def 2014 for me and the rest of DK.

yeah it was def ~year of impact~ for stromae w me, I'd managed to forget all about him since the summer tho

That NPR Global list with Stromae also throws in a retrospective 3-CD compilation Various Artists: “real World 25" that covers music going back over the last 25 years.

I was glad to see the Noura Mint Seymali album on that list. While her North African traditional vocals may not be easy to identify with at first, her husband's psychedelic-North African guitar sound certainly is. She appears on a few lists and is a fave of some on the Rolling whirled Outernational thread.

I wanted to like that Seymali album, but it felt a little too...Euro-café polished? Like it should have come out on Putumayo instead of Rough Trade.

I have seen them live 3 times and there is nothing Putumayo Euro-cafe about them.

Perhaps the cd is slightly more polished than live, but I don't hear her North African muezzin-rooted vocals as Euro-cafe or the psychedelic-funk guitar sound as Euro.

Well, I feel like she's the most polished of that type of vocalist that I've heard. When I compare her to Mariem Hassan, it's like comparing Jewel to Diamanda Galas.

But maybe I need to revisit it. (In fact, now I'm worried I'm confusing her with someone else. Gotta dig through my Forced Exposure promo emails.)

yeah when i did stuff for them i got paid by emusic, which isn't going anywhere so hopefully you should have no problem getting paid. it seems like the ed in chief is staying on and they're attempting to continue on in some form, so i imagine they're still able to pay for work that's already been done.

― some dude, Saturday, December 13, 2014 2:31 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark

i've been told not to worry about getting paid but you never know

Pitchfork - Tracks

100 Elisa Ambrogio - Superstitious
99 Steve Gunn - Milly's Garden
98 Merchandise - Green Lady
97 Copeland - Advice to Young Girls (ft. Actress)
96 DJ Quik - Pet Sematary
95 Cymbals Eat Guitars - Jackson
94 Taylor Swift - Out of the Woods
93 The New Pornographers - War on the East Coast
92 iLoveMakonnen - I Don't Sell Molly No More
91 Hundred Waters - Murmurs
90 Protomartyr - Scum, Rise!
89 Cloud Nothings - I'm Not Part of Me
88 Lauryn Hill - Black Rage (Sketch)
87 Viet Cong - Continental Shelf
86 Vince Staples - Blue Suede
85 Arca - Thievery
84 Father John Misty - Bored in the USA
83 Ought - Habit
82 Jessica Pratt - Back, Baby
81 Andy Stott - Faith in Strangers
80 Shellac - Dude Incredible
79 A Sunny Day in Glasgow - In Love With Useless (The Timeless Geometry In The Tradition Of Passing)
78 Rustie - Attak (ft. Danny Brown)
77 Rae Sremmurd - No Flex Zone
76 Röyksopp / Robyn - Do It Again
75 Pharmakon - Bestial Burden
74 Holly Herndon - Chorus
73 Makthaverskan - Asleep
72 Ty Segall - The Singer
71 Parquet Courts - Sunbathing Animal
70 Azealia Banks - Chasing Time
69 Rich Gang - Lifestyle
68 Grouper - Clearing
67 White Lung - Face Down
66 How to Dress Well - Words I Don't Remember
65 Iceage - The Lord's Favorite
64 Leon Vynehall - Goodthing
63 Eno/Hyde - Return
62 YG - Left, Right
61 Perfume Genius - Fool
60 Ariel Pink - Picture Me Gone
59 Alvvays - Archie, Marry Me
58 Against Me! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues
57 Dej Loaf - Try Me
56 Migos - Fight Night
55 Kendrick Lamar - i
54 Spoon - Inside Out
53 Perfect Pussy - Interference Fits
52 Todd Terje - Delorean Dynamite
51 Owen Pallett - I Am Not Afraid
50 Taylor Swift - Style
49 Run The Jewels - Blockbuster Night Pt. 1
48 Lykke Li - Gunshot
47 Nils Frahm - Says
46 Mr Twin Sister - In the House of Yes
45 Ariel Pink - Put Your Number in My Phone
44 Angel Olsen - Lights Out
43 Ariana Grande - Love Me Harder (ft. The Weeknd)
42 St. Vincent - Prince Johnny
41 The War On Drugs - An Ocean in Between the Waves
40 Jessie Ware - Tough Love
39 Real Estate - Talking Backwards
38 Bobby Shmurda - Hot Nigga
37 Charli XCX - Boom Clap
36 Mac DeMarco - Passing Out Pieces
35 FKA Twigs - Pendulum
34 Tobias Jesso Jr. - True Love
33 Ariana Grande - Problem (ft. Iggy Azalea)
32 Swans - Oxygen
31 Aphex Twin - minipops 67 [120.2][source field mix]
30 A.G. Cook - Beautiful
29 Spoon - Do You
28 Grouper - Holding
27 Sharon Van Etten - Your Love Is Killing Me
26 Beyoncé - Partition
25 Vic Mensa - Down On My Luck
24 St. Vincent - Digital Witness
23 Flying Lotus - Never Catch Me (ft. Kendrick Lamar)
22 Ex Hex - Don't Wanna Lose
21 Sophie - Lemonade / Hard
20 Nicki Minaj - Boss Ass Bitch (Remix) (ft. PTAF)
19 Sun Kil Moon - Carissa
18 Panda Bear - Mr Noah
17 Tinashe - 2 On (ft. Schoolboy Q)
16 Young Thug - Stoner
15 Lil B - No Black Person Is Ugly
14 QT - Hey QT
13 Todd Terje - Johnny and Mary (ft. Bryan Ferry) (Robert Palmer cover)
12 Drake - 0 to 100 / The Catch Up
11 Shamir - On The Regular
10 Michael Jackson - Love Never Felt So Good (Original Version)
9 Future - Move That Dope (ft. Pharrell, Pusha T, and Casino)
8 Perfume Genius - Queen
7 Beyoncé - ***Flawless (ft. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)
6 Run The Jewels - Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck) (ft. Zack De La Rocha)
5 The War On Drugs - Red Eyes
4 Caribou - Can't Do Without You
3 FKA Twigs - Two Weeks
2 iLoveMakonnen - Club Goin Up On A Tuesday (ft. Drake)
1 Future Islands - Seasons (Waiting On You)

Glad to see that Future Islands track doing well. I like it lots, but wonder if I'd like it as much had I not known of their Letterman performance.

'Back In The Long Grass' [?] is the best track on the album by a country mile.

The Quietus' Best Hip Hop LPs Of 2014

25. Mndsgn - Yawn Zen (Stones Throw)
24. Thaiboy Digital - Tiger (Gravity Boys)
23. Chris Crack - Kickin It Wit TW (New Deal Crew)
22. Bladee - Gluee (Bladee 1000)
21. Kevin Gates - By Any Means
20. Milo - A Toothpaste Suburb (Hellfyre)
19. Open Mike Eagle - Dark Comedy (Mello)
18. Father - Young Hot Ebony (Awful)
17. Smoke DZA - Dream.Zone.Achieve (R.F.C.)
16. Rome Fortune - Small VVorld (Small World)
15. Antwon - Heavy Hearted In Doldrums
14. Young Roddy - Route The Ruler
13. Busdriver - Perfect Hair (Big Dada)
12. Ballout - Welcome 2 Ballout World
11. Chimurenga Renaissance - Rize Vadzimu Rize (Brick Lane
10. YG - My Krazy Life (Pu$haz Ink)
09. Dej Loaf - $ell Sole
08. Cities Aviv - Come To Life (Young One)
07. Iggy Azalea - The New Classic (Virgin EMI)
06. Flying Lotus - You're Dead!(WARP)
05. Yung Lean - Unknown Memory
04. 100s - IVRY (Fools Gold)
03. DonChristian - Renzo Piano
02. Ratking - So It Goes (HXC)
01. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Piñata (Madlib Invazion)

Vibe's Top 46:
46. R. Kelly, Black Panties
45. Future, Honest
44. Asher Roth, RetroHash
43. Mariah Carey, Me. I Am Mariah
42. Robin Thicke, Paula
41. Luke James, Luke James
40. Kid Cudi, Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon
39. Kid Ink, My Own Lane
38. Ab-Soul, These Days...
37. Shady Records, Shady XV
36. Stalley, Ohio
35. Prince, Art Official Age
34. SZA, Z
33. Bas, Last Winter
32. PARTYNEXTDOOR, PartyNextDoor Two
31. MIchael Jackson, Xscape
30. Ariana Grande, My Everything
29. Isaiah Rashad, Cilvia Demo
28. Ed Sheeran, x
27. Flying Lotus, You're Dead!
26. Trey Songz, Trigga
25. Teyana Taylor, VII
24. Jessie Ware, Tough Love
23. Rick Ross, Mastermind
22. Madlib and Freddie Gibbs, Piñata
21. Kevin Gates, By Any Means
20. fka Twigs, LP1
19. Tinashe, Aquarius
18. T.I., Paperwork: The Motion Picture
17. Childish Gambino, Because The Internet
16. The Roots, ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin
15. Chris Brown, X
14. Common, Nobody's Smiling
13. Sam Smith, In the Lonely Hour
12. Jeezy, Seen It All
11. August Alsina, Testimony
10. Azealia Banks, Broke With Expensive Taste
9. ScHoolboy Q, Oxymoron
8. Justin Bieber, Journals
7. Jhene Aiko, Souled Out
6. Logic, Under Pressure
5. Big K.R.I.T., Cadillactica
4. Pharrell, G I R L
3. YG, My Krazy Life
2. Run The Jewels, Run The Jewels 2
1. Beyonce, Beyonce

Pleasantly surprised to see that Michael Jackson song in the Pitchfork list.

Shamir comin with the "212" of 2014

has p4k ever even acknowledged taylor swift's music before?

i am also faintly surprised to see the mj track (but ONLY THE ORIGINAL VERSION apparently) charming spin/p4k etc.

katherine's "partition" writeup is great

has p4k ever even acknowledged taylor swift's music before?

"never ever getting back together" -- the worst single off 'red' -- made the 2012 YE list and the half-decade list, but that's it as far as i know

'you belong with me' made the '09 list

21 Sophie - Lemonade / Hard
14 QT - Hey QT

end sophie