ILM's Top 77 Albums of 2014

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feel like two or three folks who'd have put Platinum at #1 didn't vote maybe? alfred?

― LIKE If you are against racism (omar little),

nope!

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 29 January 2015 15:49 (nine years ago) link

I haven't listened to Platinum though I loved the first Pistol Annies album and have liked almost every solo single of hers. Same with LAW, except I only heard a couple recommendations scattrred throughout various threads.

The only other country album I was tempted to check out was from the other SS: Sunny Sweeney.

― proggy went a-courtin' (Drugs A. Money), Thursday, January 29, 2015 9:46 AM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

These are all fantastic. The new SS is better than her first album, imo.

Indexed, Thursday, 29 January 2015 15:49 (nine years ago) link

"somethin' bad" >>> "automatic". I don't hate them or anything, they're just sort of by the numbers

LIKE If you are against racism (omar little), Thursday, 29 January 2015 15:50 (nine years ago) link

i disagree but i only listened to it twice xpost

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Thursday, 29 January 2015 15:50 (nine years ago) link

possible i just felt the newer sunny sweeney record could've been edited down significantly

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Thursday, 29 January 2015 15:51 (nine years ago) link

Four the Record and Revolution both have some tremendous material but needed to be edited down significantly

i think it wasn't so much the lack of good material on these albums that weighed them down as the lack of a distinctive overall thrust; they're comparable to post-2005 mary j blige in that of course there are some good songs, she's a legend, but they seem almost accidental and overall the effect is of someone who has grown out of an artistic mode they excelled at and isn't quite sure where to go next

platinum by contrast is such a complete and confident statement of who miranda lambert is as an artist in 2014

lex pretend, Thursday, 29 January 2015 15:51 (nine years ago) link

If there's been a consistent injustice in Lambert's career, it's that some of her worst songs (relatively) have been some of her biggest hits. "Somethin' Bad" is borderline unlistenable--I skip it nearly every time. "Heart Like Mine", "Over You", "Automatic", and "We Were Us" were all top 5 country hits that are among my least favorite of her songs.

When you put it like this, yeah, these songs look like depressing cases of treading water or adapting her to A/C sounds. But then there's "Kerosene," "The House That Built Me" (the real country chart breakthrough)," "Famous in a Small Town," "Mama's Broken Heart," "Only Prettier." She's a got a decent singles comp waiting.

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 29 January 2015 15:51 (nine years ago) link

got yr rap opinions folks step right up hot fresh rap opinions straight off the press

flopson, Thursday, 29 January 2015 15:52 (nine years ago) link

Those two- and three-minute nuggets at the start of Revolution ("Only Prettier," "Me and Your Cigarettes," "Maintain the Pain") is her best sequence ever imo

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 29 January 2015 15:52 (nine years ago) link

Downloaded the Against Me album on the strength of the two singles that placed in the track poll and it's great, though the ones that aren't about the core subject don't connect quite as much.

quan voice (voodoo chili), Thursday, 29 January 2015 15:53 (nine years ago) link

i definitely voted for the against me album and i still don't really have any idea how to talk about it

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Thursday, 29 January 2015 15:54 (nine years ago) link

good albums, good songs

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 29 January 2015 15:55 (nine years ago) link

Presley's solo album didn't live up to the Pistol Annies records, imo. Nothing on there as good as "Lemon Drop" or "The Hunter's Wife" but it had a few good tunes.

Those two- and three-minute nuggets at the start of Revolution ("Only Prettier," "Me and Your Cigarettes," "Maintain the Pain") is her best sequence ever imo

― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, January 29, 2015 9:52 AM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

The first half of Revolution is so good. "Me and Your Cigarettes" and "Airstream Song" especially.

Indexed, Thursday, 29 January 2015 15:57 (nine years ago) link

Brad I guess one thing to note is that I really like the homemade production on the AM! album, I know ums described it as sounding like it was "made in garageband", but for me it's nice to pull back from the gloss of the major label records, it also dovetails nicely with all of the rebirth/re-gender themes, a new sound.

brain floss mix (sleeve), Thursday, 29 January 2015 15:58 (nine years ago) link

i kinda hated the production for a long time, you put one of those songs in soundcloud and its levels are all over the place

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Thursday, 29 January 2015 15:58 (nine years ago) link

now i sorta find it charming. it definitely sounds like it's their third time recording it

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Thursday, 29 January 2015 15:59 (nine years ago) link

punky lo-fi recording a plus in my book

young thug squarepants (imago), Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:05 (nine years ago) link

hope JF's had a lovely drive

young thug squarepants (imago), Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:05 (nine years ago) link

http://i.imgur.com/3JMdV5t.jpg

16 GROUPER Ruins [615 points, 21 votes]

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:05 (nine years ago) link

Too low :(

a pleasant little psychedelic detour in the elevator (Amory Blaine), Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:06 (nine years ago) link

aha thought my ballot was done other than war on drugs but forgot about this one

ciderpress, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:06 (nine years ago) link

mice

Get Ducked (Cosmic Slop), Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:07 (nine years ago) link

about where it should be. gorgeous, harrowing album that's also v light

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:07 (nine years ago) link

otm bn

nxd, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:08 (nine years ago) link

i never quite understand the praise grouper gets, especially from corners who don't usually delve too deep into quiet female singer-songwriter territory. her music always sounds lovely and is very calming to listen to but writing songs that stick doesn't seem to be her thing...it's just gauzey prettiness compared to someone like mirel wagner

lex pretend, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:08 (nine years ago) link

also the differences between her albums must be minuscule

lex pretend, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:10 (nine years ago) link

I don't think she has much in common w/ Mirel Wagner really

Simon H., Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:11 (nine years ago) link

always got time for grouper,
if i'm in the mood normally go back to 'disengaged' from DADDUAH to kick off a listening session

nxd, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:11 (nine years ago) link

yeah, i have the 'dragging a dead deer' album, but i wonder why i'd need much more of her work... is this significantly different?

pig∞n (dog latin), Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:11 (nine years ago) link

lex have you tried "Clearing" from this new one? her most immediately memorable yet imo

seeing her do these songs in a huge converted abbey (with giant video projections of waves etc. on the whole back wall) was one of the most awesome musical experiences I had in 2014

also this new one is very different - basically no effects on most of it, piano-based as well.

brain floss mix (sleeve), Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:11 (nine years ago) link

I'm with lex on this one. If I want to get into the mood Grouper puts me in, I'd rather hear something like Mirel Wagner instead.

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:11 (nine years ago) link

'clearing' is such a stunning song. I can listen to that one over and over.

cajunsunday, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:11 (nine years ago) link

also the differences between her albums must be minuscule

not true- this ones very diff from dead deer

gr8080, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:12 (nine years ago) link

lex have you tried "Clearing" from this new one? her most immediately memorable yet imo

no but i'll try! i heard "call across rooms" which i thought was fine and did not inspire me to check the album out. grouper writing memorable songs is def something i'd be down for

lex pretend, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:13 (nine years ago) link

I was gonna say, Ruins is completely different from Dead Deer. This one is so minimal and sparse, it's so intimate.

xp to Gr80

a pleasant little psychedelic detour in the elevator (Amory Blaine), Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:13 (nine years ago) link

i prefer dead deer, tried getting in to this one, didn't hate it but not as great as dead deer

gr8080, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:13 (nine years ago) link

couple of great songs on this but i just couldn't really get into it as a whole - could have done with a bit more variety i think?

why you gotta be so rmde (NickB), Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:13 (nine years ago) link

lots of quiet/ambient/discreet music in this poll, it's true

pig∞n (dog latin), Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:15 (nine years ago) link

the idea of a less dense, piano-focused Grouper record recorded in the portugese countryside sounded great, but it never gelled imo

gr8080, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:18 (nine years ago) link

love this record. I know that this sounds like a knock on it, but I like that it helps me go to sleep. It's been a magical cure for anxiety these past few months, clears my head as soon as I put it on.

Roz, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:19 (nine years ago) link

this album did not click with me

example (crüt), Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:20 (nine years ago) link

great album. I'm down w/her particular spaced out gauziness so much.

LIKE If you are against racism (omar little), Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:24 (nine years ago) link

http://i.imgur.com/mxzKH5X.jpg

15 CARIBOU Our Love [618 points, 22 votes, 2 first place votes]

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:25 (nine years ago) link

I find "Heavy Water / I'd Rather Be Sleeping" to be very memorable, particularly. But yeah Ruins is much different while still sounding very much like Grouper.

Evan, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:26 (nine years ago) link

The Grouper one didn't stick with me either, but I love most of her releases up to and including Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill.

MikoMcha, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:26 (nine years ago) link

pitchfork review of "our love" almost made me stop liking it

gr8080, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:26 (nine years ago) link

too high

brain floss mix (sleeve), Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:29 (nine years ago) link

rarely made it past the first 2 songs on this one since they were way better than the rest

ciderpress, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:30 (nine years ago) link

Some other Grouper tracks that are memorable: Disengaged, False Horizon, Poison Tree.

MikoMcha, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:30 (nine years ago) link

But lex is mainly correct, it's atmospheric.

MikoMcha, Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:30 (nine years ago) link


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