Another year has nearly come to a close so it’s high time I got sorted and posted my ‘best of the year’ lists. This list is MUCH easier to do with the help of Last.fm – if you don’t have an account then I suggest you get one! I’m a big fan of stats and music, so I’m on there regularly checking which bands I’ve been listening to more than others. The ‘top artists/top tracks’ isn’t exactly a true reflection of what I like the most, but it’s a pretty good guide.
So without further ado, here’s the listicles.
TOP 25 ALBUMS OF 2014
- The Courteeners – Concrete Love. I was never a big fan of these guys until photographing them at Shepherd’s Bush last year. Found it hard to not listen to this album at least twice a week since it was released.
- The Heartbreaks – We May Yet Stand a Chance. Another corker from these guys, just missing out on the top spot (it was a REALLY tough choice).
- Interpol – El Pintor. Did not expect Interpol to be in my top anything this year! They’re back and as good as they’ve ever been (as good as their early stuff anyway).
- The Wytches – Annabel Dream Reader. Finally got to listen to an album from these guys after banging on about them all through 2013. Did not disappoint.
- DZ Deathrays – Black Rat. These guys make me proud to be an Aussie 🙂
- Royal Blood – Royal Blood
- Eagulls – Eagulls
- Johnny Marr – Playland
- The Orwells – Disgraceland
- Morrissey – World Peace is None of Your Business
- The Family Rain – Under the Volcano
- Maximo Park – Too Much Information
- The Amazing Snakeheads – Amphetamine Ballads
- Manic Street Preachers – Futurology
- Sleaford Mods – Divide and Exit
- Wampire – Bazaar
- Bass Drum of Death – Rip This
- Liars – Mess
- Howler – World of Joy
- White Lung – Deep Fantasy
- Death From Above 1979 – The Physical World
- Temples – Sun Restructured
- Hookworms – The Hum
- Perfect Pussy – Say Yes to Love
Honorable mentions: Meatbodies – Meatbodies and Cheatahs – Cheatahs
TOP 25 TRACKS OF 2014
- Absolved – The Heartbreaks. An easy number one this year. Incomparable. These guys know how to write a pop song. If they had a bit more exposure it could have been a Christmas number one!
- Leave This Island – Maximo Park. Another band from the 00’s coming back this year with some brilliant stuff. This track will always remind me of my birthday in Edinburgh at the start of the year. Lovely stuff.
- How Good It Was – Courteeners. Summer in one song. Hard not to sing along to.
- Continental Shelf – Viet Cong. This is why you don’t do your end of year lists until at least mid-December. Only heard this track about three weeks ago and it’s been an earworm ever since. Formed from the ashes of Calgary band ‘Women’ (who were also brilliant), no doubt their album is going to be in my top 10 next year.
- Easy Money – Johnny Marr. Is this not the most catchy song you have ever heard in your life?! Pretty much.
- Anywhere – Interpol
- Reflective Skull – DZ Deathrays
- Where’s Your Car Debbie – Slaves
- Come on Over – Royal Blood
- So Now You Know – The Horrors
- Mess on a Mission – Liars
- XXX – The Bohicas
- Money – Life
- Tied up in Nottz – Sleaford Mods
- Trainwreck 1979 – Death from Above 1979
- So Oh – The Charlatans
- Here it Comes Again – Amazing Snakeheads
- Nerve Endings – Eagulls
- Dirty Sheets – The Orwells
- Let’s go to War – Manic Street Preachers
- Istanbul – Morrissey
- Cockeyed Rabbit Wrapped in Plastic – Slug
- Bad Attitude – Wapire
- Lawman – Girl Band
Honorable mentions: Wanderlust – Wild Beasts and Drown the Monster – White Lung
TOP GIGS OF 2014
- The Orwells – The Fleece, Bristol. Expect little and be surprised. Could not believe how good these guys were live, pushed it as far as they were physically able. Super entertaining.
- The Heartbreaks – The Lexington, London. Hard not to enjoy a gig by these guys these days. They have such lovely fans as well – learning the dance moves to the ‘Absolved’ video clip, much to the delight of the band.
- Eagulls – Electrowerkz, London
- Amazing Snakeheads – Electric Ballroom, London
- The Courteeners – Brixton Academy, London
- The Cribs – East Village Arts Club, Liverpool
- Her Parents – The Monarch, London
- Menswear – Queen of Hoxton, London
- Manic Street Preachers – Huxley’s Neue Welt, Berlin
- Twilight Sad – Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen, London
FAVOURITE PHOTOS OF 2014
This blog wouldn’t be complete without a list of my favourite photos that I had taken at gigs in 2014. Still pinch myself that I’m lucky enough to get in the pit at gigs these days. Long may it continue!
- 1. We Are Scientists at Shepherds Bush Empire, London
- 2. The Twang – Village Underground, London
- 3. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart – Scala, London
- 4. The Heartbreaks – Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London
- 5. Menswe@r – Queen of Hoxton, London
- 6. Yak – The Shacklewell Arms, London
- 7. Sleigh Bells – Village Underground, London
- 8. The Twilight Sad – Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen, London
- 9. Bombay Bicycle Club – Brixton, London
- 10. Circa Waves – The Lexington, London
Enjoy your holidays if you have any, and I’ll see you in the New Year!
Jx