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Old 2014.12.16, 04:28 PM   #31
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4. The New Mendicants- Into the Lime


I'm usually one to whinge when artist(s) repeat themselves (see my comments on Sunny for example), but when Joe Pernice and Norman Blake use their new band "The New Mendicants", also featuring Mike Belitsky on drums- as an outlet to bring more of each member's trademark sound, it worked so damn well that complaining would be mere nitpicking. Two minds bring us a singular, beautifully flowing, amazingly rich, robust album of perfect guitar driven pop. Not a dud track on the entire thing and it demanded repeat listens from me. All year long.

Arrangement wise, there's something almost thrilling about these tracks' simplicity and straight-to-the-point structure. On first release, I read an opinion that described this album as 'wonderfully unhurried'- and this description has stuck with me ever since. There is no better way to put it. The New Mendicants find something that works perfectly- and give it enough time to breath and grow.

Both voices bear the characteristics of seasoned singers- both know their timbre well, and use it to full impact. There is a heavy use of harmonizing throughout- and the result is downright heartwarming. Never does it feel like either Joe or Norman are trying to gain some kind of spotlight- it sounds like two friends singing tunes together for the love of it.

Lyrically, this is some of the best work I've heard from either artist. Sure, it's sentimental, but it's always realistic. They create such rich narratives on some of these tracks that it's easy to imagine the story they tell in the listener's mind. Often they pick on themes that have actually happened to most of us- there's never a sense of overkill or hyperbole so these tracks have the power to really hit all the way home, right in the heart.

I cannot recommend this album more to people who dig this kind of indie rock. It's a perfect example of how artists can stick to their roots yet still make something sound fresh and brilliant. Definitely one of the heaviest spun records in this household, I have managed to convert quite a few people onto it with a single play.

Also: that chorus on this track!:

High on the Skyline
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Old 2014.12.16, 06:06 PM   #32
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Double whammy cause I have time:

3. Seiko Oomori- Sennou


Certainly the most hyped album at EMF on this list, and one that will come as no surprises to anyone who has even glanced at the Seiko Oomori thread- Oomori returns for a triumphant third time to create a hat-trick of amazing releases, with her amazing full length debut on AVEX, Sennou.

After giving hints and glimpses at her adoration of classic (well, mainly 90s/early 00s idol) music- Sennou finally brings that love full circle and is Oomori at her most poppy, cohesive, bubbly and approachable yet. That is not to say that the sharp edges of her folk aren't there, it's still all very tongue-in-cheek for the most part, and the themes of suicide, depression and melancholia are still there- it's just easier to consume for the mass market. Think of it as razor blades hidden inside cotton candy.

Production is flat out amazing. AVEX really pulled no stops on this one. Everything is punchy and bright , nothing sounds garbled and the soundstage is wide open. Whether it be horns, guitar plucks, looped samples or dubstep wubs, everything is present and audible. For an album with so much happening at once, it is quite startling to hear, particularly in a decent pair of headphones.

There is nothing I can complain about here- not one track is 'skippable', everything sounds like it needs to be there. It has a perfect running time, impeccable flow, hits the right notes at the right time and ultimately, is wowing many, many listeners from the get-go.

Songwriting is tight and bears all the Oomori trademarks that I've come to adore. Despite its poppy exterior, there are so many little surprises to be found throughout- whether it be a subtle blast of guitar feedback or the almost free-flow outro to the album where Oomori lets loose her most primal vocals, which as many have compared to- sound like they're channeling Yoko Ono's more extreme moments.

In the end, is it the emotionally overwhelming breakout masterpiece that Mahou Ga represented? No (and this is why it's not my number 1- most likely something I will regret in the future). Is it the best damn Jpop album that you're gonna find in 2014? Not a single doubt about it. And to think that it's on AVEX.

Nostalgic Jpop

Imitation Girl
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Old 2014.12.17, 09:42 AM   #33
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So curious what DGs top album is going to be. I've been checking out all the albums you've listed so far.
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Old 2014.12.17, 03:22 PM   #34
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2. Boris- Noise


Even though Boris bring out an album (or three) every year, it's hard not to get excited every-time. However, the last few years, while still highly entertaining and rewarding with time, admittedly have not seen their strongest releases. That has all changed. Incoming: NOISE, no doubt the best Boris album since PINK.

Boris are known for experimenting with different sounds, sometimes entire genres. With so much different sounds under their belt, it's always a curious thing to see what approach they will go with next. When the track Quicksilver first appeared, I was assuming that the album indeed would be a "Noise" rock style album, maybe with a tinge of black metal in the mix. But I was wrong. Instead Boris opted for a retrospective, covering the majority of sounds (or as Boris calls them, "Noise"(s)- hence the title) have created into one slimline, amazingly varied and yet surprisingly cohesive package. And it's absolutely brilliant.

Whether it be Boris' take on shoegaze (Melody), their straight-forward, balls to the wall rock (Vanilla), their droning, yet beautiful slowburner (Heavy Rain) or their own unique special take on Jpop (Taiyo no Baka), all is on show here. For some, it may all be a bit too much on initial spins, but I as a long-term fan enjoy all the nuances on offer here- even if it may come off just a teeny bit pretentious/over-ambitious to the casual listener. All songs on here are in the shadow of it's centerpiece though, Angel, which channels into the Boris "epics" (Flood, Feedbacker, Dronevil for example) yet is slimmed down to a pleasant 19 minutes (rather than the aforementioned tracks running times of 45-70 mins) containing multiple movements.

The band is sounding as good as ever, Wata's trademark wail is ever present and it melts this reviewer into jelly. I could seriously just listen to an entire album of her doing her thing alone and be totally satisfied. There are the awesome breakdowns, heavy droning parts, insane screams (and who can forget the trademark Boris "woos!") and moments of true beauty to top it all off. Never is there a dull moment on this beast of an album, and I presume it will be a Boris fan favorite for years to come.

For all these reasons, and the fact that it is most likely the most played album for me this entire year, it makes it to my number 2 spot on the list in 2014. Another great release by who I think is probably the most exciting 'heavy' band around currently. Highly recommended for any Boris fan, and a great starting point for an outsider given its retrospective nature.

Vanilla

Angel

Heavy Rain


Special mention: Archive I and II and Japanese Noise Bonus Disc

Before Noise came out, Boris released Archive I and II sets, featuring a great collection of live sets taken from soundboards which span from the early years up to PINK era. Also features pre-debut demos all fully remastered, definitely worth checking out for a hardcore Boris fan.

The Japanese version of Noise comes with a second disc that features a great drone track, "Bit" and 3 other unreleased songs which play in the vein of New Album, definitely worth a spin if you can get your hands on it.
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Old 2014.12.17, 04:58 PM   #35
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AND FINALLY, MY NUMBER 1 OF 2014:

1. Vampillia- The Divine Move AND my beautiful twisted nightmares in aurora rainbow darkness



This year's top album is actually TWO albums. No it's not because I pussied out and couldn't decide between the two, it's because I feel that you can't have one without the other- especially given the fact that they were released merely 2 weeks apart and recorded in the same sessions. Both are equally compelling and complement one another nicely. They both share an atmosphere not quite reached by any other release that I heard all year and most of all, they are both near perfect examples of their respective genre done right.

First off- for those wondering- WHO THE FUCK ARE VAMPILLIA??? I think the best way to describe them is through their own words- they describe themselves as a "10 piece brutal orchestra- turning classical into hardcore music"- and for the most part, this is totally accurate. Listeners of bands like Mutyumu or Matryoshka will probably be the most acquainted with this style of music- albeit Vampillia suprisingly take this concept to an entire new level.

While they had other smaller releases in 2014, the main two albums they had were "The Divine Move" and "my beautiful twisted nightmares in aurora darkness". From the second you put on either of these releases, you are instantly treated to a rich sound that is quite unique to the band, sometimes it feels otherworldly in it's singular vision. I think the only real way to talk about the two releases is one at a time, so I'll get started. I have put them in release order, but I don't think it would really matter which order you listened to them in.

THE DIVINE MOVE admittedly first caught my eye because of it's guest list. Not only did it have members of BiS, but it also had the one and only, legendary JUN TOGAWA on it, her first official studio appearance since her contribution to the ROMANTIST (Michiro Endo/Stalin tribute) album. I had personally not heard of Vampillia before this but I blindly preordered anyway. Then Lilac (the Togawa track) came out- and it is absolutely breathtaking. I never imagined Togawa to ever have such a perfect match-up this late in her career and is already worming its way into my absolute favorite Togawa related song list. The album also closes with the "Perfect Ending" version of Lilac- which is the same song with a slightly less robust, stripped down arrangement.

BiS of course, have 2 tracks, one of which (mirror mirror) became the lead in single. This song is utterly fantastic because it starts out sounding like a typical idol pop ballad only to deteriorate into a melancholic slump, dominated with droning strings and slow drumming, only to suddenly burst into what can only be described as orchestrated black metal bursts, with the BiS girls screaming their lungs out. The other BiS featuring song (oops we did it again), happens to be the be biggest WHADAFUQ of the year for me too- consisting of a sad melody with -wait for it- BiS making burping, farting, snorting, crying and guttural noises for 4 minutes. Sound absurd, but it's no doubt the most serious track you're ever going to hear that features farts in it...

Other guests (as you can see, a 'guest' theme- or as Vampillia call it, 'bombs' is prevalent on this album) include the haunting Tujiko Noriko, the amazing Hasegawa Hirotomo and the brutal Mick Barr, all playing a vital part to the wonderful mini-world that the album creates seamlessly. Coupled with the raw talent both musically and vocally of the band their-selves, it's a compelling listen from start to end, albeit somewhat challenging one at first. It is, for the most part, beautiful to listen to and certainly a treat and fresh experience for the ears.

MY BEAUTIFUL TWISTED NIGHTMARES IN AURORA RAINBOW DARKNESS is a far more aggressive listen than the Divine Move and does not feature a huge lineup of guests. Instead, we're treated to some of the most complex, divine, often outrageous and always interesting tracks this year. The band play much harder on this disc, and the music is far more instrumental focused (although the operatic vocals are still present on some tracks, leading to epic peaks that are truly uplifting).

The lead in single to this album, "Ice Fist" truly gives a sense of what to expect from this disc. A sense of bleakness and despair seem to travel throughout the entire album, yet manages to avoid all the traps that could lead it into cheesiness like many other metal bands. When Vampillia decide to get heavy, they get HEAVY, pummeling the listener to the ground only to later hold out a helping hand in the form of a truly inspired, beautiful orchestral passage- and then it's back to the pummeling. Everything is played with an almost inhuman precision, there are passages that are so mathy it would make tricot blush. Overall though, despite it punishing brutal moments, there is an admirable control to it all, one that only comes out on the very best of these style albums.

As seperate listens, they both are absolutely amazing. Together, they are outstanding and that is why I am putting them as my number 1 entries of 2014.

If "The Divine Move" is the Phoenix, then "my beautiful twisted nightmares in aurora rainbow darkness" is the Flames.

FROM THE DIVINE MOVE:

Lilac

mirror mirror

endless summer


FROM MY BEAUTIFUL TWISTED NIGHTMARES IN AURORA RAINBOW DARKNESS

Ice Fist


Anyway, I'm done. Hope you enjoyed reading my list and hope you find at least something you enjoyed. Hope to hear some opinions or even some more lists from other users!
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Old 2014.12.19, 04:43 AM   #36
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I just knew it! Vampillia topping the list, I quite agree. Some nightmares were my number 1 this year as well...
I remember after my first listen to some nightmares; thinking it was pretty interesting and fun until parts of ice fist came back echoing in my head the day after; so good.


But which is better between Some Nightmares Take You Aurora Rainbow Darkness and my beautiful twisted nightmares in aurora rainbow darkness; I have listened to 'My Beautiful Nigtmares' quite a lot but not the other (version?).

And Noise was great as well; Boris seem pretty versatile.
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Old 2014.12.19, 02:41 PM   #37
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^ Neither are better or worse. I just checked out "Some Nightmares..." and it sounds pretty much the same (perhaps very slightly different arrangements) as "My Beautiful Twisted Nightmares...". I have a feeling "Some Nightmares..." is just the international title, but to me "My Beautiful Twisted Nightmares..." will always be the original title, as that came out 2 months before. Nice trolling on Vampillia's part regardless :-p
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Old 2014.12.19, 06:44 PM   #38
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I didn't expect Boris to beat out Oomoro on your list, honestly. I thought Noise was a fantastic album, for sure, but I'm not sure how high I would place it on my list if I were to ever make one.
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Old 2014.12.19, 09:19 PM   #39
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Too many wimpy casuals on the Oomori last.fm shoutbox now, thats why :-p

But in all seriousness, 1, 2 and 3 are so damn close it was really hard to decide. In the end I went with what my heart told me was right.
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Old 2014.12.21, 12:15 PM   #40
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Finals are done, so you know what that means!?
TurtleFu's Best of 2014
(Disclaimer: I didn't listen to a lot of new music this year. And a lot of it was "good" but didn't feel like it belonged in the best of category. So only the top 8 albums will be given numbers)

Honorable mentions:
The Grates - Dream Team
Kimbra – The Golden Echo
Shiina Ringo – Gyakuyunyu
Tune-Yards – Nikki Nack
Charisma.com – DIStopping
Galileo Galilei – See More Glass
Karen O – Crush Songs

8. Seiko Omori – Senno
OK, OK. As a pop album of pure sugar joy that nonetheless has bite and some incredibly sarcastic lyrics, it’s great. But at times it also loses the stamp of Omori, and there is no doubt in my mind that if another artist would record certain songs on this album we would 1) not think highly of it or 2) not recognize it as Omori’s work without being told. Nonetheless, this is J-Pop done RIGHT! But it’s not as mind-blowing as her previous works.

7. Jack White – Lazaretto
I really was underwhelmed by Blunderbuss, so I’m happy to see Jack White is back to doing what he does best, which are some of the best pure rock songs in recent memory. Simplest is best, and Jack White knows how to break a song down to the essentials.

6. Owen Pallett – In Conflict
This album is less based on loops than his previous ones, but it still has his energy. I always found Heartland, his previous album, to be very personal, but this one seems even more cathartical.

5. Azealia Banks – Broke With Expensive Taste
This woman should be the new queen of hip-hop, and everyone needs to shut up and listen to what she has to say. She has amazing versatility, but even when she’s doing pop it doesn’t sound watered down. She sings with soul and power, while she raps with fierceness. She has a sense of humor but also knows when to get serious. This is a compromised album to be sure, but there is no doubt that this is the album that Azealia Banks wanted to release, and hopefully will allow her to have greater access to doing what she wants to do in the future.

4. FKA Twigs – LP1
This is an album of potential. With every crazy loop and tender, whisper-like vocals, FKA twigs takes you into a dreamy, otherworldly state of sexuality. However, it never feels overdone, and her ability to break the typical R&B mode that so many artists fall into marks her as a vanguard. Seriously, the best way to describe this is “dreamy”.

3. St. Vincent - St. Vincent
This is the top album for most lists this year, and I have to agree for the most part. With every album St. Vincent improves, and this one is closer to capturing the electric energy that she has in her live shows. Some might say this is closer to pop than her previous work, but I find that the manic energy, sparkling and crackling with each beat, is perfect. And her guitar solos are better than ever. It’s even more clear with the album though that St. Vincent is destined for something even greater, and I can’t wait for album #5 to see where it takes us on this rock goddess’s journey.

2. Beyonce - Beyonce
Do I even need to say anything about this? Yes, it was technically released in 2013, but after most of the year-end lists were published. Therefore it belongs here. However, I couldn't honestly give it Album of the Year

1. Imogen Heap - Sparks
This album didn't show up on ANY "Best of" lists, and that is a damn shame. This is Imogen's best album yet, and shows the amazing complexity and intricacy of her music. Imogen is unusual nowadays because she puts so much thought into every bit of her music (she self produces and self ENGINEERS her own albums). Every single song has a deep, meaningful story attached to it. THere are no fillers, no throwaway sub-par tracks. It's hard to pick out specific ones because every track has at one point been my favorite on the album.
I think it's really telling that she released an instrumental version. So much music nowadays is based entirely on the vocal melody: remove it, and you are left with repetitive and boring beats and chords. Not Imogen's songs. At time I prefer to listen to the instrumentals. This album is fantastic and everyone should listen to it at least once. There is nobody else like Imogen in the music scene right now.
Favorite lyric: Me the Machine - "Stage one, initialize moments of time/To wine and dine with neurons that know how to love/Oh me, the machine can dream"

This year in music felt very underwhelming for me, especially because TV-wise and Movie-wise, it was excellent.

Last edited by TurtleFu : 2014.12.21 at 05:39 PM.
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