lady antebellum

Even though I was working on my best of 2014 lists in January, there were still a heap of new/newish songs that got and kept my attention. Here they are:

20. Nicki Minaj f. Jessie Ware – The Crying Game

19. Black Coast f. M. Maggie – Enough

18. Natema – Everybody Does

INXS, in excess.

17. Sound Remedy – Victory

16. Ameriie – Mustang

15. Viet Cong – Silhouettes

Fierce. A little Of Montreal feel with a dose of fear and a pinch of vigour.

14. Caribou – Our Love

Heard it in 2014, let it slide in 2015.

13. Robbie Williams – Super Tony

After all these years, Robbie still does cheeky pop better than anyone else. Possibly the best (and most fun) tune from his surprise release in December.

Bonus: Casey Abrams – Get Out

From 2012, just heard recently.

12. Death From Above 1979 – Virgins

I’m not a big fan of this band, yet this tune is undeniable. For my money, the best song they’ve ever done.

11. The Airborne Toxic Event – Wrong

10. Marilyn Manson – Third Day Of A Seven Day Binge

Surprised. It’s clear Manson’s aiming to reach more ears with this type of sound. It works.

9. Marina and The Diamonds – Immortal

Love her voice and this pretty pop tune.

8. Walk The Moon – Shut Up And Dance

Was on my best of 2014 list; hit another gear in 2015.

Bonus: Hozier – Take Me To Church/Angel of Small Death & The Codeine Scene

I’ve no idea why it took me so long to fall for these two songs. Love the striking, transfixing new video for “Take Me To Church” by David LaChapelle.

7. Modest Mouse – Lampshades On Fire

Love it. Sounds like it belongs side-by-side with songs from “We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank”. This is a good thing.

6. The Black Keys – The Weight Of Love

I guess I didn’t give this one the time it deserved when their last album came out. Consider the issue rectified. This song is really good.

Bonus: Lady Antebellum – Bartender

They’ve an incredible way with melody. This song made my Top 100 of 2014, but I can’t get enough of it.

5. G.R.L. – Lighthouse

Amazing comeback song post-Simone Battle. This is pop magic.

4. Night Riots – Contagious

Darkness. Loudness. Synthness. Awesomeness.

3. Tove Lo – Talking Body

Replay button got worn out with this one.

2. Bad Suns – Cardiac Arrest

So, so, so catchy. I’ve played this song constantly since I first heard it.

1. Purity Ring – Push Pull

Beautiful. Simply, beautiful. What a brilliant comeback single.

Bonus: Cage The Elephant – Cigarette Daydreams

This song was on my best of 2013 list. It was also on my best of 2014 list. I just can’t shake it. I listened to it time after time in January and it helped to quell winter’s cold. I’ve shared the record version before, so here’s an acoustic take on this gem.

This is what I thought of 2014.

I typically write a lengthy preamble when I issue my Top 100 Songs of The Year list. This year’s won’t be an extended or hyperbolic one.

2014 was fucked up in all manner of ways. One giant ray of light that helps pierce the omnipresent darkness of the world, at least for me, is music. 2014 was no different. My love for and of music is as strong as ever. I continue to zestfully seek out good music, as there’s a bounty of good new music around every corner, if you know where to look.

“Genres” and “types” of music are harder than ever to distinguish and designate, though if I had to isolate one type that resonated the strongest with me in 2014, it’d be pop music. It’s not that pop music ever went away, it’s just that pop has become such a versatile and shifty chameleon — it seems with every passing year, more types of music get sucked into the massive “pop” black hole, and “pop” infiltrates other genres with gusto and stealth. A tip of the cap to “pop” in 2014; a handful of brilliant pop songs made an indelible mark on the year in music (more than I can recall in recent years).

Music does so much to and for me; I won’t go into that though, as I mentioned at the outset of this piece that I’d practice brevity. So instead of me spitting game at music, I’ll end this introduction with some light, but ever true words, from the one of a kind one hit wonder, Cansei de Ser Sexy…

“Music is my boyfriend, music is my girlfriend, music is my daddy. Music’s my imaginary friend. Music is my brother. Music is my great grand-daughter, music is my sister, music is my favourite mistress…my music is where I’d like you to touch…”