I bought/legally downloaded/actually purhased over 80 albums this year. Most were very good. This was a very difficult list to make.

No particular order, only numbered for clarity.

1) Allo Darlin’ – Europe

Allo Darlin’ – Europe

Like their first effort, the best word I can describe Allo Darlin’ with is ‘happy’. If you don’t mind the lack of apparent depth, definitely give them a listen because its a good time. Cute songs, that usually cheer me up.

2) Jack White – Blunderbuss

He might be the most talented musician alive today. I hate him for it.

3) Blood Red Shoes – In Time to Voices

Following a trend, I seem to be listening to a lot of folk-indie bands led by female singers. Its a damn good album though.

4) Delta Spirit – Delta Spirit

I really can’t pinpoint what makes me listen to this album so much. I just really like it. Super indie, sometimes super poppy, but nobody else sounds quite like them.

5) Good Old War – Come Back As Rain

As part of my continuing musical education I’m moving way into a country/bluegrass/folk mood. Lots of good albums came out this year. Out of the group I could have picked Old Crow Medicine Show or The Avett Brothers but Good Old War just had a more unique sound.

6) Jesca Hoop – The House That Jack Built

She kinda came out of left field. Found her by accident and just fell in love with this album. I don’t know what else to say. Just listen to it.

7) Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again

Could have come out in the early 70’s smooth soul movement and would have fit right in. Straight outta Motown, this one.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

8) Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – The Heist

 Lots and lots of good hip-hop came out this year. And of course, I had to pick the white guy. Actually, easy racial jokes aside Macklemore puts some heartfelt, and pretty damn heartbreaking lyrics over Ryan Lewis’ superb beats. Incredible album for only being a sophmore effort. I passed over P.O.S. for this album which is a damn hard thing to do for an avid P.O.S. fan.

9) The 2 Bears – Be Strong / Staff Benda Bilili – Bouger Le Monde!

I was looking everywhere for this years GRUM, for an album that made me want to dance. The closest I came was narrowed down to these two and only one is at all understandable by me. Both are brilliant

10) Milo Greene – Milo Greene

Album is on my top 10 because it is both amazing and incredibly painful. A lot of emotion tied up in this album for me, just because of stuff that was going on in my life when I first heard it…then heard it many many more times.

Honorable Mention:

1) Frank Ocean – channel ORANGE

I really almost didn’t put this one on the list. I didn’t listen to it as much as any of the others. It wasn’t my groove. It was a good album and its acclaim is likely well deserved and I can’t deny the impact its had, but it just wasn’t my favorite of the year.

2/3) Jimmy Cliff – Rebirth / Bobby Womack – The Bravest Man in the Universe

 Two legends released albums this year. It was a good year to revive. Neither of them were perfect but they are both worth trying out.

First Aid Kit

4) First Aid Kit – The Lion’s Roar

Two lovely nordic ladies making melodic tunes. I like it.

5) Keane – Strangeland

Phitzy will hate me, but I really liked this album. Despite his chubby face, it was a very enjoyable album.

5) Maximo Park – The National Health

Catchy as hell and just a solid album. I wish it had something to put it over the edge.

Audiophilia is DOOM’s rotating musical recommendation column. It’s where we come together to give you some listening choices every month. This month Aaron Poole and Michael Harris give you their picks.

Aaron:

Brothers Or Not is an Austin, Texas based rock band that is kind of a super-group of the Texan live scene combining former members of The Tastydaclyls, Veloura, and Westbound Departure. I would be remiss to leave out that I have been a fan of both Veloura and The Tastydactyls previously and was disheartened to see them both quit music, so it’s not too surprising that I was excited and pleased to hear that this band had formed.

This new, self titled, and debut EP from the band is a good representation of this mix of musical pasts. You can hear a touch of all previous bands in the songs. Blake Rawlings takes up lead vocals once again and it’s nice to see him really let loose and power his way through some of these songs. In the past, The Tastys bordered on that pop line but Brothers Or Not is rock without a shadow of a doubt. This is the kind of stuff you want to hear in a bar and sing/shout along to.

There is a significant change of pace in the four tracks with the song “Switch”. A much moodier and slower song but in my opinion quite possibly the most enduring because of it. While the others like “C. Gaines” has that rock edge, there is something still more cutting about the lyrics and tone with “Switch” that means while it may not be as catchy as the others, it will stay with you for longer.

Anyway, check out the EP preview below and if any of it takes your fancy you can download the whole EP for FREE at this link here.

Michael:

I heard this months pick on the radio of all places. That’s right folks, you heard it here. Radio is not dead! Not completely anyways. I tend not to listen to local radio because most stations operate on the standard model of only playing 15 songs about 50 times per day plus something classically popular every once and again. Recently, however, I’ve been giving a pretty good listen to KSPC Radio which is a very local college radio station that has a lot more freedom to play new and strange sounds (last week there was a block dedicated to Beatles covers that were specifically featured in Beatles movies, and every Friday they have a block of video game and video game related music).

That being established I was introduced to a band that I’ve been fairly enamored with over the past couple weeks: Dirty Ghosts. I really don’t know too much about the band, unfortunately. They’ve enlisted the production talents of hip-hop talent Aesop Rock for their album Metal Moon and I just really love the sound that they’re putting out. Easily the catchiest song on the album and the one that got me hooked is the first track on the album, “Ropes That Way”, another favorite of mine off the album is “19 in ’71”. If you want to do a bit of looking, the 7″ Single version of “Shout It In” is a bit better than the album with a cameo by Aesop Rock.

Metal Moon is available for listening in its entirety on Spotify if you want to give it a try. They’re also currently finishing up a tour with their final show in their hometown of San Fransisco.

I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention one of my favorite albums of the year with Milo Greene’s Self-Titled album released in July. Lovely album that I can’t stop listening to, no matter how much it makes me nostalgic for being in a relationship and having lovey dovey feels. Here’s my favorite off of their album and slightly reminiscent of Landon Pigg, “Silent Way”.