20. Against Me! – Transgender Dysphoria Blues
We had the pleasure of seeing Ms. Laura Jane Grace & Co. in concert earlier in the year and have been singing Against Me!’s praises ever since we first locked ears on their phenomenal Transgender Dysphoria Blues. It received plenty of nods from our halfway list, but has plummeted down the rankings come December – I shake my heads at my fellow Vultures for this. The title track for TDB is as infectious as they come with its train-on-a-track hook, but the big-hitter here has to be Two Coffins thanks to its profound lyricism. The album confirms Grace’s rebirth as a voice worth not just listening to, but also as one you should learn from. Mark my words, this will become the anthem of a generation. Jimmy Donnellan
19. Elbow – The Take Off and Landing Of Everything
Their sixth studio album, The Take Off and Landing of Everything has everything you’d expect from Elbow, and a lot more. The sheer quality of the music produced on this album is astounding – world class vocals, intelligent and emotive lyricism, and a musicianship and technical ability that even a band as accomplished as Elbow can be proud of. Highlights include the beautiful ‘My Sad Captains’, the rasping turmoil of ‘Charge’ and the irresistibly anthemic ‘New York Morning’. (Full Review Here) Luke Bailey
18. Bear Hands – Distraction
One of those albums that you annoy all your friends with by playing at every opportunity, Distraction is an ambitious follow-up from Bear Hands’ earlier Burning Bush Supper Club. Funk-pop-indie-rock goodness (they are recalcitrant to being pigeonholed) awaits the uninitiated with this release that may surprise one or two. If you aren’t familiar with the grip of Bear Hands, check out ‘Giants’ for what they’re all about and don’t blame me if your finger slips and Distraction ends up on repeat. Jimmy Donnellan
17. Army of the Pharoahs – In Death Reborn
Four years since their last album together, Army of the Pharaohs took time away from their solo careers to reunite for a strong 2014. They released two albums this year, and while some say their sound gets repetitive with the same hardcore, braggadocios rapping, In Death Reborn hit the hardest as their first wave of attack. Very much like their previous albums, In Death Reborn sounds like an attack on hip-hop, as the fifteen emcees take turns trying to out-rap each other and show other rap groups they’re the best. It can be confusing to tell who’s who in a group with fifteen different voices, but AOTP gave more focus to its core members for this album, with Vinnie Paz, Apathy, Esoteric and Celph Titled getting the most time on the mic. Shaun Yassin
16. Scott Walker & SunnO))) – Soused
I used to have nightmares that I could never quite figure out the soundtrack to. That was until Scott Walker and SunnO))) finally collaborated, after scheduling issues had hindered their previous attempts. This time around though, it would be no mere guest spot, or split EP, or any such thing. No, it was to be a fully collaborative album, an album called Soused. An album that manages in its 50 minute run time to include just five tracks, and stretch across those tracks the kind of sounds you might expect to hear if you listened back to the recordings of an ambient field mic you left somewhere in Hell. Walls of distorted drone riffs drag themselves along, rumbling their way across tracks, twisted and tortured guitar leads battle synths, all spattered with the menacing clangs of haunted prison cells, and Scott Walker’s serial killer croon and executioner’s roar. Yet, what makes it all the more horrifying is how regularly it’s broken apart by moments of truly melodious, classical beauty. See previous Single of the Week ‘Brando‘ to get a feel for it. Morgan Roberts
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