2014 Albums: Liked But Not Loved

Most liked on top, on down to more generalized affection or interest

Hundred Waters: The Moon Rang Like A Bell
Caribou: Our Love

Spoon: They Want My Soul
The Men: Tomorrow's Hits
Alvvays: Alvvays
Woods: With Light and With Love
The War on Drugs: Lost in the Dream
Aphex Twin:Syro
Julianna Barwick: Rosabi EP
A Sunny Day in Glasgow: Sea When Absent
Lana Del Ray: Ultraviolence (I'm playing it straight!  I gotta!)
Operators: EP1
Vashti Bunyan: Heartleap great soundtrack for Twin Peaks S3 tho

Angel Olson: Burn your Fire for No Witnesses
Lewis Baloue: Romantic Times

The New Pornographers: Brill Bruisers
Sylvan Esso: Sylvan Esso

FKA Twigs: LP1
Angel Olsen: Burn Your Fire For No Witnesses

2014 Favorite Albums

10. J. Mascis- Tied to a Star $5

9. Zola Jesus- Taiga: "Hollow," "It's Not Over," "Hunger," "Dangerous Days"  love this goth-marching band combo.  Buffy Pop. $10

8  Lewis:  L'amour $10

7. Lykke Li- I Never Learn $15

6. Jessie Ware- Tough Love $20

5. Pallbearer- Foundations of Burden $20

4. Ian William Craig- A Turn of Breath $20

3. Mark McGuire- Along the Way LP and Noctilucence EP $20/$5

2. Todd Terje- It's Album Time $25

1. Future Islands: Singles $50

/$200

Favorite New Television of 2014

Honorable Mention:  Gravity Falls S2
Runner-up:  Portlandia S4

10. The Comeback S2 $5
9.  Silicon Valley S1 $6
8. Nathan for You S2 $10
7. In Review S1 $10
6. Game of Thrones S4 $20

5. Community S5 $27
4. Fargo S1 $28
3. Mad Men S7p1 $29
2. Rick and Morty S1 $30
1. True Detective S1 $35

/$200

Ken recommended Nathan For You, and I'm so glad he did.  Steph and I were in a rut and we have loved the first two seasons.  Nathan Fielder is a comedic genius- incredibly creative and unbelievably deadpan.  In Review is a perfect showcase for the incomparable Andy Daly.  I think he's one of the top five people in comedy today and I'm so glad Comedy Central let him go off the deep-end.  I can't recommend either enough.  The Comeback might not be for everybody, but Lisa Kudrow puts on an absolute clinic every episode.  I knew she was the most talented one on Friends, I had no idea she could carry a show so weightlessly.

Not being contrarian or a troll...

...but I finally finished Breaking Bad this year and didn't enjoy it.  Admired it, absolutely, but really had to fight to finish it.  You are free to disregard all future opinions on anything I might share.

Home for the Holidays? Post your Dates! Or I'll post more about Community!

The wife and I shall be in Portland from approximately December 14th through the 20th.

Filler Random Thoughts

We saw the New Pornographers the other night.  Someone needs to fire the garage rock band of schlubs that obfuscates all their songs and the backup chick whose mic was up higher than Neko goddamn Case's.  Dan Bejar didn't disappoint, in that he's as big a dick as I always imagined.

Also off-putting was Sam Beam, who just 'took requests' the whole show, i.e. ignored mothers yelling out for "Woman King" and sad ladies shouting for "Flightless Bird, American Mouth" and just played sorta shitty acoustic versions of his new songs, and a few old ones.  Dude has fallen in love with his own voice, and there is some Narcissus falling into the pond thing going on.

Not disappointing was Charli XCX who put on a fucking barn-burner in an old warehouse for a few hundred STL lucky goofs.  She is cool as it gets and her band of young women was tight as hell.

Califone was also incredible, replicating their perfect album sound and yeah, played The Orchids and Funeral Singers.  Glorious.

Homeland is Glee for people who read The Atlantic Monthly.  It has been bad and painful for so long I'm considering Boardwalking it.  (New phrase I'm developing for 'throwing in the towel,' since boxing is passé.)

Pat has made a rousing comeback in our fantasy football league and is now my pick to win it all.  I feel some soul-hurt, not gonna lie.

I miss you guys, hope to see your faces soon.  Except Pat, who will be gloating.

ps

Favorite phrase ever, full stop.  I think I'm going to open an adult bookstore that only features nude oil paintings from the Enlightenment era.