Best of 2014 thus far?

[KarpetRydOFunk]

Wow. I thought everyone wrote off Pat Badger's solo debut, and there it is in Geoffrey's top 20. I think it's a great album -- definitely a surprise -- but I thought I was alone.

[Nightrain]

Okay just found Maverick, Badger, and Dorydrive samples on the net, missed these three, will check out asap

[Geoff]

You put a fuckload of effort into that, Geoff. Impressive!

 

Question: Is it unusual for you that not a single album will reach 90% for the year?

 

Haha, thanks. Hopefully there's an album or two in there people haven't checked out yet that might bring a christmas smile to someone.

 

As for it being unusual to not have an album over 90% in a year... to be honest, I think it's the first time it's ever happened. I think my top 10 usually ends in a 90% album. For instance, I don't think White Widdow's 'Serenade' was the top album of 2011 - I think - and that got a 95%. I see I had 2 over 90% last year.

 

As for how often I listen to the worthwhile albums; considering I'm a courier by trade, I listen to a hell of a lot.

 

Nightrain - Dorydrive and Badger are modern and Maverick is about as modern as a Killer Dwarfs CD.

[PeterS]

I tend to agree there have been few, if any, absolute brilliant albums. So nothing over 90% probably fair. Vega's probably up there for me. Not in anybodies lists as not quite this genre but the Royal Blood album is possibly the only album I know I'll return to time and time again in the coming years. Bad year? Well there's a lot that's kept me entertained but little that's blown me away. The good news is there's still a constant stream of new stuff coming along and there are some gems in there.

 

I still don't understand why people like the White Widdow.

[Nightrain]

Geoff - 300 albums is really a lot of time invested, do you still have time to listen to old albums, say the top 20 from the last two years or even some great album from the 80s ? i wonder how do you keep up to listen to a lot of albums and score each songs at the same time considering you might be driving around while listening and you need to put the numbers on a note, laptop or something right?

 

btw playing Maverick now, I dig this band, sounds great

[Nightrain]

I tend to agree there have been few, if any, absolute brilliant albums. So nothing over 90% probably fair. Vega's probably up there for me. Not in anybodies lists as not quite this genre but the Royal Blood album is possibly the only album I know I'll return to time and time again in the coming years. Bad year? Well there's a lot that's kept me entertained but little that's blown me away. The good news is there's still a constant stream of new stuff coming along and there are some gems in there.

 

I still don't understand why people like the White Widdow.

 

Peter, how do you not like White Widdow while you dig Vega a lot ?

they're the same melodic rock band and probably for some of us will agree that Jules' vocal is better or acceptable than Nick's

 

and haven't heard Royal Blood, what genre are they ? will check it out man

[Geoff]

I tend to agree there have been few, if any, absolute brilliant albums. So nothing over 90% probably fair. Vega's probably up there for me. Not in anybodies lists as not quite this genre but the Royal Blood album is possibly the only album I know I'll return to time and time again in the coming years. Bad year? Well there's a lot that's kept me entertained but little that's blown me away. The good news is there's still a constant stream of new stuff coming along and there are some gems in there.

 

I still don't understand why people like the White Widdow.

 

Yeah, I was harsh on the year at times, but despite not having any absolute belters, I can't think of a year ever where there have been so many very good CDs around that 80% mark, which is a good thing. There were a lot of very good releases, just very few that really stood out from the pack.

 

I don't understand why people like White Widdow either.. they're just an excellent, super consistent melodic rock / AOR band who basically do not know how to write a filler. I don't get it.

[Geoff]

Geoff - 300 albums is really a lot of time invested, do you still have time to listen to old albums, say the top 20 from the last two years or even some great album from the 80s ? i wonder how do you keep up to listen to a lot of albums and score each songs at the same time considering you might be driving around while listening and you need to put the numbers on a note, laptop or something right?

 

btw playing Maverick now, I dig this band, sounds great

 

Same thing comes up every year, but it's not as much invested time as it seems. Basically, any of the albums rated below about the 70% mark are purely for reference only. I'll rate them for my records in case I ever sit at my coffee table sipping a Coldstream Pale Ale from the Yarra Valley thinking, have I heard this CD here that people are talking about? And I'll go to my archives and see it in black and white if I know it or not.

 

I have a bad memory and I just like to keep a full registry of what I listen to these days. I'm not saying all those scores are perfectly correct to the decimal space and that I listened to an album 10 times to rate it 50% - it's not how I roll at all. I only re-listen to the albums and songs I like each year - technology allows for this with ease.

 

I don't listen to as many older albums as I'd ideally like, but again, more than you'd think. I spent literal months of this year preparing CDs for ebay (which entailed listening to, rating and listing) and that took up a lot of my time - time usually spent just listening to older albums I dig. I will get it all under control one year, but for now it's a lot of preparing for the future of my music enjoyment.

[Geoff]

Just having a look over the list and noticed Messiah's Kiss' score is incorrect. I'm actually midway through rating that one so it's a score in progress. Actually shaping up to be a pretty decent disc...

[PeterS]

 

I tend to agree there have been few, if any, absolute brilliant albums. So nothing over 90% probably fair. Vega's probably up there for me. Not in anybodies lists as not quite this genre but the Royal Blood album is possibly the only album I know I'll return to time and time again in the coming years. Bad year? Well there's a lot that's kept me entertained but little that's blown me away. The good news is there's still a constant stream of new stuff coming along and there are some gems in there.

 

I still don't understand why people like the White Widdow.

 

Peter, how do you not like White Widdow while you dig Vega a lot ?

they're the same melodic rock band and probably for some of us will agree that Jules' vocal is better or acceptable than Nick's

 

and haven't heard Royal Blood, what genre are they ? will check it out man

 

 

There's a line somewhere and if it's too soft I just don't dig it. I think that line would seem to be that slither between Vega and White Widdow.

[Geoff]

 

 

I tend to agree there have been few, if any, absolute brilliant albums. So nothing over 90% probably fair. Vega's probably up there for me. Not in anybodies lists as not quite this genre but the Royal Blood album is possibly the only album I know I'll return to time and time again in the coming years. Bad year? Well there's a lot that's kept me entertained but little that's blown me away. The good news is there's still a constant stream of new stuff coming along and there are some gems in there.

 

I still don't understand why people like the White Widdow.

 

Peter, how do you not like White Widdow while you dig Vega a lot ?

they're the same melodic rock band and probably for some of us will agree that Jules' vocal is better or acceptable than Nick's

 

and haven't heard Royal Blood, what genre are they ? will check it out man

 

 

There's a line somewhere and if it's too soft I just don't dig it. I think that line would seem to be that slither between Vega and White Widdow.

 

 

Wow, it's a softness thing? Then I actually really don't get it. One of the things that always appealed to me about White Widdow was their heavier edge, when it comes to melodic rock / AOR, anyway. And I thought the new disc was their beefiest yet. Good meaty drums, killer guitar. Yeah, in terms of softness I definitely wouldn't call them too soft. Definitely not.

[PeterS]

My girlfriend says I'm very inconsistent. It could also just be that.

[DaHun72]

I'm with Peter, dig Vega but can't get into any of the White Widdow albums.

[Glen]

@ Geoff.

 

Thanks, a few to check out ;-)

 

PS you hurt me....'All or Nothing' is one of my favs off Stereo Messiah. Love that song.

[Geoff]

@ Glen -

 

It's not bad by any means. The verses and pre chorus are literally perfect - the chorus is just very average and plain. Ironically, on two of my favourite albums this year, a cliche song by the name of 'All or nothing' is the weakest point. It's just way too basic for what I expect from Vega.

 

@ DaHan72 -

Citizenship revoked. Good luck with your relocation to Saudi Arabia or somewhere else where they hate good music.

[DaHun72]

Geoff, well I'm an aussie and for that reason I own all their cds and have tried a LOT with white Widdow. Something missing for me.

How's the messiah's kiss? Loved their first cd.

[Geoff]

Geoff, well I'm an aussie and for that reason I own all their cds and have tried a LOT with white Widdow. Something missing for me.

How's the messiah's kiss? Loved their first cd.

 

Still haven't got back to the 2nd half of Messiah's Kiss (that'll happen with 4 days off work) but like I was saying, sounded pretty solid. Not in the same league as White Widdow, though.

[Glen]

Yeah but its got a mountainous hook and the guitars are fab throughput.

 

The clunker is 10x bigger than love. So out of place its not true

[Glen]

@ Geoff.

 

Surely Thief Club is your number 1 album.....how is a 9 song album an EP??

[KarpetRydOFunk]

@ Geoff.

 

Surely Thief Club is your number 1 album.....how is a 9 song album an EP??

 

Nine? There are ten as far as I can count. Is it digital only? That might be his reason.

[zacharyamelie]

I cannot find the time to listen to over 300 releases in a year. I gave a solid listen to about 40 or so releases and here is my top 15 of 2014.

White Widdow – Crossfire (I can’t argue with those that say the new H.E.A.T. is the best album of 2014. However, I’m such a big fan of the early Harem Scarem sound and ‘Crossfire’ does such a perfect job of reproducing it that I can’t deny it being my personal favorite release of 2014.)

H.E.A.T. – Tearing Down The Walls (The sound, songs, production and look of Tearing Down The Walls is the what I would choose as the perfect release to describe what is the best of Melodic Rock in 2014. H.E.A.T. is far and away the best of the genre at the moment and I hope their reign continues for years to come.)

Harmony – Theater Of Redemption (A few years ago I was blown away by a band called Darkwater and this is a side project of sorts for two of the members. A similar sound, yet stripped down and not so progressive. Another plus is the fact that the great Daniel Heiman does the lead vocals. Easily the best Melodic Metal release of 2014)

Work Of Art – Framework (This band never disappoints, they are the premium AOR band on the scene and ‘Framework’ is simply a perfect continuation of their previous two releases, they are a band that has all the momentum in the world at the moment)

Brother Firetribe - Diamonds In The Firepit (I was sure this one would be my favorite of 2014 and it is excellent, however after only a few months I’ve all but stopped playing it…not that it’s not good, it just does not have the staying power of the top 4 bands on this list. Am I anxious for bands next release…you bet your ass I am!)

Sunstrike – Rock Your World (By far the best debut of 2014. If you are a fan of H.E.A.T., Work Of Art, White Widdow and Brother Firetribe….which you can see I am from my top 5 releases of the year…you’ll need to get this release. This band has a bright future if they keep putting out material like what was on ‘Rock Your World’)

Steel Panther – All You Can Eat (These guys rule…the music is so awesome that whether you like or dislike the lyrics you can’t deny the band can write great tunes. The biggest drawback with every SP release is the playback …At my home, I need my earphones to be able to listen to it)

Harem Scarem – Thirteen (It’s typical 21^st century Melodic Pop Rock Harem Scarem, I really like it, sure it’s safe and predictable, but I will continue to buy all their releases, solo and side projects)

State Of Salazar – All The Way (Fantastic AOR and the title track is probably a top 5 pick for my personal song of the year.)

Dark Horse – Let It Ride (Paul Laine goes Country with tons of Melodic Rock. The ten tracks are well crafted and I hope to hear more in the future)

Dalton – Pit Stop (Great Melodic Rock/AOR, they sound just like they did back in 1991. ‘Hey You’ and ‘Up & Down’ are worth it alone, great tunes with an awesome chorus.)

Allen/Lande – The Great Divide (Different writer this time around brought some differences in the sound, yet the result is still excellent. A must for all fans of Melodic Metal)

Crazy Lixx – s/t (A return to form after the weak ‘Riot Avenue’ from last year. I still think they have a better release in them)

Night By Night – NxN (great modern Melodic Rock, I understand the hype that followed this release and hope they put out some new material soon enough.)

Pretty Maids – Louder Than Ever (These are mostly re-recordings with a few new tracks and still this one cracked my top 15. The new track ‘My Soul To Take’ was one of my personal favorites for 2014. Pretty Maids are on a roll at the moment and I hope they keep it up)

[Glen]

Great list mate...perfect taste in music.

 

I need to revisit that Salazar disc as only heard it once and kind of passed me by

[Nightrain]

I missed HARMONY, will check it out asap mate

[Geoff]

 

@ Geoff.

 

Surely Thief Club is your number 1 album.....how is a 9 song album an EP??

 

Nine? There are ten as far as I can count. Is it digital only? That might be his reason.

 

 

I hadn't heard the version with 'Oh Paul' on it and have only just heard the song as I type.

 

I've had the 9 song version all year, and trust me, I thought about a dozen times; I'm just going to put this on the normal list. But the reason I didn't? Because there is an intro and whatever you want to call that 'DMT' track - either way, I didn't rate either. So I was only rating 7 full songs from the album and felt that warranted a place as an EP rather than amongst 10 track albums. Right or wrong, that's my reasoning.

 

Nice list, Dave. I don't have the same feelings towards Sunstrike as you (to me they're just another standard hard rock band like a modern day Gotthard, Jaded Heart, Bonfire, Shakra kind of Euro hard rock band. The debut is solid, but for me it was too much like other more average hard rock bands that I don't really acknowledge as much these days) but aside from that one (and Darkhorse, SOS and Harmony) we have a pretty similar bunch of albums up the top.

[PeterS]

Two days at work with nobody else in the office. Time to fill a few listening gaps.