TEEN & Klaus Johann Grobe list their favorite LPs of 2014
intro by Bill Pearis
Klaus Johann Grobe
Swiss duo Klauss Johann Grobe released their second album, Im Sinne de Zeit near the start of the year via Trouble in Mind and I'm pretty sure there's only been a handful of days since that I haven't listened to it. With only organ, bass and drums (and vocals in Swiss-German), they merge krautrock drive and tropicalia's spirit into one of 2014's grooviest albums. You can stream the whole thing via Spotify, and check out a video, below.
The band, which includes a third member on bass live, just wrapped up a European tour opening for Temples and spent most of the rest of 2014 playing festivals and touring the album. Hopefully, they'll head to North America in 2015, we shall see. KJG have given us their Top 10 LPs of the year, telling us, "These couple of records helped us make all the touring a bit more comfortable in 2014." You can check out their list with commentary, below.
TEEN
Brooklyn's TEEN, who released their second album this year, included KJG's Im Sinne der Zeit on their Best LPs of 2014 list, after being wowed by them at the Netherlands' Valkhof Festival this summer. You can check out their whole list of the year's favorites below. TEEN spent most of their 2014 on tour, had all their gear stolen (and launched a successful PledgeMusic campaign to help them keep touring), and are currently on break, though you may have seen singer Teeny Lieberson at this year's Brooklyn Rock Lottery.
Both TEEN and Klaus Johann Grobe's lists for Best LPs of 2014, plus song streams, below...
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KLAUS JOHANN GROBE - BEST LPs OF 2014
Fenster - The Pink Caves
Fenster invited us for a show in St. Gallen this autumn. Not only did they play a fascinating show that night but they also turned out as wonderful human beings. Their record is a thing of whimsical beauty! And it grows and grows and grows...
Ultimate Painting - S/T
Our label Trouble In Mind released a shitload of great records this year but it was probably Ulimtate Painting's that hit us the hardest. It basically carried us through Germany on our autumn tour.
Blind Butcher - Albino
The most brilliant and straight forward swiss band there probably ever was. they're second lp is the shit! Whatever it is they play, so are Blind Butcher.
Pure X - Angel
This came out of nothing. And we wonder how, cause the cover is a big turnoff. But then again, that's what makes it so brilliant! We love it. You can put this record on in a loop in the morning and might want to turn it off when you go to bed. Maybe. It's a wonderful unobtrusive record!
Chad VanGaalen - Shrink Dust
Our secret hero. He really is. One of those songwriters that does everything right. He can hit you so hard with his songs...Oh man, we were really looking forward to go to his show at the Incubate Festival earlier this year but then we ended up playing the festival at bloody exact same time! One day...
Tara Jane O'Neil - Where Shine New Lights
Stunning and beautiful record!
The Soundcarriers - Entropicalia
One of the few bands out there that actually gets that retro sound right and managed to turn it into a project in which probably everyone would want to play in. We would!
Real Estate - Atlas
This record sneaked itself in and has since its release, always been around in some form. We probably listened to this a thousand times, aware and unaware, and amazingly still aren't tired of it.
Disco Doom - Numerals
This record is more like one big song. Ten rough tracks that take you on a journey full of beauty and confusion.
The Eccentronic Research Council - Magpie Billy
It's obscure, it's fascinating, it's absolutely brilliant! We've never heard anything like that before. Spoken words, ALOT of synths and catchy lines. All you need.
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TEEN's Best LPs of 2014
Klaus Johann Grobe - Im Sinne der Zeit
tUnE-yArDs - Nikki Nack
St. Vincent - St. Vincent
Cibo Matto - Hotel Valentine
Ramona Lisa - Arcadia
Perfume Genius - Too Bright
Brian Eno / Karl Hyde - High Life
Amen Dunes - Love
D'angelo - Black Messiah
Glass Ghost - Lyfe
BEST SINGLE: Shamir - "If It Wasn't True"