The Jazz June, You Blew It!, label co-founder Kevin Duquette and more Topshelf Records artists' favorite albums of 2014
Topshelf Records has had a pretty great year, putting out records by several rising young bands across various rock subgenres (not just emo!), as well as long-awaited returns from veteran bands. Some of those artists, like You Blew It!, are already ending up on 2014 year-end lists, and we asked a few bands on the label to tell us their favorite albums of the year. Below, you’ll find year-end lists from You Blew It!, The Jazz June, Cut Teeth, Nai Harvest, and label co-founder Kevin Duquette.
You Blew It! recently announced an upcoming EP on Jade Tree and a tour with Rozwell Kid (who are on their list), Tiny Moving Parts (who are an honorable mention) and Sorority Noise. As discussed, that tour hits NYC on 2/20 at The Studio at Webster Hall. Tickets for that show go on sale at 10 AM on Friday (12/5).
The Jazz June are going on a tour with labelmates Field Mouse (who are on their list) soon, which hits NYC on 12/27 at Saint Vitus (tickets). They put out their first album since 2002 this year, and also headlined the BV CMJ showcase which also featured Beach Slang, who are on their list.
In other Topshelf news, they’ve got a Caravels / Octaves split, a new Suis La Lune album, and new music from Kind of Like Spitting on the way. And as discussed, Bob Nanna is releasing the first City On Film album since 2005 on the label this month. He already released the first Braid album since 1998 on the label earlier in the year.
Browse the Topshelf lists below…
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The Jazz June’s (Andrew Low) Top Albums of 2014
Angel Olsen – Burn Your Fire For No Witness
Alvvays S/T
The Spider Bags – Frozen Letter
Field Mouse – Hold Still Life
Beach Slang – Cheap Thrills on a Dead End Street
Caribou – Our Love
King Tuff – Black Moon Spell
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – Wig Out at Jagbags
Strands of Oak – Heal
Sharon Van Etten’s fourth studio album, Are We There
The War on Drugs – Lost in the Dream
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You Blew It!’s Top Albums of 2014
1.) Rozwell Kid – Too Shabby
2.) Modern Baseball – You’re Gonna Miss It All
3.) Prawn – Kingfisher
4.) Somos – Temple of Plenty
5.) Dikembe – Mediumship
6.) PUP – PUP
7.) Brightside – Now & Loud
8.) Wye Oak – Shriek
9.) Gerard Way – Hesitant Alien
10.) Weatherbox – Flies In All Directions
Honorable Mentions
1.) Margot & the Nuclear So and Sos – Slingshot to Heaven
2.) Pianos Become the Teeth – Keep You
3.) Tiny Moving Parts – Pleasant Living
4.) Weezer – Everything Will Be Alright In the End
5.) Braid – No Coast
1.) A.M. Overcast – Lexicon Palace
2.) Prawn – Settled
3.) The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die – Between Bodies
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Kevin Duqette’s (Topshelf co-founder) Top Albums of 2014
1.) Happy Diving – “Big World” – Wave after wave of big riffs and even bigger hooks. I’m obsessed.
2.) Alvvays – “S/T” – This was my summer go-to.
3.) Frankie Cosmos – “Zentropy” – A melancholy smile.
4.) Angelo De Augustine – “Spirals of Silence” – Nick Drake in 2014.
5.) Creepoid – “S/T” – Shoegaze by punks.
6.) tide/edit – “Foreign Languages” – Memorable math rock — great hooks and melody.
7.) Colossal Wrecks – “Waste the Moments” – Imagine if two Braid records came out in 2014.
8.) Elephant Gym – “Angle” – bass-driven mostly instrumental math rock.
9.) Pianos Become the Teeth – “Keep You” – Their post-rock infused post-hardcore magnum opus.
10.) Cassilis – “Quitting” – Ignorantly loud.
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Nai Harvest’s Top Albums of 2014
Big World – Happy Diving
S/T – Alvvays
Stitches – Bloody Knees
Chorus – Literature
Pilot – Playlounge
Manipulator – Ty Segall
Bon Voyage – Sport
Here And Nowhere Else – Cloud Nothings
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Cut Teeth’s Top Albums of 2014
Raspberry Bulbs – Privacy
Shellac – Dude Incredible
United Nations – The Next Four Years
White Lung – Deep Fantasy
Mastodon – Once More ‘Round the Sun
Young Widows – Easy Pain
Sharon Van Etten – Are We There
Single Mothers – Negative Qualities
Fucked Up – Glass Boys
Greys – If Anything
