A few days ago we relayed to you the Top 10 tracks of the year as decided by Pitchfork, a publication that's long had a finger on more genres than its competition. Now we've got their list of the best 50 albums of the year, and you can check out the Top 10 listed below. If you'd like to see the full 50, follow this link. A word of warning: Don't be surprised to see a lot of repeat performers between the song and album list.
10) Our Love by Caribou
Caribou aka Dan Snaith is back in the news thanks to the recent announcement of a world tour but the true highlight of his 2014 has to be Our Love, which provided an even better follow-up in answer to his excellent 2010 release Swim.
09) Pom Pom by Ariel Pink
Ariel Pink was somewhat the Azealia Banks of alt music during 2014, finding himself in the news more for uncouth quotes on other performers than for his music itself. Also like Banks, when he did release an album, it was received with universal acclaim. Funnily enough, both his album Pom Pom and Banks' Broke With Expensive Taste feature a version of his "Nude Beach A Go-Go."
08) It's Album Time by Todd Terje
You've got that right. It's Album Time marked Todd Terje's first full-length release after years of EP's and compilation appearances that he needed to come through big time to merit the hype. And merit it he did.
07) Benji by Sun Kil Moon
So far the list has featured performers heavy on electronic music elements but there's always room for the songwriter-as-narrator role that Mark Kozelek aka Sun Kil Moon fills on Benji. Aging is a constant theme during Benji but this music will never get old.
06) To Be Kind by Swans
Swans isn't the kind of music preferred by mainstream alt fans. Even the most album-oriented of listenrs might get through To Be Kind and its two hour runtime once, similar to The Knife's Shaking The Habitual, but tracks such as opener "Screenshot" prove that Michael Gira is more than just noise rock.
05) Ruins by Grouper
Definitely one of them oct underrated albums of the year but one championed by our own Joseph Degroot all the way through. The mellow music featured on Grouper's tenth album might be named after wreckage but these songs are anything but, more building blocks than anything.
04) Syro by Aphex Twin
Aphex Twin occupies a weird middle area where huge publications such as Rolling Stone are covering his anticipated release more than even the most popular of EDM artists, while Resident Advisor holds it in similar esteem. Both are right of course: Richard James is back with music as engaging as ever.
03) Lost In The Dream by The War on Drugs
Sun Kil Moon fans might be disappointed that War on Drugs came up ahead of their man in Pitchfork's end-of-year list but they've got to admit: This "beer rock" is great stuff. Unveiling some bias, if this correspondent had his way, Lost In The Dream would appear atop this publication's forthcoming list as well.
02) LP1 by FKA Twigs
A debut for an act that has the potential to be a culture-shaking performer on all levels of music. Every alt fan went nuts for FKA Twigs' R&B stylings when LP1 dropped but at the same time mobs of mainstream pop fans began checking her out thanks to her relationship with a certain Robert Pattinson. Hey, we won't complain about anything that brings people to the light.
01) Run The Jewels 2 by Run The Jewels
Is the second chapter of the Run The Jewels franchise any better than the first? We're not sure, but we also thought self-titled one was pretty damn great. Regardless of which album you prefer, we've got to feel good that two genuine hip-hop studs on Killer Mike and El-P are exposing noobs the world over to epically great hip-hop.
