The 14 Best Songs of 2014 - Oh My Rockness

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The 14 Best Songs of 2014

October 17, 2014
Written by Patrick McNamara

The following are my picks for the best songs of the year.

My favorite songs of the year are listed in no particular order. If you forget everything else I tell you ever please remember that. All of these songs are equally good. Just like you and me and our neighbors and strangers are all equally good.

One World.

One Love.

Imagine.

Hope.

The 14 Best Songs of 2014

Please note you can click on any of the band names at any time during this dynamic content to read more of my words about the band/artist in question. I wrote profiles for each of them... all by myself... NBD.

Gates - “Not My Blood"

Definitely one of my favorite songs this year. Definitely one of my favorite new bands. This song is off Gates' euphoric (!) new album “Bloom and Breathe." Definitely one of my favorite albums this year (you should get it - and I should mind my own business). As per this song, specifically - please wait for the 4:55 mark. All secrets to life, death, love, and longing will be revealed at the 4:55 mark. Bet.


Donovan Wolfington - “Quitting"

As far as pure fuzzy guitar catchiness, it's going to be tough to beat this one. Good thing this isn't a competition The participants don't even know they're playing (until I tag the shit out of them on Twitter). Clocking in at just a tick under 2:00, “Quitting" leaves you wanting more - and oftentimes that's better than leaving you wanting less. I hope you remember that, man. I feel like this song was written just for me. In particular, the line, “And you take yourself so serious!" It's true. I do. I just can't help it. There's nothing funny about being a blob in the Music Industry. (Those whoa-oh-ohs!, tho.)


Plague Vendor - “Black Sap Scripture"

This song gets all the coolness points. Please wait for the "Bam. Buh-Buh-Buh-Bam. Buh-Boom-Bams." The cool goes off the charts during that part. If I can feel cooler just listening to this song as I type this dynamic digital copy, imagine what it can do for you. Bam. Buh-Buh-Buh-Bam. Buh-Boom-Bam


Aviator - “Pipe Dreams"

I've only played this one approximately 172 times (give or take a couple dozen - I crunched the plausible numbers super quickly in my head). You know what this song by Boston's Aviator is about, big guy? It's about growing up, girl. I blast this one for motivation. It pumps me up. You will conquer that mountain. You will learn to let go. You will change those channels on that couch with authority. (2:11 mark, tho)


Porter Robinson - “Divinity"

That opening riff, tho. This goes 8-bit-ish but also comes with beats that go BIG TIME. I don't understand how this dude does it. My Nintendo never sounded like this. (P.S. Fuck you, Power Glove. You never worked liked the commercial said you would - you owe 11-year-old me $450 dollars - adjusted for inflation.) Please note. This song also features a pleasant performance by Amy Millan of Stars. That opening riff, tho.


Iron Chic - "Wolf Dix Rd."

You may remember I recently said that Aviator's “Pipe Dreams" really pumps me up. When I have to put that song down for a minute or two because I'm too pooped to pump anymore, I reach for Iron Chic's “Wolf Dix Rd" for a second wind. This song pumps me up to get pumped up. It's like the song behind the song BEHIND the song. How great do these crunchy guitars sound? Tip: REALLY great. I'm not the type of guy to throw his fist in the air for anything but I do so when blasting this. I'm doing it right now, actually. It just took an extra 30 seconds to type this sentence because I can't use the correct home row keys on my state-of-the-art Compru-Pad using only one hand. Oh well. Totally worth it. My arm is getting tired.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: I WAS JUST ALERTED TO THE FACT THAT THIS SONG ACTUALLY CAME OUT IN 2013 ERROR TO BE CORRECTED SHORTLY VIA DEEZ NUTZ


Allison Crutchfield - “You"

When she's not leading Swearin' (a good goddamn band), Allison Crutchfield is making some of the most sublime bedroom pop you'll hear this year. “You" is off her excellent 7-song album “Lean In To It" and it's both warm and melancholy. It's all about that contrast, man. Can't have those pretty sunsets without those clouds, tho.


Somos - "Lives of Others"

Ooh. Tough to pick just one song from Somos' “Temple of Plenty" album. If I was doing an album of the year list, that one would definitely be at or near the top. But we're not doing that. Songs, man. It's always been about the songs (or “cuts" in Music Industry Insider speak). All 9 songs on this record are great. Seriously. But if I had to pick one, I guess I'll go with “Strangest Example" because THAT BRIDGE, THO (more bridges in songs please, thx, best, patrick). If this band isn't huge in 2015 the game is fucking rigged.


Alvvays - “Party Police"

The first time I heard this song I thought the melody sounded similar to this song. Did I nail that sound comparison? I nailed it right? I may not have great long hair but I do have a really great ear for comparing current songs to old musicals. Those vocals, tho.


Foxes in Fiction - “Ontario Gothic"

Listen to this one real quick. It's cool. I'll wait.

Welcome back! Now tell me, does this song make you happy or does it make you sad? If you answered, "Both. I don't know. Maybe. Neither. Yes. No. I'm just a little mixed up emotionally right now" you are CORRECT! This one works best if you blast it while blissed out - whatever blissed out means to you. RIYL: pretty


Vasudeva - “In Lieu of Youth"

Instrumental math-rock. You may remember it. You may have loved it. You may have lost touch with it. Well, brother, it's high time you reintroduced yourself to it now. Because Vasudeva will snap your math-rock loving soul back to attention. This song is off the band's debut full-length “Life in Cycles" and I love it almost as much as I love that whole album. This one builds, so don't bail out before the construction is complete. What's left standing is something to behold.


Alex G - “Sandy"

This song is so good Alex G sometimes bills himself as “Sandy Alex G." When a guy names himself after one of his songs it's gotta be good! This lo-fi wunderkind is going to be very (relatively) popular someday soon. You can bet on that or my name isn't Whoa My Blobness. I want to meet this fictional 14-year-old Sandy and tell him everything is going to be OK. He may think Satan is his master but he's really not. When Sandy grows up he'll realize that guy's a dick.

(please note: this song was originally released 3 years ago - but did you hear it? - nope - didn't think so - me neither.)


Zola Jesus - "Dangerous Days"

These beats, tho. They just really go BIG TIME, guys. Also. I just saw Zola Jesus play this song on a small boat. We went under the Brooklyn Bridge while the sun was setting. NBD.


Shorts - “Berlin 1971"

This song is an easy breezy perfect pop HIT and I bet you've never even heard it before. That's a damn shame. But I'm delighted to inform you that this can be rectified quickly if a music blob knows how to harness the hidden powers of streaming technology. Thankfully for you this blob does. Blast this and sail away and set adrift on memory bliss.


HONORABLE MENTION: The Outfield - "All The Love"

This song came out in 1985, but I've been blasting the shit out of it in 2014 for some reason. The reason being, it rules.

I hope you enjoyed this dynamic year-end “Best Songs" list written in late October. I know you have a choice when you procrastinate and I thank you for choosing to spend this wasted time with Whoa My Blobness.

Happy 2015! I bet we're the very first music blob to wish you that. That's how we do.

Oh My Rockness: just fucking around since 2004

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