It’s almost the end of the year and y’all know what that means: Best of Lists.

Best of Lists everywhere. Now it’s my turn.

I’m not gonna attempt to rank this thing. That’d be pointless, some albums sound better some days, others on other days. Preferences move in and out of cycles and to assume that there’s some quantifiable way of judging albums against each other is pretty stupid. But I can always say what I like and don’t like and what I like the most. These are the albums that I like the most.

Honourable Mentions:

White Fence – For The Recently Found Innocent

Foxygen – …And Star Power

Gary Clark Jr. – Live

Mac DeMarco – Salad Days

Jack White – Lazaretto

Beck – Morning Phase

The Ten (In No Particular Order):

Sharon Van Etten – Are We There

“Every time the sun comes up, I’m in trouble”

The sad, tortured singer-songwriter was a tired cliché long before 2014. But at its best it’s the most perceptive, affecting and impassioned stuff out there. I’m always a sucker for that kind of artist, Townes Van Zandt gets way overplayed on my ipod (as if that’s possible!). Sharon Van Etten doesn’t do the acoustic guitar and a sad song thing. Her last album (2012’s ‘Tramp’) was a little more of that but some of these songs are quite intricately arranged – note the horns and organ in the gorgeous ‘Tarifa’ – while a song like ‘Every Time the Sun Comes Up’ is a little Springsteen-ey (and utterly brilliant too). There’s a healthy dose of piano and some beautiful melodies but what kills me is her voice. Incredible. Great songs, great album.

Ty Segall – Manipulator

“Ask your boss man for a raise/Tell your momma she better keep the change”

Garage Rock Revivalist and unceasingly creative Ty Segall slowed things down a little this year. Usually he’s good for at least 2-3 albums a year, this annum he settled for one long one and a collection of singles/outtakes (‘$INGLE$ 2’ – It’s pretty cool, quite different to ‘Manipulator’, far punk-ier). But that’s because this one clearly took some work. This is easily the most produced and intricately arranged Segall album. Getting out of the garage and into the studio and taking every last advantage of it. ‘Manipulator’ is a thrilling, glamorous recapturing of 70s era sounds filtered through punk and grunge. I’d say Marc Bolan would be proud but he’d probably be jealous. This album kicks ass with tracks like ‘Tall Man, Skinny Lady’, ‘The Faker’ & ‘It’s Over’. 56 minutes of high energy rock and roll. This is where it is, folks.

St Vincent – St Vincent

“But honey don't mistake my affection/For another spit and penny-style redemption”

Man, St Vincent makes music like nobody else. The fabled Self-Titled Album is always a statement. In this case it was St Vincent’s (aka Annie Clark’s) big breakthrough after a few records of underground repute and a minor breakthrough with her album with David Byrne. St Vincent is doing things with the guitar that are fresh, modern and exciting. With her techno-doll image and highly stylised performances, she may just be the best Rock Star on the planet. Songs as good as ‘Rattlesnake’, ‘Bring Me Your Loves’ and ‘Birth in Reverse’ help that cause plenty.

Jenny Lewis – The Voyager

“Remember the night I destroyed it all/When I told you I cheated, and you punched through the drywall, I took you for granted, when you were all that I needed”

There’s something about this album that sounds like California. I’ve never been to California, but there’s a definite sunny sort of sound that evokes the American west coast. Mix that in with a little Rumours- era Fleetwood Mac, some clever, personal lyrics, a little cosmic flair and you have Jenny Lewis’ best solo album. It’s folksier and poppier than her efforts with Rilo Kiley but that’s not a bad thing. I’m still madly in love with the song ‘Late Bloomer’.

Big K.R.I.T. – Cadillactica

“Grew up on the country side of town/Now I’m ballin’ under city lights”

Gotta get some hip hop on the list, and this was comfortably my favourite record from what the old, white industry execs would call: ‘urban’ (though at least two other entries have elements of it). The first half is solid quality as K.R.I.T. lays down his case as possible the bet in the game, but the second half, man it’s downright transcendent. From ‘Third Eye’ though to the close he’s in a class of his own. And the man does so much of it all himself. He’s a stunning producer, a clever lyricist and his delivery is flawless. You can hear elements of Aquemini-era OutKast and Kanye (amongst others) but K.R.I.T.’s still a wholly unique artist and a talented one at that. He’s not trying to one-up anyone, he’s doing his own thing, telling his own story. It’s real, it’s unfiltered and it’s outstanding. He’s Southern Hip Hop through and through.

Angel Olsen – Burn Your Fire For No Witness

“What’s so wrong with the light?”

A brave effort from the folk songstress, this one expands the sparse, spiritual campfire sounds of her debut into more psych, electric and rhythmic territories. It still sounds like it could’ve been written around a campfire, but the moon’s a little brighter and there are more coyotes howling in the distance. Both are great albums, yet on ‘Burn Your Fire…’ Olsen thrives with more room for musical expression and her voice, as always, is a lilting, stunning, piercing weapon. She lets herself into 2.30 radio friendly zones on the catchy ‘Hi-Five’ or ‘Forgiven/Forgotten’, as well as some more haunting moments too. It’s a powerful listen and a more than worthy one. The closer ‘Windows’ is a spine-tingler.

Allah Las – Worship The Sun

“We had so much time to live, but don’t it go by fast/And we had so much more to give, but that was in the past”

This one’s getting back on the rotation for summer, you’d better believe it. Nothing captures the sunny season like a bit of surf rock. It’s a throwback sound that feels warm and relaxing, with those twangy guitar lines and bouncy vocals. If you like reverb, this is for you. Catchy, fun and layered. Not quite a grand artistic statement but it doesn’t have to be. It’s an amalgamation of sounds from a bygone era, built upon second-hand, glorified ideas and it sounds amazing.

Flying Lotus – You’re Dead!

“I can see the darkness in me and its quite amazing/Life and death is no mystery and I wanna taste it”

I try very hard to understand jazz but it always feels like I’m missing something. Or that something’s being held back. Maybe that’s the point? Maybe, but this Flying Lotus album is superb either way. I’m lacking in the necessary sweat, whiplash and 10000 hours of practice to critique the time-patterns or the instrumentation or the virtuosity. I just know that it sounds great and that’s the ultimate compliment. ‘You’re Dead!’ is a spacey, metaphysical rumination on death and dying, spirituality and enlightenment. That’s not necessary to enjoy the depth and subtlety of it but it puts Snoop Dogg’s typically and splendidly laconic guest vocal and Kendrick Lamar’s hot-fire verses in some context. It’s a short album by FlyLo’s standards, though probably his tightest too. That ain’t a coincidence. All the artwork is awesome too, as is anything with Thundercat’s bass guitar on it.

D’Angelo & the Vanguard – Black Messiah

“All we wanted was a chance to talk/Instead we only got outlined in chalk/Feet have bled a million miles we’ve walked/Revealing at the end of the day, the charade.”

Last week as I outlined this piece, I probably would have had Jack White or Beck or Mac DeMarco here. But then came an early Christmas present beyond our wildest dreams: A new D’Angelo album!

And Oh-My-Jesus is it good!

14 years since ‘Voodoo’ was released and finally the fated follow-up is here. ‘Black Messiah’ was rushed forward after the stuff in Ferguson, which is a weird thing to say about an album that was as long in coming as this one, that it was rushed. But there’s no way the production was rushed. D’Angelo is one of those guys who’ll never compromise. An artist of the highest order and no amount of time away from the spotlight can diminish that. He has returned to us unspoiled with an album that deserves every accolade it’ll get – not that D cares about that stuff. He reaches further than ever for inspiration without compromising his vision or his sound. The control he exhibits in every regard is immaculate. The album is brain-meltingly good. Catchy when it has to be, precise when it has to be, perceptive when it has to be… and of course sexy when he wants to be. Experimental yet calculated. This is the product of a singular genius. Thank you, D’Angelo, it was worth the wait.

The War on Drugs – Lost In the Dream

“Lost in the dream/Or just the silence of a moment/It’s always hard to tell…”

If I had to single one album of 2014 out as standing top all others, I think this would be it. It’s absolutely shattering how good this one is. Adam Granduciel, leader and muse behind the band, is an admitted perfectionist and the hard work and long hours in the studio all pays off. He’s sculpted a sound that’s part Springsteen/Petty Heartland Rock and part film score with the atmospheric synths and occasional harmonica solos. It’s at once lonely and confused and triumphant and redemptive. There are victories gained throughout and by God does it rock and or roll. ‘Red Eyes’ has this kick into gear that sends your brain into orbit and there are more than a few moments of guitar wizardry too. It’s another reverb-heavy effort, fading in and out of focus without ever sacrificing its toe-tap-ability. Granduciel sings with these breathy, nasaly vocals reminiscent of a young, smoother Dylan. ‘Lost in the Dream’ will make you cry, it’ll make you sing, it’ll make you smile and sigh. You’ll have the full array of air-instruments out of the imaginary locker. It moves you like a great film might along its journey. Maybe there are other 2014 albums can make a case to match this one but I’m damn sure there’s nothing better.