Well, I may have been gone awhile but this is a tradition.

1. 2. 3.
4. 5. 6.
7. 8. 9.
10. 11. 12.
13. 14. 15.
16. 17. 18.
19. 20. 21.
22. 23. 24.
25. 26. 27.
28. 29. 30.
31. 32. 33.
34. 35. 36.

Yay, Sam Phillips!

loved that Iceage. Top 10 for me. I liked that Hookworms album too, but didn't give it enough listens.

Wanted to check out that Follkazoid, Lee Ranaldo and Chelsea Light Moving albums. Hopefully will get around to it.

What are #5 and #17?

#5 Sigur Ros

#17 Black Hearted Brother (Neil Halstead & Mark Van Hoen)

Interesting. I loved Halstead's first album but after that have been kinda blah on him. Will have to check this new thing out. Also listened to that Sam Phillips album much earlier in the year. Really liked that "When I'm Alone" song and one other that's escaping me.

The EH/RC album is our only overlap but there's a few things I like on here. Did you hear Darrell Scott's solo album from last year? I like it much more than this album with Tim O'Brien but still nice to see them on your list.

Not much in common this year aside from Low and The Knife.

Some things look interesting, I suppose, just based on the covers. Want to tell us something about your #1? I realize I could look it up, but I'd like to see what you have to say about it.

What's #26?

#26 is Hookworm.

Ah the no.1--yeah, its an album that just became a soundtrack for so much of what was happening this past year. It came out in February, which was about perfect to be able to constantly go back to it over and over.

Joel Houston and co. are incredible songwriters. This is a band that has sold over 14 million records, and probably will never be written about in the annals of rock history because of their niche market. The thing about them is that they write great albums, that are produced incredibly. Now, I understand "great" is subjective, but from a genre that subsists on retreads and wannabes, writing an original album that people want to sing to encapsulate their faith is really quite incredible.

The song "Oceans" was really my anthem for the year. Every time I hear it, it rings about what was happening at the church I work at.



I guess if I had to sum up the album, it'd be a touch of Peter Gabriel, a touch of glo-fi, and a healthy dose of 80s moog work. This isn't going to be an album Obner takes to, but its what hit me this year. Its what made me feel good about an album--which is what your favorite album of the year should do. Unapologetically.

iceage & low are crossovers - i've got to research much of the rest. i've seen it on quite a few lists but i don't get the love for chvrches or that ilk.

Chvrches, Lorde, Purity Ring... all of that stuff just sounds awful to me.

Maybe you could throw Grimes in there, too, but I like her for some reason.

Valid. To be honest, Chvrches isn't really *supposed* to be in my wheelhouse either. And the other bands you mentioned, yeah, I don't like either.

Missed this one in 2013:



http://billmalloneemusic.bandcamp.com/album/beatitude-bill-mallonee-vigilantes-of-love-2

Some of you ex-Athens folks might know this guy or his old band Vigilantes of Love.

I don't think it breaks any alt-country mold, but he does write good songs.

Love that Sam Phillips.

Bill Mallonee seems to be putting out a new album every year lately. I have a hard time keeping up. I still haven't heard Amber Waves.