Amazing Larry's top 10 of 2014

Just a quick disclaimer, not everything listed was released in 2014, just posted to the blog in 2014.

What a big year for Spacerockmountain:

-We saw the introduction of the Spacerockmountain podcast, which has progressed from tired and drunk ramblings to sober and thoughtful interviews with some of our favorite artists as well as reviews of movies.

-The Scenes of a City series where we profile fantastic releases from artists all over the word.

-And probably the most prolific posting in general thanks to the blog founder Antarktikos. Seriously, near daily posts thanks to that busy motherfucker.

That said, it's been a challenge for myself to listen to everything on the blog. I'd ideally like to do a top 10 of everything posted, but since I'm most familiar with what I wrote about, here's a top 10 from my own posts over the year, in order from best to bestest:

10. Leptospirose - Tatuagem de Coqueiro

This is crossover thrash band from Sao Paulo, Brazil proves that it's not all about psychedelic, lo-fi, garage rock.... there's much appeal in that which is fast and furious. 

9. The Sin Veldt - S/T

The Sin Veldt are like 70's Rocky Erikson meets The Stooges. It's blues-influenced psych garage from NYC that's got more blood, grit and piss than Jack White's latest kidney stone... or record... or whatever.

8. Toads And Mice - S/T

This Dayton, Ohio-based band blew my mind when I stumbled across them this year. Having first learned to be a ravenous music listener in the 1990's, it always surprises me when I hear newer music reminiscent of that time. The meandering and melodic guitar lines, the crystalline and poetic vocal delivery ...this band and this record set a unique mood that harkens to a time when indie bands weren't afraid to get a little moody and add some interesting architecture to their songs. 

7. Underground River - Endless Air; the Other Side of Happenings

Largely the solo project of Hunter Davidsohn, Underground River is music for a rainy day. I mentioned in my original post that it reminded me of coffee shop music. It still does, but like the fucking best possible coffee shop music. Like you went down to the cafe to read a book and drink an espresso but then this amazing songwriter starts playing on the pseudo stage and both your espresso and your blood go cold.

6. Zageron - S/T

Didn't think it possible to love music like this at this point in my life. This band I first wrote about in my Scenes of a City post on the Lithuanian city of Vilnius. Zageron are just ridiculously enjoyable to listen to. I'm pretty sure the singer is Satan or at least Satan's first cousin. And I just love how the drums aren't blown out or ridiculously beefed up in the production like so many other death metal. And this drummer. Fucking shit. I love the drumming on this record.

5. Jesuslesfilles - Une Belle Table

Great Montreal rock band, I still stand by them being the perfect mix of The Strokes and Blonde Redhead. Great stuff that promises much more greatness in the future. 

4. The Salad Boys - S/T

A New Zealander by the name of Joe Sampson who may or may not run Melted Ice Cream Records is one of three behind this excellent self-titled by ChristChurch's Salad Boys. A rough diamond in the crown of that country's long history of pristine and clean indie rock purity. So damn good.

3. Small Teeth - Small Teeth Tape

Yet another Montreal band that shook my world, Small Teeth bring something unique to their sound. It's mostly song structure, because the instrumentation is conventional rock band. But the band also stands our with vocal delivery. I'm pulling my hair out waiting for more recordings from this fine band. Please hurry the fuck up, Small Teeth.

2. Roselit Bone - Blacken & Curl

I used to see these guys live as a 2 piece and they were amazing then. Now they have over 5 members and they are killing it. If out of town guests come to Portland, take them to Multnomah Falls, eat at a food cart, and take them to a Roselit Bone show. You can't lose.

1. Grime Kings - Honeymooning

There's no question in my mind which record is my favorite of 2014. Yet another fantastic release from eastern Canada, this time Grime Kings from Ottawa, just a short drive from Montreal. The recording project of Callum Runciman, a prolific and exceedingly talented songwriter and musician. It's rock music for those bored of rock music. Multilayered and strange, it's offers something new with each listen. If I had a record label and some money, I would throw it all at this guy.

Scenes of a City, Vol. 6: São Paulo, Brazil

The Brazilian village that would become the city of São Paulo was founded exactly 426 years before I was born. This has absolutely nothing to do with anything. But since we're nearing January 25th, I suddenly feel a connection to Brazil's, and South America's, most populous city (currently nearing 12 million people. That's like combining the populations of New York City and Madrid. Whoa!) As is the case in all of Brazil's cities, the contrast between the richest and poorest residents is stark. Kidnapping of affluent citizens is a common occurrence, so much so that the rich travel via bulletproof cars and even helicopters. São Paulo actually has the world record for city with most helicopters. The city's also home to an annual pancake cooking competition, so, you know... it can't be all that bad. 

Leptospirose - Tatuagem de Coquiero 

This record is a maelstrom of thrash punk reminiscent of bands like M.O.D, early Suicidal Tendencies, and Nuclear Assault. The genre is mostly known as Crossover Thrash which is a surprising and unfortunately mundane name for music that is fueled by pure adrenaline. That said, I don't normally go for music like this because I have enough anxiety as it is, but I've been enjoying this record a lot over that last half year, or so. Also available on vinyl, in case there's room in your library(and heart) for some Brazilian thrash. And let's not kid ourselves, there's plenty of room in both.

TRATAK - Agora eu sou o silêncio

Here we have an impressive full length of a more traditional Brazilian sound. The guitar playing and vocal style is reminiscent of bossa nova, but TRATAK more resembles the genre that immediately succeeded bossa nova in the late 60's and early 70's, commonly called "musica popular brasileira", or MPB (Brazilian pop music). The instrumentation is more involved than bossa, incorporating rock with occasional dustings of psychedelia (unlike the wilder genre of tropicalia, which was born around the same time). TRATAK could sit easily on a playlist with artists of that genre such as Edu Lobo or the wonderful Chico Barque. A gem of a find, if I do say so myself, and those with an affinity for older Brazilian music in general will enjoy this quite a bit.

Sweet Fanny Adams - Fanny You're No Fun

This EP was a surprise to me in it's simultaneous resemblance to both modern US indie rock but also post-punk of the late 70s, a genre that consistently piques my interest. I'll do one of these annoying comparisons that people want to shoot me for: it's like Spoon fronted by the lead singer of Cake with a distant essence of Gang of Four. Angry? Well, too bad. I wish I knew more about the group, not even sure if they're from São Paulo. Just listen to these four songs and enjoy them for what they are, fucking great rock songs. 

Caverna Central - HOFFMAN'S DEATH: Tribute to Philip Seymour Hoffman

Here's a wildcard that was too strange to not include. What we have is basically 8 very short experimental rock songs where someone shouts "Hoffman's dead!" over and over. The music isn't terribly interesting, and honestly sounds like it was all written and recorded over the course of an afternoon. The bandcamp page was created in February of 2014 so it's possible that these songs were recorded on the very day that Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead. At any rate, it's a tribute to a great actor who died way before his time, albeit a bizarre tribute.