New Releases 2014 - No Records Released Before 2014

[extrabigmehdi]

I  love Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (kind of joyful, japanese dance pop).
She recently released the album Pika Pika Fantajin.
 

 
And a single from the album, very nice video:
 

 

[metalsonata]

Opeth: Pale Communion
 
More 70's prog worship from Opeth, though it displays a greater ranger of influences than Heritage did. What it might lack in memorable moments (compared to stuff like classic King Crimson and Yes, at any rate) it almost makes up for with wide-ranging and technically accomplished instrumentation and beautiful production. I also feel like front man Mikael Akerfeldt turns in one of his more emotionally involving vocal performances in a while, particularly in the last two tracks, which together might constitute one of the finest endings I've heard on any album yet this year. This is a real album's album, for listening to from front to back, and then meditating on it for a little while afterwards before hitting repeat. I think some people will 'get' Pale Communion right away--others might have to give it time to grow on them. It doesn't reach the heights of their best work, but for people who like the idea of Opeth but have never been able to get beyond the metal crunch of their finest work, this might be a great starting point. (Though I still think Damnation remains their most palatable album for a general audience with modern tastes.) As for Opeth fans who were left feeling a bit lost after Heritage, I don't know that this will quite make up for that feeling of abandonment. But if Heritage has grown on you since its release, then know that Opeth has surpassed the achievements of that album here--a point I think most people will agree with. Ultimately, it's not the finest prog rock of even the last three or four years, but it's a pleasurable listen nonetheless, and I think it'll make it into my top 40 or 50 albums of the year pretty handily.

 

[metalsonata]

Earth: Primitive and Deadly
I try not to have too many back-to-back posts on this thread, but I just had to share this one with someone as soon as I finished listening to it for the first time. Earth has always been a good-great band. Led by front-man Dylan Carlson, whose stately guitar explorations and remarkable tone would, in a fair world, land him towards the top of any reasonable 'best living guitarists' list (even if he never shows off), Earth was a pioneering force in early drone metal, and their largely instrumental brand of psychedelic rock, post-rock, and drone has earned them a lot of praise and admirers over the years. But even as I've enjoyed all of their recent work, I couldn't help but feel that these venerable giants were stuck in a bit of a rut. They were no longer reinventing themselves--they were just throwing in new instruments here and there. But with Primitive and Deadly--man, they haven't felt this alive in years. Guest vocalists are the most readily apparent 'upgrade' (in fact, I don't think they've used a vocalist period since... Kurt Cobain), but the faster tempos and all-around rocking attitude that's on display here banish the somnolent weight that's been firmly settled upon their work almost ever since Dylan's self-reinvention in the mid 2000s. I can see myself cooling on this album a bit as the year winds towards the end, but at this moment, right here and right now--this is a top 5 of 2014 for me.

 

[Barry S]

 
 
We Will Reign by The Last Internationale
 
You'd expect the songs by a band with a name like The Last Internationale to touch on revolution and other political themes. What you might not expect, is the hard-rocking tight sound from this trio, that includes Rage Against The Machine drummer Brad Wilk. The music includes strands of country and folk, but never veers too far from rock. Lead singer Delia Paz passionate delivery puts love on equal footing with revolution, and lucky for us--punk trumps polemic.

 
 

 

[StratocasterMan]

Ryan Adams has a new self-titled album out for 2014:
 

 

[StratocasterMan]

The new releases just keep rolling in...
 
Billy Joe Shaver has a new release for traditional country fans. The first track includes vocals by Willie Nelson because Willie knows the deal:
 

 
There is a new release by the Counting Crows called, "Somewhere Under Wonderland." This is perhaps the most interesting release by them in quite awhile.
 

 

[zachchen1996]

Joe Bonamassa - Different Shades of Blue
 

 

[highfilter]

New album from DFA Records!
 
The Juan Maclean - 2014 - In A Dream.
 
Great production and in signature DFA style.
 
Grab here. 
 
 

 

[metalsonata]

 
Both are truly fantastic!

 

[melro]

Fantastic album.
 

https://soundcloud.com/ptvrecords/david-vandervelde-one-more-time

 

[Asr]

Arch Enemy - War Eternal (released 6/4) (metal)
 

 
Odesza - In Return (released 9/9) (electronica)
 

 

[metalsonata]

Ty Segall: Manipulator and Shellac: Dude Incredible
Further evidence that 2014 is shaping up to one of my favorite years in music in recent memory. Almost too many great albums this year for me to handle--making my end-of-the-year best-of list is going to be physically painful come December. And they just keep on coming: for example, this weekend I've got to hope that my local record store has the new Electric Wizard, Reznor/Ross, Iceage, Winged Victory for the Sullen, Flying Lotus, Winterfylleth, Godflesh, and, as weird as it to say, the new Weezer. (No, seriously. It's pretty good.) And it seems like every weekend between now and November is going to be much the same. And let's not even talk about the stuff that's already been out for months that I still haven't found the time to listen to yet! What an awesome time to be a music fan.

 

[highfilter]

Caribou - Our Love.
 
Nicely produced electronic album.
 

 

[DryHopped]

The new Caribou album is fantastic, top 10 of the year so far. Perfume Genius too probably, love the song Queen, but I haven't listened to the full album yet.
 
Other new releases-
 
Alt-J - This is All Yours

 
Chromeo - White Women

 
Blonde Redhead - Barragán

 
SBTRKT - Wonder Where We Land

 
TOPS - Picture You Staring

 
BANKS - Goddess

 
Sinkane - Mean Love

 
Lil Silva - Mabel

 
Real excited for the new Jessie Ware album, coming soon...

 

[metalsonata]

Busdriver: Perfect Hair
More weird but relatable hip hop from the Hellfyre Club, who are collectively releasing some of the year's best rap.
 


Electric Wizard: Time to Die
The universe's heaviest band, and utterly incapable of making a bad album.
 


Flying Lotus: You're Dead!
The jazz/rock counterpart to J Dilla's R&B/soul Donuts. Brilliant and beautiful.
 


Iceage: Plowing into the Field of Love
In which they expand their palette without dulling their edge.
 


Weezer: Everything Will be Alright in the End
It's good! Boy, does it feel great to say that about a Weezer album again.