The Power Popaholic Top 20 albums of 2014

This year was a very good one, and like all these lists I see on the web the order is arbitrary. I included my top 50 albums this year, including a top 10 EPs list. I listened to many on the list again, some had initial lower ratings (“8”) that got better after repeat listens and others with higher ratings (“9”) lost its luster when compared to the others. A very small group (i.e. The Sugar Stems) did not even get an official review, but were so good they made the list. And I will spend some of January reviewing a few I missed. Take what you like from here and discover some new music!

TOP ALBUMS

      1. Linus of Hollywood – Something Good
      2. Phonograph (UK) – Phonograph Vol.1
      3. The Dowling Poole – Bleak Strategies
      4. Sloan – Commonwealth
      5. The Legal Matters – The Legal Matters
      6. Edward O’Connell – Vanishing Act
      7. Spirit Kid – Is Happening
      8. The Secret Powers – 6 (six)
      9. The Jellybricks – Youngstown Tune-Up
      10. Jeremy Messersmith – Heart Murmurs
      11. Aerial – Why Don’t They Teach Heartbreak At School?
      12. The Sugar Stems – Only Come out at Night
      13. Sunday Sun – We Let Go
      14. The Hazey Janes – Language of Faint Theory
      15. Rob Bonfiglio – Freeway
      16. The Paul and John – Inner Sunset
      17. The Successful Failures – Captains of Industry, Captains of War
      18. The Autumn Defense – Fifth
      19. The Bobbleheads – Make Yourself Happy
      20. Fauna Flora – Fauna Flora
      21. Marshall Holland – And the Etceteras
      22. Joe Sullivan – Schlock Star
      23. Graham Alexander – Repeat Deceiver
      24. Adrian Bourgeois – Pop/Art
      25. The Above – Waterbury Street
      26. Burning Ferns – See Saw Seen
      27. The CRY – Dangerous Game
      28. The New Pornographers – Brill Bruisers
      29. Ransom and Subset – No Time to Lose
      30. The Well Wishers – A Shattering Sky
      31. The Mike Benign Compulsion – Here’s How It Works
      32. The Tripwires – Get Young
      33. Rob Fetters – Saint Ain’t
      34. Weezer – Everything Will Be Alright in The End
      35. The Alarms – Real Tough Love
      36. Tyson Leslie – Train Wrecks, Havoc & Heartbreak
      37. Mothboxer – Sand and the Rain
      38. Rob Cantor – Not a Trampoline
      39. Doug Gillard – Parade On
      40. Rick Hromdaka – Trippin Dinosaurs
      41. The Maureens – The Maureens
      42. Bracket – Hold Your Applause
      43. OK GO – Hungry Ghosts
      44. The Cherry Drops – Everything’s Groovy
      45. The Magic Brothers – The Magic Line
      46. Latvian Radio – For Love & Spite
      47. The Ugly Beats – Brand New Day
      48. The Britannicas – High Tea
      49. Shake Some Action – Catch The Sun!
      50. The Rip Off Artists – The Intercontinental

TOP 10 EPS

    1. Cliff Hillis – Song Machine
    2. Evil Arrows – 1,2,3,4
    3. David Myhr – Record Collection
    4. OK GO – Upside Out (no longer sold – see Hungry Ghosts )
    5. The Crush – Future Blimps
    6. The Solicitors – Blank Check
    7. Myracle Brah – The Peach
    8. Smash Palace – Extended Play
    9. Greg Ieronimo – Bi-Polar Love
    10. The Feels – Dead Skin