Year in Rock 2014: Fashionably Late But Bound To Be Great

YEAR IN ROCK 2014

New format.

Same great taste.

COMING IN DECEMBER

Since this blog's origins in 2011 (and, for longtime friends, long before), I've given an annual rundown of my favourite songs and albums at year's end, lauding the ones I enjoyed the most and crowning them with empty, meaningless awards.

That hasn't changed for 2014, but the way I'm presenting it has.

Rather than daily posts singling out one artist at a time starting November 1, I've decided to ditch that format and instead nominate artists and albums for specific awards. I'll be announcing nominations in December, and there are a few reasons why:

a) Whereas I'd normally have a list of nominees ready to go by now, this year proves a little more difficult due to the fact that there is still a handful of very intriguing releases due to be released in November (and, in Smashing Pumpkins' case, December). How, for instance, can I possibly know what to nominate for Album of the Year without hearing the new one from Foo Fighters?

b) Traditionally, in my daily Year in Rock posts I'd discuss the group and why they were nominated. There isn't really as much need for that this year as the majority of the nominees will have had their albums reviewed on this blog in pretty extensive detail. Chances are, you know why I dug He Is Legend this year, and I don't really need a second blog post to say the same things again.

c) This is more of a selfish reason, but it lightens my work load. For those who don't know, my day job is in retail. My job gets increasingly taxing as the holiday shopping season rolls on, and it can be borderline unbearable to add daily blog posts to the equation. Besides, the continued album reviews should ensure the place doesn't become a ghost town.

So, with all that said, thanks to all the forthcoming nominees, and all of you reading about them, for making 2014 another fun year full of good rock n' roll. To commemorate it, some of your faves will be competing for Year in Rock 2014 Awards (maybe I'll call them "Biteys"?) in the following categories:

Album of the Year (for the overall awesomest full album experience of '14)

Song of the Year (for the song that, above all others, was my jam)

Video of the Year (for all you chronic YouTubers)

Best New Artist Recording of the Year (only for noobs, or artists whose first official album released in '14)

Best Comeback Recording of the Year (only for oldies, or artists who took 10 years or more between albums)

Sound Bites Hall of Fame (this is only for artists whose first official album released more than 25 years ago)

...and maybe others. I've got time to work it all out, as the nominees will be revealed on December 1st, with the winners announced on December 19th. Stay tuned!

Year in Rock 2025

Alright, I've got some explaining to do. By now anyone who's visited this blog is well aware of how infrequently I've used this space in recent years; aside from the occasional fertile year of content, I really haven't posted all that often over the last five years or so. There are many reasons for this, which have already been outlined in previous apology posts; but, essentially, it boils down to my own laziness and the cold reality that blogs are, like Refused (again), fucking dead. So, I wouldn't hold my breath for a triumphant return to reviews, or even semi-regular posts, but: a) I feel like Year in Rock posts have always belonged here and, even though I've experimented with different methods of presentation recently and been satisfied, the "blink and you missed it" unveiling via Facebook stories this year was perhaps ultimately a disservice to the records I lauded. After all, cramming the list into short videos isn't too far off from ju...

Year in Rock 2013 Nominee: Arctic Monkeys

ARCTIC MONKEYS Do I Wanna Know? From: AM Released: September 10 That Year in Rock 2012's Single of the Year R U Mine? ended up on this album is pleasing, and it fits the motif well enough. But R U Mine? isn't what makes Arctic Monkeys' fifth album an Album of the Year contender. Sweaty, sultry and pulsing with sexual energy, AM is the kind of record that's just as effective whether you're chilling out after a long day, staring into a mirror prepping yourself for a late night clubbing session or setting the mood for some escapades in the boudoir.

Year in Rock 2023: Album of the Year #10-1

Now we're getting somewhere; the top ten, where there are no duds or mids, only bangers. Also, no more teasing it out; let's wrap this up! What I've learned this year from my ten faves this year is that it is indeed still possible for a dude approaching his fifties to more or less stay up to date on the new school. Of course, there are some listed here that got a boost from playing tribute to the old school, but there is an undercurrent happening in rock that points to the future. But, I'm getting ahead of myself; here come the champs. 10 MILITARIE GUN Life Under the Gun June 23, 2023 • Loma Vista Highlights Very High Will Logic Never Fucked Up Once Rising from the ranks of the still-potent L.A. hardcore scene, the debut record from Militarie Gun (following a trio of EPs) bears a dash of polish that's expected with backing from a larger label; the tension and energy remain, though, resulting in one of the catchiest hardcore albums I can think of in recent years. 9 ...

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