Exile's Best of 2014

My top 5 albums of the year:

Swans: To Be Kind

Who would have thought when I bought my copy of the I Crawled 12" in Beaudisque in Amsterdam in 1984 that thirty years later the Swans would be producing the most vital sounds in their catalogue?

Black Cab: Games Of The XXI Olympiad

It has been an absolute joy to listen to these songs morph and gestate at Black Cab's live gigs over the last couple of years. If you haven't seen them live then do yourself a favour

The Bug: Angels & Devils

Damn! Kevin Martin has been playing my spine as a bassline for a long time. At first I didn't think that this stacked up against London Zoo but let it wash over you LOUD and then immerse yourself into this album that is almost the perfect segue of all time. Also if you can, get to hear the Demolition Dub EP/mini album that was given away free to gig goers in Tokyo. 
Google may be your friend.
PS: Kevin/Oz promoters. You seriously cannot play Adelaide next year and not drop into Melbourne to destroy a few speakers/nervous systems/buildings

Einstürzende Neubauten: Lament

After seeing a fair number of the brilliant early Neubauten gigs in London and Amsterdam and then being highly disappointed the two times they have visited Australia since I came out here in 86, including last year's ATP 'I'll Be Your Mirror' fest, I must be honest I was not expecting this album to be the tour de force that it is. Hint: If any band could summon up the horror that was the great war then that band is Einstürzende Neubauten. 
It's also very disconcerting hearing Blixa sing 'God Save The King'

Scott Walker + Sunn O))) ‎– Soused

So good I bought the vinyl (first for what? Twenty years?) just to get the ScottO))) tee shirt

Bubbling under...

bvdub: Tanto

Dean Blunt: Black Metal

Jane Weaver: The Silver Globe

The Delines: Colfax Avenue

Wadada Leo Smith: The Great Lakes Suites

Single of the year:
Oren Ambarchi: Milk A Cow With A Monkey Wrench


Band of the year:
Sleaford Mods

Gig of the year:
The Delines/Nikki Lane (Northcote Social Club)

Blog of the year:
Marcello Carlin and Lena Friesen's Then Play Long

Book of the year
Willy Vlautin: The Free

Discovery of the year:
Animal Pharma