Favorite Albums of 2014

I have to admit, I didn't make as much time for listening to music this year as I should have. But, nevertheless, a majority of my top 5 of the year were from bands that were new to me. Well, St. Vincent wasn't exactly new, but I wasn't a fan until this *amazing* record. Sylvan Esso won me over in a big way after I saw them live (twice this year). Mirah's latest was criminally overlooked, in an example of how indie critics forget the artists they once championed. Leonard Cohen again demonstrates that he's a song writer without peer, although Mark Kozelek (Sun Kil Moon) makes a pretty good effort to show that there are new ways to write compelling, simple, human stories as songs.

1. St. Vincent, St. Vincent
2. Mirah, Changing Light
3. Sun Kil Moon, Benji
4. Leonard Cohen, Popular Problems
5. Sylvan Esso, Sylvan Esso

Honorable mention to Run the Jewels, Ex Hex, Spoon, and tUnE-yArDs, who round out my top 10.