2014 was a great year for music, filled with excellent albums and a plethora of great bands. I saw lots of live music, and met very cool musicians. Here is my take on what happened this year:
Best Live Show
La Dispute still puts on the best live show, without a doubt. I saw them three times this year, and they never disappointed. They played their best show at the El Rey Theater, which took place a couple of days after their FYF show in Los Angeles. This show rocked because they stayed away from some of their biggest hits (like “Said the King to the River”), and played songs I have not heard live before, (like “Damaged Goods”). Sure I have been to shows where everyone in the audience sings along with every word of every song. But have you ever read La Dispute lyrics? They are epic poems with deep, heartfelt meaning. Learning the words takes time, patience and a real commitment, and La Dispute fans are committed. I love listening to La Dispute on car rides, but I crave their live shows. I can never get enough of them.
Best Album
There were a whole lot of great albums this year. Blackout by Affiance was heavy, hard, and like all things Affiance, full of meaning and intelligence. Seether released what I consider to be their best album yet, Isolate and Medicate. This album, from my view, deals with the struggles of addiction and the challenges of staying clean. While it may not be dedicated solely to that, almost every song could be construed that way. In addition to meaningful lyrics, the songs themselves are the best Seether has ever put together (my favorites are “See You At The Bottom,” “Weak,” and “Keep The Dogs At Bay”). I can listen to Seether all day long and never get bored. They have released a lot of music and have been together a long time and it is wild that they could come together and top everything they have ever done before.
Despite these great albums, the number one album of the year is definitely Nothing More’s self-titled album, which tops any other album released in the last few years. The music is invigorating, inspiring, and addictive, and the lyrics are beyond intelligent. They are the manifestation of years of experiences dealing with loss, struggling to survive, and meeting people from all walks of life. “Jenny” is an incredible song about a young woman who continues to weigh down others by her inability to stay off of drugs. “The Matthew Effect” provides searing commentary on today’s well-off young people raised by parents who live through their childrens’ successes. “God Went North” discusses the loss of a mother to a horrible cancer that devastates its victim. Nothing More’s live show is also ecstatic. Full of incredible energy and life, with a three-person bass solo and a full-band drum solo, Nothing More released the best album of the year and travels and performs the music in a way that leaves you speechless. I have seen them several times this year, and it never gets old.
Despite these great albums, the number one album of the year is definitely Nothing More’s self-titled album, which tops any other album released in the last few years. The music is invigorating, inspiring, and addictive, and the lyrics are beyond intelligent. They are the manifestation of years of experiences dealing with loss, struggling to survive, and meeting people from all walks of life. “Jenny” is an incredible song about a young woman who continues to weigh down others by her inability to stay off of drugs. “The Matthew Effect” provides searing commentary on today’s well-off young people raised by parents who live through their childrens’ successes. “God Went North” discusses the loss of a mother to a horrible cancer that devastates its victim. Nothing More’s live show is also ecstatic. Full of incredible energy and life, with a three-person bass solo and a full-band drum solo, Nothing More released the best album of the year and travels and performs the music in a way that leaves you speechless. I have seen them several times this year, and it never gets old.
Best Discovery
For me, attending festivals is a great way to discover small bands, and up-and-coming talent. This year, my great discovery was Dead Sara at Aftershock. Wow. Emily Armstrong is such an amazing singer. Credited by Grace Slick as being the best singer in rock and roll last year, this band boasts amazing talent and writes incredible music. Their self-titled CD is a couple years old, and they will be releasing a new album in just a few weeks. I learned about the band while researching the Aftershock line up, which, by the way, was so chock full of talent, it was shocking (bad pun time). Dead Sara has some great songs on it, including “The Weatherman,” “Timed Blues,” and “Lemon Scent,” but the truth is every song is great. She can belt out killer melodies, she can scream, and she can sing an amazing ballad. Watch “Snow in Los Angeles” on YouTube sometime. Amazing. The great news is that I’ve heard a lot of their new stuff at a local show a while back, and it sounds fantastic.
Best Local Band
Blackmore, a progressive metal outfit from Los Angeles, released their first EP, Law of Time, this year, and it completely rocks. Made up of four Armenian Americans and a Filipino American, Blackmore offers fantastic music played by five guys with an amazing amount of musical talent and know-how. Many of them are music majors, and singer Adrian Barrios has an awesome stage presence, a fantastic voice, and a talented graphic designer as well. Blackmore is an LA band that you will hear from in the future. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to see them in local venues playing in front of friends. I hope when they do make it, they will still remember me.
Best Unsigned Band
Hailing from the high schools of Long Beach, Better Heroes is a band that I am sure you have never heard of, but you really need to. I have been to a lot of shows in the past three years, and I can say that Better Heroes is a better band than most of the opening bands I have seen this year. Their CD, POW!, has several songs that should be number one hits on the radio. Singer Hunter Allen has a fantastic and unique voice, and the band members are all very skilled. The song “Down and Out” is an addictively beautiful song with just the right amount of edge. For an incredibly young band, their stage presence is great.
The WTF Award
My WTF Award of the year is… Why isn’t Affiance a top-drawing band in the metalcore circuit? I just do not get it. They are way more talented than many of the bands that have really made it. Their lyrics are fantastic, Dennis Tvrdik’s voice is phenomenal, and the guitar work is stellar. I am baffled how and why this band toils away in small venues.
Greatest Combination
I have seen a lot of great pop-punk bands out there, most notably Young Guns, but Pop-Metalcore? Yes, it exists, and the vanguard of this genre is definitely Chunk! No Captain Chunk! This band is fun, hardcore and lively. And they are French. I just for some reason cannot get my mind around French Pop-Metalcore—pass the brie across the circle pit. Their album, Pardon My French, is absolutely awesome! And there are a LOT of great bad words. I love playing the start of Track 6 when people sit down in my car.
Why I loved going to Warped Tour this year
The Skariginals – lively ska played by guys having a great time.
Chase Walker Band – uber talented young blues guitarist. Going to be famous someday. Go see him now.
Beebs and Her Money Makers – Not sure how to explain this, but joining heavily tattooed metalcore fans dancing to Beebs is perhaps one of the highlights of Warped. Their music is as fun as it gets.
Chase Walker Band – uber talented young blues guitarist. Going to be famous someday. Go see him now.
Beebs and Her Money Makers – Not sure how to explain this, but joining heavily tattooed metalcore fans dancing to Beebs is perhaps one of the highlights of Warped. Their music is as fun as it gets.
 | Dan Adler was raised in Southern California to a mom and dad, one of whom appreciated Creedence and left wing anti-war politics. By the teenage years, Dan became obsessed with Black Sabbath, listening to the same seven albums repeatedly for 5 years. During this time, his favorite concert experience was seeing Metallica open for a bunch of bands that no longer exist and winning the 1st ever Santa Cruz Air Guitar contest. After several years in Africa listening and dancing to Chimurenga music, Dan returned to have the two best children in the world, one of whom spends a lot of time at concerts with him. What a lucky dad! |
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