(For the second year in a row, we asked guitarist and songwriter Jesse Zuretti of The Binary Code — who have a new album of their own headed our way — for thoughts about his favorite albums of 2014, and he provided this list.)
1. Animals As Leaders – The Joy of Motion
Stand-out album for me, since I’ve never really been a fan (as much as I appreciated just about everything these guys can do as musicians). This album, to me, defines talent that reaches beyond the confines of the stereotypical “metal” nomenclature. The R&B jams, the unbelievably creative drumming, the song-writing — it’s all just sitting perfectly with me. I really think it’s going to be hard to top this one, should they choose to put out another album. This was my #1 played metal (new) album of 2014, and for good reason.
2. Code Orange – I Am King
3. He is Legend – Heavy Fruit
4. YOB – Clearing the Path To Ascend
5. Job For a Cowboy – Sun Eater
6. Junius – Days of the Fallen Sun
7. Mutoid Man – Helium Head
8. Nothing More – Nothing More
9. Slipknot – .5: the Gray Chapter
10. Cloudkicker – Little Histories
11. Ghost Brigade – IV: One With the Storm
12. Issues – Issues
13. Impetuous Ritual – Unholy Congregation of Hypocritical Ambivalence
14. Volumes – No Sleep
15. Emptiness – Nothing But the Whole
NON-METAL/HEAVY
1. Alcest – Shelter
Probably my favorite new album of 2014 – any genre. Alcest is the new Cranberries in my opinion. I’m a huge Cranberries fan, so this is a great thing. Some of the vibes on this album bring me right back to the 90s — and in a good way.
3. Flying Lotus – You’re Dead
If you’re a fan of hip-hop, jazz, and in particular, the band Jaga Jazzist, you should check this album out. Some of the best musicians in the world played on this album, including Herbie Hancock and Ronald Bruner, Jr.
4. Clark – Clark
5. Little Boots – Business Pleasure
6. Lenny Kravitz – Strut
7. Prince – Art Official Age
8. St Vincent – St Vincent
8 Responses to “LISTMANIA 2014: A YEAR-END LIST FROM JESSE ZURETTI (THE BINARY CODE)”
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“Slipknot – .5: the Gray Chapter”
Im out…
Can I comment if I change my name slightly? Just checking.
Oh Lord, I figured it out!
Anyway: It’s weird to see a list with Animals as Leaders and Slipknot as well as YOB and Impetuous Ritual.
BTW, the Slipknot album had a few good songs and a whole lot of filler/crap. In other words, it’s a Slipknot album.
Nah, I disagree on the Slipknot album. I thought older Slipknot albums were loaded with catchy and memorable songs that were pretty good for their genre, while The Gray Chapter really fails to leave a lasting impression.. with about every song.
Sun Eater is a great album! : )
This is a strange list, but there are a lot of the more melodic metal releases I really enjoyed too (such as Junius, Alcest, Animals as Leaders, Ghost Brigade) so I’m definitely gonna check out some of the other albums listed too 🙂 And I actually appreciate someone having the balls to put a list on NCS with Prince, Slipknot and Lenny Kravitz on it! I wonder if any of the upcoming lists will have Nickelback on it…
Oh and some nitpicking: Alcest is definitely mostly still metal. Very atmospheric and the such, but it still belongs to your first list and not the second I think 🙂
FlyLo is genius.
thanks guys!