2014: The Local Music Year In Review

Venues: Luckily, there are still a few places willing to book non-commercial original music in this town. The Tide and Boar are now hosting live acts in the newly expanded Tide and Boar Ballroom which occupies the former Club Cosmo. Popular touring acts such as Sloan and Hey Rosetta are slated for the new year... The Esquire Tavern has certainly picked up the slack since the Caveau closed its doors back in May of this year. We wish to thank Kyle McDonald for continuously booking bands and taking care of the sound board... Plan B Lounge is thankfully still thriving and features live music every night of the week. Sounds crazy, but it's true... Claude's House, situated in the city's east end, is the epitome of the D.I.Y. culture in the city. Still hosting plenty of local groups as well as unknown touring bands who need a place to play and a floor to sleep on for the night.

Bands: Still lots of activity around here. Bands playing quite frequently are the Virals, Impulse Items, Warsick, Sintax Error, the Human Comedy, Savage Young, the Motorleague and Fear Agent. Playing less frequent are the Colonial Quarrels, Mephistos, Disasterbaters, Mother, Jugs and Speed, nerve button, the Adhesives, the Mike V Band, Purple Knight, Los Pollos Hermanos, Zaum, Hope, Soaring Sirens. Missing in action are the Robins and Blotto. Brand new bands to check out are the Phone Jerks (featuring members of the Beaten Hearts and Impulse Items) and Papaya (an Acadian reggae concoction featuring Marc Theriault from Sintax Error).

Vinyl: Lots of local wax appeared this year from the likes of Feral Trash, Blotto, Zaum, Hay Babies, Lisa LeBlanc and Shevil. A curious compilation album called TBA x Superbob Art Vinyl Project featuring a handful of non-punk local indie bands made an unlikely appearance at the end of the year. I'll gladly accept a copy as a donation since I currently find the price tag prohibitive to say the least.

2014 MUSICAL TOP TEN:
We've again asked some friends to name us some of their favourites of the year. Some comments have been edited due to space...

Ray Auffrey (AKG editor, streetwalker)
 Top Ten Albums (in no particular order)
 1)  Ex Hex - Rips  LP
 2)  Sleaford Mods - Divide And Exit  LP
 3)  Queen - Live At The Rainbow  '74  4LP Box
 4)  Alvvays - Alvvays  LP
 5)  War On Drugs - Lost In The Dream  2LP
 6)  OFF! - Wasted Years  LP
 7)  Giuda - Let's Do It Again  LP
 8)  Feral Trash - Trashfiction  LP
 9)  Mother's Children - Lemon  LP
10) CJ Ramone - Last Chance To Dance  LP

Top Five Seven Inches (in no particular order)
1)  Ex Hex - Hot and Cold  7"
2)  Outtacontroller - Colt Summer  7"
3)  Guida - Yellow Dash  7"
4)  S.O.A. - First Demo  7"
5)  Napalm Raid - Storm  7" EP

Three Music Related Books That I Absolutely Loved
  *  Gods of The Hammer: The Teenage Head Story by Geoff Pevere
  *  Sounds of Two Eyes Opening Photographs by Spot
  *  Do Not Sell At Any Price: the Wild, Obsessive Hunt For The World's Rarest 78rpm Records by Amanda Petrusich

My fave live performances of 2014 (in chronological order):
- Hard Charger @ Le Caveau  Moncton, NB  February 2014
- Impulse Items @ Plan B Lounge  Moncton, NB  April 2014
- TV Freaks @ Claude's House  Moncton, NB  May 2014
- The Sadies @ McSweeney's Dinner Theatre  Moncton, NB  2014
- Bloodshot Bill @ Maritime Rockabilly Shakedown  Amherst, NS 2014
- Lee Rocker @ Maritime Rockabilly Shakedown  Amherst, NS  August 2014
- The Vibrators @ Esquire Tavern  Moncton, NB  August 2014
- Alvvays @ Royal Canadian Legion  Sackville, NB  September 2014
- Daniel Lanois @ Capitol Theater  Moncton, NB  October 2014
- Doc MacLean @ Plan B Lounge  Moncton, NB  October 2014

My favourite music magazines
1)  Ugly Things
2)  Vive Le Rock
3)  Razorcake
4)  Maximumrocknroll
5)  Mojo

Cool documentary of the year: Looking For Johnny: The Legend of Johnny Thunders

Eric Neurotic (Hub City Ambassador to Ottawa)
 Top Ten Albums
1. HURULA - "Vi ar manniskorna..." LP + "Betongbarn" 12"EP (Stranded)
2. THE CREEPS - "Eulogies" LP (It's Alive)
3. MOTHER'S CHILDREN - "Lemon" LP (Taken by Surprise)
4. THE SPITS - "Kill the Kool" 2xLP (In the Red)
5. WHITE LUNG - "Deep Fantasy" LP (Domino)
6. TEENANGER - "EPLP" LP (Telephone Explosion)
7. THE ESTRANGED - "S/T" LP (Dirtnap)
8. ZEX - "Fight for Yourself" LP (Uncle D/Capitalicide)
9. THE MUFFS - "Whoop Dee Doo" LP (Burger)
10. STRANGE ATTRACTOR - "Back to the Cruel World" LP (Mammoth Cave)

Top Five 7"s
1. VIDEO - "Cult of Video" (No Good)
2. CATHOLIC GIRLS - "Sheila joined a cult" (Self Released)
3. RADIOACTIVITY - "Danger b/w Why?" (Secret Mission)
4. OUTTACONTROLLER - "Colt Summer b/w Trash on" (P.Trash)
5. KAPPA CHOW - "Punk as Fuck" (Kiss the Void)

Kyle MacDoanld (bassist/vocalist for Zaum, soundman, studio engineer, promoter etc etc.)
1. FLYING FORTRESS - DIRTY RAIN
-Minimalist Melodic Thrash /w hints of Darkthrone meets 80's pop/rock

2. REVERORUM IB MALACHT - DE MYSTERIIS DOM CHRISTI
-Distortionless Black Metal in Catholic church in the middle ages on LSD x 10

3. OM - LIVE
-Spiritual Middle Eastern Stoner Trip

4. MORBUS CHRON - SWEVEN
-Warm 80's Progressive Gore-Death Metal in a comfortable yet paradoxial dream

5. OCEAN CHIEF - UNIVERSUMS HARD
-The unexplored deep doomy sea where the god of the Ocean reigns and speaks

6. IDES OF GEMINI - OLD WORLD NEW WAVE
-Old World New Wave with a very warm & clean gothic aura

7. SUNN O))) / ULVER - TERRESTRIALS
-Intimidating ambient soundscape of the exploration of a forest in a
volcanic crater

8. TRIPTYKON - MELANA CHASMATA
-Evolution from Celtic Frost "Monotheist" with more guitar melody.
--- **BEST VIDEO OF THE YEAR** http://youtu.be/NmyWeOvF_Sg

9. WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM - CELESTITE
-A vivid ambient based glimpse into the far reaches of the universe

10. KUATO - THE GREAT UPHEAVAL
-Incredibly well written instrumental heavy yet clean epic post-rock/shoegaze

Marc Doucet (drummer for The Robins and Nerve Button)
Top Ten Albums
1)  The Fall - Unutterable  2LP  (vinyl reissue of CD from 2000)
2)  Joy Division - An Ideal Living  12"EP  (Record Store Day reissue)
3)  Ex-Hex - Rips  LP
4)  S.O.A. -  First Demo  7"
5)  Gun Club - Moonlight Motel  LP  (legitimate reissue of bootleg album)
6)  Blitzkrieg Bop - Studio Stuff  LP
7)  OFF! - Wasted Years  LP
8)  Roseanne Cash - The River and The Thread  LP
9)  Kraftwerk - Machine: Live At MOMA, NYC  April 13, 2012  2LP bootleg
10) Various Artists - Killed By Death Rock Volume 1  LP

Daryl Buote (Port City rocker of the cranky persuasion)
Top Ten Music Releases
1) 7 Seconds - Leave a Light On  LP (this album kicked my ass, hats of to Kevin and co. for such a fine release)
2. The Crunch - Busy Making Noise  CD
3. All Night Drug Prowling Wolves - both of their LP's. (These albums are not new, but are new to me and have had the most play this year. Amazing band)
4. Doom - Corrupt Fucking System  LP
5. Hard Charger /Sotos split LP  (yeah, it's good)
6, Zaum - Oracles  LP ( I was blown away by these guys.. proud of what these lads have done this year)
7. Wilko Johnson / Roger Daltrey - Going Back Home  CD  (All I can say is wow...)
8. Bishops Green - Pressure  CD  ( incredible oi!/punk out of Vancouver)
9. Misery - From The Seeds That We Have Sown  LP  ( Who would have thought that 20 years or more later these guys would be at the top of their game?  Great)
10. Ratos De Porao - Seculo Sinistro  LP

... and the highlight of my year was finally seeing NEUROSIS!!! What a show.. Thanks again Marty and Sam

Damian Saiz (Boston correspondent)
Top ten Albums
1. OFF! - Wasted Years cd
2. Jess & the Ancient Ones - Astral Sabbat 12"ep
3. 7 Seconds - Leave a Light On cd
4. Youth Code - An Overture cd
5. Manic Street Preachers - Futurology cd
6. Godflesh - A World Lit Only By Fire cd
7. Eyehategod - s/t cd
8. the Cheap Cassettes - All Anxious, All the Time cd
9. Midnight - No Mercy for Mayhem cd
10. Wolves in the Throne Room - Celestite cd

Honorable mentions:
Mayhem - Esoteric Warfare cd
Slapshot - s/t cd
the Gaslight Anthem - Get Hurt cd

Best shows:
Samhain/Midnight/Goatwhore - Best Buy Theater, NYC - Nov. 1
Skinny Puppy/Front Line Assembly/Youth Code - House of Blues - Nov. 30
Man...or Astroman? - Sinclair - Sept 12
King Diamond/Jess & the Ancient Ones - Palladium - Oct.16
Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats - Middle East - Sept. 26
7 Seconds - Brighton Music Hall - Aug.2
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Prospect Park, Brooklyn - July 26
Carcass - Paradise - April 10
Godflesh - Royale - April 13
Skinny Puppy - Royale - Feb.15
the Damned - Royale - Oct.25
Gary Numan - Paradise - March 24

Simon Ugly Pop (label mogul, beer drinker)
PIZZOAR – AR 3000 EP (Re-Ken)
NEO PUNX – EP (LVEEM)
SUSPENSE – Murder With The Ax EP (LVEEM)
WIPERS – Noma Noma 45 (Mean Bean)
RIVALS – Future Rights 45 (Breakout)
REAL KIDS – Shake Outta Control CD (LP) (Ace Of Hearts)
VICTIM PARTY – Getting To Know DL (LP) (self-released)
REIGNING SOUND – Shattered LP (Merge)
ULSERS -- Remember Them EP (Wallaby Beat)

Haven't got the CRIME LP or new Back From The Graves yet, but I think those can easily round out my Top Ten records. First five are reissue singles, but that's what I love-- hope that's cool! REAL KIDS CD and VICTIM PARTY download came out as vinyl on my own label; I won't list my own releases in a top ten list but I listened to these a lot in their original versions, so I figure they merit inclusion.

Live highlights: Stiff Little Fingers, Reigning Sound, Boris, Proxy, Subhumans UK, Blood Ceremony.

Best music book: “Do Not Sell At Any Price” (Amanda Petrusich)

Sonia Noel (Hub City Gig Goer)
Top Ten Music Releases
1)  Cousins - Halls of Wickwire  LP
2)  Feral Trash - Trashfiction  LP 
3)  No Bodies - cassette
4)  Cool TV - Paint  LP/Cassette
5)  Chad Vangaalen - Shrink Dust  CD 
6)  Jon McKeil - New Traces  10"
7)  Alvvays - s/t  LP  
8)  Community Theatre - Northern Register  LP 
9)  Eamon McGrath - Exile  CD
10) Taylor Swift - 1989  CD  (guilty pleasure CD of 2014)

Fave Performances of 2014:
-Julie Doiron and the Wrong Guys  (George's Sackville January 2014)
-Weird Lines (George's Sackville January 2014)
-Constantines (Sappy 2014)
-Cousins (Sappy 2014)
-COOL TV (Sappy 2014)

Documentary mention:
Sonic Highways  (Foo Fighters)

Tyler Boutelier (guitarist Nerve Button, Phone Jerks)
Top Ten Albums
10) Buck Biloxi and the Fucks - Culture Demanufacturer  LP
 9) Bishops Green - Pressure  LP
 8) Mothers Children - Lemon  LP
 7) Gino and the Goons - Shake It  LP
 6) The Muffs - Whoop Dee Doo  LP
 5) Golden Pelicans - s/t  LP 
 4) OBN III's - Third Time's A Harm  LP
 3) Real Kids - Shake Outta Control  LP
 2) Hector's Pets - Pet-O-Feelia  LP
 1) Sleaford Mods - Divide and Exit  LP

Other things to note: The new Feral Trash album kills, as does CJ Ramone's new record, The Virals officially released their recordings from a couple of years back (at least I think it was a couple of years back), two new Back From the Graves are worth picking up from the little I've heard of them so far, a band called Cozy have an album that rules, and I only puked once this year. Things are lookin up.

Rusty Von Hammerdown (Capital City Malcontent) 
1. Stiff Little Fingers - No Going Back CD (Rigid Digits)
2. RF7 - 101 CD (Smoke Seven)
3. Symbol Six - Dirtyland LP (Jailhouse Records)
4. Channel 3 - History/Kicked In The Teeth 7" (Hostage Records)
5. Narcoleptic Youth - One Nation Under Nothing LP (Dr Strange Records)
6. The English Dogs - We Did, We Do, We Always Fucking Will! CD + DVD (Nunny Dave)
7. Symbol Six/Fang - split 12" EP (Jailhouse)
8. Cancerous Growth - Cancer Causing Agents: A Cancerous Growth Discography CD + DVD (Beer City)
9. Off! - The Wasted Years (Vice Records)
10. Uniform Choice - 1982 Orange Peel Demos 7" test pressing (Dr Strange Records)

Peter Leger (Bagtown Observer)
1)  The Swans - To Be Kind  CD
2)  Ariel Pink - Pom Pom  CD
3)  United Nations - Next 4 Years  CD
4)  Marianne Faithful - Give My Love To London  CD
5)  Deke Leonard - Iceberg  CD
6)  Deke Leonard - Kamikaze  CD
7)  Moody Blues - Magnificient Moodies  CD
8)  Queen - Live At The Rainbow '74  CD
9)  Jefferson Airplane - Live At The Family Dog  LP
10) Zakary Thaks - It's The End: The Definitive Collection  CD

Remi LeCair (Comic Hunter, new father)
Top 10
1. Messenger - Illusory Blues LP
2. Mastodon - Once More 'Round The Sun LP
3. Lazer/Wulf - The Beast of Left and Right  LP
4. Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else LP
5. Motorpsycho - Behind The Sun LP
6. Shellac - Dude Incredible LP
7. Boyfrndz - Breeder LP
8. Fu Manchu - Gigantoid¨LP
9. Wax Fang - The Astronaut mp3 only...
10. Opeth - Pale Communion LP

Most Disappointing Albums Of The Year (not the worst albums, just the most disappointing given their previous releases)
Adebisi Shank - This Is The Third Album By A Band Called Adebisi Shank  LP
Neil Young - A Letter Home  LP
Thee Oh Sees - Drop  LP
Tweak Bird - Any Ol' Way  LP

Craig Pinhey (Professional drinker of sorts)
Top Ten Music Picks
1. Elvis Costello & The Roots – Wise Up Ghost
This is not Elvis Costello playing funk, nor is it The Roots punking out. It is a musical partnership that has resulted in some of Costello’s best lyrics – political and otherwise – produced in a different way, with snappy beats and in some cases funky bass, keys, lead guitar and a horn section…all behind Costello’s unmistakable voice.  My favourite track, and my Song of the Year, is The Puppet Has Cut His Strings, a bonus song on the Deluxe version, a moving ballad Costello penned about his father’s recent passing from Alzheimer’s.  Just try to listen to it without breaking down.
You may like this LP if you like:  Musicians who are not afraid to take risks.
What to Drink: An American/UK hybrid, so how about a Manhattan, but made with Connemara Peated Single Malt from Ireland, $51.59, in honour of Declan Macmanus’s heritage.
2. Bettie Serveert – Oh Mayhem
This Dutch combo, fronted by a Canadian vocalist and song writer, is in my opinion one of the best rock and roll bands of the past two decades. The lyrics are excellent, as are her vocals, but Oh Mayhem – released in late 2012 but available here in 2013 – is really a guitar lover’s album. It rocks!
You may like this LP if you like: The Pretenders, Juliana Hatfield, Metric, Hendrix solos.
What to Drink: Grolsch, a crisp, refreshing Dutch lager in a swingtop bottle. $3.18/450 ml.
3. Tegan & Sara – Heartthrob
Yes, I know, Canada’s indie twin darlings sold out and made a highly produced synth pop dance record, but, you know what? The lyrics are good, the tunes are memorable and catchy, and this is more original and better than the dance music that tops the US charts.  I don’t want all their records to sound like this, but this has found its way into my car’s CD player an awful lot this year.
You may like this LP if you like: dance music with both brains and a heart
What to Drink:  Something fun and bubbly but not too sweet: Segura Viudas Brut Rosé, Spain $16.99
4. Madness – Oui Oui Si SI Ja Ja Da Da
Most would say that this British pop and ska band peaked in the late 70‘s and early 80‘s, but this new album was a breath of fresh air in 2013, and as good as any of their early work.  I’m not sure there was a better 2013 LP for hot summer days.
You may like this LP if you like:  old school ska music and happy British pop,  like if the Kinks meshed with Rancid.
What to Drink: a pint of UK-style bitter. My usual choice is Picaroons Best Bitter ($3.80/500 ml)
5. David Myles - In The Nighttime
New Brunswick’s Myles is now a Canadian star, and this latest record shows his maturity as a vocalist and songwriter. These songs have a lot of soul, and he sings them convincingly. The bonus mini-CD produced by Classified is particularly groovy. I love it!
You may like this LP if you like:  Marvin Gaye, nice tall guys.
What to Drink:  I’d love to recommend a wine from Nova Scotia’s Gaspereau Vineyards, as Myles’s brother’s wife is the winemaker, but we don’t have any at ANBL. Jost, owners of Gaspereau, does have a smooth red called Jost Trilogy, though, for $19.99.
6. Wesley Stace – S/T
Wesley Stace used to go by John Wesley Harding but has reverted to his own name for this self-titled record. His career as a literary novelist (read the brilliant By George if you haven’t already) has perhaps been more successful than his music career, but this new record is essentially a guidebook on the songwriting craft. The Bedroom You Grew Up In, When I Knew, and Wrong For The Part are just perfect little songs.
You may like this LP if you like:  imagine Bob Dylan with a beautiful singing voice and British accent
What to Drink:  Since Stace now makes New York his home, I picked something quintessentially American: Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey, $36.99, on ice or in an Old Fashioned
7. Prefab Sprout – Crimson/Red
Iconoclast Paddy McAloon has come back in 2013 with a wonderful album of gorgeous, thoughtful pop songs. It was too long a wait for this new record.
You may like this LP if you like:  Pet Sounds, Steely Dan, Thomas Dolby
What to Drink:  a glass of pretty, aromatic white, wine, with some zip, such as Willm Reserve Riesling from Alsace, France,  $18.99
8. Miles Kane – Don’t Forget Who You Are
A great British rock and roll record with songs co-written with legends like Paul Weller (the Jam) and Andy Partridge (XTC).
You may like this LP if you like:  Supergrass, the more rocking Stones/Kinks/Who/Beatles songs, and the best of Oasis
What to Drink: what is more British than Gin & Tonic? But use local gin Thuya, $29.99.
9. Heavy Blinkers – Health
A very diverse record, long in the making, but satisfying. Lots of guest vocals, but still unmistakably The Heavy Blinkers, with the lush orchestration we know and love.
You may like this LP if you like:  Pet Sounds, Halifax indie music, Jenn Grant
What to Drink:  This is summer music, and I’m quite partial to a cold lager beer in the summer. This is tasty: Gahan Beach Chair Lager, PEI<  473 ml can/$3.29
10. Lloyd Cole – Standards
This Lloyd album could have come from the early 80’s, and that’s a good thing, as he was one of the best, and most original, singer songwriters to emerge from that age of excess.
You may like this LP if you like:  Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, alt-folk.
What to Drink:  A complex red wine, like a Spanish Rioja. Try this good value:  Antano Crianza $14.99.

Mark Gaudet  (Frank's Music, Purple Knight, The Robins, local celebrity)
Top Ten
1.  Queen -  Live At The Rainbow '74
2.  Mayhem - Esoteric Warfare
3.  Burzum - The Ways Of Yore
4.  Triptekon - Melana Chasmata
5.  Sintax Error - Radical Honze
6.  Billy Idol - Kings And Queens Of The Underground
7.  Sloan - Commonwealth
8.  Echo And The Bunnymen - Meteorite
9.  S.O.A. - First Demo  7"
10. Black Flag - What Tha.....? 

Glen Bourgeois  (bassist, composer, radio host and prog archivist)
10. Gentle Giant "The Power and the Glory" (CD/Blu-Ray, Alucard/Soul Food)
Lecture brève: yet another '70s British progressive rock band discovers the joys (and relative monetary profit) of having their back-catalogue remixed in surround by Porcupine Tree's leader-turned-studio-tech-legend.

9. Yes "Relayer" (CD/Blu-Ray, Rhino/Panegyric)
Lecture briève: Crash! BOOM! Fiddlywiddlywiddlywiddlywiddly whooOOOOM! And the occasional pseudo-castrato coloratura, at times even singing "Cha Cha Cha, Cha Cha". Mahavishnu Orchestra, meet the shortest-lived, but hottest-burning, edition of Yes. And the Blu-Ray version of this edition provides you with a transfer from every mastered original LP version of these sounds (banded or not) known to man.

8. Serge Fiori "Serge Fiori" (CD and Vinyl editions are both in my collection, GSI Musique)
Lecture briève: Quebec folk-rock-turned-progressive-rock-turned-FM-AOR musical legend returns from a self-imposed musical "exile" spanning two decades, with a strong solo release than even those who fully knew it was coming weren't holding their breath for its appearance.

7. Pink Floyd "The Endless River" (CD/Blu-Ray, Columbia)
Lecture briève: 20 years to the month after the remaining trio released their supposed studio swan song, "The Division Bell", the two surviving members proffer the remainder of those sessions, satisfactorily completed and somewhat familiar in sound and structure. Or do they?

6. Neil Young "Storytone" (Reprise, Digital PONO Deluxe Download)
Lecture briève: PONO. Solo. Orchestra. Big Band. Crazy Horse. Neil. Stir and serve.

5. Tony McQuaid and the Yeti "Oxygen EP" (Digital download, Blue Bear Recordings)
Lecture briève: breathy, understated male vocals over danceable slow-burn Jazz-pop. Well worth a listen, and was also fun to record. Yours truly on keys.  http://www.tonymcquaid.com/download/

4. Jordan Musycsyn "The Pitch" (CD, independent)
Lecture briève: who could have thought I'd enjoy playing country? Even more so, who could have thought I'd enjoy listening to it as well? Add edgy guitars and drums to the Merle Haggard/Stonewall Jackson era, and serve loud. Again, I sprinkle most keys on here.  jordan musycsyn band

3. Jethro Tull - "A Passion Play" ("An Extended Performance" box set edition, including "The Château d'Hérouville Sessions") (CD/DVD, Chrysalis)
Lecture briève: Intentionally difficult follow-up epic, album-long track which followed up surprisingly accessible epic, album-long track "Thick as a Brick". But who knew this project was originally conceived and semi-recorded as a very accessible double album?

2. Sloan - "Commonwealth" (CD/vinyl combo, Yep Roc/Murderecords)
Lecture briève: Despite being my favorite active band, it's so hard for Sloan to get the top spot in my Best Of list, and this despite putting in a very solid double album effort which displays most everyone's strengths with a "solo" album side each.

1. Foo Fighters - "Sonic Highways" (vinyl, Roswell Records/Sony)
Lecture briève: so the touted Last Surviving Stadium Rock Band releases an album that gets many a critic upset... but sounds SO GOOD that I end up wanting to put it on repeat play. Springfield meets punk-pop on steroids.

Keltie Harding (gig goer, music purchaser)
1) The Beatles In Mono (box set reissue)
2) Alvvays - Alvvays (self titled)  LP
3) Community Theatre - Northern Register  LP
4) ZAUM - Oracles LP
5) Constantines - Shine A Light (Reissue with bonus 7" rarities)  LP
6) Jon McKiel - Jon McKiel (self titled 10")
7) Feral Trash - Trashfiction LP
8) Shevil - Kilts Of War  LP
9) Chad VanGaalen - Shrink Dust LP
10) Johnny Cash - Out Among The Stars LP

Honourable mentions:
Crossed Wires - Crossed Wires ( 2014 EP, cassette & CDR)
Chad VanGaalen - I Want You Back (7" single)
The Beatles -  Long Tall Sally (reissue of 1964 7" EP as replica of original)
Weird Lines - Twin Summers / Cool - U Dance Positive ( split single, SappyFest 2014 exclusive picture disc)

Gavin MacNeil (oil merchant, sharp dresser, digital archivist)
Top 11 2014…
Latest Nikki Sudden reissues - Texas/Deadmen Tell No Tales/You Kidnapped Charabane (Numero group/Secretly Canadian) (+a couple came out I didn’t get)
OFF! - Wasted Years  LP (Vice) 
Alvvays - S/T  LP (polyvinyl) 
Feral Trash - Trashfiction   LP  (Ptrash/MammothCave/DirtCult) 
Impulse Items/Towanda/TV Freaks/Teenanger - live, Allison House, Sackville, May 23
MouthBreathers/Alvvays - live, Sackville Legion, Sept 12
Spoon- They Want My Soul  LP (Merge)
the Sadies - live, Upper Tide and Boar room, May 29
Zex - Savage City   7" (Electric Assault Records)
Acousuma - S/T   7" (High Fashion Industries)
Éric Normand et Philippe Lauzier - live, Aberdeen Entry, Re:Flux, March 2

Darcy Wallace (nobility in exile)
Best Album of the Year Hands Down is Manipulator by Ty Segall!
Runners up would be:
1. St Vincent - St Vincent
2. Arctic Monkeys - AM (late 2013)
3. Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams
4. Uncle Tupelo - No Depression reissue. The bonus disc of demos is incredible!
5. Alvvay - Alvvays
6. Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters - Lullaby and Ceaseless Roar
7. War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream
8. Against Me - Transgender Dysmorphia Blues
9. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Hypnotic Eye
10. Fucked Up - Glass Boys 

Mark McGrath (creature of habit, runner, eater, drinker)
1) New Pornographers "Brill Bruisers" LP
2) Gridlink "Longhena" LP
3) Misery Index "The Killing Gods" CD
4) YOB "Clearing The Path To Ascend" CD
5) Mastodon "Once More Round The Sun" LP
6) Interpol "El Pintor" LP
7) Teitanblood "Death" CD
8) Dead Congregation "Promulgation Of The Fall" CD
9) First Aid Kit "Stay Gold" CD
10) Real Estate "Atlas" CD

Mark Eveleigh (Ambassador of the Rock)
Top Ten Albums LP/CD
1 - royal blood-royal blood (LP,Black Mammoth Records)
2  -feral trash-trashfiction (LP, P.Trash, Mammoth Cave,Dirt Cult)
3  -public animal-habitat animal (LP, Yeah Right Records)
4  -death from above 1979-the physical world CD, Last Gang Records)
5  -the pack a.d.-do not engage (CD, Nettwerk)
6  -gord downie, the sadies, and the conquering sun-gord downie, the sadies, and the conquering sun (LP, Arts & Crafts)
7  -sheavy-the best of sheavy:a misleading collection (CD; Dallas Tarr)
8  -sheavy-moons in penumbra (LP,Hypro-Phonic Records)
9  -fu manchu-gigantoid (LP, At The Dojo Records)
10 -sleep-the clarity(12" Single Sided; Self Released)

Top Ten 7"/ EP's
1  -glue-glue (7", Katorga Works,Video Disease)
2  -kappa chow-punk as fuck/love on me (7", Kiss The Void Records)
3  -ex hex-hot and cold (7",Merge Records)
4  -cauldron-moonlight desires (7", Basement Metal)
5  -local h-the team ep (CD, G & P Records)
6  -night birds-monster surf (7",Wallride Records)
7  -off!learn to obey (7", Vice Records)
8  -mother love bone-hold your head up (7" Republic Records,Stardog Records)
9  -indian handcrafts/dirty streets-split 7"(Scion Audio/Visual)
10 -outtacontroller-Colt Summer (7" P.Trash)

Live Concerts:

1 - alice in chains, monster truck and the pack ad august 26
     finally seeing a Seattle band was huge for me but what made this show was the pack ad.i knew them well enough going in.i had all but one of their albums but they didn't really connect.that night changed everything.they completely flipped my opinion of them, which I've never had happen at a live show before. ive been listening pretty consistently since that night.

2 - moist with alert the medic November 13.