St. Vincent - Digital Witness

Another favorite song of 2014... I listened to this one SO MANY TIMES. 

St. Vincent has been rocking our socks and shoes off for years, but she’s never sounded sharper than now. Jagged horns puncture the air and a distorted bass starts an earthquake of sound while Annie Clark helplessly cries out for us to step away from technology and consumerism before we become so vacuous that we can’t even see what we’re watching. The menacing tone feels more urgent, thanks to the cacophony of sound that she elegantly builds by the end of the song.

The Head and the Heart - Self-Titled

Themes of traveling and packing bags are all over The Head and the Heart’s debut album, now being re-released by Sub Pop. “Ghosts” revolves around friends talking about leaving their hometown, “Rivers and Roads” takes listeners on an emotional journey, and “Down in the Valley” name checks California and Oklahoma amongst the places to hide away in a secret valley. After all, most of the six band members are recent Seattle transplants, and fresh off cross-state journeys to their new home. “Down in the Valley” evokes an incredible sort of emotion, as it builds from reflective, acoustic picking to piano that pulls on the heartstrings and violin that steals heat right from the center of the fire. It exemplifies what The Head and the Heart do best, and do often. Their glowing harmonies, sense of movement (both musical and lyrical), and emotional build capture the heart in ways other bands can only dream. Roll your car windows down, pack your bags, and sing along.

*By the way, this is currently my favorite album of 2011. That's how much I think you should listen to it.