Throughout December we at PT:HQ are bringing you end of year lists from bands, labels and promoters. We’ll have a new one for you everyday so keep your eyes peeled for them! See all the lists here.

Rob Rufus (Blacklist Royals)

 

Top Three Albums of 2014

1.) Black Lips – Underneath the Rainbows

I was shocked when I saw the list of bigwig A-List record producers and photographers that worked on this fucking record…until I heard it. This shit is straight up undeniable. Real, snotty, catchy, tough, punk rock and roll at it’s best or worst, depending on how you look at it.

2.) Joshua Black Wilkins – Settling the Dust

One of the best songwriters left in Nashville these days, the accompaniment and production value on this LP adds focus and atmosphere to the lyrics, rather than steal it away. Lyrics, I might add, that are good enough to bum any songwriter out…me included.
A must-have for a Tom Waits or Lucero fan, or any person who’s ever picked up a real book in their goddamn life.

3.) The Menzingers – ­Rented World

It is exciting to witness a great brand at a transitional point in their creativity and overall career. This is how I heard Rented World. Some of the tracks are still punk rock, while others branch out into vibier, less structured territory – all while managing to still kick ass.
It might not be what some of you annual Fest-goers wanted from this band, but give it another spin. This one’s a grower.

Top Three Songs of 2014

1.) Karen O – “Ooo”

This jam sounds more like a demo-in-progress than the first track to Karen O’s first solo record, Crush Songs. Maybe that’s why I dig it. It has a sad, sweet, retro vibe and sounds like a something my imaginary girlfriend would have written about me in High School.

2.) Rancid “In The Streets”

…Honor is All We Know is a reason for every die-hard Rancid fan to sigh in relief – Tim’s still got it, baby! My favorite track on the album, this song has switch-off lead vocals, drugs, fights, booze, chicks, streets, punx, yells, grunts, and all the tenants of timeless Rancid song. Fuck. Fucking. Yes.

3.) Dum Dum Girls – “Trouble Is My Name”

One of my bro’s eternal crush bands, Dum Dum Girls’ new record Too True is rad start to finish. Interesting production and overly-cool everything – I mean, “Trouble is my name, is it your name too?” Woah.
Further proof that there is nothing cooler than a rocknroll girl in a leather jacket.

Most Anticipated Album of 2015

Ryan Bingham – Fear and Saturday Night

Set to be the most personal record from one of the best American songwriters of the last forty fucking years.

You see that movie Crazy Heart? Yeah, he wrote those songs. And yeah, I mean more personal than that. Heavy, Heavy, beautiful stuff. Forget Kid Rock, if you wanna hear a real American badass, give this dude a listen.