Top Ten Records Of 2014

Speaking only for myself of course, I love music, all kinds of music. My soul is influenced by so much it’s hard to go through and pluck 10 releases out of the past year that I loved the most, it was agonizing in fact. So I narrowed it down to not only the records I loved and was obsessed over but also the records that were sent to the Audio Ammunition stronghold that collectively spent the most amount of time on my various radios. ~ J Castro

1) Impo & the Tents – Peek after a poke LP (Alien Snatch Records)
Late 1970’s style power pop punk like The Undertones or Buzzcocks mixed with a splash of The Dickies: Super enjoyable, super amazing record that commands repeat listens.

2) Average Times – S/T LP (Hosehead Records)
A dazzling debut LP: Monumentally catchy and loud bursts of 77 punk-pop inspiration! These are sons and daughters of punk from the last 20 years; they gathered everything that was great about so many bands from that time and discard the dead weight!

3) New Trocaderos – Kick Your Ass EP (Collectors Club Records)
Some of the best rock n’ roll songs produced by human hands; exciting, exhilarating, exceptional: all understatements when describing this record!

4) 1-800-BAND – Diver Blue 12” EP (Almost Ready Records)
They learned to channel 1980’s romanticism and inject it into undeniably catchy songs similar to the Pretenders and The Cars. 1-800-BAND do what so many rock n’ roll bands wish they could accomplish: they make something old sound new again!

5) Dinos Boys – Last Ones LP (Die Slaughterhaus Records/Oops Baby Records)
Dinos Boys create a riotous sonic stew of bands like the Damned and Menace with a power pop execution, it absolutely enslaved my mind.

6) Ricky C Quartet – Recent Affairs LP (Wanda Records)
RCQ effortlessly evolved from an acid spewing ‘77 style punk band to a stripped down, super infectious pub rock style similar to the 101’ers and Dr Feelgood on Recent Affairs that’s impossible to resist.

7) Blind Shake – Breakfast of Failures LP (Goner)
A few words came immediately to mind: massive, ominous, destructive and glorious. I imagine a squadron of B-29 Superfortress Bombers roaring overhead and then suddenly begin laying waste to my hometown.

8) The Rich Hands – Out of Our Heads LP (Fountain Records/Burger Records)
The Rich Hands sound like early Rolling Stones covering Buddy Holly with a bit more dirt and fuzz collected around the edges, which just adds warmth and charisma to their music.

9) Golden Pelicans – S/T LP (Total Punk Records)
Ultra tight, break neck rock n’ roll that reminds me of Radio Birdman mixed with the Testors. Yes it’s wild, yes it’s sweaty, and if you spend enough time with this record it will probably take a swing at you. Consider my ass kicked!

10) TV Freaks – Leeches EP (Hosehead Records)
TV Freaks discharge a furious, shot out of the sky and coming down hard in flames style of fuzz punk/post punk/hardcore. It’s so great when I can find remnants of bands like The Stooges and Swell Maps among the wreckage.


Honorable and most distinguished mentions:

Scraps – S/T EP (No Front Teeth)
http://scrapslondon.bandcamp.com/releases

Space Raft – S/T LP (Dusty Medical Records)
http://spaceraft.bandcamp.com/

The Estranged – S/T LP (Dirtnap Records)
http://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/estranged-the-s-t

Maniac – Demimonde LP (La-Ti-Da)
http://latidarecords.bandcamp.com/album/demimonde-ltdr-lp003