The 2014-year has just barely begun, but some great new music has already surfaced. If the rest of the music put out in 2014 is anything like the following five albums, everyone should be very excited about what’s to come.
1. Warpaint by Warpaint
Warpaint is an all-female indie rock band from California. The band just released a self-titled album as their sophomore album a few weeks back on Rough Trade Records. Warpaint holds onto the band’s almost mystical sound, although it has some darker tones throughout. As with their first album, Warpaint gives off something of a witchy vibe with its mellow sound, and is definitely worth a listen.
2. Transgender Dysphoria Blues by Against Me!
Against Me! is a punk band from Gainesville, Florida fronted by Laura Jane Grace. Transgender Dysphoria Blues deals with gender dysphoria issues as the singer of Against Me! came out as a transgendered woman in 2012. The title track includes lyrics such as, “You want them to see you / Like they see any other girl,” and “you know it’s obvious / But we can’t choose how we’re made” that show the dysphoria issues Laura Jane Grace’s herself is facing. This may be Against Me!’s sixth studio album, but it almost feels like the start of a whole new band. Transgender Dysphoria Blues is everything you could possibly want in a new album from Against Me!.
3. Rave Tapes by Mogwai
Mogwai is a post-rock band out of Scotland known for distorted and primarily instrumental rock sound. Rave Tapes is the eighth studio album for Mogwai, and was put out on Sub Pop Records in the US and Rock Action Records in the UK. Rave Tapes has found itself on both UK and Scottish album charts within the first week of its release. The album has received overall very good feedback from the critics.
4. Too True by Dum Dum Girls
Dum Dum Girls is an all-female indie pop band based out of New York City. Too True is the third full-length album put out by Dum Dum Girls on Sub Pop Records. The band was recently on The Late Show with David Letterman to promote their new album. The sound of this album is reminiscent of British bands from the 1980s like The Cure and The Smiths. So far, Too True has had positive reception from critics and fans alike.
5. Mind Over Matter by Young the Giant
Young the Giant is an indie rock band from California known for hits “My Body” and “Cough Syrup.” Mind Over Matter is the band’s second full-length studio album and was released by Fueled by Ramen. Mind Over Matter has already has one of the top spots on US charts like Billboard 200 and Top Rock Albums. Singles off this album include “It’s About Time” and “Crystallized,” and they both had music videos come out during the end of 2013. If you gave Young the Giant’s first album a listen, then Mind Over Matter is probably exactly what you’d expect from the band as a follow-up album.