It all comes down to this. These are the six releases that truly made my year. Thanks for indulging me.

…

6. Teen Suicide // DC Snuff Film/Waste Yrself [self-released]

What a trajectory Teen Suicide had this year. It seems like not that long ago that Sam was asking me to premiere the project for him (yeah, that’s me bragging) and since that time the project evolved from a somewhat doo-wop aping bedroom project to a full band noise pop powerhouse. They dropped five releases this year, but in my opinion the project started the year off with a bang that they ended not topping. DC Snuff Film and the elusive Waste Yrself were intended to be two sides of a cassette release that never ended up happening. I’m not sure what the reasoning was for the band’s dissolving, but I can honestly say that they made a good run of it. Now I’m looking forward to whatever Sam cranks out next.

…

5. Pallbearer // Sorrow and Extinction [Profound Lore]

It still boggles my mind that Sorrow and Extinction is Pallbearer’s debut album. Even crazier yet is the acclaim that was heaped on this funeral doom band. Sites that normally shy away from the metal genre are hailing this album with its droning 8+ minute tracks as one of the year’s absolute best. It’s almost universal. It’s funny that so much death and darkness shroud the release because when I listened to it I found that it was one of the most life-affirming albums I heard this year. Each track is like climbing a mountain. They throw buzzing, down-tuned riff after buzzing, down-tuned riff at you and all the while they are mounting to a gorgeous climax. Once you make it to the top though, the view is breathtaking.

…

4. Daughn Gibson // All Hell [White Denim]

I chose All Hell as the album that I wanted to highlight for PORTALS’ year-end list. Rather than hammer out another paragraph about why I love it so much, I’ll just direct you to the list, which we collectively worked really hard on. Check it out here. 

…

3. Cloud Nothings // Attack On Memory [Carpark]

I’ve been a fan of Cloud Nothings since I first discovered Turning On as it made its way around the blogs in 2010 (I even squeezed a cover out of him for a mixtape). When his sound got cleaner and exponentially poppier for his self-titled album it soundtracked the hot days of my 2011 summer. The only foreseeable problem was that since the songs were so sugary they didn’t pack a lasting punch. All that has changed though with Attack On Memory. Stirring in a considerable helping of darkness and angst, Cloud Nothings has matured their sound by leaps and bounds. The result is an album that has just as many hooks as before but this time the shelf life is considerably longer.

…

2. Swans // The Seer [Young God]

Swans was one of those bands that I’d always heard plenty about but never took the initiative to listen to. My pal Jimmy Spice changed that when he basically forced The Seer on me. I’ll admit that it wasn’t love at first sight, but the more I listened to the grueling album the more it grew on me. It’s not accessible in the least, it punishes the listener, and yet it’s one of the most rewarding musical experiences I’ve had all year. I appreciate it all the more because they made me work at it. I had to keep pounding my fists on it before I found a crack to slip my fingertips into. From there I pried it wide open and discovered a masterwork that was easily worth all of the work I put into understanding it. It’s not an easy album to recommend to people, but if you can crack it there is gold to be found.

…

1. Converge // All We Love We Leave Behind [Epitaph]

There was no question about my favorite album of the year. It was always going to be All We Love We Leave Behind. Converge has held a special place in my heart ever since I was in junior high and just starting to get into hardcore music. Their consistency for a band who has been together for over 20 years is a quality that demands respect. They are always pushing themselves to be better and they embody the very spirit of DIY. The endeavors and contributions of each individual member are paramount to their success and because of the enduring quality of their music they’ve garnered ardent followers both critically as well as scenesters. Following up their collaboration-heavy masterpiece Axe to Fall was not going to be an easy task, but somehow they managed to create an album that feels like both a return to form as well as one that breaks new artistic ground for the veteran group. On top of all that this thing just all out slaughters.

…

30-25 // 24-19 // 18-13 // 12-7 // 6-1

…

40 Cloud Nothings :: Didn’t You 7” :: “Didn’t You”

Cloud Nothings’ does not require alot of his audience. All you need is a willingness to enjoy some really fun music. With “Didn’t You”, he creates one of his most enjoyable lo-fi pop numbers. Very simple, yet extrememly rewarding. 

…

39 Minks :: Funeral Song 7” :: “Funeral Song”

1980’s goth has popped up here and there this year, but no band has made it feel so authentic as Minks. I mean, these almost feel like songs that could have been written by The Cure. Almost.

…

38 guards :: GUARDS EP :: “crystal truth”

I love surprises. When I followed a link to guards’ bandcamp, my thought process was typical of all other such situations. Not having much to go on besides band name and cover art, I clicked download, prepared to give the EP an honest shot. To my utter delight I found an EP crammed full of darn-near-perfect lo-fi pop songs.

…

37 Tim Cohen :: Laugh Tracks :: “Wonderful Life”

I don’t know how Tim Cohen manages to do it. The Fresh & Onlys seem like they are constantly putting out new material, but he still has time to devote to a solo project. His stuff doesn’t suffer from a busy schedule either, he just keeps cranking out quality.

…

36 Balam Acab :: See Birds EP :: “See Birds (Moon)”

“Witch house” seems to be a taboo term these days. Like ‘chillwave’ or any other blog-genre, it was bound to have a horde of haters. Balam Acab makes none of that seem to matter though. His music is so unbelievably good that genres become irrelevant, there is no witch house. There’s just Balam Acab. 

…

35 Summer Camp :: Young EP :: “Round the Moon”

There is something so earnest about Summer Camp’s music. There were a few really good boy/girl duos that popped up this year, but none were so drenched in 1980’s pop as Summer Camp. “Round the Moon” sounds like a lost relic for a John Hughes prom night.

…

34 Autre Ne Veut :: Autre Ne Veut :: “Drama Cum Drama”

A forerunner of the ‘lo-fi R&B’ microgenre with others like How To Dress Well and TOP GIRLS. Auture Ne Veut is so mysterious opting to let the music speak for itself. With “Drama Cum Drama”, the 90’s R&B feeling fits nicely with the bizarre vocals to create something really catchy.

…

33 Weed Diamond :: Snowmelt 7” :: “Snowmelt”

To find the sunny side of this song, you’ll have to dig through the crust and the fuzz. Once you find it though, it’ll be impossible to let it go. Once that jangly guitar line gets planted in your brain, good luck getting it out.

…

32 Memoryhouse :: Caregiver 7” :: “Caregiver”

Memoryhouse’s debut EP was a beautiful thing to behold. When I listened to it though, I felt like it was holding itself back in a way. With their new 7”, Memoryhouse has shattered through that barrier and have succeeded in creating a thing of grandeur.

…

31 Heavy Hawaii :: HH EP :: “Teen Angel”

Heavy Hawaii have done their best to show how much they love The Beach Boys. Their songs are nostalgic and beachy to the point where you can almost feel the sun and sweat of a day on the coast.

…