Top-47 albums of the 2014th year

It took me a while to finally focus on this countdown, just because I suffer from OCD and I changed my mind like 52,461 times. But I did it. And I am proud of it. Or am I? Bipolar, too.

I cannot understand why people still listen to Thom Yorke. I cannot understand why the Swans are still alive and not dead by their own boring music. I cannot understand why my beloved Beck has found himself critically acclaimed with the "Morning Phase". And, at the end of the day, why can't we all accept that Nicki Minaj and her asses have recorded a very good album? Here are the 47 albums of 2014 that I have listened to (horny) with pleasure and respect. Lykke Li #not, too.

47. Metronomy - Love Letters
46. Alt-J - This Is All Yours
45. Elbow - The Take Off and Landing of Everything
44. Kiesza - Sound of a Woman
43. La Roux - Trouble In Paradise
42. Damien Rice - My Favourite Faded Fantasy
41. Kimbra - The Golden Echo
40. Royksopp - The Inevitable End
39. Prince - Plectrumelectrum/Art Official Age
38. Various Artists - Begin Again (OST)
37. Kelis - Food
36. Jessie Ware - Tough Love
35. tUnE-yArDs - Nikki Nack
34. Iggy Azalea - The New Classic
33.Sam Smith - In The Lonely Hour
32.Young Fathers - Dead
31. Various Artists - The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 1 (OST)
30. Dum Dum Girls - Too True
29. Jack White - Lazaretto
28. The Roots - …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin
27. TV on the Radio - Seeds
26. Banks - Goddess
25. Mary J Blige - The London Sessions
24. Sia - 1000 Forms of Fear
23.Kele - Trick
22. Azealia Banks - Broke With Expensive Taste
21. Joas As Police Woman - The Classic
20. Katy B - Little Red
19. You+Me - rose ave.
18. Ben Howard - I Forget Where We Were
17. Nicki Minaj - The Pinkprint
16. Taylor Swift - 1989
15. St. Vincent - St. Vincent
14. Hozier - Hozier
13. The Smashing Pumpkins - Monuments to an Elegy
12. Ed Sheeran - x
11. Kasabian - 48:13
10. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - Give the People What They Want
9. Damon Albarn - Everyday Robots
8. Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence
7. Chet Faker - Built on Glass
6. Interpol - El Pintor
5. D'Angelo - Black Messiah
4. Charli XCX - Sucker
3. FKA twigs - LP1
2. Neneh Cherry - Blank Project
1. Tinashe - Aquarius

Hozier - Hozier

From recording his first full-length album to performing live on SNL two weeks ago, Hozier has made a flying leap across the ocean, thus convincing the US audience to buy his songs. With soulful/bluesy vocals and lyrics inspired by the singer's some kind of pagan poetry, "Hozier" is a weird case of a crossover irish album you just don't expect it to work. But it works. And it works just fine.

His first single, "Take me to church", received much hype around the internet and Kiesza covered the song with her beautiful voice, but it wasn't until the singer appeared on the american television that changed everything. The album debuted at No 2 on Billboard 200 and Hozier became a star in half an hour.

Although he is an exceptional songwriter, some songs here are actually boring. But then again, that's not the case, because, as I wrote before, the album works just fine. Dark lyrics accompanied by guitars and gospel choirs, love stories and dramas, Hozier's countryside hometown, Wicklow Hills - all these are the materials of an album that could possibly give birth to a new music genre, the "Irish blues" or something (Kudos must also go to the producer, Rob Kirwan).

The best songs in here are loaded in the first half of the album ("Angel Of Small Death And The Codeine Scene", "From Eden", "Jackie And Wilson", "Sedated"), leaving the second half being responsible for the boredom factor. But the thing with Hozier is that even when you are bored, you can appreciate his musicianship and his ability to create his own vintage sound. That actually reminds me of Bon Iver, so applied mathematics (?) leads me to the conclusion that Hozier will win the Grammy Award in the Best New Artist category. Just guessing...

AnArtCalled... 8,5/10