Best of 2014: Television

This is the part where I have to explain that I watch as much good television as I can fit into my schedule but I just can't watch everything. I planned on catching up on the most recent seasons of Veep, Orange Is The New Black, The Bridge, Girls and Bates Motel but I wasn't able to. Even with Breaking Bad off the air, there was so much great new television that my TV dance card was completely full. It was such a good year in television that I could argue the case for any of my six favorite shows as the best show on television, so the rankings from that point on are somewhat arbitrary and just come down to my own personal enjoyment rather than objective quality. I think I could've pretty easily made a list of the ten best dramas as well as the ten best comedies as we are experiencing something of a renaissance for great comedy.


10) Homeland

I'd be hard pressed to think of another show that's had as much backlash as Homeland. Granted, the show started to jump the shark towards the end of the second season and has been teetering on that edge ever since but it's been entertaining and gripping just about every episode in spite of that. I don't think I'm alone in thinking that moving on from Nicolas Brody and his family was the best thing the show could've done. While it still wasn't perfect, there was a stretch during this season that was as good as the show has been.

9) Boardwalk Empire

Although it was never a smash hit critically or commercially, I always appreciated the storytelling the writers did on Boardwalk Empire. The fifth and final season was a fitting farewell even if they did have to shoehorn in the backstory of Nucky Thompson in flashbacks. The season wasn't without it's problems but it had some high highs and was overall a satisfying conclusion.

8) Brooklyn Nine-Nine

It was very hard not to put Parks and Recreation in this spot. It's my favorite sitcom of the last decade but they only aired twelve episodes in 2014. I only mention Parks and Recreation because I feel like the baton has been passed to Brooklyn Nine-Nine from co-creators Dan Goor and Michael Schur who both previously worked on Parks and Recreation. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is at times more formulaic that I would hope for as they often will have a case of the week but the characters are so well inhabited that it often doesn't matter what situation they're placed in. It's good for several solid laugh out loud moments every single week which is something not many shows can say.

7) Comedy Bang Bang

Comedy Bang Bang is one of the silliest shows on television but it is also one of the funniest. Host Scott Aukerman has taken his hilarious podcast and successfully transferred it into a television show. Each episode has multiple guests (usually one real guest and one fake guest) that are unlike any other talk show interview you'll see on TV and there are interstitial segments that are equally bizarre and funny. This year they will produce 40 new episodes and I'm excited for each one.

6) Hannibal

I wasn't sure how and why NBC had Hannibal after the first gruesome season but I was even less sure after the second season. NBC decided to bury it by moving it to Friday nights which isn't exactly in their Must-See-TV lineup but to fans of the show like myself, just airing it at all is all that's needed. I would argue that it's not only the darkest show on network TV but likely the darkest show on all of television. For my money, it's also the most beautifully photographed show on television. If you can stomach watching people eaten and die gruesome deaths (not necessarily in that order) than you're in for a proverbial treat.

5) The Knick

Director extraordinaire pulled triple duty on The Knick as he directs, films and edits every episode himself (the latter two under an alias). Clive Owen is terrific as gifted but trouble surgeon John Thackery but there are no weak links in this strong ensemble cast. The electronic score from Cliff Martinez on paper seems out of place for a show set in 1900 New York but it fits perfectly. From the opening sequence of the first episode, I was completely enthralled and I proceeded to watch the whole series in about one week's time (which for someone who generally dislikes the idea of binge watching was faster than I watched any series this year).

4) True Detective

Many shows can excel from the normal writer's room with a half dozen or so writers coming up with the ideas and writing each script but some of the very best work comes from a singular vision. Such is the case with True Detective from the mind of writer Nic Pizzolatto and brought to the screen by director Cary Fukunaga. The acting from leads Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson was tremendous. It's hard to talk about True Detective with mentioning the final scene from "Who Goes There" which is one of the most ambitious, intense and mesmerizing scenes in television history.

3) The Americans

I loved the first season of The Americans which earned it the #5 spot in last year's list. This season was even better- more focused and more character driven. It's strange that what is likely thought of and marketed as a spy thriller is arguably more of a drama about the dynamic of family. Every aspect of this show is executed perfectly. If you haven't started watching The Americans yet, catch up quick because the new season starts at the end of this month.

2) Nathan For You

The label of comedic genius is used improperly at times but in the case of Nathan Fielder I'm confident in using it. The first season was very funny but the second season was ratcheted up another level. Sure, he got headlines for Dumb Starbucks which was a fantastic episode but it was just one in a season of great episodes. Whether it was his out of the box ideas for a Realtor, a dating website, a pet store or an exterminator, it was guaranteed to make me cringe and laugh simultaneously.

1) Fargo

Taking one of the best movies of the last 25 years and turning it into a miniseries made me skeptical at best. In fact, I was interested when it was reported the Coen Brothers had signed off on it but it wasn't until word of mouth started to float back to me and I had a few episodes burning a hole in my DVR that I began to delve in. Creator Noah Hawley absolutely nailed the tone set by the Coen Brothers in the film and came up with an entirely new story while still giving a few tips of the cap to fans of the movie. There was no more satisfying television experience for me this year than Fargo.


Honorable mention:

Birthday Boys

Game of Thrones

House of Cards

Justified

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Late Show with David Letterman

Orphan Black

Parks and Recreation

Review

Silicon Valley

Best of 2014: Albums

I was actually surprised that when I started to compile albums for this list there was about 25 that were in the conversation but I'm pretty satisfied with the 10 that made my list and the 10 below I would consider the runners-up.


10) TV On The Radio - Seeds

Seeds came out later in the year and it didn't hook me immediately but thankfully I gave it another chance, then another and another. It's really grown on me and holds up very well against their early work which includes some of my favorite songs and albums of the last ten years.

9) The Life and Times - Lost Bees

Despite their last album No One Loves You Like I Do making my best albums list in 2012, this was an album that slipped under my radar when it was first released in August. However, once I found out it had been released it's been in constant rotation. It's hard to make music that's heavy and catchy at the same time but The Life and Times has it down to a science.

8) Sia - 1000 Forms of Fear

The first mainstream pop album to make my list since Adele's 21 in 2011. Doesn't matter to me though because regardless of how much radio airplay the single 'Chandelier' received, it was completely deserved. Unfortunately there are many other great songs on the album that are likely unknown to most casual music listeners. Sia is bonafide pop music hit-maker but with 1000 Forms of Fear, she shows that she's much more than that.

7) Death From Above 1979 - The Physical World

After the Coachella reunion in 2011 and several other shows I felt a certain sense of nostalgia towards Death From Above 1979. They were that band I used listen to and they had a really cool performance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, but I wasn't chomping at the bit for new music from them. That might be why I so thoroughly enjoyed The Physical World. It blew whatever modest expectations I had for a new record out of the water. Watching them play a couple months ago it seemed clear that fans of the band enjoyed their new work as well.

6) Nothing - Guilty of Everything

My favorite new discovery of 2014 was Nothing's Guilty of Everything which I stumbled across on NPR's First Listen back in February. It is 38 minutes of heavily distorted bliss.

5) Spoon - They Want My Soul

Somehow every song that Spoon records is unmistakably their own but they continue to evolve with each album. They've been a band for over 20 years now and released some all-time records including my favorite album of 2010 Transference. They Want My Soul is another notch in their belt as it contains much of their signature sound while also exploring some new areas like with 'Inside Out' which has a very surreal music video to accompany the wonderful hallucinatory sounds. Seeing them perform live at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery the same week the album was released was one of my musical highlights of the year.

4) Wye Oak - Shriek

Wye Oak's Civilian was one of my favorite records from 2011 and like many fans I was concerned when lead singer/guitarist Jenn Wasner made the decision to get rid of the guitar for their follow up album. However, the lack of guitar with additional keyboard and bass give Shriek an added element of space to their sound. Wasner's vocals seem to float above the beautiful music made by her and drummer extraordinaire Andy Stack. Being lucky enough to see them play a couple times this year with both sets heavy on material from Shriek only reaffirmed by appreciation for the record.

3) Beck - Morning Phase

My excitement for a new Beck album was piqued with the release of several singles in 2013 including a remarkable 15 minute song called 'I Won't Be Long'. None of those singles made it onto Morning Phase which would have been a mistake had the album not been full of relentlessly great songs that mesh perfectly together. It has been compared to Sea Change with good reason as it's definitely more in the category of somber Beck music but as early as 'Jack-Ass' on Odelay or 'Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime' that's been some of my favorite music.

2) Tennis - Ritual in Repeat

The title of this album is extremely fitting as I listened to it almost daily for the first few weeks after it came out. Ritual in Repeat is a phenomenal record that rests comfortably between the worlds of rock and pop. Husband and wife duo Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore have created an album in which each song seems to build of the song preceding it. I had enjoyed some past work from Tennis but this album caught me by complete surprise in the best possible way and makes me eager to hear what they release next.

1) Future Islands - Singles

Singles was in heavy rotation from the time it was released in March. I had been a fan of their earlier albums but this was a step above those albums in production value and song writing. I was lucky enough to see them live twice this year and the songs from this record sound just as good if not even better live. I couldn't be happier for their success and the performance on David Letterman that went viral which opened them up to a whole set of fans.

Honorable mention:

The Antlers - Familiars

Caribou - Our Love

Jack White - Lazaretto

La Dispute - Rooms of the House

Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence

Little Dragon - Nabuma Rubberband

Manchester Orchestra - Cope

St. Vincent - St. Vincent

This Will Destroy You - Another Language

Tycho - Awake

Best of 2014: Songs

The number of songs this year to make the chopping block on this list was down considerably from last year and that being said this year seemed to be a better year for songs than albums (read into that what you will). As always, I have linked the Spotify playlist of my favorite songs from 2014. Same rules apply that the songs had to come from an album released in 2014 (hence no "i" by Kendrick Lamar or "To The Top" by Twin Shadow) and I only pick one song per band/album otherwise there'd by a dozen songs from Future Islands and Tennis on the list.

30) Cold War Kids - All This Could Be Yours
29) Childish Gambino - Sober
28) Mastadon - The Motherload
27) Ryan Adams - Gimme Something Good
26) The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Eurydice
25) Lo-Fang - #88
24) Hozier - Take Me to Church
23) alt-J - Hunger Of The Pine
22) Lana Del Rey - West Coast
21) Temples - Shelter Song
20) Dum Dum Girls - Rimbaud Eyes
19) Perfume Genius - Queen
18) Ghost Beach - Close Enough (feat Noosa)
17) London Grammar - Wasting My Young Years
16) Nothing - Dig
15) Tennis - I'm Callin'
14) Little Dragon - Klapp Klapp
13) Caribou - Can't Do Without You
12) The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers
11) Interpol - All The Rage Back Home
10) Wye Oak - Shriek
9) Foster The People - Coming of Age
8) Sia - Chandelier
7) Delta Spirit - From Now On
6) Death From Above 1979 - White Is Red
5) Manchester Orchestra - Top Notch
4) OK Go - The Writing's on the Wall
3) Spoon - Inside Out
2) Beck - Blue Moon
1) Future Islands - Seasons (Waiting On You)

Best of 2013: Film

It seems to me that as television continues to get stronger each year the options at the local cineplex seem to be worse and worse. However, between all of the sequels, remakes and Adam Sandler movies there were several great movies. It was an especially good year for movies based on true stories and a couple of completely original instant classics.


10) Captain Phillips

9) American Hustle

8) Inside Llewyn Davis

7) This Is The End

6) In A World...

5) Philomena

4) Dallas Buyer's Club

3) 12 Years A Slave

2) Gravity

1) Her

Honorable Mention:

Frances Ha
The Heat
Nebraska
Oblivion
The Spectacular Now
Star Trek Into Darkness
The Way Way Back
The Wolf of Wall Street

Best of 2013: Television

Each year I try to keep up with the shows I enjoy and add other new shows that might show up on my radar. I'm certainly not a professional critic but I often feel overwhelmed by the social responsibility to be current on the best shows on television (or in the case of this year Netflix). There's probably a dozen shows I had every intention of watching (Orphan Black, The Blacklist, Ray Donovan, Enlightened) or catching up on (Mad Men, The League, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) but just couldn't. Sometimes you have to remember that no matter how much you try or how much time you dedicate, you can't watch, read or listen to everything.

2013 marked the end of one of TV's best dramas but it also saw the debut of several fantastic shows. I feel bad for a show like Game of Thrones which had it's strongest season thus far and in some prior years might have been a top five show for me but because of the crowded field Game of Thrones along with Homeland just missed my list.

10) Brooklyn Nine-Nine

I was very excited for Brooklyn Nine-Nine based on the cast and creative team which was largely responsible for Parks and Recreation. I can confidently say that Brooklyn Nine-Nine has come out of the gate faster than it's predecessors The Office and Parks and Recreation. The ensemble cast has coalesced immediately and I laugh more in the first break of Brooklyn Nine-Nine than I do watching just about any other show.

9) Orange Is the New Black

I vaguely remember someone telling me Orange Is the New Black started slow but finished strong. I'd like to thank the person who gave me that tip because after about five episodes I almost gave up. The first half of the season was by no means bad but it felt like a guilty pleasure with no deep character development. However, the last few episodes were excellent and contained some very powerful and lasting scenes including the final scene of the season which was about as memorable as anything I saw this year.

8) Veep

The sharpest and quickest humor of perhaps any show on television. Veep is the funniest show that you haven't watched yet.

7) Justified

It was another solid season for Justified. It never pretends to be the most serious drama on television but it's well written, well acted and as entertaining as any other drama around. If you can name me a cooler character on television than Raylan Givens, I'd sure like to hear it.

6) Parks and Recreation

It might not have the laughs per minute of the aforementioned Veep but Parks and Recreation has the greatest group of characters for any television comedy since The Simpsons. Not only is it a very funny show but it manages to have more heart than any other comedy of television right now.

5) The Americans

The premise of Russian spies living in the United States with a new neighbor who happens to be an FBI agent sounds like a preposterous premise but creator and former CIA officer Joe Weisberg walks the tightrope of believability with impeccable balance.

4) Boardwalk Empire

Another fantastic twelve episodes from Boardwalk Empire in what was announced to be the penultimate fourth season. It was very difficult to replace character of Gyp Rosetti and the performance by Bobby Cannavale but increased roles from other characters helped pick up the slack. I'm disappointed this year's season will be the last but it good that it will go out while still one of the best shows around.

3) Hannibal

The tone of Hannibal is simultaneously psychologically disturbing and beautiful. It has the most beautiful cinematography of any series in network television history while also showing more blood and gore than any network program ever has. If you were ever frightened by Dexter in the least, then Hannibal will leave you with nightmares.

2) House of Cards

This wasn't the first original series on Netflix but this was the game-changer. Getting big names like Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright and David Fincher showed that they were serious but the stunning visual imagery and quality of the writing are what make this a phenomenally engrossing drama about a subject that is often very dull. House of Cards plays the small moments as well as any program in the medium.

1) Breaking Bad

It was a pretty easy decision when the best show of the last six years ended in spectacular fashion. It's a good sign when the biggest complaint from fans of the show was that the finale tied up all of the storylines too neatly. The writing, acting and cinematography stayed first rate which is what makes Breaking Bad quite possibly the best serialized drama in the history of television.

Honorable Mention:

Arrested Development
Bate's Motel
The Bridge
Comedy Bang Bang
Game of Thrones
Girls
Homeland
Key & Peele
Nathan For You
The Walking Dead

Best of 2013: Albums

I don't think I'm breaking a lot of new ground with this list but hopefully there is an album or two that you missed. To be honest this year wasn't quite as strong for new music as last year based on my recollection of constructing last year's list but I'm confident in the top ten I was able to come up with below.

10) Blood Orange - Cupid Deluxe

This isn't a make up pick but if I had heard the debut album from Blood Orange entitled Coastal Grooves when it was released in 2011 it almost certainly would've made my top ten list. Lucky for me, I didn't have to wait long for the latest effort Cupid Deluxe which is equally unique and pleasing to the ear.

9) Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City

Modern Vampires of the City is a great album. Don't take my word for it. In the past few weeks it's been named album of the year by Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, NPR listeners and many others. It doesn't have the same energy as the self titled debut but it is much more refined and has a terrific combination of melody and lyrics.

8) Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

The first studio album from Daft Punk since 2005 was a hit in every sense of the word. It received nearly universal acclaim from critics, has been nominated for an Album of the Year Grammy and the single 'Get Lucky' which was arguably the song of the year has sold over 7 million copies. All that being said, what's popular isn't always good but in this case they go hand in hand.

7) Russian Circles - Memorial

This late release almost slid under the radar as I gave it a listen or two when it was released in late October but coming back to it recently I was blown away by the tone, precision and heavy riffs on Memorial. It's the 5th album from the Chicago based instrumental rock band and it might be the best they've ever made.

6) Haim - Days Are Gone

Three sisters from Los Angeles fronting a band might sound like a gimmick but Haim's music is anything but. Haim started gaining traction last year with the release of a couple singles and their debut album Days Are Gone is chock-full of catchy tunes that propelled them onto Saturday Night Live and mainstream radio.

5) Queens of the Stone Age - Like Clockwork

Like Clockwork is the first album from Queens of the Stone Age in six years was worth the wait. It's the best pure rock album of the year and good from beginning to end.

4) Arcade Fire - Reflektor

After winning Album of the Year at The Grammys for The Suburbs it would've been easy for Arcade Fire to rest on their laurels but they certainly haven't done that. Whether you love Reflektor or hate it, you can't say it wasn't a departure. I happen to fall into the camp that loves it but that was thanks in part to a secret show at The Hollywood Palladium right after the album's release in which played almost the entire record. It's been in constant rotation ever since that show.

3) Typhoon - White Lighter

This was my favorite discovery of the year. Somehow, I stumbled upon the tremendous track 'Young Fathers' and it wasn't until a couple months later that I went back to listen to the entire record which blew my away. It was something very different but at the same time sounded like something I've been hearing for years.

2) Volcano Choir - Repave

Like most right thinking music fans, I'm eagerly anticipating the next Bon Iver album but Justin Vernon has been keeping himself very busy with several other projects, most notably Volcano Choir. He appeared on albums by Kanye West, Polica, The Shouting Matches and The Blind Boys of Alabama but it was the sophomore effort from Volcano Choir that stood out. It's difficult to describe the genre of music other than just calling it great.

1) The National - Trouble Will Find Me

The National has been a favorite of mine since I discovered them in 2007 after the release of their critically acclaimed album Boxer. This marks the third consecutive album of theirs to make my best of list but the first to come in at number one. I fell in love with Trouble Will Find Me after the first listen and after seeing them live at the Greek Theatre in August, my appreciation for the album only grew. Trouble Will Find Me doesn't have a single bad track and many of them are phenomenal.

Honorable Mention:

CHVRCHES - The Bones Of What You Believe
Daughter - If You Leave
Har Mar Superstar - Bye Bye 17
Junip - Junip
Kanye West - Yeezus
M83 - Oblivion (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks
Pelican - Forever Becoming
Rhye - Woman
Youth Lagoon - Wondrous Bughouse

Belated mention (my favorite album from 2012 that I discovered in 2013):

Caspian - Waking Season