REVIEW: Relatos salvajes [Wild Tales] [2014]

“Crime of passion?” Best. Wedding. Ever. And trip to the bureaucratic black hole that is government sanctioned towing. And expertly planned, faux fateful airline flight this side of “Lost”. I mean it. Damián Szifrón‘s Relatos salvejes [Wild Tales] is a twisted cousin of Krzysztof Kieslowski‘s The Decalogue, a sextet of darkly comic morality plays where chaos reigns and vengeance rewards the unhinged desperate for a win. From the hilariously absurd yet perfectly revealed machinations of its opening segment “Pasternak” to the vicious table turn of its last “Til Death Do…

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Top 100 Albums of 2014

Honorable Mention Sylvan Esso – Sylvan Esso; Empire – Orphan; Skrillex – Recess; The Drums – Encyclopedia; Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels 2; St. Paul & The Broken Bones – Half the City; Johnny Marr – Playland; Pharrell Williams – G I R L; Patterns – Waking Lines; Wu-Tang Clan – A Better Tomorrow; Mark Lanegan Band – Phantom Radio; Ray LaMontagne – Supernova; Blood Red Shoes – Blood Red Shoes; Jack White – Lazaretto; Coldplay – Ghost Stories. Top 100

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DESIGN: 2014 In Music

Tracklisting:Disc 11. “Dreaming” • Justin Nozuka • 01:39 • Ulysees, Warner Music Canada2. “Big Unit” • Adebisi Shank • 04:36 • This Is the Third Album of a Band Called Adebisi Shank, Sargent House3. “Sing” • Ed Sheeran • 03:56 • x, Asylum/Atlantic4. “No Miracles” • Kid Ink (ft. Elle Varner & Mgk) • 04:37 • My Own Lane, Tha Alumni Music Group/88 Classic/RCA5. “Everytime” • Broods • 03:41 • Evergreen, Dryden Street/Island/Polydor/UMA6. “Philosophize In It! Chemicalize with It!” • Kishi Bashi • 03:21 • Lighght, Joyful Noise Recordings7. “First”…

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Top 100 Songs of 2014

#100: Coming Home by Kaiser Chiefs #98: Gust of Wind by Pharrell Williams #96: Friday Fish Fry by Kelis #94: It’s a Longer Road to California Than I Thought by The Wind and the Wave #92: Now by Joywave #90: Take My Place by Lily Allen #88: Are You Okay? by Dum Dum Girls #86: Busy Earnin’ by Jungle #84: Never Gonna Change by Broods #82: Riptide by Vance Joy #80: Big Unit by Adebisi Shank #78: Count On My Love by Tessanne Chin #76: Telepathy by ††† #74: Right…

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Top 10 Albums of 2009

(short and sweet and to the point—culled from listening to 417 releases from 2009) The TOP TEN of 2009: 1.) Florence and the Machine: Lungs 2.) Mando Diao: Give Me Fire 3.) The Decemberists: Hazards of Love 4.) Passion Pit: Manners 5.) The Sounds: Crossing the Rubicon 6.) Silversun Pickups: Swoon 7.) White Lies: To Lose My Life 8.) The Audition: Self-Titled Album 9.) La Roux: La Roux 10.) Paper Route: Absence Honorable Mention (11-25): 11.) The Temper Trap: Conditions 12.) Gossip: Music for Men 13.) Doves: Kingdom of Rust…

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