I asked fellow Punky Mom member (and sister outlaw) HannahLouise to help me curate a Best of 2014 Punky Mom music mixtape. There was a lot of great music that came out this year but I decided to have ours be strictly female fronted bands. Hannah and I have similar music styles and I knew she would add some tracks that I might have overlooked this year. We selected 20 songs for you, and here they are, in no particular order.
1. Artist: Hurray For The Riff Raff
Album: Small Town Hereos
Song: The Body Electric
I enjoyed the album the first time I heard it earlier this year but it became a necessity to add it to the list after a fellow Punky Dad posted that NPR named it their “Political Folk Song Of The Year”. Alynda Lee Segarra from the New Orleans-based band Hurray For The Riff Raff became troubled by the recent headlines of rape cases from The States to India. Even more concerned when she began to realize that a lot of today’s lyrics were not only derogatory but in some cases horrific for the female gender. She started The Body Electric Fund to not only be able to create the music video but also donate and put into focus violence not only among women but also to minorities and the LGBT community. PR
2. Artist: First Aid Kit
Album: Stay Gold
Song: My Silver Lining
3. Artist: Angel Olsen
Album: Burn Your Fire For No Witness
Song: Hi-Five
This album came out in the beginning of 2014 and has stuck with me throughout the year. Angel’s voice and guitar feedback on some tracks remind me of early Liz Phair. PR
4. Artist: St. Vincent
Album: St. Vincent
Song: Birth in Reverse
Annie Clark melts my face off with her guitar skills. Easily one of the best guitarists out there. Fantastic live. PR
5. Artist: Buscabulla
Album: Kitsuné: Buscabulla
Song: Caer
6. Artist: Robyn and Röyksopp
Album: Do It Again
Song: Doing It Again
7. Artist: Ex Hex
Album: Rips
Song: Don’t Wanna Lose
8. Artist: Perfect Pussy
Album: Say Yes To Love
Song: Driver
Female vocal lead punk. So. freaking. good. PR
9. Artist: Mr. Gnome
Album: The Heart Of A Dark Star
Song: Light
Mr. Gnomes fourth album, The Light of the Dark Star plays like a song cycle, a whole piece, a cosmic journey that should be experienced from start to finish. The sound is, as expected, ethereal, surreal, sometimes haunting and often exhilarating. Mr. Gnome exudes a child-like innocence that is haunted by the monsters under the bed. It’s a perfectly layered, unearthly concoction. I can’t recommend an album or band more. HL
10. Artist: Weyes Blood
Album: The Innocents
Song: Bad Magic
Weyes Blood’s ‘The Innocents’ is a seductive brew of solemn and melodic folk arrangements combined with surprisingly experimental, distorted elements creating an album that is rich, dark, atmospheric, and devastatingly sad. Natalie Mering’s shadowy, haunting vocals are equal parts primal and angelic. This album is currently on heavy rotation in my corner of the world as it lends itself beautifully to these wintry months. HL
11. Artist: Marissa Nadler
Album: July
Song: Desire
12. Artist: Sharon Van Etten
Album: Are We There
Song: Break Me
13. Artist: Zola Jesus
Album: Taiga
Song: Taiga
14. Artist: Luluc
Album: Passerby
Song: Without A Face
15. Artist: Bonfire Beach
Album: Bonfire Beach
Song: Spit You Out
16. Artist: Girlpool
Album: Girlpool
Song: Slutmouth (NSFW)
I’d put this album on any ‘best of’ list for 2014’, but since this list is specifically a female list, I can’t think of a more perfect album. Girlpool’s stripped down, minimalist sound is effortlessly delivered while tackling subjects of gender, feminism, emotional vulnerability, self acceptance, and conformity – It pulls on every string of my riot grrl heart. Simple arrangements, seemingly innocent harmonies, followed by piercing screams delivered in under 3 minutes with lyrics like “do you want to make out? I heard you have a slut mouth…” make for a punk album in every sense of the word. One can only hope that there’s a feminist post punk resurgence on the horizon. HL
17. Artist: The Coathangers
Album: Suck My Shirt
Song: Follow Me
I stumbled on The Coathangers several years ago when me and fellow Punky Mom Dianajeanne went to a show and they were the openers. We were so blown away by their energy fueled performance that we left two songs in for the band we originally came to see! Ever since then I have been following their career and they are consistently putting out good tunes. Modern day Bikini kill-ish. PR
18. Artist: Priests
Album: Bodies And Control And Money And Power
Song: Doctor
Just like Perfect Pussy and The Coathangers, The Priests help form a wonderful trifecta of great modern riot grrrl music on our list. This debut album from the DC-based band is a blast of politically charged punk music. Oh yeah. PR
19. Artist: Lykke Li
Album: I Never Learn
Song: No Rest For The Wicked
20. Artist: FKA twigs
Album: LP1
Song: Two Weeks (NSFW)
Or if you would rather listen to all the tracks at once, you can here
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