By Kevin (@Prufesuroak)

The Sounds of 2014 is a year end round up of the albums that stuck with us this.

Annie Clark once said “I wanted to make a party record you could play at a funeral.“ in a press release, and this pretty much is the perfect description for her fourth solo album simple titled St. Vincent, released on February 24, 2014.

Upon first listening to it earlier this year I never made anything of it, I just saw it as just another St. Vincent album but looking at my most played songs from this year, I realized that a few songs from the album ranked pretty high on that list. It was always played but I never realized it. It was played enough to a point that I was oblivious to it being on. And then I realized that in a way the more I love a song the less I notice it.

“Prince Johnny”, was the song from this album that ranked highest amongst the rest. Reason being it is my favorite one of the bunch. The song has traits of techno, dream pop and all that good stuff. Paired with Annie Clark’s signature, unique guitar riffs, an almost constant ringing hum, probably from a synthesizer or organ or even a voice (I can’t discern).

Another song that ranked high on that list is “Every Tear Disappears” which opens with this tantalizing riff that gives shivers and chills the spine. Follows Annie Clark with this ghostly verse.

This album has an unshakable groove that’s kind of perfect. A groove, that is, riddled with what seems to be systematically placed awkward beats, misplaced notes, it may sound a bit distorted or hard to listen to someone who is listening to this for the first time. It is in a sense systematic discord (if that makes sense).

“Severed Crossed Fingers”, probably the easiest to listen to for someone who’s new to Annie Clark’s music. And the song has one of the catchiest melodies from anything she’s done.

All in all St. Vincent is probably her best set of songs densely packed into this systematically discordant harmonious wonderful gift that is an album.