Ye Olde Hit Parade: What Color Is Blood?

Editor's note: Ye Olde Hit Parade takes a look back at my favorite songs year by year (starting in 1978, when I really started paying attention to music).

2014: Parquet Courts - What Color Is Blood?

Six years ago feels like 16 years ago. In 2014, Ebola arrived in the U.S. but was fortunately kept under control. David Letterman retired from his late night show after 32 years and was replaced by Stephen Colbert, while Jimmy Fallon took over The Tonight Show. U2 pissed everybody off after their new album was automatically added to the collections of all iTunes users. And there were some shocking deaths, including Robin Williams, Tony Gwynn, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jan Hooks.

Things were much more stable at work after a few roller coaster years. The 2014 Boston Marathon went off with no problems, thanks to added security measures. Meb Keflezighi became the first American to win the race since 1983.

We did something different for our summer vacation, driving down to Williamsburg, Virginia for a week. In addition to visiting Colonial Williamsburg, we went to Virginia Beach, Busch Gardens and a ropes course. Good stuff.

On the running front, I ran the Around Cape Ann 30K on Labor Day, which was tough not only because of the many hills but also because of the heat and humidity. A few weeks later, I did my sixth consecutive Reach the Beach.


Musically, there was a lot to choose from: Interesting new acts like Protomartyr, Two Inch Astronaut, Big Ups, Ava Luna and Ex Hex. New music from old favorites like the Afghan Whigs, Bob Mould, Gord Downie, Stephen Malkmus and Sloan. And discoveries of bands like Hallelujah the Hills and the War on Drugs.

Concerts included Rocket From the Crypt/Ex Hex, Gord Downie and the Sadies, The Afghan Whigs (twice), Parquet Courts/Protomartyr, Guided By Voices, Titus Andronicus, Ty Segall/La Luz, Caspian, Kal Marks, Sloan, Speedy Ortiz/Big Ups and Palehound/Chandos/Coaches. 



My favorite band of the year was Parquet Courts, another act that had emerged in the previous few years and was coming into its own. As I noted at the time, "Parquet Courts made a splash in the indie rock world last year, when their 2012 release Light Up Gold was reissued and caught fire. The New York by way of Austin quartet upped the ante with Sunbathing Animal, which took their brand of CBGBs-inspired garage rock and infused it with more fully developed songs. It feels like the natural evolution of the band's sound." There were more midtempo grooves and slower meditations. "What Color Is Blood?" is just one of many standout tracks, as the band displays its art-rock chops a la late '70s NYC acts like Television and Talking Heads. It's a killer song from a killer band. And live, they can deliver the goods as well. Parquet Courts has proven itself to be a prolific band, releasing a fine album called Content Nausea in October 2014 and several excellent records in the years since.

Honorable mentions: Bob Mould - "The War"; Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - "J Smoov"; Spoon - "Do You"; The New Pornographers - "War on the East Coast"; The War on Drugs - "Red Eyes"; Hallelujah the Hills - "We Are What We Say We Are"; Gord Downie and the Sadies - "Crater"; Death From Above 1979 - "Right On, Frankenstein!"; Ex Hex - "Hot and Cold"; Protomartyr - "Scum, Rise!"; Ty Segall - "The Faker"; Sloan - "Keep Swinging (Downtown)"; The Afghan Whigs - "Parked Outside"; Parquet Courts - "Bodies"; Speedy Ortiz - "American Horror"; Two Inch Astronaut - "Foulbrood"; Krill - "Turd"; King Tuff - "Headbanger"; Mastodon - "High Road"; The Hush Now - "Panda"; Gold-Bears - "From Tallahassee to Gainesville"; Ryan Adams - "When the Summer Ends"; Against Me - "Dead Friend"; Cloud Nothings - "Psychic Trauma"; Big Ups - "Fresh Meat"; Ava Luna - "Daydream"; Damaged Bug - "Photograph"; Radiator Hospital - "Five & Dime"; Johnny Foreigner - "Le Schwing"; Young Adults - "Old Kids"; Benjamin Booker - "Wicked Waters"; Run the Jewels - "Close Your Eyes (and Count to Fuck)"