email : Webview : Staff Picks - Best of NoiseTrade Music 2014 (So Far)

We’re halfway through 2014, and we thought it’d be a great time to stop and reflect on all of the awesome ebook and audiobook content that’s been featured on NoiseTrade Books so far this year. Enjoy these picks below from the NoiseTrade staff.

Propaganda

Crimson Cord

Anyone who knows much about me knows my intense love for hip-hop. I’m a hip-hop snob, even. I’ve been a huge fan of Propaganda’s artistically raw, deeply spiritual, life or death brand of hip-hop since his 2012-released (and very appropriately named) Excellent. 2014’s Crimson Cord was one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year, of any genre, and at least for this confessed hip-hop elitist, it swiftly exceeded my expectations.

— Derek Webb

Ethan Luck

Hard Seas EP

Mixing his punk rock roots with a West Coast country twang and a sprinkling of sparse folk simplicity, Ethan Luck’s second solo EP Hard Seas lands beautifully between outlaw country, Old 97’s, and Prison Bound-era Social Distortion. Add in Luck’s pull-no-punches lyrical take on his recent struggles with anxiety and you’ve got a cohesively diverse outing that never loses its bearings.

— Will Hodge

PS I Love You

For Those Who Stay EP

I first heard these guys years ago playing on one of the parking lot stages at DeLuna Fest. The ground was radiating with heat and these guys turned it up even more. A dance party broke out in the lot in the middle of a blistering Florida afternoon, and that's when I knew this band had "it". Combining oddly timed syncopated dance beats with guitar mega hooks, while still gracefully flowing into heady jam territory at times, this band gives you everything you want out of an indie dance track.

— Sean Doyle

Courtney Barnett

World Cafe Session

Courtney’s live version of “Avent Gardener” (as part of this session) captures the essence of this song in such a way that reminds me of what I like most about her music: It’s spunky, conversational, honest and thoughtful all at once. I also quite enjoy her interview with World Cafe’s David Dye (so glad we included that here as it offers up an additional window into this amazing new talent).

— Chris Moon

City Rain

Songs for a High School Dance

I love City Rain's dance-pop sound! They manage to capture that vibe while still being totally different from what you expect to hear flooding your radio these days. Every song on this album is catchy. Great album for the summer!

— Kelly Redfern

The Likes of Us

Time Traveler

Time Traveler being the second album The Likes of Us have shared with NoiseTrade users is even better than the first - their cover of Rihanna’s "Stay" is actually infectious.

— Jessi Vaughn

THE CHOIR

Shadow Weaver EP

This EP is a gateway drug to Shadow Weaver, the latest album by one of my all-time favorite bands and also brief retrospective of their storied career. Their music is a study in apparent contrasts: ethereal / gritty, whimsical / earnest, joy / sorrow , poetic / plainspoken, spiritual / human. If you don’t yet know The Choir and like rarefied alt pop, take this EP for a spin! I’ve been a fan for years and this release solidifies my fan status for years to come.

— Mark Nicholas

Betty Who

The Remixes

There are so many great contenders to pick from this year, but Betty Who’s recent addition to NoiseTrade takes the cake. With only two EPs floating around the internet, it’s a treat to hear her shake it up with some dreamy remixes on NoiseTrade. I honestly don’t think the world can have enough Betty Who in their ears. You’ll want to eat her music up – and then ask for seconds...and thirds.

— Sarah Lai

Brother Oliver

Stubborn Fool

I love Brother Oliver's debut single. It's a realization of past regret, and bleary acceptance of future pain. With instrumentation that woos and wrestles, "Stubborn Fool" explores the fearsome tension between one's affections and actions. I definitely identify with the folk-Americana duo as they narrate the internal conflict that wears long as life.

— Ricky Altizer

Highasakite

Since Last Wednesday

The first thing Highasakite has going for them is they're from Norway (because come on, that's really cool), and the second thing is they're awesome. Ingrid Havik's (lead singer) crystalline soprano vocals slay me and deliver the songs with such strength. Inventive melodies, fun beats, heartfelt lyrics and all with that buzz worthy Euro-pop touch. I'm totally a fan.

— Hannah Boren

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