A lot less rocky than prior years, 2014 was a good ‘un – punctuated by a couple of road trips, a couple of trips home, a new role, and a big move back home to Perth. If I was to pick a low I think I’d be hard-pressed… my toothache in November was pretty shocking (actually the worst pain I can imagine), so there’s that, but that was really the low point. So on balance a kind of great year!
From memory I worked through Christmas but was home in January for Maeve’s 30th birthday which turned into a surprise engagement party/laaaate night partying.. in June I also went back to Perth for Tom and Jenn’s engagement party – a surprise that I almost stuffed up via Facebook (damn geo-tagging!), plus I was back in February for Laneway and suddenly we were so back and forth to Perth it made more sense to be back permanently! The reality, actually, was that we had tossed this up so many times previously that once the opportunity came to buying Andy’s sister’s apartment in Perth we knew we’d be moving back in 2014.
Though there was the week or so where we were seriously thinking about a Sydney gap-year between Melbourne and Perth, which might be something we’ll grow to regret and/or something we need to revisit at some point. Our Easter drive from Melbourne to Manly via the East Coast and back through Canberra was fantastic, not least because Andy couldn’t speak due to a vocal cord injury, and was accented by a gorgeous night in Manly.. one day Sydney, one day. The National Gallery in Canberra was another highlight here, along with Huskisson.
We road-tripped again to Lorne with Dave and Sal and then came the big move, made all the easier through Andrew’s superior packing and full-time coordination, and we rounded out Melbourne in the only way we’d know how – the (now infamous) South/Port Melbourne pub crawl, this time consolidated to a more sensible 12 venues. Actually, Melbourne ended for me with a lone trip to Hobart and MONA, and even though I was sick as hell, it was a serious highlight of the year, yet again.
The drive back to Perth for me was great – you don’t feel freedom like that much, but driving away from a job and a city and a home, even when you’re just driving to a job and a city and a new home is something pretty special. For whatever reason Andy and I love that open(ish) road feeling; we’re hardly adventurous, but we do love a road trip. Having got home, and then sleeping through Tom’s 30th, I vowed I wouldn’t want to do it again. Now I’d do it in a heartbeat!
And being back in Perth is just grand. Living in Northbridge is great and it’s so good to be back with mates and family. Perth is SO far away from everything and it’s quieter and a different pace, and work is the usual boring rollercoaster of engagement/hating life, but it’s all travelling in a nice direction.
As for music.. some other stuff that turned me on (some repeat offenders here):
Ariana Grande, “Break Free feat. Zedd”
Maybe one of the best pop songs ever – absolutely the best pop of the year. Such an awesome pumping tune, frenetic at times, vocals that reach space and a coquettish-space-sex-kitten-wet-dream video to boot. And maybe one of the most gorgeous pop stars ever! But honestly, who wrote some of this shit?
“I only wanna die alive
Never by the hands of a broken heart
Don’t wanna hear you lie tonight
Now that I’ve become who I really are.”
One Direction (again), Four
They can do no wrong in my eyes.. though they’re straying close; when this is good it’s great, but you can see the cracks forming. In the meantime, this is a very decent album and builds on the folkier sound their last album had, which any pop artist worth their salt is currently playing. Their vocals are great… if only it had reached the heights of Taylor Swift’s newbie…
Taylor Swift, 1989
Everyone seemed to have turned on Swift prior to this release, and then BOOM, overnight, the whole word seemed to be miming videos of “Shake it Off” and were, like, totally in love with “Tay”. It’s actually pretty great, some excellent pop songs, beautiful synths, and the slower “This Love” and “You Are in Love” are where this shines brightest. If only the 1D boys had been able to execute as well… 1-0 to Taylor, Harry.
Lorde (again), Pure Heroine
Technically released in 2013 this was one of that year’s best. I saw her at Laneway and was blown away. A go-to album ever since.
Miley Cyrus, Bangerz
Again, released in 2013 and controversially claimed by some as one of that year’s best, we saw Miley in concert and she was outstanding. Outrageous, catchy songs, southern-twang with urban edge, and can pump out a song like the best of ’em (better, in fact).
Lana Del Rey (again), ‘Ultraviolence’
My love for Del Rey continues in 2014 with this release. Things change up just enough and her vocal and song-writing go from strength to super-strength. So brilliant and didn’t quite get the recognition it deserved – but she’s always been divisive hasn’t she?
Ellie Goulding and Disclosure and Bastille
Three Brit acts that dominated at the Brit Awards – these three all popped up in my playlists throughout the year. On trend, electronic, synthpop. All are smart dance-indie-pop acts.
thehifielective 