Written By Christopher Carvalho

Here, writer Christopher Carvalho takes a look at four indie rock albums we can’t wait to hear in 2014. From The Black Lips to St. Vincent, we’re looking forward to a great new year of music. You can also stream singles released for each of the albums on this page, so sit back, crank up the volume, and enjoy!

1. The Men – Tomorrow’s Hits

Release Date: 3/3

The most recent blog post by The Men was last November, and it didn’t say much, except for “…Is Coming. Will be different.” Bad grammar and cryptic message aside, the fifth studio album has the blogosphere buzzing. 2012’s Open Your Heart allowed the Brooklyn five-piece to expand their sound and become more accessible.

Their most recent release, New Moon, didn’t get as much college rock radio airtime as their earlier albums, but, it still received favorable reviews from critics. The band received their most favorable comparisons, being likened to Dinosaur Jr. and The Replacements. If The Men continue to explore the classic and country rock sound explored on their Campfire Songs EP, the band will surely gain more fans and possibly a sought-after opening spot on some heavyweight’s tour.

Business as usual for The Men; 2014 will be a huge touring year. They’ve also just released the first single for their new album, “Pearly Gates,” which you can stream right here:

2. Dum Dum Girls – Too True

Release Date: 1/28

Singer/Songwriter Dee Dee Penny started The Dum Dum Girls in her bedroom, DIY with a CD-R and a vision. In 2009, she was signed to the Holy Grail of indie records, Sub Pop. She has since collaborated with some of the biggest names in garage rock, including The Raveonettes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. A slew of sexy videos and catchy singles, including “Bedroom Eyes” and “Coming Down,” skyrocketed the Dum Dum Girls’ popularity.

2012’s EP End of Daze garnered Penny several Pitchfork awards and set her up to record the much anticipated follow-up, 2014’s Too True. Since gaining critical acclaim, Penny has surrounded herself with accomplished musicians and producers, giving her a more mature and lush full-band sound. Late last year, Dum Dum Girls produced and released the lead single, “Lost Boys and Girls Club,” in unison with H&M Life, all funded by the clothing giant. It’s hard to call her a sellout when Dee Dee Penny looks as good as she sounds in those skinny jeans.

3. The Black Lips – Underneath the Rainbow

Release Date: 3/17

There is no better career move right now than to team up with Patrick Carney, drummer/co-producer of The Black Keys, and this is just what The Black Lips have done. Surely, Carney has been hired to continue to give the Lips that much needed cohesion and focus found on 2011’s Arabia Mountain. Primarily known for their foul on-stage antics, among them vomiting, flaming guitars, and stage invasions, the band seems willing to put aside the GG Allin theatrics in favor of tightly-wound garage riffs, found on the startlingly radio-friendly “Modern Art.”

That’s not to say that The Black Lips have lost their edge in favor of becoming mainstream darlings; far from it, in fact. Why it was only a month ago when The Lips posted their new seemingly-weed-inspired single “Boys in the Wood” and an interview with Pitchfork magazine where they talk about shooting Vitamin B into their asses before a show. If Underneath the Rainbow can balance the Lips’ smart-ass humor with their live-show energy, The Black Lips will find themselves household names this year, despite their impulse to offend.

4. St. Vincent- St. Vincent

Release Date: 2/24

When little Annie Clark, better known as St. Vincent to those outside her Oklahoma circle, was featured on the cover of Spin in 2011, most people were left wondering, well, who the hell is this? When the Strange Mercy (2011) single “Cruel” gained some traction  later that month, she became one of indie rock’s catchiest songstresses.

A closer look at her body of work would show that she is a talented journeywoman, having been in The Polyphonic Spree and the Sufjan Stevens backing band, despite being only 31 years old. Several clever social media marketing gimmicks later, including the surfacing of a little-seen promotional video filmed in 2009 with Portlandia’s Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, and St. Vincent was off to tour the world.

They ultimately became one of the most buzzed about artists in 2012, even releasing a collaborative album with Talking Heads frontman David Byrne. Now, with a new deal from Republic Records (Nicki Minaj, Florence and the Machine), 2014’s St. Vincent will have tons of publicity and exposure in larger mainstream markets. While some fans worry that St. Vincent will become as overplayed as The Weeknd, there is nothing to fear. A free listen of “Birth in Reverse” over at St. Vincent’s website confirms that the artist is as quirky and cool as when she first got off the bus from Tulsa.

Honorable Mentions:

Broken Bells, After the Disco (1/14)

Run the Jewels (Killer Mike and El-P), Run the Jewels 2 (1/14)

Milagres, Violent Light (2/24)

Drive-By Truckers, English Oceans (3/3)

Kaiser Chiefs, Education, Education, Education & War (3/31)