Music of 2014
I liked a number of records this year. The first one that really spoke to me was Beck's Morning Phase, not so much for any particular song, but because of the cumulative effect of the record. I heard enough of Ty Segall's Manipulator record that I liked that I ended up downloading the entire record. The Bad Plus put out their Inevitable Western record which has a lonesome drive on a deserted highway feel that is beautiful. And Bill Frisell put out Guitar in the Space Age where he gives his washed jazz guitar treatment to songs as diverse as Turn, Turn, Turn, Surfer Girl, Rumble, and Telstar. My adopted hometown heroes Thievery Corporation returned to form this year with a Bossa Nova soaked record Saudade that I played and played. I remember liking the Black Keys record Turn Blue record, but perhaps it wasn't a sustained pleasure. I loved the De La Soul record Smell the DA.I.S.Y. and look forward to more consistent and frequent output from these guys. Charlie Haden and Keith Jarrett's Last Dance was a particularly lovely way to say cheerio to Charlie who died this year. And finally, Roseanne Cash reminded us that great Cash music didn't die with her dad because her The River & The Thread is excellent throughout and a complete pleasure.
But I'm still consuming music using my classic iPod which Apple decided to discontinue this year. And that format is song driven and I enjoyed these songs.
Alvvays - Archie, Marry Me - Pretty much any pop song chorus that includes a girl singing "Hey-hey-hey-hey" has my full attention.
Temples - Shelter Song
Pixies - Greens and Blues
Liam Bailey - Stun Me - If he has more in the tank than just this record, he's a guaranteed superstar.
Katie Herzig - Walk Through Walls
Chuck Prophet - Tell Me Anything (Turn To Gold)
J. Mascis - Every Morning
Benjamin Booker - Violent Shiver
Dub Thompson - No Time - If I cue this up on my iPod, I can get home from the Metro in just under 4 minutes, it's got such a great driving stomp to the chorus.
The Notwist - Kong
Bob Mould - I Don't Know You Anymore
Cayetana - Scott, Get The Van, I'm Moving - Probably my favorite lyric of the year, "hardest part of moving out, moving out, moving out IS I REMEMBER MOVING IN, I REMEMBER MOVING IN-AH!!!" The delivery is completely brilliant.
SPIES - Moosehead - These guys sound like a pre-up-his-own-arse Bono and like U2 are Dublin based.
Withered Hand - Fall Apart
Sean Rowe - 1952 Vincent Black Lightning - A live take showcasing the relentless drive that a primarily bluegrass artist can bring to a rock song. Eat your heart out Richard Thompson.
Ty Segall - Susie Thumb
Foreign/National - Life Tourist - I hope this band can live up to this start with their record due in 2015, but this is a really clever and cheeky song.
Eels - Mistakes Of My Youth - This song is like a warm bath full of pathos. In a good way.
Steve Gunn - Milly's Garden
Strand of Oaks - Shut In
Drive-by Truckers - Pauline Hawkins
Thievery Corporation - Firelight
Frazey Ford - Done
So, what turned you on in music in 2014? Seriously, share, ok? With the loss of record stores to comb through, it's hard to catch everything and every year I miss something vital that when I hear it next year or in 5 years, I think, "damn."
posted by gooner71 @ 3:07 PM
3 Comments:
Fantastic list, as always, mate. I appreciate the post.
I didn't have nearly the luck with live shows that you did this year. Apart from the fabulous Kraftwerk show that we saw together at the 930 in April, the only other live highlights were here on the Fredonia campus, including seeing the wonderful jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval for the third time.
Beck's "Morning Phase" was my favorite album of the year. I agree with you - "Blue Moon" was the hit, but it was that rare thing in the 21st century - a work of music that demands to be consumed in album form.
The album I listened to the most was undoubtedly Keith and Charlie's "Last Dance," which was on constant play in the office this year. I still haven't quite accepted that there won't be any new Charlie Haden music from here on in. A huge loss.
Thievery Corp's "Saudade" was a real return to form after a couple of so-so albums. I particularly loved the Lou Lou vocal on "Depth of My Soul."
At 80, Leonard Cohen continues to produce brilliant music. His "Popular Problems" was full of thoughtful ruminations on life and death, including "Slow" and the sublime "Almost Like the Blues."
Every year seems to produce a beautifully realized album of alt country, replete with tasty bands and super songwriting. This year it was Roseanne Cash's "The River and the Thread," which tapped the significant talents of the likes of John Prine.
Pharrell's "G.I.R.L." was a piece of r'n'b candy, each piece sweeter than the next. The best was his collaboration with Daft Punk on "Gust of Wind," which recalled the French duo's triumph from last year.
And the end of year produced something that I never expected - a new album from D'Angelo after 15 long years away. It could have easily been a hot mess along the lines of "Chinese Democracy," but "Black Messiah" is a worthy follow-up to "Voodoo," which many of the same contributors.
I also enjoyed parts of Broken Bells' "After the Disco" and Ben Watt's "Hendra."
Anyway, thanks for getting us started. I'll be back later with my favorite songs of 2014.
Was Kraftwerk this year? Wow, what an oversight because that was a hell of a night and quite fantastic.
Sam Smith’s ecstatic, gospel inspired “Stay with Me” was the song of the year in my book. These were the other songs that provided the soundtrack to my walks to and from campus:
Damon Albarn - “Lonely Press Play"
The Bamboos - “Avenger”
Beck - “Morning”
Black Keys - “Turn Blue”
Roseanne Cash - “Modern Blue”
Leonard Cohen - “Almost Like the Blues”
Echosmith - “Cool Kids”
First Aid Kit - “Cedar Lane”
Foxygen - “How Can You Really?”
Frazey Ford - “September Fields”
Damian Jurado - “Silver Timothy”
Kelis - “Cobbler”
New Pornographers - “Dancehall Domine”
Pharrell - “Gust of Wind”
Royksopp (featuring Robyn) - “Do It Again”
Caroline Smith - “Bloodstyle”
Slow Club - “Tears of Joy”
Sylvan Esso - “Coffee”
Thievery Corporation - “Depth of My Soul”
Weezer - “Back to the Shack”
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