Sunday, December 21, 2014

My Top Ten List of Records for 2014


1. Girls Guns and Glory - Good Luck
This Massachusetts band is one of the best Rockabilly bands around, great songwriting and Ward's singing is great. One of the best guitar players around.
2. Sturgil Simpson - Metamodern Sounds In Country Music
His vocals are awesome. Songwriting, just great. But the best song on this record is his performance of The Promise. When I first heard it it raised the hairs on my arms, but it seemed familiar in some way. It turned out to be a cover of When In Rome's technopop hit that was used in the soundtrack for the stupid movie Napoleon Dynamite.. If there was ever a case for a singer "writes" the song this is it.
3. Caleb Caudle - Paint Another Layer on My Heart
This record is SO good. Lydia's backing vocals are superb and the songwriting is great.
4. Lucinda Williams - Where the Spirit Meets the Bone
Surprisingly good. Maybe a single CD would have been greater - but I still like it.
5. Doug Seegers - Going Down to the River
6. Sharon Von Etten - Are We There
Bizzarofolk, but I like it.
7. Lake Street Dive - Bad Self Portraits
Boston soul. I kind of tired of the song "Bad Self Portraits" but this record is great. I'd like to hear the Dap Kings back her up.
8. Sharon Jones - Give the People What They Want
I think this is the best Sharon Jones record yet.
9. Robert Ellis - Lights From The Chemical Plant
I love this record, but take the Paul Simon song off of it.
10. Hurray for the Riff Raff - Small Town Heroes

Extras:
The Hold Steady - Teeth Dreams
Johnny Cash - Out Among the Stars
The Black Keys - Turn Blue
Dr. John - Ske-Dat-De-Dat
Jesse Winchester - A Reasonable Amount of Trouble
Drive-By Truckers - English Oceans
One of my favorite compilations that came out this year was Cracking The Cosimo Code - 60s New Orleans R&B and Soul, great selection of music and a good booklet.

Favorite shows this year were:
Two Cow Garage @ The Middle East
Dr. John in Portsmouth, NH
John Boutte in New Orleans
Kermit Ruffins @ Brighton Music Hall
Girls Guns and Glory - several times
Sad to see the end of The Allman Brothers run. I've seen them more than any band - almost every year since 1971.

Photo of the week

CROSSES