image by: Dan Jazzia
It’s that time of year, dearest readers! 2014 is almost at a closing. To celebrate the year in music, we asked an array of friends in the Connecticut scene for their favorite releases of 2014. As lovers of music, it’s always fun learning what other people are really digging! We gave two rules:
1. Five Releases with a short description
2. No Local Artists
Of course, with musicians being inherently rebellious, some people broke the rules! And who are we to censor. So, we decided to publish unabridged regardless. Here’s Part 1:
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Dan Hamilton – Them Damn Hamiltons
First Aid Kit – Stay Gold
Just a killer album, start to finish, the lyrics, the arrangements, everything. Holy cow.
A really lovely, personal album. Bittersweet and beautiful with fingerprints all over it. Just how I like my music.
Jack White – Lazaretto
Another one that’s wall-to wall great. Catchy, complex and super dry. Love it.
Ray Lamontagne – Supernova
Such a sunny, uplifting record. Soulful and summery. Totally dance-able.
Weird, wild, fun as hell. And what a bunch of great guests!
Shovels & Rope – Swimmin’ TimeThis record is a leap forward from their last one. Still rough and tumble, but the songwriting is top notch and the lyrics swing back and forth between cutesy-clever and enlightened. The backing vocals and harmonies are interesting and lovely.
Old Crow Medicine Show – Remedy
Kick-ass bluegrass, and a Dylan co-write. I’ve been dancing the Juggler’s Jig in my kitchen to this record since it came out. Upbeat and fun, with just the right number of poignant moments.
The New Basement Tapes – Lost on the River
Dylan co-writes with various artists. a few of the tracks miss the mark for me, but many of the artists here (Elvis Costello, Jim James, Marcus Mumford) channel Dylan in all the right ways while successfully maintaining their individuality.
Jack White – Lazaretto
It’s rock and roll. I like his last solo record too, and that’s all I have to say about that.
Bob Dylan and The Band – The Basement Tapes (Bootleg Series Vol. 11)
I’ve spend a lot of time in Saugerties, NY, and I’m a lifetime Dylan/Band fan. The songwriting process fascinates me, and this is a worthy document.
Gabrielle Lakshmi Brazauskas – Fight the Fear
Snarky Puppy – We Like it HereSnarky puppy is a band with an ever changing lineup, and on this record, they absolutely nailed it for me. Each song stands alone as its own masterpiece, but my personal favorite track is “Sleeper.”
Ole Borud – Stepping Up
Originally, I found this guy on a random Spotify playlist and instantly fell in love with his tune, “Keep Movin’.” Upon hearing this new record a mere two weeks ago, I was hooked instantly. His grooves are absolutely addictive, and his songs are incredibly composed. For a fan of both pop and jazz, he fuses the two together perfectly.
Clean Bandit – New Eyes
A band commonly described as ‘electro pop,’ Clean Bandit is most known for their hit single “Rather Be” featuring vocalist Jess Glynne. This is a perfect vibe record– the songs move seamlessly into one another, and with the different vocalists feature on each track, there’s a little something for everyone.
Electric Youth – Innerworld
This band is brand new to me, but this record is their third creation. They are also described as ‘electro pop,’ but this group that hails from Toronto, brings a completely different vibe to the table. A must listen for fans of Empire of the Sun.
Lake Street Dive – Bad Self Portraits
This band, comprised of drums, trumpet, upright bass, and layers of vocals, really is in a league of it’s own. One piece may have you wanting to get up and dance, while the next may leave you pining over a lost love. As a vocalist myself, listening to Rachael Price’s warm, velvety tone keeps me playing this record on repeat.
Steve Balkun – Balkun Brothers
John Frusciante – Enclosure
This album is mind blowing…John Frusciante, former Chili Peppers guitar wizard ventures into new sonic territory with this album, I’ve not heard anything like it ever, except from Frusciante. More conservative mainstream fans of his Peppers work may not dig it, but i am all for pushing the sonic bounds of music to new levels and this is exactly what he is doing with his recent work. And, possibly best of all this album was released from SPACE…yes he sent a satellite rocket containing the album into orbit around the earth and when the rocket orbited over your location on earth you could download and stream the album. I can think of nothing more awesome that that. Releasing futuristic experimental highly evolved music sounds from space, spectacular. Take the trip.
Jack White – Lazaretto
Jack White’s second solo record, and its great. Heavy dirty blues drenched rock n roll with some folky americana style crooners mixed in. Its a fine collection from a great american rocker. Mainstream “pop” culture music needs more of this around. much much more. We had some great hotel parties while blasting this….ah good times.
The Birds of Satan – The Birds of Satan
Taylor Hawkins, drummer of the Foo Fighters, and his buddies throw this album together in no time, rush release it, play only a handful of shows and never tour at all. But this album ROCKS! Its one of our(Balkun Brothers) go to records to get us through long drives while on the road. The first song “ballad of the birds of Satan”, a nine-and-a-half minute face-melting, brain-quaking, earth-rumbling rock-out alone is worth checking this album out.
Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways
Some of the best music the Foos have put out yet and also one of the best television series that has been put together ever. Listening to the album is great, but watching the show that goes along with it and getting to see all the different stories and history of the places that this album was recorded and inspired by is truly inspiring for any musician or music lover anywhere. If you have not seen/heard this, do it…now.
Johnny Winter – Step Back
The legendary bluesman and rock n roll icon Johnny Winter (also a longtime resident of our home state of CT) unfortunately passed away this year, but not without leaving one last album for the world. It’s probably his best work since his “comeback” (and recorded entirely in CT as well). A collection of blues classics and rock n roll standards that inspired him, and features an all-star line up of guest sit-ins like Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, Joe Perry, Joe Bonamassa, Ben Harper, and so on. But my favorite track I think is with just Johnny himself, alone, with an old resonator guitar doing the most authentic cover of Son House’s “Death Letter” that I’ve ever heard. I was very saddened when I heard he passed away, I consider him one of my biggest influences and, in my opinion, the best blues-rock guitar player to ever live, it’s great to hear such a vibrant record come from such a man so soon before the end. I can only hope to rock as hard and as long as Johnny Winter!
Alex Cohen – Tetramer
Snarky Puppy – We Like It HereI’m a little surprised at myself that this made the top for me but it just fuckin’ does. I think I paid for their next album with how many times I listened to this on Spotify. My brother introduced this incredible jazz-fusion collective to me with this record, and it’s a fuckin’ DOOZY. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuhHU_BZXSk – Go watch that right now. I don’t care if you are reading this on the toilet. I cannot get over that piece.
Devin Townsend – Z2
The followup to HevyDevy’s fantastic nerd-space-opera, Ziltoid the Omniscient. One disc is that, complete with hilarious voice acting, crushing riffage, and grandiose flatulence. Check out, “Deathray,” for the BALLS. The other disc is the next entry in the Devin Townsend Project catalog, Sky Blue. It may be his finest work. Anneke Van Giersbergen (The Gathering) is back in the fold for like half of the lead vocals and she’s tremendous. Check out “Fallout” and let that chorus take you away. I also have to include Casualties of Cool, another record he released this year. It’s completely different from anything he’s ever done. It’s like Johnny Cash from the future on a spaceship with a slick jazzy female vocalist name Che Aimee Dorval, and Swedish Drum Scientist Morgen Agren on percussion.
Ryan Adams – Ryan Adams
I’m a weirdo because my favorite RA album is Rock ’n Roll. This one has supplanted it. He channels all the right influences (Buckingham, Petty, Joe Walsh). Man I love this record. Completely insane bonus: Tal Wilkenfeld on bass!
Animals as Leaders – The Joy of Motion
Recent discovery for me. I just saw these guys and the drummer had me scraping the sticky floor of Webster Hall with my jaw. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a musician in that much control. The Joy of Motion indeed.
D’Angelo – Black Messiah
What can I say? It came out 3 days ago, and I’ve listened roughly 12 times. It’s utterly wonderful on every level. Outstanding players, great and timely lyrics, incredible vocal layering and melody (second to nobody), and the production is fantastic. They recorded the whole thing to 2 inch reel. They recorded over 50 songs over 14 years and selected these 12. It’s going to take time for me to digest it more, but I already know that it’s easily in the top 5. Pino Palladino does wonderful work on bass. ?uestlove holds down the groove like he always does. D’Angelo has evolved and taken his craft to the next level. I’m absolutely gushing about this album right now.
Chris Bousquet – American Elm
Beck – Morning PhaseI’m not a Beck mega-fan. I own only a few of his records, and I only regularly listen to two of them: this one, and 2002’s Sea Change. And I listen to them a lot. I’ll skip the long explanation, but I have a big hangup with artists striving for the idea of the thing (“authentic roots music”) instead of the thing itself. The odd thing about Beck is that he transcends my hangup. I hear obvious references to Nick Drake, American Music Club, Big Star, The Zombies, etc., but somehow it all works. That’s the thing with Beck, he openly aims at the idea of the thing, and then kind of smashes right through it.
Marissa Nadler – July
It was late Spring, I started my car in the parking lot, turned to “Echoes” on WSHU and “Drive” by Marissa Nadler came on. And for the next 5:37 I just sat there. If a “driveway moment” occurs when a song is so good that you have to sit in your car and wait for it to finish, before turning off the engine. A “parking lot moment” occurs when a song is so good that you are unable to put the car in gear and drive to your house. There are at least six “parking lot moment” caliber songs on this record.
Courtney Barnett – A Sea of Split Peas
Another “Echoes” discovery.” It’s a bit funny that I regularly listen to a radio show known mostly for experimental and ambient music, only to stumble upon interesting singer/songwriters and pop/rock acts. Barnett sings slice of life narratives that are somehow humorous without be being joky. Plus she plays guitar like she’s auditioning for a Feelies tribute band, and I can’t help but love that.
Philip Selway – Weatherhouse
Yes, the drummer from Radiohead made a weird and utterly beautiful record. And yes, even the drummer from Radiohead is ridiculously gifted.
Big Scary – Not Art
The second Australian act on my list (Courtney Barnett is the other). Big Scary is all over the place musically. Sometimes they remind me of Bon Iver and at other times they sound like some kind of dance band version of Joy Division. And who doesn’t want to dance to Joy Division.
Derek Warren – Shag Frenzy
APHEX TWIN – Syro (Warp) – Richard D. James made a new album under the Aphex Twin name for the first time since 2001. Of course it made my top 5. But here’s the deal: it should make anyone’s top 5 if they are an electronic music fan. This is an amazing piece of invention and reinvention. The past few years in the UK electronic scene have been dreadful (cough-dubstep-cough) and RDJ gave me hope for the future. Cornish acid is back.
EX HEX – Rips (Merge) – Mary Timony, her of early-to-mid 90’s indie act Helium and, also, of my heart during my 20’s, brought us the best pop record of the year as far as I am concerned. Full of hooks and sass. And yes, she still has my heart.
OBLITERATIONS – Poison Everything (Southern Lord) – Ex-dudes from Black Mountain. The nastiest assault on my senses in 2014. Heavy as fuck, loud as hell, and an utterly maniacal delivery. Thirty-two seconds into “Black Out” is why this record will kill you. And you probably deserved it.
PARQUET COURTS – Sunbathing Animal (Rough Trade) – It’s so Pitchfork of me to throw this in my top 5 but, being a Pavement fan, I have to. This is the east coast version of the Malkmus juggernaut. Lo-fi indie rock with a youthful energy. It sounds like 1993.
PERFUME GENIUS – Too Bright (Matador) – One gay Seattle man makes up Perfume Genius. This record is a delicate one, tackling homophobia and a sheltered existence with beauty. With guests like Portishead’s Adrian Utley and PJ Harvey’s long-time collaborator John Parish, Too Bright shines in the midst of murky subject matter.
Lonesome Noise 