Whaddya Listenin' to in 2014?

[alexdingley]

There are some great names in this list so far... things I might have to check out. My guitar player has been making me listen to Midlake: Antiphone. It took a couple listens, but it's really growing on me. great textures and decent melodies. Also, I've been digging into St. Vincent's previous albums... the new one is pretty good, but Actor and Marry Me are amaze-balls!

[A.David.MacKinnon]

I'm really loving the last few records by Phosphorescent. Cool songs and really interesting production.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcdOLKx2XG8

[vvv]

Shonna Tucker & Eye Candy, A Tell All: from the former DBT bassist and ex of former DBT guitarist/writer Jason Isbell, her with former DBT guitar guy John Neff (who is excellent), a very cool collection of Southern rock, lotsa alt.country and not too much chick-flick stuff, nice production.

Patti Smith, Twelve: quite possible the best covers-record ever.

Blowoff, Blowoff: quite possibly the gayest record in my collection, because even next to Boy George or whomever, this one is like, really, gay. What isn't a bad thing; that's the point; it's gay-themed club music with some Husker Du-ish guitars and Mould singing about half of it, Richard Morel the other half. I more than half like it, too - it sometiimes actually rocks damn, eh, hard.

The National, Alligator: interesting to see hwere they come from, I like 'em a lot better on the 3 records after this, not least because here they just sound ordinary.

Nebula, Heavy Psych: indeed. I'm not necessarily a stoner-rock fan, altho' I like QOTSA (to the extent they still are stoner-rock) and its predecessor Kyuss well enuff, and the guitars are plenty heavy and the vocals plenty funny - but this drummer rocks.

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Mojo: if you haven't heard this, you are missing one of his best, with great songs and live performances, and awesome production. I can't believe Petty doesn't rule the airwaves, I'm sad that he doesn't, and thankful he keeps putting out some of the best American rock band music, ever.

Gov't. Mule, Shout!: I didn't play this for about a month and a half and then I did and I regret wasting that month and a half. Everything I said about Petty, above, and near-virtuoso musicianship, without even talking about the amazing bonus disc of other singers doing alternative takes.

[vvv]

Neil Young, Live at Massey Halll: I was prepared to say, "eh", but this is really damn good, well recorded and Neil even cracks a few jokes as he blows yer mind with his clear-voiced solo performances on guitar or piano.

Iggy & the Stooges, The Weirdness: like all Iggy albums, this had to grow on me such that I can ignore his often weak rhymes and weird lyrics and just dig the over-all vibe what is the Ig + the Stooges. Excellent sound, too, as exemplary a Albini recording as anything else. And there are, to be sure, some classic Iggy lines; I crack up at "stinky cheese". I listened to Mudhoney's Vanishing Point right after, also, and just loved the continuity! RIP the Asheton bro's.

Bruce Springsteen, High Hopes: I held off on buying this due to reviews, especially them what said it had a number of old songs and from long-ago sessions. That was a mistake - this is really good, and Morello, weird as the concept is, really adds to the collection on the half its songs he's on. And the older tunes, for example the ones with Clarence? Seamless in the album, and cool songs, also. I like this better than the last 3 or 4 Broooooce albums.

Nine Inch Nails, Hesitation Marks: very cool, but I've almost always loved Reznor's NIN, not least for his lyrics and angst, but especially for his arrangement sense. The sound, this time around, tho', seems a little dated - if you get the chance, check out the superior (IMNSHO) ACL show with the Stones' Lisa Fischer, and Pino Palladino and Josh Freese on live drums and also Robin Finck, whose place on the album is taken by, really?, Lindsey Buckingham.

[alexdingley]

Oh,,, lots of Elbow... How were these guys not on my RADAR before??