Albums I Liked in 2014
By I’m not going to make any claims to a “Best of” list for 2014 because there are too many albums out there and my budget is too small to buy very many of them. But here are some 2014 albums I liked, in the order I thought of them. I’m not providing much commentary because I suck at writing about music.
St. Vincent, St. Vincent
My album of the year.
Wussy, Attica!
Of course.
Drive-by Truckers, English Oceans
Not one of their greatest albums, but that still leaves it as quite good.
Tom Ze, Vira Lata na Via Lactea
This ancient Brazilian weirdo is still covering new ground.
Tangerine, Behemoth!
A little indie pop band out of Seattle that I heard on KEXP and just thought were a lot of fun.
Angaleena Presley, American Middle Class
A country album actually about class. Huh. My only criticism is that the linked song below, in its recorded version, opens with Presley’s father talking about working in the coal mines. That’s not middle class. That’s working class. Even in an album about class, it always has to be about the middle class. If coal mining isn’t working class, what is? Well, it’s black people on welfare, which is the subtext of this song and it’s frustrating. This country sometimes. Good album though.
The New Pornographers, Brill Bruisers
Always fun. Also, Neko Case’s pants.
The War on Drugs, Lost in the Dream
Good rock album
Lydia Loveless, Someone Else
Awful lot of potential here.
Sturgill Simpson, Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
Just heard this for the first time. Maybe the best country album of the year. Very Waylon.
Jerry Lee Lewis, The Knox Phillips Sessions
Archival release of the year. Jerry Lee recorded this in the late 70s with Sam Phillips’ son. “Bad Leroy Brown” is a really stupid song. Unless The Killer makes it about himself. Then it’s insane.