moonra’s top 2014 listens

This last month has been an avalanche of music listening, although exciting, mentally tolling while listening with a critical ear when evaluating what will end up on my year end list. 2014 seems to have been the transition phase of exclusively purchasing music on vinyl (unless not available) for home listening while continuously streaming music via phone and computer. I think it has been a very exciting year for music, trimming at least 25+ off of my lists, so trust me the choices are made are intentional as well as critical. I also matched a pick with Mike, John, Tim and Brent, hope you guys look deeper into these. Finally, I apologize ahead of time (zorro) if any of these releases were pre-2014, I know how upsetting that can be. 🙂 (Oh yeah, also apologize for the shitty videos, wish I could just post audio)

Must have:
I’m Just Like You: Sly’s Stone Flower 1969-70.

This release was in my hands for purchase seconds after discovering it on the featured shelf at a local record store. Although quite different at times from the Family Stone, Sly’s producer role is not only brilliant but genius. The instrumentals are as good as everything else. Don’t let this one slip by. Teaser!

Should listen: Buck Owens – Early Recordings (Jan. 2014) Yes, there are hundreds of releases of Buck Owens’ music, however, this one became one of my ole friends. This digital release became the perfect alternative and easy go to from all the time, just had to share! Why Don’t My Mommy Stay with My Daddy and Me

LP’s (10)
1. TV On The Radio – Seeds.   It seems these guys have the Jagger/Richards, McCartney/Lennon, Stanley/Simmons 🙂 magic touch of music, everything they touch seems to turn out awesome, same with this album. Listen to the obvious ones: Careful You and Happy Idiot they are hard to leave alone.
2. The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Revelation.  They mastered their sound, and continuously reshape it to produce meaningful and moving songs. I probably listened to this 2014 release more than any other. Memory Camp and Vad Hände Med Dem?
3. Parquet Courts – Content Nausea.   Finally, a current band that can channel early Devo without completely becoming consumed with it’s commitment, they’re all over the place – my favorite type of band. Zorro, this one’s for you. Everyday it starts and Pretty Machines
4. Swans – To Be Kind. wow. A Little God in my hands
5. Naomi Sheton & The Gospel Queens – Cold World.   Solid and amazing and voice! Heaven is Mine and I Don’t know.
6. The Durutti Column – Chronical LX: XL.   Fanfare (Mike)
7. ZU – Goodnight, Civilization.
8. Zig Zags – s/t.   Old skool metal delight. Such a complete album, couldn’t leave it off the list. The Fog
9. Melvins – Hold It In.   The Melvins never seem to run out of new ideas and new songs. I find myself being drawn to their more experimental material, which is mostly everything. This whole album is rich with new vibes and new melvins. You Can Make Me Wait
10. Prince – Art Official Age.   Weird as ever, but beautiful prince. Time

and I totally forgot – Helms Alee –  Sleepwalking Sailors!   Another amazing release by this band!

Honorable Mention: D’Angelo – Black Messiah.  Recent discovery, I’m really drawn to it, we’ll see how it stands the test of time for my taste. But I like the mix of soul, r/b, hip hop and everything else coming through.

Songs (10)

1. The Blind Shake – Old Lake (Revelation)
2. Tom Brosseau – Stuck On The Roof Again (Grass Punks)
3. Bob Mould – Forgiveness (Beauty and Ruin)
4. Castanets – It’s Good To Touch You in the Sunlight (Decimation Blues)
5. Reigning Sound – Never Coming Home (Shattered) (Tim)
6. Sharon Van Etten – Your Love is Killing Me (Are We There) This album came very close to my album list, but it’s hard to ignore the mediocre songwriting in between the good ones. I love the pathway to PJ Harvey in her style. Regardless, a great lp from an artist I was worried about.
7. Pig Destroyer – Mass and Volume (Mass and Volume) It’s not just that I got to see them perform this live, it’s truly EPIC!
8. Owls – Four Works Of Art (Two) I appreciate the SY vibe.
9. Goat – Goatchild (Commune)
10. Stian Westerhus and Pale Horses – On and On (Maelstrom) Okay, if we look beyond the Chris Cornell reflection, oh wait, it’s impossible. Still the song and album stuck with me this last couple months, but I’m about through with it. You can listen to this one on Spotify (please do).

Jazzzz (a baker’s dozen)
1. Made To Break – Cherchez La Femme
2. Audio One – The Midwest School/An International Report
3. Frode Gjerstad / Paal Nilssen-Love Project : Hasselt
4. Chicago Underground Duo – Locus
5. Balliser – Both Ends
6. Radius and Fred Lonberg-Holm – Just Outside The Door (p-rock, this is the one I pick for you, really amazing album, I will bring the vinyl for ya)
7. Peter Brotzmann / Sonny Sharrock – Whatthefuckdoyouwant?
8. Marc Ducret – The Evil Art contest
9. KonstruKt/Marshall Allen/Hüseyin Ertunç/Barlas Tan Özemek – Vibrations Of The Day
10. Tim Daisy – October Music (Vol 1) 7 Compositions For Duet
11. Mikolaj Trzaska & Tim Daisy – In The Moment
12. Ken Vandermark / Håvard Wiik / Chad Taylor – In the Abstract
13. Russ Johnson – Meeting Point

fin

Digging Gary Bartz….

I recently bought COLTRANE RULES – TAO OF A MUSIC WARRIOR by Gary Bartz…I have long enjoyed Gary Bartz, he has moved quite beautifully between what I like to think of as Afro-Spirit music and freer things and some fairly straight ahead work. The Coltrane covers are really nice and in the hands of an inventive and respectful player like Bartz they are very fresh! Makes me think of another altoist (though Bartz does a fair amount of soprano work on this disc), Kenny Garrett, whose recording Pursuance: Music of John Coltrane is another beautiful offering of Trane’s music….so this is really a recommendation for both! By the way, Andy Bey does some singing on the Bartz recording!

Had to add this in….