Best Music of 2014

[Philip Clark]

AllMusic.com is beginning to roll out their annual list.

 

http://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2014/allmusic-best-of-2014

 

http://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2014/favorite-rap-hip-hop-albums

http://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2014/favorite-electronic-albums

http://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2014/favorite-folk-albums

http://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2014/favorite-latin-and-world-albums

http://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2014/favorite-jazz-albums

http://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2014/favorite-indie-pop-and-indie-rock-albums

 

with more to come (will update)

 

What are your personal stand-outs this year? Favorite Albums, songs, artists?

 

[Musicale]

I guess zero replies says it all...

 

Musicale

[CEB]

Beethoven and Chuck Berry already wrote all the good songs.

[George88]

The Sturgill Simpson record is great.

 

[Philip Clark]

Thank you, George.

 

I know there are still a few people on this board who actually LIKE music. D-Bon, I'm actually looking for your help here, brother. MAJUSCULE? You too.

 

I'll have my list probably by the end of the week. Those of you that don't believe there's still good music coming out: it's your own damned fault.

[Philip Clark]

NPR has a pretty great little web app for their choice of best songs of 2014. You can even search by genre.

 

http://apps.npr.org/best-songs-2014/

[CEB]

It all kind of went to Hell after Arnold Schoenberg.

 

However there is some some catchy fun stuff to be found here and there amoung the lower musical art forms.

[dongna]

Here's the problem I have with being able to contribute to this: 99% of music which I enjoy and was first exposed to in 2014, was not released in 2014.

[CEB]

I here that. Right now I am still catching up with 2012.

 

Hiromi The Trio Project is killer but what I am listening to is probably 3-5 years old.

 

I know a lot of the latest pop stuff but...... well it pays.

[Bucktunes]

Jazz Funk Soul featuring Jeff Lorber, Chuck Loeb & Everette Harp

 

[Dana.]

I know there are still a few people on this board who actually LIKE music. D-Bon, I'm actually looking for your help here, brother.

Did someone say my name?

 

NOT Jarrod Lawson... (I kid, I kid.)

 

I don't do a best-of list anymore. Also, I already shared a lot of my favorites in the current listening thread, so that's why I didn't feel compelled to post here. In fact, I see that several of those albums are on the Allmusic lists.

 

I'll cast my vote for most overrated album of the year though: The War on Drugs.

[Brettymike]

AllMusic.com is beginning to roll out their annual list.

 

http://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2014/allmusic-best-of-2014

 

http://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2014/favorite-rap-hip-hop-albums

http://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2014/favorite-electronic-albums

http://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2014/favorite-folk-albums

http://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2014/favorite-latin-and-world-albums

http://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2014/favorite-jazz-albums

http://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2014/favorite-indie-pop-and-indie-rock-albums

 

with more to come (will update)

 

What are your personal stand-outs this year? Favorite Albums, songs, artists?

 

Lorde and her music is my favourite for this year - Outstanding.

 

Brett

[Philip Clark]

Apparently after rolling out several lists yesterday, they're only rolling a new list once a day. I'm anxiously awaiting their R&B list.

 

http://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2014/favorite-box-sets

[arX]

NPR has a pretty great little web app for their choice of best songs of 2014. You can even search by genre.

 

http://apps.npr.org/best-songs-2014/

Thanks for this, really enjoying it. This is nice:

 

Chance The Rapper - Wonderful Everyday: Arthur ft. The Social Experiment

 

[video:youtube]

[ProfD]

I know there are still a few people on this board who actually LIKE music.

Dream, I still love music and always will. I also keep my ears to the street too.

 

But, I've heard more music and wider variety of it in my lifetime than most people twice my age.

 

So, it is harder for me to be impressed by "new" music that sounds like recycled and retro- clichés of yesteryear.

 

Every now and then, I'll hear something nice but it is not enough to make a list.

[Adan]

Jazz Funk Soul featuring Jeff Lorber, Chuck Loeb & Everette Harp

 

 

Based on a brief listen, it sounds like Lorber is doing pretty much exactly what he was doing 30 years ago. If you like it, that's great. I certainly did for quite awhile. Had a few of his albums (in vinyl) at one point.

 

Anyway, this just confirms why threads like this are not for me. I don't have time or inclination to cover the waterfront. If there's a thread entitled Best New Orleans music of 2014, I'll be in.

[Philip Clark]

OkayPlayer's Top 14 albums of 2014.

 

http://www.okayplayer.com/news/year-end-top-14-best-albums-of-2014.html

[arX]

There were a lot of releases I enjoyed this year from the likes of Frank McComb, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Kimbra, Flying Lotus, Taylor McFerrin, Bobby Hutcherson, Ava Luna, Archie Pelago, Fatima, Cory Henry, Mndsgn and of course D'Angelo's "Black Messiah" (as of this morning and all day since); a satisfying fix for a very long jonesing.

 

There was also a great cover of Arthur Russell's This Is How We Walk On The Moon by José González in a tribute compilation that for some reason was the first thing to come to mind when I saw this topic:

 

[video:youtube]

[Bobadohshe]

How 'bout that D'Angelo

[Throbert]

Thank you, George.

 

I know there are still a few people on this board who actually LIKE music. D-Bon, I'm actually looking for your help here, brother. MAJUSCULE? You too.

 

I'll have my list probably by the end of the week. Those of you that don't believe there's still good music coming out: it's your own damned fault.

You have to remember to bring a backhoe when looking for good music.

[Dana.]

There were a lot of releases I enjoyed this year from the likes of Frank McComb, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Kimbra, Flying Lotus, Taylor McFerrin, Bobby Hutcherson, Ava Luna, Archie Pelago, Fatima, Cory Henry, Mndsgn and of course D'Angelo's "Black Messiah" (as of this morning and all day since); a satisfying fix for a very long jonesing.

 

There was also a great cover of Arthur Russell's This Is How We Walk On The Moon by José González in a tribute compilation that for some reason was the first thing to come to mind when I saw this topic:

 

[video:youtube]

Oh shit, some Ava Luna love! I love those kids.

[Sam Mullins]

Feel like I didn't have time to listen to as music this year; unfortunately too many long hours at work. But some favorites were:

 

- Andrew Bird: Things Are Really Great Here, Sort Of

- Sarah Jarosz: Build Me Up From Bones (was probably late 2013)

- Mehliana: Taming the Dragon

- Spoon: They Want My Soul

- Lake Street Dive: Bad Self Portraits

[arX]

Oh shit, some Ava Luna love! I love those kids.

They're great! Do you have a favourite tune or performance?

[Dana.]

Oh shit, some Ava Luna love! I love those kids.

They're great! Do you have a favourite tune or performance?

No, though I prefer Ice Level to Electric Balloon. I've seen them live many times. They're from Brooklyn.

[David R]

Lots of albums that came out this year that I still haven't had time to listen to, including:

Vijay Iyer - Radhe Radhe: Rites of Holi

Fred Hersch - My Coma Dreams

Miguel Zenon - Identities are Changeable

Taylor McFerrin - Early Riser

David Virelles - Biankomeko

Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band - Landmarks

(I imagine most of those would land on a top 10 list, alongside Ambrose Akinmusire - The Imagined Savior is Far Easier to Paint, Billy Hart - One is the Other, and Alfredo Rodriguez - The Invasion Parade)

 

My discoveries of the year are easily the Brazilian pianist/composer André Mehmari and the guitarist/composer Chico Pinheiro. Truly stunning musicians.

[Bucktunes]

Jazz Funk Soul featuring Jeff Lorber, Chuck Loeb & Everette Harp

 

 

Based on a brief listen, it sounds like Lorber is doing pretty much exactly what he was doing 30 years ago.

Maybe, maybe not. It's hardly fair to judge the whole CD based on a snippet. And even if you're right, there are several reasons why I don't have a problem with it;

- If his style is that recognizable, that means he has a musical identity - certainly not a bad thing! He's found his niche, and he owns it.

- Good music is timeless. IMO that's one reason why retro is so popular now.

- Few jazzers have created a sound that is both sophisticated and accessible to people who aren't necessarily jazzers. Fewer still have a style with 30 years of longevity. Lorber is one who has done that, and I applaud him.

- And yes, I do like it!

[Sam Mullins]

Oh shit, some Ava Luna love! I love those kids.

They're great! Do you have a favourite tune or performance?

No, though I prefer Ice Level to Electric Balloon. I've seen them live many times. They're from Brooklyn.

 

Hey....just listening to some of their youtube clips and thoroughly enjoying. Will be purchasing. Thanks guys.

[Dana.]

Hey....just listening to some of their youtube clips and thoroughly enjoying. Will be purchasing. Thanks guys.

 

And for the curious:

 

[video:youtube]

[Philip Clark]

Pretty fair list. I'm not mad at it.

 

http://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2014/favorite-r-b-albums

 

 

[Philip Clark]

I know there are still a few people on this board who actually LIKE music. D-Bon, I'm actually looking for your help here, brother.

I'll cast my vote for most overrated album of the year though: The War on Drugs.

 

FKA Twigs. (see what I did there?)

 

Actually, she's at the top of this list.

 

http://blog.nu-soulmag.com/top-20-nu-soul-releases-of-2014-editors-picks/