My Favorite CD's of 2014

1.  Hal Ketchum - I'm the Troubadour (Music Road) - I first heard Hal's music in late 1990 or early 1991.  I was working for a country radio station in Grayling.  I didn't really think of myself as a country music fan but driving around Northern Michigan I had lots of time to listen to our music.  I hadn't listened to his music since the early 90's but his latest came in the mail from the very cool Texas label Music Road and I made a point to take it home for a listen.  This is his first album in six years and his first non major label release.  I was hooked with the first listen and new it would be one of my favorites this year.  Little did I know that it would top the list.  Hal seems very comfortable with music that brings together country, rock and soul influences.  It really is sad that articulate artists like Hal, Vince Gill, and Lee Ann Womack can't find a place on country radio anymore.

2. The Choir - Shadow Weaver (Galaxy 21) - These indie rockers continue to put out great music 30+ years after their first album.  Shadow Weaver is among their best bringing together Steve Hindalong's thoughtful lyrics and Derri Daugherty's ethereal yet edgy guitar playing.  My favorite song is "Everybody's Got a Guru" with the alnum's lyrical highlight:

Living in the heartland

or in Islamabad

The voice of fear and hatred
It is not the voice of God
You can grease the hand
Of the preacher man
Who sees it like you do
I'm taking a big step backward
To expand my point of view

3.  Over the Rhine - Blood Oranges in the Snow (GSD) - This is Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist's third Christmas album, and I'm hoping they have several more in them.  This time around it is nice to hear more of Linford's singing.  His voice provides a nice harmony vocal to Karin's voice and he even steps out for the lead vocal on "Another Christmas."  My favorites include the soulfully sad take on Merle Haggard's "If We Make it Through December" and "Bethlehem."  But there's not a bad one on this disc.  This is the perfect soundtrack for late nights with the lights dimmed.

4.  Steve Taylor and the Perfect Foil - Goliath (Splint Entertainment) - The 20+ years between this and his previous album had some wondering if we would ever hear new music from him again.  Any new music will be compared with his career best with Chagall Guevara and Goliath stands up nicely.  "Only a Ride" kicks the album off in true rock fashion.  Thankfully they are already talking about doing another album.

5.  U2 - Songs of Innocence - I remember being amused by the reaction people had to how they received the album.  I'm not an I-Tunes person so my first thought was, "I'll take it off your hands."  After all, U2 is one of my favorite groups and Songs of Innocence is a nice step forward after the misstep of No Line on the Horizon.  There are lots of songs to like and my favorites include "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)", "Song for Someone", and "Iris."  Next time around I think they should drop the worries of commercial relevance and just put out music that moves their soul.  After a certain point you've earned the right not to worry about hit singles.

6.  St. Paul and the Broken Bones - Half the City (Thirty Tigers) - My friends Ron and Erin turned me on to this band.  They deliver Southern Soul with lots of horns and a singer that can grab you by the heart. You can tell Paul Janeway has spent time listening to soul greats like Otis Redding and Al Green, and to my ears you can't go wrong with that as your frame of reference.

7.  Bill Mallonee - Winnowing (Independent) - Winnowing fits in well among Bill's best and that says alot when you're talking about someone that Paste Magazine called one of the top 100 living songwriters.  Even with great critical acclaim he continues to make music in relative anonymity.  If you're not familiar with his music do yourself a favor and dig into his catalog.  The first thing I noticed about this disc is that his voice is weathered and weary.  He has a voice that owns songs like "Those Locust Years" and "From an Old Beat Up Ford" because you can tell he has lived what he sings.  The realness of his voice and music continues to draw me back for repeated listens.  

8.  Damien Jurado - Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son (Secretly Canadian) - I have one or two of Damien's previous discs and first heard this new one when NPR played "Silver Timothy."  I was hooked and made a point to look for it the next time I was at a record store.  This album brings together Indie Rock, Folk and Psychedelic influences that creates an album that is haunting.

9.  Bruce Springsteen - High Hopes (Columbia) -  This album brings together outtakes, covers and new versions of previous songs.  Springsteen draws creative energy from his collaborations with guitarist Tom Morello, who brings a renewed creative verve to songs like "The Ghost of Tom Joad."  I'm a late coming fan to Bruce's music but he definitely has me for any new music he'll put out.

10. Jonathan Rundman - Look Up (Salt Lady) - Jonathan was focused on the Finnish American Folk of his duo Kaivama, but with the demise of the group he has returned with his first singer songwriter album in ten years.  I especially enjoyed seeing that he enlisted Brent Bourgeois to sing on "Northbound Traffic."  The CD won't officially release til this month so it may find a place on my 2015 list.

11.  Rodney Crowell - Tarpaper Sky (New West)
12.  Walter Salas-Humara - Curve and Shae (Sonic Pyramid)
13.  Parker Milsap - Parker Milsap (Okra Homa)
14.  Gavin Mee - Mee Mantras (Birthings)
15.  Scott Musick - Americana Gold (Independent)
16.  Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis - Our Year (Thirty Tigers)

17.  Switchfoot - Fading West (Atlantic)
18. Lone Justice - This is Lone Justice: The Vaught Tapes (Omnivore)
19.  Wussy - Attica (Shake it Records)
20.  Sinead O'Connor - I'm Not Bossy, I'm the Boss (Nettwerk)

Honorable Mentions
Appleseed Collective - Young Love
The Blueflowers - At the Edge of Disaster
The Gaslight Anthem - Get Hurt
Jon Brooks - The Smiling and Beautiful Countryside

David Olney - When the Deal Goes Down
Flying Colors - Second Nature
Transatlantic - Kaleidescope
Matisyahu - Akeda

Claudia Schmidt - New Whirled Order
The Call - A Tribute to Michael Been
Billy Brandt and the Sugarees - The Time is Now

Funeral Bonsai Wedding - Funeral Bonsai Wedding
Stewart Francke - A Familiar Fire
Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellys - Here Between

Mary Gauthier - Trouble and Love
Nickel Creek - A Dotted Line
Lac La Belle - A Friend too Long
Need to Breathe - River in the Wasteland