// Category Archive for: Best Of Lists

Best Of 2014: Johnette Napolitano, Concrete Blonde

Top Ten Happy Things of 2014 (that I can recall)

1. The good folks at Pioneer Feed in Joshua Tree finding me an awesome new truck, ending almost two years of vehicle hell.
2. Watching my horse, True, mellow out into the sweetheart I always knew he could be.
3. Singing the “Ave Maria” live in Lexington, Kentucky.
4. Seeing and hanging out with my old school pals Toto out here in the desert.
5. Finding amazing Flamencos to open for me in Las Vegas, and the cool ride back to the hotel with the security guys in the squad car.
6. Emo Roadie
7. Best show I’ve ever played with Flamenco LA at Hotel Cafe, Hollywood
8. Ride up to No Cal with Ben Woods and getting all schooled up on music on the way. . . and hanging with old bandmate Jerry Harrison
9. East Coast with Laurie Sargent, accidentally finding we needed to get on a ferry two minutes before it left.
10. Too many ghost stories.

Johnette Napolitano is in the middle of a solo North American tour. Her book, Rough Mix, is available on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Best Of 2014: Steve Wynn, The Dream Syndicate

1. Minus 5, Scott The Hoople in the Dungeon of Horror
2. The War On Drugs, Lost In The Dream
3. The Black Keys, Turn Blue
4. Ryan Adams, Ryan Adams
5. Leonard Cohen, Popular Problems
6. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Hypnotic Eye
7. Tamikrest, Chatma
8. Beck, Morning Phase
9. Sun Kil Moon, Benji
10. Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks, Wig Out At Jagbags

Steve Wynn has played with The Dream Syndicate and Miracle 3, among others. His previously unavailable 1990s recording sessions have recently been released on Omnivore Recordings as Sketches In Spain.

Best Of 2014: Martin Hollis

Every year I post my top five games of the year onto Twitter or Facebook, with little in the way of explanation. This year, I need to change that. The year itself has been a strange one: the titles I expected to be writing about such as Arkham Knight, Evolve, and next year’s obvious game of the year, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, all faced delays. It was a pattern across the industry, with more time needed for polish, and the titles that did manage to sneak out in time for the Christmas season have suffered major issues with performance, online play, or glitches. In fact, only Nintendo have seemed to have avoided this fate, although CEO Satoru Iwata’s mantra of “more time needed: please understand,” was one even the house of Mario couldn’t avoid, and several titles promised at an exciting E3 linger in the ether of 2015.

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Best Of 2014: Melissa Bratcher

Omaha Live

10. Friday Night Lights
This is the year that, when I wasn’t watching chickens (see #5), I was watching Friday Night Lights. I also bought an ill-advised pair of cowboy boots because of it. Thanks, Netflix, for making FNL so bingeable. I aspire to be as amazing as Tami Taylor, and I miss her. Tim Riggins, thanks for the smoulder and for being an unlikely moral compass. Jason Street, thanks for the pathos. Matt Saracen, thanks for being the character that makes me cry just thinking about you (and thanks for singing to your awesome Grandma. She’s the best). Coach Taylor, thanks for being inspiring. Tyra Colette, thanks for being completely kick ass. I hope you’re a politician somewhere. Landry, thanks for being Lance. Buddy Garrity, thanks for growing on me. Vince, thanks for letting me know where Wallace is. And damn, Julie. Damn.

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Best Of 2014: Tyler Hodg

Foxy Shazam

2014 was a year filled with big name releases. Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen, The Black Keys, and U2 all presented new offerings in the way of albums. Despite having recognizable names, no major artist was able to capture my attention like the “little guys” were able to this year. Here are my favorite albums of 2014 that you might have missed.

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Best Of 2014: Brad Henderson

The Treatment

I watch quite a few movies in a year’s time, subjected to an endless amount of horror and indie flicks. I review a lot of them, too, so when I actually have time to watch what I want, I scour the depths of VOD and check out the newest horror releases there, or maybe catch something I didn’t get to see in the theater. I also go to a few festivals throughout the year so I get to see some of my favorites there, too. One of those festivals is Fantastic Fest from which a good portion of my Top Ten movies come.

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Best Of 2014: The Bots

Mikaiah:

Deerhoof, La Isla Bonita
Sick, classic Deerhoof sound, funky and rock and roll, sporadic guitars and drums, random melodies, and on top of that, they been killing it for 20 years. This album is everything them: very fun, very upbeat, mellow, nice. . . just the right amount of everything.

Bombay Bicycle Club, So Long, See You Tomorrow
Our friend Jack in BBC is a wonderful singer/songwriter and I am definitely supporting this album. It’s got a lot of different vibes. Cool stuff for sure!

The Afghan Whigs, Do To The Beast
One of the older rock bands I didn’t get to hear right away, but when I did, I was blown away! I loved it when I saw them play for the first time and it was rock and roll soul, very nice music.

Alvvays, Alvvays
I just found out about this band from Googling “2014 best albums.” I like what I hear so I’ll get down with it. They have a really great album cover, which is awesome to get the attention of someone that doesn’t know the band.

Damon Albarn, Everyday Robots
The man Damon is a genius. Anything he does is a hit in his own right. Lovely to have worked with him when I did and would love to see him again and share music.

Anaiah:

OFF!, Wasted Years
The guys in OFF! are excellent. Heard them play a lot of this material at their last show in L.A. Everything from the rhythm of the drums to the riffs of the guitars: it’s just a full on rocking album.

Damon Albarn, Everyday Robots
When they released the video for the song “Everyday Robots,” I loved it! The music isn’t somber, but the vibe might make you feel that way, and I mean that in the best way possible. It’s just atypical, can’t compare it. And as usual, the melodies are way too good! 🙂

Cherry Glazerr, Haxel Princess
I saw these guys a while back at a small venue in Silverlake. Everything they make is just so happy. Even if it’s not meant to be happy, it just makes you want to bounce up and down. Bought the cassette when it came out; such a great record.

Mac DeMarco, Salad Days
This is a guy I’d love to meet; Mikaiah and I love his music. His studio set up is pretty boss, too. He knows how to make good tunes with outstanding guitar riffs that make you want to swim in a cloud. That’s a ridiculous analogy, but the far out, space-like vibes from the tracks off this record are very awesome!

Trash Talk, No Peace
Awesome guys to begin with, and this record is just an overall solid hardcore album. Monster riffs and Lee screaming down the place! It’ll make you want to get in a fight with someone by the fourth song!

The Bots are Los Angeles brothers and bandmates Mikaiah and Anaiah Lei (17 and 21 years old). Their latest single is “All I Really Want.” For more on the band, check out the interview they did with the L.A. Times earlier this year.

Best Of 2014: Willie Nile

Jeff Tweedy, Sukierae
Sturgill Simpson, Metamodern Sounds In Country Music
The New Basement Tapes, Lost On The River
Anthony D’Amato, The Shipwreck From The Shore
Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters, Lullaby And. . . The Ceaseless Roar
U2, Songs Of Innocence
Tom Petty, Hypnotic Eye
Lucinda Williams, Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone
Jackson Browne, Standing In The Breach

Willie Nile‘s latest album, If I Was A River, was released on November 11.

Best Of 2014: Ronnie Fauss

It was a GREAT year for new music!

TIER 1 –DESERT ISLAND SHORTLIST
1. The Old 97’s, Most Messed Up
2. Old Crow Medicine Show, Remedy
3. Drive By Truckers, English Oceans
4. Counting Crows, Somewhere Under Wonderland

TIER 2 – STRONG TO QUITE STRONG
5. Conor Oberst, Upside Down Mountain
6. Ryan Adams, Ryan Adams

TIER 3 – THOROUGHLY ENJOYABLE
7. First Aid Kit, Stay Gold
8. Looking Into You: A Tribute To Jackson Browne
9. Beck, Morning Phase

TIER 4 – NOT IN ANY WAY OFFENSIVE
10. THREE WAY TIE: Justin Townes Earle, Single Mothers / Tom Petty, Hypnotic Eye / Jenny Lewis, Voyager

Ronnie Fauss‘s latest album, Built to Break, was reviewed on Popshifter in November.

Best Of 2014: Danny Benair, The Three O’Clock

In no order:

St. Vincent
St. Vincent at Fuji Festival
JD McPherson at The Echo
JD McPherson, “I Wish You Would”
Ty Segall, Manipulator
Ty Segall at The Echo
Cherry Glazerr, “Had Ten Dollaz”
Birdman, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu
Tomorrow’s Tulips, “Baby/Glued To You” video
Burger Records
Homeland, 2014 season

A former member of The Three O’Clock, The Quick, The Weirdos, and other bands, Danny Benair owns and operates Natural Energy Lab, a music marketing company, and manages The Danny Benair Record Club on Facebook.