These are my favorite tunes from 2014. And this is the obligatory tip of the hat to Chaz Felix for introducing me to the "annual greatest hits" format many years ago.
2007 Edition
2008 Edition
2009 Edition
2010 Edition
2011 Edition
(Guess I skipped 2012)
2013 Edition
Think I'll make Spotify playlists out of the legacy editions. Kinda funny to read these to see how much easier it is to share music online these days...
Live Music
Unlike last year, I saw quite a few live shows in 2014. Here are a few of my favorite pics:
Don't need no coffee, don't need no coal. This mother f*cker runs on rock and roll.
Will Hoge. Snapchat from Kelly.
Mastodon at Hopscotch.
Straight Teeth at Lincoln Theater.
Weezer worship.
Ev living the dream.
So much beer.
Haim. Another caption from Kelly.
Valient Himself.
DBT in Raleigh with Erin and Evan.
Tom Petty from box seats.
Basically a mid-30s white people karaoke concert. So much fun.
Favorite Records
Here are a few of my favorite new jams from 2014. Brief notes below the Spotify playlist.
Diarrhea Planet -- Aliens in the Outfield
DP is modern bro rock at is finest -- tough vocals, gratuitous guitar wankery, moments of unexpected musicality, offensive band name, etc. Spooners is my favorite from this EP. My #1 concert goal for 2015 is a Diarrhea Planet show.
Sturgill Simpson -- Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
Probably my favorite record from 2014. Turtles All the Way Down offers a complex religious / identity question couched in a golden age country music sound. A Little Light sounds like a song my grandma might have liked. Sturgill blew it out as an opener for Jason Isbell at DPAC this fall...and arguably stole the show. Seeing him at the Lincoln in Raleigh in February -- I'm excited because he's going to be playing very big stages going forward.
Mastodon -- Once More Round the Sun
While this isn't even close to Mastodon's best record, I really like it -- if only based on the strength of the first four songs. The Motherload is the most mainstream-ready song they've ever done...and it is my favorite from the record.
Hiss Golden Messenger -- Lateness of Dancers
Love MC Taylor's voice and the easy delivery on this record. They did a great version of Southern Grammar on Letterman a couple months back. These guys are based in Durham -- hopefully I can buy 'em a beer in 2015.
DBTs -- English Oceans
The strongest DBT effort in several years. The Cooley songs are especially good. Shit Shots Count sounds like an Exile On Main Street b-side.
Best Concert of 2014:
Getting Cat started early.
Here's to lots of good jams in 2015. Happy new year!