Best Albums of 2014

Well I hope all of you had a very merry Christmas. I'm just catching my breath after all of the festivities and while everyone else seems to be at the sales, I at last have time to sit and ponder on the best new album releases of 2014.

I have to say, for my money it hasn't been a year of outstanding album releases. For a start there were a few disappointments which included a lacklustre album from Bruce Springsteen with the ironic title 'High Hopes'. Neil Young released not one but two albums but neither quite hit the heights of his best work. 'A Letter Home' featured some fine cover versions but was recorded in such a lo-fi way as to drastically reduce any enjoyment one might have had of listening to it. The other, 'Storytone' did feature Young's original material but sadly fell well short of what we have come to expect from him. The fact that we were presented with two versions of each song, one performed solo and the other performed in front of an orchestra or band, did little to alleviate the disappointment with the material.

Goat were a band I had high hopes for after their 2012 debut 'World Music'. Despite plaudits from a number of critics, I found the follow-up, 'Communion' to be just more of the same. I was also disappointed with '... And Star Power' from Foxygen who had impressed me greatly with last year's 'We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic'. Shame, but that gets the disappointments out of the way so we can move onto the good stuff.

The early part of the year saw the release of 'English Oceans' by the Drive-By Truckers. As I asked at the time, have they ever released a duff record? OK this may not be quite up there with their finest work but it is good to see Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley equally sharing the songwriting credits again. For some time it looked as though it might make it into my top slot.

The album 'Benji' by Mark Kozelek who operates under the moniker Sun Kil Moon was another early contender. Pitchfork were even daring enough to declare it one of the best albums of the decade so far. Heavy praise indeed! The subject matter of the album tends to be mortality so there are a few deaths to deal with but there is humour in there also. All in all it is a very fine album though fans of Sun Kil Moon don't need me to tell them that.

I was impressed with the return to form of Jack Bruce with his album 'Silver Rails' on which he was supported by several family members and friends. It was almost as if Jack was saying his goodbye and although he sounded strong on the album itself I watched a documentary about the making of the album and I thought he looked vary frail. Of course as we now know, he did not have long left with us which makes this album all the more poignant.

Another elder statesman, Leonard Cohen also returned with another fine album 'Popular Problems'. Full of bluesy themes and witty lyrics, the album carries on from where 'Old Ideas' left off which isn't a bad thing.  

Two British bands that are forging quite a reputation in the melodic jazz style are the Neil Cowley Trio and Gogo Penguin, Their respective 2014 albums, 'Touch & Flee' and 'V2.0' were very much on my playlist in a year when I have been absorbing myself in an awful lot of jazz music both old and new. Of course Ginger Baker also produced a very jazz influenced album this year with 'Why'.

I have already commented on the releases from Lucinda Williams, Jack White, Jolie Holland, Royal Blood, Robert Plant, Pere Ubu, Opeth, Ryan Adams and Anais Mitchell. Clicking any of these links will take you to my original thoughts.
They are all very enjoyable albums but you may be surprised to hear that none have made it into my own personal top 3 this year.

To find out what has, I suggest you check back here in the next few days.


 

Leonard Cohen - Popular Problems

I found 'Old Ideas' (2012) to be something of a return to form for Cohen and 'Popular Problems' continues that trend. If you are familiar with his last album then this will present no surprises. Cohen surrounds himself with wonderful musicians who flesh out the sound and develop the melodies that Cohen's voice is no longer able to quite manage. Well, he can be excused that as he turned 80 a couple of weeks ago so it is something of a wonder that he is still creating music at all, let alone stuff this good. The real singing is now left to the female backing vocalists who do a wonderful job of complementing Cohen's whispered growl.

Of course there are those who feel that like Dylan, Cohen could never really sing anyway. I understand such views but don't subscribe to them. I do however feel that Cohen has adapted better to the advancing years. Perhaps Dylan needs to take a leaf out of his book regarding the fine musicians and backing singers.

Despite the support Cohen receives, it is to his voice that we listen. He began as a poet and although his words have long been set to music, it is those words that demand our attention. He rarely wastes one. The themes may not have changed all that much, hence the subjects of sex and death recur as on the album opener 'Slow'. Not that all of these songs are entirely new. 'Born in Chains', 'Nevermind', 'A Street' and 'My Oh My' have all existed, as poems at least. for a number of years. 

With Cohen's first albums, I loved the bare stripped down feel which was at odds with almost everything else that was around in the late 1960's. Now I believe he needs the support of those musicians who provide subtle organ and piano riffs or soulful horns, but his words and images are as powerful and as relevant now as they were back then. With the wisdom of age, perhaps even more so. Of course everything doesn't work. In my view the upbeat country sections that fill the gaps between Cohen's more sombre verses in 'Did I Ever Love You?' are superfluous to the song. I can't clear my mind of images of stetson wearing line dancers which detract from the song lyrics. That's just a personal view though and it hardly spoils my enjoyment of this wonderful album.

There's clearly life in the old dog yet.