So, I am really late on this one. But for posterity...I didn't
"get" as many new records this year as I typically have. I think I
spent more time listening to This American Life, Radio Diaries, and other podcasts than falling in love with new music. But, here is what I did listen
to:
From last year, I finally got my teeth into Bowie's The Next Day. It is the most solid record from the Thin White Duke in (maybe) 20 years. Althought self-referential to his 70s Berlin period, those records have stood the
test of time and still sound fresh today.
Here are my 2014 top records:
The man is unstoppable. Yes, things are glossier than the
White Stripes days, but Lazzaretto is diverse, classic, and innovative all in
the same breath. I picked up my copy on
vinyl in Nashville at Third Man Records.
Eight records in, Spoon continue to release essential records. Britt's voice
never gets old, and the boys add more keyboards and other fx without sounding
unlike themselves. Just excellent from front to back.
This was my grower for 2015. I loved Tramp, and on first
listen I didn't "get" this one. Haunting melodies and some additional
instrumentation round out Sharon's sound. A great soundtrack for late night
drives into the woods.
If one band dominated my headspace during 2015, it was
Future Islands. Yes, I was late to the party here, but I dug into their back catalog
and came back with many favorites. The appeal of Future Islands is hard to
describe without at least seeing a performance. They bring the soul to dark
synth pop. Fans of New Order will hear those Peter Hook bass lines, but Sam Cooke pops up in the vocal delivery at times, along with enigmatic lead singers
like Morrissey and other elements of 80s pop music. It may not work on paper, but Singles is just that, a
collection of songs that stand on their own by a road tested band who found a
sound all their own.
