Sunday
Dec212014
Time To Rank The Best of 2014
Sunday, December 21, 2014 at 12:02AM It's hard to believe, but 2014 is nearly over. Soon we'll be popping champagne and ringing in 2015. This means we need to rank the best albums of 2014. Before I just drop a blanket list, I'd like to know your picks for the best of the best. And the music doesn't have to be all Glam either. I like all types of music and if an album is extraordinary, we should be talking about it for sure. So, what did you like best in 2014? I can't wait to read your picks!
Reader Comments (35)
First, Sturgill Simpson's _Metamodern Sounds in Country Music_. Call it Americana or country or whatever (and I don't really like contemporary country), but this 36 year old is amazing. He sounds like he has been shot forward in time after just tipping the glass or huffing the bong or snortin' the rail with Waylon and Willie and Johnny. Check out the lyrics to "Turtles All the Way Down," or listen to his unrecognizable (in a good, individual, way) version of When In Rome's "The Promise."
Second, Royal Blood's self-titled debut. These Brighton boys have only been around for a little under two years . . . and it is just two guys. Think the White Stripes without dripping pretension or the vaguely haughty vibe, mixed with a touch of metal and a huge debt to Zep (Page is a fan). "Figure It Out" has some amazing guitar work and a wonderfully twisted video.
Third, I was gobsmacked when I heard the lead single off Sinéad O'Connor's _I'm Not Bossy, I'm the Boss_, "Take Me to Church." Welcome back, crazy lady. The world needs more of your sort of spunk and spirit.
Now, back to the obvious nuggets of greatness. Accept continue a shocking return to form with _Blind Rage_ (and Udo Something-shizer seems to be traipsing along nicely with the soon-to-be-released _Decadent_); Mastadon's _Once More 'Round the Sun_ carries the torch wonderfully; Warrior shouldn't sound so good (in a bad Celtic Frosted way) on Triptykon's _Melana Chasmata_ but he does; AC/DC delivered despite my initial worries on _Play Ball_; Halford and the metal gods deliver the (sub-par, for them and given their back catalog) goods, Redeeming themselves after going all conceptual; and finally Steel Panther's _All You Can Eat_, for pulling another parody protuberance out of the glam metal glory hole.
Honorable Mentions: Rated X's self-titled debut (Turner and Appice, how can that be awful?); _Celebrating John Lord_ (a live album, but a brilliant tribute to a lost great); Robert Plant & The Sensational Space Shifters's _Lullaby and . . . The Ceaseless Roar_ (give the man a break and admire him for blazing along as he likes when he likes); Nazareth's _Rock ‘N’ Roll Telephone_ (if that is McCafferty's swan song, and it is, not too shabby).
I left out, aside from the Lord tribute, live albums and tribute albums for the sake of brevity (brevity? what brevity?).
Looking back, I can say: that is a bloody mess of albums. But it a good way to end one year and start up the next. Here's to hoping that 2015 brings more gems, that BBG keeps raising the flag, and that I get to spend more time with all of you.
Happy holidays everyone. Enjoy yourselves. And thanks Allyson. We all owe you a debt.
I also am one that really like Priest's "Redeemer Of Souls". Richie Faulkner seems to have revitalized them. Quite a few smoking songs on that release. Plus he's genuinely a helluva nice guy (it seems) from my couple back and forth with him on Twitter. Cool dude and another hellacious player.
I loved both, especially Redeemer of Souls. So many good songs on one CD. All You Can Eat was also really great for the same reason, no filler.
Sounds like I definitely need to pick up the new AC/DC.
09.Monty Pittman "Power of Three" - melodic metal album by guitarist of Prong and Madonna! Overlooked gem of the year.
08. Tesla "Simplicity" - wasn't expecting much and surprised me that it is a decent album and one of the best from hard rock\pop metal genre this year.
07. AC-DC "Rock or Bust" - Yeah, it's nothing new, but much better than their last album and like some of the riffs (Play Ball!)
06. Ryan Adams "Ryan Adam" - does hard rock\alt country\americana\indie rock rock as good as any around. This album has a kinda 80's vibe that reminds me of John Cougar or even, ironically, Bryan Adams!
05. The Pixies "Indie Cindy" - not as good as their older stuff but still good album.
04. The Muffs "Whoop Dee Doo" - power pop\hard rock at it's finest.
03. Cayetana "Nervous Like Me" - female trio, pop punk from Philadelphia. Best NEW band of the year for me.
02. Judas Priest "Redeemer of Souls" - return to repeatability. New guitarist gives them a new energy. Their best album of the 2000's, and would say this album is better than most of their 90's stuff too.
01. High Spirits "You Are Here" - Dokken meets early Scorpions... retro pop metal sound with updated production\energy. Songs have great hooks.
Most of those are trying to stay in metal\hard rock general genre, but honorable mention to some outside that genre or just outside my top 10 such as Freeman, Deerhoof, the Cry, KXM, Revolution I Love You, and the Magic Numbers.
2. Slipknot .5 The Grey Chapter
3. Mushroomhead The Righteous & The Butterfly
4. Avenged Sevenfold Hail to the King
5. Godsmack 1000 HP
9. Night Ranger - High Road
8. Red Dragon Cartell - s/t
7. AC/DC - Rock or Bust
6. Judas Priest - Redeemer of Souls
5. Slash - World on Fire
4. Bruce Springsteen - High Hopes
3. Steel Panther - All You Can Eat
2. The Gaslight Anthem - Get Hurt
1. Winger - Better Days Comin'
Honorable mentions: Wilco Johnson & Roger Daltrey - Going Back Home, Weird Al Yankovic - Mandatory Fun & Kix - Rock Your Face Off
1) Accept -- "Blind Rage"
2) AC/DC -- "Rock Or Bust"
3) Judas Priest -- "Redeemer of Souls"
4) KIX -- "Rock Your Face Off"
5) Red Dragon Cartel -- "Red Dragon Cartel"
6) Dirty Thrills -- "Dirty Thrills" (Thanks, Al!)
7) Sebastian Bach -- "Give "Em Hell"
8) Crazy Lixx -- "Crazy Lixx"
9) Primal Fear -- "Delivering The Black"
10) Fozzy -- "Do You Wanna Start A War?"
11) Striker -- "City Of Gold"
METALBOY'S WORST OF 2014
1) Tesla -- "Simplicity"
2) Nickelback -- "No Fixed Address"
3) Slipknot -- "The Grey Chapter"
4) Mastadon -- "Once More Around The Sun"
5) Godsmack -- "1000 HP"
6) Theory Of A Deadman -- "Savages"
7) Harem Scarem -- "Thirteen"
8) Jeff LeBar -- "One For The Road"
9) Ace Frehley -- "Space Invader"
10) Steel Panther -- "All You Can Eat"
METAL:
Sebastian Bach-Give Em Hell
POP:
Michael Jackson-Xscape
Rap:
Iggy Azalea-New Classic
Country:
Lucy Hale-Road Between
Eric, I am going to have to check out your No. 3. You piqued my interest.
And nice to see Weird Al getting some love, Rokkett. As I mentioned elsewhere, that guy is very talented.
2.) The Clarks--Feathers and Bones
3.) Judas Priet--Redeemer of Souls
4.) Black Tora--Black Tora
5.) Winger--Better Days Comin
6.) Accept--Blind Rage
7.) Slash--World on Fire
8.) Rubicon Cross--Rubicon Cross
9.) Eric Church--The Outsiders
10.) Steel Panther--All you can eat.
What a great year for music again. My list includes a little variety this year, too. Ally gives the green light, so....
If you like good American rock that has a great vibe, try The Clarks. Eric Church is a country outlaw and totally stands out from the drab formula that is call modern country music. He had huge hit on this record and it was played on Baltimore's 98 Rock all summer long. (The outsiders)
Also, Rubicon Cross is a great find this year. C.J. Snare, lead singer of Firehouse, has put this gem together. I highly suggest you check it out. I love it.
Same goes for Black Tora. These young Texas guys have all the talent in the world, and the M3 pre Party had them last yr. They were my personal highlight.
Finally, I cannot say enough about Kix. Just saw their Kixmas show on Friday, and they played about 4 songs from the new record. Totally awesome and sounding better and better each time. Thanks for the wonderful blog, for it keeps me informed about so much in the music world. Happy 2015
See you all at M3!?!
Sturgill Simpson - Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
Whiskey Myers - Early Morning Shakes
Night Ranger - High Road
Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams
Sunny Sweeney - Provoked
2. Foo Fighters-Sonic Highways
3. Judas Priest-Redeemer Of Souls
4. Steel Panther-All You Can Eat
5. Obituary-Inked In Blood
6. Linkin Park-The Hunting Party
7. Kix-Rock Your Face Off
These are the ones I've heard that I've loved. I know I will get a ton of flack for some of the choices, but oh well...stay rockin and stay heavy!!!
HIM & Cheap Seats, I've heard great things about Sturgill Simpson and will be sure to check this out tonight. HIM, I checked out Royal Blood.
They may have tinges of Zeppelin but they are heavily influenced by Jack White. Knowing that doesn't stop me from appreciating them though not on the level of Dirty Thrills, who are definitely poseurs, too, like Royal Blood, just much better at gettin' the Led out.
The only reason I point this out is my list is rife with poseurs. Yet, most of those bands aren't pretending to be otherwise, unlike both of these acts, who are attempting to pass themselves off as the real thing. Still, I will listen simply because I like the sound of both bands, regardless of their shared "Faux Realism".
We, along with Gary, Eric and Brian L., are on the same page with Accept, hands down my fave. We are not alone in our assessment that Hoffman is criminally overlooked, perhaps THE Greatest Underated Metal Guitarist of All Time! Thanks for the heads up for UDO's new one. Too bad it's not in the budget to reunite those two entities, though Mark Tornillo (ex-T.T. Quick frontman) has helped to make the current Accept quite the legit Mark II, no pun intended.
BTW, Al, I am still confounded as to why you're unable to accept (Stop me, I'm punning out of control!) these guys. Not only is their music incredible, but the majority of the lyrics are penned by longtime manager, one Ms. Gaby Hauke, under the non de plume, Deaffy.
Back to HIM... I checked out Rated X. Heavy on the keyboards but ya gotta give it to Joe Lynn Turner, who's still got the chops and is finally redeemed for his sell-out jingle singing on those Coast Deodorant Soap commercials in the mid-nineties. Have you heard California Breed? Similar if not earlier era homage to Deep Purple via Jason Bonham and the inimitable Glen Hughes.
And then... Holy Shiitake Mushroom Clouds!!!... How the h*ll did I miss the release of Nazareth's "Rock 'n' Roll Telephone"?! This album absolutely KILLS!, particularly the title track! Thanks for the tip, HIM! As usual, you are on it!
Eric, though I haven't checked out all of your recommendations, I absolutely cannot stop listening to High Spirits, "You are Here"! Imagine if they could have snagged Robert "Mutt" Lange to produce it. They'd probably be horrified at the thought as the album has an endearing indy vibe but the material is worthy, as you noted, with hooks a plenty and riffs to burn!
Brian L.! Howya been, Bro?! Longtime since I saw ya at M3 almost two years ago (Diemonds!). Will definitely check out your recco's, 'specially Black Tora, Rubicon Cross and The Clarks, based on your description. Just read about Diemonds releasing a new album next year, so keep your ears out!
Cheap Seats... Quite an eclectic mix! Lookin' forward to checkin' 'em out, save for Night Ranger, hahaha!!!
BK... Hooweeee!!! You were setting me up with Avatar! My Sennheiser's are still smoldering on the floor and not because of anything good! "Hail The Apocalypse" just may be the worst album of the year, if not the decade, and that's not even half over yet, hahaha!!! You kill me, my Metal Brother, and I probably deserve it!
Oh, and a couple of you reminded me of the 11th entry to my "WORST OF..." I mistakenly left off the scrap heap... SLASH... Sorry, Boyz, if he would just jettison Miles Kornerdy, he still might have a chance at a return to relevancy. Where, oh, where is the singer who can save him?!
Also enjoy California Breed. Though, like BBC, it seems that things are again fraying at the edges with Bonham leaving so abruptly. Me thinks that Hughes is the problem . . . but what a glorious set of pipes on said problem. If not for his delivery, _Seventh Star_ would be very hard to listen to these days. But it still rocks because of what he brought to the table with Iommi.
Glad I tipped you to Rated X, had The cheap Seats second my Sturgill suggestion, and pointed you to Nazareth's newest. I wish they, like Slade, had a bigger and longer-lasting impact here in the States. It is a pity that both bands are largely known for the "hits."
Not to be provocative or mean-spirited, but I think we all know the singer (even now, ahem) who could save Slash. One of those "the sum is more than the parts" combos that the music world lost too soon. Then again (and as we talked about previously), you have the band that they covered ("Mama Kin") still firing on no cylinders. So I could be wrong.
As far as Nazareth goes, I got one thing to say to you...
"Razamanazz"!!!
That song is 100% true blue and tattooed BADASS!!! If only Love/Hate or somebody to that effect had covered it back in the day. What a thoroughly brutish badass affair, indeed! Glad to see and hear Nazareth are still at it!