Indy Rock Live 50 Favorite Albums of 2014

I’ve posted top 10 lists in the past, but they never seem to do justice to the wealth of great music I hear during the year. This year I’ve decided to be more inclusive. With words on just a few, here are my 50 favorite recordings.

50. The Jigsaw Seen – Old Man Reverb

49. Centro-Matic – Take Pride in Your Long Odds

48. Neuman & Ken Stringfellow – Bye Fear/Hi Love

47. Martin Carr – The Breaks

46. Gruff Rhys – American Interior

45. The Men – Tomorrow’s Hits

44. Cruise Elroy – s/t

43. The Hold Steady – Teeth Dreams

42. Kevin Morby – Still Life

41. Blue Skies for Black Hearts – s/t

40. The Lees of Memory – Sisyphus Says

The guys from Superdrag come back with a new band and a glorious ode to shoegaze.

39. Nude Beach – 77

38. Strand of Oaks – Heal

37. Hooray for Earth – Racy

36. Evil Arrows – EPs 1-4

Pop maestro Bryan Scary’s newest incarnation. Taken as a whole, the 4 EPs released in 2014 rank with some of his best work.

35. Neil Finn – Dizzy Heights

34. Jimi Goodwin – Odludek

33. Weezer – Everything Will Be Alright In The End

Weezer went back to the shack and released their best record since the Green album.

32. Real Estate – Atlas

31. Delta Spirit – Into the Wide

30. Bob Mould – Beauty & Ruin

29. Jenny Lewis – The Voyager

28. Tony Molina – Dissed and Dismissed

27. New Mendicants – Into the Lime

26. Bear Hands – Distraction

25. Kevin Drew – Darlings

24. Jukebox the Ghost – s/t

In a just world, this year’s fun. Pure, heartfelt pop.

23. Ex-Hex – Rips

22. Drive-By Truckers – English Oceans

21. How to Dress Well – What is This Heart?

20. Ages and Ages – Divisionary

19. Pugwash – Rose in a Garden of Weeds

Yes, it’s a compilation. But it’s also a perfect distillation of everything that’s made them great for so long.

18. The Successful Failures – Captains of Industry, Captains of War

Their best record, which is saying something.

17. Jeremy Messersmith – Heart Murmurs

16. Ryan Adams – s/t

15. Prefab Sprout – Crimson/Red

Paddy McAloon is a genius. An unexpected return.

14. Mike Adams at His Honest Weight – Best of Boiler Room Classics

13. Rural Alberta Advantage – Mended with Gold

12. Lloyd Cole – Standards

11. The Antlers – Familiars

10. New Pornographers – Brill Bruisers

9. Future Islands – Singles

8. The Rifles – None the Wiser

7. Hiss Golden Messenger – Lateness of Dancers

6. Spoon – They Want My Soul

5. Damien Rice – My Favourite Faded Fantasy

4. The Paul & John – Inner Sunset

3. Curtis Harding – Soul Power

New soul that matters. Harding’s going to explode – mark my words.

2. Sloan – Commonwealth

The legendary band with another ambitious, catchy-as-hell record. Four distinct sides and hooks for days.

1. The War on Drugs – Lost in the Dream

Few records so fully immerse you. In a year of great music, this one was magic.