Best Albums of 2014: # 11, 10, 9

11. Gruff Rhys – AMERICAN INTERIOR

The band who recorded my favorite album of 2009 has been on hiatus ever since, so I take solace in this latest solo effort from its leader. A concept album about 18^th century Welsh explorer John Evans (he went to America and produced an early map of the Missouri River), it’s more disciplined than the average Super Furry Animals release, even as it runs the gamut from showtune-ready rockabilly (“100 Unread Messages”) to extended orchestral fanfares (“Iolo”) and catchy nonsense (or whatever the heck “Allweddellau Allweddol” is). There’s also a corresponding documentary film and book (both of which I want to check out), but this very much stands on its own as a fully realized piece.

Favorite tracks: “American Interior”, “100 Unread Messages”, “Liberty (Is Where We’ll Be)”

10. Stars – NO ONE IS LOST

Most bands should be so lucky to sequence their albums with such fabulous bookends as Stars has for their seventh album: “From The Night” places somber, meek verses against a catchy, full-blast chorus, and the contrast heightens the impact in both sections, while the title track manages to eke out an uptempo, floor-filling anthem from a sentiment as dark and honest as, “Put your hands up ‘cause everybody dies.” In between, you get the usual ‘80s pastiches and Amy Millan ballads, none of which are standouts or embarrassments. They’ll still release a stellar singles comp someday, but, along with 2012’s THE NORTH, they’re getting closer to that classic full-length they’ve been edging towards since SET YOURSELF ON FIRE a decade ago.

Favorite tracks: “From The Night”, “What Is To Be Done?”, “No One Is Lost”

9. Leonard Cohen – POPULAR PROBLEMS

I hate to keep going back to the well of “this is artist x’s best album since y”, but seriously, I have not enjoyed listening to this man so much since 1988’s I’M YOUR MAN. If I had first heard this when it was released in September instead of a few weeks ago, it might’ve placed even higher here. Cohen’s almost exclusively-spoken growl may now fall somewhere in between Tom Waits and Cookie Monster, but he’s completely in sync with the material. However, the real attraction this time out is the music: both spacious and intimate, its twists and turns (the tempo change in the chorus of “Did I Ever Love You”, the Serge Gainsbourg-worthy near-disco (!) of “Nevermind”) are surprisingly spry coming from a near-octogenarian.

Favorite tracks: “Slow”. “Almost Like The Blues”, “Nevermind”

My Favorite Music of 2012

Martha Wainwright

The Best Tracks of 2012 in two Spotify playlists:

Volume 1: Someone Who Looks Smashing In Athletic Wear

1. Saint Etienne, “Tonight” / 2. Tanlines, “All Of Me” / 3. The Magnetic Fields, “Andrew In Drag” / 4. Diamond Rings, “Runaway Love” / 5. Stars, “Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It” / 6. Jens Lekman, “Some Dandruff On Your Shoulder” / 7. Jessie Ware, “Wildest Moments” / 8. Of Monsters And Men, “Mountain Sound” / 9. Hot Chip, “Let Me Be Him” / 10. Rufus Wainwright, “Bitter Tears” / 11. Sinead O’Connor, “Queen Of Denmark” / 12. The Ting Tings, “Guggenheim” / 13. Aimee Mann, “Labrador” / 14. Imperial Teen, “Out From Inside” / 15. Miike Snow, “The Wave” / 16. Twin Shadow, “Run My Heart” / 17. Martha Wainwright, “Proserpina” / 18. Fiona Apple, “Hot Knife” / 19. A.C. Newman, “They Should Have Shut Down The Streets”

Volume 2: You Enjoy Sucking On Dreams

1. Metric, “The Void” / 2. Calexico, “Splitter” / 3. Sharon Van Etten, “Serpents” / 4. Regina Spektor, “All The Rowboat” / 5. Dr. John, “Revolution” / 6. The Gaslight Anthem, “Here Comes My Man” / 7. Deep Sea Arcade, “Girls” / 8. Keane, “On The Road” / 9. Bat For Lashes, “Laura” / 10. The xx, “Chained” / 11. Emm Gryner, “She’s Gone” / 12. Paul Brill, “Breezy” / 13. Patti Smith, “April Fool” / 14. Andrew Bird, “Lusitania” / 15. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes, “Man On Fire” / 16. The Shins, “No Way Down” / 17. Ben Folds Five, “Away When You Were Here” / 18. A Fine Frenzy, “Now Is The Start” / 19. Goldfrapp, “Melancholy Sky” / 20. Field Music, “(I Keep Thinking About) A New Thing” / 21. Beth Orton, “Mystery”

Top Ten Albums:

1. Jens Lekman – I KNOW WHAT LOVE ISN’T
2. Fiona Apple – THE IDLER WHEEL…
3. Saint Etienne – WORDS AND MUSIC BY SAINT ETIENNE
4. Hot Chip – IN OUR HEADS
5. Rufus Wainwright – OUT OF THE GAME
6. Martha Wainwright – COME HOME TO MAMA
7. Ben Folds Five – THE SOUND OF THE LIFE OF THE MIND
8. Imperial Teen – FEEL THE SOUND
9. Stars – THE NORTH
10. Jessie Ware – DEVOTION

Also Recommended:

Often, I struggle to find enough worthy albums to fill out a top ten. This year, I could have easily done a top 15. Here are a few worthy candidates, along with favorite tracks in parentheses.

A.C. Newman – SHUT DOWN THE STREETS
Far more focused than his second solo album, slightly less convincing than his first, and preferable to the last two New Pornographers records. (“They Should Have Shut Down The Streets”, “Hostages”, “You Could Get Lost Out Here”)

Andrew Bird – BREAK IT YOURSELF
After seeing him perform most of this material in concert two years ago, I diagnose him with a case of Ani DiFranco Syndrome—the studio recordings can’t quite match the live renditions, but at least he cut out the filler that marred Noble Beast. (“Lusitania”, “Eyeoneye”, “Near Death Experience Experience”)

Bat For Lashes – THE HAUNTED MAN
She’s an artist in transition, still finding her voice. For all the studio wizardry on display here, she’s most effective when she places her vocals and melodies front-and-center. (“Laura”, “All Your Gold”)

Metric – SYNTHETICA
Ever confident and insanely catchy, but it breaks little new ground. Nonetheless, a solid follow-up to Fantasies so competent that grumpy old man Lou Reed doesn’t even embarrass himself in a cameo. (“The Void”, “Clone”, “Breathing Underwater”)

Miike Snow – HAPPY TO YOU
A strange but not unbecoming mixture of top 40 dance music with an indie rock sensibility: martial drum rolls, house music pianos and campfire whistling never sounded so good together. (“The Wave”, “Paddling Out”, “Bavarian # 1 (Say You Will)”)

Patti Smith – BANGA
She must have got something out of her system with that awful documentary about her from a few years back (or perhaps you can just blame its director); in her stunning memoir and now this, she’s rarely projected so much lucidity and warmth. (“April Fool”, “This Is The Girl”)

Sinead O’Connor – HOW ABOUT I BE ME (AND YOU BE YOU)?
Still a perpetual Hot Mess, but better that than a boring one. Easily her best since I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, “Queen of Denmark” proves her gift for interpretation hasn’t diminished. (“The Wolf Is Getting Married”, “Queen of Denmark”, “Reason With Me”)

Tracey Thorn – TINSEL AND LIGHTS
After only a few spins, it’s now my favorite modern Christmas album and a testament to her continued relevance that the two originals are highlights. (“Tinsel and Lights”, “Joy”, “Taking Down The Tree”)