2014 Music Recommendations? What ya got spinning?

[Davey]

And, btw, I bought that WGC, and wasn't as impressed with it as you were. The songs all sounded....unfinished, like demos left un-fleshed out. But hey, that's just me.

I'd guess there's probably a lot more people that are like you than me, at least when it comes to music

But yea, I do really like it, you can tell it's very personal music for them, and I feel a pretty strong connection too. Kind of unconventional in song structure and instruments, but I don't have that unfinished feel. Very nice sounding recording too. Not surprising, we've diverged in the past on other records that tend toward the experimental side. Nothing wrong in that regard with either of us, we just like a lot of the same stuff, but not all the same stuff.

I made a post about it over on SH forums too, and it went down the same as just about all of my posts over there ...a pretty quick trip to the archives ... Willard Grant Conspiracy | Steve Hoffman Music Forums

[noddin0ff]

I'm going to have to find that WGC. I like the unfinished, maybe deconstructionist feel of the albums as they waltz their way along. I have to agree that many songs come up short of their potential. However, there's always a couple tracks per album that just blow me away. I put them in that category of artists I want to listen to because they have something to say and say it differently from everyone else, even if the music's got some warts--Sun Kil Moon, Jason Molina, Lucinda Williams, Phosphorescent, Howe Gelb, Bill Callahan...

I'm still exploring this branch of Americana. Any I'm missing?

[noddin0ff]

Hmmmm. Just got inspired to troll my library. I think I'm going to make a massive shuffle playlist of favorite, forgotten, and sometimes unlistened to, artists I've collected that fit a *theme* rattling in my head now. Not sure how this will work as I have tons of some (Tom Waits, e.g.). Guess I'll build it, let it rip and annoy my family.

16 Horsepower
Bill Callahan
Califone
Father John Misty
Feist
Fink
Fleet Foxes
Giant Sands
Heartless Bastards
Hem
Howe Gelb & Band of Gypsies
Jason Molina
Jessica Hoop
Julia Holter
Laura Marling
Lucinda Williams
Magnolia Electic
Mutual Benefit
Phosphorescent
Real Estate
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
Silver Jews
Smog
Songs:Ohio
Sun Kill Moon
The Antlers
The National
Tom Waits
War on Drugs
Willard Grant Conspiracy
Wooden Wand


[walks away for a bit; comes back]

heh. 1154 songs, 3.4 days according to iTunes. I'm sure there's some duplicates in there, but still a bit of a surprise.

[Davey]

I'm still exploring this branch of Americana. Any I'm missing?

That's a big topic to hide down at the end of this slowly dying thread, this board could surely use some interesting topics like this on the front page.

That said...

Richard Buckner had a string of incredible records in the mid 90s, especially the trilogy of Bloomed, Devotion + Doubt and Since. There's a lot I've said over the years, still a huge favorite even without new records that quite reach those peaks.

And Califone continue to put out good records in that dirty country folk blues style, including one of my favorites from last year in Stitches. Not quite as dirty or country anymore, but everybody gets old sooner or later. There's been an ongoing vinyl reissue program over the last couple years bringing back some of those beloved records from Red Red Meat, and Califone, and some of the family bands. Mostly really well done and appreciated. Just put in an order for There's a Star Above the Manger Tonight a few days ago. Love that CD, be great to have in a big vinyl package. Bunny Gets Paid to follow next.

The amazing Court and Spark (listen to Bless You for the evidence of their greatness) morphed at some point in the last few years into the also amazing Hiss Golden Messenger, and continue to make some of the best swampy gospel funky country blues around. A few of us around here had Haw as one of the best of the year for 2013, and Lateness of Dancers is one of the best of 2014, and the Hiss Golden Messenger/Steve Gunn Golden Gunn record from last year is one of the best in a long, long time. If you don't get anything else out of this rambling list of records, write down Golden Gunn and find someplace to download. It was a RSD vinyl release, and digital download is available. The vinyl can still be had, but it's scarce. Not enough people really know about it to make it too costly yet, though.

Silver Jews have a few great ones, but nothing to overshadow American Water from '97. Lots in the archive on this modern classic.

Richmond Fontaine is another band with a string of great records that hardly anyone has heard. Post to Wire is a really nice starting point, with a great mix of rock and country. Kind of a modern classic in my mind. New one early next year, and the debut of Willy's other band, The Delines Colfax Avenue that I mentioned above is excellent too.

Sixteen Horsepower was another 90s band that rocked the alternative gospel dark country sound, Low Estate from '97 with producer John Parish may be my favorite of those 90s records, but they are all good. The last one, the amazing Folklore, is indispensable, full of Southern gothic anthems built upon harrowing soundscapes.

Could go on and on, this kind of music is where I spend a lot of my time in the modern life....

And Jason Molina, yea, can't say enough, I really miss him, nothing released in the last 20 years stands above Black Ram for me. And he's got at least a couple others that are just as good on different days.

[3LB]

anyone check out this band

Phantom Limb

Phantom Limb - The Pines - YouTube