December 27, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #233)

This week was the first of my two-part special counting down my Top 40 albums of 2014 (those albums indicated by ranking on this list). Tune in next week, Saturday, January 3, 2014, 9 a.m. to Noon (CST) at chirpradio.org.

9:02 AM Sabers • Money Eddie • Sic Semper Sabers • self-released (#40)

9:06 AM Ibibio Sound Machine • I'm Running • Ibibio Sound Machine • Soundway (#39)

9:09 AM Dilated Peoples • Cut My Teeth • Directors of Photography • Rhymesayers

My Top 40 albums for 2014

This year, I think I listened to at least 120 albums in full, and sampled many more. With each year, I feel like I don't even scratch the surface of what's out there, but I always hear plenty of good stuff. Ranking albums is a semi-futile exercise, but I'm now programmed to do so. So, as per usual, the further down the list you go, the more fungible the rankings are. In other words, the difference in quality between the number 40 record and the number 22 record is near negligible. And there are plenty of other albums that I considered that are just as good as what made the bottom half of the list (such as Poor Luther's Bones, The Paul & John, Les Butcherettes, Cloud Nothings, Rival Sons, Iceage, La Sera and others I'm forgetting now). That being said, this list has a mix of music that I like and is decently representative of a lot of what I'm into.

1. St. Vincent – St. Vincent: Anne Clark’s art-pop just got a little bit funkier and a little bit more accessible, and the result is a smart, danceable, fun record. There are plenty of hooks, elusive but intriguing lyrics, layers of cool electronics, Clark’s quirky-but-not-too-quirky vocals and her amazing guitar playing. While I didn’t think her collaboration with David Byrne took off, this album shows that it had an impact, as it plays with rhythms and textures in a Talking Heads-y manner, without ever sounding imitative.

December 20, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #232)

9:00 AM Jamey Johnson • Mele Kalikimaka • The Christmas Song • Big Gassed

9:03 AM Jodie Marie • Here Today • Pet Sounds Revisited •MOJO

9:06 AM Ted Leo • Dragging My Own Tombstone • While No One Was Looking: Toasting 20 Years of Bloodshot Records • Bloodshot

December 13, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #231)

9:01 AM Dwight Yoakam • Buenas Noches From a Lonely Room (She Wore Red Dresses) • Buenas Noches From a Lonely Room • Reprise

9:05 AM Björk • The Modern Things • Post • Elektra

9:09 AM Holly Golightly • That's What I Want For Christmas •Holidays Rule • Hear Music

December 6, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #230)

8:59 AM The Waterboys • Fisherman's Blues • Fisherman's Blues • EMI

9:05 AM War • All Day Music • All Day Music • United Artists

9:09 AM Gerald Dowd • Kalamazoo Star • Home Now • Pee Wee League

November 29, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #229)

9:01 AM Franz Ferdinand • Dream Again • Tonight: Franz Ferdinand • Domino

9:04 AM Cécile McLorin Salvant • Nobody • WomanChild •Mack Avenue

9:08 AM Advance Base • Summer Music (Remix, Feat. Gordon Ashworth & Julie Byrne) • The Plastic Owen Band • Orindal

November 15, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #228)

9:02 AM Stevie Wonder • Pastime Paradise • Songs In The Key Life • Tamla

9:06 AM Kevin Tihista's Red Terror • Taking It to the Streets (Again) • On This Dark Street • Broken Horse

9:10 AM Grouper • Call Across Rooms • Ruins • kranky

November 1, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #227)

9:02 AM Freedy Johnston • Promises, Promises • Here Comes the Reign Again • Curry Cuts

9:05 AM The Autumn Defense • Calling Your Name • Fifth •Yep Roc

9:09 AM Elisa Ambrogio • Arkansas • The Immortalist • Drag City

October 25, 2014 CHIRP Radio Show (Show #226)

9:01 AM The Replacements • Androgynous • Let It Be •Twin/Tone

9:04 AM The Fraternal Order Of The All • Love Tonight • Greetings From Planet Love • J-Bird

9:09 AM Neil Sabatino • Perfect Day • Transformed: A Tribute to Lou Reed • Mint 400

October 18, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #225)

9:01 AM Thom Yorke • Nose Grows Some • Tomorrow's Modern Boxes • self-released

9:07 AM Rufus Wainwright • Beauty Mark • Rufus Wainwright• Dreamworks

9:09 AM S • Brunch • Cool Choices • Hardly Art

October 11, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #224)

9:01 AM The Morells • How Come My Dog Don't Bark • Think About It • Hightone

9:05 AM Arthur Conley • Sweet Soul Music • Beg, Scream & Shout! • Rhino

9:07 AM Homeboy Sandman • Problems • Hallways • Stones Throw

October 4, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #223)

9:02 AM tUnE-yArDs • Wooly Wolly Gong • whokill • 4AD

9:08 AM Lily & Madeleine • Nothing But Time • Lily & Madeleine • Asthmatic Kitty

9:11 AM J Fernandez • Image • Memorize Now EP • Atelier Ciseaux

September 27, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #222)

9:02 AM Björk • Headphones • Post • Elektra

9:08 AM The United States Three • Le Temps Du Tempo • Le Temps Du Tempo • Flat Earth

9:10 AM Opal Onyx • Black & Crimson • Delta Sands • Tin Angel

September 20, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #221)

Today was smack dab in the middle of CHIRP's Fall Fundraising campaign. Thanks to everybody who donated and help me shatter my goal of raising $333 in 3 hours. If you'd like to donate, go to chirpradio.org/donatenow. If you donate $25 or more and mention my name where it asks you where you learned about CHIRP, you will get an exclusive mix CD I made just for the campaign. If you donate $50 or more, you will get the two disc version of the mix.

9:03 AM Tom Waits • Back in the Crowd • Bad as Me • ANTI-

9:06 AM Robbie Fulks • Barely Human • Country Love Songs •Bloodshot

9:09 AM Mirel Wagner • Goodnight • When the Cellar Children See the Light of Day • Sub Pop

September 13, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #220)

Today was my fifth annual Self Indulgent Birthday show.

9:01 AM John Cale • Paris 1919 • Paris 1919 • Warner Bros

9:05 AM Hawksley Workman • When These Mountains Were the Seashore • Treeful of Starling • Universal

9:09 AM Castanets • To Look Over the Grounds • Decimation Blues • Asthmatic Kitty

September 12, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #219)

9:00 AM They Might Be Giants • Birdhouse In Your Soul •Flood • Elektra

9:03 AM Kylie Auldist • Everybody Here Wants You • Just Say • Tru Thoughts

9:07 AM Sarah Jaffe • Fatalist • Don't Disconnect • Kirtland

September 6, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #218)

9:02 AM Gemma Ray • Shake Baby Shake • Milk For Your Motors • Bronze Rat

9:05 AM Paul Simon • American Tune • There Goes Rhymin' Simon • Columbia

9:09 AM Cold Specks • A Quiet Chill • Neuroplasticity • Mute

August 23, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #217)

Off next week, back on the air Saturday, September 6, 9 to Noon (CDT).

9:02 AM Radiohead • Pyramid Song • Amnesiac • Capitol

9:07 AM Rockfour • Candlelight • Nationwide • Rainbow Quartz

9:10 AM Reigning Sound • Once More • Shattered • Merge

August 16, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #216)

8:58 AM Dwight Yoakam • South of Cincinnati • Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Etc. • Reprise

9:03 AM El Guapo • Fake French • Fake French • Dischord

9:07 AM Bear In Heaven • The Sun and the Moon and the Stars • Time is Over One Day Old • Dead Oceans

August 9, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #215)

9:01 AM Funeral Bonsai Wedding • The Valley of the Whale •Funeral Bonsai Wedding • self-released

9:05 AM Lee "Scratch" Perry & the Upsetters • Dub Revolution, Pt. 1 • Arkology • Island

9:09 AM Jenny Lewis • The New You • The Voyager • Warner Bros.

August 2, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #214)

9:01 AM Swamp Dogg • America, Here's My Boy • Song Reader • Capitol

9:04 AM Led Zeppelin • Friends • Led Zeppelin III • Atlantic

9:08 AM Cold Specks • Absisto • Bodies at Bay EP • Mute

July 26, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #213)

9:01 AM Richard Thompson • From Galway to Graceland •Acoustic Classics • Beeswing

9:04 AM Gary Numan • Please Push No More • Telekon •Beggars Banquet

9:10 AM Slow Club • Suffering You, Suffering Me • Complete Surrender • Wichita

July 19, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #212)

9:02 AM Pure Bathing Culture • Dreams • Rumours Revisited • MOJO

9:06 AM Guided by Voices • Closer You Are • Alien Lanes • Matador

9:08 AM Haley Bonar • Can't Believe Our Luck • Last War • Graveface

July 12, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #211)

9:01 AM Lucinda Williams • Something About What Happens When We Talk • Sweet Old World • Chameleon

9:05 AM The Korgis • Perfect Hostess • Dumb Waiters •Asylum

9:08 AM Kimekai • Chinese Live in Caves • Coral Dreams •Hush Hush

Makeshift Mid-Year Top 20 of 2014

Okay, we're now midway through the year, I've listened to about 65 to 70 new releases, so why not quickly rank them? It's a conversation starter, if nothing else. This is just a list, with only a comment here or there.

1. St. Vincent -- St. Vincent
2. Teleman -- Breakfast
3. Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 -- A Long Way to the Beginning

June 28, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #210)

Off next week, back on July 12. 2014

9:01 AM Eno • Hyde • DBF • High Life • Warp

9:05 AM The Beach Boys • Let Us Go On This Way • Love You • Brother

9:07 AM 555 • Lovejoy Comet • Nine Gates • Moon Glyph

June 21, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #209)

Today, I paid tribute to Casey Kasem. With the exception of 15 rotation songs and one other tune, this show was littered with Top 40 hits, all but two from the '70s. Casey and '70s Top 40 radio shaped me as both a DJ and a music listener. He was an inspiration who entertained me for years, and I'm very happy with how this show came off. Thanks to all who listened.

9:04 AM Marvin Gaye • The End Of Our Road • M.P.G. •Motown

9:06 AM Pablo Cruise • Whatcha Gonna Do • A Place In The Sun • A & M

9:10 AM Ed Schrader's Music Beat • Pantomime Jack •Party Jail • Infinity Cat

June 14, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #208)

9:00 AM De La Soul • D.A.I.S.Y. Age • 3 Feet High and Rising• Tommy Boy

9:05 AM The Rascals • My World • Once Upon A Dream •Atlantic

9:08 AM Alice Boman • Skiss 2 • EP II • The Control Group

June 7, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #207)

On today's show I paid tribute to Doc Neeson, lead singer of the great Australian band The Angels, who passed away from brain cancer earlier this week.

9:01 AM Lee Fields • Magnolia • Emma Jean • Truth and Soul

9:04 AM Thomas Comerford • Target • II • self-released

9:08 AM The Monkees • The Door Into Summer • Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. • Rhino

May 24, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show # 206)

9:02 AM Prefab Sprout • List of Impossible Things • Crimson/Red • Icebreaker

9:05 AM Ramona Lisa • Avenues • Arcadia • Terrible

9:08 AM Jason Moran • Wig Wise • Facing Left • Blue Note

To Create You Must Destroy: The Ricketts' Plan to Save Wrigley Field By Drastically Changing It

The charm of Wrigley Field has been a marketing tool for decades, well before I was born. Phillip K. Wrigley knew there was something different and he made it a selling point for his team.

Of course, considering how the Cubs performed after the late '30s, the ballpark was often the only thing worth coming for during a long stretch of lean years. It became even a larger factor when the Cubs games started to go national over WGN-TV. In the early '80s, the Cubs snagged Harry Caray after the White Sox dumped him. Say what you will about Caray, but he was one of the greatest salesman for baseball ever, and The Friendly Confines were perfect for his pitches. Caray extolled the charms of Wrigley. And one of those charms was that fans could sit and watch the games from the rooftops of the apartment buildings along Sheffield and Waveland Avenues.

May 17, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #205)

9:02 AM Ben Watt • Hendra • Hendra • Caroline

9:06 AM Papercuts • Psychic Friends • Life Among the Savages • Easy Sound

9:09 AM Nervous Norvous • Ape Call • Stone Age Woo • Norton

May 3, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #204)

9:02 AM Hollie Cook • Desdemona • Twice • Mr. Bongo

9:06 AM The Nels Cline Singers • Respira • Macroscope • Mack Avenue

9:10 AM The Hollies • Lullaby to Tim • Evolution • EMI

April 19, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #203)

9:01 AM Curtis Mayfield • Back to Living Again • New World Order • Warner Bros.

9:06 AM Blondie • Once I Had A Love • Plastic Letters • Chrysalis

9:09 AM Will Phalen • I'll Let You In • The Dirt and the Air and the Grass • self-released

April 12, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #202)

9:02 AM Jimi Goodwin • Keep My Soul in Song • Odulek • Heavenly

9:06 AM Emmylou Harris • Orphan Girl • Wrecking Ball • Nonesuch

9:09 AM Baby Money • By and By • In Memory of John Doe • self-released

April 5, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #201)

9:01 AM Wye Oak • Logic of Color • Shriek • Merge

9:04 AM k-os • Zambony • Yes! • Crown Loyalist

9:08 AM Emily Jane Powers • Hey M • Part of Me • self-released

March 22, 2014 CHIRP Radio playlist (Show #200)

Today's show took place during CHIRP's Spring Fundraising campaign. I set a goal of $300 raised during the show and ended up with $560. Thanks to everyone who donated. If you'd like to donate by March 28, 2014, any donation of $25 or more that mentions my name in the 'how did you learn about CHIRP section' will get an exclusive mix disc I made for the campaign. Go to chirpradio.org/donatenow to make a donation.

9:02 AM Colin Blunstone • I Don't Believe In Miracles • Ennismore • Epic

9:05 AM Henson Cargill • Skip A Rope • Skip A Rope • Monument

9:07 AM Bil Vermette • Mountain Funeral • Katha Visions • Permanent

March 15, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #199)

8:42 AM Whipping Boy • Personality • Heartworm • Columbia

8:48 AM Iska Dhaaf • Sullen Eyes • Even the Sun Will Burn • Brick Lane

8:52 AM Stevie Wonder • Big Brother • Talking Book • Tamla

March 8, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #198)

9:02 AM Linda Perhacs • River of God • The Soul of All Natural Things • Asthmatic Kitty

9:06 AM Fountains of Wayne • Fire Island • Welcome Interstate Managers • S-Curve

9:09 AM The Damn Choir • Morning Glory • Creatures of Habit • self-released

March 1, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #197)

9:02 AM ††† • Trophy • ††† • Sumerian

9:05 AM R.E.M. • Feeling Gravitys Pull • Fables of the Reconstruction • IRS

9:10 AM Death Vessel • Mercury Dime • Island Intervals • Sub Pop

February 22, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #196)

9:02 AM The Negro Problem • Miss Jones • Post Minstrel Syndrome • Aerial Flipout

9:06 AM Alex Chilton • I Wanna Pick You Up • Caroline Now! • Marina

9:08 AM Com Truise • Wasat • Wave 1 • Ghostly International

February 8, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #195)

9:01 AM Angel Olsen • High & Wild • Burn Your Fire For No Witness • Jagjaguwar

9:05 AM Ari Brown • 3bop 4 Mal • Groove Awakening • Delmark

9:09 AM Doves • Birds Flew Backwards • Kingdom of Rust • Astralwerks

9:13 AM Bibio • Down to the Sound • The Green EP • Warp

9:15 AM Jamey Johnson • Don't You Ever Get Tired Of Hurting Me • Living For A Song • Mercury

9:20 AM Tom Zé • Fliperama • The Hips of Tradition • Luaka Bop

9:25 AM Linda Perhacs • Parallelograms • Parallelograms • Sunbeam

9:30 AM d.stine • Forest Regret • White's Creek's Glacial Origins • self-released

9:32 AM Death Cab for Cutie • Some Boys • Codes and Keys • Atlantic

9:36 AM Todd Rundgren • Don't Hurt Yourself • The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect • Bearsville

9:40 AM Acid House Kings • Mondays Are Like Tuesdays • Mondays are Like Tuesdays and Tuesdays are Like Wednesdays • Hidden Agenda

9:43 AM Thao & The Get Down Stay Down • Train In Vain • The Feeling Kind EP • Ribbon

9:47 AM I Break Horses • Faith • Chiaroscuro • Bella Union

9:51 AM Golden Earrings • The Truth About Arthur • Miracle Mirror • RPM

9:54 AM White Denim • Street Joy • D • Downtown

9:57 AM The Virgin-Whore Complex • Papa Wilson • Succumb • Emperor Norton

10:01 AM Neil Finn • Divebomber • Dizzy Heights • Lester

10:05 AM Dean Wareham • Dancer Disappears • Dean Wareham • Double Feature

10:08 AM Robbie Fulks • Goodbye Cruel Girl • Georgia Hard • Yep Roc

10:13 AM Peggy Sue • Longest Day of the Year Blues • Choir of Echoes • Yep Roc

10:17 AM Karla Devito • Midnight Confessions • Is This a Cool World or What? • Epic

10:19 AM Big Boi • Thom Pettie (featuring Little Dragon & Killer Mike) • Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors • Island Def Jam

10:25 AM Kitchens Of Distinction • I Wish It Would Snow • Folly • 3 Loop

10:29 AM Bird Ate My Donut • Ghosts = People • Chicago Mixtape 007: Hummer • chicagomixtape.com

10:32 AM Cibo Matto • Check In • Hotel Valentine • Chimera

10:37 AM Michael Carpenter • Never Be Alone • Hopefulness • Not Lame

10:41 AM Johnny Taylor • Cheaper to Keep Her • Can You Dig It? The '70s Soul Experience • Rhino

10:44 AM Primal Scream • Higher Than the Sun • Screamadelica • Sire

10:49 AM Del the Funky Homosapien • Mental Fitness • Iller Than Most • self-released

10:52 AM Honey Ltd. • Louie, Louie • The Complete LHI Recordings • Light In The Attic

10:55 AM The Damn Choir • East Bay • Creatures of Habit • self-released

11:00 AM Eagulls • Footsteps • Eagulls • Partisan

11:04 AM Murmur • Zeta II Reticuli, Pt. 2 • Murmur • SOM Underground Activists

11:06 AM Paper Mice • No More "More Than Words" No More • Paint It Pink • Cassette Deck

11:09 AM Flesh Panthers • Bleed Black Leather • Flesh Panthers EP • Dumpster

11:11 AM The Jam • A Town Called Malice • The Jam at the BBC • Polydor

11:14 AM Traxman • Slip Fall • The Mind of Traxman • Planet Mu

11:19 AM The Fuzztones • Ward 81 • Lysergic Emanations • ABC

11:25 AM Dog Bite • There Was Time • Tranquilizers • Carpark

11:27 AM Mercury Rev • Bronx Cheer • Boces • Beggars Banquet

11:30 AM The Possibilities • Now And Then You Appear • Way Out • Parasol

11:33 AM The Animals • Roadrunner • The Singles + • BR Music

11:36 AM Is/Is • Rune • Is/Is • Manimal

11:40 AM Tricky • Veronika • Knowle West Boy • Domino

11:43 AM Nick Lowe • I Love The Sound of Breaking Glass • Jesus of Cool • Yep Roc

11:49 AM The Lawrence Arms • Seventeener (17th and 37th) • Metropole • Epitaph

11:51 AM The Fall • The Past #2 • Country On The Click • Action

11:54 AM The Vandermark 5 • Convertible, Version Two (For Charles Eames) • A Discontinous Line • Atavistic

February 1, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #194)

9:02 AM Nora O'Connor • That's Alright • Til The Dawn • Bloodshot

9:05 AM Julie Byrne • Wisdom Teeth Song • Rooms with Walls and Windows • self-released

9:10 AM Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds • Nobody's Baby Now • Let Love In • Mute

January 25, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #193)

Today, trainee Kelsey did two sets, which I'll mark off on this playlist. She did quite well and will sub for me in the not-so-distant future.

9:01 AM Doug Paisley • Our Love • Strong Feelings • No Quarter

9:04 AM The Impressions • This Is My Country • The Anthology 1961-1977 • MCA

9:07 AM The Fat Babies • I'll Fly To Hawaii • 18th & Racine • Delmark

January 18, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #192)

9:02am The Autumn Defense This Thing I've Found from Fifth (Yep Roc)

9:06am Kevin Morby If You Leave, And If You Marry from Harlem River (Woodsist)

9:09am FKA twigs Water Me from EP2 (Young Turks)

January 11, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #191)

9:00 AM Fleetwood Mac • Silver Springs • Rumours • Warner Bros.

9:06 AM The Mountain Goats • International Small Arms Traffic Blues • Tallahassee • 4AD

9:09 AM Josephine Foster • Pretty Please • I'm A Dreamer • Fire

January 4, 2014 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #190)

9:06 AM Phil Everly • The Air That I Breathe • Star Spangled Springer • RCA

9:11 AM R.E.M. • (All I've Got to Do Is) Dream • Athens, Ga. - Inside/Out • I.R.S.

9:13 AM Pat Hull • Summer Calls • Shed Skin • self-released