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