Best Rock Album of 2014

I have now moved backward in time to prior Woods albums. Bend Beyond is superb, different from With Light and Love but hughly original and entertaining. Their 2009 Songs of Shame is mind-bending. Where have these guys been, and why are they not famous? Sad testament to the state of music today. If I see Taylor Swift on one more award show, or hear Rhianna's or Justin Timberhead's nasal monotone once more I will barf.

BB, I have been a big World Party fan since his first album. I just never knew he came from The Waterboys.

Todd, I will try Mac Demarco.

Cheers.

Neal

Rosanne Cash "The River & The Thread"!

Country? Maybe. This record should be required listening for all!

My second so far is Nick Waterhouse "Holly".

Beck "Morning Phase". This one has to be in the top ten when the year is over with. Beck has made another important lp. This lp happens to be from one of our generations most important artists. Listening to the music, especially the vocals, reminds me of early Pink Floyd lps.

Somehow Beck, (even with all of the studio gymnastics of "Morning Phase"), along with his earlier efforts, manages to make his lps, sonically, sound analog! I wish other artists would take note.

Walinger's move from The Waterboys to World Party is one of the great examples of the Second Banana stepping up after stepping out of the shadows. Like Jeff Tweedy emerging out from under Jay Ferrar post Wilco, or even George Harrison post Beatles, Karl Wallinger really came into his own after leaving Mike Scott's Waterboys.

True, Martykl. Or like Ryan Adams from Whiskeytown. But where has Wallinger been the last few years?

Neal