Yesterday, after I posted this list of my favourite albums of 2014, I received a few messages complaining that there were too many Youtube and Soundcloud clips embedded here, preventing the page from loading properly. Forgive the repetition, then, but I thought it worth reposting the list as three separate blogs; hopefully it’ll work better this time… Always a bit of a gamble doing this, to be honest but, since it’s June, I’ve tried to put together a list of my favourite albums of 2014 thus far. Many caveats forthcoming, not least that my slightly ad hoc way of trying to remember what I’ve liked means I’ve almost certainly missed a few things. In theory, these are all records released between January and June of this year. I should also point out that this is a very personal selection, and in no way representative of what my 40-odd colleagues at Uncut might choose if we were running this as a proper poll. It’s also not exactly a Top 62, as I’ve organised them in alphabetical order rather than attempting any ranking at this early stage (ie don’t get too overexcited, Luke Abbott fans…). Still, now that I’ve all my excuses out of the way, I hope you’ll find plenty to dig into here. I’ve included links to music and extended reviews about many of these albums, so please let me know what you think. Your own charts and thoughts are as welcome as ever: besides the comments boxes at the bottom, letters to the magazine can be sent to me at uncut_feedback@ipcmedia.com. Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JohnRMulvey 1. Luke Abbott – Wysing Forest (Border Community) 2. Afghan Whigs – Do To The Beast (Sub Pop) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovhzeqIaggY 3. Damon Albarn – Everyday Robots (Parlophone) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjbiUj-FD-o 4. Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires - Dereconstructed (Sub Pop) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YucWOXSCa4U ) Read my review here 5. Olga Bell – Krai (One Little Indian) 6. Black Bananas – Electric Brick Wall (Drag City) 7. Black Dirt Oak – Wawayanda Patient (MIE Music) Read my review here 8. Bohren & Der Club Of Gore – Piano Nights (PIAS) Read my review here 9. Bill Callahan – Have Fun With God (Drag City) Read my review here 10. Hans Chew – Life And Love (At The Helm) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoelJhhIKcM 11. Morgan Delt – Morgan Delt (Trouble In Mind) 12. Toumani Diabaté & Sidiki Diabaté - Toumani & Sidiki (World Circuit) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCEeaERMfNo 13. Drive-By Truckers – English Oceans (ATO) 14. East India Youth – Total Strife Forever (Stolen) 15. Fennesz – Bécs (Editions Mego) 16. Grandma Sparrow - Grandma Sparrow & his Piddletractor Orchestra (Spacebomb) 17. Steve Gunn & Mike Cooper – FRKWYS VOL 11: Cantos De Lisboa (RVNG INTL) 18. The Hold Steady – Teeth Dreams (Washington Square) 19. Dylan Howe – Subterranean: New Designs On Bowie's Berlin (Motorik) 20. Howlin Rain – Live Rain (Agitated) Continue to the Best Albums Of 2014: Halftime Report Part Two Continue to the Best Albums Of 2014: Halftime Report Part Three
Yesterday, after I posted this list of my favourite albums of 2014, I received a few messages complaining that there were too many Youtube and Soundcloud clips embedded here, preventing the page from loading properly. Forgive the repetition, then, but I thought it worth reposting the list as three separate blogs; hopefully it’ll work better this time…
Always a bit of a gamble doing this, to be honest but, since it’s June, I’ve tried to put together a list of my favourite albums of 2014 thus far. Many caveats forthcoming, not least that my slightly ad hoc way of trying to remember what I’ve liked means I’ve almost certainly missed a few things.
In theory, these are all records released between January and June of this year. I should also point out that this is a very personal selection, and in no way representative of what my 40-odd colleagues at Uncut might choose if we were running this as a proper poll. It’s also not exactly a Top 62, as I’ve organised them in alphabetical order rather than attempting any ranking at this early stage (ie don’t get too overexcited, Luke Abbott fans…).
Still, now that I’ve all my excuses out of the way, I hope you’ll find plenty to dig into here. I’ve included links to music and extended reviews about many of these albums, so please let me know what you think. Your own charts and thoughts are as welcome as ever: besides the comments boxes at the bottom, letters to the magazine can be sent to me at uncut_feedback@ipcmedia.com.
Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JohnRMulvey
1. Luke Abbott – Wysing Forest (Border Community)
2. Afghan Whigs – Do To The Beast (Sub Pop)
3. Damon Albarn – Everyday Robots (Parlophone)
4. Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires – Dereconstructed (Sub Pop)
)
5. Olga Bell – Krai (One Little Indian)
6. Black Bananas – Electric Brick Wall (Drag City)
7. Black Dirt Oak – Wawayanda Patient (MIE Music)
8. Bohren & Der Club Of Gore – Piano Nights (PIAS)
9. Bill Callahan – Have Fun With God (Drag City)
10. Hans Chew – Life And Love (At The Helm)
11. Morgan Delt – Morgan Delt (Trouble In Mind)
12. Toumani Diabaté & Sidiki Diabaté – Toumani & Sidiki (World Circuit)
13. Drive-By Truckers – English Oceans (ATO)
14. East India Youth – Total Strife Forever (Stolen)
15. Fennesz – Bécs (Editions Mego)
16. Grandma Sparrow – Grandma Sparrow & his Piddletractor Orchestra (Spacebomb)
17. Steve Gunn & Mike Cooper – FRKWYS VOL 11: Cantos De Lisboa (RVNG INTL)
18. The Hold Steady – Teeth Dreams (Washington Square)
19. Dylan Howe – Subterranean: New Designs On Bowie’s Berlin (Motorik)
20. Howlin Rain – Live Rain (Agitated)
Continue to the Best Albums Of 2014: Halftime Report Part Two
Continue to the Best Albums Of 2014: Halftime Report Part Three
