Stephen Rapid 20 albums of note 2014
In no particular order here are just some of the albums that I have
enjoyed and returned to throughout the year. All fall to some degree
into my definition of country music - given that that, in itself, is a
pretty broad church:
Jeremy Pinnell OH/KY
http://www.jeremypinnell.com/listen/
JP Harris and there Tough Choices - Home Is Where The Hurt Is
http://ilovehonkytonk.com
Laura Benitez and the Heartache - Heartless Woman
http://www.laurabenitezandtheheartache.com/musicvideo.html
Cahalen Morrison & Country Hammer - The Flower Of The Muscle Shoals
http://www.cahalen.com/country-hammer/
Doug Seegers - Going Down To The River
http://dougseegersmusic.com/videos/
Nikki Lane - All Or Nothin’
http://www.nikkilane.com
Corb Lund - Counterfeit Blues
http://corblund.com/media/counterfeit-blues-2014/
Cina Samuelson - Roots & Memories
http://www.cinasamuelson.se/indexeng.htm
Karen Jonas - Oklahoma Lottery
https://www.facebook.com/karenjonasmusic
Mark Sinnis - It’s Been A Long Cold Hard Lonely Winter
http://www.marksinnis.com/11.html
Hurray For The Riff Raff - Small Two Heroes
http://hurrayfortheriffraff.com/listen/
Sturgill Simpsom - Metamodern Sounds In Country Music
http://sturgillsimpson.bandcamp.com/music
Paul Burch - Fevers
http://www.paulburch.com/fevers
Jim Lauderdale - I’m A Song
http://www.jimlauderdale.com
Ben Miller Band - Any Way, Shape or Form
http://www.benmillerband.com
Marty Stuart and the Fabulous Superlatives - Saturday Night/Sunday Morning
http://www.martystuart.net/martySaturday.html
Daniel Meade - Keep Right Away
http://danielmeade.bandcamp.com
Don Williams - Reflections
http://www.don-williams.com
Ryan Bingham - Fear and Saturday Night
http://www.binghammusic.com
Ronnie Fauss - Built To Break
http://www.ronniefauss.com
Paul McGee Top Ten Americana Releases 2014
Dawn Landes - Bluebird
http://www.dawnlandes.com
Rosanne Cash - The River & The Thread
http://www.rosannecash.com
Lucinda Williams - Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone
http://www.lucindawilliams.com
Robert Ellis - The Lights From The Central Chemical Plant
http://robertellismusic.com
Birds Of Chicago - Live From Space
http://birdsofchicago.com
Holly Williams - The Highway
http://www.hollywilliams.com
Mary Gauthier- Trouble & Love
http://www.marygauthier.com
Eliza Gilkyson - The Nocturne Diaries
http://elizagilkyson.com
Jason Tyler Burton - Headwaters
https://www.facebook.com/jasontylerburton
Drive By Truckers - Built To Break
http://www.drivebytruckers.com
Sandy Harsch Top Ten Albums 2014
Dave & Phil Alvin - Common Ground (The Songs of Big Bill Bronzy)
Unexpected, delightful and incredibly musical.
http://www.davealvin.net/p70vu5zaf7s3101set62andxb7bigi
Zac Brown Band- The Grohl Sessions (Volume One)
Great combination of band and producer, loved them live @ the 2013 CMA Awards show.
http://www.zacbrownband.com
Doobie Brothers - Southbound
A lot more country than a great deal of Nashville now – and can guest Doobies Chris Young and Charlie Worsham sing!
http://www.doobiebros.com
Earls of Leicester - Earls of Leicester
A labour of love for an all-star cast which works perfectly. The revelation is Shawn Camp’s hard high-lonesome vocals.
http://www.rounder.com/2014/08/new-releases/earls
Hurray for the Riff-Raff - Small Town Heroes
Good songs, well sung, with a surprising honky-tonk edge.
http://hurrayfortheriffraff.com/listen/
Ben Miller Band - Any Way, Shape or Form
I feel like Butch Cassidy – who are these guys?! Doesn’t matter, they are unique and can really play great rough roadhouse music.
http://www.benmillerband.com
Red Molly - The Red Album
Saw them years ago at Merlefest and loved them and the Molls have just got better. Singing, song choice and writing are superb and live they are dynamite.
http://www.redmolly.com
Sturgill Simpsom - Metamodern Sounds In Country Music
The most country voice since Jamie Johnson, he writes amazing songs and goes where most people don’t – into real country. An extraordinary album.
http://sturgillsimpson.bandcamp.com/music
Marty Stuart and the Fabulous Superlatives - Saturday Night/Sunday Morning
Sin and salvation; Marty and the boys are at home in both, with Brother Kenny Vaughan’s fabulous guitar work to the fore.
http://www.martystuart.net/martySaturday.html
Lee Ann Womack - The Way I’m Livin’
One of the great voices in Nashville, Womack is now happy on an independent label, making superb music. Gorgeous song choices, powerful vocals.
http://www.leeannwomack.com
Ronnie Norton’s Ten Top Albums 2014
Here’s my list of the 10 albums that particularly caught my eye and ear during the last year.
Because I listen to so many types of music I have not listed them in a "No1 and downwards”
order. Let’s just say they are all joint No1’s:
We Banjo 3 - Gather The Good
Two sets of brothers with a genre defying album that takes Celtic Crossover to a whole new level.
They are on a quest for world domination and 2015 could well be their year.
True North - Elsebound
"It’s Bluegrass, Jim, but not as we know it” Fell in long distance love with Kristen Grainger’s voice
and the band’s original songs and approach to my sort of music. Definitely my tastiest find of the year.
http://www.truenorthbluegrass.com/
Four Wheel Drive - Travelling Kind
Europe’s finest Bluegrass band, loosely based in The Netherlands. But the addition of the crystal clear
and pure “Country“ voice of regular guest vocalist Jolanda Peters keeps this CD right in the front of my
"must play regularly” box.
Driven - You’ll Be Lonely And I’ll Be Gone
Released in late 2013 this sneaks in because Driven got right to me from my very first listen. This slightly
west of Nashvile band represents for me all that is hopeful for the future of Bluegrass music
http://www.drivenbluegrass.com
Irene Kelley - Pennsylvania Coal
Carrying a real guilt feeling because I took so long to give this little gem a proper listen. Her first album in
over 10 years with a stellar line up of Bluegrass’s finest musicians makes and Irene’s amazing voice and
songwriting makes “Pennsylvania Coal” a real diamond in the rough.
The Earls Of Leicester - The Earls Of Leicester
Too little space here to give Jerry and the boys the credit they deserve. A tribute to Flatt and Scruggs that
has been brewing in Jerry’s mind for years. Destined to be a long term classic album by the cream of the
Bluegrass world’s very best musicians.
Crowe, Lawson And Williams - Standing Tall And Tough
J.D Crowe, Doyle Lawson and Paul Williams are the benchmark for as they call it “This great American
music called Bluegrass”. Classic Country and Blistering Bluegrass from three of my superheroes.
www.mountainhomemusiccompany.com
Claire Lynch - Holiday
At last a Christmas album to knock “The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band” Christmas album 1997 off the top of my
Christmas tree. Claire Lynch has set the bar for me for all Holiday albums in the future, but this is not just
a holiday album it’s an acoustic music treat as only The Claire Lynch can deliver.
Larry Cordle And Lonesome Standard Time - All Star Duets
The Mighty Cord and 12 of Country’s finest duet partners and 12 of Larry’s favourite compositions make
this the "must have” album of the year. You know all the songs and now you get them supercharged and
all in one place.
Rhonda Vincent - Only Me
A 2 CD musical trip to a Bluegrass / Country leisure park as on Rhonda can do it. Sit back, kick off your
boots and choose your flavour of the day, Rhonda Vincent, Bluegrass or Country singer. Your choice or
both. Stunning album.