Check It: 7 local-ish bands to see in ’14
January 7, 2014
Concert Listings
January 7, 2014
I never thought I could get tired of lists, especially the year-end music variety. I love the order imposed upon totally subjective and messy subjects, the faux authority bestowed upon the result and the left-field surprises contained on a good many of them. (How many? I don’t have that list.)
Yet here I type sitting, filled to the gills with lists of all sorts, most brought by the wondrous beast that is the Internet. All that seemingly remains is the Village Voice’s annual uber-list, “Pazz and Jop,” which compiles lists from every critic and reviewer worth their salt; last year’s list stopped exhaustedly at 1361 records. (And no, I didn’t get an invite.)
I tried my best to stick to my personal favorites, and to avoid the pull of picking albums based on their cool cachet or of filling a niche or genre slot. I am not a full-time reviewer, so I don’t feel the need to have to listen to every release. (Bye bye, Robin Thicke; shine on you crazy diamond, Kanye West.)
It was a big year for women, especially emerging country artists who sound traditional but sing about topics in ways that are fresh, clear eyed and non-congratulatory. Kacey Musgraves, Ashley Monroe and Brandy Clark all made great albums that are must-haves. That they didn’t make my list is not contradictory, but rather a testament to the strength and breadth of the music I felt blessed to hear.
I continue to count those blessings even in the face of depressing reports of sagging sales—depressing of course not for the sake of the record companies but for the sustenance of the artists who make them. There is a generation coming up in an age when stealing music is ubiquitous and taken for granted. These artists need to eat, so by all means encourage your teenager to buy his/her music. (And there are bargains to be had, especially with MP3s.) Also, go see some live music – there’s nothing like it, and it’s for the best of musical causes.
2014 beckons, and I can’t wait to hear what’s next. I resolve to get more into local music, as well as to get out of the house to catch the live stuff.
No more ado:
1) Jason Isbell–Southeastern: No way this one was not going to be number one; it’s a stand-on-its-own classic, plus he played our hometown festival and I got to talk to him backstage about football, the Muscle Shoals documentary and the Breaking Bad finale. Duh.
It’s a confessional record, but never self-pitying or maudlin. It is stark and at times difficult. But the rewards are plentiful and deep.
2) Valerie June–Pushin’ Against a Stone: She’s blessed with a really unique voice and is a late bloomer. Dan Auerbach (Black Keys) produces this marvel of austerity-to-cacophony. She takes the listener from the Appalachians to the cotton fields to the coffee house, and she rocks.
3) Rhye–Woman: Dude sings like a lady, but the ladies don’t seem to care. They’re too busy swooning to this audacious bedroom jam.
4) Caitlin Rose–The Stand-In: In a year of so many country(ish) women standouts, I liked this one the most. Solid song craft and righteous backing frame her ripe voice.
5) Charles Bradley–Victim of Love: Huge voice, all soul, gritty and pain-infused, the kind that makes you smile like a damn fool.
6) Gregory Porter–Liquid Spirit: A male jazz singer who fits as comfortably on the street as he does in the loft.
7) Lucius–Wildewoman: Two ladies, singing straight into your face without artifice or threat; their songwriting is as strong as the arrangements, and that’s considerable. One that grew in stature quickly.
8) Patty Griffin–American Kid: She’s a treasure at this point, and her maturity allows for quiet strength; probably doesn’t hurt that she’s hanging with Robert Plant, either.
9) Preservation Hall Jazz Band–That’s It: Wherein the Band proves that the creative juices still flow; an all-original program is further enlivened by Jim James’ unobtrusive production.
10) Lady–Lady: A Brit and an Atlantan team up to produce one of those new soul workouts that I cannot get enough of; this one bleeds sincerity and toughness.
11) Willie Sugarcapps–Willie Sugarcapps: Grayson Capps used to live in New Orleans, got displaced post-Katrina but stayed on the Gulf Coast, where he formed this sort-of-supergroup with Will Kimbrough and Sugarcane Jane. Literally front-porch music, it exudes warmth and wisdom.
12) Shannon McNally–Small Town Talk: Another New Orleans-transplant expatriate, McNally cut this tribute to Bobby Charles with the help of Dr. John, Sonny Landreth, Derek Trucks, Luther Dickinson and Dr. John’s backing band. The record sounds as good as that sounds.
13) Aceyalone–Leanin’ On Slick: Call it my token hip-hop album, I don’t care. I play this James Brown-channeling slab o’ funk as loud as my factory-edition Honda Accord stereo will go. Over and over.
14) Unknown Mortal Orchestra–II: a mind-blown earworm of an album, this one lodged itself under my skin and lived there for several months, along with …
15) Foxygen–We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic: whose retro-adoring bratty album yielded several song of the year candidates, and when I saw both acts on a double bill on a stormy night in the Quarter, it was … alright!
16) Rudresh Mahanthappa–Gamak: Gnarly Indo-Pak blues jazz fusion album; serious blowing and wailing.
17) The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra–The Benevolence of Sister Mary Ignatius: Madness members go to Jamaica and cut a joyous ska/rock steady tribute with as many originals as they could find.
18) Mount Moriah–Miracle Temple: Jenks Miller and Heather McEntire make a wicked slice of Southern gothic that is seriously addictive.
19) White Denim–Corsicana Lemonade: This Austin quartet of polymaths settles down a bit and produces its most accessible album of still-challenging prog rock. Elements of soul, blues and southern rock are prominent on this self-proclaimed “barbecue record”.
20) The Mavericks – In Time: Because I love these guys, and it’s nice to hear Raul Malo’s great bellow again.
Speaking of love, I also had plenty of that for the following honorable that just as easily could have made the top 20:
The Relatives—The Electric Word
Jonathan Wilson — Fanfare
The Wood Brothers – The Muse
Tommy Malone – Natural Born Days
The Parson Red Heads—Orb Weaver
Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City
Houndstooth – Ride Out the Dark
Kacey Musgraves—Same Trailer, Different Park
Anders Osborne – Peace
Churchwood – Churchwood II (find of the year)
John Murry – The Graceless Age
Holly Williams – The Highway
Brandy Clark—12 Stories
Dave Douglas—Time Travel
Ashley Monroe—Like A Rose
Josh Rouse – The Happiness Waltz
The Fabulous Thunderbirds – On the Verge
The Shouting Matches – Grown Ass Man
James Hunter Six – Minute By Minute
(And on and on and on….)
– Dave Norman is a local attorney who has been smitten with music since he could hear his first transistor radio turned to WTIX, and is thankful for his ability to share his love with you.
Jason Isbell’s latest record “Southeastern” takes the top slot in music critic Dave
Norman’s top-20 best of ‘13 list, as if there were ever any doubts. “It’s a confessional
record, but never self-pitying or maudlin. It is stark and at times difficult. But the rewards are plentiful and deep,” he writes.
