Hobo Keith 2014: Transmissions from Inside the Cardboard Box

The homeless one is back with a new outlook on life. The man did what he could to park his humble, corrugated abode outside the windows of anyone who listened to music, pulling his best-of list from whatever his roughshod ears could garner. It's like aural "On the Road". Enjoy! 

10. Secret Sisters – Put Your Needle Down (April 15)

Two sisters with immaculate voices sounding at times uncannily like the Everly Brothers doing country and folk standards. This should be better than it is, but I think the problem lies mostly in the choice of material they do. Although they were given an unfinished Dylan song from 80’s to record (likely due to their connection with T-Bone Burnett). So it can’t be all bad, can it? Ultimately, a bit of a let down but half the album or so is killer.

9. Guardians Of The Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 (July 29)

Not sure if this actually counts or not since it’s not new music but a collection of old songs, but I don’t give a fuck. This soundtrack almost created as much buzz as the movie and that’s saying a lot for previously released 70’s AM gold type of music. It was everywhere at the end of the summer. I never seemed to care about most of the songs on here previously, but somehow the context of the movie made me want to listen to them more. Job well done, James Gunn job well fucking done.

8. She & Him – Classics (December 2)

When I first heard She & Him were doing an album of standards with a 20 piece orchestra, I got really excited. The end result was not exactly what I had thought; I was expecting sweeping strings on everything and old songs that I actually knew.  Neither of those are true, the sound ended up involving more horns and such which is fine and all just not exactly what I hoped for. It’s a fine album over all, very low key and laid back which makes it a pretty perfect Sunday morning album. They’ve been on the downward swing over the last 3 albums but this is an enjoyable listen never the less.

7. Olivia Jean – Bathtub Love Killings (October 14)

She was the lead singer/guitar player for a garage pop band full of hot goth chicks that I liked called The Black Belles (see my 2011 list). They only made one album so this is the next best thing. Olivia is in the Third Man Records house band (Jack White’s label) and plays guitar and other instruments on most recordings they put out. That being said this album kind of sounds like Jack White lite, which I’m strangely ok with it. Cool hooks, lots of guitar, macabre lyrics and a lot of pure awesomeness. 

6. Black Lips – Underneath the Rainbow (March 17)

At first I was disappointed with this album compared to their previous 2011 album, Arabia Mountain (possibly their best) but it’s grown on me a bit. This is another fun drug fueled 60’s garage rock stomp. It’s worth it alone for the first 3 songs. There are usually 2 singers that dominate the album, but this time a third singer gets a huge chunk of the songs and he’s not nearly as good as the other two. This might be part of the problem, also the song “Do The Vibrate” with the hook, “put your phone in your crotch and set on vibrate”. Yea.

5. Foxygen - …And Star Power (October 14)

This album is a glorious mess. I was pretty thrilled when Foxygen announced they were doing a double album and simultaneously released the sublime single “How Can You Really” so soon after their awesome first album.  This is a complicated but often fantastic album. I applaud these guys for purposely crafting an entire experience, something that is benefitted from listening to in one whole sitting. That seems to be a lost art these days. I would have preferred an album of just the pop hits, but the darker noise pieces help put things in perspective (it sounds even better if you’re listening to the thematically structured sides of vinyl).

4. Velvet Underground – The “Lost” 1969 Album (November 24)

Well this is a weird one. This album was recorded between the 3rd Velvet Underground album (self titled) and Loaded. The band recorded master takes but were ultimately dropped by their label who got to keep said takes. These tracks were eventually released in the 80’s spread out over the compilations VU and Another View and prior to that many of the songs had ended up being re-recorded and released by Lou Reed. I also had meticulously researched which tracks were supposed to be on this a few years ago had made my own playlist for it. It’s nice to finally get a whole version of it (this is part of the Velvet Underground album deluxe box set) with original mixes that helps bridge the gap between the 3rd and 4th albums. While it’s easily the most dispensable of all their studio work there is certainly a lot of charm to it and some fantastic tracks. I have a serious obsession with the song Andy’s Chest, which I’ll admit may cloud my judgment for this album. 

3. Jack White – Lazzaretto (June 10) 

I was really anticipating Jack White’s first solo album and was ultimately disappointed by Blunderbuss. It just wasn’t what I had been hoping it would be. So when Lazzaretto was released I was skeptical. By the time I listened to the second song/title track I knew this was a different beast. This was the album I had expected him to make all along. It has a much more seamless integration of country music into his signature sound. I’m a fan of any album that can reference Columbo in the lyrics…

2. Woods – With Light & With Love (April 15)

A close contender for #1 and it would have been if the bombshell that is my first choice wasn’t dropped out of nowhere. It’s got 60’s pop melodies, cloaked in pedal steel country flavor with tons of psychedelia.  This album was made for me. These guys have evolved from purposely shitty lo-fi bedroom freak folk recordings to subtle pop grandeur. Looking forward to hear what they put out next.

1. Bob Dylan & The Band – The Bootleg Series Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete (November 4)

Do I need to elaborate? I’ve been waiting a good 15 or so years for this. While I did have a bootleg that had about 80% of this unreleased stuff collected that had been circulating over the years this is a dream come true. Getting it all in one place in the best possible fidelity with tons of songs no one (no matter how hardcore of a collector you were) had ever heard. The release was a complete out of nowhere surprise and lives up to the hype. It was very rare for the Dylan camp to release a bootleg series entry in back to back years (i.e. never). Totally worth it just to hear 150(ish) songs with Robbie Robertson playing guitar on. 

Ironfishlantern: 2014 in Musical Copulation

Good folks who happen read this blog. As mentioned in the introductory post, our extended absence is regrettable. But we are back and essentially the same, if not a little worse, than ever. Here we go...

Honorable mentions

Freeman - Freeman

Dude from Ween got a little too "down with the brown" and ends up dropping out of music for a long time. He comes back as Aaron Freeman after Ween is no more. It has a lot of unique sounds, styles and guitar, all done in a fairly acoustic, stripped down way. This is wonderful background music and outside of a few seconds near the end of the first track, a very good album to play when hanging out with smaller humans (kids, not little people). I may need more time to digest this one fully but I never find myself disappointed when it ends up on. 

Key Tracks: "For A While (I Couldn't Play My Guitar Like a Man)", "The English and Western Stallion"

Drive By Truckers - English Oceans

A quintessential workingman's album from the quintessential workingman's group. Two singers, dirty guitars, excellent story-filled lyrics and a willingness to churn out music at a fairly consistent rate helps to keep this on my radar. With that said, while I always enjoy whatever these gents put out, this release never stayed in my cd player for as long as any of the others below. I have become convinced that by me moving south it was inevitable I became some form of a redneck. Being that I wasn't into guns or camo or country music, the redder shade of my neck manifested itself in my appreciation for this band. 

Key Tracks: "Pauline Hawkins", "When Walter Went Crazy"

Alt-J - This is All Yours

Younger buddy of mine had the same experience with these guys in college that a few of us did with the Chili Peppers. The full fledged obsession is the normal part that made sense to me. What was weird is that the band only had one album at the time. Seems like he had pretty good taste though, so I gave this new album a try when it came out since he was so massively stoked for it. It's really unique music and something I can't seem to quantify at all.  They sound extremely British? Many more people who have listened to it much more than I have thoughts that are more refined. I have no idea what will happen when I listen to this more but for a week or so, it was all I wanted to listen to when I came home from work. 

Key Tracks: "Intro", "Left Hand Free"

Foxygen - ...And Star Power

Shaffer may have saved this album for me. After he digested it enough, I asked him to submit to me a whittled down, normal-album-sized version of this overy bloated behemoth. Without that, this album doesn't see the light of day on this list (honorable mention or not). I don't want to have to wade through that much excess weirdness just to get to the good songs. Get these lunatics an editor. Someone needs to learn to tell the lead singer "no", hard. Thankfully, he's talented enough that no one ever will. Hopefully from here on out, it's 13 songs or less max. At the very least, the albums will be sprinkled with gems. 

Key Tracks: "How Can You Really", "Coulda Been My Love" 

Tokyo Police Club - Forcefield

I'm nervous/embarrassed/confused about what these guys became. They are so sugary, syrupy, bubblegum pop right now that it's hard to recognize those scrawny young Canucks that put out A Lesson in Crime. That's not to say I didn't see this coming. Every album has been leading to this and I have been throwing my body in front of this genre car crash all the while, to no avail. I'm still helpless to resist though because they, really, they already had me as a fan and this greatly appeals to the 14 year old girl inside me (wait a minute...). I'm at a loss to defend myself, or them for that matter. Even with the amount of times I listened to, enjoyed and sang along to this album, it would be a just too big of a hit to my macho music ego to include in my top 10. 

Key Tracks: "Hot Tonight", "Toy Guns"

King Tuff - Black Magic Spell

Liking J Mascis has a million perks if you enjoy the sounds of an amplified six string glory ax. The secret, unexpected bonus is that he plays in other bands with other musicians who ALSO like that instrument and then they put out 70s glam rock metal freak spazz out albums that I can proudly drive around and belt out. Mr. Tuff cranks out some grimy tunes that blend together everything Joseph Mascis had blaring out of his record player as a Amherstian youth with the sexy sheen of modern production. There are a couple swings and misses here where things get a little too heavy for me, but with refinement and age, this strapping young ragamuffin' has a bright future (or past mannnnnnnn). 

Key Tracks: "Headbanger", "Beautiful Thing"

The Real Deal

10. Mac Demarco - Salad Days

Another album I have to attribute to a friends work. Buddy of mine took a cross county trip that ended with him in California hanging around with this guy and or just associating with a bunch of other musicians who got him on the Mac wagon. His stripped down, mellow ways belie his age as the songs are far from rushed, anxious or filled with any expectations. The album comes across as the kind of thing you would want to cruise the pacific highway with while potentially dozing off in the backseat. I think all of you reading this would enjoy i if you haven't heard of him and henceforth I recommend it more than any other album on this list to any of you who haven't come across it. 

Key Tracks: "Salad Days", "Blue Boy"

9. Conor Oberst - Upside Down Mountain

HoboKeith did everything in his power to ensure that I wouldn't ever like Bright Eyes by overplaying it at a time when I was far from accepting. It took some intervention by my boys from Dawes to change that. Word came out last year that Oberst was going to be putting out a new album, produced by Jonathan Wilson (of whom my love has been deeply chronicled) and that he would be going on tour with Dawes opening and performing as his backing band. Seeing them together gave me enough of a boost to grab the album and things only got better from there. He always had the ability to write lyrics but now he actually brings something else with it. A full band sound, significantly less whining and the aforementioned musical flourishes of Mr. Wilson bring this easily into my top 10. 

Key Tracks: "Artifact #1", "Enola Gay"

8. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Wig Out at Jagbags

What a fantastic album name. It should be on everyone's list for that alone. This guy is going to keep cranking out albums and I am going to keep enjoying them relentlessly. I feel that I am too unique in this pursuit. His strange blend of funky guitar tones, abstract lyrics and shufflingly sexy/atonal grooves just do things for me. The music can't be quantified and neither can the man. Odd intros, spoken word interjections, various horns and practically anything else people wouldn't assume goes into a rock song make frequent appearances. "Chartjunk" is probably one of my top 5 songs period since we started doing this whole ranking thing. Those horn charts! Last time I saw him he drunkenly covered "Wild Thing" with a segue into "Lithium". Bless you sir. 

Key Tracks: "Chartjunk", "Lariat"

7. Beck - Morning Phase

Everyone told me that 2002's Sea Change was going to be the Beck album I might like if I was feeling miserable and low. Thankfully (unfortunately?) at that time, I was, and those who shared said wisdom with me were dead on. This is a return to form to that era Beck and yet I find myself in a completely different mindset. In order to balance that out, I had a child and needed something to play that was going to be mellow and acceptable to put him to sleep. That is where this album started for me and over time it slowly morphed into something that I couldn't get enough of, no matter the time of day or company I was with. I seem to enjoy this version of Beck more than any other incarnation. Hopefully his life doesn't have to be as miserable as the vibe his music conveys at the time. 

Key Tracks: "Country Down", "Turn Away"

6. Phish - Fuego

If you had told me at any phoint in my existence I'd have a Phish album on any top 10 list of mine I'd have assumed I'd just given up on life and was living amongst the downtrodden masses. A large chef friend of mine has been phushing Phish on me since I met him almost 9 years ago and outside of a few songs here and there I never could dive full bore in. He tried repeatedly, basically every single time we hung out and it just wasn't happening. But i'll be damned if I didn't enjoy the hell out of this new album. Maybe I just finally "got it" this album as many Phishheads claim will happen to us all at some phoint. Maybe it's just that I listened to an album for the first time. Maybe my brain just got tired of fighting it. Whatever it is, and as hard as it would have been to say to 22 year old me, I really like it. That's not to say it made me want to go back and immerse myself in their phast work... yet. In fact, I'm almost worried if that ever happens I'll be in a Trey vortex from which I'll never return. Til' then, I'll just be carnivorous, but muscular. 

Key Tracks: "555", "Wombat"

5. Spoon - They Want My Soul

In my initial list I completely forgot to include this gem. It was an accidental oversight but the same could be said about how most music fans feel about Spoon. These guys are acknowledged but for the most part float under the radar. This album is just another killer release from a band that manages to always sound like themselves while subtly changing up there style on each album. "They Want My Soul" is extremely cohesive, and it just feels right to just play it front to back instead of cherrypicking select tracks. That's a fun thing nowadays and more of a novelty than the norm. As a result, there aren't solos or jams that stand out per se, but instead these are songs that are filled with grooves. They lay down something slithering and sexy (albeit a little mentally unstable sexy) and then let Britt Daniel wail, howl and croon his way on top of it. Seeing these songs live only confirmed how tight this band is at this point in their career. Onwards!
Key Tracks: "Rainy Taxi", "New York Kiss"

4. The Men - Tomorrow's Hits

I was enamored with the Replacements meets Stones rollicking mess of an album these guys put out previously and had my hopes skyscraper high in anticipation of this one. Upon the initial listen, the first single sounded like a cacophony of randomness and I became an ardent worrier of things to come. However, shortly thereafter the rest of the album came out and all my fears dissipated as quickly as these dudes churn out records. From the killer garage rock of the opener "Dark Waltz", to the modern day denim swing of Springsteen on "Another Night", this album is a relentless single factory. It's only 8 tracks, but as noted above even that first single became a favorite and the other 7 just plain deliver. These guys are diverse, prolific and doing everything I want done when I want to drink to an album. Not enough people make good drinking music these days. Take notes America.

Key Tracks: "Settle Me Down", "Dark Waltz"

3. Bahamas - Bahamas is Afie

This dude makes most normal, low key Canadians seem like coked out Nic Cages. He is remarkably mellow and even when he steps up the pace in his tunes, it comes across as soulfully measured, and thoughtfully concise. In fact, his unabashed capacity for being unbelievably reserved is most noted in the fact that the guy can absolutely shred, yet you'd barely know it by listening to this with a casual ear. Perhaps with a deeper dive you might pick up on the occasional killer tone or funky flourish (plus the downright blistering solo that exists on the standout "All the Time") but his restraint is beyond admirable, if not frustrating. This is a breezy album filled with the fantastic songwriting ability of a man named Afie in his absolute prime. I have infinite familial connections to this as well. It was the last album I shared with my dad, my wife actually wants me to put it on in the car and my sons first favorite song is "All the Time". Deal = sealed. 

Key Tracks: "All the Time", "Little Record Girl"

2. Michael Jackson - Xscape

Perhaps (read: definitely) the most controversial choice on my list, Mr. Jackson is the only non-living artist to appear. His first posthumous release a few years back was an absolute bomb and one would assume that was put out with the best of the remaining best to capitalize on the revitalized popularity that came with his death. Sadly, though I was as big of an MJ fan as there is out there, I wrote off any future release as a waste of my time. Holy sweet mother of Odin was I wrong. This group of 8 songs, recorded anywhere from 1983 to 2001, all managed to not make it on an album for one reason or another. There is every form of gold this world could ever want. It's glorious.  If you don't like Michael there is little I can do to convince you to listen to this. But if you do, in any way, shape or form and you were a holdout like me, stop whatever you are doing right now and go buy three copies immediately. The only reason this isn't #1 is because of how pissed off I am that a) they didn't release this album first upon his passing and b) the unfortunate fact that they put out a second, companion version of the album, redone by modern producers. Of course it's still good, because it's freaking Michael, but why? I mean really....why? Also, there are unconfirmed reports of an impromptu drunken dance party that broke out at my residence one night when sharing this album with  friend that I can neither confirm nor deny. 
Key Tracks: "A Place With No Name", "Chicago", "Love Never Felt So Good", "Xscape", "Loving You", "Blue Gangsta", "Do You Know Where Your Children Are?", "Slave to the Rhythm"

1. Ty Segall - Manipulator

I had three of this guys albums that essentially did somewhere between nothing to very little for me. Then, I listen to his WTF podcast with Maron and I'm sold enough on his new one to run home and download it? That makes almost as much sense as it ending up as my obsessive, number one played and number one ranked album of the year. There was a solid stretch of time where garage scuzz (hellllllo King Tuff!) was all I wanted in my ears. Give me a grimy riff and a solid, muddled bottom end and I am in my absolute element. This gentleman is relentless in releasing albums and has more product out before age 25 than most would in a career. This leads to way too many unfinished ideas and some genre hopping that would make Frogger proud, but he took his (relative) time on this one, spending an entire year. It produced an absolutely killer LP. In a great year for music (for only me apparently?), this stood out above the rest. 

Key Tracks: "Feel", "Tall Man and the Skinny Lady"

2014 List Contributors/We're Not Dead

Well I'll be damned if this site hasn't essentially laid dormant since the lists we all cobbled together last year. Personally, I blame my wife for having a kid and I know Dr. Doobs probably dropped a little seed around town on his own. Either way, we failed all (5) of you loyal readers and for that I offer our sincerest, only moderately cynical, apology. Thankfully we are back, with some of the same year end list amigos in tow. We also aim to use this as a launching pad for the sites revival. So, keep an eye out for future reviews, potentially including some deeper thoughts about some of the albums soon to be mentioned. Without further (weak sauce) explanations for our lack of work, here is the cast and crew for the lists you are about to read

Ironfishlantern - New dad. Truly, just happy everything down south works after seeing all that rust.

PhDank Dad - The good doctor who delivered my (musical) son, back to continue his tag team work with me on the site. There is no where to go but up (unless he gets down, knowwhatI'msayin?)

Hobo Keith - A part time real estate agent and full time County Funk DJ. Hopefully he will be gracing us with a few guest posts this calendar year.

Shaffer 'Til She's Bald - Friend of the blog who uses his finely attuned musical ear to whittle away the excess slop from overindulgent albums. In another time, in another place, he would have gone to college with us.

Zack At It - Has more stories about getting kicked out of shows than most people have fingers. Plus, he likes good MuZack. Heh, heh.

Luka Tenderoni - No one can spell his name and no one knows if he is a real person. On more than one occasion he has been mistaken for a device with which to consume illicit substances. That's all you need to know to enjoy his thoughts and opinions.