[Ern Dog]

This years Best cd was Sophie Barker, "A Rare Collection of Songs".  It is simple, intimate, and heart opening.  It is recorded well too.  I bought it as a Wave download, and you can name your buying price!

Here's the link:  http://sophiebarker.bandcamp.com/album/a-rare-collection-of-songs

[Maceo23]

1.  These New Puritans- Field of Reeds (Ridiculously Good)
2.  QOTSA-Like Clockwork  (Return to Form)
3.  Darkside-Psychic
4.  Phosphorescent- Muchacho
5.  Kanye- Yeezus  (I hate him so much but damn he's talented)

[terry parr]

this is what makes these end-of-year music lists fun. 

gives you a chance to discover what you might have missed.  (which, as it turns out in my case is usually quite a lot, from one year to the next). 

i think i have fairly "specific" music tastes, (after all, i know what i like), but lately i'm beginning to think that what i might be calling "specific", somebody else might call "narrow."     

i think it's easy to get into a rut with music and only gravitate towards that particular style that seems to grab you right from the start instead of taking the time to give different styles a real chance or be open enough to give something outside of your usual listening a fair hearing.

just thinking out loud a little bit. 

keep the lists coming!     

[FireGuy]

this is what makes these end-of-year music lists fun. 

gives you a chance to discover what you might have missed.  (which, as it turns out in my case is usually quite a lot, from one year to the next). 

i think i have fairly "specific" music tastes, (after all, i know what i like), but lately i'm beginning to think that what i might be calling "specific", somebody else might call "narrow."     

i think it's easy to get into a rut with music and only gravitate towards that particular style that seems to grab you right from the start instead of taking the time to give different styles a real chance or be open enough to give something outside of your usual listening a fair hearing.

just thinking out loud a little bit. 

keep the lists coming!   

That's a good point..."only gravitate towards that particular style that seems to grab you"... since acquiring "audiophile" gear I've experienced music genres outside my comfort zone and have realized some rather good music that I would have otherwise bypassed if not for this hobby.

[Demarche]

Some great albums listed here 
I too was blown away by David Bowie's - The Next Day and Steven Wilson's - The Raven That Refused to Sing
Here are a few others from this year that I really enjoy listening to

• Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Live From KCRW
• Wooden Shjips - Back To Land
• The Waterboys - An Appointment With Mr. Yeats
• The Sword - Apocryphon

[charmerci]

Elton John: the Diving Board. I saw him perform during the Yellow Brick road period and was amazed at the talent assemble on that stage and the show they put on. But, I have placed Sir Elton in to the cabaret performer category for years, so this was a unexpected positive surprise.

I don't watch much TV but I just happened to see him on a talk show this year and he said he was going back to making more independent albums like Tumbleweed Connection because he has all the fame and money that he could ever want.


I rarely listen to new music but I am certainly impressed with Sting's new The Last Ship. He got back to writing new songs rather than rehashing his old Police stuff which though good enough just doesn't compare with the originals.

[vinyl_guy]

Neko Case, The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight the More I Love You
Arcade Fire, Reflektor
Neil Young, Live at the Cellar Door
Paul McCartney, NEW
David Bowie, The Next Day
The National, Trouble Will Find Me
John Fogerty, Wrote a Song for Everyone

[low.pfile]

I listened to a few of your best album picks to expand my horizons. Thanks for the suggestions.

Already listed by a few others, and on my list as well is Phosphorescent's Muchacho. which I've been listening to since it released in the Spring. But, oddly I had only listened late at night as background music, so I got by with streaming via Spotify. Recently I went to buy the CD online and came across a Deluxe Version. I found it on Spotify as well, this edition adds wonderful paired down live versions of the songs. Sadly, it is out of stock, so I will wait for it to return to stock. To me the live recordings are reminiscent of Cowboy Junkies' Trinity Sessions--as it should, since they were also recorded in a church.

Valerie June - Pushin' Against a Stone. It is not Country, it's Southern music. Traditional roots style music and a bit of modern pop mixed in.

Laura Mvula - Sing to the Moon. A very unique, alternative of soul music and other other styles. I saw her live this last year… while I wasn't blown away by her live performance, Sing to the Moon is a very good debut album

Thao and The Get Down Stay Down - We the Common. Fun, upbeat storytelling pop music. The somewhat lo-fi sound of a few of the songs on this album is likely not going be a hit with the audiophile crowd. But have fun listening.

[martinr]

This is a great thread every year!  Great way to discover new music from people who share the same passion!

One addition I have to the already excellent recommendations is Gregory Porter - Liquid Spirit.  This guy has a great voice, good recording as well:
http://www.npr.org/event/music/182848660/gregory-porter-a-lion-in-the-subway

[BobM]

For Prog/Rock lovers
Haken - The Mountain
Steve Wilson - The Raven That Refused To Sing
Big Big Train - English Electric Part II
Sanguine Hum - Weight Of The World
Bruce Soord & Jonas Renkse - Wisdom of Crowds

Rock Lovers:
David Bowie - The Next Day
Sting - The Last Ship

[jtsnead]

Valerie June - Pushin Against a Stone

Sarah Jarosz - Build Me Up From Bones

David Byrne & St Vincent - Love This Giant

Mazzy Star - Seasons Of Your Day

Ahmad Jamal - Saturday Morning

[johsti]

3.  Darkside-Psychic

This was one of my favorites too.  Great album.