A Look Back on 2014

2014 has been a great year for music. The further evolution of new bands taking inspiration from one or other of the previous psychedelic eras has resulted in more thrilling music, though there is a fine line that divides inspiration and slavish copying. I much prefer music made by those who understand the heart of the music and create something new and exhilarating.

Alongside the burgeoning psychedelic scene the parallel – yet overlapping – progressive scene continues to develop further, mixing up the musical origins of prog with ideas, energy and single-mindedness of punk, folk and metal. Look no further than the invigorating and invigorated sound of Gong on their latest album ‘I See You’ for evidence of the health of prog in 2014.

Set the joy that the psych and prog scenes have delivered against some of the best new albums from developing individual talents like St. Vincent and Tune-Yards and it becomes clear that music in 2014 (and on into 2015) is in a really healthy state.

In previous years I’ve closed the year with a list of my top albums by genre, type and so on in the grand tradition of music magazines like the NME, Wire, Mojo and Uncut.  I’ve certainly indulged my passion for such lists through these magazines again this year; however I’m set on a different approach for this blog.  It’s pretty much impossible to say one album that you like is better than another (unless they’re by the same band or artist): at one moment I may need to listen to some skull-crushing industrial metal in another a wispy acid-folk paean to nature – or any point in between.    

Instead I’m going to highlight some of the music that’s been a source of joy, confusion and maybe a little disappointment during the year through a series of fictitious awards that no-one will ever receive. The only reward for these never-to-be-seen prizes is a link to the music in question, through Spotify or YouTube.

So without further ado, the awards…

Best album by a band with an awful name goes to King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard for their album 'I'm in Your Mind Fuzz'

Most eagerly awaited album that sounded like it could have been made by anyone on first listening, but gradually sounded like it really was written and played by the band in question (but don’t expect it to be a return to the 1970’s heyday): Caravan's album ‘Paradise Filter’. The YouTube video is for the track comes closest to the "old-school" Caravan song structure, even if Pye Hastings neither wrote nor sings on it.

Most gratuitous use of the description ‘krautrock’ in reviews of an album which is so American sounding that you suspect that some of the reviewers were casualties of the war in question: War on Drugs album ‘Lost In The Dream’

The “we really wish we’d made the album ‘A Wizard A True Star’ and so decided to steal the idea of it but actually copied ‘Something/Anything?’ instead” award goes to Foxygen for ‘…And Star Power’ which despite the audacity of the concept (even down to more or less copying the inner sleeve of AWATS) is actually a rather good album.

The throw everything in including the kitchen sink prize goes to Knifeworld for ‘The Unravelling’. Here's the video for 'Destroy the World we Love'.

Album with the best Mark Lanegan vocals, which wasn’t a Mark Lanegan album prize is awarded to Earth for ‘Primitive and Deadly’. Here's one of the tracks in question, 'There is a Serpent Coming'...

The “how can I have missed this first time around reissue of the year?” award goes to Cardiacs for ‘Sing to God’, a most singular and unrelenting vision. Lots of songs to choose from, but here's 'Dirty Boy'

The “it’s even blasting out of FIFA 15 ubiquitous album” award is won by Tune-Yards for ‘Nicki-Nack’. In honour of the game, here's 'Water Fountain' from Jools Holland

There are literally too many other albums also worthy of mention, so rather than mention all of them there is a final category titled “there aren’t enough awards to go around” that recognises those who released great albums from 2015 but also recognises that I could spend forever inventing spurious award titles and so had better stop….NOW.

I really loved Jane Weaver’s ‘Silver Globe’ (and no, that is not a euphemism) which included  sampling of a Hawkwind track – nice touch - though if you weren’t told you’d probably not spot it.  Here Jane goes all Donna Summer on yo' ass ('Mission Desire')

Robert Plant finally made the album that exorcises the ghost of Led Zeppelin (for me at least - not being a big fan of either Americana (I can barely bring myself to write the word) or Country and Western) with ‘Lullaby and the Ceaseless Roar’ recorded with his Sensational Spaceshifters.  Live, they did some great re-workings of Zep favourites. This is 'Embrace Another Fall' from the album.

Beck made a welcome return to releasing albums with the melancholic but beautiful ‘Morning Phase’ – perhaps showing that something good can come from sadness. 'Waking Light' is beautiful.

Aphex Twin released another album – ‘Syro’ – after who knows how many years, preceding it with a stealth marketing campaign almost as obscure as 2013’s Boards of Canada “paper” chase marking the release of ‘Tomorrow’s Harvest’. The track titles are unusual, so here's 'minipops 67 [120.2][source field mix]'.

St. Vincent’s ‘St. Vincent’ was a triumph of song writing if not of original album titles. This 'Digital Witness' live on Jools Holland...

Finally Captain Beefheart fans were treated to box set titled ‘Sun Zoom Spark’ containing a remastered trio of mid-period (1970 to 1972) albums accompanied by a disc of alternate takes and the usual box set gubbins.  The albums in question being ‘Lick My Decals Off Baby’, ‘The Spotlight Kid’ and ‘Clear Spot’ the latter of which is often dismissed by some as a too commercial but which actually captures some of the best songs and the tightest band playing.  This is 'I'm Gonna Booglarize You Baby' live from German TV back in the 1970's - the song itself is from the album 'The Spotlight Kid'. Absolutely amazing interplay between the guitar players and cool video (there's more from this show if you look)...