Matthew Martin's Top 10 Albums of 2014

10. St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Half The City
This AL band generated quite the buzz before this album ever hit shelves - and with good reason.  This album is full of near-perfect throwback soul/funk gems that Alabama is getting good at reviving.

 

9. Gary Clark Jr. - Live
The first time I ever actually heard Gary Clark Jr was when I saw him live in Baltimore at a small venue called the 8x10. When I heard his debut album, I wasn't in love because of the slick production and added, unnecessary instruments.  That's why I think this album is so essential.  This is GCJr at his best.  Live, blistering, and unrelenting.

 

8. Natural Child - Dancin' With Wolves
I don't want to say Natural Child hit their stride on this album, but rather, they hit their comfort zone. Adding pedal steel and keys to the band, they have created, essentially, a modern day Harvest.

 

7. Mastodon - Once More Round The Sun
This happens to be my favorite Mastodon record to date. While that may not be a popular opinion among some Mastodon faithful,  I believe this is Mastodon doing what they do best.  Each song hits at break-neck speed and by the time you reach the last quarter of the album,  you equally beg for the onslaught to cease and to continue.

 

6. Lucero - Live From Atlanta
Another live album on this list because of how significant I think this one is.  Lucero is a great band.  They have transitioned from a cowpunk band to this band we have today at little-to-no detriment to their core sound.  This album is document of that complete transformation and more proof that if you have not seen Lucero live, you have to do so immediately.

 

5. Drive-by Truckers - English Oceans
Cooley. Really, the review could end there, but what fun would that be? With Cooley and Hood splitting the duties here, this album finds the Drive-By Truckers yet again reworking the band and creating something even stronger and tighter.  While I, unabashedly, really have enjoyed most of what DBT have put out, this album will arguably stand out as one of their greatest.

 

4. The Hold Steady - Teeth Dreams
I don't even know what to say about this album. It's great. There isn't a bad song on here. When I first listened, I'll admit, I was a little taken aback by the production quality (maybe too slick?), but as time has gone on and I've listened to the album numerous times, I have realized that there is not one thing wrong with this album.

 

3. Against Me! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues
On importance alone, this album deserves to be in the #1 spot.  But, this album happened to be released in a year that 2 other great albums were also released.  Musically and lyrically, this is a near perfect album.  Laura Jane Grace sings her heart out about a hell few of us know much about.  Give this album a listen, then listen again, then listen one more time.  It's absolutely stellar.

 

2. Sturgill Simpson - Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
Another important album- albeit for different reasons- Simpson's Metamodern Sounds in Country Music attempts to take everything we know about traditional country music and turn it on its head.  Simpson sings about LSD, reptile aliens, and love- all on the first track of the album.  As the album progresses, it's clear you're listening to something familiar and incredibly unique all at once.  Country music fans have been waiting for something like this, and I hope this album clears the path for other artists more inclined to sing about interesting topics- rather than trucks, beer, and backroads.

 

1. Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires - Dereconstructed
Speaking of important albums, I'm not sure there has been a more important Southern album.  This one came out and completely shattered my expectations.  Taking shots at the Southern ideology that still permeates some of Southern culture, the album is important because it shows that you can love something so much that you can recognize the attributes that sicken you and try to attack those head-on.  The South is a great place, but there are lots of things, past and present, that are nauseating.  LB3 attacks every angle with pinpoint accuracy.  And, let's not forget the incredible music on this album.  LB3 and band sound perfect on this album with, in my opinion, perfect production styles suited to the band's sound and style.  Oh, and if you haven't read Bitter Southerner's write-up on this band and album, please do so now!

____________

By Matthew Martin

FTM's Favorite Albums of 2014: 21-50

There will be commentary included with the top 20. These are all excellent. Trust me.

21. Spoon - They Want My Soul

22. Cahalen Morrison & Country Hammer - The Flower of Muscle Shoals

23. Jim Lauderdale - I'm a Song

24. Mastodon - Once More 'Round the Sun

 25. Drive-by Truckers - English Oceans

26. Caleb Caudle - Paint Another Layer on My Heart

27. Jason Eady - Daylight and Dark

28. Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis - Our Year

29. Wade Bowen - s/t

 30. First Aid Kit - Stay Gold

31. Beck - Morning Phase

32. Nikki Lane - All or Nothin'

33. Big K.R.I.T. - Cadillactica

34. Angaleena Presley - American Middle Class

35. Whiskey Myers - Early Morning Shakes

36. The Dirty River Boys - s/t

 37. Karen Jonas - Oklahoma Lottery

38. John Fullbright - Songs

39. Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else

40. Lake Street Dive - Bad Self Portraits

 41. Shakey Graves - And the War Came

42. Old Crow Medicine Show - Remedy

43. Ryan Adams - s/t

 44. Freddie Gibbs and Madlib - Piñata

45. Centro-matic - Take Pride in Your Long Odds

46. Ty Segall - Manipulator

47. Jack White - Lazaretto

48. Adam Hood - Welcome to the Big World

49. Robert Ellis - The Lights From the Chemical Plant

 50. Kierston White - Don't Write Love Songs

FTM Fantasy Football Team Names

The NFL gets rolling next week, so it's fantasy draft time! I only have 2 fantasy teams this year. That's low for me.... They're named "Blake Shelton's Ego" and "Reptile Aliens Made of Light." Here are some other suggested music-related fantasy football team names by me and some of FTM's Facebook and Twitter pals. You're welcome to steal them because you probably aren't in the same leagues...

Willie's Buds
Stand By Your Manziel
Do the Sankey Legg -Russell Parmele
The Hell Mama Raised
Cash's Walk the Liners -Ray Weaver
Call Me the Brees
The Men (or Women) in Black
Lawrence Taylor Swift -Perry Brown (of Fire Mountain)
Don't Come Around Here Romo
Touchdown Troubadours
Boy Named Suh
You Never Even Called Me Legedu Naanee
Honky Tonk Heroes
Gridiron Maiden -Scott Bumpus
Wake Me Up Before You Romo -Joe Fink 

Montee Mountain High
Sunday Manning Coming Down -Ryan Depew
She Likes the Bortles (And I Like the Stones) -Ryan Depew
Black Sheep of the Fantasy League
Florida Georgia Linebackers -Mike Holcomb
Gimme Three Downs
Talkin' Seattle Seahawks Blues
Manning, I Feel Like a Woman -Andrew Lacy
Don't Rocca the Jukebox
Bad Bad Cleveland Browns -Matt Bjorke
Don't Cry For Me, Joe Montana -Matt Bjorke
The Snake Farmers
Taylor Swift's Red Zone -Jeremy Plotkin
C.J. Spiller's Still the King
Forte Good Times
Retribution Honkytonkists -Gahteeriffico
Me & Robby G
Let There Be Gronk
Shit Mountain KingTurds -'Rev' Brian T Sloane
Third Rate Romo
Tom Brady & The Heartbreakers
LeSean Remains the Same
Welker to the Jungle -Kenny Graves
The Age of Demaryius -Kenny Graves
Mrs. Stevan Ridley
The Whiskey (Phillip) Rivers
Ballou Ballers -Rita Ballou
Amendola by Morning

*I would include one entry by my good friend Anthony Mayhan, but it was a bit too un-PC.

Top Albums of 2014: 1/2 Report

This will change a great deal in the next 6 months, but it gives you a good snapshot of just how strong the music world is right now - despite my usual rantings and ravings otherwise.

1. Sturgill Simpson - Metamodern Sounds in Country Music

2. Adam Faucett - Blind Water Finds Blind Water

3. Lydia Loveless - Somewhere Else

4. John Fullbright - Songs

5. Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis - Our Year

6. The War on Drugs - Lost In the Dream

7. Drive-by Truckers - English Oceans

8. Jimbo Mathus - Dark Night of the Soul

9. Fire Mountain - All Dies Down

10. Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires - Dereconstructed

11. Old 97s - Most Messed Up

12. St. Paul and the Broken Bones - Half the City

13. Kelsey Waldon - The Goldmine

14. Caleb Caudle - Paint Another Layer on My Heart

15. Nikki Lane - All or Nothin'

16. Matt Woods - With Love From Brushy Mountain

17. Jason Eady - Daylight and Dark

18. Josh Nolan - Fair City Lights

19. First Aid Kit - Stay Gold

20. Beck - Morning Phase

21. Whiskey Myers - Early Morning Shakes

22. Willie Nelson - Band of Brothers

23. Jeff Whitehead - Bloodhound Heart

24. Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else

25. Mastodon - Once More 'Round the Sun

Favorite Songs of 2014: 1/2 Report

Here are my favorite songs of the year thus far. No rankings yet; they're arranged only in alphabetical order at this point. You may notice a glaring omission, namely Sturgill Simpson. Problem is, even after 30+ listens to Metamodern Sounds in Country Music (which you'll see on the best 

albums list later today), I still can't pick out a favorite. If forced, I'd probably go with 

"Turtles All the Way Down." A Spotify playlist has been added below.

Saturday Night Music: Drive-by Truckers

New(ish) Video: Drive-by Truckers

Best Albums of 2014 So Far: 1/4 Report

Subject to change, one of these hasn't been released yet, blah blah disclaimers...

1. Lydia Loveless - Somewhere Else

2. Drive-by Truckers - English Oceans

3. Jimbo Mathus - Dark Night of the Soul

4. St. Paul and the Broken Bones - Half the City

5. Beck - Morning Phase

6. Jason Eady - Daylight and Dark

7. Josh Nolan - Fair City Lights

8. Whiskey Myers - Early Morning Shakes

9. Red Eye Gravy - Dust Bowl Hangover

10. Chad Sullins and the Last Call Coalition - Wicked Spell

11. Jeff Whitehead - Bloodhound Heart

12. The Bigsbys - Good Will Suitcase

13. Lake Street Dive - Bad Self Portraits

14. Those Crosstown Rivals - Hell and Back

15. Hard Working Americans - s/t

16. Rosanne Cash - The River & The Thread

17. Mat D and the Profane Saints - Holyoke

18. Water Liars - s/t

19. Robert Ellis - The Lights From the Chemical Plant

20. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - Give the People What They Want

New Drive-by Truckers (with Peter Buck) - Primer Coat

Here's a new song from Drive-by Truckers' forthcoming album English Oceans (out next Tuesday), "Primer Coat," performed live with former REM guitarist Peter Buck. You can now stream the whole album here.

Monday Afternoon Videos

With the tragic news of the shootings at the Navy yard in DC, we're gonna postpone your regularly scheduled "hatin'" posts till tomorrow. For now, enjoy a few requested videos from Son Volt, DBTs and Jason Isbell!

Saturday Night Music: Drive-By Truckers

Little Known Facts: April '13

McDonald's recently forgot to give Taylor Swift apple dippers with her Happy Meal. 

I'm sure the song inspired by this will be a huge hit.

Due to some bad investments the devil was forced to sell his collection of souls to Mike Curb in 2009.

Drive-by Truckers' recent personnel changes have led to a new direction for them. 

The new keytar player and DJ have really expanded on their southern rock sound.

The writers of "1994" spent 90 minutes attempting to explain to Jason Aldean who Joe Diffie is.

Leroy Virgil of Hellbound Glory steps into a phone booth and removes his Members Only jacket. 

Seconds later out steps Rick Grimes of The Walking Dead television series.

Blake Shelton's dignity and ability to choose a good song were contained within his mullet.

You can not have both a man card and a favorite Hunter Hayes song.

An actual chicken writes all of the songs for The Imperial Rooster.

Cletus T Judd was forced into retirement when country music became a parody of itself.

A Graco booster seat autographed and used by Justin Moore recently sold on eBay for $267.00.

Shooter Jennings bought that booster seat.

Kenny Rogers will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year; 

his face will be inducted in 20 years.

Favorite Songs Ever: Drive-by Truckers - Never Gonna Change

Most Disappointing Albums of 2011

I've gotten to the point in my life that I just don't listen to bad albums. That's why you probably won't get a "Worst Albums of (whatever year)" list from me anytime soon. If I listen to a few songs and I hate them, I'm not going to waste my time hoping those were anomalies. These are 2011 releases that I had high hopes for but was let down.

Yelawolf - Radioactive

My initial semi-praise of this album seems overstated now. I've hardly played the album since the week after its release. It's not so much Yelawolf that's the problem here… it's the fact that there's so little recognizable as the Yelawolf I'd come to know and enjoy on his previous releases and mixtapes. I wanted southern culture on the skids (not the band, the thematic element). I wanted hard edges; damn the mainstream, make the mainstream come to you. Instead I got an inconsistent mishmash of sappy crossover hooks and "hard" love songs with a couple of nods to the past mixed in. Can an artist sell out on their first real album?

Reckless Kelly - Good Luck and True Love

Dumb lyrics sink this ship, period. Sure, these guys have never been Townes Van Zandt with electric guitars, but still. At least work on the words long enough that they aren't noticeable. I'm trying to come up with a comparison to an NBA ref… you don't even notice the good ones…. but that's not quite right; lyrics are important and most times I believe they should stand on their own… strip the music away and they're still enthralling. If you can't do that, at least run them by a Nashville song committee and let them blandify the lyrics so they fade into the background. These guys sound tired, and this was the year little brother (Micky and the Motorcars) finally beat up big brother.

Drive-by Truckers - Go-Go Boots

This album isn't that bad in the grand scheme of things, I'm just sick of the sad old man music. I'm sick of being lulled to sleep by one of the most badass rock bands in America. You've got those guitars in your hands and that whiskey in your glasses… put 'em to better use! Don't get me wrong, there are some great tunes on here (Used to Be a Cop, Mercy Buckets), but if I want almost entirely slow, depressing story-songs, I'll listen to Gordon Lightfoot. Pick up the pace!

Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers - Unida Cantina

They phoned this one in. Yawner of the first degree. RCPM is one of my go-to bands for comfortable heartland by way of the southwest rock music. Comfort is good, drudgery is not. I'm not sure what they were shooting for with the dopey album-opener "All Over the Radio." It sounds like they were going for a pop radio crossover when there's no bridge available for bands of this ilk to even cross. The lyrics aren't up to the standards set by previous releases (pre-No More Beautiful World) and most of the album sounds uninspired. "Empty Highway" is the only song that stuck with me.

The Jayhawks - Mockingbird Time

Again, not actually bad… but with the reunion of the original vocalists, I was expecting a homerun. The swelling melodies I'd hoped for are restrained. The big hooks I love are nowhere to be heard. Can they not hit the high notes anymore? I doubt it, and when you've got long range assault rifles in the arsenal, why just fire the pellet guns?

Lil Wayne - Tha Carter IV

Wayne still has a way with the one-liner, but this album just feels like a long string of puns. The beats are boring and the songs just don't hold together. A couple of old-school feeling tracks were winners (Blunt Blowin', 6 Foot 7 Foot) but the rest was difficult to listen to more than a couple times. For as much hype as this album had coming in, it has to be considered the biggest failure of the year.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You

RHCP has enough cred in the bank that I'm going to check out anything they release, despite recent sparse and dull output. So, how was this one? Sparse and dull. You've got two of the most exciting artists of the past few decades (Flea and Anthony Kiedis) still in the fold and this is the result? As Andrew from rabbitsblack.com put it: "Five years of waiting, and they release an album that sounds like the B-sides of Stadium Arcadium (which was also disappointing)." Amen.

Note - The only truly awful album I listened to from start to finish this year was Justin Moore's Outlaws Like Me, which (as I said yesterday) is basically just a long string of "how damn country I am" tunes with lyrics a teenager could slap together.

FTM 101 Best of 2011: 51-75

51. Ha Ha Tonka - Death of a Decade
52. Micky and the Motorcars - Raise My Glass
53. Glen Campbell - Ghost on the Canvas
54. Sam Sliva and the Good - And the People Say
55. 13ghosts - Liar's Melody
56. The Redlands Palomino Company - Don't Fade
57. The Horrible Crowes - Elsie
58. Social Distortion - Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes
59. Jay Z & Kanye West - Watch the Throne
60. Steve Earle - I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive


61. Have Gun Will Travel - Mergers & Acquisitions
62. Eric Church - Chief
63. Drive-by Truckers - Go-Go Boots
64. Robert Earl Reed - Carlene
65. Johnny Corndawg - Down on the Bikini Line
66. Amos Lee - Mission Bell
67. Gillian Welch - The Harrow and the Harvest
68. Jeremy Steding - I Keep on Livin', But I Don't Learn
69. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring for My Halo


70. The Low Anthem - Smart Flesh
71. Jason Fratesi and the Dirt Road Jam Band - Cryin' Out Loud
72. Thieving Birds - S/T
73. Brad Paisley - This is Country Music
74. Nick 13 - S/T
75. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Best Songs of 2011: 1st Quarter Report

Click the song titles to listen.

1. Kasey Anderson and the Honkies - Exit Ghost

(tie) Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Codeine (free & legal mp3 download of this song at the link)

3. Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears - She's So Scandalous

4. Hayes Carll - Bottle in My Hand

5. Left Lane Cruiser - Pig Farm

6. Chris Young - Tomorrow

7. Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin'

8. Alison Krauss & Union Station - My Love Follows You Where You Go

9. Austin Lucas- Thunder Rail

10. Ponderosa - Devil on My Shoulder

11. Sunny Sweeney - Staying's Worse Than Leaving

12. Amos Lee - Flower

13. Drive-by Truckers - Mercy Buckets

14. John Popper & the Duskray Troubadors - Champipple

15. The Decemberists - Don't Carry It All

YouTube Gems: Drive-By Truckers

Happy Birthday Johnny Cash! (not that this song has anything to do with him)

(It's my birthday too, but JC's is more important :))

Concert Review: Drive-By Truckers

Bear with me; I've never done a concert review before. As with my album reviews, this'll just be what a regular guy saw and heard...

Concert Review:

Drive-By Truckers

Memphis in May, May 1

If you're like me, you've got a list of bands and artists you have to see before they break up, die or you do. Drive-by Truckers was near the top of that list for me. Willie, Merle and AC/DC are also on that list for me, but happily, DBT is now marked off. Tom Lee Park, just off Beale Street and just up the bluff from the muddy Mississippi was the setting for the show.

2 days of sheeting rain had left the grounds an utter mess, pools of brown water, footprint pocked mud fields and brown sidewalks, but we had to see 'em regardless. It's possible even the Lord wanted to see the DBTs, because the rain stopped shortly before their set, a nice breeze cooled us down and the sun peeked through a few times. As that breeze rode in and just after catching the Burnside Brothers blues band and half a set from the North Mississippi Allstars, we found our spots on the slippery metal pavers in front of the stage and got ready for some [rock cliché]face melting[/rock cliché] southern rock. The band delivered.

Patterson Hood stepped to the mike in all his ragged rock star glory and ripped into the slow burning "After the Scene Dies" (from their new album The Big To-Do) with his shredded southeastern twang and it was on. The subject matter of music scenes gone by stretched into the next offering, "Self Destructive Zones" with Mike Cooley jabbing hair metal, grunge and American Idol in one fell swoop.

Speaking of music scenes gone by, all in attendance at this particular stage were skipping out on a bonafied rock n' roll legend to see DBT and Patterson made sure to chide us for it. "Jerry Lee (Lewis) is playing behind us...why are you here?" he questioned. He said his wife had called earlier and said she might come to the festival that day, but if she did, it would be to see the Killer, not them. The crowd ate it up.

All the while we sipped our $4 tall boys of watery beer (well, those of us who weren't partaking of the green leaf), the band members shared in a bottle or two of Kentucky's finest, and they weren't sipping. Shonna drank it like water, matter of fact.

For the most part, the songs played true to their studio recorded counterparts (of course, much more organic and inflamed in person), but on "72 (This Highway's Mean)" the band came across as a stone country act with John Neff's fine steel guitar work. It was an outstanding departure.

The climax of the night was, without a doubt, an epic take on Southern Rock Opera's "Let There Be Rock." Hood ripped the microphone from its stand for the first time, letting his guitar hang at his side and delivered a veritable sermon on the life-saving capabilities of rock n' roll. It was one of those performances that leave you feeling numb, not quite sure what you just saw and heard. Spectacular and moving, even to those unlucky souls who were unfamiliar with the band.

The band finished their set with the rollicking and [rock cliché]Stonesy[/rock cliché] "Shut Up and Get on the Plane" before bidding us adieu to go listen to our douche-rock that surely couldn't live up to the awesome sight we'd just witnessed (which it didn't - though I did enjoy Seether a little more than I should admit).

Mud, doped up North Mississippi Allstars fans and cheap beer be damned, Drive-by Truckers cemented their spot as my favorite band Saturday afternoon.

Setlist:

After the Scene Dies

Self-Destructive Zones

The Fourth Night of My Drinkin'

Birthday Boy

Girls Who Smoke

3 Dimes Down

Sink Hole

(It's Gonna Be) I Told You So

Get Downtown

This F*cking Job

72 (This Highway's Mean)

Sante Fe

Hell No I Ain't Happy

Marry Me

Let There Be Rock

Shut Up and Get on the Plane