S. Victor Aaron’s Mid-Year Best of 2014 (Avant Garde & Experimental Jazz): Jimmy Giuffre, Roscoe Mitchell, Jamie Saft/Joe Morris
The appeal of this music is its unbiased diversity and lack of set rules.
Something Else!
One Track Mind: The Stooges’ James Williamson, “Open Up and Bleed” from Re-Licked (2014)
Add a blues belter, and this little-heard early-1970s Stooges demo is reborn.
Ian McLagan and the Bump Band – United States (2014)
Ian McLagan returns with a boozy swagger, even while examining deep human emotions.
The Doors – Other Voices (1971); Full Circle (1972): More Perfect Playlists
Rarely considered part of the canon, these two albums nevertheless have their moments.
Arch Enemy – War Eternal (2014)
The addition of Alissa White-Gluz leads to one of Arch Enemy’s best overall efforts to date.
Nick DeRiso’s Mid-Year Best of 2014 (Rock, Roots and Prog): John Oates, Jack White, David Crosby, Joe Henry, GOASTT, California Breed
A career-defining three-EP set, a stirring comeback, another thrilling head scratcher.
Something Else! Interview: Nels Cline Singers drummer Scott Amendola discusses his ambitious Fade To Orange project
Amendola is an affable, do-it-all drummer with a wicked backbeat.
Peter Brotzmann + Sonny Sharrock – Whatthef*ckdoyouwant? (2014)
More than an album, these archival 1987 recordings unfold like a conversation.
‘That was fun’: How the Yardbirds ended up featured on The Simpsons
Jim McCarty and the Yardbirds are in the midst of a rare U.S. tour.
The Jigsaw Seen – Old Man Reverb (2014)
The Jigsaw Seen brazenly picks up where their role models left off.
