31.10.2019, 05:13
Its that time of year, again; the time when snow shovels come out of the garage and hooded sweatshirts come out of the bottom drawer (thats a Bunnyhug to you readers in Saskatchewan. Air Max 97 Off White Wolf Grey Menta . Yes, people in Saskatchewan call a hooded sweatshirt a Bunnyhug. It doesnt get more adorable than that!). Its also the time we look back and take stock of all the music released in 2014 and I think we can all agree that it was a spectacular year for music. My former colleague Dave Hodge and I have put together our annually tolerated list of the albums we liked the most. I found assembling this years list especially difficult and had to leave off albums I really enjoyed like Sloans Commonwealth, Drive-By Truckers English Oceans and The Rural Alberta Advantages Mended With Gold. For those American readers not familiar with Dave, he is a legendary host and sports broadcaster in Canada whose first love happens to be music. The only person who listens to more recorded music than Dave is probably Dave Fricke from Rolling Stone and we all stopped listening to that guys opinion years ago (Five Stars for the new U2 record? Why even rate albums when youre just going to hand out participation ribbons?) So here we go again ... 20. JENNY LEWIS -- THE VOYAGER -- Everything she puts out is good but makes me wish her old band Rilo Kiley was back together. It would be like Stevie Nicks having left Fleetwood Mac right after Tusk and never recording with them again. Actually, she probably should have done that. Nevermind. You go Jenny. 19.TEMPLES -- SUN STRUCTURES -- Have you guys been watching Dave Grohls Sonic Highways on HBO? God its great. Yes I stop watching about 10 minutes before the episode ends so I dont have to watch Foo Fighters perform one of their new songs with lyrics inexplicably written across the screen (are we supposed to sing along?). Nonetheless the show itself is a wonderful document of the history of recorded music in eight different American cities, including Austin, where Dave chronicled the sad plight of 13th Floor Elevators lead singer Roky Erickson. How important was he to psychedelic rock? He invented it ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons said. So Temples owes a serious debt to Roky. Their record is derivative but good. Come to think of it, that should be the title of their second album: Derivative But Good 18. CARIBOU -- OUR LOVE -- We have a lot of guests stay with us here in California and when everyone wakes up in the morning I usually put on something by Caribou: aka Canadian electronic music artist Dan Snaith, a man who happens to have a Ph.D in Mathematics (nerd!). Every time I play his music for someone who hasnt heard it they immediately go buy it or add it to their Spotify playlist. I Cant Do Without You, the first track, is a slow burner that eventually sounds like youre listening to an underwater dance party. 17. BECK -- MORNING PHASE -- I took my wife to Santa Barbara in the spring and we were sitting around the pool at our hotel and suddenly it was like a hipster convention broke out. These were hipster families. Little hipster kids with hipster hair frolicking in the pool, Moms wearing Aviator Nation hoodies and pregnant hipster girlfriends disregarding the signs that warned them about using the hot tub. What are all these people doing here? I wondered aloud as another man approached the group wearing an all-leather ensemble, a scarf, a fedora and sunglasses in sweltering hot Southern California. I dont know but that guy must be European my wife replied. It was Beck, who is from Los Angeles. This was his band and their families. They were playing a show in Santa Barbara that night, so we bought a pair of tickets and checked it out. He was a much more animated performer than I would ever have given him credit for. Its like he channels his Midnight Vultures personality up there all night. 16/15. ALVVAYS -- ALVVAYS/STARS -- ALL IS LOST -- My Fox Sports Live colleague and former USC football captain Petros Papadakis listens to way more music than I do which is amazing considering he literally works seven days a week throughout the football season. He loves Alvvayss self-titled debut as much as I do and he has a major crush on Amy Millan of Stars. Petros also thought Canada was so small that I just ran into people like Amy at the airport. I promptly chastised him for being so ignorant about my country and regarding it as some sort of small town. About a month or so later, I was walking through the airport in Toronto and lo and behold there was Amy on her way to New York City to accompany Kevin Drew on Letterman. You win this round Petros. 14.COURTNEY BARNETT -- THE DOUBLE EP: A SEA OF SPLIT PEAS -- If you love Mac DeMarco as much as I do but after listening to his album for the seventh time of the day you find yourself saying: You know what would really be cool? If a female, Australian version of this guy existed Well ... 13. STURGILL SIMPSON -- METAMODERN SOUNDS IN COUNTRY MUSIC -- There is not one single song I have listened to more in the past year than Sturgill Simpsons cover of When In Romes 1988 hit The Promise. Country fan or not, I promise you will love it. 12. CYMBALS EAT GUITARS -- LOSE -- Very 1990s, but good. Like if Mulaney had succeeded. 11/10. REIGNING SOUND/SPLIT SINGLE - Listen to North Cackalacky Girl by Reigning Sound after a particularly frustrating day at work and instantly forget about that guy who took credit for your ad idea where they start serving Nespresso at the Mollys Reach diner from The Beachcombers. 9. PARQUET COURTS -- SUNBATHING ANIMAL -- Whenever I am assigned Boston Celtics highlights on Fox Sports Live I am always excited because it allows me to use one of my signature catchphrases: now on to the parquet courts of the TD Banknorth Garden you sunbathing animals! No one gets it. 8. NEW PORNOGRAPHERS -- BRILL BRUISERS -- As usual the Dan Bejar tracks are standouts for me, especially War on the East Coast. 7. STEPHEN MALKMUS AND THE JICKS -- WIGOUT AT JAGBAGS -- I really think its the best thing hes done since his self-titled solo debut. I also loved his interview with Marc Maron on the WTF Podcast. 6. SPOON -- THEY WANT MY SOUL -- You know that band that you liked before everyone else, and then it became big and you resented everyone for getting into it after you did and so you stopped liking it? Please North America, Im begging you to make that happen with this band. Spoon deserves to be filling stadiums and having people like me say: Their new stuff isnt nearly as good as Girls Can Tell, though it probably is. To me, this is another great effort from the most consistent group to emerge in indie-rock over the course of this young century (the online ratings website Metacritic even said so) 5. ERLAND OYE -- LEGAO -- This guy makes Real Estate sound like Pantera. He is mellow. His band Kings of Convenience is like Simon and Garfunkel on quaaludes. His band The Whitest Boy Alive is like Daft Punk on quaaludes. This is his solo debut and I read an interview where he called it his reggae album and that makes perfect sense, because when youre this mellow then reggae may be your best option. 4. THE WAR ON DRUGS -- LOST IN A DREAM -- These guys really like the Philadelphia 76ers. The least you can do is listen to their album. Theyve got to spend the entire year watching that team. 3. TY SEGALL -- MANIPULATOR -- Man I am giving Marc Maron way too many plugs on this list but if you want to become an instant Ty Segall fan dont start with the almost staggering amount of music he has released all at the tender age of 27 years old. Begin instead with Segalls WTF interview from just a few months ago where he talks about his upbringing in Orange County and his musical influences including Black Sabbaths Vol. 4 (He even has a Vol. 4 tattoo) I liked Segall a lot before this album, but to me he took a major step forward here. If youre looking for the album to play the loudest on this list here it is. If youre somewhat bored with Jack White, give this guy a try. 2. REAL ESTATE -- ATLAS -- In the spring I found myself home in Toronto one weekend, the same weekend that Real Estate happened to be playing in town. The bands lead guitarist Matt Mondanile asked me if I would introduce the band on stage. I was honored and completely nervous about the whole thing. How exactly does one introduce a band like Real Estate, whose smooth flowing grooves and lyrics about where youre from and where youre headed to didnt exactly lend themselves to WWE style ring announcer pageantry. F--k it, I thought, I will go with WWE style ring announcer pageantry anyway. I wanted to get the crowd pumped up, especially in Toronto where concert crowds are sometimes so infuriatingly quiet I want to start a fight just to make sure everyone is awake. The ring announcer bit worked, the crowd turned out to be great, and the band was as kind and grateful as you could imagine. That sounded rehearsed! said the bands keyboard player Matt Kallman about my introduction. Maybe I have a future as a hype man if this whole sports broadcasting thing doesnt work out. 1. MAC DeMARCO -- SALAD DAYS -- How could this gap-toothed, chain-smoking slacker have done it? How could he top a list of such incredible albums in one of the best years of music in recent memory? The songs man, its the songs. The guy can be hilarious when hes helping people back up their cars and surprisingly poignant when hes penning lyrics. This is a record that will give the listener a different experience depending on where he or she plays it: Driving down the Pacific Coast Highway in your rented Ford Mustang Convertible? Crank it up and rip the knob off because those guitars are sweet bliss. Sitting down with a tumbler of Japanese Whiskey after a devastating loss at Pub Trivia Night? Let Macs smooth melodies erase all memories of defeat. Ready to drift off on that business flight to Ithaca? Youll be humming the tune of Blue Boy by the time you land. Salad Days indeed. DAVE HODGES TOP 30 2014: Another great year! I have 30 more tied at #31. The order is almost random, because how do you decide that this is better than that, and thus, better than all the rest? Alphabetical order is a cop-out, however. And an asterisk denoting Canadian is not necessary. They are some of the best, just like all the rest. Listen again if you know these, and find them if you dont. Yours in music, (these are) my best, DH 1--The War On Drugs--LOST IN THE DREAM 2--Arkells--HIGH NOON 3--New Pornographers--BRILL BRUISERS 4--Lydia Loveless--SOMEWHERE ELSE 5--Alvvays--ALVVAYS 6--Doug Paisley--STRONG FEELINGS 7--Elliott Brood--WORK AND LOVE 8--Barr Brothers--SLEEPING OPERATOR 9--Tweedy--SUKIERAE 10--Ryan Adams--RYAN ADAMS 11--Allo Darlin--WE COME FROM THE SAME PLACE 12--Rural Alberta Advantage--MENDED WITH GOLD 13--King Tuff--BLACK MOON SPELL 14--Avi Buffalo--AT BEST CUCKOLD 15--Spoon--THEY WANT MY SOUL 16--Hold Steady--TEETH DREAMS 17--Ex Hex--RIPS 18--Woods--WITH LIGHT AND WITH LOVE 19--Foo Fighters--SONIC HIGHWAYS 20--Fresh and Onlys--HOUSE OF SPIRITS 21--Sam Roberts Band--LO-FANTASY 22--Old 97s--MOST MESSED UP 23--Lucinda Williams--DOWN WHERE THE SPIRIT MEETS THE BONE 24--Drive-By Truckers--ENGLISH OCEANS 25--New Basement Tapes--LOST ON THE RIVER 26--Hiss Golden Messenger--LATENESS OF DANCERS 27--Justin Rutledge--DAREDEVIL 28--Sonic Avenues--MISTAKES 29--Gord Downie/Sadies--AND THE CONQUERING SUN 30--Withered Hand--NEW GODS And there were these 30 memorable live performances by: Ryan Adams, Arkells, Avett Brothers, Beirut, Blue Rodeo, Basia Bulat, City and Colour, Gary Clark Jr., Devin Cuddy Band, Drive-By Truckers, Elliott Brood, Jeremy Fisher, Hold Steady, Jason Isbell, July Talk, Jenny Lewis, Lucius, The National, Willie Nile, Doug Paisley, Joel Plaskett Emergency, Rah Rah, Sam Roberts Band, Rocket From The Crypt, Justin Rutledge, Spoon, The Stanfields, The Strumbellas, Tweedy, Butch Walker. Air Max 97 Off White For Sale . -- Arizona came out of its last meeting with California a bit discombobulated, hurting from its first loss and the loss of forward Brandon Ashley for the rest of the season. Cheap Air Max 97 . Wayne and Cindy Tuck of Ilderton, Ont., closed out round-robin play earlier in the day with a 7-3 win over Finland but needed a win over Austria to reach the final eight. http://www.outletairmax97.com/2019-nike-...4-002.html . Their 9-19 record remains identical to the crosstown rivals in Brooklyn and trails both Toronto and Boston in the Atlantic Division. Raymond Felton, their declining point guard, is back on the sideline nursing his third injury of the season. DETROIT -- After scoring 39 goals in their first eight games, the San Jose Sharks proved they can play pretty well defensively, too. Logan Couture scored in the shootout and San Jose beat the Detroit Red Wings 1-0 on Monday night. The Sharks (8-0-1) are the NHLs last team without a regulation loss. "We scored a lot of goals in our first eight games. Were not going to keep scoring like that," Couture said. Each goalie got a shutout for not allowing a goal in 65 minutes. Antti Niemi -- who got his 24th career shutout -- made 24 saves for San Jose and Jimmy Howard, who earned his 17th shutout, stopped 27 shots. "Not much space out there. It was very playoff like," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "Both teams a prevent-type game. ... It was a chess match, theres no doubt about it. Even on the power play and penalty kills, the teams didnt get a lot of looks." Howard praised the way his team played without the puck. "I thought we did a good job on their top guys. We didnt give them a lot of room and space. Another thing that was a positive was we didnt give up a lot of odd-man rushes," Howard said. "Thats been an Achilles heel of late for us. We did a great job of keeping the third man high in the offensive zone, making them come 200 feet. We didnt turn pucks over. Its a good sign." It was Niemis third shutout against Detroit. He also stopped Todd Bertuzzi on Detroits final shootout attempt with a spectacular pad save. It was the first game of a four-game Eastern road swing for San Jose. Detroits Brendan Smith hit the outside of the goal post with 4:57 remaining in regulation. Niemi made an outstanding save on Daniel Alfreddssons shot from the bottom of the right circle 7:31 into the second period. Cheap Womens Air Max 97. San Jose outshot Detroit 7-4 in a scoreless opening period, in which the Red Wings killed off two penalties. "There was two pretty good teams there tonight. I thought our young D played pretty good. There wasnt much in the way of scoring chances either way," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "Both teams played real tight. I thought it was a good game. Just no room for either team. I think both teams checked really well. Not a lot of freedom for guys." NOTES: After the game, the Sharks acquired forward Mike Brown from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a fourth-round section in the 2014 draft. ... Detroit D Niklas Kronwall missed his second game with a concussion suffered on Thursday night in Colorado. It was on a hit from behind by Cody McLeod, who was suspended for five games on Monday by the NHL. Kronwalls defence partner, Jonathan Ericsson, also didnt play because his wife went into labour on Sunday night. D Xavier Ouellet was recalled from the Wings AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. ... San Jose recalled forwards Freddie Hamilton and John McCarthy from its AHL affiliate in Worcester. The team also assigned F Matt Pelech to the same team. ... Red Wings G Jonas Gustavsson is the NHLs First Star for last week. Gustavsson posted a 3-0-0 record with a 1.67 goals-against average and .953 save percentage in three Detroit wins. ... Sharks LW Patrick Marleau was the leagues Third Star with three goals and six points. ... Tampa Bay Lightning GM, Canadian Olympic GM and former Red Wings Hall of Fame player Steve Yzerman was at the game. ' ' '
