The Best of 2014: Chris Evans’ Top Albums of the Year

by Editor · December 26, 2014

Chris Evans’ Top Albums of 2014

CHRIS EVANS

Downtown Auroran Magazine’s music critic puts indie-labels on his list.

Lots of big name artists put out full-length albums that many critics rightly put into their own end-of-year top 10 lists. Beck, St. Vincent, Bruce Springsteen, The Black Keys, and U2 all put out big albums this year. My favorites were from lesser-known acts.

Spoon, ‘They Want My Soul’

The album I played the most this year, front to back, was Spoon – They Want My Soul. This is Spoon’s 8th album and they continue to make really solid work every time out. I love singer Britt Daniel’s voice and delivery. This album is full of soul and still maintains a rock identity. Sharp guitars and great drums propel these songs above and beyond. Each time I listen, I am finding new little bits that I didn’t pick up on the previous times. They Want My Soul is full of warm and interesting songs that challenge the listener.

Jack White, ‘Lazaretto’

Jack White put out his second solo album this year, Lazaretto. It is a great collection of varied songs that are held together by Jack’s fresh guitar playing and willingness to take risks. He is in quite a few active bands and never seems to be resting. White continues to be an artist who goes for it and brings passion and force to his live show. I managed to see him at the Chicago Theater this past July and it was transforming. Everything he does is all-out. His songs are not simply rock. They have grooves and ties to old blues, country, and folk traditions. Jack White isn’t holding back and the listener is rewarded.

King Tuff, ‘Black Moon Spell’

I came across King Tuff this year. His record, Black Moon Spell, is a must for those fans of T.Rex and other garage rock. I am looking forward to seeing King Tuff on tour.

Tweedy, ‘Sukierae’

Jeff Tweedy is a favorite artist of mine because he fronts the band Wilco. This year Tweedy and his son recorded a “solo” album called Sukierae. Jeff’s son Spencer plays the drums and Jeff handles most of everything else. The album draws its inspiration from Tweedy’s wife Sue making it a sonic family album of sorts. Wilco fans are an easy target for this release, but it is an album that stands on its own. The songs do not sound like another Wilco record.

Sylvan Esso, ‘Sylvan Esso’

Sylvan Esso is a group I saw as an opening act earlier this spring. I was immediately drawn to singer Amelia Meath’s voice. She has a pure sound and really gets into these songs that are built on electronic beats and loops. This is not a typical electronic act or techno group. There is an obvious connection between the two members of the group and a real soul among the beats. They really impressed me with their strong self-titled debut.

Lizzo and Caroline Smith, ‘Let ‘Em Say’

In addition to all the albums I spent time with, I did fall in love with certain singles that I heard along the way. The very best of the year in my opinion is a collaboration from Minnesota artists Caroline Smith and Lizzo, called Let ‘Em Say. This song is all about being a confident and strong woman. It is so catchy and I find it in my head all the time. This song is a one-off, but you can pay what you want for a download here: https://lizzoandcarolinesmith.bandcamp.com/track/let-em-say

All of the proceeds for this single go to The Women’s Foundation of Minnesota.

Other singles I couldn’t stop playing include:

Is This How You Feel? by The Preatures