Best of 2014 (So Far)

It’s been a surprisingly good year for my kind of music. I always complain about how much bad music there is out there. Then, I never have enough room to fit all the tracks I want on an 80-minute CD every six months.

This mix features old timers like the Alvin Brothers doing Big Bill Broonzy proud, Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison covering Walter Hyatt, and Lone Justice taking Merle Haggard hard and fast. All that’s not to ignore NRBQ, Johnny Cash, Eliza Gilkyson, Drive-By Truckers, and Rodney Crowell.

New acts like Oklahoma’s Parker Millsap and Alabama’s St. Paul & the Broken Bones renew my faith in the younger crowd. On the local tip there’s the garage pop of Spanish Gold, the blue-eyed funk of the Greyhounds, a visit to dreamland with Erin Ivey, the fun yet supremely executed country of Rosie & the Ramblers, and razor sharp Collin Herring. Simply stunning: Gina Chavez.

With albums from the Mastersons, Dale Watson, Kelley Mickwee of the Trishas, Ruthie Foster, John Hiatt, Chris Smither, Ian McLagan & the Bump Band on the way, the rest of the year could be just as satisfying.

Download the mix here.

Geezerville’s Best of 2014 Vol. 1

1) Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin, “All By Myself,” Common Ground
2) Parker Millsap, “Land of the Red Man,” Land of the Red Man
3) Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison, “Motor City Man,” Our Year
4) Rosie & the Ramblers, “Minivan,” Whatever You Need
5) Lone Justice, “Working Man’s Blues,” The Vaught Tapes 1983
6) Drive-By Truckers, “Shit Shots Count,” English Oceans
7) The Whigs, “Hit Me,” Modern Creation
8) Collin Herring “Psychopaths,” Some Knives
9) Spanish Gold, “Out on the Street,” South of Nowhere
10) Greyhounds, “What’s On Your Mind,” Accumulator
11) St. Paul & the Broken Bones, “Call Me,” Half the City
12) NRBQ, “Can’t Wait to Kiss You,” Brass Tacks
13) John Fullbright, “Happy,” Songs
14) Eliza Gilkyson, “Eliza Jane,” The Nocturne Diaries
15) Hurray for the Riff Raff, “Blue Ridge Mountain,” Small Town Heroes
16) Johnny Cash, “Rock & Roll Shoes,” Out Among the Stars
17) Sturgill Simpson, “Long White Line,” Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
18) Jessica Lea Mayfield, “Do I Have the Time,” Make My Head Sing...
20) Old 97’s, “Intervention,” Most Messed Up
21) Rodney Crowell, “Jesus Talk to Mama,” Tarpaper Sky
22) Gina Chavez, “Save Me,” Up Rooted
23) Bob Corritore, “Shuff Stuff,” Taboo
24) Erin Ivey with Tosca String Quartet, “Whisper of the Moon,” Whisper of the Moon
25) Slaid Cleaves & Eliza Gilkyson, “In the Pines,” An Unreal Dream