Music Year 2014

This is my year-end list for records released in 2014, frozen as of Jan. 31, 2014. The actual Music Year 2014 will continue to be updated to Dec. 31, 2015, after which updating becomes impractical.

For records in hand, * identifies an advance copy, ** something borrowed. Some albums released in previous years are included here, noted by a "-NN" (e.g., -13 for 2013) -- these are mostly imports or self-releases, often hard to figure out official dates, but they were unknown (to me, at least) before the current year.

New Records

  1. Lily Allen: Sheezus (Warner Brothers/Regal)
  2. Steve Lehman Octet: Mise en Abîme (Pi)
  3. Duduvudu: The Gospel According to Dudu Pukwana (Edgetone)
  4. Kate Tempest: Everybody Down (Big Dada) [**]
  5. Paul Shapiro: Shofarot Verses (Tzadik) *
  6. The Green Seed: Drapetomania (Communicating Vessels) [**]
  7. Jenny Scheinman: The Littlest Prisoner (Masterworks) *
  8. The Strypes: Snapshot (Island/Photo Finish) [**]
  9. Revolutionary Snake Ensemble: Live Snakes (Accurate)
  10. Wussy: Attica! (Shake It) **
  11. Digital Primitives: Lipsomuch/Soul Searchin' (Hopscotch, 2CD)
  12. Velkro: Don't Wait for the Revolution (Clean Feed)
  13. Ivo Perelman: The Other Edge (Leo)
  14. Rent Romus' Life's Blood Ensemble: Cimmerian Crossroads (Edgetone)
  15. Parquet Courts: Sunbathing Animal (What's Your Rupture?) [**]
  16. Kris Davis Trio: Waiting for You to Grow (Clean Feed)
  17. Craig Handy: Craig Handy & 2nd Line Smith (Okeh) *
  18. Old 97's: Most Messed Up (ATO) [**]
  19. ¡Mayday x Murs!: ¡Mursday! (Strange Music) [**]
  20. Shakira (RCA) [**]
  21. Big K.R.I.T.: Cadillactica (Def Jam) [**]
  22. Jason Derulo: Talk Dirty (Warner Brothers) [**]
  23. Leonard Cohen: Live in Dublin (Columbia, 3CD) **
  24. Pharrell Williams: Girl (Columbia) **
  25. Miranda Lambert: Platinum (RCA Nashville) [**]
  26. Iggy Azalea: The New Classic (Island) **
  27. Allen Lowe: Mulatto Radio: Field Recordings: 1-4 (Constant Sorrow, 4CD)
  28. Farmers by Nature: Love and Ghosts (AUM Fidelity, 2CD) **
  29. Waclaw Zimpel To Tu Orchestra: Nature Moves (Fortune)
  30. Jonas Kullhammar: Gentlemen (Moserobie)
  31. Angaleena Presley: American Middle Class (Slate Creek) **
  32. Kool A.D.: Word O.K. (self-released) **
  33. Spoon: They Want My Soul (Anti-) [**]
  34. Regina Carter: Southern Comfort (Sony Masterworks)
  35. Jonas Kullhammar/Torbjörn Zetterberg/Espen Aalberg: Basement Sessions Vol. 2 (Clean Feed)
  36. Charli XCX: Sucker (Atlantic) **
  37. Orlando Julius with the Heliocentrics: Jaiyede Afro (Strut) **
  38. Rich Halley 4: The Wisdom of Rocks (Pine Eagle)
  39. Ben Flocks: Battle Mountain (self-released)
  40. Peter Van Huffel/Michael Bates/Jeff Davis: Boom Crane (Fresh Sound New Talent) **
  41. John Hollenbeck/Alban Darche/Sébastien Boisseau/Samuel Blaser: JASS (Yolk) **
  42. Barbara Morrison: I Love You, Yes I Do (Savant)
  43. Leonard Cohen: Popular Problems (Columbia) **
  44. The Hold Steady: Teeth Dreams (Razor & Tie/Washington Square) [**]
  45. Mary Halvorson/Michael Formanek/Tomas Fujiwara: Thumbscrew (Cuneiform) **
  46. Sly & Robbie: Dubrising (Taxi) **
  47. Thurston Moore: The Best Day (Matador) **
  48. The Coathangers: Suck My Shirt (Suicide Squeeze) **
  49. D'Angelo and the Vanguard: Black Messiah (RCA) **
  50. Rodney Crowell: Tarpaper Sky (New West) **
  51. Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord: Liverevil (Hot Cup, 2CD) [**]
  52. Fumaça Preta (Soundway) **
  53. Laura Cantrell: No Way There From Here (Thrift Shop) **
  54. Bobby Avey: Authority Melts From Me (Whirlwind)
  55. Wadada Leo Smith/Jamie Saft/Joe Morris/Balasz Pandi: Red Hill (Rare Noise) **
  56. Free Nelson Mandoomjazz: The Shape of Doomjazz to Come/Saxophone Giganticus (RareNoise) *
  57. Golem: Tanz (Discos Corason) **
  58. Deena: Rock River (Verbena Music)
  59. Lee Ann Womack: The Way I'm Livin' (Sugar Hill/Welk) **
  60. Dave Alvin/Phil Alvin: Common Ground: Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin Play and Sing the Songs of Big Bill Broonzy (Yep Roc) [**]
  61. Big Ups: Eighteen Hours of Static (Tough Love/Dead Labour) **
  62. Dave Douglas/Chet Doxas/Steve Swallow/Jim Doxas: Riverside (Greenleaf Music)
  63. François Carrier/Michel Lambert/Alexey Lapin: The Russian Concerts (FMR)
  64. Joachim Kühn/Alexey Kruglov: Duo Art: Moscow (ACT) **
  65. Tom Rainey: Obbligato (Intakt) **
  66. Catherine Russell: Bring It Back (Jazz Village) **
  67. Michael Blake: Tiddy Boom (Sunnyside) **
  68. Anne Waldman: Jaguar Harmonics (Fast Speaking Music)
  69. Brian Eno/Karl Hyde: High Life (Warp) **
  70. Doug Seegers: Going Down to the River (Rounder) **
  71. Todd Terje: It's Album Time (Olsen) **
  72. Eric Revis: In Memory of Things Yet Seen (Clean Feed)
  73. Jason Ajemian: Folklords (Delmark)
  74. Allo Darlin': We Came From the Same Place (Slumberland) **
  75. Ricardo Lemvo/Makina Loca: La Rumba Soyo (Cumbancha) **
  76. Aphex Twin: Syro (Warp) **
  77. Jon Langford & Skull Orchard: Here Be Monsters (In De Goot/Relativity) **
  78. Jonatha Brooke: My Mothers Has 4 Noses (Bad Dog) **
  79. Mary Gauthier: Trouble & Love (In the Black) **
  80. GOAT: Commune (Sub Pop) **
  81. Dub Thompson: 9 Songs (Dead Oceans, EP) **
  82. Sonny Simmons/Delphine Latil/Thomas Bellier: Beyond the Planets (Improvising Beings, 2CD)
  83. The Mark Lomax Trio: Isis & Osiris (Inarhyme)
  84. Rodrigo Amado: Wire Quartet (Clean Feed)
  85. The Core Trio With Matthew Shipp (self-released) **
  86. Tami Neilson: Dynamite! (self-released) **
  87. Mike DiRubbo: Threshold (Ksanti)
  88. Company Freak: Le Disco Social (Opus Label) **
  89. Michael Griener/Rudi Mahall/Jan Roder/Christof Thewes: Squakk: Willisau & Berlin (Intakt) **
  90. Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott: What Have We Become (Virgin)
  91. Parquet Courts: Parkay Quarts: Content Nausea (What's Your Rupture?) **
  92. Adam Lane's Full Throttle Orchestra: Live in Ljubljana (Clean Feed)
  93. The New Mendicants: Into the Lime (Ashmont) **
  94. Sonny Rollins: Road Shows: Volume 3 (2001-12, Okeh)
  95. Marlene VerPlanck: I Give Up, I'm in Love (Audiophile)
  96. Charlie Haden/Jim Hall (1990, Impulse) **
  97. Ivo Perelman/Karl Berger: Reverie (Leo)
  98. The Microscopic Septet: Manhattan Moonrise (Cuneiform) **
  99. Audio One: An International Report (Audiographic) **
  100. Homeboy Sandman: Hallways (Stones Throw) **
  101. Billy Bang/William Parker: Medicine Buddha (2009, NoBusiness)
  102. The Young Mothers: A Mothers Work Is Never Done (Tektite) *
  103. Call Super: Suzi Ecto (Houndstooth) **
  104. Leo Welch: Sabougla Voices (Big Legal Mess) **
  105. Sleaford Mods: Divide and Exit (Harbinger Sound) **
  106. Statik Selektah: What Goes Around (Duck Down Music) **
  107. Bob Wayne: Back to the Camper (self-released) **
  108. Kali Z. Fasteau: Piano Rapture (Flying Note)
  109. Chumped: Teenage Retirement (Anchorless) **
  110. Nicki Minaj: The Pinkprint (Young Money) **
  111. Grieves: Winter & the Wolves (Rhymesayers Entertainment) **
  112. Ought: More Than Any Other Day (Constellation) **
  113. Objekt: Flatland (Pan, 2CD) **
  114. Andy Biskin Ibid: Act Necessary (Strudelmedia)
  115. William Hooker & Liudas Mockunas: Live at the Vilnius Jazz Festival (NoBusiness)
  116. Kelsey Waldon: The Gold Mine (self-released) **
  117. Withered Hand: New Gods (Slumberland) **
  118. Amy LaVere: Runaway's Diary (Archer) **
  119. Zanussi 5: Live in Coimbra (Clean Feed)
  120. Marcin Wasilewski Trio w/Joakim Milder: Spark of Life (ECM) **
  121. John Hiatt: Terms of My Surrender (New West) **
  122. Ezra Weiss Sextet: Before You Know It: Live in Portland (Roark)
  123. Assif Tsahar/Gerry Hemingway/Mark Dresser: Code Re(a)d (Hopscotch)
  124. Serengeti: Kenny Dennis III (Joyful Noise) **
  125. Noah Preminger: Background Music (Fresh Sound New Talent) **
  126. Richard Galliano: Sentimentale (Resonance)
  127. Willie Nelson: Band of Brothers (Legacy) **
  128. Charles Lloyd: Manhattan Stories (1965, Resonance, 2CD)
  129. Jonah Tolchin: Clover Lane (Yep Roc) **
  130. Cortex: Live! (Clean Feed)
  131. Greg Abate Quartet: Motif (Whaling City Sound)
  132. Lucien Johnson/Alan Silva/Makoto Soto: Stinging Nettles (Improvising Beings)
  133. Sam Newsome: The Straight Horn of Africa: A Path to Liberation [The Art of the Soprano, Vol. 2] (self-released)
  134. Vijay Iyer: Mutations (ECM) **
  135. Boozoo Bajou: 4 (Apollo) **
  136. Billy Joe Shaver: Long in the Tooth (Lightning Rod) **
  137. Dave Burrell/Steve Swell: Turning Point (NoBusiness)
  138. Wadada Leo Smith: The Great Lakes Suites (TUM, 2CD)
  139. Lajos Dudas Quartet: Live at Salzburger Jazzherbst (Jazz Sick -13)
  140. Lee Scratch Perry: Back on the Controls (Upsetter Music, 2CD) **
  141. The Delines: Colfax (El Cortez) **
  142. Young Thug & Bloody Jay: Black Portland (self-released) **
  143. Cloud Nothings: Here and Nowhere Else (Carpark) **
  144. Supreme Cuts: Divine Ecstasy (Dovecote) **
  145. Luis Lopes Lisbon Berlin Trio: The Line (Clean Feed)
  146. Moskus: Mestertyven (Hubro) **
  147. Gene Ludwig-Pat Martino Trio: Young Guns (1968-69, High Note)
  148. James Brandon Lewis: Divine Travels (Okeh)

Pending:

Records in hand, but which haven't yet been graded.

  • XY Quartet: XY (Nusica)

Also Noted:

Records in hand, graded B+ or below, in alphabetical order within grade slots:

  • Juhani Aaltonen: To Future Memories (TUM)
  • Jason Adasiewicz's Sun Rooms: From the Region (Delmark)
  • African Express: African Express Presents . . . Terry Riley's In C Mali (Transgressive) **
  • Afro Latin Vintage Orchestra: Pulsion (Ubiquity) **
  • Jason Ajemian/Tony Malaby/Rob Mazurek/Chad Taylor: A Way a Land of Life (NoBusiness) *
  • Rashied Al Akbar/Muhammad Ali/Earl Cross/Idris Ackamoor: Ascent of the Nether Creatures (1980, NoBusiness) *
  • Arild Andersen/Tommy Smith/Paolo Vinaccia: Mira (ECM) **
  • Angles 9: Injuries (Clean Feed)
  • Atmosphere: Southsiders (Rhymesayers Entertainment) **
  • Aurelio: Lándini (Real World) **
  • Katy B: Little Red (Columbia) **
  • The Bad Plus: Inevitable Western (Okeh) **
  • Jeff Ballard Trio: Time's Tales (Okeh)
  • Azealia Banks: Broke With Expensive Taste (Prospect Park) **
  • Kenny Barron/Dave Holland: The Art of Conversation (Blue Note) **
  • The Baseball Project: 3rd (Yep Roc) **
  • Jon Batiste/Chad Smith/Bill Laswell: The Process (MOD Technologies) **
  • Matt Bauder and Day in Pictures: Nightshades (Clean Feed)
  • Joe Beck: Get Me Joe Beck (2006, Whaling City Sound)
  • Benyoro (self-released) **
  • Scott H. Biram: Nothin' but Blood (Bloodshot) **
  • Raoul Björkenheim: Ecstasy (Cuneiform) **
  • Daniel Blacksberg Trio: Perilous Architecture (NoBusiness)
  • Mary J. Blige: The London Sessions (Capitol) **
  • Lena Bloch: Feathery (Thirteenth Note)
  • Fiorenzo Bodrato: Travelling Without Moving (CMC)
  • Bolt: Shuffle (Driff)
  • Benjamin Booker (ATO) **
  • Carla Bozulich: Boy (Constellation) **
  • Anthony Branker & Word Play: The Forward (Towards Equality) Suite (Origin)
  • Toni Braxton & Babyface: Love Marriage & Divorce (Motown) **
  • Peter Brendler: Outside the Line (Posi-Tone) **
  • Peter Brötzmann/John Edwards/Steve Noble: Soul Food Available (Clean Feed)
  • Bushwick Gospel Singers: Songs of Worship Vol. 2 (The Church of Universal Knowing) **
  • Henry Butler/Steven Bernstein: Viper's Drag (Impulse) **
  • George Cables: Icons & Influences (HighNote)
  • Calle 13: MultiViral (El Abismo/Sony Music Latin) **
  • Juan Pablo Carletti/Tony Malaby/Christopher Hoffman: Niño/Brujo (NoBusiness) *
  • François Carrier/Michel Lambert/Alexey Lapin: The Russian Concerts Volume 2 (FMR)
  • Caleb Caudle: Paint Another Layer on My Heart (This Is American Music) **
  • Neneh Cherry: Blank Project (Smalltown Supersound) **
  • Chicago Underground Duo: Locus (Northern Spy) **
  • Chromeo: White Women (Big Beat) **
  • Ty Citerman: Bop Kabbalah (Tzadik) *
  • Jack Clement: For Once and for All (IRS Nashville) **
  • The Nels Cline Singers: Macroscope (Mack Avenue)
  • Jimmy Cobb: The Original Mob (Smoke Sessions) **
  • J Cole: 2014 Forest Hills Drive (RCA) **
  • Alessandro Collina/Rodolfo Cervetto/Marc Peillon/Fabrizio Bosso: Michel on Air (ITI)
  • Common: Nobody's Smiling (Def Jam) **
  • Chick Corea Trio: Trilogy (Concord, 3CD) **
  • Dagens Ungdom (Metronomicon Audio) **
  • Barbara Levy Daniels: Love Lost and Found (Bidproductions)
  • Jeff Davis: Dragon Father (Fresh Sound New Talent) **
  • Lana Del Rey: Ultraviolence (Interscope) **
  • Michael Denhoff/Ulrich Phillipp/Jörg Fischer: Trio Improvisations for Campanula, Bass and Percussion (Sporeprint, 2CD)
  • Jeff Denson & Joshua White: I'll Fly Away (Pfmentum)
  • Rob Derke & the NY Jazz Quartet: Blue Divide (Zoho)
  • Jon Di Fiore: Yellow Petals (Third Freedom Music)
  • Lajos Dudas Trio: Live at Porgy & Bess (Jazz Sick -13)
  • Chris Dundas: Oslo Odyssey (BLM, 2CD)
  • Colin Edwin/Lorenzo Feliciati: Twinscapes (RareNoise) *
  • EMA: The Future's Void (Matador) **
  • Emperor X: The Orlando Sentinel (self-released) **
  • Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: Black Is Back: 40th Anniversary Project (Katalyst) **
  • Ex Hex: Rips (Merge) **
  • Fear of Men: Loom (Kanine) **
  • Nir Felder: Golden Age (Okeh)
  • The Felice Brothers: Favorite Waitress (Dualtone) **
  • Lisa Ferraro: Serenading the Moon (Pranavasonic Universal)
  • Danny Fox Trio: Wide Eyed (Hot Cup)
  • Aretha Franklin: Sings the Great Diva Classics (RCA) **
  • Erik Friedlander: Nighthawks (Skipstone)
  • Bill Frisell: Guitar in the Space Age (Okeh) **
  • Larry Fuller (Capri)
  • Kevin Gates: By Any Means (Bread Winners Association) **
  • Herb Geller/Roberto Magris: An Evening With Herb Geller & the Roberto Magris Trio: Live in Europe 2009 (JMood)
  • Alice Gerrard: Follow the Music (Tompkins Square) **
  • Ghostface Killah: 36 Seasons (Tommy Boy) **
  • Paul Giallorenzo's GitGo: Force Majeure (Delmark)
  • Freddie Gibbs & Madlib: Piñata (Madlib Invazion) **
  • The Jimmy Giuffre 3 & 4: New York Concerts (1965, Elemental, 2CD)
  • Luther Gray/Jim Hobbs/Kaethe Hostetter/Winston Braman: Lawnmower II (Clean Feed)
  • Grenier/Archie Pelago: Grenier Meets Archie Pelago (Melodic) **
  • Brian Groder Trio: Reflexology (Latham)
  • Grünen [Achim Kaufmann/Robert Landfermann/Christian Lillinger]: Pith & Twig (Clean Feed)
  • Tord Gustavsen Quartet: Extended Circle (ECM) *
  • Andrew Hadro: For Us, the Living (Tone Rogue)
  • Hail Mary Mallon: Bestiary (Rhymesayers Entertainment) **
  • Half Japanese: Overjoyed (Joyful Noise) **
  • Ross Hammond: Humanity Suite (Prescott) *
  • Hard Working Americans: Hard Working Americans (Melvin/Thirty Eigers) **
  • Hat: Twins (Hot Blues)
  • Phil Haynes: No Fast Food (Corner Store Jazz, 2CD)
  • David Hazeltine: For All We Know (Smoke Sessions) **
  • Tim Hegarty: Tribute (Miles High)
  • The Heliocentrics & Melvin Van Peebles: The Last Transmission (Now-Again) **
  • Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas: Secret Evil (Instant) **
  • Eric Hofbauer Quintet: Prehistoric Jazz Volume 1: The Rite of Spring (Creative Nation Music)
  • Homeboy Sandman: White Sands (Stones Throw, EP) **
  • Hookworms: The Hum (Weird World) **
  • Hutchinson Andrew Trio: Prairie Modern (Chronograph)
  • Ideal Bread: Beating the Teens: Songs of Steve Lacy (Cuneiform, 2CD)
  • International Orange (self-released)
  • Jon Irabagon/Mark Helias/Barry Altschul: It Takes All Kinds (Irabbagast/Jazzwerkstatt)
  • Leela James: Fall for You (J&T) **
  • Karen Jonas: Oklahoma Lottery (self-released) **
  • Max Johnson: The Prisoner (NoBusiness)
  • Wilko Johnson/Roger Daltrey: Going Back Home (Chess) **
  • Kalle Kalima & K-18: Buñuel de Jour (TUM)
  • Pandelis Karayorgis Quintet: Afterimage (Driff)
  • Kasai Allstars: Beware the Fetish [Congotronics 5] (Crammed Discs, 2CD) **
  • Søren Kjaegaard/Ben Street/Andrew Cyrille: Syvmileskridt (ILK Music) **
  • Lee Konitz/Dan Tepfer/Michael Janisch/Jeff Williams: First Meeting: Live in London Volume 1 (Whirlwind)
  • Kool & Kass: Coke Boys 5 (self-released) **
  • Glenn Kotche: Adventureland (Cantaloupe) **
  • David Krakauer: The Big Picture (Table Pounding)
  • Seun Kuti + Egypt 80: A Long Way to the Beginning (Knitting Factory) **
  • La Dispute: Rooms of the House (Vagrant) **
  • La Roux: Trouble in Paradise (Cherrytree/Interscope) **
  • Michel Lambert: Journal des Épisodes II (Jazz From Rant)
  • Gianni Lenoci/Kent Carter/Bill Elgart: Plaything (NoBusiness) *
  • Peter Lerner: Continuation (OA2)
  • Mike Longo: Step On It (CAP)
  • Lost in the Trees: Past Life (Anti) **
  • The John Lurie National Orchestra: The Invention of Animals (1993-94, Amulet)
  • Made to Break: Cherchez La Femme (Trost) **
  • Tony Malaby Tamarindo: Somos Aqua (Clean Feed)
  • Tony Malaby's Tubacello: Scorpion Eater (Clean Feed)
  • Jeremy Manasia: Pixel Queen (Blujazz)
  • Sarah Manning: Harmonious Creature (Posi-Tone)
  • The Margots: Soplé (Okka Disk) **
  • Delfeayo Marsalis: The Last Southern Gentlemen (Troubadour Jass)
  • The Juan MacLean: In a Dream (DFA) **
  • Medeski Martin & Wood + Nels Cline: Woodstock Sessions Vol. 2 (Indirecto) **
  • Cava Menzies/Nick Phillips: Moment to Moment (self-released)
  • Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Ensemble: Intergalactic Beings (FPE) **
  • Pete Mills: Sweet Shadow (Cellar Live)
  • Mindtroll: EP #4 (self-released, EP) **
  • Modern Baseball: You're Gonna Miss It All (Run for Cover) **
  • Ludovic Morlot/Seattle Symphony Orchestra: John Luther Adams: Become Ocean (Cantaloupe) **
  • The Muffs: Whoop Dee Doo (Cherry Red) **
  • Paal Nilssen-Love Large Unit: Erta Ale (PNL, 3CD) **
  • O'Death: Out of Hands We Go (Northern Spy) **
  • Itaru Oki: Chorul Zukan (Improvising Beings)
  • Peaking Lights: Cosmic Logic (Weird World) **
  • Ivo Perelman/Mat Maneri: Two Men Walking (Leo)
  • Ivo Perelman: Book of Sound (Leo)
  • The Ralph Peterson Fo'tet Augmented: Alive at Firehouse 12: Vol 2: Fo' n Mo' (Onyx)
  • The Danny Petroni Blue Project: The Blue Project (DPS)
  • Lenny Pickett With the UMO Jazz Orchestra: The Prescription (Random Act)
  • Rod Picott: Hang Your Hopes on a Crooked Nail (Welding Rod) **
  • Adam Pieronczyk Quartet: A-Trane Nights (Fortune)
  • Pinch & Mumdance: Pinch B2B Mumdance (Tectonic) **
  • Popcaan: Where We Come From (Mixpak) **
  • Tineke Postma/Greg Osby: Sonic Halo (Challenge) **
  • Isaiah Rashad: Cilvia Demo (Top Dawg) **
  • Adrian Raso and Fanfare Ciocarlia: Devil's Tale (Asphalt Tango) **
  • Amy Ray: Goodnight Tender (Daemon) **
  • Eric Reed: Groovewise (Smoke Sessions) **
  • Sam Reed Meets Roberto Magris: Ready for Reed (JMood -13) *
  • Steve Reich: Radio Rewrite (Nonesuch) **
  • Xavi Reija: Resolution (Moonjune)
  • Dave Rempis/Joshua Abrams/Avreeayl Ra: Aphelion (Aerophonic)
  • The Rempis/Daisy Duo: Second Spring (Aerophonic)
  • Dave Rempis/Darren Johnston/Larry Ochs: Spectral (Aerophonic)
  • n
  • Marc Ribot Trio: Live at the Village Vanguard (Pi)
  • Rex Richardson & Steve Wilson: Blue Shift (Summit)
  • Pete Robbins: Pyramid (Hate Laugh Music)
  • Bruce Robison/Kelly Willis: Our Year (Premium) **
  • Jason Roebke Octet: High/Red/Center (Delmark)
  • Roil [Chris Abrahams/Mike Majkowski/James Waples]: Raft of the Meadows (NoBusiness) *
  • Noah Rosen/Alan Silva: O.I.L.: Orchestrated Improvised Lives (Improvising Beings -13)
  • Rich Rosenthal: Falling Up (Muse-Eek)
  • Ellen Rowe Quintet: Courage Music (PKO)
  • Röyksopp & Robyn: Do It Again (Cherrytree, EP) **
  • Harold Rubin/Barre Phillips/Tatsuya Nakatani: E on a Thin Line (Hopscotch)
  • Amanda Ruzza/Mauricio Zottarelli: Glasses, No Glasses (Pimenta Music)
  • Akira Sakata/Johan Berthling/Paal Nilssen-Love: Arashi (Trost) **
  • Felipe Salles: Ugandan Suite (Tapestry)
  • Saxophone Summit [Dave Liebman/Ravi Coltrane/Joe Lovano]: Visitation (ArtistShare)
  • Adam Schroeder: Let's (Capri)
  • Louis Sclavis Quartet: Silk and Salt Memories (ECM) **
  • 75 Dollar Bill: Olives in the Ears (self-released) **
  • Shabazz Palaces: Lese Majesty (Sub Pop)
  • Linda Sharrock: No Is No: Don't Fuck Around With Your Women (Improvising Beings, 2CD)
  • Archie Shepp: Attica Blues Orchestra Live: I Hear the Sound (Archieball)
  • Shit Robot: We Got a Love (DFA) **
  • Sonny Simmons: Leaving Knowledge, Wisdom and Brilliance/Chasing the Bird? (2006-14, Improvising Beings, 8CD)
  • Sonny Simmons & Moksha Samnyasin: Nomadic (Svart) **
  • Sly & Robbie: Underwater Dub (Groove Attack) **
  • Sturgill Simpson: Metamodern Sounds in Country Music (High Top Mountain) **
  • Sleaford Mods: Chubbed Up (Ipecac) **
  • Sonzeira: Brasil Bam Bam Bam (Talkin' Loud/Virgin) **
  • Tyshawn Sorey: Alloy (Pi)
  • Tommy Smith/Brian Kellock: Whispering of the Stars (Spartacus) **
  • Tim Sparks: Chasin' the Boogie (Tonewood)
  • St. Vincent (Loma Vista/Republic) **
  • Jesse Stacken: Helleborus (Fresh Sound New Talent) **
  • Zan Stewart: The Street Is Making Music (Mobo Dog)
  • Sun Kil Moon: Benji (Caldo Verde) **
  • Steve Swallow/Ohad Talmor/Adam Nussbaum: Singular Curves (Auand) *
  • Tacocat: NVM (Hardly Art) **
  • Aki Takase/Alexander von Schlippenbach: So Long, Eric!: Homage to Eric Dolphy (Intakt) **
  • Aki Takase/La Planète: Flying Soul (Intakt) **
  • Tensnake: Glow (Astralwerks) **
  • Yosvany Terry: New Throned King (5Pasion)
  • Ken Thomson and Slow/Fast: Settle (NCM East)
  • Tilting: Holy Seven (Barnyard)
  • Tinariwen: Emmaar (Anti-) **
  • Tokyo Police Club: Forcefield (Mom + Pop Music) **
  • Tom Trio: Radical Moves (Fortune)
  • Touch and Go Sextet: Live at the Novara Jazz Festival (Nine Winds)
  • Tricky: Adrian Thaws (!K7) **
  • Trio 3 & Vijay Iyer: Wiring (Intakt) **
  • Assif Tsahar/Tatsuya Nakatani: I Got It Bad (Hopscotch)
  • François Tusques/Mirtha Pozzi/Pablo Cueco: Le Fond de L'Air (Improvising Beings)
  • Us Free [Bill McHenry/Henry Grimes/Andrew Cyrille]: Fish Stories (2006, Fresh Sound New Talent) **
  • Cornelius Veit/Eugen Prieur/Jörg Fischer: Stromraum (Spore Print)
  • The War on Drugs: Lost in the Dream (Secretly Canadian) **
  • Dean Wareham (Sonic Cathedral) **
  • Ken Watters/Ingrid Felts: Watters/Felts Project (Summit)
  • Anna Webber: Simple (Skirl)
  • Frank Wess: Magic 201 (IPO)
  • The Whammies: Play the Music of Steve Lacy Vol. 3: Live (Driff)
  • Matt Wilson Quartet + John Medeski: Gathering Call (Palmetto)
  • Steve Wilson/Lewis Nash Duo: Duologue (MCG Jazz)
  • Ksawery Wojcinski: The Soul (Fortune)
  • Matt Woods: With Love From Brushy Mountain (Lonely Ones) **
  • Wu-Tang Clan: A Better Tomorrow (Warner Brothers) **
  • Peter Zak Trio: The Disciple (Steeplechase)
  • Ab-Soul: These Days . . . (Top Dawg) **
  • Jaime Affoumado/Alex Blake/Arturo O'Farrill/Bill Ware: The Puppeteers (Puppet's)
  • Afghan Whigs: Do to the Beast (Sub Pop) **
  • Against Me!: Transgender Dysphoria Blues (Total Treble) **
  • Yemi Alade: King of Queens (Effyzzie Music Group) **
  • Dee Alexander: Songs My Mother Loves (Blujazz)
  • Eddie Allen: Push (Edjallen Music)
  • Fatima Al Qadiri: Asiatisch (Hyperdub) **
  • Rodrigo Amado Motion Trio & Peter Evans: Live in Lisbon (NoBusiness) *
  • Rodrigo Amado Motion Trio & Peter Evans: The Freedom Principle (NoBusiness)
  • Allison Au Quartet: The Sky Was Pale Blue, Then Grey (self-released)
  • Iggy Azalea: Reclassified (Def Jam) **
  • BadBadNotGood: III (Innovative Leisure) **
  • Baloni: Belleke (Clean Feed)
  • Banks: Goddess (Harvest) **
  • Bruce Barth: Daybreak (Savant)
  • Basement Jaxx: Junto (Atlantic Jaxx) **
  • Al Basile: Swing n' Strings (Sweetspot)
  • Batida: Dois (Soundway) **
  • Battle Trance: Palace of Wind (New Amsterdam) **
  • Gorka Benitez: Gasteiz (Fresh Sound New Talent) **
  • Tyrone Birkett/Emancipation: Postmodern Spirituals: The Promised Land (Araminta Music)
  • Elvis Bishop: Can't Even Do Wrong Right (Alligator) **
  • Bishop Nehru/MF Doom: NehruvianDOOM (Lex) **
  • Jane Ira Bloom: Sixteen Sunsets (Outline)
  • Itamar Borochov Quartet: Outset (Realbird)
  • Lukasz Borowicki Trio: People, Cats & Obstacles (Fortune)
  • Sheela Bringi: Incantations (Black Swan Sounds) **
  • Bobby Broom: My Shining Hour (Origin)
  • John Brown: Quiet Time (Brown Boulevard)
  • Kyle Bruckmann's Wrack: . . . Awaits Silent Tristero's Empire (Singlespeed)
  • Buck 65: Neverlove (WEA Canada) **
  • Mark Buselli: Untold Stories (OA2)
  • Jaki Byard: The Late Show: An Evening With Jaki Byard: Live at the Keystone Korner, Vol. 3 (1979, High Note)
  • Camper Van Beethoven: El Camino Real (429) **
  • Caribou: Our Love (Merge) **
  • Carlene Carter: Carter Girl (Rounder) **
  • Rosanne Cash: The River & the Thread (Blue Note) **
  • Tom Chang: Tongue & Groove (Raw Toast)
  • Brian Charette: Square One (Posi-Tone) **
  • Sebastien Chaumont Quartet: Still Walkin' (ITI)
  • Terri Clark: Some Songs (Bare Track) **
  • Clipping: CLPPNG (Sub Pop) **
  • Freddy Cole: Singing the Blues (High Note)
  • Jeff Colella/Putter Smith: Lotus Blossom (The American Jazz Institute/Capri)
  • John Coltrane: Offering: Live at Temple University (1966, Impulse, 2CD)
  • Wayne Coniglio/Scott Whitfield: Fast Friends (Summit)
  • The Cookers: Time and Time Again (Motéma) **
  • Sylvie Courvoisier/Mark Feldman Quartet: Birdies for Lulu (Intakt) **
  • Tim Daisy & Mikolaj Trzaska: In This Moment (Relay) **
  • Tara Davidson: Duets (Addo)
  • Davina & the Vagabonds: Sunshine (Roustabout) *
  • Keith Davis Trio: Still (LoNote)
  • Steve Davis: For Real (Posi-Tone)
  • De Beren Gieren & Susana Santos Silva: The Detour Fish: Live in Ljubljana (Clean Feed)
  • Deerhoof: La Isla Bonita (Polyvinyl) **
  • Brigitte DeMeyer: Savannah Road (BDM Music) **
  • Jeff Denson & Claudio Puntin: Two (Pfmentum)
  • Michael Dessen Trio: Resonating Abstractions (Clean Feed)
  • Toumani Diabaté/Sidiki Diabaté: Toumani & Sidiki (World Circuit) **
  • Diva: A Swingin' Life (MCG Jazz)
  • Matthieu Donarier & Albert van Veenendaal's Planetarium: The Visible Ones (Clean Feed)
  • Henrik Otto Donner & TUMO: And It Happened . . . (TUM)
  • Dave Douglas & Uri Caine: Present Joys (Greenleaf Music)
  • Jorge Drexler: Bailar en la Cueva (Warner Music Latina) **
  • Drive-By Truckers: English Oceans (ATO) **
  • Bob Dylan in the 80s: Volume One (ATO) **
  • Open Mike Eagle: Dark Comedy (Mello Music Group) **
  • Justin Townes Earle: Single Mothers (Vagrant) **
  • Donald Edwards: Evolution of an Influenced Mind (Criss Cross) **
  • Mark Elf: Returns 2014 (Jen Bay Jazz)
  • El-P/Killer Mike: Run the Jewels 2 (Mass Appeal) **
  • The Equity & Social Justice Quartet: The Whisper of Flowers (Edgetone)
  • Orrin Evans: Liberation Blues (Smoke Sessions) **
  • Orrin Evans' Captain Black Big Band: Mother's Touch (Posi-Tone) **
  • Chet Faker: Built on Glass (Downtown) **
  • Lee Fields: Emma Jean (Truth & Soul) **
  • Fire! Orchestra: Enter (Rune Grammofon) **
  • The Flaming Lips: With a Little Help From My Fwends (Warner Brothers) **
  • Dom Flemons: Prospect Hill (Fat Possum) **
  • Flying Lotus: You're Dead (Warp) **
  • Jean-Marc Foussat & Ramón Lopez: Ça Barbare, Là! (Fou)
  • Jean-Marc Foussat/Simon Hénocq: Nopal (Fou)
  • Carol Fredette: No Sad Songs for Me (Soundbrush)
  • Friends & Neighbors: Hymn for a Hungry Nation (Clean Feed)
  • David Friesen Circle 3 Trio: Where the Light Fails (Origin, 2CD)
  • Fred Frith and John Butcher: The Natural Order (Northern Spy) **
  • Ben Frost: Aurora (Bedroom Community) **
  • Fucked Up: Glass Boys (Matador) **
  • Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York: Shiki (Libra)
  • Future: Honest (Epic) **
  • Hal Galper Trio: O's Time (Origin)
  • Paulinho Garcia: Beautiful Love (Shrinktunes)
  • Ananda Gari: T-Duality (Auand) **
  • Bunji Garlin: Differentology (RCA/VP) **
  • Gazelle Twin: Unflesh (Last Gang) **
  • Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trio: We're Back (Whaling City Sound)
  • Gold-Bears: Dalliance (Slumberland) **
  • Ben Goldberg/Adam Levy/Smith Dobson: Worry Later (BAG Productions) **
  • Brad Goode Quartet: Montezuma (Origin)
  • Sax Gordon: In the Wee Small Hours (Delmark)
  • Ariana Grande: My Everything (Island/Republic) **
  • Danny Green Trio: After the Calm (OA2)
  • Grouper: Ruins (Kranky) **
  • Barry Guy: Five Fizzles for Samuel Beckett (NoBusiness, EP) *
  • Haitian Rail: Solarists (New Atlantis) **
  • Hamell on Trial: The Happiest Man in the World (New West) **
  • Scott Hamilton Quartet: Dean Street Nights (Woodville) **
  • David Helbock's Random/Control: Think of Two (Traumton)
  • Vincent Herring: Uptown Shuffle (Smoke Sessions) **
  • Maggie Herron: Good Thing (self-released)
  • Kevin Hildebrandt: Tolerance (Summit)
  • Lisa Hilton: Kaleidoscope (Ruby Slippers)
  • Eric Hofbauer Quintet: Prehistoric Jazz Volume 2: Quintet for the End of Time (Creative Nation Music)
  • Will Holshouser/Matt Munisteri/Marcus Rojas: Introducing Musette Explosion (Aviary)
  • Horse Meat Disco: Volume IV (Strut) **
  • Hurray for the Riff Raff: Small Town Heroes (ATO) **
  • ICP Orchestra: East of the Sun (ICP) **
  • Imarhan Timbuktu: Alak Warled (Clermont) **
  • Randy Ingram: Sky/Lift (Sunnyside)
  • Ali Jackson: Amalgamations (Sunnyside) **
  • Luke James: Luke James (Island) **
  • B.J. Jansen: Ronin (ARC)
  • Jazzhole: Blue 72 (Beave Music)
  • Anthony Jefferson: But Beautiful (self-released)
  • Max Johnson Trio: The Invisible Trio (Fresh Sound New Talent) **
  • Russ Johnson: Still Out to Lunch! (Yellowbird) **
  • Paul Jones: Short History (Blujazz)
  • Jungle (XL)
  • Beat Kaestli: Collage (B+B Productions)
  • Dave Kain: Raising Kain (Stop Time)
  • Manika Kaur: Satnam Waheguru: The True Name (self-released)
  • Stacey Kent: The Changing Lights (Warner Jazz) **
  • Wiz Khalifa: Blacc Hollywood (Atlantic) **
  • Khun Narin: Electric Phin Band (Innovative Leisure) **
  • Franklin Kiermyer: Further (Mobility Music) **
  • EG Kight: A New Day (Blue South) **
  • Nikola Kolodziejczyk Orchestra: Chord Nation (Fortune)
  • Lee Konitz: Standards Live: At the Village Vanguard (Enja) **
  • Leszek Kulakowski Ensemble: Looking Ahead (Fortune)
  • Jonas Kullhammar/Jørgen Mathisen/Torbjörn Zetterberg/Espen Aalberg: Basement Sessions Vol. 3: The Ljubljana Tapes (Clean Feed)
  • Oliver Lake Organ Quartet: What I Heard (Passin' Thru) **
  • Dawn Landes: Bluebird (Western Vinyl) **
  • Sami Lane: You Know the Drill (self-released, EP) **
  • Matt Lavelle/John Pietaro: Harmolodic Monk (Unseen Rain) **
  • Azar Lawrence: The Seeker (Sunnyside) **
  • The Lawrence Arms: Metropole (Epitaph) **
  • Le1f: Hey (Terrible/XL, EP) **
  • Jenny Lewis: The Voyager (Warner Brothers) **
  • Jerry Lee Lewis: Rock & Roll Time (Vanguard) **
  • Link of Chain: A Songwriters' Tribute to Chris Smither (Signature Sounds) **
  • Joe LoCascio and Woody Witt: Absinthe (Blue Bamboo Music)
  • Logic: Under Pressure (Def Jam) **
  • The Mike Longo Trio: Celebrates Oscar Peterson: Live (CAP)
  • Look Again to the Wind: Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears Revisited (Masterworks) **
  • Lydia Loveless: Somewhere Else (Bloodshot) **
  • Jan Lundgren: All By Myself (Fresh Sound) **
  • Lykke Li: I Never Learn (Atlantic) **
  • Machine Mass [Tony Bianco/Michel Delville]: Inti (Moonjune)
  • Magnolia Acoustic Quartet: Cinderella (Fortune)
  • Dean Magraw & Eric Kamau Gravatt: Fire on the Nile (Red House)
  • Roberto Magris Quintet: Cannonball Funk'n Friends (JMood -13)
  • Roberto Magris Trio: One Night in With Hope and More, Vol. 2 (JMood -13) *
  • Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks: Wig Out at Jagbags (Matador) **
  • Bob Mamet: London House Blues (Blujazz)
  • Mars 4-Tet: The Blind Watchmaker (Summit)
  • Branford Marsalis: In My Solitude: Live at Grace Cathedral (Okeh) **
  • Jessica Lea Mayfield: Make My Head Sing . . . (ATO) **
  • Alexander McCabe/Paul Odeh: This Is Not a Pipe (Wamco)
  • Brad Mehldau/Mark Guiliana: Mehliana: Taming the Dragon (Nonesuch) **
  • Meridian Brothers: Salvadora Robot (Soundway) **
  • Metronomy: Love Letters (Because/Elektra) **
  • Bette Midler: It's the Girls! (East/West) **
  • Parker Millsap: Parker Millsap (Okrahoma) **
  • Kristen Miranda: Double Time (self-released)
  • Hafez Modirzadeh: In Convergence Liberation (Pi)
  • Pharoahe Monch: P.T.S.D.: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (W.A.R. Media) **
  • Joe Morris Quartet: Balance (Clean Feed)
  • Sam Most: New Jazz Standards (Summit)
  • Bob Mould: Beauty & Ruin (Merge) **
  • Moutin Factory Quintet: Lucky People (Blujazz/Plus Loin Music)
  • Mozes & the Firstborn (Burger) **
  • Myriad 3: The Where (ALMA)
  • Roy Nathanson's Sotto Voce: Complicated Day (Enja/Yellow Bird)
  • Natural Child: Dancin' With Wolves (Burger) **
  • Alon Nechushtan: Venture Bound (Enja)
  • John Németh: Memphis Grease (Blue Corn Music) **
  • Jim Norton Collective: Time Remembered: Compositions of Bill Evans (Origin)
  • Conor Oberst: Upside-Down Mountain (Nonesuch) **
  • Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra: The Offense of the Drum (Motéma Music) **
  • Off!: Wasted Years (Vice) **
  • Old Crow Medicine Show: Remedy (ATO) **
  • The Jim Olsen Ensemble: We See Stars (OA2)
  • Chris Parker: Full Circle (OA2)
  • Matt Pavolka: The Horns Band (Fresh Sound New Talent)
  • Danilo Perez: Panama 500 (Mack Avenue)
  • Peripheral Vision: Sheer Tyranny of the Will (self-released)
  • PRhyme (PRhyme/Universal) **
  • Adam Pieronczyk: The Planet of Eternal Life (Jazzwerkstatt) **
  • Prince: Art Official Age (Warner Brothers)
  • Louis Prima Jr. and the Witnesses: Blow (Warrior)
  • Protomartyr: Under Color of Official Right (Hardly Art) **
  • Andrew Rathbun Quartet: Numbers & Letters (SteepleChase)
  • Quraishi: Mountain Melodies (Evergreene Music) **
  • Real Estate: Atlas (Domino) **
  • RED Trio & Mattias Ståhl: North and the Red Stream (NoBusiness)
  • Joshua Redman: Trios Live (Nonesuch) **
  • Dave Rempis/Lasse Marhaug: Naancore (Aerophonic) **
  • Matt Renzi: Rise and Shine (Three P's)
  • Cene Resnik Quartet: Live: From the Sky (Clean Feed)
  • Ritmos Unidos (Patois)
  • The Roots: . . . And Then You Shoot Your Cousin (Def Jam) **
  • Rafael Rosa: Portrait (self-released)
  • Rudy Royston: 303 (Greenleaf Music) *
  • Ruby: Waiting for Light (Fireweed) **
  • Jochen Rueckert: We Make the Rules (Whirlwind)
  • Sabina: Toujours (Bar/None) **
  • Masahiko Satoh/Paal Nilssen-Love: Spring Snow (PNL) **
  • Scenes: . . . But Not Heard (Origin)
  • Schoolboy Q: Oxymoron (Interscope) **
  • John Schooley: The Man Who Rode the Mule Around the World (Voodoo Rhythm) **
  • Reg Schwager: Delphinus (Jazz From Rant)
  • Bobby Selvaggio: Short Stories (Origin)
  • Pat Senatore Trio: Ascensione (Fresh Sound)
  • Derek Senn: The Technological Breakthrough (self-released) **
  • Noura Mint Seymali: Tzenni (Glitterbeat) **
  • Kendra Shank & John Stowell: New York Conversations (TCB)
  • Side A: In the Abstract (Not Two) **
  • Edward Simon: Venezuelan Suite (Sunnyside)
  • Sisyphus (Asthmatic Kitty) **
  • Rotem Sivan Trio: For Emotional Use Only (Fresh Sound New Talent)
  • Skyzoo & Torae: The Barrel Brothers (E1/Empire) **
  • Sly 5th Ave: Sly 5th Ave Presents Akuma (self-released)
  • Michael Snow & Thollem McDonas: Two Piano Concert at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (Edgetone)
  • Emilio Solla y La Inestable de Brooklyn: Second Half (self-released)
  • The Soundcarriers: Entropicalia (Ghost Box) **
  • Vinnie Sperrazza: Apocryphal (Loyal Label)
  • The Spin Quartet: In Circles (Origin)
  • Peter Stampfel and the Brooklyn & Lower Manhattan Banjo Squadron: Better Than Expected (Don Giovanni) **
  • Lyn Stanley: Potions (A.T. Music)
  • John Stein & the Mingotan Project: Emotion (Whaling City Sound)
  • Step Brothers: Lord Steppington (Rhymesayers) **
  • Ben Stolorow/Ian Carey: Duocracy (Kabosha)
  • Street Priest: More Nasty (Humbler)
  • Subtle Lip Can: Reflective Drime (Drip Audio)
  • Brian Swartz & the Gnu Sextet: Portraiture (Summit)
  • Throttle Elevator Music: Area J (Wide Hive) **
  • T.I.: Paperwork (Grand Hustle) **
  • Ana Tijoux: Vengo (Nacional) **
  • Tinashe: Aquarius (RCA) **
  • Ton Trio II: On and On (Singlespeed Music) **
  • Randy Travis: Influence Vol. 2: The Man I Am (Warner Brothers) **
  • Trzy Dni Pozniej: Pokoj Jej Cieniom (Fortune)
  • Tune-Yards: Nikki Nack (4AD)
  • Mark Turner Quartet: Lathe of Heaven (ECM) **
  • François Tusques: La Jungle du Douanier Rousseau (Improvising Beings)
  • François Tusques/François Toullec/Eric Zinman: Laiser L'Exprit Divaguer (Improvising Beings, 2CD)
  • 2NE1: Crush (YG Entertainment) **
  • The David Ullmann 8: Corduroy (Little Sky)
  • Manuel Valera: Self Portrait (Mavo)
  • Colin Vallon: Le Vent (ECM) **
  • The Vamps: Meet the Vamps (Island) **
  • Caetano Veloso: Abraçoço (Nonesuch) **
  • Piet Verbist/Zygomatik: Cattitude (Origin)
  • David Virelles: Mbókó (ECM) **
  • Jerry Vivino: Back East (Blujazz)
  • Mirel Wagner: When the Cellar Children See the Light of Day (Sub Pop) **
  • Brahja Waldman Quintet: Sir Real Live at Resonance (self-released) *
  • Reggie Watkins: One for Miles, One for Maynard (Corona Music)
  • Watsky: All You Can Do (Steel Wool Media/Welk Music Group) **
  • Ernie Watts Quartet: A Simple Truth (Flying Dolphin) **
  • Colin Webster/Andrew Lisle/Alex Ward: Red Kite (Raw Tonk) **
  • Scott Wendholt & Adam Kolker Quartet: Andthem (Fresh Sound New Talent) **
  • The Westerlies: Wish the Children Would Come on Home: The Music of Wayne Horvitz (Songlines)
  • White Lung: Deep Fantasy (Domino) **
  • Wildest Dreams (Smalltown Supersound) **
  • Jessica Williams: With Love (Origin)
  • A Winged Victory for the Sullen: Atomos (Kranky) **
  • Norma Winstone: Dance Without Answer (ECM) **
  • Michael Wollny Trio: Weltentraum (ACT)
  • Wooden Wand: Farmer's Corner (2013 [2014], Fire) **
  • Nate Wooley/Hugo Antunes/Chris Corsano: Malus (NoBusiness) *
  • J.J. Wright: Inward Looking Outward (Ropeadope)
  • Yelle: Complètement Fou (Kemosabe) **
  • Neil Young: A Letter Home (Third Man) **
  • ZZ Quartet: Beyond the Lines (In + Out)
  • Actress: Ghettoville (Ninja Tune) **
  • Jhené Aiko: Souled Out (Def Jam) **
  • Damon Albarn: Everyday Robots (Parlophone) **
  • Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio (Concord Jazz) **
  • Ariel Alexander & Jon Bremen: Street Cries (self-released, EP)
  • Alvvays (Polyvinyl) **
  • Marsha Ambrosius: Fvck & Love (2014, self-released, EP) **
  • Jason Anick: Tipping Point (Magic Fiddle Music)
  • Lotte Anker/Jakob Riis: Squid Police (Konvoy) **
  • Auction Project: Slink (self-released)
  • Grazyna Auguscik Orchestar: Inspired by Lutoslawski (Fortune)
  • Avi Buffalo: At Best Cuckold (Sub Pop) **
  • Omer Avital: New Song (Motéma) **
  • Mike Baggetta Quartet: Thieves and Secrets (Fresh Sound New Talent)
  • Marcia Ball: The Tatooed Lady and the Alligator Man (Alligator) **
  • Mike Bardash Quintet: Polygon (Rhombus)
  • Courtney Barnett: The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas (Mom + Pop Music) **
  • Tigger Benford & Party: Vessel of Gratitude (self-released)
  • Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek (Interscope) **
  • Kris Berg & the Metroplexity Big Band: Time Management (Summit)
  • Beverly: Careers (Kanine) **
  • Eric Bibb: Blues People (Stony Plain) **
  • Big Freedia: Just Be Free (Queen Diva) **
  • David Binney: Anacapa (Criss Cross) **
  • Aloe Blacc: Lift Your Spirit (XIX/Interscope) **
  • Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band: Landmarks (Blue Note) **
  • Blaqstarr: The Blaq-Files (2002-06) (Jeffree's/Mad Decent, EP) **
  • The Michael Blum Quartet: Initiation (self-released)
  • Dean Blunt: Black Metal (Rough Trade) **
  • Janice Borla: Promises to Burn (Tall Grass)
  • Cory Branan: The No-Hit Wonder (Bloodshot) **
  • Joshua Breakstone: With the Wind and the Rain (Capri)
  • Patrick Breiner's Double Double: Mileage (Sulde) **
  • The Bug: Angels & Devils (2014, Ninja Tune) **
  • Steve Cardenas: Melody in a Dream (Sunnyside)
  • Frank Catalano/Jimmy Chamberlin: Love Supreme Collective (Ropeadope)
  • Drew Ceccato/Adam Tinkle: Eidolon (Edgetone)
  • Alan Chan Jazz Orchestra: Shrimp Tale (Crown Heights Audio Network)
  • Mark Charig/Georg Wolf/Jörg Fischer: Free Music on a Summer Evening (Spore Print)
  • Chingari [Ranjit Barot/U Shrinivas/Etienne Mbappé]: Bombay Makossa (Abstract Logix) **
  • Eric Church: The Outsiders (Capitol Nashville) **
  • Cities Aviv: Come to Life (Young One) **
  • Gary Clark, Jr.: Live (Warner Brothers, 2CD) **
  • Nels Cline & Julian Lage: Room (Mack Avenue) *
  • Kevin Conlon/The Groove Rebellion: In Transit (Blujazz)
  • Hollie Cook: Twice (Mr. Bongo) **
  • Jack Cooper: Mists: Charles Ives for Jazz Orchestra (Planet Arts)
  • Frankie Cosmos: Zentropy (Midheaven, EP) **
  • Neil Cowley Trio: Touch and Flee (Naim Jazz) **
  • Ian William Craig: A Turn of Breath (Recital) **
  • Theo Croker: AfroPhysicist (Okeh) **
  • Dej Loaf: Sell Sole (World) **
  • Luther Dickinson: Rock 'N Roll Blues (New West) **
  • Paul Dietrich Quintet: We Always Get There (Blujazz)
  • Ani DiFranco: Allergic to Water (Righteous Babe) **
  • Jorrit Dijkstra: Music for Reeds and Electronics: Oakland (Driff)
  • DJ Quik: The Midnight Life (Mad Science) **
  • Andrew Downing/Jim Lewis/David Occhipinti: Bristles (Occdav Music)
  • Drumheller: Sometimes Machine (Barnyard)
  • Duck Sauce: Quack (Fool's Gold) **
  • Benjamin Duboc: St. James Infirmary (Improvising Beings)
  • Eagulls (Partisan) **
  • Brian Eno/Karl Hyde: Someday World (Warp) **
  • The Wayne Escoffery Quintet: Live at Firehouse 12 (Sunnyside)
  • Peter Evans Quintet: Destination: Void (More Is More) **
  • Ex Cops: Daggers (Downtown) **
  • Expansions: The Dave Liebman Group: Samsara (Whaling City Sound)
  • Marianne Faithfull: Give My Love to London (Easy Sound) **
  • Fantasma: Eye of the Sun (Soundway, EP) **
  • Far East Movement: KTown Riot (Interscope, EP) **
  • Simone Felice: Strangers (Dualtone) **
  • Fennesz: Bécs (Editions Mego) **
  • Violeta Ferrer/Raymond Boni: Federico García Lorca (Fou)
  • Bryan Ferry: Avonmore (BMG) **
  • Jean-Marc Foussat, Sylvain Guérineau & Joe McPhee: Quod (Fou)
  • Roddy Frame: Seven Dials (AED) **
  • Fujiya & Miyagi: Artificial Sweeteners (Yep Roc) **
  • John Fullbright: Songs (Red Dirt) **
  • Future Islands: Singles (4AD) **
  • Alex G: DSU (Orchid Tapes, EP) **
  • Lee Gamble: Koch (Pan, 2CD) **
  • Get the Blessing: Lope and Antilope (Naim Jazz) **
  • Grand Fatilla: Global Shuffle (self-released)
  • Jimmy Greene: Beautiful Life (Mack Avenue) **
  • Tom Griesgraber/Bert Lams: Unnamed Lands (self-released)
  • Johnny Griffith: Dance With the Lady (GB)
  • Steve Gunn: Way Out Weather (Paradise of Bachelors) **
  • Barry Guy New Orchestra: Amphi/Radio Rondo (Intakt) **
  • Hard Working Americans: The First Waltz (Melvin) **
  • Elias Haslanger: Live at the Gallery (Cherrywood)
  • Joe Henry: Invisible Hour (Work Song) **
  • Benjamin Herman: Trouble (Dox) **
  • Hildegard Lernt Fliegen: The Fundamental Rhythm of Unpolished Brains (Yellowbird) **
  • Hiss Golden Messenger: Lateness of Dancers (Merge) **
  • Holly Hofmann: Low Life: The Alto Flute Project (Capri)
  • The Hotelier: Home, Like Noplace Is There (Tiny Engines)
  • Jennifer Hudson: JHUD (RCA) **
  • Bobby Hutcherson/David Sanborn/Joey DeFrancesco: Enjoy the View (Blue Note) **
  • Chrissie Hynde: Stockholm (Caroline) **
  • I Love Makonnen (OVO Sound, EP) **
  • Ibibio Sound Machine (Soundway) **
  • Jachna Tarwid Karch: Sundial (Fortune)
  • Javon Jackson: Expression (Smoke Sessions) **
  • Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra: Habitat (Justin Time)
  • Darius Jones/Matthew Shipp: Cosmic Lieder: The Darkseid Recital (AUM Fidelity) [**]
  • Mimi Jones: Balance (Hot Tone Music)
  • Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings: Give the People What They Want (Daptone) **
  • Matthew Kaminski: Swingin' on the New Hammond (Summit)
  • Darrell Katz and the JCA Orchestra: Why Do You Ride? (Leo)
  • Ryan Keberle & Catharsis: Into the Zone (Greenleaf Music)
  • Amira Kheir: Alsahraa (Sterns) **
  • Kiasmos (Erased Tapes) **
  • Rebecca Kilgore with the Harry Allen Quartet: I Like Men (Arbors) **
  • Elly Kouri: I Love You Too Much (RBR)
  • Jonathan Kreisberg: Wave Upon Wave (New for Now Music)
  • Kronomorfic [David Borgo & Paul Pellegrin]: Entangled (OA2)
  • Takuya Kuroda: Rising Son (Blue Note) **
  • Lake Street Dive: Bad Self Portraits (Signature Sounds) **
  • Nikki Lane: All or Nothin' (New West) **
  • Ingrid Laubrock Octet: Zürich Concert (Intakt) **
  • Let's Wrestle (Fortuna Pop) **
  • Greg Lewis: Organ Monk: American Standard (self-released)
  • The John A. Lewis Trio: One Trip Out (Valarteri)
  • Dave Liebman Big Band: A Tribute to Wayne Shorter (Summit)
  • Loscil: Sea Island (Kranky) **
  • Low Society: You Can't Keep a Good Woman Down (Icehouse) **
  • Romero Lubambo: Só: Brazilian Essence (Sunnyside)
  • Corb Lund: Counterfeit Blues (New West)
  • Vincent Lyn: Live in New York City (Budo)
  • Brian Lynch and Emmet Cohen: Questioned Answer (Hollistic Musicworks) **
  • Harold Mabern: Right on Time (Smoke Sessions) **
  • Roberto Magris Septet: Morgan Rewind: A Tribute to Lee Morgan Vol. 2 (JMood, 2CD)
  • Eleni Mandell: Let's Fly a Kite (Yep Roc) **
  • Paul Marinaro: Without a Song (Myrtle)
  • Thomas Marriott: Urban Folklore (Origin)
  • Dominic J. Marshall Trio: Spirit Speech (Origin)
  • J Mascis: Tied to a Star (Sub Pop) **
  • Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra: Strength in Numbers (Summit)
  • Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood: Juice (Indirecto) **
  • K Michelle: Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart? (Atlantic) **
  • Migos: Rich Ni**a Timeline (Quality Control Music) **
  • Sei Miguel: Salvation Modes (Clean Feed)
  • Jaro Milko & the Cubalkanics: Cigarros Explosivos! (Asphalt Tango) **
  • Dom Minasi & Hans Tammen: Alluvium (Straw2gold) **
  • Roscoe Mitchell: Conversations II (2013 [2014], Wide Hive) **
  • Moodymann (Mahogani) **
  • Jason Moran: All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller (Blue Note) **
  • Nick Mulvey: First Mind (Fiction/Harvest) **
  • Wolfgang Muthspiel: Driftwood (ECM) **
  • Myrczek & Tomaszewski: Love Revisited (Fortune)
  • Naked Wolf (El Negocito) **
  • The New Basement Tapes: Lost on the River (Island) **
  • The New Pornographers: Brill Bruisers (Matador) **
  • Matt Newton: Within Reach (self-released)
  • Stevie Nicks: 24 Karat Gold: Songs From the Vault (Reprise) **
  • Miho Nobuzane: Simple Words: Jazz Loves Brazil (self-released)
  • Russ Nolan: Relentless (Rhinoceruss Music)
  • The North: Slow Down (This Isn't the Mainland) (Dowsett)
  • Karen O: Crush Songs (Cult, EP) **
  • Ian O'Beirne: Glasswork (self-released)
  • The Ocular Concern: Sister Cities (PJCE)
  • Old Style Sextet (Blujazz)
  • Angel Olsen: Burn Your Fire for No Witness (Jagjaguwar) **
  • Ark Ovrutski: 44:33 (Zoho)
  • Ulysses Owens Jr.: Onward & Upward (D Clef)
  • Charlie Parr: Hollandale (Chaperone) **
  • Dolly Parton: Blue Smoke (Sony Masterworks)
  • Rich Pellegrin Quintet: Episodes IV-VI (OA2)
  • Clarence Penn & Penn Station: Monk: The Lost Files (Origin)
  • Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: Hypnotic Eye (Reprise) **
  • Phantogram: Voices (Republic) **
  • Judy Philbin and Adam Levine: Keeping It Simple (self-released)
  • Picastro: You (Sonic Clang) **
  • Pink Floyd: The Endless River (Rhino) **
  • Pink Martini & the Von Trapps: Dream a Little Dream (Heinz) **
  • Leslie Pintchik: In the Nature of Things (Pintch Hard)
  • Anthony Pirog: Palo Colorado Dream (Cuneiform) *
  • Plymouth (Rare Noise) **
  • Yvonnick Prene & Padam Swing: Wonderful World (self-released) **
  • Bobby Previte: Terminals (Cantaloupe) **
  • Prince/3rdEyeGirl: Plectrum Electrum (Warner Brothers) **
  • Rufus Reid: Quiet Pride: The Elizabeth Catlett Project (Motéma) **
  • Greg Reitan: Post No Bills (Sunnyside)
  • Jeff Richman & Wayne Johnson: The Distance (ITI Music)
  • Sylvain Rifflet & Jon Irabagon: Perpetual Motion: A Celebration of Moondog (Jazz Village) **
  • Diane Roblin: Reconnect (self-released)
  • Alfredo Rodriguez: The Invasion Parade (Mack Avenue) **
  • Jason Roebke: Combination (self-released) **
  • Dylan Ryan/Sand: Circa (Cuneiform) *
  • Jamie Saft/Steve Swallow/Bobby Previte: The New Standard (Rare Noise) *
  • Akira Sakata/Giovanni Di Domenico: Iruman (Mbari Musica)
  • Akira Sakata/Fred Lonberg-Holm/Ketil Gutvik/Paal Nilssen-Love: The Cliff of Time (PNL) **
  • Samo Salamon Bassless Quartet: 2Alto (SteepleChase LookOut)
  • Mehmet Ali Sanlikol: Whatsnext (Dunya) **
  • Carl Saunders: America (Summit)
  • Boris Savoldelli/Garrison Fewell: Electric Bat Conspiracy (Creative Nation Music)
  • Schizophonia: Cantorial Recordings Reimagined (Blue Thread Music)
  • Jacques Schwarz-Bart: Jazz Racine Haïti (Motema Music) **
  • Brandon Seabrook: Sylphid Vitalizers (New Atlantis) **
  • Marc Seales: American Songs Volume 2: Blues . . . and Jazz (Origin)
  • Lenny Sendersky/Tony Romano: Desert Flower (LeTo)
  • Shamir: Northtown (Godmode, EP) **
  • Matthew Shipp: I've Been to Many Places (Thirsty Ear) **
  • Ryan Shultz Quintet: Hair Dryers (Origin)
  • Herb Silverstein: Monday Morning (self-released)
  • Sylvie Simmons: Sylvie (Light in the Attic) **
  • Adam Smale: Out of the Blue (self-released)
  • Daniel Smith: Smokin' Hot Bassoon Blues (Summit)
  • Wadada Leo Smith/Bill Laswell: The Stone (Akashic Meditation) (MOD Technologies) **
  • Chris Smither: Still on the Levee (Signature Sounds, 2CD) **
  • Sohn: Tremors (4AD) **
  • The Souljazz Orchestra: Inner Fire (Strut) **
  • Speedy Ortiz: Real Hair (Carpark, EP) **
  • Spider Bags: Frozen Letter (Merge) **
  • Spiral Mercury Chicago/São Paulo Underground Feat. Pharoah Sanders: Pharoah & the Underground (Clean Feed)
  • Spoke: (R)anthems (River)
  • Bruce Springsteen: High Hopes (Columbia) **
  • St. Paul & the Broken Bones: Half the City (Single Lock) **
  • Vince Staples: Hell Can Wait (Def Jam, EP) **
  • Isabel Stover: Her Own Sweet World (self-released)
  • Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives: Saturday Night/Sunday Morning (Superlatone, 2CD) **
  • Helen Sung: Anthem for a New Day (Concord Jazz) **
  • Sunny Sweeney: Provoked (Aunt Daddy) **
  • Nelda Swiggett Stringtet: Blue-Eyed Painted Lady (Origin)
  • Sylvan Esso (Partisan) **
  • Daniel Szabo/Peter Erskine/Edwin Livingston: A Song From There (self-released)
  • Natsuki Tamura/Alexander Frangenheim: Nax (Creative Sources)
  • Temples: Sun Structures (Fat Possum) **
  • Camille Thurman: Origins (Hot Tone Music)
  • Steve Treseler Group: Center Song (Creative Music Adventures)
  • Paul Tynan & Aaron Lington: Bicoastal Collective: Chapter Four (OA2)
  • Matt Ulery: In the Ivory (Greenleaf Music, 2CD)
  • Fernando Ulibarri: Transform (self-released)
  • Adam Unsworth/Byron Olson/John Vanore: Balance (Acoustical Concepts)
  • The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra: OverTime: The Music of Bob Brookmeyer (Planet Arts) **
  • Peter Van Huffel's Gorilla Mask: Bite My Blues (Clean Feed)
  • Elio Villafranca and His Jazz Syncopators: Caribbean Tinge: Live From Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola (Motéme) **
  • Roseanna Vitro: Clarity: Music of Clare Fischer (Random Act)
  • Leon Vynehall: Music for the Uninvited (3024) **
  • Loudon Wainwright III: Haven't Got the Blues (Yet) (429) **
  • Ulf Wakenius: Solo: Momento Magico (ACT) **
  • Jessie Ware: Tough Love (Interscope) **
  • The Bill Warfield Big Band: Trumpet Story (Planet Arts)
  • Chuck E. Weiss: Red Beans & Weiss (Anti) **
  • Western Jazz Quartet: Free Fall (Blujazz)
  • Whiskey Myers: Early Morning Shakes (Wiggy Thump) **
  • David White Jazz Orchestra: The Chase (Mister Shepherd)
  • Walter White: Most Triumphant (Summit)
  • Betty Who: Take Me When You Go (RCA) **
  • Don Williams: Reflections (Sugar Hill) **
  • Hank Williams III: Ramblin' Man (Curb, EP) **
  • Nils Wogram Root 70 With Strings: Riomar (NWOG)
  • Tom Wolfe: Solerovescent (Summit)
  • Basak Yavuz: Things (Z Music)
  • Neil Young: Storytone (Reprise) **
  • Young Fathers: Dead (Anticon) **
  • Young Thug/Rich Homie Quan/Birdman: Rich Gang: The Tour Pt 1 (Cash Money) **
  • Miguel Zenón: Identities Are Changeable (Miel Music)
  • Kris Adams: Longing (Jazzbird)
  • Ryan Adams (Blue Note)
  • Alt-J: This Is All Yours (Canvasback/Atlantic) **
  • Laurie Antonioli: Songs of Shadow, Songs of Light: The Music of Joni Mitchell (Origin)
  • Arca: Xen (Mute) **
  • Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires: Dereconstructed (Sub Pop) **
  • Bobby Bare Jr's Young Criminals' Starvation League: Undefeated (Bloodshot) **
  • Darren Barrett dB Quintet: Live and Direct 2014 (dB Studios)
  • Gerald Beckett: The Messenger (Summit)
  • Todd Bishop Group: Travelogue (Origin)
  • Maggie Björklund: Shaken (Bloodshot) **
  • Rubén Blades: Tangos (Sunnyside) **
  • Otis Brown III: The Thought of You (Blue Note) **
  • Buzzcocks: The Way (1-2-3-4 Go) **
  • Malonie Carre: Forever (self-released)
  • The Cellar and Point: Ambit (Cuneiform) *
  • Collier & Dean: Sleek Buick (Origin)
  • Matt Criscuolo: Blippity Blat (self-released)
  • Eliana Cuevas: Espejo (ALMA)
  • Richard Dawson: Nothing Important (Weird World) **
  • Mac DeMarco: Salad Days (Captured Tracks) **
  • Ron Di Salvio: Songs for Jazz Legends (Blujazz)
  • Thom Douvan: Brother Brother (self-released)
  • East India Youth: Total Strife Forever (Stolen) **
  • Rachel Eckroth: Let Go (Virgo Sun)
  • Robert Ellis: The Lights From the Chemical Plant (New West) **
  • Scott Feiner & Pandeiro Jazz: A View From Below (self-released)
  • Jean Luc Fillon: Oboman Plays Cole Porter: Begin the Night . . . (Soupir Editions)
  • First Aid Kit: Stay Gold (Columbia) **
  • 5 Seconds of Summer (Capitol) **
  • FKA Twigs: LP1 (Young Turks) **
  • Jean-Marc Foussat: L'Oiseau (Fou -12)
  • Gato Libre: DuDu (Libra)
  • Tom Guarna: Rush (BJU) **
  • David Guetta: Listen (Atlantic) **
  • Luke Haines: New York in the '70s (Cherry Red) **
  • Billy Hart Quartet: One Is the Other (ECM) **
  • Jerry Heldman: Revelation(s) (1973-74, Origin, 2CD)
  • Arve Henriksen: The Nature of Connections (Rune Grammofon) **
  • Hercules & Love Affair: The Feast of the Broken Heart (Moshi Moshi) **
  • Honeyblood (Fat Cat) **
  • Wayne Horvitz: 55: Music and Dance in Concrete (Cuneiform) *
  • How to Dress Well: What Is This Heart? (Domino) **
  • Sam Hunt: Montevalo (MCA Nashville) **
  • Iceage: Plowing Into the Field of Love (Matador) **
  • Ikebe Shakedown: Stone by Stone (Ubiquity) **
  • Jason Jackson: Inspiration (Jack & Hill Music)
  • José James: While You Were Sleeping (Blue Note) **
  • JazzBonez: Watch It! (Summit)
  • Sherie Julianne: 10 Degrees South (Azul Do Mar)
  • Just Passing Through: The Breithaupt Brothers Songbook Vol. II (ALMA)
  • Stan Kenton Alumni Band: Road Scholars Live (Summit)
  • Little Dragon: Nabuma Rubberband (Republic) **
  • Tove Lo: Queen of the Clouds (Island) **
  • Michael Mantler: The Jazz Composer's Orchestra Update (ECM) **
  • Mike Marshall/Turtle Island Quartet: Mike Marshall & the Turtle Island Quartet (Adventure Music)
  • Aaron McEvers/M13: 1 Human, Too Human (Blujazz)
  • Zara McFarlane: If You Knew Her (Brownswood)
  • John McLaughlin & 4th Dimension: The Boston Record (Abstract Logix) **
  • The Menzingers: Rented World (Epitaph) **
  • Collette Michaan: Incarnate/Encarna (self-released)
  • Microwaves: Regurgitant Phenomena (New Atlantis) **
  • Roscoe Mitchell: Conversations I (Wide Hive) **
  • Noshir Mody: Stories From the Years of Living Passionately (self-released)
  • Tony Monaco: Furry Slippers (Summit)
  • Mostly Other People Do the Killing: Blue (Hot Cup) **
  • Naomi Punk: Television Man (Captured Tracks) **
  • Jennifer Nettles: That Girl (Mercury Nashville) **
  • Parker Abbott Trio: The Wayfinders (self-released)
  • Eric Paslay: Eric Paslay (Capitol Nashville) **
  • Beata Pater: Golden Lady (B&B)
  • Felix Peikli: Royal Flush (self-released) *
  • Perfume Genius: Too Bright (Turnstile) **
  • Sonya Perkins: Dream a Little Dream (self-released)
  • Robert Prester: Dogtown (Commonwealth Ave. Productions)
  • PJ Rasmussen: Another Adventure (Third Freedom Music)
  • Ratking: So It Goes (Hot Charity/HXC/XL) **
  • Ellynne Rey: A Little Bit of Moonlight (self-released)
  • Porter Robinson: Worlds (Astralwerks) **
  • Jefferson Rose Band: Feel Like Dancing (self-released)
  • Brandon Ross/Stomu Takeishi: For Living Lovers: Revealing Essence (Sunnyside)
  • Royal Blood (Warner Brothers) **
  • JC Sanford Orchestra: Views From the Inside (Whirlwind)
  • SBTRKT: Wonder Where We Land (Young Turks) **
  • Anton Schwartz: Flash Mob (Anton Jazz)
  • Sia: 1000 Forms of Fear (RCA) **
  • Donna Singer: Destiny: Moment of Jazz (Emerald Baby)
  • Slackk: Palm Tree Fire (Local Action) **
  • Snowbird: Moon (Bella Union, 2CD) **
  • Brenda Earle Stokes: Right About Now (self-released) *
  • Storyboard [David Boswell/Alex Locasio/Rod MacDowell]: Hello (My Quiet Moon)
  • Swans: To Be Kind (Young God, 2CD) **
  • Joanne Tatham: Out of My Dreams (Cafe Pacific)
  • Shirazette Tinnin: Humility: Purity of My Soul (Hot Tone Music)
  • Tri-Fi [Phil Palombi/Matthew Fries/Keith Hall]: Staring Into the Sun (self-released)
  • Allison Adams Tucker: April in Paris (Allegato Music)
  • TV on the Radio: Seeds (Harvest) **
  • Tweens (Frenchkiss) **
  • Viet Cong: Cassette (Mexican Summer) **
  • Harvey Wainapel: Amigos Brasileiros Vol. 2 (Jazzmission)
  • Seth Walker: Sky Still Blue (The Royal Potato Family) **
  • Warpaint (Rough Trade) **
  • Bill Watrous/Pete Christlieb/Carl Saunders/The Gary Urwin Jazz Orchestra: A Beautiful Friendship (Summit)
  • Walt Weiskopf: Overdrive (Posi-Tone) **
  • Wild Beasts: Present Tense (Domino) **
  • Luke Winslow-King: Everlasting Arms (Bloodshot) **
  • Jason Yeager Trio: Affirmation (Inner Circle Music)
  • Brigitte Zarie: L'amour (NJ Music)
  • Dann Zinn: Shangri La (self-released)
  • Ambrose Akinmusire: The Imagined Savior Is Far Easier to Paint (Blue Note) **
  • Clarice Assad: Imaginarium (Adventure Music) **
  • Darren Barrett: Energy in Motion: The Music of the Bee Gees (dB Studios)
  • Beat Funktion: Voodooland (DO Music)
  • Beck: Morning Phase (Capitol)
  • Drake Bell: Ready Steady Go! (Surfdog) **
  • Dierks Bentley: Riser (Capitol Nashville) **
  • T.K. Blue: A Warm Embrace (Blujazz)
  • Kris Bowers: Heroes + Misfits (Concord Jazz) **
  • Mario Castro Quintet/Strings: Estrella de Mar/Promotional Edition (Interrobang)
  • Billy Childs: Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro (2014, Masterworks) **
  • Dee Daniels: Intimate Conversations (Origin)
  • Mark Egan: About Now (Wavetone)
  • John Ellis & Andy Bragen: Mobro (Parade Light) **
  • Dave "Knife" Fabris: Lettuce Prey (Musea)
  • Four Year Strong: Go Down in History (Pure Noise, EP) **
  • Danny Freyer: Must Be Love (Blue Bend)
  • Brantley Gilbert: Just as I Am (Valory) **
  • Eric Harland's Voyager: Vipassana (GSI Studios)
  • Taylor Haskins: Fuzzy Logic (Sunnyside)
  • The Tommy Igoe Groove Conspiracy (Deep Rhythm)
  • Darius Jones: The Oversoul Manual (AUM Fidelity) **
  • Jua: Colors of Life (Chocolate Chi Music)
  • Kelis: Food (Ninja Tune) **
  • Gordon Lee with the Mel Brown Septet: Tuesday Night (Origin)
  • Shawn Maxwell: Shawn Maxwell's Alliance (Chicago Sessions)
  • Mark Meadows: Somethin' Good (self-released)
  • Pat Metheny Unity Group: Kin (Nonesuch) **
  • Brad Paisley: Moonshine in the Trunk (Arista) **
  • Pattern Is Movement (Hometapes) **
  • Nicholas Payton: Numbers (Paytone) **
  • PC Worship: Social Rust (Northern Spy) **
  • Jeremy Pelt: Face Forward, Jeremy (High Note)
  • Perfect Pussy: Say Yes to Love (Captured Tracks) **
  • Rallidae: Paper Birds (self-released, EP)
  • Dianne Reeves: Beautiful Life (Concord Jazz)
  • Leon Russell: Life Journey (Universal) **
  • Nicky Schrire: To the Spring (self-released, EP)
  • Mitch Shiner and the Blooming Tones Big Band: Fly! (Patois)
  • Skrillex: Recess (Owsla/Big Beat/Atlantic) **
  • Sam Smith: In the Lonely Hour (Capitol) **
  • Strand of Oaks: Heal (Dead Oceans) **
  • Sharon Van Etten: Are We There (Jagjaguwar) **
  • Joe Louis Walker: Hornet's Nest (Alligator) **
  • Dan Weiss: Fourteen (Pi)
  • Jack White: Lazaretto (Third Man) **
  • YG: My Krazy Life (Def Jam) **
  • Dirty Loops: Loopified (Verve) **
  • Krom (self-released)
  • Little Big Town: Pain Killer (Capitol Nashville) **
  • Terry Marshall: Arrival (self-released)
  • Novox: Over the Honeymoon (Label Z Production)
  • Sara Serpa & André Matos: Primavera (Inner Circle Music)
  • Bruce Springsteen: American Beauty (Columbia, EP) **
  • Ed Stone: King of Hearts (Sapphire Music)
  • Tigran: Shadow Theater (Sunnyside) *
  • Busdriver: Perfect Hair (Big Dada) **
  • Dr. John: Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit of Satch (Concord) **
  • Ricky Kej/Wouter Kellerman: Winds of Samsara (Listen 2 Africa)
  • Scott Walker + Sunn O))): Soused (4AD) **
  • Ariel Pink: Pom Pom (4AD) **

Reissues/Compilations:

In previous years I tried to separate reissues from compilations, including newly released vault items in the latter. This made sense when I was reviewing a lot of Recycled Goods material, but led to other problems with year-end lists, so as of 2013 anything containing any previously released material is collected here, and anything that is wholly previously unreleased is treated as new, above.

  1. Wild Jimmy Spruill: Scratchin': The Wild Jimmy Spruill Story (1956-63, GVC, 2CD)
  2. Bring It On Home: Black America Sings Sam Cooke (1959-76, Ace)
  3. The Falcons: The Definitive Falcons Collection: The Complete Recordings (1955-63, History of Soul, 4CD)
  4. Moreno and L'Orch First Moja-One: Vol. 2: More Pili (1981-83, Sterns Africa) **
  5. Ted Daniel's Energy Module: Interconnection (1975, NoBusiness, 2CD)
  6. Sun Ra & His Arkestra: In the Orbit of Ra (1957-78, Strut, 2CD) **
  7. Jerry Lee Lewis: The Knox Phillips Sessions: The Unreleased Recordings (1970s, Time-Life) **
  8. Balani Show Super Hits: Electronic Street Parties From Mali (Sahelsounds) **
  9. Haiti Direct: Big Band, Mini Jazz and Twoubadou Sounds, 1960-1978 (Strut, 2CD) [**]
  10. The Buddy Tate Quartet: Texas Tenor (1978, Sackville/Delmark)
  11. Cabaret Voltaire: #7885 Electropunk to Technopop (1978-85, Mute) **
  12. The Evergreen Classic Jazz Band: Early Tunes 1915-1932 (1995, Delmark)
  13. Craig Leon: Early Electronic Works: Nommos Visiting (1981-82, Aparté) **
  14. Arto Lindsay: Encyclopedia of Arto (1996-2012, Northern Spy, 2CD) **
  15. Calypso: Musical Poetry in the Caribbean 1955-1969 (Soul Jazz) **
  16. Verckys/Orchestre Veve: Congolese Funk Abrobeat & Psychedelic Rumba 1969 (1969, Analog Africa) [**]
  17. Oscar Peterson/Ben Webster: During This Time (1972, Art of Groove) **
  18. Hailu Mergia and the Walias: Tche Belew (1977, Awesome Tapes From Africa) **
  19. Keith Jarrett/Charlie Haden/Paul Motian: Hamburg '72 (ECM) **
  20. Wilco: What's Your 20? Essential Tracks 1994-2014 (1994-2014, Nonesuch, 2CD) **
  21. Arkansas at 78 RPM: Corn Dodgers & Hoss Hair Pullers (1928-37, Dust-to-Digital) **
  22. Les Ambassadeurs du Motel de Bamako (Sterns Africa, 2CD) **
  23. Enrico Pieranunzi/Marc Johnson/Joey Baron: Play Morricone 1 & 2: The complete Recordings (2001-02, CAM Jazz, 2CD) **
  24. Chris Butler: Easy Life (1970, Future Fossil) **

Pending:

Also Noted:

  • Angola Soundtrack 2: Hypnosis, Distorsions & Other Sonic Innovations 1969-1978 (Analog Africa) **
  • Johnny Cash: Out Among the Stars (1981-84, Columbia) **
  • Miles Davis: Miles at the Fillmore (Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 3) (1970, Columbia/Legacy, 4CD) **
  • Smoke Dawson: Fiddle (1971, Tompkins Square) **
  • Sleepy John Estes with Hammie Nixon: Live in Japan (1974, Delmark) **
  • Hardcore Traxx: Dance Mania Records 1986-1997 (Strut, 2CD) **
  • Nancy Harrow: Wild Women Don't Have the Blues/You Never Know (1960-62, Fresh Sound) **
  • I'm Just Like You: Sly's Stone Flower 1969-70 (Light in the Attic) **
  • Chubby Jackson Big Band: New York City 1949: Ooh, What an Outfit! (1949, Uptown, 2CD) **
  • Dexter Johnson & Le Super Star de Dakar: Live à l'Étoile (1969, Teranga Beat) **
  • Muwei Power: Sierra Leone in 1970s USA (1975-76, Soundway) **
  • Oscar Peterson: Plays the Harry Warren & Vincent Youmans Song Books (1952-59, Solar, 2CD) **
  • Oscar Peterson: Plays the Irving Berlin Song Book (1952-59, Solar) **
  • Don Pullen: Richard's Tune (1975, Sackville/Delmark)
  • Punk 45: Underground Punk and Post-Punk in the UK 1977-81, Vol. 2: There Is No Such Thing as Society: Get a Job, Get a Car, Get a Bed, Get Drunk! (1977-81, Soul Jazz) **
  • The Rough Guide to Bollywood Disco (1965-93, World Music Network, 2CD) **
  • The Rough Guide to the Music of Mali [Second Edition] (1996-2013, World Music Network, 2CD) **
  • The Rough Guide to the Music of the Sahara [Second Edition] (1980-2013, World Music Network, 2CD) **
  • Suburban Base Records: The History of Hardcore, Jungle, and Drum 'n' Bass: 1991-1997 (New State, 3CD)
  • George Van Eps: Once in Awhile (1946-49, Delmark)
  • Junior Wells: Southside Blues Jam (1969-70, Delmark) **
  • Julian Bahula: Spirit of Malombo: Malombo Jazz, Jabula and Jazz Africa 1966-1984 (Strut, 2CD) **
  • Francis Bebey: Psychedelic Sanza 1982-1984 (Born Bad) **
  • Gipsy Rhumba: The Original Rhythm of Gipsy Rhumba in Spain 1965-1974 (Soul Jazz) **
  • The Jazz Couriers [Tubby Hayes/Ronnie Scott]: England's Greatest Combo . . . The Message From Britain (1958-59, Fresh Sound) **
  • Bill Jennings: Architect of Soul Jazz: The Complete Early Recordings 1951-1957 (1957-57, Fresh Sound) **
  • Pete Magadini: Bones Blues (1977, Sackville/Delmark)
  • Hyperdub 10.1 (2006-14, Hyperdub, 2CD) **
  • The Magic Words: Junk Train (2006, Shake It, EP) **
  • Oscar Peterson: Plays the Jimmy McHugh Song Book (1954-59, Solar) **
  • Oscar Peterson: Plays the Richard Rodgers Song Book (1954-59, Solar) **
  • Salsa de la Bahia: A Collection of SF Area Salsa and Latin Jazz: Vol. 2, Hoy Y Ayer (1983-2013, Patois, 2CD)
  • Tektite Records Presents: The Young Mothers Sampler 1 (2012-14, Tektite, EP) *
  • X__X: X Sticky Fingers X (1978-80, Smog Veil) **
  • Jay Clayton & John Lindberg: As Tears Go By (1987, Jazzwerkstatt) **
  • Disco: A Fine Selection of Independent Disco, Modern Soul and Boogie 1978-82 (Soul Jazz, 2CD)
  • Milt Hinton/Ralph Sutton/Gus Johnson/Jim Galloway: The Sackville All Star Christmas Record (1986, Sackville/Delmark)
  • Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66: Stillness (1971, Universal Sound) **
  • Native North America, Vol. 1: Aboriginal Folk, Rock, and Country 1966-1985 (Light in the Attic, 2CD) **
  • Peru Bravo: Funk, Soul & Psych From Peru's Radical Decade (1968-74, Tiger's Milk) **
  • The Rough Guide to Arabic Jazz (World Music Network, 2CD) **
  • The Sound of Siam Volume 2: Molam and Luk Thung From Northeast Thailand 1970-1982 (Soundway) **
  • The Beatles: A Jazz Tribute (2002-05, High Note)
  • Cables to the Ace (Communicating Vessels)
  • Lewis: L'Amour (1983, Light in the Attic) **
  • Willie Nelson and Sister Bobbie: December Day [Willie's Stash, Vol. 1] (Legacy)
  • Sun Ra and His Blue Universe Arkestra: Universe in Blue (1971-72, El Saturn -13) **
  • Bob Dylan: Dylan (1973, Columbia/Legacy) **

DVDs

I don't review DVDs. I don't watch DVDs. I don't record them in my database -- well, almost never, anyhow. Part of this is that I don't have the time, the eyes, or at the moment even the equipment. I never request DVDs. Still, some publicists insist on sending them anyway. Here's a list. They're all pending, and will probably remain that way until hell freezes over.

Songs

I always come up empty for song lists at year-end poll time. So I thought I'd start here.

  1. Pharrell Williams: "Happy" [Girl]
  2. Lily Allen: "Hard Out Here" [Sheezus]
  3. Leonard Cohen: "Almost Like the Blues" [Popular Problems]
  4. Charli XCX: "London Queen" [Sucker]
  5. Jason Derulo: "Marry Me" [Talk Dirty]
  6. Old 97's: "Most Messed Up" [Most Messed Up]
  7. Nicki Minaj: "Anaconda" [The Pinkprint]