Favourite Listening of 2014

OK, so here for the record are my favourite new (to me at least) albums of 2014. No agonising was involved in their selection, since by definition they had to pick themselves – standing clearly above all else I’ve heard this year. Regular readers will see few surprises as I’ve telegraphed most of these in earlier posts, though there are a few words below on the one exception, the rather marvellous Mishaped Pearls. At the risk of contradicting my recent post promoting world music I have to wryly acknowledge that this years top listening is all from Britain and Ireland; I was tempted to contrive otherwise but it would have been just that, a contrivance. The stuff coming out of these islands just now is simply too damned good; and I’m also intrigued that this set of five albums happens to form a remarkably coherent combination, beautifully reflecting the diversity of said islands. Savour…

 

Duncan Chisholm - Affric (Scotland): see 26 January post

9Bach - Tincian (Wales): see 22 May post

Fernhill - Amser (Wales): see 29 July post

Eithne Ni Uallachain - Bilingua (Ireland): see 24 December post

Mishaped Pearls - Thamesis (England):  This really shouldn’t work. German mezzo soprano Manuela Schuette meets down-to-earth musical adventurer Ged Flood and his large multi-instrumented crew to perform radically reworked English traditional songs themed directly or indirectly on the River Thames. It should be nauseating or a complete car crash, and probably both, but somehow, with the golden thread of Manuelas strong elegant voice running through the whole, and the sheer class, taste and creative energy of all concerned, it manages to be jaw-droppingly beautiful from start to finish. A classic, and also a tribute to ace musician and producer Gerry Diver (hubby of equally ace singer Lisa Knapp who figured in this post a year ago) who was brought in for the project.


See also: Favourite Listening of 2013