John Bommarito's Best of 2014

John Bommarito's Best of 2014

Here it is. The annual list of my favorite releases of the year.  The usual method was applied to determine the outcome.  (Total score of each song on the album on a 1-10 scale)/(Number of songs on the album) = rating.  Covers albums, Live albums and albums consisting of previously released music, but perhaps updated acoustically, Christmas albums are excluded and put on a separate list.

If you haven't heard music from at least the top 25, please investigate these records in your spare time. 

BEST FULL LENGTH RELEASES

97-TIM FINN -DIZZY HEIGHTS

97-ERIK BALKEY -EVERYTHING IS GREAT

97-ASIA-GRAVITAS

97-NATALIE MERCHANT -NATALIE MERCHANT

97-CRYSTAL METHOD-THE CRYSTAL METHOD

96- BILLY STRINGS & DON JULIN-FIDDLE TUNE X

95-SUZANNE VEGA -TALES FROM THE REALM OF THE QUEEN OF PENTACLES

93-SHOVELS AND ROPE-SWIMMIN' TIME

93-ROSANNE CASH -THE RIVER & THE THREAD (TARGET EXCLUSIVE VERSION)

86- ALANNA MARIE BOUDREAU,-HINTS AND GUESSES

86- JOAN OSBORNE -LOVE AND HATE

86-BECK-MORNING PHASE

86-NINE INCH NAILS-REMIXES

86-COUNTING CROWS-SOMEWHERE UNDER WONDERLAND

86- KAT EDMONSON -THE BIG PICTURE

86- LINDSAY LOU & JOSHUA RILKO-TIME & LUCK

85-NEW BASEMENT TAPES-LOST ON THE RIVER

82-PUSS N BOOTS (NORAH JONES, ETC)-NO FOOLS, NO FUN (AMAZON EDITION)

82- LENNY KRAVITZ -STRUT (TARGET EXCLUSIVE EDITION)

82-MAROON 5-V (DELUXE EDITION)

77- KORBY LENKER -KORBY LENKER

77-VERVE PIPE-OVERBOARD

77- BOB SEGER -RIDE OUT (TARGET EDITION)

77- JACKSON BROWNE -STANDING IN THE BREACH

77- PETER BRADLEY ADAMS -THE MIGHTY STORM

71- MARC BROUSSARD -A LIFE WORTH LIVING

71- JOHN GORKA -BRIGHT SIDE OF DOWN

71- BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -HIGH HOPES

71- JENNIE DEVOE -RADIATOR (THE BRISTOL SESSIONS)

71- TONY LUCCA -TONY LUCCA

71- MATT ANDERSON -WEIGHTLESS

69- ELLIS PAUL -CHASING BEAUTY

69- MAY ERLEWINE -WHERE WE ARE

67-SWITCHFOOT-FADING WEST

67- JEREMY MESSERSMITH -HEART MURMURS

66- MELISSA ETHERIDGE THIS IS M.E. (TARGET EXCLUSIVE EDITION)

62-COLDPLAY-GHOST STORIES (TARGET EDITION)

62- JOSEPH ARTHUR -LOU

62- DAVID GRAY -MUTINEERS (DELUXE EDITION)

62-LISA STANSFIELD -SEVEN

61-LINDSEY STIRLING -SHATTER ME (TARGET EDITION)

58-JOHN BUTLER TRIO-FLESH & BLOOD (BEST BUY EXCLUSIVE)

58- SARAH MCLACHLAN -SHINE ON (TARGET EDITION)

58-TIME FOR THREE-TIME FOR THREE

53- RON POPE -CALLING OFF THE DOGS

53-NICKELBACK-NO FIXED ADDRESS

53- ARI HEST -SHOUTS & WHISPERS

53- NICOLE ATKINS -SLOW PHASER

53-TRIGGER HIPPY (JOAN OSBORNE, JACKIE GREENE)-TRIGGER HIPPY

52-SIMPLE MINDS-BIG MUSIC (LIMITE EDITION)

50- COLBIE CAILLAT -GYPSY HEART (TARGET EDITION)

50- JASON MRAZ -YES!

46-TRAIN-BULLETPROOF PICASSO

46-NATALIA ZUKERMAN -COME THIEF COME FIRE

46- JUDITH OWEN-EBB & FLOW

46-ALOE BLACC -LIFT YOUR SPIRIT (TARGET EDITION)

43-JEFF DANIELS -DAYS LIKE THESE

43- RAY LAMONTAGNE -SUPERNOVA

43-WILD CUB-YOUTH

41- RICHARD MARX -BEAUTIFUL GOODBYE (TARGET EXCLUSIVE EDITION)

41- PAOLO NUTINI -CAUSTIC LOVE

40- TIM STOP SHADOWBOX

39-ROBBIE SCHAEFER -RUBY

35- TOBY LIGHTMAN -EVERY KIND OF PEOPLE

35- WEIRD AL YANKOVIC -MANDATORY FUN

35-STOLEN SILVER-STOLEN SILVER 2014

35-PASSENGER-WHISPERS (LIMITED EDITION)

32- ELLIE HOLCOMB -AS SURE AS THE SUN

32- JANN ARDEN -EVERYTHING ALMOST

32-U2-SONGS OF INNOCENCE (DELUXE EDITION)

26-GREAT HEIGHTS (TYRONE WELLS)-GREAT HEIGHTS

26-LINDSAY LOU & THE FLATBELLYS-IONIA

26-JONATHA BROOKE -MY MOTHER HAS FOUR NOSES

26- PETER MULVEY -SILVER LADDER

26-O.A.R.-THE ROCKVILLE LP (TARGET EDITION)

26-AJ CROCE -TWELVE TALES

25- ANDREW MCMAHON IN THE WILDERNESS-ANDREW MCMAHON IN THE WILDERNESS

23- PHILLIP PHILLIPS -BEHIND THE LIGHT (TARGET EDITION)

23-SAM SMITH -IN THE LONELY HOUR (DELUXE TARGET EDITION)

19- THE FRAY, -HELIOS (TARGET EDITION)

19- MATT WERTZ -OLD FLAMES

19- ERIC HUTCHINSON -PURE FICTION

19- ED SHEERAN -"x" (MULTIPLY) (DELUXE EDITION)

17-JAMIE CULLUM -INTERLUDE (DELUXE)

17-INGRID MICHAELSON -LIGHTS OUT (DELUXE EDITION)

16-HOZIER-HOZIER (DELUXE)

13- EMERSON HART -BEAUTY IN DISREPAIR

13-JOHNNYSWIM-DIAMONDS

13- BOBBY BAZINI -WHERE I BELONG

6-NICKEL CREEK-A DOTTED LINE

6-NOAH GUNDERSON -LEDGES

6-AUGUSTANA-LIFE IMITATING LIFE

6-NEEDTOBREATHE-RIVERS IN THE WASTELAND

6-RUN RIVER NORTH-RUN RIVER NORTH

6-THE BOTH (AIMEE MANN & TED LEO)-THE BOTH (BARNES & NOBLE EDITION)

6-TWIN FORKS-TWIN FORKS

5-RODRIGO Y GABRIELA-9 DEAD ALIVE

3- VANCE JOY DREAM YOUR LIFE AWAY

3-A GREAT BIG WORLD-IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?

2-ALTERNATE ROUTES-NOTHING MORE

1-SCARS ON 45-SAFETY IN NUMBERS

BEST EPS

3- TONY LUCCA -DRAWING BOARD

3-GRIZFOLK-FROM THE SPARK

3- OLIVIA MILLERSCHIN -OVER THE WEATHER

3-SCARS ON 45-THE SUN, THE MOON AND THE TRUTH

3-COLD TONE HARVEST-ELECTRIC MODES

2-SAINTS OF VALORY-TWENTY SIX

1-SECRET SOMEONES-EP

BEST COVERS ALBUM

1-SLEEPING AT LAST-COVERS VOL. 1

BEST CHRISTMAS ALBUM

SLEEPING AT LAST-CHRISTMAS

BEST LIVE ALBUM

R.E.M.-UNPLUGGED 1991 & 2001