For those of you all who like your lists collated and compiled completely I have done so here…so anyway, here it is, my favorite things that I heard this year. No one releases albums in December, right? Yeah, no one does that.
Arc Iris “Self Titled” – Sure, it may 
not be as “rootsy” per se as Jocie Adams’ previous project, but this record had it all for me, plus it forced to stray outside my typical “dudes with guitars and mandolins” listening box. IT was a wistful listening experience, with hints of folk, jazz, indie rock…all over the place. It peaked my interest and kept it there for a long time to come.
Haunt the House “Jack Rabbit Jones” – Spooky, moving…well, haunting, yes. This is the kind of music that stays with you for a long time, eating into your head and leaving you wanting more. I find Will’s music to be so evocative and emotion-drive. There is very little music out there today that is quite as sincere as Houlihan’s. This record is absolutely beautiful.
Hayley Sabella “King Solomon” – Hayley has a way with vocal inflection and melody that leaves other singer-songwriters in complete envy. Her musical patterns are interesting, different, yet still approachable. Its not so far out in left field that you are like “OK, someone is trying to be different”, I just think that Hayley’s mind works in this wonderful way with music and it comes natural. Plus she has one the most gorgeous voices I have heard. Good songs, beautiful voice, interesting arrangements = Top 5 List.
M.R. Poulopoulos “Harvest the Heart” – Ok, ok this may not have been released this year, but it was new to my ears this year and I loved Mike’s music so much that I felt it deserved a listen. A great mix of songs with a groove reminiscent of The Band with stuff that is poignant and terribly sad (so you know I f’ing love it) like “Ink Fades”. Seriously, listen to that song, its absolutely gorgeous. This record has been played daily since he and I swapped records at a gig a few months back. Truly amazing stuff.
Julie Rhodes “Who’s That Yonder” – The little EP with a huge sound that hit me like a ton of bricks. Julie is a powerhouse of a singer and the songs on this are stripped down to perfection, highlighting all of the right parts of the songs on this collection. Her version of “Wade in the Water” struck me particularly hard. It’s carefully spun, but intense on the soul and feeling. Look out for this gal breaking out in a big way this year and into next year with her debut full length. Bluesy, soul inspiring goodness.
Jonah Tolchin “Clover Lane” – That voice…and wait, that guitar playing. And wait, just everything man, everything. This record is certainly a step outwards for Jonah in exploring more sounds, but deep at the root it is still all Tolchin. That deep rooted, blues sound with hints of rock n’ roll that made me fall in love with his music in the first place. And man, that voice. Wait, did I mention the voice yet? Jonah has a grumble and a grit smoothed over with a fine sand paper tone to his voice. Its silk and sand all at the same time. Man oh man!
Mark Whitaker “Nowhere to Land” – This will be my favorite record of 2014. I am just making that statement now. Beautiful textures and harmonies, incredibly talented musicians across the board, and the arrangements are pure genius. Whitaker’s voice is soothing, soulful, and smooth. The writing is great, it’s positive and positively wonderful. This is what music is supposed to be…and the main instrument is a banjo.
Dan Blakeslee “Owed to the Tanglin Wind” : I don’t think I need to really expand upon why I love Dan as a performer, songwriter and a person so I will just focus on the record. But…I love this guy and he is just an incredible person. There is a warmth and subtle comfort to this record. It is vintage, old suitcase, yellowed paper, sepia toned goodness packed into a recording. If a record could be a blanket that you can curl up into, this would be one of the most cozy blankets ever. There is also a bit of splendor and wonder to Dan’s latest release. The textures and layers of sounds are just magical and make it a sure bet on any one’s best of list for 2014…obviously mine included.
https://danblakeslee.bandcamp.com/album/owed-to-the-tanglin-wind
Smith&Weeden “Smith&Weeden” : Hail, hail rock n’ roll…the boys of S&W first came on my radar via Michael Panico. Then I met Jesse while he was running sound this summer at Newport Folk in the Late July tent. He was a nice dude, so I checked out his band more and then immediately kicked my own ass for not getting into them earlier. With tasty guitar solos, huge harmonies, and Smith’s whiskey soaked voice leading the charge, these guys are a force of nature. Truly a great sound with catchy barroom laments and rock….good rock. Rock you like a…well just really good f’in music. Smith&Weeden proves that rock n’ roll is not dead, in fact it is alive and doing very well in our sister city of Providence with these fellas at the helm steering the ship.
https://smithandweeden.bandcamp.com/
Ryan Adams Self Titled: Ok…so he isn’t local or independent, but Ryan Adams
has had more of an effect on me as a songwriter than any other musician out there today. His self-titled new release had a groove to it that harkened back to the Cardinals days after coming off the acoustic driven ‘Ashes & Fire’, that was a bit subdued to my ear and didn’t have that burning deep heart that I always knew Adams for. Seriously, when that riff kicks in on Gimme Something Good or the placement of My Wrecking Ball on the album…that’s the kind of stuff that f’in melts my heart and makes me happy that there is music in the world.
Charlie Rose “Stowaways”: Something that made me super excited was seeing (and hearing) Charlie Rose get at it for himself in “Stowaways”. The guy plays with so many talented artists and makes them sound THAT much better, he deserves the limelight more than most any other person I could mention. Defined by super smart arrangements and Rose’s pleasant, but emotion driven, voice this album became a quick “go to” for me. And, there is a whole lot of variety on the record as well. With a bluesy number here, a straight folk tune there, the guy simply excels at every style and does so with an effortless grace (at least it seems so to us because its just so damn natural). I want to hate the guy but I can’t, because as much as his talent makes me jealous, he is just a good dude that makes such great music both on his own and with others.
http://www.charlierosemusic.com/
Isa Burke, Ellie Buckland and Mali Obomsawin: Matt Smith has probably tried to turn me onto these gals without me knowing it at least a handful of times and for whatever idiotic reason, I didn’t catch them until this past campfire festival at Club Passim. My god. I fell in love with the music coming off of the stage that day. The harmonies, the attitude, the musicianship. These 3 young ladies absolutely KILL it and do so without breaking a sweat. I don’t know. I really don’t know what else to say…this trio is probably my personal favorite new act of the year (at least to my own ears, I know they aren’t “new”, just new to me). Seriously ladies, you got it!
Joe Fletcher “You’ve Got the Wrong Man”: When I first saw Joe’s indiegogo campaign I didn’t think anything could be better…then I heard his record and I was floored. Stripped down to the bare bones of a song. The story and the writer shine through. There is no make-up, there is no hiding or covering up. Fletcher’s soul shines in these songs. He is an artist when it comes to telling a story and these songs are sheer proof of that fact. This is what folk music is supposed to be. This is what good music is supposed to be. Joe Fletcher…you sir may be “the wrong man” but you created a damn “right” record. This thing is pure gold.
Ron Gallo and Andrew Combs in the Late July tent at Newport Folk Festival: I absolutely loved Ron Gallo’s latest release “Ronny” it was very close to 
being in this spot right here, but it is very difficult to put onto a recording what is captured and felt in a real life experience. Watching Gallo sing to a gathering crowd of young folk fans and their parents (and of course other types of folks) was somewhat comical, but really endearing and wonderful to witness. He put his whole heart into those tunes and those kids were eating it up. There was a switching back and sitting in that took place and when Andrew Combs grabbed the guitar to sing a few I immediately went “holy shit, I think I have another new favorite songwriter on my list”. I am not even sure who I was missing on the main stages during this performance but the fact that I didn’t give a damn is why these fellas and their NFF performance landed on this list. (meh, f**k it…put Ron Gallo’s “Ronny” here too…shit was gooooooood!)