In 2014 novelist/songwriter Willy Vlautin (of Richmond Fontaine, one of our faves) determined a different direction and delineated The Delines for which he wrote a new album’s worth of songs.  That album would be released as Colfax, which would turn out one of our favorites of the year.  The band features singer Amy Boone (Damnations), Vlautin, Sean Oldham (Richmond Fontaine), Jenny Conlee (Decemberists), Tucker Jackson and Freddy Trujillo.

The idea for The Delines evidently occurred while out on a Richmond Fontaine tour on which Boone was backing up the band on a couple of songs.  During the tour Boone would sing soul songs to warm up.  Some of Boone’s soul-singing made on impression on Vlautin who later penned several songs he hoped Boone would sing.  Vlautin then demoed those songs at producer John Askew’s (Dodos, Neko Case) studio and shared them with Boone.  Long story short:  Boone liked the songs, the band was culled, and the resulting recorded parts were mixed expertly by Askew into what would become the affecting album Colfax, which was released on Decor and El Cortez Records.

We love Vlautin’s short-story tellings in the songs, and The Delines’ country-soul musical mien fits the songs perfectly, with Boone’s honest vocals telling the deceptively simple tales so well.  Colfax is a fantastic listen from stem to stern.  To get a feel, first check out below four songs performed by the band for KEXP.  Though set in the Gulf, The Oil Rigs at Night strikes home in particular given our rigs offshore in the Santa Barbara Channel.

Afterwards, and since it bears repeating, check out a live recording of the album’s evolved title track for NorderstedtMusik.

Kanye West kicked off 2015 in fine style by releasing a collaboration with Paul McCartney, the song Only One.  The song is the first single from West’s next album.

Stream the track and check out the lyrics on Kanye’s site HERE and/or buy it HERE.

Only One (lyrics below) is a beautifully simple, touching ode sung from the perspective of Kanye’s mother, Donda, who passed in 2007.  Kanye released this statement about the song:

“In early 2014, Paul McCartney and Kanye West first began working together in a small bungalow in Los Angeles. The process that would result in “Only One” began with a simple brainstorming session between the two: With McCartney improvising on the keyboards and Kanye vocally sketching and shaping ideas in a stream-of-consciousness riff.

When they played back the recording afterward, something remarkable happened. Kanye sat there with his family, holding his daughter North on his lap, and listened to his vocals, singing, “Hello, my only one . . . ” And in that moment, not only could he not recall having sung those words, but he realized that perhaps the words had never really come from him.

The process of artistic creation is one that does not involve thinking, but often channeling. And he understood in that moment that his late mother, Dr. Donda West, who was also his mentor, confidante, and best friend, had spoken through him that day.

“My mom was singing to me, and through me to my daughter,” he said, astonished.

The small group in the room kept listening: “Hello my Only One…just like the morning sun…you’ll keep on rising till the sky knows your name.”

To some, Kanye’s insight didn’t immediately register. But then he explained: The name Kanye, which his mother had chosen, means “only one.”

And then it dawned on everyone there: Something powerful and undeniable had occurred through the power of music and of letting go. A message had been passed down through generations.”

The song bodes well for Mr. West’s impending album.

One of our best musical discoveries late (past imperfect) in 2014 was Toronto’s Alvvays.  The band’s jangle-fuzz delivery, coupled with the compelling vocals and lyrical acumen of Molly Rankin, left them ranking high on our Best New Artists of 2014 list (thereby supplanting prior new jangle-fave, Allo Darlin’).  To get a feel for Alvvays, check out their superb set on the reliable KEXP, all as recorded in their studio in the early days of December.  Check out the four-song setlist below and listen to the entire performance. Superb stuff!

Setlist:

Ones Who Love You
Dives
Archie, Marry Me
Party Police

It’s coming on Christmas and the “Happy” Holidays, and apparently The National and Bob’s Burgers are taking a break from all the “happiness.”  We’re breaking our no-new-Christmas-songs-rule and passing along below a vignette from a Bob’s Burgers episode in which The National sing a little Christmas ditty (Christmas Magic) about others experiencing hard times.  Sympathy during the season.  Huh, who knew?  We like everything about the song and video (featuring a gratuitous depiction of Matt Berninger as a bearded Christmas ornament elf), including the mandolin and closing wailing vocals.  Keep being kind out there people.  Year-round.

The jury’s still out as of now for our Best Concert of 2014.  But right at or very near the top will be The National’s rain-catharsis show at The Santa Barbara Bowl in late April.  Despite our drought-addled environment, rain suddenly fell that night, and it felt like a sing and show from above.  As we wrote: “while the band was sailing along during their set, the skies opened up (especially the downpour during Slow Show and amidst the oh-so-apropos England) and righteously baptized the proceedings.”  They are simply America’s (if not the world’s) best live band.

We’ve just discovered that the folks at the US Embassy in London began the Winfield House Sessions this year “to tap the special diplomatic power of live music, which can dispel differences and stir our sense of humanity’s common ground.” Check out the majestic performance below of the epic England at the Embassy below.  The video begins with the introduction of the band by US Ambassador Matthew Berzun as his “favorite.”  We’ve got that in common Mr. Ambassador.

Colbert wrapped up his Report last night with a massive, star-studded singalong, and the Foo Fighters took over Letterman, so it would have been easy to miss the great Jenny Lewis backed by pal Ryan Adams on Jimmy Kimmel Live.  Adams co-produced Lewis’s pop-masterpiece, The Voyager, which will appear high up on our list of the Best Albums of 2014.  Adams has recently joined Lewis for some dates on her tour (and on Wednesday at Adams’ concert at the Wiltern he covered She’s Not Me and had Lewis join him on Oh My Sweet Carolina and Come Pick Me Up).  See the latter at bottom–beauty right there.

Check out below the two sterling performances of She’s Not Me and Just One of The Guys below by Lewis and ensemble.  Lewis is in fine vocal form, her band is in sync and Adams has some nice guitar flourishes to lend (particularly on the former).  By the way, can we all finally agree that those inflatable balls have got to be banned from concerts?  Are you there to get lost in the music or pretend you are seven years old and its your birthday party?  Please, no mas.

Over the years as she has evolved and we’ve adapted, we’ve come to appreciate more the artistry of Laura Marling.  The British singer has been (and has taken her fans) on an emotional roller-coaster ride over her four albums, but each time the railcars seem to summit higher.  Comes now the 24-year old singer’s announcement that she will release her fifth studio album Short Movie (cover above) in March.  The album evidently revolves around Marling’s attempts to find a sense of stability, after permanently relocating to Los Angeles (Silver Lake) last year.  She explains in a statement: “I realized that I hadn’t been in a place for longer than two or three weeks since I was 16. I thought, ‘I wonder what will happen if I try and root myself somewhere [and] look back over the past eight years.’”

Check out the building, inspirational song below in which electric guitar is pushed to the fore and Marling lays out her personal take on our (comparatively) short sequences here.  The animated video draws you in and gives graphic aid to the song’s lyrics (see below the video).  We especially like her tremendous tremolo-vocal flourishes at and after 3:21 in the song that harken back to the great Joni Mitchell.

You can pre-order the album HERE.

I am paying for my mistake
That’s okay
I know when I will pull in
It’s a short f-ing movie, man
I know
I will try and take it slow
Bought a lot of color drugs
Come on, what’s it about?
Gave me sick to make me well
Come on, rock the hell
I got up in the world today
Wondered who it was I could save
Who do you think you are?
Just a girl that can play guitar
I think I could get away with
Saying only half what I say
No, I can’t give you up
Oh no, I’m not gonna stop
But they know
But they’ll never know why
They know
But they’ll never know why
I don’t know what we’re afraid of
But I know, I don’t mind
Oh no, I don’t mind
If I fall in love to the sound of birds
On the wind
And kiss, I’m loving
They know
But they’ll never know why
They know
But they’ll never know why
They know that I loved you
But they don’t know why
They know that I loved you
But they don’t know why
It’s kicking off, it’s kicking of
Now it’s short f-ing movie, man
Now it’s short f-ing movie, man
Now it’s short f-ing movie, man
Now it’s short f-ing movie, man
I know
I won’t try and take your soul
I know
I won’t try to take your soul

Last night Kendrick Lamar closed down The Colbert Report (as the last musical guest) by introducing a scintillating new, unnamed song.  As usual, Lamar simply lit up the stage.  The new song has it all.  Riffing on the advice forced on him/us by seemingly everyone on the planet (agents, Indians, neighbors, you name ’em), the song begins spoken-word and segues through jazz-inflected flourishes of flute and saxophone while accelerating to a stunning finish.  Watch as Thundercat (Flying Lotus) supports on bass (with a crazy head-thingy), Bilal and Anna Wise backing on vocals and Terrence Martin delivers on sax, along with a cast of awesome.  No one does it better.  And of course Colbert opens with his usual hilarious interview/speech of the artist.  Now THAT’S entertainment!  Watch the performance followed by the interview below.