The Year in Music: top albums and concerts

Here are my picks for top 10 albums and concerts of the year and more... 

1. The Mavericks, “In Time” (Valory Music Co.)

2. Arctic Monkeys, “AM” (Domino)

3. Toad the Wet Sprocket, “New Constellation” (Abe’s)

4. Johnny Marr, “The Messenger” (New Voodoo/Sire)

5. Miles Kane, “Don’t Forget Who You Are” (Sony)

6. Stereophonics, “Graffiti on the Train” (Stylus)

7. Tegan and Sara, “Heartthrob” (Vapor/Warner Bros.)

8. St. Lucia, “When the Night” (Neon Gold/Columbia)

9. The Wild Feathers, “The Wild Feathers” (Warner Bros.)

10. OMD, “English Electric” (BMG)

Best of the rest:

11. David Bowie, “The Next Day” (Columbia)

12. Pearl Jam, "Lightning Bolt" (Monkeywrech/Republic)


13. Bastille, "Bad Blood" (Virgin)
14. Palma Violets, "180" (Rough Trade)
15. Vampire Weekend, "Modern Vampires of the City" (XL)
16. Lloyd Cole, "Standards" (Tapete)
17. The Lone Bellow (Descendant)
18. Dawes, Stories Don't End (Hub)
19. Franz Ferdinand, "Right Thoughts Right Words Right Action" (Domino)
20. Julian Lennon, "Everything Changes" (MFAR)

Honorable mention: Paul McCartney, "New" (Concord/Hear Music); Rod Stewart, "Time" (Capitol); The 1975, "The 1975" (Vagrant); Capital Cities, "In a Tidal Wave of Mystery" (Capitol); Matt Costa, "Matt Costa" (Brushfire); Billie Joe Armstrong & Norah Jones, "Foreverly" (Reprise)

Top 10 concerts

I attended 68 shows this year. Below are the ones that made the most impact...

Midge Ure

Midge Ure, El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles, January
The Mavericks, Coach House, San Juan Capistrano, March
Green Day, Fox Theatre, Pomona, March
Johnny Marr, Coachella #2; Day 1, Empire Polo Field, Indio, April
Franz Ferdinand, Coachella #2; Day 2, Empire Polo Field, Indio, April
Vampire Weekend, Coachella #2; Day 3, Empire Polo Field, Indio, April
Rolling Stones, Honda Center, Anaheim, May
Big Country feat. Mike Peters, Coach House, San Juan Capistrano, June
Gary Numan, Observatory, Santa Ana, September
Alison Moyet, Club Nokia, Los Angeles, November