Top 10 EPs of the Year 2014

Let’s get this EP list out of the way as well before the Christmas break. There’s of course that reissue list to do as well, but I’m not sure am I going to do that one. There’s always so much new stuff that I haven’t had much money left to buy a lot of wonderful reissues. Top 3 would be awesome of course Bob Carpenter, Sister Flo etc… We shall see if I do it at all. But first it’s time for this EP list. I have a strange feeling that I’m forgetting something important. Maybe I add an eleventh if I figure it out after posting this. That Love Sport Ep might have made the cut, but I haven’t had the time to listen to it enough at this point.

Top 10 EPs of the Year 2014

10. The Harry Heart Chrysalis – Bodensee and Other False Stories EP

Let’s get the list going with Australian The Harry Heart Chrysalis. This lovely EP came out very early in the year. I especially love the song You Are Not A Rarity. This has some rather brutal lines “if I could take you anywhere, I’d take you off my mind”, but somehow I still love it.

9. Red Jacket Mine – Pure Delight EP

Moving on to Seattle. Red Jacket Mine released their new soulful EP Pure Delight late in the year and like the title promised, it sure is a pure delight to listen to it. This is Crow from the EP.

8. James Frost – Nameless EP

Next stop on our world tour is England where James Frost released a rather amazing folk EP. Traditional British folk gently collides with more modern sounds and the end result touches you deeper than where a doctor could reach. Especially the title track Nameless is spectacular.

7. The Weather Station – What Am I Going To Do With Everything I Know

Back across the pond and to Canada. A long time favourite Tamara Lindeman aka The Weather Station released incredibly beautiful new EP called What Am I Going To Do With Everything I Know. Simply stunning like always.

6. The Perfectos – Songbirds & Wolves

The Perfectos has been a very big deal at the onechord.net headquarters during the last couple of months of the year. I’ve been listening to their whole excellent back catalogue lately. Their 2014 release was this excellent EP Songbirds & Wolves.

5. Matt Paxton – Mountain Eyes EP

I’ve been a big fan of Matt Paxton since I first heard his album How The Land Lies. We still have to wait for that next full-length, but Other Songs Music Co put out a really lovely Mountain Eyes EP this fall. A bunch of great originals and a lovely The National cover. I’ve actually never really listened to The National, but after hearing Matt’s version, I kind of like to start. It can work this way around as well. This is Pink Rabbits from Matt Paxton’s beautiful Mountain Eyes EP.

4. The Taste – Sea Legs EP

Toronto-based The Taste gave us a magnificent little pop record called Sea Legs. I have big smile on my face when I listen to this one. My kind of pop music. I hope they release a full-length album sometime soon. I would love to hear one.

3. Lac Belot – Elizabeth EP

Because I only had a few Finnish EPs that I had really listened to a lot, I didn’t see the point in making a separate list for them. I couldn’t even come up with ten. Therefore they had to fight for their place on this international list. One made the cut and it’s this wonderful debut EP by Lac Belot. Elizabeth was my Finnish song of the year and all three songs on the EP are magnificent.

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2. Gudrid Hansdottir – Taking Ship

Gudrid Hansdottir’s Taking Ship was one of my big favourites during the year. I’m not entirely sure should it have been on the album list. I think I’ve seen people call it an EP, a mini-album and an album. It feels like a mini-album to me, so therefore I didn’t put it among the full-lengths. One thing is certain though, it’s spectacular.

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And the EP of the year award goes to..

1. Cale Tyson – Cheater’s Wine EP

I really loved and enjoyed Cale Tyson’s EP Cheater’s Wine. Well-crafted and beautifully delivered classic country songs. This was even an album of the month on this little blog of mine, even though it’s not even an album. Cheater’s Wine is just brilliant. I hope we will finally get a Cale Tyson full-length album sometime next year.