Ten Best LPs I Bought in 2014

Now that we are solidly into the new year, and there is almost no chance that I could still buy an album in 2014, I thought it was safe enough to compile a list of my favorite purchases during these past twelve months.  In order of their actual release dates. . .

The Beatles - "Rubber Soul" (Apple)*

W.A. Mozart / Netherlands Wind Ensemble - "Serenades" (Philips)

Anton Webern / Quartetto Italiano - "Complete Music for String Quartet" (Philips)

Cowboy - "5'll Getcha Ten" (Atlantic)

Franz Schubert / Alfred Brendel - "Impromptus Op.142, Klavierstucke D.946" (Philips)

Joseph Haydn / Glenn Gould - "The Six Last Sonatas" (CBS Masterworks)

Lucinda Williams - "Lucinda Williams" (Lucinda Williams Music)

Souled American - "Frozen" (Moll Tonträger)

William Basinski - "Melancholia" (Temporary Residence)

Scott Walker + Sunn O))) - "Soused" (4AD)

* Beatles endnote: Having tried to actively avoid this band for most of my life, I decided it was time to ask some of my favorite people which album was the best. I guess everyone will say that this is the one, but what mattered to me was that Chris Nelson said it was the one. Listening to the mono mix of "Rubber Soul" was the first time that I was ever able to concentrate on the music and not think about billions of obnoxious fans or piles of money.