Steve McLean's favourite music of 2014

The top 10
 
1. Old 97's - Most Messed Up
2. Ex Hex - Rips
3. The Rich Hands - Out of My Head
4. Dex Romweber Duo - Images 13
5. Archie Powell & The Exports - Back in Black
6. The Growlers - Chinese Fountain
7. Cousins - The Halls of Wickwire
8. Chuck Prophet - Night Surfer
9. Brian Setzer - Rockabilly Riot! All Original
10. Los Straitjackets - Deke Dickerson Sings the Instrumental Hits

The next 10
 

11. Stella Ella Ola - We Should Hang Out All The Time
12. The Strypes - Snapshot
13. Shovels & Rope - Swimmin' Time
14. The Baseball Project - 3rd
15. Imelda May - Tribal
16. Rodney Crowell - Tarpaper Sky
17. Reigning Sound - Shattered
18. The Orwells - Disgraceland
19. Pink Mountaintops - Get Back
20. Shivery Shakes - Three Waves & a Shake

 
Honourable mention
Rancid - Honor Is All We Know
Skaters - Manhattan
The Wet Secrets - Free Candy
Alvvays - Alvvays
Lydia Loveless - Somewhere Else
Nick Waterhouse - Holly

Reissues, compilations and box sets (alphabetical order)
 
Stompin' Tom Connors - A Truly Proud Canadian - The Hits The Country
The Gaslight Anthem - The B-Sides
Corb Lund - Counterfeit Blues
The Tragically Hip - Fully Completely Deluxe Edition
Various artists - While No One Was Looking: Toasting 20 Years of Bloodshot Records
Paul Weller - More Modern Classics
The Who - The Who Hits 50! Deluxe Edition
Wilco - Alpha Mike Foxtrot: Rare Tracks 1994-2014

 
EP
The She's - Dreamers EP

Concerts (chronological order)
 

Violent Femmes at Toronto Urban Roots Fest

The Millwinders, Jim Jones Revue - Jan. 17, Horseshoe, Toronto
The Millwinders, Deke Dickerson with James Henry and Teddy Fury - Jan. 21, Cameron House, Toronto
The Dream Syndicate - Feb. 8, The Garrison, Toronto
The B.B. Guns, Nick Waterhouse - Feb. 22, Horseshoe, Toronto
The Royal Crowns, The Fleshtones - April 18, Horseshoe, Toronto
Stompin' Tom Connors tribute - April 19, Horseshoe, Toronto
Holly Golightly - April 23, Horseshoe, Toronto
Bloodshot Bill, Catl - April 24, Horseshoe, Toronto
Ablebody, Fear of Men, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - April 26, Horseshoe, Toronto
Various artists at various venues for Canadian Music Festival - May 6-10, Toronto
The Slackers - May 9, Lee's Palace, Toronto
Ray Condo tribute - May 16, 3030, Toronto
The Toasters - June 5, Horseshoe, Toronto
Various artists at various venues for North by Northeast Music Festival - June 18-21, Toronto
Various artists at Toronto Urban Roots Fest - July 4-6, Fort York, Toronto
Hands & Teeth, Beliefs, Cousins - Aug. 8, Silver Dollar, Toronto
Daddy Long Legs, The Ding-Dongs, Miriam - Aug. 31, Horseshoe, Toronto
Paul Weller, The Flaming Lips, The Cure - Sept. 6, Riot Fest, Downsview Park, Toronto
The Blasters - Sept. 6, Horseshoe, Toronto
Robyn Hitchcock - Sept. 12 and 13, The Drake Underground, Toronto
Stiff Little Fingers - Sept. 14, Lee's Palace, Toronto
La La Brooks - Sept. 27, Horseshoe, Toronto
Catl, The Undead Telly Savalas, The Reigning Sound - Oct. 26, Horseshoe, Toronto
Ex Hex - Oct. 27, Horseshoe, Toronto
Chuck Prophet and The Mission Express - Nov. 9, Horseshoe, Toronto
Allah-Las - Nov. 27, Horseshoe, Toronto
The Hold Steady - Dec. 11, Horseshoe, Toronto
Skydiggers - Dec. 20, Horseshoe, Toronto
The Sadies - Dec. 31, Horseshoe, Toronto