Intern Liz Hill’s Awesome Album Picks Of 2014

Liz Hill Townsquare Media Intern

Hey this is Liz Hill your Townsquare Media Intern here in Oneonta. With the end of the year fast approaching here are some Awesome Albums of the year! I might be a little to indie with Dirty Heads and Hozier making the list or to country with Miranda Lambert and Zac Brown making the list. However, these are all FANTASTIC CD’s: check it out!

The Grohl Sessions Vol. I (http://www.amazon.com/Grohl-Sessions-Vol-1/dp/B00K61G19W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1419274346&sr=8-2&keywords=grohl+sessions) released by Zac Brown Band. I know WZOZ, AND WSRK are not particularly country stations, however, this kick butt album was produced by Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, and is filled with sick guitar and even better drum beats. My two favorite singles off the album are: Day for The Dead (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhU-fvEMHvM) and All Alright (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkFQ5PZ1oqI)!

Cheek To Cheek (http://www.amazon.com/Cheek-Lady-Gaga/dp/B00MFU3EY2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419274442&sr=8-1&keywords=lady+gaga+and+tony+bennett+cd) released by Tony Bennet and Lady Gaga. I was very skeptical about this album because I love my classic jazz standards, however, it is FANTASTIC! For once I can listen to Lady Gaga and actually be amazed. Don’t get me wrong her other tracks are catchy and fun to dance to but this CD really shows off her beautiful voice! It has such classics as: I Won’t Dance (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBMIAv5Ailc), the title track Cheek to Cheek (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPQWG4mGdAc) and my personal favorite It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t got That Swing!) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYfF9VKMp4w). So sit back and take in this timeless jazz sound with a talented Old Italian and Pop Diva!

Hozier (http://www.amazon.com/Hozier/dp/B00M856DSS/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1419275281&sr=1-1&keywords=hozier) the self titled album was released by Hozier on October 7^th and followed up by a spectacular Saturday Night Live performance on the 11^th. Hozier took off like a rocket with his hit single Take Me To Church (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYSVMgRr6pw) . However, as a college radio DJ I have to tell you about my favorite Hozier tracks on the album: Cherry Wine (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWWX0aUW_HY) and Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQm5Q2yWKcE). His haunting melodies and instrumentals leaves you with a whole lot of love for Hozier.

Sound Of Change (EXPLICIT) (http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Change-Dirty-Heads/dp/B00KE3B9DA/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1419275768&sr=1-1&keywords=Sound+of+Change+Dirty+Heads) The Dirty Heads, are probably only popular among College coeds however their mix of Hip Hop/ Reggae and Alternative rock make me extremely happy. The album had a few great tracks however my favorites are: My Sweet Summer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idZVK3a9Hlg) and Radio (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncjRQPQHCqc). They recently came to my hometown and although I was here in Oneonta, I heard they rocked the house! So check them out!

Mandatory Fun (http://www.amazon.com/Mandatory-Fun-Weird-Al-Yankovic/dp/B00L326LTI/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1419276172&sr=1-1&keywords=mandatory+fun) released by Weird Al Yankovic. God bless Weird Al still making us laugh with his amazing parodies after being in the business for close to four decades. He had huge success with his parody Tacky (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq7Eki5EZ8o) off of Pharrell Williams happy. I believe you’re not truly famous until Weird Al writes a parody off of your song! Foil (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urglg3WimHA) a parody of Royals by Lorde is my favorite! Another good one is: Word Crimes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gv0H-vPoDc) which is a parody of Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams

V (Deluxe Edition) (http://www.amazon.com/V-Deluxe-Explicit-Jewel-Case/dp/B00NIIT87C/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1419276732&sr=1-1&keywords=v) released by Maroon 5. Everything that has come off the album has had success on charts. Maps (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xj6fHiF8Osg) and (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpgTC9MDx1o) have both hit number 1 on the US Billboard Top 40 charts. But my favorite song off this deluxe album happens to be a tune that came out of an indie movie called Begin Again. The last track Lost Stars (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpgq0g18Hj4) is a fantastic song!

Platinum (http://www.amazon.com/Platinum-Miranda-Lambert/dp/B00IXLQJ2G/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1419277314&sr=1-1&keywords=platinum) released by Miranda Lambert. She has had a few hit country singles off of this album including Automatic (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ksWKOy665o) and Something Bad Ft. Carrie Underwood (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4Yzj-m_SBk). However, my favorite off of this album is Priscilla (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R2qMLeKFwg) where she sings to Elvis Presley’s wife about keeping her love life out of the press, which is ironic because her love life with Blake Shelton has been questioned for a few years now.

X (http://www.amazon.com/x-Ed-Sheeran/dp/B00JKGYSAI/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1419278025&sr=1-1&keywords=ed+sheeran+x) Released by Ed Sheeran. With hits like Sing! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlYcUqEPN58) and Don’t (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD2rhdFRehU) I couldn’t not put this on the list. However, my favorite track off this album just came out and is called Thinking Out Loud (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp-EO5I60KA)

Paperwork (EXPLICIT) (http://www.amazon.com/Paperwork-Deluxe-Limited-T-i/dp/B00NAXEACS/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1419278471&sr=1-1&keywords=paperwork) released by T.I. This is T.I.’s first album since 2012 and I love it! I am a huge fan of his. Alhtough he has had two hits with About The Money ft. Young Thug (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etfIdtm-OC8) and No Mediocre ft. Iggy Azalea (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktLUar0e_xM) . My favorite of this album is lyrically haunting about Racial profiling, urban gang life and gun violence. This single was recorded with Skylar Grey and is called New National Anthem (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w8JxuXAlzM), which I speculate was written in retaliation of Michael Brown.