As 2015 kicks off, various WTJU Folk staff look back on some of their favorite 2014 releases (or in a few cases albums which arrived at WTJU in 2014).  To see the other lists, including the final WTJU Best of 2014 compilation, click here.

Host: Rebecca, Eclectic Woman Show (Tuesday, 12-2 pm)

My #1 for the year: Leyla McCalla – Vari-Colored Songs [Music Maker Relief Foundation: 2014]-Langston Hughes poems, Haitian Folk Songs and her own compositions. Every song is a gem. The music is complex and haunting. It gets better with every listen.

My #2 Claire Ness – Hopeless Romantic [MAPL: 2014]-From the Yukon-good songwriter, has a charming voice, sings some songs in French. I love Maudite Affaire in particular.

My #3 Emily Herring – Your Mistake [Emily Herring: 2014] Excellent Texas Honky Tonk from a bold feminist.

My #4 The Buzzard Hollow Boys– Crow Soup and Other Roadside Delicacies, Made Easy -2014-self-It’s brand new and shows all the creativity and talent you would expect.

The rest I like equally:
Eden Brent–Jigsaw Heart-Yellow Dog Records: 2014
Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore – Love Runner [Remington Road Records: 2014]
Various Artists-Link Of Chain-Tribute To Chris Smither [Signature Sounds: 2014]
Lucinda Williams – Down Where Spirit Meets The Bone [Thirty Tigers: 2014]
Frazey Ford – Indian Ocean [Nettwerk: 2014]
Todd Snider and Friends– Hard Working Americans [Melvin Records: 2014]
Amy Kucharik – Cunning Folk [Amy Kucharik: 2014]
Birds Of Chicago – Birds Of Chicago [Self: 2014]
The Haden Triplets – Tanya, Rachel & Petra Haden [Perro Verde Records: 2014]
Various Artists-Banjo Babes [Wepecket Island Records: 2014]