Ecstatic vision

Hey, here are my 154 favourite albums of 2014. As usual, I haven't aimed for a fixed number; just listed everything, in a loose order, that I've enjoyed these past 12 months.

There is a song on "Aerial", Kate Bush's eighth and possibly best album, called "Bertie". "Here comes the sunshine," it begins, "Here comes that son of mine/Here comes the everything/Here's a song and a song for him." Nine years later, here, perhaps is a show for him: an unexpected comeback; a ravishing absurdity; a launchpad for his theatrical aspirations. Our pleasure may, to some degree, be collateral.

Morrissey has announced details of his new studio album. A post on the quasi-official fansite, True To You, reveals the album will be called World Peace Is None of Your Business. The post continues by saying that a release date has been provisionally set for late June/early July worldwide by Harvest Records thru Capitol. Morrissey is said to be "beyond ecstatic" with the album, all 12 tracks of which were produced by Joe Chiccarelli in France.

Open your third eye! Blissed-out new age voyager’s early work compiled...

Seeing as how Matthew E White and his band are on tour in the UK this week (I’m seeing him play in London tomorrow), it seemed a good time to post the feature about my visit to Richmond a couple of months ago. I’ve put a few links to stuff in here, too, so you can get a taste of the really interesting music coming out of the scene that revolves around White. Long read, this one…

Rock’s poet-noise iconoclast debuts new underground supergroup...

The deluxe reissue of Saint Julian is reviewed in the new issue of Uncut, dated March 2013, and out now, so it seemed time to revisit October 2007's issue (Take 125), when the always-enlightening Julian Cope answered questions from readers and famous fans… Words: John Lewis / Photo: Sam Jones ____________________

Sound and vision live bonanza; improved audio is the icing on the Hyde Park memorial cake...

Class of '09 grads think bigger; wilder.

EA new American maverick finds her voice...