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MUSIC
Rosanne Cash

Jerry Shriver's top 5 albums of 2014

Jerry Shriver
USA TODAY
"The River & The Thread," by Rosanne Cash.

USA TODAY music/movies editor Jerry Shriver shares his favorite albums of the year.

1. Rosanne Cash, The River & the Thread

Thread's three Grammy nominations, including for best Americana album, demonstrate that country's first daughter still has many riches to mine from her past and from that of the sultry, mysterious South. But this is no nostalgia trip. The swamp-blues notes of opener (and Grammy nominated) A Feather's Not a Bird merely are a launching point for a captivating, reflective and sometimes haunting album that's among her finest.

The bulk of the songs were crafted by Cash and husband John Leventhal during and after visits to the land of her birth, but they've avoided Southern/country cliches. Though it encompasses folk, country, blues and gospel, the sound is still contemporary — distinctly American and uniquely Rosanne.

2. Gary Clark Jr., Live

It took a double live album to unleash the full promise of this young and highly touted blues guitarist/vocalist, but the only complaints are coming from shredded speakers. Play this one loud, and see where the influences of Hendrix, Muddy, Stevie Ray and T Bone come into play.

3. Lake Street Dive, Bad Self Portraits

Smart, sassy and brassy, the breakout album from this decade-old Boston-bred quartet weaves jazz, soul, Motown and Brill Building pop into an infectious cocktail. Lead vocalist Rachel Price evokes Amy Winehouse, Adele and Bonnie Raitt, and her bandmates lend deft support.

4. John Fullbright, Songs

The singer/songwriter from Oklahoma was just 26 when he released this sophomore album (his 2012 debut From the Ground Up was nominated for a Grammy), yet there's wisdom and weariness in his voice and writing. Especially when he sings standout track Happy.

5. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Hypnotic Eye

Now in their 38th year as a group, the veteran rockers roared back into the limelight with their strongest work since their '70s heyday. The Heartbreakers crackle with vitality and Petty's songs balance spleen-venting with a world-weary but cautiously hopeful outlook.

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