All this week we’re focusing on the best music we heard in 2014. Today’s post looks at the top reissues from the past year. While admittedly much of my attention was elsewhere throughout the year, I’m still surprised at the depth and breadth of reissued music from year to year. Aside from the now trendy vinyl reissues of well-known records, there were a number of releases that continued to surprise and astound (more than a few being “Vol. 2” in a series). The ones on my list featured sounds I’d never heard before or sounds I never thought I’d hear. Here are my picks for the top reissues of 2014, let me know your favorites in the comments.

***Honorable Mentions: Unwound – Rat Conspiracy & No Energy (Numero), Country Funk Vol. 2: 1967-1974 (Light In The Attic), Spiritual Jazz 5: The World (Jazzman), Local Customs: Cavern Sound (Numero), The Afrosound of Colombia Vol. 2 (Vampi Soul)

5. Sly Stone – I’m Just Like You: Sly’s Stone Flower 1969-1970 – Light In The Attic

Sly Stone – Africa

Just last year we had a gang of unreleased tracks released on the Sly & the Family Stone retrospective “Higher!” and this year we got this collection, shining a necessary light on the furtive period of time between two landmark LPs, 1969’s Stand and 1971’s There’s A Riot Going On. In that in-between time Sly started the Stone Flower label, released a few 45s from 6ix, Little Sister and Joe Hicks and started to explore new technology and new sounds. This collection includes all of the released music from the label (bringing together songs, like Joe Hick’s “Life & Death in the G&A” that were split in two) but also includes a number of unreleased tracks, demos and early versions of Stone Flower recordings, but the real gold is in the tracks from Sly that show the early stages, such as this track “Africa,” of what would become one of the greatest albums of all-time.

4. Lewis – L’Amour – Light In The Attic

Lewis – Romance For Two

Light In The Attic had a banner year, in addition to the Sly Stone collection, they also released this private press obscurity. The sound of Lewis is so delicate and so quiet that at times, if you’re not listening through headphones, you’d almost miss that it’s even there. But when you do listen and you do hear it, it’s impossible to deny the beauty of this music.

3. Michael Bloomfield – From His Head, To His Heart, To His Hands: An Audio/Visual Scrapbook – Legacy

Bob Dylan feat. Michael Bloomfield – Like A Rolling Stone (Instrumental)

Michael Bloomfield is the greatest American guitarist not named Jimi Hendrix. For those that know, it’s really not an overstatement to say that Bloomfield’s influence is nearly equal to Hendrix. Because of his nature, his personality and his troubles, he never got the kind of broad acclaim that others got, but Bloomers was an exceptional player and all of his many talents are on display on this lovingly put together (by longtime friend Al Kooper) collection that features not only some of his best music, with Paul Butterfield, Bob Dylan and many others, but also the voice of Michael Bloomfield. No one sounded quite like Bloomers, and hearing him speak in his unique way is almost as engrossing as the music on this collection. But it’s the music that we’ll remember most, and FINALLY getting an instrumental version of “Like A Rolling Stone,” with those gorgeous iconic guitar lines, is something to be cherished deeply.

2. Underground Vegetables – Melting Pot / Grace Jackson – Gonna Get U – Ximeno

Underground Vegetables – Melting Pot

It’s always nice, after 20+ years as a collector to hear new old things that you had no idea were around. With a show and blog called “Melting Pot” you’d think I was aware of all of the versions of that classic song, but the legendary Danny Holloway proved me wrong when he released this 7″ on his Ximeno imprint in the Summer. This version is the shortest, but it packs in a heavy punch in that 2 minutes and change. The flip-side, a reggae funk crowd pleaser makes this one a double-sider worthy of every collectors attention. Looking forward to bigger and better things from Ximeno in the future, but for this one I’ll be eternally grateful.

1. The Sound Of Siam Vol. 2: Molam & Luk Thung Isan From North-East Thailand 1970-1982 – Soundway

Rome Sithammarat – Sao New Look

Back in 2010, I raved and raved about the first volume of this collection. I’d never heard the kind of sounds that were compiled on that set and the effect was somewhat like having a new window of my mind opened up. In 2014 the second volume came out and I felt a somewhat similar sense of bewilderment. Volume 2 surpassed Volume 1 in quality and for that, it more than deserves the top spot here on this list.

2014 may have been a really tough year personally, but the music…thankfully there was a lot of beautiful music last year. All of that great music makes for a great “Best Of” show. I was actually busier this year than I was last year, so there was no chance that I was going to be able to get together a set of “Honorable Mentions,” but I think things will be settling down here in 2015, so hopefully we’ll get back to that next time. Here in this first full week of 2015, I’ll also be sharing the best vinyl I dug up over the past year, as well as the best reissues, records and songs of 2014. Enjoy the show and thanks for listening!

Melting Pot's Best of 2014: First Hour
Melting Pot's Best of 2014: Second Hour

Melting Pot’s Best of 2014 on KPFK Playlist

{opening theme} Underground Vegetables – Melting Pot – 7” (Ximeno)

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Ana Tijoux – Somos Sur – Vengo (Nacional)
Jungle Fire – Tropicoso – Recorded Live At KPFK (KPFK Archives)
Willie West & the High Society Brothers – She’s So Wise – Lost Soul (Timmion)
Bart Davenport – Fuck Fame – Physical World (Love Monk/Burger)
Shintaro Sakamoto & the Komome Children’s Choir – You Could Be A Robot, Too – 7” (Zelome)
London Experimental Jazz – Destroy The Nihilist Picnic 0 Spritiual Jazz 5: The World (Jazzman)

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Kaleidoscope w/ Larry Williams & Johnny Guitar Watson – Nobody – Country Funk Vol. 2 (Light In The Attic)
Los Hacheros – Toma Tu Pilon – Pilon (Daptone)
Allo Darlin’ – History Lessons – We Come From The Same Place (Slumberland)
Sun Kil Moon – Micheline – Benji (Caldo Verde)
Charnett Moffett – Spirit of Sound (Recorded Live At KPFK (KPFK Archives)

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Little Sister w/ Buddy Miles – You’re The One (Early Version) – I’m Just Like You: Sly Stone’s Stoneflower 1969-1970 (Light IN The Attic)
BadBadNotGood – Confession – III (Innovative Leisure)
Dilated Peoples – Let Your Thoughts Fly Away – Directors Of Photography (Rhymesayers)
Lauryn Hill – Black Rage – Single (Self-Released)
The Beta Club – Brazza Nova – 7” (Cartel Records)

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Perfect Pussy – Driver – Say Yes To Love (Captured Tracks)
The Budos Band – Aphasia – Burnt Offering (Daptone)
Stone Wall – Living Today – Local Customs: Cavern Sound (Numero)
Afrosound – Una Abeja En El Semaforo – The Afrosound Of Colombia Vol. 2 (Vampi Soul)
Karol Conka – Boa Noite – Batuk Freak (Mr. Bongo)
Les Sins – Toy – Michael (Carpark)

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Flying Lotus – Coronus, The Terminator – You’re Dead (Warp)
Madlib & Freddie Gibbs w/ Domo Genesis and Earl Sweatshirt – Robes – Pinata (Madlib Invazion)
Rome Sithammarat – Sao New Look – The Sound Of Siam Vol. 2 (Soundway)
The Souljazz Orchestra – Celestial Blues – Inner Fire (Strut)
Electric Wire Hustle – Look In The Sky – Bye & Bye (Okay Player)
Adrian Younge & the Souls Of Mischief – There Is Only Now (Instrumental) – There Is Only Now (Linear Labs)

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Zara McFarlane – Open Heart – Recorded Live At KPFK (KPFK Archives)
Lewis – Romance For Two – L’Amour (Light In The Attic)
Spain feat. Charlie Haden – You and I – Sargent Place (Glitterhouse)
Rodrigo Amarante – The Ribbon – Recorded Live At KPFK (KPFK Archives)

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{closing theme} Bob Dylan feat. Michael Bloomfield – Like A Rolling Stone (Instrumental) – From His Head, To His Heart, To His Hands (Legacy)

Had the pleasure of chopping things up with two of my favorite people in LA, Superstar DJ Anthony Valadez of KCRW and just plain super  Novena Carmel of Baby Stone & Wallpaper.  At Anthony’s invitation we got together late last night to talk about all things 2014, including  the “Hands Up/I Can’t Breathe” movements after the deaths of Mike Brown and Eric Garner, the NYPD response to Mayor DeBlasio, the earlier case of Ebolamania that the US caught, Impressions of Obama in his final years, a case of Kardashian-Itis, Iggy Azalea and Appropriation, the triumphant return, all Black Messiah like, of D’Angelo, the shock of Robin Williams losing his battle with depression and a whole lot of other things.  We also spent time talking about our favorite music in 2014 and things we’re looking forward to in 2015. Vala put the whole conversation up on his blog and on Soundcloud for the world to hear, but mainly for you to hear…give a listen and I can almost 100% guarantee there will be more of these in the future!

https://soundcloud.com/anthonyvaladez/in-conversation-2014-the-year-in-review

As I mentioned in the Breakdown for this show, we’d originally planned on doing a show with Watt and his group Il Sogno Del Marinaio, but the band arrived into Long Beach airport too late to make it all the way up to North Hollywood and KPFK. Watt promised he’d come in once he was done touring and this time everything worked out and he was able to swing through. We spend most of the first part of the interview talking about his latest projects, but if you’ve listened to Watt on his own radio show, The Watt From Pedro, you know conversations often start in one place, but cover a wide amount territory before closing up. For me, this felt less like a radio interview or even doing a show and more like just a conversation. As I mention, I almost wish I’d had the forethought to set up some kind of microphone when we weren’t on-air, because those conversations were just as good as what you’ll hear here. Watt also shared a few tunes, somethings that he’s loved over the years, somethings that influenced him as a musician and we close up with another recent project of his, Cuz. It’s been a really special treat getting to sit down with Watt on two occasions this year, these are without a doubt some of the my favorite interviews/shows that I’ve done in the 20+ years I’ve been in radio.

Mike Watt Interview and Guest DJ Set on KPFK’s Melting Pot 11-30-2014

Earlier in the year, we had hoped to bring Mike Watt back into the KPFK studios after he’d come in to share stories from the Minutemen’s heyday, at the 30th anniversary of Double Nickels On The Dime. The plan was for him to come in with the other members of one of his projects, Il Sogno Del Marinaio. Unfortunately his Italian band-mates got held up in Customs and they weren’t able to make it. A couple tours and a couple months later, Watt was able to finally come in and spend some time talking about that project, as well as a few other recent and upcoming ones, as well as tell more stories about growing up and playing music with D. Boon. The show starts off with a little Jimi Hendrix, as is our tradition around his birthday, but from there, it’s just me and Watt in the studio. In the second hour he plays a bunch of songs and we get to talking about all kinds of things. Hands down, one of the best shows of the year and of my entire career.

Melting Pot on KPFK #184: First Hour
Melting Pot on KPFK #184: Second Hour

Playlist 11-30-2014:
{opening theme} Boris Gardiner – Melting Pot – Is What’s Happening (Dynamic)
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Jimi Hendrix & the Band Of Gypsies – Power To Soul/Message Of Love/We Got To Live Together – Band Of Gypsies (Capitol)

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Mike Watt – Interview and Guest DJ Set – Recorded Live At KPFK (KPFK Archives)

Show features a couple tributes, one for Bob Dorough, to start the show, who was in town for a live performance of the legendary Schoolhouse Rock series and another tribute set for Breakbeat Lou and all of those who were turned on to classic breaks from the Ultimate Breaks & Beats series. The show also features new tracks from the Budos Band, Shintaro Sakamoto, Ariel Pink, Allo Darlin, some classic material and deep cuts from Les Demerle, Eduardo Araujo e Silvinha, Erasmo Carlos and the incomparable Little Jimmy Scott to close things up…Enjoy!

Melting Pot on KPFK #183: First Hour
Melting Pot on KPFK #183: Second Hour

Playlist 11-23-2014:
{opening theme} Booker T & the MGs – Melting Pot – Melting Pot (Stax)

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Bob Dorough – My Hero, Zero – Multiplication Rock (Capitol)
Les Demerle – A Day In The Life – Spectrum (UA)
Eduardo Araujo E Silvinha – Opinage – Sou Filho Desse Chao (Beverly)
Harvey Mandel – The Snake – The Snake (Janus)

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Jungle Fire – Tropicoso – Recorded Live At KPFK (KPFK Archives)
Grupo Folklorico y Experimental Nueva Yorquino – I Ya Modupue – Concepts In Unity (Salsoul)

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Budos Band – Aphasia – Burnt Offering (Dapton)
King Crimson – Pictures Of A City – In The Wake Of Poseidon (Atlantic)
Swervedriver – Duel – Mezcal Head (A&M)
Allo Darlin’ – Santa Maria Novella – We Come From The Same Place (Slumberland)

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Melvin Bliss – Synthetic Substitution – Ultimate Breaks & Beats Vol. 5 (Street Beat)
The Winstons – Amen Brother – Ultimate Breaks & Beats Vol. 1 (Street Beat)
Jackie Robinson – Pussy Footer – Ultimate Breaks & Beats Vol. 3 (Street Beat)
Orchestra Internationale Feat. Sam Conti – Chella’lla – Ultimate Breaks & Beats Vol. 2 (Street Beat)

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Ariel Pink – One Summer Night – Pom Pom (4AD)
People Under The Stairs – Gamin’ On Ya – Fun DMC (Gold Dust Media)
Heavee – 8 Bit Shit – Teklife & Hyperdub Present NextLife (Hyperdub)
Flying Lotus – Moment Of Hesitation – You’re Dead (Warp)

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Shintaro Sakamoto – Never Liked You, But Still Nostalgic – Let’s Dance Raw (Other)
Erasmo Carlos – Grilos – Sonhos E Memorias 1942-1972 (Polydor)
Bright Black Morning Light – Gathered Years – Motion To Rejoin (Matador)
Jimmy Scott – Time On My Hands – Very Truly Yours (Savoy)

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{closing theme} Dungen – C. Visar Vagen – Tio Bitar (Kemado)