Best of 2014: Our music critic looks forward to Miley Cyrus concert, Bruno Mars Super Bowl halftime show and U2 album

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Published: Thursday, January 2, 2014, 4:46 PM
Updated: Friday, January 3, 2014, 11:47 AM

New year, new sounds. While 2013 seemed to have blown music's wad by crowding so many superstar releases into the fall - shoving in Beyonce and Justin Bieber in just the last few weeks - that clears the deck for some less-hypey albums in early '14.

Also, many big stars will be taking their new music to the road for the first time early in the year. Here's a look at the albums and tours I'm looking forward to as 2014 gets going:

ALBUMS:

- Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings "Give The People What They Want" (Jan. 14): Brooklyn's most soulful belter, backed by one of its most in-demand bands, returns with their first disc in three years. It’s also the first since the good news that Jones successfully completed treatment for bile duct cancer.

- Uncle Tupelo "No Depression" (Jan. 28): A double CD compilation from the seminal Americana band of the '80s - the one that both gave name to, and kicked off, the "No Depression" roots-rock movement.

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- Mike Bloomfield "From His Head To His Heart To His Hand" (Feb. 4): A comprehensive, 3 CD/one DVD box set compiling work from one of the first guitarists to spread Chicago electric blues to the world of psychedelic rock.

- Lake Street Dive "Bad Self Portraits" (Feb. 18): Boston's Lake Street Dive soars on the wide and enveloping vocals of Rachel Price. At the special "Inside Lewyn Davis" neo-folk concert held at Town Hall in September, she opened her mouth and a star was born.

- St. Vincent "St. Vincent" (March 4): The fourth album by this mercurial singer, and her first since releasing her invigorating collaboration album with David Byrne.

- Drive By Truckers "English Oceans" (March 11): The latest collection from Southern rock's sharpest story-tellers.

- Dan Wilson, (April 8): The best song doctor in modern pop - who has collaborated with everyone from Adele to Pink - puts out his second solo CD. His first, "Free Life," from seven years ago, ranked as one of the last decade's most sensitively rendered works.

- U2 (date TBD): Yes, sometime this year the Irish foursome will deliver its first album in five years. That makes it the first since the rudderless "No Line on the Horizon." Let's hope this one lets them find what they're looking for.

RELATED: WHAT MOVIES TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2014

CONCERTS:

- Neil Young at Carnegie Hall (Jan. 6, 7, 9 and 10): The American icon will play four shows over the next week. Ticket prices are sky high: $200 or $400. But, for that dough, you get 100% pure Neil - no filler. It's an acoustic, solo show, a great way to experience Neil uncut.

- Global Fest at Webster Hall (Jan. 12): The best-curated annual salute to music from around the globe. This year's dizzying lineup will present everything from post-modern Persian pop to Ukrainian punk-folk. It a world of sound jammed into five fast hours.

- Bruno Mars at the Super Bowl. (Feb. 2): Mr. Show Biz makes the perfect star of this annual halftime salute to triumphalism and glitz.

- Kings of Leon at the Garden (Feb. 14): Their new CD provided just the comeback these neo-Southern rockers needed after their previous, disappointing disc. Now let's see if they can redeem themselves live.

- Sting and Paul Simon at the Garden (March 4): Other than each of them owning apartments on Central Park West, it's hard to find the connecting point between El Stingo and Rhymin' Simon. Then again, they do both write intelligent songs and have an ear bent to the wide world outside themselves.

- Miley Cyrus at Izod Center (April 3): To twerk or not to twerk? That is the question for the first tour by Ms. Cyrus since her career-changing MTV moment. Expect Miley to find some new body movement, theatrical trick, or maybe even sound, to keep our tongues wagging.