All things considered, this was a pretty good year for music. I can think of at least five really good albums that deserve to be on someone’s top 20 list, but which didn’t crack mine. A quick primer on the rules I chose for this list: EPs and reissues counted as releases and when in doubt, I checked my iTunes to see what I’d played more. Take note: this list is wholly reflective of my tastes, so yes, I did include a bootleg recording over Arcade Fire’s latest. Finally, whenever relevant, I’ve included a link to my review here at Bearded Gentlemen Music.
20. Wild Nothing – Empty Estate (Captured Tracks / Bella Union)
EPs are a good place to experiment and this is full of them. Here, Wild Nothing’s songs are alternately spiky (“Ocean Repeating”), in debt to power pop (“The Body In Rainfall”) or collapse into keyboards (“Data World”). I think it works pretty well: it’s sunnier than their last full length and a hell of a lot easier to dance to. Better videos, too.
19. Various Artists – Adult Swim Singles Program 2013 (Adult Swim Music)
Every summer, they release some of the year’s best singles. This year’s crop includes offerings by Madlib, Dan Deacon, and METZ. All of which are easily as good as anything they’ve released on their LPs. And in the case of Mac DeMarco’s “Young Blood”, his shambling, reckless tribute to Patrick Swayze and junior hockey, even better. The best collection you don’t have to pay for.
18. The Pixies – EP1 (PIAS America)
As I wrote about this previously, I think it’s a step in the right direction. I think the band agrees: they’re rolling out music videos, something they never did back in the day. And even if they’re burning through bass players like it’s nobody’s business, I’m still looking forward to their next EP.
17. Arcade Fire – Reflektor (Merge Records)
Music that’s so slick, I keep dropping my copy, but I keep coming back. Arcade Fire’s music has never sounded so catchy, so danceable. And even if this double album is a little overstuffed (do we really need a 10-minute noise collage bonus track?) the highlights here rank among their best music.
16. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City (XL Recordings)
Their most mature record yet: they’re finally singing songs that aren’t about living on campus or hanging out at the beach. Now Ezra Koenig wonders about God: “Through the fire and through the flames,” he sings on “Ya Hey”, “You won’t even say your name.” And they proved they can even rock out on “Diane Young”! Who knew?
15. Neil Young and the Ducks – Santa Cruz, 1977 (No Label/Bootleg)
The year’s best bootleg! Some kind soul tracked down high quality, professional-sounding recordings of a couple Neil Young and the Ducks gigs, his short-lived band from the summer of 1977. They could rock as hard as Crazy Horse and not just on the Young-penned tunes either. A must for classic rock fans: it’s more essential than the just-released Cellar Door 1970 album. More fun to listen to, as well.
14. Elvis Presley – Elvis at Stax (Sony/Legacy)
A great collection of material Elvis recorded at the legendary Stax studios in the early 70’s. While the polished takes show a side of Elvis that’s often overlooked, even the unfinished sides really stand out. The King’s last great creative burst.
13. El-P and Killer Mike – Run the Jewels (Fool’s Gold)
Kanye’s elaborate and hit-and-miss Yeezus got all the press and Jay-Z’s Magna Carta Holy Grail the elaborate promotion, but between the razor-sharp beats, a sly sense of humour and Killer Mike’s fantastic delivery, this was the year’s best hip-hop album.
12. Kurt Vile – Walkin’ On A Pretty Daze (Matador)
The year’s best guitar album and Vile’s sharpest one yet. He’s finally turned in something that plays to both sides of his strengths: fuzzed out rock and introspective acoustic troubadour. Play it for your stoner cousin. Play it for your classic rock-loving dad. Play it, at maximum volume, for everyone.
11. Frank Zappa – Road Tapes, Venue Two: Helsinki, 1973 (Vaulternative)
The choice cuts from three shows in two nights of one of Zappa’s tightest ensembles, with enough solos to keep any jam band fan happy and enough complicated polyrhythms and tricky passages to make you remember that Zappa’s bands could do just about anything and make it look easy to boot.
10. Young Galaxy – Ultramarine (Paper Bag Records)
This was my favourite to win Canada’s Polaris Prize and I still think their New Wave-inspired electropop is one of the strongest albums of the year. With great songs like “New Summer” and “Fall For You”, they’re Canada’s best-kept secret.
9. Washed Out – Paracosm (Sub Pop)
Sure, Washed Out might have started as a bedroom band, but on their second full-length, they’re starting to sound like the real thing: on “It All Feels Right” or “All I Know” they sound downright organic. At other times, they come out with an expanded range of color: and feel more alive than anything on Within and Without. A huge leap forward for what was already a pretty good band.
8. Crocodiles – Crimes of Passion (Frenchkiss)
The trashiest, glammiest rock of the year! Needless to say, I love it. This sounds like a lost classic from the early 70’s, complete with horns and howling bursts of guitar. Sune Rose Wagner’s spacious production fits them like a glove, too: it adds a spooky, hard edge to their noise-pop. And once you get around to thinking about the dark, moody lyrics you’ll be set to appreciate this record all over again.
7. HAIM – Days Are Gone (Columbia)
Call HAIM a curious case of hype: they got so much traction on their three-song EP that maybe no full length could’ve delivered everything everyone wanted. And maybe they wear their influences a little too much on their sleeves sometimes (see: “The Wire”, which admittedly cops pretty hard from Shania Twain). I don’t care. I’ll take the tight, wiry pop of “Don’t Save Me” any day.
6. Date Palms – The Dusted Sessions (Thrill Jockey)
Sparse and haunting, this album is all dusty soundscapes. It manages to evoke Miles Davis, Explosions in the Sky and 3:10 To Yuma, sometimes all at once. Play it loud while you drive somewhere. Play it loud while you wash the dishes. Whatever you do, play it loud. It’ll make even the most routine moments feel like something in a John Ford classic.
5. Best Coast – Fade Away (Jewel City)
I used to say I liked their earlier stuff the most, that their last album was too bright and shiny. Then I heard this: it’s not as polished as The Only Place, but doesn’t sound like it was recorded underwater either. And the lyrics are as clever as they’ve ever been: Bethany Cosano’s songwriting has made a big leap. And yes, the guitars have just the right amount of fuzz. I like this more than any of their full lengths.
4. Bob Dylan – The Bootleg Series, Volume 10: Another Self Portrait (Columbia/Legacy)
Not only did this rehabilitate one of Dylan’s most puzzling albums, but it’s got some of the best music of his career: not quite folk, just a shade left of country and rock and, as always, miles ahead from his peers. Add in a couple live cuts with The Band, a mystical take of “Went to See the Gypsy” with Dylan alone at an electric piano and a comprehensive set of liner essays and you’ve got one of the best Dylan Bootleg Series releases yet.
3. CHVRCHES – The Bones of What You Believe (Glassnote)
The more I think about it, the more CHVRCHES seems like a garage rock band that happens to play in a computer lab, if you know what I mean. Sure, with all the synths and drum machines, it can sound all sparkly at first. But the brightness of their keyboards adds an edge to the music when you start to think about the pointed, charged lyrics. On “Gun”, Lauren Mayberry sounds downright menacing: “No place for promises here,” she sings, “you better run.” The best debut record of 2013.
2. William Onyeabor – Who Is William Onyeabor? (Luaka Bop)
Who is he? The best electro-funk musician you’ve never heard of. Thankfully, Luaka Bop released a collection of his best jams and even on the ten-minute plus tracks, there’s hardly a passive moment, just the best grooves you’ll hear in 2013.
1. Yamantaka // Sonic Titan – Uzu (Suicide Squeeze/Paper Bag)
A just about flawless, wildly ambitious concept album by one of the most relentlessly creative bands in music today. As I wrote about this on it’s release, YT//ST makes music that evokes a little bit of everything, but sounds like nothing else in the universe. And that’s not even getting into the storyline here, which I bet will make for a killer stage show. If you’re anything like me, you’ll want to drown in these waves of guitars too.
Bonus Track: The worst records of 2013!
5. My Bloody Valentine – m b v
It’s cool how it took Kevin Shields something like six years to set the amps just so to capture the sound of half-baked outtakes from a 20-year old record.
4. How To Destroy Angels – Welcome Oblivion
Techno that not even a computer could love. Funny how quickly people moved on from this Reznor project once NIN came back.
3. Miley Cyrus – Bangerz
Okay, this is low-hanging fruit. So I’ll explain my rationale a little bit: while I find her on-stage antics a little contrived, I like the vague attitude behind it. It’s about time pop idols start pissing people off. My big problem is how her album doesn’t live up to that image. If it’s called Bangerz, then it shouldn’t be dull. Somehow, she even makes taking molly at a club sound boring.
2. Avril Lavigne – Avril Lavigne
I suppose it’s unfair to include children’s music here, but so was Lavigne inflicting this on her listeners.
1. Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
Not just bad trash, but bad disco trash. If the shiny suits and slick, soulless music didn’t tell you they’re only interested in looking good, maybe the stylish, slick luxury box set that’s completely devoid of content did. Hopefully not after you shelled out $275 for it, I hope.