2013 Review: 10 Albums That Did Not Disappoint
Some
albums are a random collection of stiff, glossed over, sexed-up singles
intended to cause a stir in the charts for a month or so. Others are
carefully crafted labyrinths of creative process and expression. Yeah -
that's what they want you to think anyway.
Regardless of genre, here is my pick for the top 10 albums of 2013:
( 10 )
Regardless of genre, here is my pick for the top 10 albums of 2013:
( 10 )
The Naked and Famous
'In Rolling Waves'
Somewhat Damaged Records
7.5 / 10
It's not often that someone's sophomore album exceeds or even lives up to the success and attention of it's first. It's kind of meant to be that awkward in-between teenager phase where the band experiments and often fails to find their feet in a new direction. Having proved that they were far more than some screechy pseudo-pop group with their ecstatically charged debut 'Passive Me, Aggressive You' in 2010, it's been three years of unforgiving expectations for the Kiwi five-piece. They weren't exactly idle in these years. Performing well over 200 shows in two years left little time to record, mix, produce and release a follow up, but they did it . Their main focus here was to make an album that they could play live in tours and live appearances, from beginning to end, without need for pre-recorded backing tracks. They did anything but branch out in terms of sound. 'In Rolling Waves' is a basic consolidation of everything they're good at, with some surprisingly deep and meaty lyrics. Alisa's voice is crystalline. Some tracks (like 'Hearts Like Ours' and 'To Move With Purpose') are so subtly entrancing, the way they gently build until they're in your very soul and all you can do is ride the crest of the wave until it alights you gently on the shore, wanting more. It is mature without being blah, clever without being contrived and earns the band a well deserved "Restraint Achievement". As with 'Passive Me..' there are a few too many tracks here. It could realistically be scaled down to a doable 9 or 10 tracks, but there is less filler than before. They did it again, but better.
( 9 )
'In Rolling Waves'
Somewhat Damaged Records
7.5 / 10
It's not often that someone's sophomore album exceeds or even lives up to the success and attention of it's first. It's kind of meant to be that awkward in-between teenager phase where the band experiments and often fails to find their feet in a new direction. Having proved that they were far more than some screechy pseudo-pop group with their ecstatically charged debut 'Passive Me, Aggressive You' in 2010, it's been three years of unforgiving expectations for the Kiwi five-piece. They weren't exactly idle in these years. Performing well over 200 shows in two years left little time to record, mix, produce and release a follow up, but they did it . Their main focus here was to make an album that they could play live in tours and live appearances, from beginning to end, without need for pre-recorded backing tracks. They did anything but branch out in terms of sound. 'In Rolling Waves' is a basic consolidation of everything they're good at, with some surprisingly deep and meaty lyrics. Alisa's voice is crystalline. Some tracks (like 'Hearts Like Ours' and 'To Move With Purpose') are so subtly entrancing, the way they gently build until they're in your very soul and all you can do is ride the crest of the wave until it alights you gently on the shore, wanting more. It is mature without being blah, clever without being contrived and earns the band a well deserved "Restraint Achievement". As with 'Passive Me..' there are a few too many tracks here. It could realistically be scaled down to a doable 9 or 10 tracks, but there is less filler than before. They did it again, but better.
( 9 )
The Joy Formidable
'Wolf's Law'
Black Belle Records
8.0 / 10
It opens with a soft and beautiful soaring symphony, before turning darkly twisted and breaking through into the sweetly choppy guitar driven sound we've come to know. But there's something different here. It sounds less chaotic, and that's actually a good thing. The levels are right and you can hear the time they've spent honing their sound.
So we know these little Welsh munchkins can produce a beautiful melody with an unconventional voice, guitars that whip and lash your earholes and drums that somehow don't get lost beneath the weight of all of it. But on 'Wolf's Law' the grand scope is pushed higher, where there is a clearer perspective of who they are as a band. And unlike 'The Big Roar', I never really got bored or tempted to skip a track throughout each listen.
Take us seriously, is what this album says. "OK" say all of us.
( 8 )
James Blake
'Overgrown'
Universal Republic
8.5 / 10
Some things just don't make sense, but you can enjoy them all the same. My best friend loves the movie 'No Country For Old Men'. He can't say why. I watched it and got bored. But he loves it for it oddness and subtlety. I like James Blake in that way for those reasons. Can't say why. What genre is he anyway? Soul vocals, R&B or dubstep beats. There's probably some ridiculous made up genre name that people use for him. 'Soulcore' or something. I don't know and I can't exactly say why I love him so much, but I have listened to this album pretty constantly since it's release in April, and I'm still not sick of it. 'Retrograde' comes on shuffle and I literally make that "aaaaahhh" sound involuntarily. That sums it up for me. Music that makes you go "aaaahhhh".
Superb album. Better than the first.
( 7 )
'Overgrown'
Universal Republic
8.5 / 10
Some things just don't make sense, but you can enjoy them all the same. My best friend loves the movie 'No Country For Old Men'. He can't say why. I watched it and got bored. But he loves it for it oddness and subtlety. I like James Blake in that way for those reasons. Can't say why. What genre is he anyway? Soul vocals, R&B or dubstep beats. There's probably some ridiculous made up genre name that people use for him. 'Soulcore' or something. I don't know and I can't exactly say why I love him so much, but I have listened to this album pretty constantly since it's release in April, and I'm still not sick of it. 'Retrograde' comes on shuffle and I literally make that "aaaaahhh" sound involuntarily. That sums it up for me. Music that makes you go "aaaahhhh".
Superb album. Better than the first.
( 7 )
Franz Ferdinand
'Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions'
Domino Records
8.5 / 10
My initial response to this album was gushy and over-enthusiastic. As with most pop music, I have found the flavour rather short lived. And however they're marketed or organized in music stores, that's ultimately what FF are - a pop band. I'm keeping them on my list though because, as short lived as the pleasure might be, it is intense when it hits and 'Right Words' retains enough boldness and dynamism to get you reminiscing for years after. A strong addition to their already great catalogue. Convincingly effortless and cool.
'Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions'
Domino Records
8.5 / 10
My initial response to this album was gushy and over-enthusiastic. As with most pop music, I have found the flavour rather short lived. And however they're marketed or organized in music stores, that's ultimately what FF are - a pop band. I'm keeping them on my list though because, as short lived as the pleasure might be, it is intense when it hits and 'Right Words' retains enough boldness and dynamism to get you reminiscing for years after. A strong addition to their already great catalogue. Convincingly effortless and cool.
( 6 )
Foals
'Holy Fire'
Transgressive Records
9.5 / 10Released back in early February, it feels like this album has always been around. It's just that good. Third time is obviously a charm for them. I was all over this jerky, awkward, geek band in when I first heard 'Hummer' back in 2007. I kept forgetting their name, until I got my sticky mits on 'Antidotes'. I remember talking to a girl from London in 2008; someone who eagerly kept her finger on the underground pulse. She blushed with embarrassment for me when I said I was looking forward to their sophomore album. "NO ONE listens to them anymore", she sneered, assured of her own level of cool (made even cooler because their debut had just dropped). Ooh the actual irony. I'll just let this album sing for itself
(and add that it's 5 years later...)
"Funky, dirty, stinky swamp-grooves" is how Yannis described it to NME back in October last year. It's exactly all of those things. This is one of the few albums that I WANT to listen all the way through. It's just expertly crafted and balanced.
( 5 )
Transgressive Records
9.5 / 10Released back in early February, it feels like this album has always been around. It's just that good. Third time is obviously a charm for them. I was all over this jerky, awkward, geek band in when I first heard 'Hummer' back in 2007. I kept forgetting their name, until I got my sticky mits on 'Antidotes'. I remember talking to a girl from London in 2008; someone who eagerly kept her finger on the underground pulse. She blushed with embarrassment for me when I said I was looking forward to their sophomore album. "NO ONE listens to them anymore", she sneered, assured of her own level of cool (made even cooler because their debut had just dropped). Ooh the actual irony. I'll just let this album sing for itself
(and add that it's 5 years later...)
"Funky, dirty, stinky swamp-grooves" is how Yannis described it to NME back in October last year. It's exactly all of those things. This is one of the few albums that I WANT to listen all the way through. It's just expertly crafted and balanced.
( 5 )
Vampire Weekend
"Modern Vampires Of The City"
XL Records
10 / 10"You cliche effing hipster douche".
Well if I'm all of those things for absolutely loving this album and this band, then I'll take it.
I don't know what I was expecting from this album. Their debut was jagged, preppy and boisterous, introducing a largely unsuspecting mainstream crowd to the joys of incorporating afro beats into upbeat indie ditties. Their second focused on making slightly more radio friendly tracks ('Giving Up The Gun' anyone?), which were great, but 23rd listen, had lost a lot of their flavour.
This album stoked my appetite like cupcakes to a starving fat kid. I just couldn't get enough. First listen was NOT what I was expecting. But that's quite often a good thing, I've discovered. There is their usual preppy upbeat offerings ('Unbelievers', 'Diane Young'), but there's also a touching and quite dark song about lovers staying in a log cabin or something...so deep I havent actually figured it out ('Hannah Hunt').
It's not that they've stopped making puns and making obscure references to scarves and yoghurt, but they're just not trying so hard to make us laugh anymore. Which is good.
The funny thing with this album is that a lot of these tracks play out like hip-hop or R & B tracks. It's hardly surprising, considering that they once used to be called "L'Homme Run"
and even have an earlier version of 'Giving Up The Gun' called (in a gangsta-ly fashion) "Giving Up Da Gun". I'm not even making this up.
THIS album is how hipsters should do hip-hop. There are also a number of references to spirituality that got me excited. Finally someone using their brains and questioning existence.
Now to get "Step" out of my head..
"Modern Vampires Of The City"
XL Records
10 / 10"You cliche effing hipster douche".
Well if I'm all of those things for absolutely loving this album and this band, then I'll take it.
I don't know what I was expecting from this album. Their debut was jagged, preppy and boisterous, introducing a largely unsuspecting mainstream crowd to the joys of incorporating afro beats into upbeat indie ditties. Their second focused on making slightly more radio friendly tracks ('Giving Up The Gun' anyone?), which were great, but 23rd listen, had lost a lot of their flavour.
This album stoked my appetite like cupcakes to a starving fat kid. I just couldn't get enough. First listen was NOT what I was expecting. But that's quite often a good thing, I've discovered. There is their usual preppy upbeat offerings ('Unbelievers', 'Diane Young'), but there's also a touching and quite dark song about lovers staying in a log cabin or something...so deep I havent actually figured it out ('Hannah Hunt').
It's not that they've stopped making puns and making obscure references to scarves and yoghurt, but they're just not trying so hard to make us laugh anymore. Which is good.
The funny thing with this album is that a lot of these tracks play out like hip-hop or R & B tracks. It's hardly surprising, considering that they once used to be called "L'Homme Run"
and even have an earlier version of 'Giving Up The Gun' called (in a gangsta-ly fashion) "Giving Up Da Gun". I'm not even making this up.
THIS album is how hipsters should do hip-hop. There are also a number of references to spirituality that got me excited. Finally someone using their brains and questioning existence.
Now to get "Step" out of my head..
( 4 )
Arcade Fire
'Reflektor'
9.0 / 10I can't help it OK. I would love to hate this album. But the combination of Arcade Fire, James Murphy, disco and the occasional dub / ska / David Bowie vocal / West Indian influence is my kryptonite. It got me.
Here's something to consider: it's a breath of freaking fresh air when a band abandons itself to an inspiration and has fun doing it.
That's what this is. The single 'Reflektor' is a bit flat and ridiculous, but the rest of this mammoth album is incredible. I get a bit bored with AF whining about stuff. This is mostly just fun. And I'm OK with that. Sublime.
'Reflektor'
9.0 / 10I can't help it OK. I would love to hate this album. But the combination of Arcade Fire, James Murphy, disco and the occasional dub / ska / David Bowie vocal / West Indian influence is my kryptonite. It got me.
Here's something to consider: it's a breath of freaking fresh air when a band abandons itself to an inspiration and has fun doing it.
That's what this is. The single 'Reflektor' is a bit flat and ridiculous, but the rest of this mammoth album is incredible. I get a bit bored with AF whining about stuff. This is mostly just fun. And I'm OK with that. Sublime.
( 3 )
Arctic Monkeys
'AM'
10 / 10
I have reviewed my initial review of this because the damn thing has been stuck on repeat in my brain for the past three months. And man do I see it's mastery and craft now. Turner turning all sappy, sensual, sentimental and brooding was something I had to get used to. It took a while. And then this album got under my skin. The rhymes, rhythms, overall vibe and guest spots are all executed absolutely perfectly. After the third listen it is impossible to not listen to this album from the first drumbeat of 'Do I Wanna Know' to last desperate guitar whine of 'I Wanna Be Yours'.
It's just genius.
Full stop.
( 2 )
'AM'
10 / 10
I have reviewed my initial review of this because the damn thing has been stuck on repeat in my brain for the past three months. And man do I see it's mastery and craft now. Turner turning all sappy, sensual, sentimental and brooding was something I had to get used to. It took a while. And then this album got under my skin. The rhymes, rhythms, overall vibe and guest spots are all executed absolutely perfectly. After the third listen it is impossible to not listen to this album from the first drumbeat of 'Do I Wanna Know' to last desperate guitar whine of 'I Wanna Be Yours'.
It's just genius.
Full stop.
( 2 )
Laura Marling
'Once I Was An Eagle'
WayOutWest Records
10 / 10
OK so I admittedly haven't listened to this one nearly as much as I have to most of the other albums on this list, but with the quality, maturity, talent and beauty of an album like this, you kind of don't have to. It presents a very clear, surprisingly mature and wise yet entirely fresh picture. It's a bit like one of those rare times you were starving and ate just the right amount of the right thing. Or seeing an old friend for only a few hours. Or having exactly one glass of a fine merlot. Some things are inexplicably right. This album is one of them.
Marling staggers me. At just 24 she is wiser than most people I know. She has shown herself to be a brilliant songwriter and interesting human being, but this album is just on another level. At times aggressive and severe, at others restrained and despairing, she takes you on a bi-polar express ride through her soul. Maybe that's another reason you can't over listen to this album. It is literally a perfect album.
'Once I Was An Eagle'
WayOutWest Records
10 / 10
OK so I admittedly haven't listened to this one nearly as much as I have to most of the other albums on this list, but with the quality, maturity, talent and beauty of an album like this, you kind of don't have to. It presents a very clear, surprisingly mature and wise yet entirely fresh picture. It's a bit like one of those rare times you were starving and ate just the right amount of the right thing. Or seeing an old friend for only a few hours. Or having exactly one glass of a fine merlot. Some things are inexplicably right. This album is one of them.
Marling staggers me. At just 24 she is wiser than most people I know. She has shown herself to be a brilliant songwriter and interesting human being, but this album is just on another level. At times aggressive and severe, at others restrained and despairing, she takes you on a bi-polar express ride through her soul. Maybe that's another reason you can't over listen to this album. It is literally a perfect album.
(1)
Tegan and Sara
'Heartthrob'
Sire Records
10 / 10I am pretty certain I stand alone in adoring this album, let alone ranking it as the best of the year (and best of their career).
Let me defend:
So what do you get when you get two quirky supercute, lesbian twins? A cult following and a back catalogue that is nice, but incredibly samey. I listened the crap out of their last three albums. 'So Jealous', 'The Con' & 'Sainthood' were on constant repeat and not only because I have the BIGGEST crush on Tegan (she's the cute one with the sad eyes). Whilst my wishes of her turning straight and flying to Africa to find me were not met, my desire for another album was. And man was I surprised. As was everyone.
The same backlash happened when Dylan picked up an electric guitar. Or when The Clash covered a Blondie song live. Or when punk transitioned into New Wave and New Romantic. Evolution is the only way some music will survive. Just because T & S started writing songs that were catchier than the SARS virus doesn't mean they've sold out. Their motives have not changed. Once again (like Arcade Fire), they're just having fun. Couldn't you loosen up a little? Geeze! The point of this album is not that they would garner the following of Taylor Swift fans. If that was the case they would have released it in December, in time for Christmas. Hell, they would have released three remix albums by now and re-released Heartthrob with guest appearances from Calvin Harris and Aviicii (or whatever his name is).
No - they have managed simply to capture the entire lifespan of a relationship - from the giddy fuzzies we have literally all felt (unless you're Voldemort and even then you may have when you caught sight of a teenage boy in black robes).
There is something entirely relatable in every track. Even when they're singing about the pressures of being a dykon (definition: lesbian icon), I get what they mean. Not because I am one (my moobs are impressive though), but because - hey I'm human.
This album is a surprisingly complex mix of elation, truth, depth and despair.
And well worth a listen with an open mind. This sounds a lot like a revolution.
WVS
Honorable mention goes to The Head & Heart 'Let's Be Still' / Rhye 'Woman' / Jessie Ware 'Devotion' / The Dodos 'Carrier' / Washed Out 'Paracosm' / Of Montreal 'Lousy With Sylvianbriar / Crystal Fighters 'Cave Rave/
Coming tomorrow: 10 of the Most Disappointing Albums of the Year.
'Heartthrob'
Sire Records
10 / 10I am pretty certain I stand alone in adoring this album, let alone ranking it as the best of the year (and best of their career).
Let me defend:
So what do you get when you get two quirky supercute, lesbian twins? A cult following and a back catalogue that is nice, but incredibly samey. I listened the crap out of their last three albums. 'So Jealous', 'The Con' & 'Sainthood' were on constant repeat and not only because I have the BIGGEST crush on Tegan (she's the cute one with the sad eyes). Whilst my wishes of her turning straight and flying to Africa to find me were not met, my desire for another album was. And man was I surprised. As was everyone.
The same backlash happened when Dylan picked up an electric guitar. Or when The Clash covered a Blondie song live. Or when punk transitioned into New Wave and New Romantic. Evolution is the only way some music will survive. Just because T & S started writing songs that were catchier than the SARS virus doesn't mean they've sold out. Their motives have not changed. Once again (like Arcade Fire), they're just having fun. Couldn't you loosen up a little? Geeze! The point of this album is not that they would garner the following of Taylor Swift fans. If that was the case they would have released it in December, in time for Christmas. Hell, they would have released three remix albums by now and re-released Heartthrob with guest appearances from Calvin Harris and Aviicii (or whatever his name is).
No - they have managed simply to capture the entire lifespan of a relationship - from the giddy fuzzies we have literally all felt (unless you're Voldemort and even then you may have when you caught sight of a teenage boy in black robes).
There is something entirely relatable in every track. Even when they're singing about the pressures of being a dykon (definition: lesbian icon), I get what they mean. Not because I am one (my moobs are impressive though), but because - hey I'm human.
This album is a surprisingly complex mix of elation, truth, depth and despair.
And well worth a listen with an open mind. This sounds a lot like a revolution.
WVS
Honorable mention goes to The Head & Heart 'Let's Be Still' / Rhye 'Woman' / Jessie Ware 'Devotion' / The Dodos 'Carrier' / Washed Out 'Paracosm' / Of Montreal 'Lousy With Sylvianbriar / Crystal Fighters 'Cave Rave/
Coming tomorrow: 10 of the Most Disappointing Albums of the Year.
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