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Top albums of 2013!

TavTav Irish Minister for DefenceRegistered User regular
I threw up one of these threads last year and it seemed to be pretty well received because I think we're all in agreement that there's just too much good music and it's impossible to find it all yourself. I'm hella interested in what albums I missed this year, and what people think didn't get enough recognition. Link/spoiler your Youtube links so the thread loads all nice and snappy.

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Artist: Mount Kimbie
Album: Cold Spring Fault Less Youth
RIYL: Post-dubstepy kinda stuff like Four Tet, James Blake
Sample Song: You Took Your Time ft King Krule

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Artist: Nails
Album: Abandon All Life
RIYL: Chaotic hardcore like Converge, DEP, Loma Prieta etc
Sample Song: Here's the whole album. It's only 17 minutes long.

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Artist: Daughter
Album: If You Leave
RIYL: Emotional, echo-y indie along the lines of The xx and London Grammar
Sample Song: Still

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Artist: Touche Amore
Album: Is Survived By
RIYL: Shouty melodic hardcore with an emphasis on narrative like La Dispute and Balance and Composure
Sample Song: Harbour

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Posts

  • Page-Page- Registered User regular
    edited December 2013
    As with last year, I wasn't that adventurous. I did make a bigger effort to listen to new bands, but there's usually a new album on the horizon from a band I actually like, so I play it safe 'cus I'm a puss.

    These would be the top for most listened to, in no particular order.

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    Los Campesinos! - No Blues

    I have no shame admitting that I've always liked them. From their start, when they were lumped into the twee genre, and I even liked their later stuff when they started shedding band members and struck out in new directions. But No Blues is a great blend of their twee, borderline emo past with more classic pop sensibilities. The songs are shorter, and they've even dropped the twee and emo standard of giving every song an absurdly goofy and overlong name.

    Single: Avocado, Baby Favourite Song; As Lucerne/The Low

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    Shad - Flying Colours

    Shad will always make my list, because he is awesome. Not much else to say. Perhaps not as fun as The Old Prince, but it still has unlimited killer tracks and great themes.

    Single: Fam Jam (Fe Sum Immigrins) Album Track: Thank You

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    Neko Case - The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight The More I Love You

    Her worst cover art, but still a wonderful album. She continues to move further and further away from the country genre, which is a good thing. Not that I don't like good country music, and she made good alt-country, but she has a lot more range than that, and if her only other outlet was The New Pornographers, whom she doesn't even write for, we'd all miss out. This album even had an a cappella track, which was great. I mean, it's not like Neko needs to show off her voice anymore than she already does, but that was nice to hear.

    Single: Man Album Track: Ragtime

    Desire_Lines_%28Camera_Obscura_album%29.jpg
    Camera Obscura - Desire Lines

    Camera Obscura makes the exact same album every few years. They may never reach the peak of Let's Get Out of This Country again, but at least they're reliable.

    Single: Do It Again Album Track: This Is Love (Feels Alright)

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    Born Ruffians - Birthmarks

    The best way I have of explaining is that I, in my heart, love pop music. And so do Born Ruffians. It's just nice and it's just fun.

    Single: Needle Album Track: 6-5000

    Honourable mention: Au Revoir Simone - Move in Spectrums

    Albums I haven't had a chance to really listen to yet: New Best Coast, new Arcade Fire, new The Knife, Haim, new Yamantaka//Sonic Titan, new Young Galaxy, new Arctic Monkeys (seems decent though), Anna Calvi, new Iceage, new Laura Marling.

    Like I said, I've got more stuff I haven't really listened to than I have, which I need to get on right away.

    Disappointing: Savages - Silence Yourself (Much like The National, I just can't get into it.), Sleigh Bells - Bitter Rivals (I defended Treats, but I'm not going to stand up for that.).

    Page- on
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  • Loren MichaelLoren Michael Registered User regular
    Daft Punk, Neko Case, Kanye West, Pusha T,

    that is what I can think of that I have played recently at least

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  • NecoNeco Worthless Garbage Registered User regular
    This band is literally older than me, but they managed to put out a very good album this year:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2u6DeXvLDM

    I don't know if it is my favorite for this year, but it is the first to come to mind...

  • jungleroomxjungleroomx It's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovels Registered User regular
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    This damn album... oh my god THIS damn album...

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    Never did I think I'd ever list a KSE album again as a favorite, not since the early oughts. But damn...

  • HacksawHacksaw J. Duggan Esq. Wrestler at LawRegistered User regular
    This was the album of the year, 2013:

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  • Uncle_BalsamicUncle_Balsamic Registered User regular
    I loved The Next Day by David Bowie. I was looking forward to it, but I ended up loving it far more than I thought I would.

    Here's The Stars (Are Out Tonight). It's probably worth mentioning that the videos and artwork for the album in general were pretty cool. So damn enjoyable.

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  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    I failed miserably on the music listening front this year

    Oh my god am I turning into an old?

    I'm turning into an old :\

    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • TehSpectreTehSpectre Registered User regular
    Chvrches_-_The_Bones_Of_What_You_Believe.jpg

    Think 80's bubblegum synth pop. My album of the year.

    Single: Mother We Share Single: Gun

    ----

    Second+Hand+Rapture+PNG.png

    MSMR is a wonderful alt-pop band along the lines of Florance & The Machine.

    Single: Think of You

    ----

    ptm-evilfriends.jpg

    Portugal the Man is more alt-pop-rock. Can you tell what music I enjoy yet?

    Single: Modern Jesus Single: Purple, Yellow, Red, and Blue

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  • TehSpectreTehSpectre Registered User regular
    Almost forgot!


    gogol-bordello-pura-vida-conspiracy.jpg

    Gogol Bordello is gypsy punk. Gogol Bordello is wonderful.

    Single: Lost Innocent World Track: I Just Realized

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  • Panda4YouPanda4You Registered User regular
    I've hardly listened to anything from this year...

  • PodlyPodly you unzipped me! it's all coming back! i don't like it!Registered User regular
    James Holden -- The Inheritors
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    One of the best electronic musicians out there makes a heady as hell record with gorgeous synth work.

    My Bloody Valentine -- mbv
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    come on, it's mbv

    darkside -- psychic
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    synth wunderkid nicholas jaar cosplays as pink floyd and it's fucking awesome

    Function -- Incubation
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    Everything I want from a techno LP.

    The Knife -- Shaking the Habitual
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    A furious, explorative album.

    James Blake -- Overgrown
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    Just great electronic songwriting, no ifs ands or buts about it.

    Segue -- Pacifica
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    Gorgeous dub techno

    oneohtrix point never -- r plus seven
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    A deep, introspective album that sees daniel turn his normal arrangements on their head, rewarding multiple listens

    Floorplan -- Paradise
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    the legend makes a double album of songs even the most stiff limbed wallflower can't help but boogie to

    follow my music twitter soundcloud tumblr
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  • AresProphetAresProphet Registered User regular
    TehSpectre wrote: »
    Chvrches_-_The_Bones_Of_What_You_Believe.jpg

    Think 80's bubblegum synth pop. My album of the year.

    Single: Mother We Share Single: Gun

    ----

    Second+Hand+Rapture+PNG.png

    MSMR is a wonderful alt-pop band along the lines of Florance & The Machine.

    Single: Think of You

    ----

    ptm-evilfriends.jpg

    Portugal the Man is more alt-pop-rock. Can you tell what music I enjoy yet?

    Single: Modern Jesus Single: Purple, Yellow, Red, and Blue

    this man knows what is up

    I came here to post that Chvrches album but I see my work has been done

    sorry Hacksaw, BRMC is a close second

    and MS MR's Hurricane is my song of the year, for sure

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  • flamebroiledchickenflamebroiledchicken Registered User regular
    This was such a good year for music, you guys. It's kind of hard for me to compare albums in disparate genres, so I'll do it like this:

    Best Indie: The National- Trouble Will Find Me
    World-weary, brooding and miserable almost to a fault, nothing gets me in the feels quite like The National.
    Runner Ups: My Bloody Valentine, Kurt Vile, Mazzy Star, Neko Case, Sigur Ros

    Best Hip-Hop: Chance the Rapper- Acid Rap
    In a time when rappers and producers seem more interested in grimdark trap beats and subject matter, this was a refreshing burst of life, joy, and soul.
    Runner Ups: Run the Jewels, Flatbush Zombies, Earl Sweatshirt, not Kanye

    Best Pop-Punk/Alternative: Superchunk- I Hate Music
    90s slacker punk champions do it again with surprisingly upbeat, catchy songs about death and loss
    Runner Ups: Oh god, so many. Balance and Composure, Diarrhea Planet, Lemuria, The So So Glos, PUP, Crusades, Potty Mouth, Pity Sex, The World Is A Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to Die

    Best Metal/Hardcore: Take Over and Destroy- Endless Night
    Hair-raising, evil shit somewhere between psyched-out sludge and death n' roll.
    Runner Ups: Defeater, Touche Amore, Windhand, Kvelertak, ASG, Russian Circles, Sandrider

    Best Electronic: Burial- Rival Dealer
    Burial pushes his signature lonely-nighttime-beats sound somewhere more expansive and uplifting
    Runner Ups: Boards of Canada, DJ Rashad

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  • y2jake215y2jake215 certified Flat Birther theorist the Last Good Boy onlineRegistered User regular
    My favorites:

    Yeezus (kanye west): hyper- aggressive industrial influenced beats produced by todays best names in edm, hyper-arrogant lines, and random Jamaican dancehall singing interspersed with Justin Vernon. I'm not sure kanye could've made a record that appeals more to my sensibilities

    Songs: I'm in it, black skinhead

    shaking the habitual (the knife): one of those records you hate until you love

    Songs: tooth for an eye, ready to lose

    Acid rap (chance the rapper): chance's off kilter cadences switch up from song to song and keep it interesting the whole way through

    Songs: paranoid, cocoa butter kisses, chain smoker

    Aleph (gesaffelstein): throwback industrial record with some of 2013s most interesting videos

    Songs: hate or glory, hellifornia

    Days are gone (haim): 2013s assigned indie darlings were pushed to the wayside a bit as the world began its weird love affair with Lorde, but the album is loaded front to back with perfectly constructed pop songs

    Songs: don't save me, the wire

    C8Ft8GE.jpg
    maybe i'm streaming terrible dj right now if i am its here
  • TavTav Irish Minister for DefenceRegistered User regular
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wH3Xg0RfrM

    I totally blanked on Grouper's The Man Who Died In His Boat. Such a good slice of ambient drone with some haunting vocals thrown in for good measure.

  • Jubal77Jubal77 Registered User regular
    edited December 2013
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    I still listen to this album and the bands' earlier work. I love the combination of metal, rockabilly, country etc. I saw them live earlier this year, right before the album was released, and they are fantastic live too.

    Songs: Room 24 ft. King Diamond, Doc Holiday, Lonesome Rider, Lola Montez.

    Jubal77 on
  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    Google Play is giving away some of the "Albums of the Year" for free and others are like $1 or $2.

    Chvrches' The Bones of What You Believe is free so you have no excuse at this point.

    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • y2jake215y2jake215 certified Flat Birther theorist the Last Good Boy onlineRegistered User regular
    Dammit coulda had free Yeezus if I held out another 3 weeks

    C8Ft8GE.jpg
    maybe i'm streaming terrible dj right now if i am its here
  • mcdermottmcdermott Registered User regular
    Chanus wrote: »
    Google Play is giving away some of the "Albums of the Year" for free and others are like $1 or $2.

    Chvrches' The Bones of What You Believe is free so you have no excuse at this point.

    Got'd. Don't see these other cheap ones you're talking a bout thought, but took Chvrches and Yeezus.

    Also, I remember the first time I ran across Gogol Bordello and was like "what the fuck is this shit?"

    Then a few minutes later when I was like "awesome, that's what this shit is."

  • TavTav Irish Minister for DefenceRegistered User regular
    I think most people's introduction to Gogol Bordello would have been Start Wearing Purple in Everything Is Illuminated.

    Which is a good thing, because it is a great song in a great movie.

  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    I think I misunderstood... the $1 and $2 stuff seem to just be singles... there are albums in the $5 range, though.

    Also, Gogol Bordello is a must-see live act.

    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • TehSpectreTehSpectre Registered User regular
    Chanus wrote: »
    Google Play is giving away some of the "Albums of the Year" for free and others are like $1 or $2.

    Chvrches' The Bones of What You Believe is free so you have no excuse at this point.
    this is fantastic

    9u72nmv0y64e.jpg
  • LoveIsUnityLoveIsUnity Registered User regular
    The Chvrches album is totally dope, and I'm glad it's getting some attention. I've recommended it to a few people who like the idea of Crystal Castles but think it's "a bit much."

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  • Bloods EndBloods End Blade of Tyshalle Punch dimensionRegistered User regular
    David Bowie and the new Nine Inch Nails probably get the most play this year for me

  • y2jake215y2jake215 certified Flat Birther theorist the Last Good Boy onlineRegistered User regular
    edited December 2013
    what is the format of these google play songs

    mp3? any drm

    y2jake215 on
    C8Ft8GE.jpg
    maybe i'm streaming terrible dj right now if i am its here
  • TavTav Irish Minister for DefenceRegistered User regular
    y2jake215 wrote: »
    what is the format of these google play songs

    mp3? any drm

    Yeah, no.

  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    Was Tenacious D this year? I really liked that album.

  • JurgJurg In a TeacupRegistered User regular
    Yeezus and Random Access Memories were good.

    Bitter Rivals was all right. But if Sleigh Bells doesn't bring their A game on their next album, they will be ejected from the Cool Music Club forever, I think. I did see them live though, and the crowd was great, although it was too loud. A weird thing to complain about for a band that lives on being too loud, but I swear, it was so loud that it was hard to make out what songs they were playing. Good vibes and good dancing though.

    sig.gif
  • TavTav Irish Minister for DefenceRegistered User regular
    Lots of bands use volume to great effect (MBV, Swans, Sleep) but if it's done badly, it just ends up ruining the show.

  • jungleroomxjungleroomx It's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovels Registered User regular
    This year was pretty boss for music, including the return of my ultimate guilty pleasure into fine form (KSE). I also discovered my all time favorite, which was as much as a surprise to me as anyone.

  • KaputaKaputa Registered User regular
    edited December 2013
    Exai_Packshot_600.png

    I didn't listen to much new music this year, but Autechre's Exai is amazing. Definitely my favorite Autechre release since Draft 7.30, and my favorite electronic music album in a few years. A particularly badass track

    The only other new albums I've listened to this year are:

    !T.O.O.H.! - Democratic Solution (truly unique, with some great moments, but overall disappointing)
    Shpongle - Museum of Consciousness (the worst Shpongle album)
    Whatever the new folky Burzum album was (meh)

    so admittedly I'm not drawing from a wide pool here. Exai set a high bar, but this thread is giving me a lot of rad stuff to check out

    edit- and the new Daft Punk, which I thought was terrible

    Kaputa on
  • AresProphetAresProphet Registered User regular
    TehSpectre wrote: »
    Chanus wrote: »
    Google Play is giving away some of the "Albums of the Year" for free and others are like $1 or $2.

    Chvrches' The Bones of What You Believe is free so you have no excuse at this point.
    this is fantastic

    everyone in this thread needs to get that Chvrches album. it is fantastic

    (they are playing here in April. tickets bought'd. so excite)

    ex9pxyqoxf6e.png
  • VanguardVanguard But now the dream is over. And the insect is awake.Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    Happy-Jawbone-Family-Band.jpg

    Happy Jawbone Family Band - S/T

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpWBvlF3wBE

    TSQ2943.jpg

    Daniel Bachman - Jesus I'm a Sinner

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKvFhPF0xYA

  • Captain TragedyCaptain Tragedy Registered User regular
    edited December 2013
    Man, I'm totally gonna come into this thread and school people about an album by this band called Chvrches...oh. Nevermind.

    Anyway, besides that:

    Neko Case - The Worse Things Get...
    Okkervil River - The Silver Gymnasium
    My Bloody Valentine - mbv
    Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Push the Sky Away
    David Bowie - The Next Day
    Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle
    Kurt Vile - Wakin On A Pretty Daze
    Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
    Haim - Days are Gone
    The National- Trouble Will Find Me
    Arcade Fire - Reflektor
    Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

    The last two fit into the "really good, but maybe a little bit overlong" range.

    Captain Tragedy on
  • EtiowsaEtiowsa Registered User regular
    Jurg wrote: »
    Yeezus and Random Access Memories were good.

    Bitter Rivals was all right. But if Sleigh Bells doesn't bring their A game on their next album, they will be ejected from the Cool Music Club forever, I think. I did see them live though, and the crowd was great, although it was too loud. A weird thing to complain about for a band that lives on being too loud, but I swear, it was so loud that it was hard to make out what songs they were playing. Good vibes and good dancing though.

    Holy crap, Sleigh Bells released a new album? I thought they were goners after everyone trashed Reign of Terror.

  • JurgJurg In a TeacupRegistered User regular
    Etiowsa wrote: »
    Jurg wrote: »
    Yeezus and Random Access Memories were good.

    Bitter Rivals was all right. But if Sleigh Bells doesn't bring their A game on their next album, they will be ejected from the Cool Music Club forever, I think. I did see them live though, and the crowd was great, although it was too loud. A weird thing to complain about for a band that lives on being too loud, but I swear, it was so loud that it was hard to make out what songs they were playing. Good vibes and good dancing though.

    Holy crap, Sleigh Bells released a new album? I thought they were goners after everyone trashed Reign of Terror.

    I think people forgave that as a sophomore slump. The new one is alright, but still, it just doesn't compare to Treats. That's why I think they're on the ropes now.

    sig.gif
  • BrainleechBrainleech 機知に富んだコメントはここにあります Registered User regular
    They played a few songs last month making fun of themselves and their fans by saying thing thanks for sticking around for such a short time and so on

  • KaputaKaputa Registered User regular
    Best Hip-Hop: Chance the Rapper- Acid Rap
    In a time when rappers and producers seem more interested in grimdark trap beats and subject matter, this was a refreshing burst of life, joy, and soul.
    This is awesome. First new hip-hop I've enjoyed in a while.

    Also I had no idea BoC put out something new; it's been so long that I'd stopped checking

  • JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    Got to see Cvrches at First Avenue. Lots of heavily electronic music doesn't translate to the stage well, but this was great. The singer is really talented.

    I write you a story
    But it loses its thread
  • TavTav Irish Minister for DefenceRegistered User regular
    Saw Chvrches at a festival before the album dropped, so most people had no idea about most of their set. They were decent, but really paled compared to some of the amazing acts I saw there.

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