2013 in… ALBUMS
For some reason I thought it might be fun to do some awards for all the things I've enjoyed this year. Today I’m covering music…
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1 — good kid, m.A.A.d city — Kendrick Lamar
Though it came out late last year this list is for the albums I BOUGHT in 2013. Kendrick rarely came off the stereo for at least the first half of the year. Sounds like hes doing the whole album in a funny voice, but sticks with it and somehow it works.
2 — ARC — Everything Everything
Endlessly inventive falsetto gibberish. Exciting.
3 — Pale Green Ghosts — John Grant
Easily underestimated, these songs can be mistaken for something more plain, but they swell and grow on you, like a wonderful cheesy bloom.
4 — Peace Sword — Flaming Lips
Strictly speaking this is an EP and not an album at all, but I make the rules so its on the list. “Is The Black At The End Good” might be my song of the year. Wayne’s beautiful broken voice at its best.
5 — Push The Sky Away — Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
I don’t know, I was really looking forward to this, and its not my favourite of theirs, but still an average Nick Cave record is better than most other bands best work.
6 — The Invisible Way — Low
Slow paced joy. Not their best work either, and that kind of underachievement seems to be the theme for a lot of albums this year, but this is still a nice clutch of songs.
7 — No Blues — Los Campesinos
Los Camp no longer sound much like the band I first got into, but this incarnation is just a different kind of good.
8 — Bloodsports — Suede
HUGE songs, massive choruses, like Britpop had its merits ok. Songs you want to sing striding through the rain.
9 — Trouble Will Find Me — The National
Nice mumbling. I don't know how The National suddenly got so big in 2013, but I cant argue. Whisky on the balcony at midnight music.
10 — Loud Like Love — Placebo
A grower not a shower. Shut up, its a good album. Seriously.
Some other honourable mentions:
The new Tindersticks album was great, but just a re-recording of old songs so doesn't really count as a new album. Haim were the undisputed sound of the summer. A surprisingly good album from Six By Seven just when everyone had given up on them. I finally got round to the Relaxed Muscle album 10yrs after it came out and I’m just sad I didn't do it sooner. The Tim Hecker album made me feel all kinds of funny things. And Biffy Clyro, with the Opposites double album, are now basically so good at what they do it no longer feels special.
