My Favorite Albums of 2013 (1-10)

If you missed the first two installments of this list, here are a couple links: 11-20 and 21-30. The ten albums that are left are all albums that I grew to love over the course of 2013. At one point or another, each of these albums had me obsessed and listening to it repeatedly.

10) Josh Ritter - The Beast In Its Tracks

This is my favorite Josh Ritter album since his incredible 2006 album "The Animal Years." The album was written in the wake of his divorce to fellow singer/songwriter Dawn Landes (who has her own album coming out in February). Rather than writing a "woe is me," vindictive album, Ritter has managed to write an album that is introspective, honest, hopeful, and often times funny. "New Lover" hits all of these themes as he looks back on his past relationship while musing on a new one. Throughout the song, he wishes his ex well, hoping she's found someone new to treat her well. However, before the song ends he admits "if you're sad and you are lonesome and you've got nobody true, I'd be lying if I said that didn't make me happy too." Breakups are tough.

9) J. Roddy Walston and The Business - Essential Tremors

This list spans quite a few genres, but I tend to gravitate toward folk-y stuff a lot. However, if you're looking to rock, look no further than J. Roddy Walston and The Business. Essential Tremors is an album full of rockin' guitars, forceful drums, pounding piano, and Walston's howling and shrieking. This is a foot stomping album to be sure. This album was my first time hearing J Roddy Walston and The Business, but I imagine the band puts on an incredibly fun live show. One newpaper wrote that the band's live shows "make James Brown look lazy." I'm thinking I'll have to try to get to one of those in 2014.

8) John Moreland - In The Throes

John Moreland has written several other albums, but this was my first exposure to the Tulsa, Oklahoma native, and I am a full on convert now. In The Throes is an incredible folk/americana album with great songs from beginning to end. His lyrics are a big part of what makes the album great. Because of that, the album may take a few listens to sink in, but it's well worth it. Fortunately Moreland's talent seems to have been recognized somewhat in 2013 as the year saw him opening a small handful of shows for Jason Isbell and getting a couple of his songs ("Gospel" and "Your Spell") featured on the show Sons of Anarchy. In addition to those two songs, "Nobody Gives A Damn About Songs Anymore" and "Oh Julia" are two more favorites of mine. Here's to hoping John Moreland keeps making incredible music and being rightfully recognized for doing so.

7) Suburban Dirts - A Tiny Little Island In The Big Bad Sea

I've written about Suburban Dirts a few times on this blog and for good reason since they keep putting out excellent music. Last year, I ranked the band's debut album as my 10th favorite of the year. I had assumed they'd play a bunch of shows this year, maybe put out an EP, and get ready for another album in 2014 or 2015 like most bands would. Well it turns out they aren't like most bands because instead they released a second full length that I like even more than their impressive debut. You can read more of my review of the album here but the short story is that they mix folk, rock, blues, and country as well as just about anyone else around. A Tiny Little Island In The Big Bad Sea is an absolute treat of the album. If you enjoy what you hear from the preview below, please support them and buy their music so they can continue to do what they do so well.

6) The Postelles - ...And It Shook Me

The second album from the New York quartet features an album full of hook-heavy rock/pop songs that are a joy to sing along to. This album is a really fun road trip record with song after song of catchy choruses that can be belted out. In their review of the album, AllMusic sums up the album better than I could hope to, saying "what impresses isn't the hooks themselves but how The Postelles craft the riffs and melodies into songs, how they retain a brightness to their punch without ever seeming saccharine, how they seem to celebrate exuberance, not detachment." My favorite tracks are "Pretend It's Love," "Caught By Surprise," and "Running Red Lights."

5) Kurt Vile - Wakin On A Pretty Daze

This may be the antidote to the cheeriness on The Postelles record, but man is it good. Over half the songs on this record surpass the six minute mark, several going well past it. Vile's style has been referred to as "slacker rock" but that in no way does justice to the precision that somehow seems to underlie the rambling nature of the songs. The album opener, "Wakin On A Pretty Day" is probably the song I became most obsessed with this year. Somehow despite being almost 10 minutes long it always seemed too short. The lyrics, combined with Vile's delivery, have made me actually chuckle out loud at times with lines like "Rising at the crack of dawn, I gotta think about what wise crack I'm gonna drop along the way today" and "Phone ringing off the shelf, I guess somebody has something they really wanna prove to us today." Really though, my review won't be able to do justice to this song or this record. I recommend you find a way to listen to it on headphones while wandering through a city. Somehow that's when it always seemed most perfect to me.

4) Frightened Rabbit - Pedestrian Verse

The Scottish indie rocker's Midnight Organ Fight is perhaps my favorite album ever and their follow up, The Winter of Mixed Drinks, was my second favorite album of 2010. That is to say that expectations from me are sky high whenever they put out new music. Fortunately, Frightened Rabbit are up to the task and have put out another incredible album of indie rock with excellent lyrics and Scott Hutchison's infectious Scottish accent. This is probably the band's most polished sounding record to date (and their first on a major label) and it shows that they are able to adapt while still retaining what makes them so good. The album closer "The Oil Slick" is my favorite song off the record. When I got to see the band live earlier this year, Hutchison told the crowd the song was sort of an apology for some of the things he'd said in other songs. How could anyone stay made at someone who can write lines like "How can I talk about life and warmth? I've got a voice like a gutter in a toxic storm. All the dark words pouring from my throat sound like an oil slick coating the wings we've grown."

3) Sallie Ford and The Sound Outside - Untamed Beast

Over the past couple weeks, I think I've had each of these top three albums in the number one spot for a bit, so the order is pretty arbitrary since I'm sure it'd change in a week. 2013 was a bit of a mixed bag for fans of Sallie Ford and The Sound Outside. Back in  February, Untamed Beast was released, and it has remained in rotation for me all year. According to Last.fm the band is my most played artist over the past year. Ford's voice and attitude are absolutely incredible as she can belt out defiant songs (like "They Told Me" and "Bad Boys") or croon about love (like on "Paris" and "Roll Around") without either sounding out of place or insincere. Unfortunately, a couple weeks ago the band announced they were going their separate ways in 2014. Everything is amicable, but it's sad to see after they put out such an incredible record (as well as a really, really good EP) this year. Sallie Ford has recently put together an all female band and plans to keep making music, so I'll certainly be following along with that.

2) Small Houses - Exactly Where You Wanted To Be

This may be the album I've listened to most this year and it certainly holds a special place for me. Small Houses (aka Jeremy Quentin) has put together a touching folk record that I couldn't help but listen to over and over again. I made my second road trip to Sasquatch Music Festival this summer and after each of the days jam-packed full of music, I found myself returning to my tent and listening to this album on repeat as I fell asleep. There's something comforting and soothing about the composition of these songs that makes me feel at home wherever I am. The only complaint I have about this album is that it comes in at a little under 30 minutes long, which is nowhere near as long as I wish it was. I guess that's why it just finds itself played on loop.


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1) Typhoon - White Lighter

This is just an absolutely incredible album from the 14-piece Portland, Oregon band. There is so much to love on this album that I don't really know where to begin. Many of the lyrics are inspired by lead singer, Kyle Morton's battle with Lyme disease that caused several of his organs to fail and led to his dad giving him a kidney. Many of the songs muse on life and death in its many forms, including "Possible Deaths" sees Morton singing that "every star is a possible death." However, the lyrics are just icing on a delicious musical cake because I didn't know any of the back story when I had already fallen in love with this album. Instead it was the sounds that this 14-member band was putting together (again without me realizing they had that many members). They show all sorts of restraint, never forcing more into a song than belongs there but filling up your ears with enough to keep you discovering new things with each new listen. Several songs caught me off guard when I first listened, bucking the expectations my ears had grown to expect by employing different time signatures. It's rare to hear an album that simultaneously challenges you and satisfies you at the same time. This may all just be rambling at this point, but I highly recommend this album to anyone unfamiliar with it. Make sure you listen a few times and make sure you aren't too distracted while you do because there is just a ton to like.


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So that's the list, my 30 favorite albums of 2013. I'd love to hear what other people enjoyed, either that I'm missing or that they agree with. I've made a Spotify playlist of all 30 albums if you want to listen to them. You can find that by clicking ---> here.


As with the last two posts, here are a few songs from albums 1-10 to get a taste of them. I think all of these are all best listened to from beginning to end though. At least one song ("Bad Boys" by Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside) is possibly "not safe for work", so bear that in mind.



And since I can't find Kurt Vile on Soundcloud...




There was a lot of music to love in 2013, and I'm already looking forward to several 2014 releases.

New Suburban Dirts Music - Spoiler... It's really good!

English folk/blues/rock/country band Suburban Dirts released one of my favorite albums of 2012 (ranked #10 here, but probably higher if I remade the list now). Since then, they've added Ryan Davies (of previously blogged about Marching Donald) and apparently been hard at work making even more music. In a week (on November 18) they'll show everybody that the first album wasn't just a fluke when they release their follow-up "a tiny little island in the big bad sea."

I had the pleasure of getting to hear the new album early, and after about a dozen listens, I think I may actually prefer it to their debut. The album kicks off with a foot-stomper of a song in "Fire On The Campsite" that lets you know you're not going to be able to sit still while listening to this album. The second track, "Hose Ban Blues," keeps the energy up and adds in some excellent harmonica by Judd Lander, the guy who played harmonica on Culture Club's "Karma Chameleon." "Hose Ban Blues" also features some excellent lyric work with lines like "Am I killing time or is time killing me?" and "Even Schrodinger's cat eventually died, but don't quote me on that, he could still be alive." I'm not sure if I glossed over the lyrics while listening to the first album because it was so catchy, but I really noticed them quite a few times here.

The third track, "Everybody's Friend," is one of two that has been made available for listening before the album's release. Check it out here to get your own taste of the album:



"Punchball Blues" is a Dylan-esque rock & roll romp akin to "Lost In Transcription" from the band's debut album. It also marks the end of what the band describes as a shift from the playful confidence of the first five tracks to the uncertainty and fragility displayed throughout the last six tracks.

This shift in tone is on display in the second song the band has made available, "Any Other Morning," which also happens to be one of my favorite songs of the year. The emotional weight of lead-singer John Wheatley crooning "The last thing that I want to hear you say is 'I'd go with you on any other morning, but I just can't do today'" hits me every time I hear it. You can stream or buy the song here:



The penultimate track, "Queen O'Pity" features more of Judd Lander's fantastic harmonica work and is another second half highlight. Album closer "All Of This" slows things down again and offers time for reflection as John Wheatley sings "I know I'm gonna miss all of this someday" in a nice finish to the album.

"a tiny little island in the big bad sea" can be pre-ordered from Amazon or iTunes. If you missed the band's first album make sure to go check it out on Bandcamp. If you want to support an up and coming band that is making some awfully impressive music, check out their various pages below and/or buy an album (or go to a show if you're lucky enough to live nearby). Regardless, enjoy!

Want to check out Suburban Dirts? Of course you do...

Band website
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Soundcloud
Bandcamp

My Top 50 Albums of 2012 (6-15)

We're getting down to the end now. Here are links if you missed 31-50 and 16-30.


15) Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again

Michael Kiwanuka is a British soul singer born to Ugandan parents. He's only 24 years old, but you wouldn't know it from listening to his music. Usually when I listen to soul music, I prefer something a bit more up-tempo but after giving Kiwanuka's smooth soul some time to settle, I really came around to it. Like JD McPherson's album that I touched upon in one of my earlier posts, "Home Again" has a timeless feel to it. The album seems like a perfect album to have on vinyl and throw on the turntable for a lazy afternoon around the house. If you're looking for a couple tracks to check out "Tell Me A Tale" and "I'll Get Along" are favorites of mine.

14) Shovels & Rope - O' Be Joyful

This album can just knock you off your feet. Shovels & Rope is South Carolina based married duo Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent. The two had performed as solo artists before joining forces as Shovels & Rope. The album contains country, bluegrass, folk, and more than enough raw energy to spread around to anyone in a several mile radius. Hearst's voice is outstanding and really drives the songs forward, but it's certainly not the only positive element here. I'd love to get a chance to see one of their live shows if it's anything near as rocking and near-chaotic as the album can sound at times. I love the live intro to one song in which a bartender tells people to shut up while the band is playing. I'd pay that guy to perform that duty at every bar show I attend. The album isn't all unbridled energy. The duo also manages to pull it back from time to time with a slower song, giving the listener and the band a bit of a breather, and they do that well too. If we're all lucky, Shovels & Rope will continue making music together for many years. I recommend listening to "O' Be Joyful" and "Birmingham" but only if you're willing to have them stuck in your head for the foreseeable future.

13) Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls

Speaking of women with great voices, few can hang in there with Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes. The way she just unleashes howls after a build-up in songs like "Hold On" is amazing. She doesn't hold back. I saw the band live at Sasquatch, and she can really command a stage even in a wide open outdoor venue. With all this praising of Howard, I should note that this is nothing against the rest of the band. It wouldn't work with just her voice, and the guitars, drums, and keyboard that fill in around her are exceptional as well. There is an absolute boatload of potential in front of this band. The album contains southern rock, soul, and blues. I think the only thing preventing me from rating this higher is that it still feels like they have room to improve. Some of the songs are just so great that anything merely really good seems like unfulfilled promise. "Hold On" is in the discussion for best song of the year, and "I Ain't The Same" and "You Ain't Alone" (and bonus track "Heavy Chevy") are all really great too.

12) Father John Misty - Fear Fun

Father John Misty is the newest moniker of former Fleet Foxes drummer Joshua Tillman. He claims that this album came about when he took off on a road trip with a boatload of mushrooms and nowhere to go. He ended up writing a novel, which turned into the narrative voice that became Father John Misty and led to this album. The album is a mix of elements from Fleet Foxes with a more country sound added to it. Where Fleet Foxes' songs felt carefully orchestrated and precise, Father John Misty sounds a little more carefree. There are several really good songs on the album, but "Well, You Can Do It Without Me" is my personal favorite. Lines like "If you want a page written bout you in the book / but you need a food tester cause you curse the cook / I'll take some wine, but you can dine without me" show off his lyrical chops. "Nancy From Now On" and "I'm Writing A Novel" are other favorite songs of mine.

11) Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo, Magellan

I wrote quite a bit about this album when it came out back in July. Like I said at the time, it's hard to figure out where to begin discussing "Swing Lo, Magellan." It can best be described as experimental indie rock, but that doesn't tell you too much. While lead singer David Longstreth does his thing, the rest of the band fills in with all sorts of sounds around him. Amber Coffman and company use their voices more like an instrument than would typically be the case of background singers. The band also incorporates a good deal of hand clapping along with more traditional instrumentation. It's just a really interesting album while still being their most accessible to date. "Dance For You" and "Unto Caesar" are my two favorite songs, but the single "Gun Has No Trigger" may be most representative of their sound.

10) Suburban Dirts - Suburban Dirts

Suburban Dirts is probably the least well known of the groups on this list (somehow their Facebook page has fewer than 300 likes), but for my money they belong right here with all of the others. They are a folk-rock (or "trailer trash country blues" by their own description) group from England seemingly a mix between someone like Deer Tick and and mid-60s Bob Dylan. I was first turned onto the band by a review on the blog Listen Before You Buy back in February. Since then I've found myself gravitating to this album over and over and over again especially when I'm on the road. Like Shovels & Rope, the songs burst with seemingly more energy than they can contain and often times feel right on the brink of falling apart, but the musicians are all too good to let that happen. Songs like "Stuck On You" show that the band isn't a one trick pony by slowing things down and getting a bit sentimental amidst the controlled chaos around it. Seriously this album is just so good and should be heard by many more people. I imagine Suburban Dirts would be wonderful to see in person, but as I'm stuck on the wrong side of the Atlantic Ocean, for now I'll just have to settle for the exceptional consolation prize of having this album to listen to whenever I want.

9) Heartless Bastards - Arrow

Heartless Bastards certainly know how to rock, but their name shouldn't scare you off. Apparently the band chose the name after seeing it as an incorrect possible answer to the question "What is the name of Tom Petty's backing band?" on one of those bar trivia consoles. Fans of the wonderful show Friday Night Lights may remember this band as the one that coach's daughter and Saracen went to go see. That's really neither here nor there though. This has been a great year for fans of strong female vocalists because like Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes and Cary Ann Hearst of Shovels & Rope lead singer Erika Wennerstrom has a phenomenal voice and she doesn't hold back. "Parted Ways" and "Skin and Bones" are my two favorite tracks, but the album is solid from beginning to end. I remember listening to their previous album a bit when it came out, but this record just stuck in my mind. Any time I need a bit of energy this is one of the first albums I think to turn to.

8) Hip Hatchet - Joy and Better Days

Hip Hatchet is the newest addition to this list. Despite the excellent bloggers at We Listen For You singing the praises of this album for months, I didn't get around to listening to it until a few days ago. Now I'm mad at myself that I've missed out on months of listening to this album. Hip Hatchet is the recording name of Portland based folk musician Philippe Bronchtein. It's hard (for me anyway) to put quite in to words why this album works so well, what makes it stand out in an overwhelming sea of seemingly similar artists. We Listen For You did it much better in their review, so I'll just link that here and highly recommend reading it (and learning a little about Nick Drake in the process). I felt weird putting an album I've only heard a few times and only been aware of for a week or so this high on my countdown, but honestly I think if I redid the list in a week or a month Hip Hatchet would be even higher. I know a lot of people don't spend money on music anymore, but I hope people can make an exception for artists like Hip Hatchet who don't have the backings of a big label behind them but are still making amazingly beautiful art. If you like the album, consider buying it here and you can pick up an old EP for free as a reward.

7) Of Monsters and Men - My Head Is An Animal

When I first heard the Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men back in February, I had seen the name around but didn't know much about them. Now it seems like the band is everywhere, but that doesn't surprise me too much given just how darn good their album is. "Little Talks" is probably my favorite song of 2012. I just can't find any fault with the song. It's wonderful. Fortunately, the band had more in them than just that song and almost the whole album is wonderful. "Mountain Sound" and "King and Lionheart" are two more of my favorites. When I make a list like this it is always a snapshot in time and I wonder how much things will change. How many of these albums will I still be listening to in two years or five years or more? It's hard to say because a lot can change, but this is one album that I can see myself continuing to play for quite some time without tiring of it. I don't often care for live videos over recorded songs, but something about this song and setting is just so perfect. Take a second to check it out. 

6) Hayden Calnin - City EP

This year has been an incredible year for music in my opinion. Part of that is artists like Of Monsters and Men, Alabama Shakes, and Michael Kiwanuka that have achieved some considerable level of success. However, a lot of it is these smaller artists that I've found that haven't yet made it big (but hopefully for their sakes someday will). Like Hip Hatchet and Suburban Dirts, the Australian Hayden Calnin has been an artist that I just couldn't believe more people weren't listening to when I first heard him. This is the only EP in my top 50 albums because usually there just isn't enough music there for me to rank it over something two or three times as long that's also good. However, Hayden Calnin made the most of his five tracks and I not only couldn't leave it off the list, I couldn't help but include it this high. It practically is an LP in my music library because it's almost impossible for me to just listen to it once through without immediately starting it right back up at the beginning.  Honestly, the only thing I'm holding against this album is that it's only an EP. That's it. You can read what I wrote about the album previously here. Meanwhile I'm going to zone out to this amazing EP. You can click here to join me in doing the same.


Only five albums to come. Feel free to share any predictions for what they may be in the comments. I'd love to hear guesses. Here's another mix of songs off today's albums to keep you busy until the last five are posted tomorrow. Enjoy!