Best Of 2013

Anything music related. Latest songs, good new bands, and blasts from the past.

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numbersix
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Re: Best Of 2013

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Album #4. James Blake, "Overgrown"

Revisionist dubstepper James Blake followed up his impressive debut with an arguably greater record. It digs deeper in emotions, avoids the usual cliches of second albums dealing with fame and fortune (indeed, in the title tune he sings "I don't want to be a star, but a stone on the shore", suggesting longetivity and work are far more interesting to him than the superficial consequences of becoming famous). A beautiful record, perhaps best suited late at neon-lit night. And there's an excellent collaboration with Brian Eno too.




Song #4. Mark Kozelek and Jimmy Lavelle, "What Happened to my Brother"

You have to hand it to Sun Kil Moon/Red House Painter singer Mark Kozelek. He may be getting older but that's only making him impatient. This year saw him release three albums: a covers record, a collaboration with the guitarist of RHP, and this record made with Album Leaf. It's his first foray into anything resembling electronic music, and even though it sounds rudimentary it suits his gentle observations. This song is a real highlight, a moving lament about Kozelek's mentally ill brother, fictional or not.


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Leestu
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Re: Best Of 2013

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Album #4 Abbe May, "Kiss My Apocalypse"
Local artist uses less rock and more electronica for her second album and it works. An interesting atmospheric album dripping in sexuality. Good for just a few tantalising songs or to go all the way with the whole thing.
"Karmageddon" http://youtu.be/bDJx-yLk3d0

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silversurfer19
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Re: Best Of 2013

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For some reason I've always avoided James Blake's work. Don't know why in particular, perhaps it's the kind of preppy name or something, but I listened to him play on Jools Holland a couple of months ago, the song that's been getting a lot of airplay, and I was very impressed. The late night vibe is certainly very present here, it has a real mood to it that I like, and will probably get around to picking up the record soon enough. The Mark Kozalek song was also very nice, though not as immediate as some of the songs you played in the song/album countdowns.

As regards to the Abbe May record, I also got a very sexy vibe to it all, reminded me a little of The Kills or Alison Mosshart in particular mixed with some Peaches, all sleaze and filthy rotten. Exactly how I like my rock music! Will keep an eye out for her, sounds like another promising new act.

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silversurfer19
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Re: Best Of 2013

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3. Queens Of The Stone Age, "...Like Clockwork"

Ever since "Lullabies To Paralyze", I'd been coming to terms with the fact that QotSA would never make another record to come close to either "Rated R or Songs For The Deaf". But just when all hope is lost, expectations thoroughly lowered, and long time drummer Joey Castillo leaves the band, the Queens pull this record out of the bag. It's not a record brimming with the 'in your face' immediacy of their first few records, but Homme has proven how his songwriting and musicianship have matured over the years, and this is certainly a majestic record that just gets better and better with more listens. It's an album of subtleties, intricate layers, and brings together ideas from all their previous records as Homme literally picks the band up from the pieces that lie on the floor and surges life back through its veins. The grooves for Era Vulgaris are on show, the aggressive riffs of Songs, the pure pop of Rated R, but there is an overall sense of darkness within the record; a murky, intense seduction that you know is dangerous, but you are unable to resist, and so keep going back for more.

Will we have to wait another 10 years for a QotSA record to galvanise our hearts in such a manner? If it comes out as good as this, I'm willing to wait.

"I Appear Missing"

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Leestu
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Re: Best Of 2013

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Album #3 Portugal. The Man, "Evil Friends"

Another album that took me by surprise. I love the lead singers voice but I've found that while some singles are good, albums from bands in this indie pop/rock genre tend to be a bit tedious and dull. That is not the case on this album produced by Danger Mouse. They get the mix of variety without being all over the place right. It might not have any standout immediate impact tracks but there are no skippable filler tracks either. Just a damn fine feel good album from beginning to end that I unexpectedly find myself keep coming back to....and I just love his voice!

"Creep in a T-Shirt" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daB9QRw ... ata_player

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numbersix
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Re: Best Of 2013

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Album #3 Thee Oh Sees, "Floating Coffin"

Good to see SS support the cause of San Francisco's coolest act. These guys are an awesome experience live, and in this record they captured their energy and ability perfectly. The songs are playful but not repetitive, and sadly work together as a swansong, for last week they announced a hiatus. Shame, but at least we have this to remember them by.




Song #3 Kanye West, "Blood on the Leaves"

Huh? The year's most mocked man, and rightfully so, continues to defy by making occasionally stunning music. His record Yeezus was an abrasive antidote to his previous albums pop-rap synthesis, laying down aggressive electro beats (some courtesy of Daft Punk). There are some highlights to the uneven record, such as the blistering single Black Skinhead, and the clever New Slaves, but this is my favourite. I never thought I'd be able to stomach a rap musician sampling the late and great Nina Simone, particularly her iconic version of the slavery song Strange Fruit, but Kanye manages to use it to insert melodrama into a story of breakup and divorce.



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silversurfer19
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Re: Best Of 2013

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2. Arcade Fire, "Reflektor"

I know this won't go well with a certain Canadian member of the site, but I was stunned by the new direction Arcade Fire had taken with this magnum of a record. Obviously having James Murphy on board had a big influence, as the band's music is infused with a great big wedge of funk and dance providing so much diversity, ensuring that as a listener you are constantly surprised by each song. Yet the band somehow manage to hold it all together, ensuring it still remains a coherent listen.

Listening to the record in its entirety is like following the band on a night out, wandering through the dark and murky streets of some neon lit city, dropping in on mysterious bars and clubs to purvey their unique atmosphere's before, as with the latter part of the record, finding some sort of serendipitous eutopia within the ambient moonlight. Heavy basslines, whispered vocals, a more electronic approach; ambitious is a word often monikered on a record like this, and here, for once, it is apt. There is so much going on on the record, and perhaps a little editing towards the ending of a couple of songs would have made the record one to go down in history as one of the greats, yet nevertheless, it's still a fantastic record, and one I keep finding myself returning to late at night.

"Here Comes The Night Time"

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Leestu
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Re: Best Of 2013

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Album #2 The Drones, "I See Seaweed" This album was not a surprise. After such awesome songs in the past such as Jezebel, and Sharkfin Blues (If you haven't heard these two songs yet I almost insist you check them out) I expected a lot from this Aussie hard rock/blues band and this album does not disappoint. Intense is the best description for it exemplified by the opening title track. Other highlights are A Moat You Can Stand In, Nine Eyes, and the brilliant closer to the album Why Write a Letter That You'll Never Send.

"I See Seaweed" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr69pou ... ata_player

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JohnErle
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Re: Best Of 2013

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silversurfer19 wrote:2. Arcade Fire, "Reflektor"

I know this won't go well with a certain Canadian member of the site, but I was stunned by the new direction Arcade Fire had taken with this magnum of a record. ]
Well, I'm glad someone took the time to read my blog post, even if no one can be bothered to watch my YouTube playlist. ;-)

And yes, I still say Reflektor is a disappointing album. The direction the band is taking reminds me of U2's Zooropa era, which bordered on career suicide, and it's all the more shocking because James Murphy was involved. However, I did enjoy hearing the only decent song on the album featured in the trailer for Her.

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Leestu
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Re: Best Of 2013

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I watched your playlist John, (and by the way listened to your podcast last year too). It was a pretty chilled listen for the most part with The National being the highlight, even though I wasn't as impressed with their album this year compared to High Violet, an album I now love, and Daft Punk and the too country female singer I can't recall the name of being the only songs I actively disliked.

As for others' songs love Thee Oh Sees. After hearing Thumbcutter (great song) I spent an hour or two listening to other songs of theirs, and yesterday picked up the album and also the QOTSA album. Also I'm not a fan of Arcade Fire either!

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JohnErle
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Re: Best Of 2013

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No worries, Leestu. I just thought it was funny my playlist had gotten so few comments, perhaps because it wasn't presented in countdown form like everyone else? And yeah, I noticed how mellow my favourites were this year as I was putting it together. Part of the reason is that I hate the sound of extreme compression, and that seems to be the only way anyone knows how to produce rock music any more, so I spend most of my time looking for new music in other genres.

Vampire Weekend are a perfect example of a casualty of the Loudness Wars. Their first two albums were full of great songs ruined by horrible production, so I never gave the new album anything more than a quick listen. The songs didn't grab me so I never bothered to explore it further because I knew the sound quality would be awful and therefore useless to me as A DJ.

BTW, I never heard of Abby May before but she's worth another look. Other recent picks I liked: Phosphorescent and James Blake.

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numbersix
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Re: Best Of 2013

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Album #2. Arcade Fire, "Reflektor"

SNAP! Have to echo SS's compliments for this brave and rewarding album. Interestingly, I didn't like it upon the first few listens, and wasn't initially impressed by the first single. However, track by track the album grew on me, and now I see it as a bold move, a band taking in lots of new ideas and elements without sounding completely unlike themselves, thanks in part to the record's unifying lyrical themes of love, passion, and their role in a virtual age.

I love how they can just assimilate styles as diverse as dancehall, ska, 80s indie, synth pop, Berlin-era Bowie, glam rock, and make it fit. Well, almost. I agree that some songs go on to long, others go to far (Awful Sound just soars, but out of this galaxy), and there are a few duds (closing track Supersymmetry does nothing for me, and Normal Person sounds lazy), but damn, the ambition and the band's firey passion (which is what was lacking in Zooropa, in my humble opinion) make me forgive the flaws. In a way, it reminds me of London Calling in its scope, and that's a hell of a pair of shoes to fit into.

This also deserves two tracks

"Porno"


"Joan of Arc"



Song #2. Priests, "Radiation"

This upcoming Washington DC act (the birth of hardcore, one might say) shows plenty of promise with this simple, but damn powerful song that builds and delivers. The vocals are raw and nasty, just the way they should be.


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JohnErle
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Re: Best Of 2013

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I think a better comparison would be "Sandinista!" In both cases, the band's reach far exceeded their grasp and the end result was a bloated mess of an album. But at least Sandinista! had some great songs, which is something I would never accuse Reflektor of having.

If I can't spend Christmas arguing with my family I may as well spend it arguing with you guys. It's the next best thing. ;-)

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numbersix
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Re: Best Of 2013

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JohnErle wrote:I think a better comparison would be "Sandinista!" In both cases, the band's reach far exceeded their grasp and the end result was a bloated mess of an album. But at least Sandinista! had some great songs, which is something I would never accuse Reflektor of having.

If I can't spend Christmas arguing with my family I may as well spend it arguing with you guys. It's the next best thing. ;-)
Now look what you've done. Surfer is crying and ran off to his bedroom, and Chien drank too much mulled wine and is groping the Kevin Costner poster again.

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JohnErle
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Re: Best Of 2013

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numbersix wrote:Now look what you've done. Surfer is crying and ran off to his bedroom, and Chien drank too much mulled wine and is groping the Kevin Costner poster again.
:lol: And Buscemi is upset because Geezer won't stop making faces at him. I swear, it's the same damn thing every year.

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