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Best Of 2013


25.  The Ocean Blue – Ultramarine:  The band that everyone always thought was British but weren’t are back with a new release full of lush guitars and dream pop.  Swirling melodies layered with soft vocals build to create a haunting yet pleasant wall of sound. 

24.  The Polyphonic Spree – Yes, It’s True:  The Spree were one of those bands that I liked but would grow bored of quite quickly due to their gimmick.  This time around they produced a record full of songs that had some substance and could hold up after repeated listens.  The acid house church choir have honed their skills and focused the sound into a tighter package that wasn’t so open and free. 

23.  Tanya Donnelly – Swan Songs Vol 1-3:  After a 7 year hiatus, Tanya returns with Swan Songs a collection of songs spread across 3 EP’s featuring her trademark melodies and various guest musicians.  According to Tanya she plans on retiring from music and this was her way of controlling her exit.  The songs are more organic with heavy elements of country and folk.

22.  Stereophonics – Grafatti On The Train:  The Stereophonics have been one of those bands that I had a love/hate relationship with.  With the different genre experiments, Kelly Jones has produced some amazing releases and some big duds.  This time around the Stereophonics gave up on the trends and did what they do best.  Other than the awful duet with the late Amy Whinehouse the whole cd is amazing.

21.  My Bloody Valentine – MBV:  It only took 22 years but it was worth the wait.  MBV returned with a sonic assault on your mind.  The fuzzy and layered guitars drenched in feedback envelop the whispering vocals that meander around looking for a home.  2012 saw a return of some Trip Hop heavyweights while 2013 welcomed the pioneers of Shoegaze back. 

20.  Bleached – Ride Your Heart:  Ramones punk, 60’s sunshine, fuzzy guitars, a bit of surf and attitude is a good way to describe the Bleached debut.  These sisters write simple songs but they are catchy and have some longevity to them.  They pay homage to the fun lovin boy/girl themes of the 60’s but add a level of grime to bring it up to modern times. 

19.  Widowspeak – Almanac:  I really didn’t want to like this record.  They are just another Brooklyn Hipster band that all the idiot bloggers raved on about a couple years ago.  The 70’s throwback Fleetwood Mac rip off was enough to make me walk away but I just couldn’t.   They took the best of shoegaze and blended it with American folk something I wasn’t expecting.  So yes while the bulk of Brooklyn is full of wankers and pretentious music snobs there are some hidden gems such as Widowspeak and The National. 

18.  Amanda Shires – Down Fell The Doves:  Amanda and her fiddle have returned with a collection of songs that are deeper and more personal than before.  Amanda channels Nick Cave for a murder ballad and with the help of Jason Isobell adds a bit of grit to the underlying sound. 

17.  Houndmouth – From The Hills Below The City:  Boozy saloon and southern charm is a good way to sum up Houndmouth.  The male/female vocals over a mix of country/folk melodies written about a bygone era stood out and kept me interested all year. 

16.  Kitchens Of Distinction:  Folly:  After 18 years KOD return with a complex release full of tension, atmosphere and shoegazing melodies.  Deeply personal lyrics drag you into Patrick Fitzgerald’s mind and take you on a trip thru ones life as they age and face the world and all it has to offer. 

15.  David Bowie – The Next Day:  10 years later and with no warning David Bowie dropped ‘The Next Day’ onto us.  It caught everyone off guard but it was well worth the wait.  David reminded us that he wasn’t dead and that he just operates on his own schedule.  The songs wade thru his many styles and sum up what makes David such an amazing musician.  After the last R.E.M. record, which took their 31 years and packaged it up into a nice retrospective of sounds, I wonder if Bowie is doing the same.  Lets hope not and I would love to have more from the man himself.

14. Tricky – False Idols:  I had given up on Tricky over a decade ago but when he decided to essentially remake ‘Maxinquaye’ I decided to give it a listen.  This is the Tricky from the 90s, well minus Martina and replaced with a new sultry lady.  The songs are layered with hazy beats, smoky vocals and everything great about Trip Hop.

13.  Suede – Bloodsports:  After a short hiatus, Brett Anderson brought the band back together to make a proper release and something worthy of Suede.  All the glam, tight production, swooning vocals and melancholy melodies one needs to relive the mid 90s Brit Rock scene. 

12.  Moby – Innocents:  After a couple of cold, dark and downtempo releases, Moby returns with an eclectic mix of songs featuring amazing guest vocals.  With his knack for pulling obscure people into the spotlight Moby did it again with Al Spx a.k.a. Cold Sparks.  Her songs expand the electronic soundscape breathing life and warmth into a chilly experience.  Moby also recruits Mark Lanegan and Wayne Coyne to join the fun.

11.  The Editors – The Weight Of Your Love:  I have always enjoyed The Editors the UK’s answer to Interpol many years ago.  They layer their sound with heavy keys, toned down guitar, dark and brooding vocals and thick atmosphere.  The Editors add more orchestration to this record, which adds to the complexity of their sound. 

10.  The Head & The Heart – Let’s Be Still:  I loved their debut release, fun Americana songs full of sunshine and bits of quirkiness.  I was worried that they would have some issues with their sophomore release but was gladly proven wrong.  The songs have a similar style but have taken a softer and deeper approach focusing more on the instrumentation than the vocals. 

9.  Beady Eye – BE:  Liam and the gang return with their sophomore release and do their best to differentiate themselves from Oasis.  They do a better job at keeping the songs tailored to a single style and not so all over the place like their debut.  You still have tons of 60s influences mixed with Gallagher charm. 

8.  Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Push The Sky Away:  Air, space and atmosphere are not things you think of when listening to Nick Cave but this release is all of that.  It catches you off guard but draws you in and makes you part of Nick’s world.  The preacher Nick has been replaced with the fireside Nick who just wants to tell you a story.  I am curious to see how these songs sound live and have no doubt that Nick won’t disappoint.

7.  Tired Pony – The Ghost Of The Mountain:  The first time I heard them I had no idea it was Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol.  The vocals sounded familiar but the sound was much different.  Gary pulled in some amazing musicians for this record Scott McCaughey, Peter Buck, Lisa Hannigan and Richard Colburn to name a few.  It’s a supergroup of Scottish and West Coast musicians.  The styles range from Alt Country to Americana and keep your toes tapping from song to song.  

6.  Josh Ritter – The Beast In Its Tracks:  Josh strips it down and plays softly with his latest release.  The introspective songs sound great on headphones and put you in the head of an amazing singer songwriter.  They are quiet, humbling and full of melodies that calm and put you at ease. 

5.  Morcheeba – Head Held High:  Morcheeba took a break from their signature Trip Hop and decided to pick up the tempo and experiment with Dub step, House, Rock and Steady.  For the purists you may not enjoy but listen carefully to the beats to understand how good the styles flow together.  Morcheeba does bring it back home with some amazing downtempo peppered throughout.

4.  Travis – Where You Stand:  After a few subpar releases, Travis find their stride and put together a solid release that rivals ‘The Man Who’ and ‘The Invisible Band’.  This release is Brit Rock at its finest.  It still amazes me how Coldplay became as big as they are and Travis lagged behind.  Fran Healy can write circles around Chris Martin yet no one seems to notice.

3.  Josh Rouse – The Happiness Waltz:  Josh returns to the soft AM 70s sound with his latest release ‘The Happiness Waltz’.  His great melodies get your toes tapping while you sing-along.  Josh has played around with many styles throughout the years and is willing to experiment with his sound.  He does a great job of blending elements from his back catalog without going too retro.

2.  Jagwar Ma – Howlin:  Parts Happy Mondays and Stone Roses, this Australian band took on the music world with addictive songs that pay homage to the glory days of the Madchester scene.  Backwards loops, heavy keys, and whispering vocals add to this late night chill escapade.  First time I heard “Come Save Me” I was hooked.  They remind me of Kasabian and how those guys crafted modern sounds from the late 80s’ 90’s and made it their own. 

1.  The National - Trouble Will Find Me:  After ‘High Violet’ the best cd of the decade, I wasn’t sure if The National had it in them for a proper follow up.  I expected a few years between releases since they had embarked on a multiyear tour but they surprised me with this.  While its not as strong as their previous CD it’s not a dud either.  The songs are a bit lighter, more airy and easier on your mind.  It’s as if the guys let out a huge sigh and said “Wow that weight is gone now its time to have some fun”.  This release grows on you and gives you a new side of The National, one that can laugh and not be so serious.

Posted by mardenhill 12/27/2013 09:39:00 AM  

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