This year kicked ass for music – and it was awesome to be constantly excited and surprised after two uneventful years in a row. The unexpected release of the new NIN album and discovering the debut from Lust For Youth – rookies from Copenhagen – were just some of this year’s highlights. But the real winner this year is a band who is trying to revitalize rock and roll at time when people don’t give a shit about the place guitar has in music because they’d rather get down to mindless beats and dub step. So if are looking for Kanye West, shitty pop bangerz, or things to twerk to – move the fuck along. Goodbye 2013 and hello 2014!
20. Deerhunter –
MonomaniaMonomaniais much more rock and roll than their previous album. Given Bradford Cox’s recent rants, interviews, and other musical outputs – going in this direction seemed inevitable. But the real winner and stand out track is “Leather Jacket 2,” which showcases the band in their grittiest moment.
19. College –
HeritageThis album always put me in a good mood this year. What I hear a lot of is that College channeled their inner Drive soundtrack in the making of this excellent second album. Nicolas Winding Refn – you should consider hiring this guys for your next film score.
18. The Field –
Cupid’s headAxel Willner doesn’t change his sound on album number four, but he does change his tone. The album is a darker version of his signature sound. Listening to this album powers getting lost in melancholy thoughts, but it never takes you all the way down to your darkest depths.
17. Jel –
Late PassLate Passis a throwback to the old Anticon sound we love. In typical Jel style, the beats are both relentless and ambient, cooled over by muddled vocals. Lyrically, Jel’s lyrics reflect current times with references to the economy and the music industry. It may be his “late pass” because it took him forever to release a follow up record under his solo name. But better late than never… I’d say now is when we need him most!
16. Var –
No One Dances Quite Like My BrothersVar is the darker and more gritty counterpart to Lust For Youth’sPerfect View. Var puts an emphasis on mood and ambiance for their brand of lo-fi synth pop. Mixing these two albums together made for the ultimate synthy mix tape.
15. The Knife –
Shaking the HabitualThe Knife are wise beyond their years. The structure and music ofShaking the Habitualis so ahead of most of us, that fans and music critics alike still cannot fully comprehend it. It’s a vortex spinning with a mix of ambient noise, world music, and techno. Even though the album is a heady adventure, there are still moments of typical Swedish pop genius with songs like “Without You My Life Would Be Nothing” and “Raging Lung.” The overall vibe of this Knife release had a strong political agenda and a message to encourage feminism. If you are going to be righteous, this is the way to do it!
14. Boards of Canada –
Tomorrow’s HarvestBoards of Canada have always been the ultimate choice for bedtime music and a tool for when you’re trying to be creative, on multiple platforms. I wanted more of that, so I didn’t want them to fix what wasn’t broken. OnTomorrow’s Harvest, Boards of Canada continue to do what they do best, and in a way that’s a little more refined than their previous work. The real highlight of the album is the pop-oriented track, “Reach For The Dead.”
13. Lust For Youth –
Perfect ViewLust For Youth’sPerfect Viewand Var’s debut album share a similar lo fi synth sound. That’s not surprising – both bands are from the same punk scene in Copenhagen, Denmark and belong to the label Posh Isolation overseas. The difference with Lust For Youth is that they write catchier hooks. This was my secret weapon of 2013, anytime someone asked me what they should listen to this year – because they probably hadn’t heard of these guys. But maybe soon their music will find its way onto a dance floor near you!
12. Darkside –
PsychicThis debut album combines ambient noise, electronic music, and psychedelic prog rock with the distant echoes of folk. This record is worth exploring for its diverse sound. It’s a perfect choice anytime or on those days you don’t know what you’re in the mood for.
11. Factory Floor –
Factory FloorThis is one of the best electronic albums of 2013. Playing this album made me tense at times, and pumped up during others. It takes techno’s jarring pulse and echoes of post punk, and worms its way through your body. From there, it’s as if the music forces you to release a physical energy, and then the need to go blow it off!
10. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds –
Push The Sky AwayOn Push The Sky Away, Nick Cave references everything from modern technology, nature, and growing old – similar to Grinderman’s last album. Over Cave’s lyrics is a lush soundtrack with arrangements that could easily be used as music for a film. The overall vibe of this album makes it an optimal choice for those walks through Prospect Park.
9. Chelsea Wolfe –
Pain Is BeautyBeing evil never sounded or felt so good! OnPain Is Beauty, Chelsea Wolfe writes catchy hooks that haunt you for days. It combines dark electronic beats and post punk with the psych folk many have to come to love her for. This album was a somber listen but in an oddly mellow and comforting way.
8. My Bloody Valentine –
mvbMy Bloody Valentine’s long awaited third album is as much a blast from the past as it is a leap forward to the future. Kevin Shields returnsmbvto its roots, while experimenting with drum and bass, and a cleaner sound. It brought back memories of when I first discoveredLovelessand became obsessed with the dreamy distortion – something all MBV fans were hoping to hear again because we all wondered if we would ever get more. Back then I thought, “What would MBV be like if they were still making music ten years from now?” Now my new question is “Will the band ever release another album?” Honestly, I’m doubtful. It took him nearly 20 years to get this one out. So, this could really be it – but if it is, it ends on a high note.
7. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club –
Specter at the FeastWhen I first heardSpecter at the Feast, I felt confused about the album. I wasn’t too sure what opinion to form about it, which was a first for me with this band. The album is weirdly disjointed with a wide range of emotions from sorrow and anger to fear and later happiness. Listening to the record is almost like sitting in on a therapy session with the band. But at the end of the album, B.R.M.C. is more clear and focused than ever. Once I realized what the album was about, a new skin for the band, I ended up loving the album. And with songs like “Sell It” and “Rival,” there is no question that B.R.M.C. is still the best true rock band in music today.
6. Iceage –
You’re NothingWe all need a record to put on when we feel angry, right? This year,You’re Nothingwas that record for me… and what a perfect title, too! On album number two, Iceage made a punk rock masterpiece that will one day sit beside Refused’sThe Shape of Punk to Come. Iceage have only tweaked their sound in subtle ways, with bolder songwriting and more polish with dense recording elements, but they are just as depressive and self-loathing as they have ever been. Just how and why we like them.
5. The National –
Trouble Will Find meThis is not the record to listen to when you are getting through a breakup. Not if your goal is to stop feeling depressed. For half a year, I enjoyed this record with a girlfriend and even cried with her at how beautiful the songs are onTrouble Will Find Me. Sometime later, I found myself alone – laughing and admiring Matt Berninger’s clever and sarcastic lyrical content. Along with the lyrics of the album and the darkly morose vibe, the music has a stripped down minimal feel that was the opposite of High Violet’s grandiose sound. In this instance, that really hit the spot. In order for The National to change it up and offer something different, they had to strip back the layers of their past musical chops and move forward with a more simple and intense version of what they do best.
4. Atoms For Peace –
AmokWhat I loved aboutAmokis how it blurred the lines between what music is played on an instrument and what’s made on a computer. After several listens, I still couldn’t figure out what sounds are coming from what. Regardless of what’s synthetic sound or actually human played instrumentation, the men of Atoms For Peace ended up making an album that mixes the power of seduction with energy that makes it hard not to move your body. With that being said, this was for sure the go-to sex record of the year.
3. Arcade Fire –
ReflektorThe music industry talked about how Arcade Fire went disco this year, butReflektoris far more rock and roll than disco. With influences ranging from Bowie, Talking Heads, The Clash, and even The Beatles, how could this album not be more rock than disco? Throughout Arcade Fire’s love- letter-to-rock, it embraces two different fundamental sounds. Disc one is far more energetic and danceable, and disc two is more airy and laid back. This album was equally a record to rock out and chill out to!
2. Nine Inch Nails –
Hesitation MarksThis is Trent Reznor’s best album sinceWith Teeth. Not only is it his best since 2005, but also it’s the most dance-oriented album since 1989′sPretty Hate Machine. With Reznor’s last few albums under the NIN moniker, his sound was getting predictable. But on album number eight, he shakes things up a bit by taking influences from modern electronic music while sticking true to his signature style. Tracks like “Came Back Haunted”, “Running”, and “Copy of A” are perfect examples of Reznor mashing his old style with new surprises and a modern electronic twist. I will be dancing all the way to the grave with a beer in hand to this album – and as a hardcore NIN fan, that’s saying a lot!
1. Savages –
Silence YourselfA majority (not all, because I have 20 favorite albums here) of indie music – if that’s what you want to call it these days – has been characterless and mundane for some time now. I can’t talk aboutSilence Yourselfwithout mentioning indie music because the album spits in the face of everything that is popular. What I loved about this record is that it demands your full attention, in a time where people “focus” on social media and TMZ grade gossip. Savages will have you locked in and hooked with songs that are as crafty and thoughtful as a straight up punk rock tune can be. Keep it simple but powerful, people! I can only hope for Savages to influence bringing more engaging rock acts to surface in music, in 2014 and beyond.
Honorable Mentions
Tags: Arcade Fire, Atoms for Peace, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Boards of Canada, Chelsea Wolfe, College, Darkside, Deafheaven, Deerhunter, Factory Floor, Forest Swords, Future, Iceage, Jel, Lust for Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Nice Cave and the Bad Seeds, Nine Inch Nails, No Joy, Savages, The Field, The Knife, The KVB, The National, VAR