Best 10 Albums of Any Sort and the Highlights from them.
10. Perfume Genius – Put Your Back N 2 It
A band in theory is really the subtle masterwork of a young singer/songwriter from Seattle by the name of Mike Hadreas. Strong lush Piano and heartfelt vocals make this album some of the prettiest notes delivered this year. It is way outside of my wheelhouse being this impressed with such soft and low key emotive tunes, but his sense of melody and mood are simply masterful. Depression rock, Study Rock, Chamber Pop, whatever you call it, I will be excited to see what this 31 year old may do next. Album highlights are songs, Dark Parts, Hood, and Take Me Home
9. Animal Collective – Centipede Hz
These guys test the ear with chaotic and challenging delivery that I must admit is not for everyone. Very psychedelic and often scatter brained, these fellows from the Baltimore environs are all under the age of 35 have now been releasing albums since 1999. Experimental song structures and oddly ornamented layers of sound will not be appreciated by traditional rock purists, yet there are many hooks to uncover for the patient and adventurous music observer. Check out tracks called Father Time, Amanita, and Mercury Man
8. Tame Impala – Lonerism
Led by a 26 year old Western Australian by the name of Kevin Parker, this band wears it’s psychedelic roots unapologetically on it’s sleeve. Reverb drenched walls of sound hearken back to the Todd Rundgren, ELP, and other Progressive song merchants of the early seventies when technology was used to transmit more late sixties thoughts in a hazy and audacious manner. They bear resemblance to the Flaming Lips, and other Neo Psychedelic contemporaries, but have great tonality and harmony throughout. Hardly druggy for the sake of being druggy, like some of the 90’s Psych revivalists. It’s remarkable to think what is ahead for these young Aussies who I must say, have a remarkable stage presence and live act despite the massive amounts of production in the recording. Check out songs, Music to Walk Home By, Feels Like We Only Go Backwards, and Apocalypse Dreams.
7. Tennis – Young & Old
This Husband and Wife duo from Denver Colorado released a rather charming nautically themed concept album that captivated me last year. While thinking they had flash in the pan written all over them, I grabbed this album produced by the steady hand of the Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney and have kept it rotating at high frequency all year with infectiously pretty singing of Alaina Moore. Piano, guitar and plenty of reverb have been a recurring theme of a lot of my favorite tunes from my few years of emoting on the music that drives this music lover, and this album is no exception. Check out great songs like. Petition, High Road, and a bonus track they did on Amazon MP3 versions of the release called Las Vegas
6. The Fresh & Onlys – Long Slow Dance
This San Francisco Indie Rock band is a Garage Rock revivalist that oozes Paisley Underground California Lo-Fi sound that great under-appreciated acts like Dream Syndicate, Green on Red, and Translator treated the sunshine state to in the eighties. These guys also remind me of awesome underground bands like Echo & The Bunnymen and Aussie college rockers The Go-Betweens. Great hooks and a fundamentally great rhythm section this band twangs away with the best of alt country influences predominating in a very satisfying listen. Surf rock sounds mixed with reverb use reminiscent of the finest dream pop from the North Sea. These guys have it all as far as I’m concerned and am I mystified more has not been made of this great album in at least the circles I frequent to feed my musical curiosity. Check out the great songs, Do What I Came to Do, Dream Girls, and Fire Alarm.
5. Beach House – Bloom
This Baltimore Dream Pop band defies a decidedly sunny moniker to make some of the moodiest shoegazing this side of Mazzy Star. Lead singer Victoria Legrand has a rather hauntingly beautiful voice that shares a lot of soulful nature the tragically wasted talent Amy Winehouse exhibited. Control and Ego are not of a concern with the now effortless songcraft that this mid-atlantic indie mainstay are delivering. Fans of The Velvet Underground, The Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, Portishead, and more recently the XX, and Coldplay I think could all unite in exploring this very consistent ethereal rock band that doesn’t get the notoriety they I believe they truly deserve. Check out some breathtakingly good tunes like, Other People, The Hours, and New Year.
4. King Tuff – King Tuff
A downright fun album of garage rock mastery that came out of nowhere for me. Nasal and a tad whiny on his vocal delivery are completely overwhelmed by the hook laden guitar rockers that permeate this entire LP. There is a leisurely and playful cadence to the entire album that is awful refreshing relative to how overly serious many good acts have become to the image and perception of their art. Not so much an indictment of other artists, this album just has a don’t give a shit swagger that makes it so highly listenable in this ones humble opinion. Check out the hot rockers on this one called Keep on Movin, Alone and Stoned, and Baby Just Break. Anthem, and Swamp of Love are also quite stellar.
3. The Walkmen – Heaven
These guys are amongst a crop of some of greatest contemporary indie rock bands of the 2000 and later and have become in my mind a musical commodity that can be relied on for fantastic tunes. Formed in 2000 in NYC, with members from DC and Philly, these guys nailed their first two Lp’s. I believe that the next couple of albums lacked some of the urgency and cohesion the early work had, so I approached this album with tempered expectations. As I have spun this album more and more through the year, it has just put to rest any notions I had that these guys are going through the motions in releasing great music. Great rhythm guitar, simply amazing piano, and the vocal prowess of Hamilton Leithauser make these guys an extremely approachable listen on every level. I believe this album would resonate heavily with music lovers from all eras because the songs are just so straight forwardly likeable. Check out amazing numbers like Song For Leigh, Heaven, and Love is Luck but don’t be afraid to absorb the entire LP.
2. Yeasayer – Fragrant World
This Electronic Indie Rock band from Brooklyn has been around since 2006 and on their third LP, they continue to push creative boundaries and dole out massive hooks and luscious polyrhythms. Highly syncopated and downright tribal beats blend with an amalgam of pop and Non Western sounds to create some of the most creative song craft of the 2000’s. While Yeasayer wears tons of Post Punk and New Wave influence on their shoulders, yet they are always massively creative and unique. After their second pop heavy album Odd Blood, these guys dropped a little of the harmonic glimmer for more exotic and challenging melodies and time signature. This album grows and grows with repeated listening as little elements reveal themselves like a good psychological thriller for the ears. Many of the indie critics in my mind were way to early in dismissing this album as one of the years finest. The first time I heard many of these tracks, I found myself a tad disappointed until I really sat down and fully absorbed the album in all it’s beauty and uncovered it’s many layers. I tried very hard to overplay this LP to no avail. 20 plus listens later, grooves like “Henrietta” and “Damaged Goods” keep me coming back for more. Another amazing song from this highly ornamented listen is the chaotic “Folk Hero Schtick.” If resistant to the danceable nature of this highly synthesized sound, Yeasayer may not be for you, but if you have ever enjoyed a delivery like New Order, Moby or other Dance Rock icons, I think you will undoubtedly dig this great band. I cannot wait to see what they think of next. Be sure to explore the above mentioned tracks and Fingers Never Bleed, Devil and the Deed, and Reagan’s Skeleton as well.
1. Django Django – Django Django
This Edinburgh Scotland band has captivated me with a breathtaking LP that I just could not stop spinning in 2012. Tribal world beat rhythms, a healthy dose of hypnotic synthesizers, and mammoth vocal harmonies that exude a ton of influence from The Beach Boys, CSN&Y, The Byrds, and other Three part giants from yesteryear. These guys are cosmically psychedelic, but in a much different way from the a band like the before mentioned Tame Impala. These songs are full of great grooves, killer hooks, and a playful nature that again is quite refreshing in the current music scene. Critics of this band are always quick to mention the similarities between this great band and another Scot band, the now defunct Beta Band. It’s not that strange a coincidence, for drummer/Producer David Maclean’s brother was a key member of the Beta Band. I think the breadth and diversity of the songs on this great album set them apart from the pack. The album has multiple personalities with the apocalyptic drone of my favorite song “Hail Bop”, and the quirky upbeat Single “Default” which my 3 year old girl just loves. This has been one of those really cool finds that even my (80’s crazy and not so indie loving) Wife has fully embraced as well. I even sold my (There’s no hope for future of rock) Brother as well on the fruits of The Djangos. Amazing other tracks on the album, such as their very first single as a band, “Storm” and the incredibly light and bouncy tune “Life’s a Beach” are must listens for my fellow music junkies out there. Don’t forget the more pretty down tempo tracks, “Waveforms”, and “Love’s Dart”. “Firewater”, and “Wor” are also infectious enough for your undivided attention if so musically curious like your friendly blogger here. This is by far my favorite new band of the year and I am simply amped to be going to check them out at Philly’s awesome new music venue Union Transfer in March. Look out for their tour of North America this spring. I guarantee it will be the best 20 bucks spent of 2013. See these guys before they outgrow the great intimate venues. Festival goers, make sure to pencil them into your agenda for they will be at a number of the big ones next Summer, I am sure.
Very Honorable Mentions of any genre
Amadou & Mariam - Folila (World Music) : This duo from the war torn Nation of Mali deliver brilliant musicianship with the help of Santigold, and members of TV on the Radio. Check out songs “Dougou Badia”, and “Wily Kataso”
Wild Nothing – Nocturne (Shoegazing, Study Rock) : A band from Blacksburg, Va delivers a dream pop classic that at moments sounds downright Cristopher Cross, or reminiscent of great dreamy UK bands like the Cocteau Twins, and New Order.
Check out the songs “Nocturne” and “This Chain Won’t Break”
Twin Shadow - Confess (Chillwave, Synth Pop) : Born in the Dominican Republic in ’83 and now having set up shop in musically fertile Brooklyn, leader George Lewis Jr was raised on R&B, Punk, and vocally prepared in a choir. A really unique flavor to this album, that fans of Prince, The Police, Seal and many other broad reaching acts of the past could surely enjoy. Check out songs “Run My Heart” and “Golden Light”
Lower Dens – Nootropics (Indie Rock) : Another Baltimore product that has released a rather subdued and experimental sounding album that oozes the influence of unique bands like Can, Durutti Column, and Suicide. Check out songs called “Brains” and “Lion in the Winter Pt 2”
The Next Wave of Great Female Voices (song highlights)
Chairlift – Something (Grown Up Blues, Met Before, Turning)
Sharon Van Etten – Tramp (Serpents, Ask, Warsaw)
Lana Del Ray – Born to Die (Radio, Dark Paradise)
Best Coast – The Only Place (The Only Place, Do You Love Me Like You Used To)
Sleigh Bells – Reign of Terror (End of the Line)
POLIÇA – Give You the Ghost (Leading to Death)
Hospitality – Hospitality (The Right Profession, Sleepover)
Alabama Shakes – Boys & Girls (Hold On)
Santigold – Master of My Make-Believe (God From the Machine The Keepers)
The Raveonettes – Into the Night (Bad Ghosts, The Enemy, Sinking With the Sun)The Mynabirds – GENERALS (Generals, Wolf Mother)
Melody’s Echo Chamber – S/T (I Follow You)
Metric – Synthetica (Lost Kitten)
Of Monsters and Men - My Head is an Animal (Little Talks)
Great Americana, Folk, and Alt- Country
Calexico – Algiers (Maybe on Monday, Splitter, Fortune Teller)
Lord Huron – Lonesome Dreams (She Lit a Fire, I Will Be Back One Day)
Beachwood Sparks – The Tarnished Gold (Sparks Fly Again, Tarnished Gold)
Delta Spirit – Delta Spirit (Tear it Up, Empty House)
Band of Horses – Mirage Rock (How to Live, A Little Biblical)
Mumford and Sons – Babel (Hopeless Wanderer)
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes – Here (Man on Fire)
Lucero – Women & Work (On My Way Downtown)
Great Lake Swimmers – New Wild Everywhere (Easy Come Easy Go)
Dr Dog – Be The Void (That Old Black Hole, Big Girl)
Great Garage Rock and Power Pop Revivalists
Paws - Cokefloat! (Jellyfish, Pony., Sore Tummy)
Donnie & Joe Emerson – Dreamin’ Wild (Good Time, Baby)
The People’s Temple – More For the Masses (Nevermore)
Broken Water – Tempest (Underground, When You Said)
The Vaccines – Come of Age (Change of Heart pt. 2, Teenage Icon All in Vain)
Dinosaur Jr. – I Bet On Sky (Rude,
The Oh Sees - Putrifiers II (Flood’s New Light)
Brian Jonestown Massacre – Aufteben (I Wanna Hold Your Other Hand,
Pujol – United States of Being (Providence, DIY2K)
The Soft Pack – Strapped (They Say,
Redd Kross – Researching the Blues (Stay Away From Downtown)
Crushed Beaks – Grim (Grim)
Kaiser Chiefs – Start the Revolution Without Me (Child of the Jago)
Great Guitar Based Indie Rock
Divine Fits – A Thing Called Divine Fits (Would That Not Be Nice, Shivers)
Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory (No Future/No Past, Wasted Days)
Bob Mould – Silver Age (Star Machine, Silver Age)
Nada Surf – The Stars are Indifferent to… (No Snow on the Mountain, Jules & Jim)
Japandroids – Celebration Rock (Evil’s Sway)
The Shins – Port of Morrow (It’s Only Life, Simple Song)
Maps & Atlases – Beware and Be Grateful (Vampires)
Brendan Benson – What Kind of World (Come on)
The Temper Trap – S/T (The Sea is Calling)
Reunited/Comeback Post Punk and New Wave Legends
The Wedding Present –Valentina (You Jane, Stop Thief!)
The Verlaines – Untimely Meditations (Born Again Idiot)
Big Dipper – Crashes on the Platinum Planet (Forget the Chef, Princess Warrior)
Paul Weller – Sonik Kicks (That Dangerous Age, When Your Garden’s Overgrown)
Great Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Andrew Bird – Break it Yourself (Fatal Shore, Orpheo Looks Back, Give it Away)
Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again (I’ll Get Along, I’m Getting Ready, Tell Me a Tale)
A.C. Newman – Shut Down the Streets (I’m Not Talking, Encyclopedia of Classic..)
Sun Kil Moon – Among the Leaves (Song for Richard Collopy)
Ben Kweller – Go Fly a Kite (Full Circle)
Great Indie Electronic and Neo Psychedelic
The Amazing - Gentle Stream (Gentle Stream)
Geographer – Myth (The Myth of Youth, Blinders, The Boulder)
Efterklang – Piramida (Apples, The Living Layer)
Passion Pit – Gossamer (Hideaway)
Sinkane – Mars (Warm Spell)
Bronze Radio Return – Shake! Shake! Shake! (Shake, shake, shake, What Good)
Here We Go Magic – A Different Ship (Alone But Moving)
Veterans back with satisfying albums (song highlights)
Aimee Mann - Charmer (Labrador, Soon Enough, Gamma Ray)
Joe Walsh – Analog Man (Wrecking Ball, Hi Roller Baby, One Day at a Time)
Van Halen – A Different Kind of Truth (You and Your Blues, Blood and Fire)
Lionel Richie – Tuskegee (Stuck on You, Sail On)
Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Psychedelic Pill (She’s Always Dancing)
Great Post Punk, Dream Pop, and Art Rock Revivalists
Porcelain Raft - Strange Weekend (Shapeless and Gone, The Way In)
Tanlines – Mixed Emotions (Real Life,
Alt-J – An Awesome Wave (Something Good, Tessalate)
Oren Ambarchi – Audience of One (Fractured Mirror)
Grizzly Bear – Shields (gun-shy, A Simple Answer)
Field Music – Plumb (Is This the Picture?, Just Like Everyone Else)
White Rabbits – Milk Famous (Everyone Can’t Be Confused, Heavy Metal)
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Mature Themes (Live it Up, Only in my Dreams)
Tindersticks – The Something Rain (Show Me Everything)
The Big Pink – Future This (1313)
Bloc Party – Four (The Healing, Octopus)
Great Reissues
Cotton Mather – Kontiki (She’s Only Cool, Password, Lily Dreams On)
Rodriguez – Searching For Sugar Man (Sugar Man, Can’t Get Away)
Alex Chilton – Free Again The 70’s Sessions (The EMI Song)
