Album of the Year, '13

[Trip Hazard]

Sorry if there's already a topic for this.

 

I've only heard a handful of albums this year, but these are my three favourites, with examples.

 

1) Melt-Banana: Fetch

 

Chirpy Japanese noise-polluters Melt-Banana have released many brilliant albums in the past, but this is, I think, my new favourite. Catchy, consistent, and hugely accessible for newcomers.

 

 

2) Carcass: Surgical Steel

 

Scouse death-metallers have taken their sweet time over this release, but the wait has been worth it. 7 years after the so-so Swansong, Carcass are back on form with a release which sounds very similar to Heartwork, their best album in my opinion. Turn up the volume.

 

 

3) Melt Yourself Down: S/T

 

Watched these guys play this live in Manchester a few weeks ago. Pound for pound the best gig I've ever seen. Two saxophonists, a bassist, and two drummers ensure that they're as jazzy and danceable as can be.

 

 

-------------------------------------

 

What are some of your favourites, and why?

[Nappi]

New albums from many of my favorite bands this year:

 

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Push the Sky Away

 

Eels Wonderful, Glorious

(Alternative take on the album: 

 )

[Nappi]

Queens of the Stone Age ...Like Clockwork

http://youtu.be/t5GiG7SqcAo

 

Also, some new acquaintances such as DARKSIDE with Psychic

[Trip Hazard]

That Nick Cave track is a belter. I think I'll be giving that album a spin today.

 

Didn't like that Eels track. So positive, so nice. I kept hoping for something really awful to happen and shatter the idyll, but nothing did. My favourite Eels album, by a long shot, is Electro-Shock Blues; I'm all about the hopelessness and despair.

 

Sounds like QOTSA are back on form! Will give that a spin as well

 

Darkside track great too.

[Nappi]

  On 12/9/2013 at 9:33 AM, FuryBoy86 said:

Didn't like that Eels track. So positive, so nice. I kept hoping for something really awful to happen and shatter the idyll, but nothing did. My favourite Eels album, by a long shot, is Electro-Shock Blues; I'm all about the hopelessness and despair.

 

I actually appreciate the sudden positivity since so many of the Eels songs are incredibly depressing (no wonder seeing Mark Everett's background). Don't worry, though, the rest of the album is not as cheerful. 

[Roderick]

Even though it was the only album I bought this year in the last six years, it was pretty good, so it deserves a place here.

 

[Problem Machine]

I think I've only bought one album this year as well, so...

[BadHat]

Wow tough pick. This was a good-ass year for all things metal and prog.

 

Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused To Sing

 

Steven just makes crazy good prog rock these days. His first two solo albums might have sounded a little unrefined but this one's sharp as a tack.

 

 

Deafheaven - Sunbather

 

I don't listen to a lot of black metal and a lot of black metal people would probably fight me irl over whether this is even black but fuck it this is just a really, really, really good album.

 

 

Tesseract - Altered State

 

One of the few bands to come out of the whole djent explosion with their own sense of style intact, even moving away from harsh vocals entirely and cultivating a spacier sound than their contemporaries. Catchy song writing, crunchy-ass guitars, insanely good drums, what's not to like?

 

 

Also I gotta shout out a few bandcamp releases from smaller artists because a couple of them are pay what you want and just too good:

 

Cloudkicker - Subsume - Instrumental tech metal-y post rock-ish stuff made by one guy with a crazy sense of rhythm.

Thousand Mile Channel - T A P S - Solo guitar album, heavy on tapping as the name suggests. Has a chilled-out math rock vibe to it.

Dawn of Midi - Dysnomia - Acoustic jazz trio plays awesome, super-repetitive dance music. I bob my head and feel vaguely sophisticated for liking it.

[Nappi]

I forgot the one Finnish album to interest me this year, a collaboration between a jazz group and three of the least annoying Finnish rappers (my opinion, obv):

 

 

Since it's in Finnish and is probably going to sound hilarious to you, here is some jazz without the lyrics:

 

[Trip Hazard]

Loved that Dawn of Midi stuff. As you say, BadHat, it's highly repetitive, but really hypnotic and has a lush texture to it.

 

This topic keeps crashing for me on Chrome, so I'm using Internet Explorer. So, this is what it feels like to hit bottom

[Squid Division]

For me it's pretty easy - Earth Rocker:

 

 

The new Sandrider is pretty good too if you like grungy hardcore (or songs about X-Com):

 

[TheLastBaron]

Kurt Vile - Walking on a Pretty Daze is probably my aoty. New Republic of Wolves album comes out in a few days and it could be really good.

[melmer]

(I'm funking pissed) sober this was very difficult for me but unbelievably pissed as I am there is no fucking question

HAIM

HAIM

HAIM

HAIM

HAIM

HAIM

Seriously no fucking question

The album ain't perfect, but god damn those singles

I also like savages

[melmer]

So when it first came out, good review, and I listened to them very impressed. Elevated. Beautiful

moved on

Forgot

I'd listen to their songs occasionally on the radio. They are successful had a massive go at my girlfriend as their song came on and she attempted to change the station in her ignorance .

Listen again.....

Get insanely pissed

Proclaim GREATEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR

I don't really mean it, I can't actually remember any album in their entirety, but this! This I listened to today! So new, so fresh so GOOD.

who are they, I know they're sisters, bug are they British, American, Canadian? I haven't a clue. I never seen them.

Let's see them together off the first time.... I'm excited

[melmer]

Ha ha! She pulled a throat out of the fucking water with her bare hands, ALBAM OF THE YEAAAAAAAAAAR!

Everyone's entitled to an opinion

Fuck you change the thread title

Haim

Album of the year

[melmer]

So like 7 YouTube video later. IM IN LOVE

They're like Hanson but with vaginas, AND TALENT.

I also enjoyed Bowies album

[Burtis Le Pants]

Three of my favourites this year are

Dr Dog - The B-Room

 

The National - Trouble Will Find Me

 

Rhye - Woman

[Bork Laser]

If we were going by albums I listened to the most this year, my album of the year would be a tie between Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, The National's Trouble Will Find Me, or Kanye West's Yeezus. 

[Coods]

  On 12/16/2013 at 12:28 AM, Burtis Le Pants said:

Three of my favourites this year are

Dr Dog - The B-Room

 

B-Room was an incredible entry for me into Dr Dog. I must have had that on repeat for well over a month. 

 

Also, and I really didn't expect this, I've really enjoyed childish gambino's (horribly titled but solid album)

.

[ihavefivehat]

Here are my top 3 albums of the year:

-Note: (they also happen to be the only 3 albums I listened to this year that came out this year)

-2nd note: (they're still pretty fantastic albums any way you cut it.)

 

Foxygen: We Are the 20th Century Ambassadors of Peace, Love and Magic

Willfully and blatantly appropriates styles and sound from the mid 60s through mid 70s but smashes them together into something that manages to be post-modern hip but also cheesy, fun and catchy in a way that will make you not like the way you like it.

 

 

Unknown Mortal Orchestra: Unknown Mortal Orchestra II

Nice guitar noises, catchy songs. Kind of a no-brainer for me in a good way and a bad way.

 

 

Happy Jawbone Family Band

More catchy classic rock with a weird streak. The band sounds like they take their music seriously without taking themselves too seriously which is something that you don't see too often nowadays.

 

[Burtis Le Pants]

  On 12/16/2013 at 6:16 AM, Deleric said:

B-Room was an incredible entry for me into Dr Dog. I must have had that on repeat for well over a month. 

 

Also, and I really didn't expect this, I've really enjoyed childish gambino's (horribly titled but solid album)

.

 I'd heard a little Dr Dog, but the B Room really made me pay much more attention to them. I listened to it many times when I found it too.

[Max Ernst]

Crosspost!

 

  Quote

My favourite albums of the year (no real order):

Parquet Courts - Light up Gold
Chance the Rapper - Acid Rap
Vic Mensa - Innanetape
My Bloody Valentine - m b v
Earl Sweatshirt - Doris

Also, I liked Neko Case's record but didn't listen to it enough to include it with the rest of the albums here. Albums that I listened to a lot but didn't come out year include the second White Lung record, Burial, and the second Elvis Costello album.

 

[twmac]

Oh man, Melt-banana released another album! Sweet.

[wahwah]

In no particular order:

 

• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Push the Sky Away

my favorite track from it:

 

 

 

• Atoms for Peace - AMOK

 

 

• Bill Callahan - Dream River

 

 

• Boards of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest

[Nappi]

  On 12/16/2013 at 4:32 PM, wahwah said:

• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Push the Sky Away

my favorite track from it:

 

 

Mine too. Hadn't noticed the video before.

 

Nice performance! (this is not the album version) Makes me regret missing Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds live earlier this year even more.