Top 35 Albums of 2013 and then some.
Slightly evolving from my love of the singer/songwriter genre, thematically in 2013 I have noticed that my list of favorites have become either great lyrical stories or great audial journeys; a divide between listening for the sake of listening, and something I will want to pay attention to in detail. Simply put: The ears versus the heart.
My idea of an album that speaks to the heart is one that succeeds in speaking of the journey in my own life, where I stand in worldview and identity, and also my relationships, those with God, close friends, and family.
1. Local Natives - Hummingbird
“Oh no, I’m dying wrong. But I’m still laying here, alive with a black spot on my arm. And so calm; I look inside, and I see the things I always knew, but wasn’t sure until now. That if he comes to claim, I won’t run.” - Black Spot
Standout Tracks: Ceilings, Black Spot, Black Balloons
I can’t quite wrap my head around what makes this album so beautiful, except for the fact that every sound and instrument and vocals are so effortless and considered, carrying the weight of emotion in the lyrics. Leave it to a compound fracture of losing a close relative and having a long-standing bandmate leave the band to be the source of beautiful, poetic, cries for questions to be answered; questions of love and faith, relationships and loss. The instrumentation, lyrics, and especially the vocals—everything just pulls at the heartstrings.
2. Sara Bareilles - The Blessed Unrest
“In another life, my teeth and tongue would speak aloud what until now I’ve only sung.” - 1000 Times
Standout Tracks: Hercules, Eden, Islands
I’m a sucker for a killer female vocalist who can write and play masterfully. What I find beautiful about Sara is that she's a no-nonsense woman, but is also blatantly honest about herself, fully aware of the fact that she hides behind her own music to communicate. The Blessed unrest, Sara finally allows herself to stop hiding behind the piano-driven pop music she’s known for, and showcases that she can play around and explore with different styles and sounds, much to her own benefit. A solid, grounded, pop album that doesn’t stray too far off into something drastically different but exciting enough to know she's underestimated as a musician.
3. Hillsong UNITED - Zion
“You hold the ends of time, yet place Yourself here into mine. My life is now forever changed.” - King of Heaven
Standout Tracks: Relentless, Stay and Wait, A Million Suns
Known for their ever-popular contemporary Christian Praise & Worship music that has created a following of worshipping teens and young adults since the early 2000s. Zion however showcases a UNITED that has grown and "evolved" together with their fans. UNITED created an album that was finally able to talk much deeper and personally about the spiritual journey of faith and worship. I found myself wanting to listen to Zion in solitude as opposed to wanting to hear it in church. Sonically the album was clearly inspired by the resurgence of the sound of the 80s, but all in good taste and talented execution that makes it their own, and also without it compromising world views.
4. Wise Cub - Gallows EP (January 2014 Official Release)
“A language a diatribe; you can’t tell but I’m trying to get you off my mind and keep moving.” - Motions
Standout Tracks: Forest Home, Comet
It is amazing to witness firsthand a band journey through it’s identity and voice. Gallows is an EP many years in the making, with changes in instrumentalists and styles. Ranging from guitar-driven acoustic to a much louder and aggressive rock sound, Wise Cub is an amazing ensemble of talented musicians with Scott Goldbaum at the helm. He has an inhumane guitar technique that a naîve music listener like myself can pick up. And vocally, Scott has an amazing voice, full of honest and human emotion. The beautifully written lyrics are spoken through simplistic metaphors that you can definitely pick up what Scott and his band are putting down.
5. Audrey Assad - Fortunate Fall
“You liberate me, from my own noise and my own chaos, from the chains of a lesser law You set me free. In the silence of the heart You speak.” - You Speak
Standout Tracks: Good to Me, You Speak
In polar opposite intent to Zion, Audrey Assad’s goal when creating this album was to simply create church music. It is simple in lyrical structure and music, fit for a classic church-style worship. But because of it’s style, it’s amazing to listen to in solitude, speaks the heart in simple words, and allows for a beautiful solitary time of prayer and worship.
6. Toro Y Moi - Anything in Return
Standout track: Rose Quartz, Cake
My favorite Chaz Bundick album was one that was full of untitled demos burned onto CD, given out at shows early on in his musical career. I felt that Anything in Return was a good…return to that sound, full of live instrumentation of guitars and subtler drum beats, but keeping the funk and groove. CD-R will always be at the top of my list, but Anything in Return is an easy close second.
Standout track: Tennis Courts, Ribs
A killer voice laid on tracks of minimal but effortless production. I had/have my doubts of 16 year old Lorde and her self-awareness at her age, knowing that it is riddled with teen angst, growing up, and rebelling. But she makes me want to believe her. And it’s the simplicity of this album that makes me come back to it quite frequently.
8. Snowden - No One In Control
Standout track: The Beat Comes, Keep Quiet
This album is played loudly in my living room regularly. And I love every moment of it. I have no real other explanation other than this album sounds amazing.
9. Small Black - Limits of Desire
Standout Track: Canoe, Breathless
A bit of a departure from their previous release, Limits of Desire was an album I found myself driving to many times. No real lyrical depth, but the hooks and the grooves and smooth and infectious; danceable yet quiet at the same time.
10. Ducktails - The Flower Lane
Standout track: Assistant Director, Sedan Magic
Consistent with the chill wave sound that they’ve always carried and have always been a fan of, it was the introduction of female vocalists that really lead me to loving this album.
11. Leo Imai - Made From Nothing
12. AlunaGeorge - Body Music
13. HAERTS - Hemiplegia EP
14. Shout Out Louds - Optica
18. RADWIMPS - Batsu to Maru to Tsumi to
19. Arcade Fire - Reflektor
21. Ducktails - Wish Hotel EP
22. Hillsong Young & Free - We Are Young & Free (Live)
24. Pacific Gold - Pacific Gold - EP
27. Phil Wickham - The Ascension
28. Travis - Where You Stand
29. Foxygen - We are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic
30. Deerhunter - Monomania
31. Youth Lagoon - Wondrous Bughouse
32. Fiction Family - Fiction Family Reunion
33. St. Lucia - When the Night
34. MiChi - EYES WIDE OPEN
1. Beck - I Won't Be Long
2. World's Most - Duchamp
5. Oak & Gorski - The Crazy Kind
Albums discovered and/or rediscovered and am in love with but released prior to 2013
1. alt-J - An Awesome Wave
2. Local Natives - Gorilla Manor
3. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
4. Heavenly Beat - Talent
5. Delta Spirit - Delta Spirit
6. Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits
7. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
10. Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation
11. Shout Out Louds - Work
12. Widowspeak - Widowspeak
14. Beach Fossils - What a Pleasure
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