EOTY Lists Part Three (Listmas '13): Staff Top 10 Albums of 2013
Readers, it's been an incredible year for music, and after lengthy discussion an votes, FKIS has narrowed down the releases to the very Top 10 Records of 2013. Keep in mind that just because a release didn't make the list doesn't mean it didn't make one of the staffer's; this is merely an accumulative list put together by everyone on the team. Personal lists, including our Top 10 Songs of 2013, will be added onto this post in a bit- in the meantime, enjoy, share, and let us know what your thoughts on this year are! And as always, thank you so much for your support.
-Aaron Mook and the Fastest Kid in School Staff
Fastest Kid in School's Top 10 Albums of 2013:
10. Frank Turner - Tape Deck Heart
Having a hardcore-punk background adds a pretty individual dimension to Frank Turner’s “singer-songwriter” niche. Tape Deck Heart is another excellent showcase of his reflections on life, love, and loss. While the more socially or politically oriented anthems of his earlier days are mostly gone, Tape Deck Heart still displays his wide range of songwriting talents in the most cohesive and thorough album he’s produced yet. Songs like “Recovery” and “Four Simple Words” channel his faster pace, while songs “Tell-Tale Signs” and “The Way I Tend to Be” are perfectly painted demonstrations of his newer folk/pop hybrid. As always, his lyricism and poetry are stellar, a strong point on which he never fails to capitalize. [JM]
9. Have Mercy - The Earth Pushed Back
This album…I don’t even know where to start. Have Mercy have debuted with an incredibly solid record, on pretty much every front. The music is well-crafted, displaying a grab-bag of alternative/punk tunes that leave us with what I guess people are calling "emo" these days. The vocals are raw and emotional, standing in perfect combination with the other tones of the album (see: “The Ancient West”). Further, the lyrics really stand out, capturing very specific emotions without being cliché or contrived. As far as unsolicited suggestion, this might be my most strongly encouraged “check this shit out” album of the list; it’s catchy, thoughtful, and memorable, all without ever becoming overwhelming. [JM]
8. Alkaline Trio - My Shame is True
My Shame Is True is the peak of a colossal punk-rock mountain. It is the perfect mix of musical maturity, brought on by the members' fleeting youth and nostalgic airs. Ask any longtime Trio follower and they are likely say the same. That in itself is quite the compliment, mainly due to the fact that most albums following 2005’s Crimson were debated as incredible or terrible. Nonetheless, this album discusses Matt Skiba's relational difficulties and woes of love, while Dan Andriano continues to swoon us. Plus, Derek Grant keeps a simplistic, but masterfully driven continuation of his career behind the kit throughout the whole record. If this record (along with EP Broken Wings) is not in your stockings, iPod, or collection, I guarantee you’re missing out! [JS]
7. letlive. - The Blackest Beautiful
This may be slightly unfair, seeing as I reviewed The Blackest Beautiful back in July and found it to be a sprawling post-hardcore masterpiece, but I suppose it might help my case when I state that the record is far from perfect. Then again, one of the facts solidified after repeated listens is the fact that these imperfections are one the things that make the album so intriguing and, quite frankly, infectious. Jason Butler’s pop-sensibilities are just as apparent as they play back-and-for with the band’s shining knack for hardcore. From politically charges anthems to near nu-metal jams, letlive. have found a way to outdo not only themselves, but their peers (if they even have any? Simply put, The Blackest Beautiful is the best record Glassjaw never released. [AM]
6. Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience (Part One)
Justin Timberlake, more recently better-known simply as JT, has returned to us this year with The 20/20 Experience. Channeling equally his past with N*Sync as well as R&B and 50’s swing influences, Part One is just as groovy as it is infectious. Transcending the barriers of pop, the tracks on this record go above and beyond the typical radio length of three minutes. In fact, the shortest song, “That Girl,” clocks in at just less than five minutes. While digesting it in one sitting may be exhausting, none of songs are dull to the point where listeners have the choice of tuning out. This is an attention-grabbing/keeping record that centering on a sweetly romantic theme. JT has managed to create two records that sell in an era where the only profitable pop is based on conflict. We’d be willing to put our money where our mouths are when we say JT is the next King of Pop. [CC]
5. The World is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die - Whenever, If Ever
Following up on a name made for abbreviation, Whenever, If Ever is a beautiful collection that refuses to succumb to any fear of boundary. Combining elements of Explosions in the Sky-esque post-rock, the lyrical prowess of Brand New and the uniquely loved/hated vocal tendencies of younger Isaac Brock, this full-length debut may be the best released in 2013, if not at least the most ambitiously successful. From instrumentals to gang vocals, parked cars on lawns and listening to mewithoutYou on drives home, it feels as though most of the palette of human emotion has been captured- much like the album’s cover- in ten songs. Time will tell, but I have no issue saying this record has the potential to be classic. [AM]
4. Balance and Composure - The Things We Think We're Missing
"Even when you scolded me/ I still felt it special," sings Jon Simmons on "Lost Your Name," and it's a line that resonates throughout the album. Every moment of The Things We Think We're Missing - even the times when the band is seething at their loudest, heaviest, and fastest - seems a special moment. Even when placed next to their shining debut, Separation, TTWTWM is a unique record. This is the first time the band's attempted a full instrumental ("Ella"), contains the heaviest bridge they've ever written ("Notice Me"), and features a cameo from scene favorite Anthony Green ("Keepsake"). All of this works together to make one of the most cohesive albums of 2013m and one you'd be sorry to miss out on. [ZD]
3. Defeater - Letters Home
I’m a sucker for a storyline, and Defeater may reign as the greatest concept band ever. Letters Home is the third installment of their saga, telling the tale of a war-torn American family while capturing problems of drug abuse, war violence, and maybe (probably) justified murder. So yeah, no light hearted feel-goods here. Which is great, because Defeater is at musically translating that level of aggression (“Bled Out” is a killer). This album is definitively heavier and more relentless than previous releases, but done so with the maturity and cohesiveness that started shining in Empty Days and Sleepless Nights. Derek’s screams sound brilliant, and the instrumentation really demonstrates Defeater’s talent for writing beautifully harsh post-hardcore (or whatever your identifier of preference is). [JM]
2. The National - Trouble Will Find Me
I read review after review after review, and still I didn’t understand the genius behind the National. For months, I tried spinning Trouble Will Find Me in hopes of a glimpse of the brilliance that everyone was talking about, to no avail. And then, something happened- a breakup, a changing of the seasons, etc.- and suddenly, Matt Beringer’s words spoke to me like something I hadn’t experienced since Deja Entendu. Every song had a separate meaning; each lyric its own storyline, obviously written by the band and applicable to me in ways I only imagined with other artists. I wasn’t the only one; lists and lists this month have proved that the National has relayed one of the most important messages of music this year, through baritone voice and polished guitars- and that message is that music really can help people get by. [AM]
1. The Wonder Years - The Greatest Generation
When Dan Campbell and co. took the stand and challenged us to become the Greatest Generation, he inspired not only legions of pop-punkers but my graduation speech as well. In fact, The Greatest Generation may be one of the first pop-punk records with little-to-nothing to do with the genre; scratch the surface, and The Wonder years have created a collection of melodies diverse and mature enough to draw in new fans and fast enough to keep the loyal ones intrigued. As always, the calling card left here is how instantly relatable and emotional each lyric ends up being, no matter how devastating. When I reviewed Balance and Composure’s new record back in September, I stated that this was a classic year for alternative music not seen since 2003. I still hold that sentiment to be true, and if you’re looking for a single record to define the genre, look no further than The Greatest Generation. [AM]
