Without any further explanation or unnecessary chit-chat, here are my TOP ALBUMS OF 2013:
Arcade Fire, Reflektor
Any follow-up to an “album of the year” release, such as Arcade Fire’s “The Suburbs” a few years ago, is likely to face either overwhelming praise, or more likely undue criticism. Showing their mettle, however, Arcade Fire did what any great band ought to do: release an album that they enjoy. They’re clearly in this as musicians and artists first — not for gaining notoriety, fame, and so forth. It begs the question, though….is Reflektor as good as their last album? Probably not. But there are a lot of great songs on this record, and it is very clearly an Arcade Fire album. They made the record that they wanted to, and I applaud them for that. Notable favorite tracks: Reflektor and We Exist
The Civil Wars, The Civil Wars
Another band following-up an incredible smash-hit album, The Civil Wars hit some interesting speed bumps. Although the full story is not really known, there has evidently been some disagreement between Joy and John Paul. They speak to each other rarely, if at all, which casts an interesting cloud over this entire album. It feels sad. Even the more upbeat songs feel somewhat forced, and it has a way of breaking your heart when you listen to it. I’d be curious to know if folks who do not know the backstory get the same vibe. I’m guessing they would. Regardless, this album is wonderfully and beautifully made. Compared to their last album, it feels less “catchy” from beginning to end, if you ask me, but is *technically* even more mature and fascinating. Notable favorite tracks: Dust To Dust and From This Valley.
The Dear Hunter, Migrant
This band continues to live under the radar, as far as I can tell, and I’m not really sure why. My wife and I saw them open for one of our favorite bands, mewithoutYou, a few years ago, and we were blown away. I had to grab their album. Since that time, they’ve released a handful of records, including Migrant earlier this year. It sounds less like a stage musical than my previous favorite of theirs, Act III, but there is a genius to this album that shows how talented their primary singer/songwriter really is. They manage to write songs with an undeniable maturity, including lyrics that come across as meaningful without being preachy. I love to see some real success happen for this band. Notable favorite tracks: Whisper and Shame.
Editors, The Weight Of Your Love
Given their last album, that I absolutely loathed, I was about ready to write these guys off. Maybe a lot of folks felt that way, or maybe they got the hint that their last album was lacking in a number of ways, but the Editors of old have returned with “The Weight Of Your Love”, and it sounds great. Evidently the line-up of the band has changed since their last release, but I’m not sure I would’ve noticed. The lead singer’s voice is so unique, I think a backing polka band would still sound like an Editors album. I mean that in a good way. Whatever the recipe is, I hope it continues. This is a great album. Notable favorite tracks: Sugar and The Phone Book.
Lorde, Pure Heroine
I’m reluctant to admit that I only found this album about two weeks ago, but whatever……I really like it a lot. I also can’t quite put my finger on what it is that I enjoy so much. It feels a void, I suppose, of artists like Lana Del Rey (whom I also enjoy) that tend toward a style of music that I really don’t listen to. It feels like hip-pop, but with a dark alternative twist. Regardless, there is a simplicity to this album that I respect. The music seems to fill only 40% of the speakers, but wonderful melodies fill up the rest. It’s catchy, enjoyable, and even fun. I don’t lyrically relate to a teenager from New Zealand, but she writes better than many artists I’ve heard. Notable favorite tracks: Ribs and Buzzcut Season.
The National, Trouble Will Find Me
Although I was looking forward to a new album from The National, my expectations were fairly low. Sure it’d be good, but it would par-for-the-course for this great band. I was both wrong and right. “Trouble Will Find Me” took me by surprise by being immediately incredible, and has since then continued to grow on me even more. It’s at times heart-wrenching, haunting, foot-tapping, and even laughable. For an even better experience, put on a pair of good headphones and enjoy the sonic bliss. Want higher praise that that? My Mom has since declared this as a “second favorite album of all time” for her — just after U2’s “The Joshua Tree”. High praise indeed! Notable favorite tracks: Demons and Don’t Swallow The Cap.
DISHONORABLE MENTIONS
Normally I’d write a small something for each of these albums, but I can lump them all together, in this case. Each of these releases was highly anticipated for me, and instead became a huge let down. Are they horrible? No, not really, but they’re not very good either.
The Head And The Heart, Let’s Be Still
Neko Case, The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You
Phoenix, Bankrupt!
I really wish I could remember how I heard about this band. I don’t listen to the radio, watch MTV (as if it even had music), and I don’t use radio-like services such as Spotify, Pandora, etc.. It must’ve been word of mouth, I guess, but I’m glad it happened! They strike me as a cross between the Sugarcubes (do all Icelandic females sing like that?) and Mumford & Sons. It’s peppy, fun, artistic, clean, and just very enjoyable. Definitely one of my top albums for the year. 
So…why on earth is Lana Del Rey on my top music list for 2012? What can I say – I like this album. I knew nothing about her when I saw this album advertised in the window of my local Easy Street Records shop. The cover intrigued me, and I definitely expected something…well…different, which it certainly is. But I liked what I heard, I enjoy her voice, and it was a nice segue from my usual musical tastes. It was a couple of weeks later that I heard gripes about her as a person, about her boring performances, and so on. No matter. I was sticking to my guns, and it is definitely a favorite of mine album for this year. 
This is one of those artists that I’ve listened to from the sidelines. I’m neither disinterested, nor am I a rabid fan. I like their music, and Synthetica continues that trend for me. It doesn’t sound as ‘genius’ as their previous release, Fantasies, but others may disagree. They simply put out solid music, and I wonder why this band isn’t a worldwide phenomena. 
It was with some trepidation that I awaited the release of mewithoutYou’s newest album, Ten Stories. Although I enjoyed much of their previous album, It’s All Crazy!, it felt like a step backward to me – and I do consider myself to be a fairly rabid fan of this band. Ten Stories doesn’t quite harken back to their 2nd and 3rd albums (my favorites), but it does showcase how talented this band is – both as a group, and as individual musicians. In some ways, this may be their most “commercially plausible” album, but as always it will be heard by far too few. 
It’s no secret that Mumford & Sons’ previous release, Sigh No More, was a surprise commercial smash hit. Although their sound is polarizing to some, this group appeared to be able to do no wrong. That usually makes for a worrisome sophomore release, which often makes or breaks a band. When I heard the first single from Babel, I wasn’t sure what to think: it sounded good, but it sounded “safe” – just more of the same. Is that necessarily a bad thing? Truth be told, if you didn’t like Mumford before this latest album, this one isn’t going to sway you. If you were already a fan, however, you’ll find new genius with Babel. It’s just a tremendous album from a very talented group of guys. 
Very few bands had as high of expectations with me as did the Silversun Pickups. Their previous release, Swoon, wasn’t just a favorite from that release year, it was actually a favorite of mine for that decade. Yeah…a lot to live up to. Thankfully, Neck of the Woods does not fail to impress. It’s definitely the signature Silversun Pickups sound, but with a darker (perhaps more electronic) flavor. If Swoon was an instant classic to my ears, then Neck of the Woods was a bit of a slow burn that eventually flared up. Seeing them in concert earlier this year was just icing on the cake! 
I don’t necessarily set out to have an “album of the year”, per se, but the thought crosses my mind. Some years, such as last year’s favorite Love & War & the Sea Inbetween by Josh Garrels, are obvious choices for me. Other years are more difficult. This year, however, I think I can honestly say that Port of Morrow by The Shins is my absolute top pick for the year. Having already perused several “top albums of the year” lists for 2012, I’ve already seen this album on many of them. It’s just very, very good. But it was also a bit of an unknown quantity upon initial release, seeing as this is a completely new line-up of musicians, save for the primary singer/songwriter, James Mercer. Their previous release, Wincing The Night Away, is another favorite album of mine, but fans of that album may not necessarily enjoy this one in the same way. Port of Morrow is decidedly less strange, less experimental-sounding, and (in many ways) more commercially acceptable – but not in a “these guys sold out” sort of way. Not at all. It’s just great song writing, and the track “Bait & Switch” is probably one of my favorite Shins songs ever. What really put it over the top for me, though, was a realization that I felt happy after listening to it – almost like slipping on a favorite sweatshirt or pair of slippers. It has a vibe that’s difficult to find these days. Great work! 
Let me be clear on this point: I’m not really a fan of Death Cab For Cutie. I have nothing against them, of course, I’m just not part of their fan base. Still, I heard the first single from this album, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I decided that the rest of the album needed a good listen-thru, and I’m glad I did. It just sounds like typical “Death Cab” stuff, if you ask me, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing at all. Is it ground-breaking? Not really. But it is very good. Funny thing is… I don’t feel like Death Cab ever really writes any choruses into their songs – it’s just one verse after another. Good stuff, though, and very enjoyable to listen to.
This album was released very early in 2011, so it’s likely to be overlooked by some. That said, it was also the first album of the year to truly capture my attention – and I’m not necessarily a long-time listener of The Decemberists. What can I really say about this album, though? It’s just a strong release thru and thru. Some favorites include: “Dear Avery” and “This Is Why We Fight”.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be including a Jane’s Addiction album on my Top Music of 2011 list. It seemed impossible, but here it is. For some background, I’ve been a long-time Jane’s Addiction fan – dating back to their “Nothing’s Shocking” release – but their most recent releases have not necessarily captivated me. Good? Yes. Great? Not necessarily. So, it was with some skepticism that I grabbed The Great Escape Artist and gave it a listen. (I’m so happy for subscription music services!) Quite simply, I was blown away. Perry Farrell sounds great, the songwriting is top-notch, and (surprisingly) the album is very clean. On the downside? It’s probably one of the worst album covers I’ve seen in a long, long time…
Having arrived late-to-the-game with Manchester Orchestra, I was very much looking forward to their latest release, Simple Math, and it didn’t disappoint. In fact, I easily consider this to be their strongest album yet. It seems that Manchester Orchestra is growing up in many ways: lyrically, most of all, but also musically. There is still an experimental/indie vibe to their songwriting, but it totally works. Some personal favorite tracks include: “Simple Math”, “Apprehension” and “April Fool”. Just a solid album.
I wouldn’t normally choose a “best album of the year”, but in this case I feel absolutely compelled to name one: Josh Garrels’ “Love & War & The Sea In Between”. There is no doubt in my mind. What started as a mere suggestion from a friend of mine (thanks, Tim!) was followed up by an email from NoiseTrade.com with a link to this album. I figured that I might as well. The first song caught me off-guard. It was more haunting and mellow that I figured it would be. It also sounded a lot like Damien Jurado, which wasn’t a bad thing in my book – but could certainly be polarizing to some. By the end of the third song, I was absolutely sold…and hooked. This is not only the most solid album I’ve heard all year, it’s probably one of the best I’ve ever heard. Seriously. Even better? You fall in love with the first half of the album, and then quickly realize you’ve only partially tapped the beauty of this release. Your favorite tracks shift on a daily or weekly basis. But nothing has struck me more about this album than the lyrics have. Beautiful. Challenging. Heart-wrenching. Encouraging. And everything in-between. If you’re still reading this paragraph and have not yet downloaded this album, then do yourself a favor: head over to 
I confess that I would never have grabbed this album if it hadn’t been for the mention of Neko Case as part of the project. In fact, the earliest accounts of this album sounded like a collaboration between Jakob and Neko, but that wasn’t the case. Instead, we have a very Jakob-focused album with Neko (and her backup band, it seems) providing most everything else. The result, it turns out, is really quite fabulous. With the infamous T Bone Burnett at the production helm, Jakob has released a collection of songs that is arguably the strongest we’ve seen since the first Wallflowers release – and perhaps even stronger. The “twang factor” is very high with this album, but that’s bothering me less and less these days, it seems. All in all, a wonderful release.
Evidently The Shins are on an extended hiatus since releasing their last (and very successful) album, Wincing The Night Away. In the meantime, front man, James Mercer, has fruitfully collaborated with producer Dangermouse to release a surprisingly non-Shins and yet very entertaining album under the name Broken Bells. Mercer’s unmistakable vocal-style mixed with the slightly hip-hop-flavored undertones of Dangermouse’s production, Broken Bells is at times sparse, electronic, spacey, and moody. Quite honestly, I love it.
I’ve had very little time to enjoy this album, thanks to the lack of accessibility via the Zune Pass after the album’s initial release, but as you already know, anything involving Neko Case is probably ok with me. I’ll confess, though, that the band name has been a turn off for me (and likely others, I would assume), but there’s no denying that this is a powerful release from a talented group of individuals. Pop-inspired folk tunes, is probably the best way to describe it. Favorite tracks include “Crash Years” and “Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk”.
Although I’ve listened to Starflyer 59 off and on since the mid-90s, I wouldn’t have considered myself a “fan” until recently. In fact, it was probably their My Island album that I fully enticed me to embrace their impressive catalog of work. Having said that, I find that their more recent work appeals to me much more than their earlier stuff, which is likely quite opposite of the long time Starflyer fans, of which there are many. In any event, The Changing Of The Guard is probably my favorite release from Starflyer, with the incredible track, Cry Me A River, as one of my favorite songs of theirs. I’m sure that this album is not shoegazer-ish enough for the hardcore fans, but a release this strong may just usher in a whole new era of Starflyer fans. If you haven’t already, give it a listen.
In my opinion, Interpol has been releasing stronger and stronger albums with each release – and this album is no exception. Although I still consider this band to be an ‘acquired taste’ – primarily due to the droning vocal style – this may be their most commercially acceptable release yet. Interpol remains, as always, moody and melancholy, but they have a very ‘indie’ feel about them that I really enjoy. “Always Malaise” and “Memory Serves” are among my favorite tracks.
How do you follow up an excellent previous album? Well, if you’re Spoon, then you probably attempt to alienate a portion of your new found fan base with an album that is at times genius, eccentric, and (perhaps) entirely purposeful. I say that because I get the feeling that Spoon intentionally held back on this album – perhaps in an attempt to not dig too deeply into the Top 40 lists – and in the process limited their commercial appeal with Transference. Don’t’ get me wrong: there is some absolutely genius material on this album, but it never seems to reach the magnitude of Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. Maybe that’s exactly what they were hoping for…… or maybe this album just isn’t as good. I don’t really know, but I still like it.
My good friend, Ken, recommended The National to me a couple of years ago. Again, due to inaccessibility via the Zune Pass *and* my lack of interest from the 30 second audio clips of the album, I passed on this band time and time again. For whatever reason, though, when I saw that High Violet was available, I snatched it up like a Christmas morning toy. I’ve not been disappointed. I would definitely consider The National to be an acquired taste, mainly due to the melancholy overtones and uber-low vocals, but for fans of Editors, Joy Division, or Interpol, this album is likely to hit the spot. Bloodbuzz Ohio is definitely one of my favorite tracks.
Strangely, previous releases from Arcade Fire did little to excite me. I enjoyed the song Keep The Car Running just fine, but the rest of the album felt pretty lackluster to me – and certainly not worthy of the hype that it received. Just my opinion, of course. I wanted to like Arcade Fire, but it just didn’t do it for me. The Suburbs, then, was met with fairly reserved expectations, but there was an undeniable sparkle to this album. I’ve found it engrossing, artistic, and challenging. Quite honestly, this is a very good album. The biggest surprise to me? The fact that this artistic, quirky band receives so much commercial success. Most of the “good” music goes largely unnoticed by the general public. Anyhow, this album is well-worth your time.
As my wife recently reminded me, the very first music I ever played for her (aside from my own music, of course) was Over The Rhine’s Patience. Needless to say, I’ve been listening to this band for a long, long time. Not only that, but I considered their album, Ohio, as my top album of the decade for 2000 – 2009. I like this band a lot. I will confess, though, that as they’ve moved toward a more “jazzy” sound, I’ve probably been less enthused with their releases – the difference being “really good” vs. “incredible”, in my opinion. We had the opportunity to download The Long Surrender as part of a pre-release purchase, which is why I’m including this album in my 2010 list, even though the general release is set for early 2011. In any event, this album is probably closer to their last release, The Trumpet Child, than any previous release – and that’s exactly what you’d expect. Having said that, The Long Surrender is slightly less jazzy than their last, and has all of the genius elements that you expect from Over The Rhine. My wife and I were also fortunate to have seen them “live” very recently, which featured much of their newest album, so we feel more intimately acquainted with this release and the stories of the songs it contains. Not my favorite OtR album, but a very good album nonetheless. 
Y.I.P.C.A.N.J.O 