Best Albums of 2013

I preface this post with the same disclaimer I made in my 2012 selections, which is that my musical explorations are more limited than they used to be, and consequently, you'll see a lot of repeat bands in my list.  And maybe it's just that I'm becoming crotchety but I think the industry is partly to blame for this.  For example, why, in the last decade or so, has there not been a single stand-out guitar soloist.  In the quest for bands to differentiate themselves, this seems like a lost opportunity.  Especially when you consider all the skills that the current Guitar Hero generation is acquiring.  Jimmy Page, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix (though there may never be another), Eddie Van Halen, Neil Young, Mark Knopfler, etc.

Nowadays the best guitar skills seem to express themselves in sound engineering, mood, dissonance, etc.; but sometimes I just want to hear an epic guitar solo.  Who can I turn to in the 21st century?

1. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires Of The City (8.4)

This one really surprised me.  I had never cared for this band much before.  I equated them with vampires, youth, and other millennial things that I don't fully comprehend.  They achieve a nice sound with their vocal effects and some renaissance-era percussion.  Some standout songs for me are the lead track, 'Obvious Bicycle', and a song about deity, 'Ya Hey'.  One positive residual of the transparent Facebook era in which we now live is that bands can sing about their religious convictions without fear of being ostracized.

This album reminds me of Animal Collective's 'Merriwether Post Pavilion' or Phoenix's 'Amadeus Phoenix', but a little less bubblegum.

2. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories (8.3)

A band that's less prolific, but when they speak people listen.  Some of the riffs and loops they conceive are just pure joy to the human ear.  Some of the best examples of this on the album are in the lead track, 'Give Life Back to Music', and in the single that took the world by storm, 'Get Lucky'.  On this album they expanded their sound a bit by inviting some notable guest vocalists to join them, and for the most part I think it works.  Pharrell William's soulfully smooth voice, for example, really makes 'Get Lucky' pop.  And Julian Cassablanca's instantly recognizable voice makes for a unique but enjoyable blend of sound.  And when they apply their proprietary Daft Punk vocoder to some of these guest vocalists it's just the cherry on top.

And their song, 'Within', about the loneliness of being a robot, is surprisingly sensitive and delicate.

Their musical formula of clean sounds + synth + layer build-ups + percussion + vocoders + time continues to equal success and an uncontrollable urge to dance.

3. Low - The Invisible Way (8.1) (Updated rating)

See prior post.  I maintain that I think this album would be better if Alan got more lead vocal and Mimi got less.  

4. Boards of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest (7.8)

It was good to see them come back on the scene after taking a break for a few years.  'Reach for the Dead' (track 2) is the hit track on this album I would say.  Tracks 4 and 5 (roughly) get a little uncomfortable, but just power through the difficult stuff and you'll find it very rewarding in the end.

5. Sigur Ros - Kveikur (7.5)

This album is actually really good song to song, but for some reason I don't find myself playing the songs in my head, or needing to go back for repeat listens like I have with many of their prior albums.  

6. Atoms For Peace - Amok (7.0) (Updated rating)
See prior post.  This album is still good, but definitely has a shorter shelf life.

7. Arcade Fire - Reflektor (6.5)

Getting David Bowie to do cameo backup vocals is really hot right now.  TV on the Radio did this to great effect a few years back.  This album has a few tracks that are great.  The title track has a lot of depth to it and is probably one of the best tracks of the year.  'We Exist' has an opening beat and bass line that remind me of Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean'.  In the end the album fails to hold my attention, but it has some redeeming tracks here and there.

8. Rhye - The Fall (5.0)

'Open' is good. The title track is also very good.  Sounds like Bebel Gilberto.  If you ever find yourself needing to seduce a woman in your high-rise, hardwood-floor, inner-city apartment building, this album is going to be your best bet.

Others

Classixx - Hanging Gardens (2.0)

'All You're Waiting For' is a decent song.  'Holding On' is not bad either.  But in general the whole album seems to drone a bit too much, even for dance music.  And if you're gonna be a dance/techno band in 2014 I think you need to come up with some new, more interesting sounds than just relying on a good drum beat and some synth sound effects.

Bill Callahan - Dream River (-1.0)

Track 1 is good enough.  Sounds a lot like Pearl Jam's 'Around the Bend' song, which is a compliment.  But then it doesn't change from song to song.  After a while the lyrics and the music start to just sound like improv.  I know some people like that minimalist stuff, but it doesn't work for me here.

The Knife - Shaking the Habitual (-5.0)

A jarring version of Bjork.  Avoid it.