Favorite Albums of 2013
Let me start off by saying that as a fan of primarily rock
and hip-hop, 2013 was shockingly dominated by pop.
Hip-hop saw its surge near the end after a mediocre
beginning to the year and rock remained fairly stagnant, but pop completely
took the year by storm to my surprise.
A plethora of new artists to my personal collection liter my
top albums list and I couldn’t be more grateful. If I had to describe the year in
music it’d be pretty simple: 2013 was the year of the “debut”. Whether it was
new artists shining to the forefront of their scene, or veteran musicians
rebirthing themselves as they expand their horizons, the year was engrossed
with experimentation from beginning to end.
Honorable Mentions
Danny Brown – Old
Danny Brown’s third official album, but first to be sold at
retailers, Old was a dramatic
contrast to Brown’s back catalog. The album purposefully lacks the humorous lines
and hooks that would be found all over Brown’s last album, XXX.
It’s a double album and traditionally that’s spelled trouble
for artists. But Brown had a specific vision for Old. The album progresses through his past life and then
transitions to how he’s done with his old life and moving on with a new
direction and sound. Old gets me
excited to hear more from Brown in the future.
Sky Ferreira – Night Time, My Time
If Joan Jett did a pop album, it’d be this. I came across
this a little late and if the year were extended by another month or so it
might’ve made the cut but here’s where it will have to rest.
Ferreira produces
a mix of 80’s-heavy synth with a defiant attitude that echoes through her
voice. Very solid album.
Lorde – Pure Heroine
The last hit single of the year was easily Royals and Australian
teenage artist, Lorde, took the US pop charts by storm. Pure Heroine was a very strong debut for Lorde who possesses a very
moody voice and eccentric persona.
My only gripe with her is her pretentious
scoffing of mainstream culture. But, that doesn’t come as a surprise since many
can relate to having a similar view in their teen years.
The Top 10
10. Dessa – Parts Of
Speech
The follow-up to Castor,
the Twin, Dessa’s third studio album takes the poet/author/singer/rapper’s
writing to another level. In my opinion Dessa’s one of the best writers in
music, point blank. She’s a poet first and foremost and one of the only artists
that stand out as a song writer before music even enters my mind.
“A wick with no candle
A wheel with no axle
I ride with no saddle, no lift
Then I'm dragging the kite
A blade with no handle
A brick for your window
I'm fine but I'm single
A dime and I'm the same on both sides”
- Dessa – Warsaw
An album that dives into relationships, secrets and guilt may
sound typical, but fused with the crafted pen and soothing voice of Dessa it’s
a unique piece of work that might be her boldest yet.
Call Off Your Ghost
Call Off Your Ghost
9. Chance the Rapper – Acid Rap
It seems every year there’s a rap project that creates
insane buzz and whether you like it, or hate it, you’re talking about it. Acid Rap was that project this year.
Chance the Rapper took soul and drugs and melded them together and, finally, threw
his own eccentricity on the mic to give you a brilliantly creative mixtape. Not
even sure if I can even call it a mixtape because when you take into account
the quality features (Ab-Soul, Action Bronson, Childish Gambino) and production
value it’s almost an insult to not call this an album. He seems nonsensical at
times and traditional hip-hop heads may not have an ear for his voice but
nonetheless he’s one of the freshest breaths of air the genre has had in a
while.
Also in one year he’s gone for virtual unknown to being
featured on the latest Justin Bieber track. You find someone else with that
kind of leap in 2013.
Juice
Juice
8. Run the Jewels –
Run the Jewels
Last year Killer Mike dropped R.A.P. Music produced by El-P which was regarded as one of the best
hip-hop albums of the year. In 2013, the two collaborated again to debut their
rap duo, Run the Jewels, and drop an album of the same title.
Both are already two of the biggest names in underground hip-hop so needless to say the album had extreme expectations from its initial announcement. Not only did it not disappoint, they had fun with it. In music it’s not every day that you can tell if artists are truly enjoying their time in the studio, but that was apparent with Run the Jewels.
The album’s premise is just them showing off their mic skills and how El-P’s production is as on-point as ever. The intense instrumentals are impacting enough to be memorable but still distant enough to let the swagger of himself and Killer Mike take over and pummel you with their commanding voices.
Both are already two of the biggest names in underground hip-hop so needless to say the album had extreme expectations from its initial announcement. Not only did it not disappoint, they had fun with it. In music it’s not every day that you can tell if artists are truly enjoying their time in the studio, but that was apparent with Run the Jewels.
The album’s premise is just them showing off their mic skills and how El-P’s production is as on-point as ever. The intense instrumentals are impacting enough to be memorable but still distant enough to let the swagger of himself and Killer Mike take over and pummel you with their commanding voices.
7. Justin Timberlake
– 20/20 Experience
It’s been a long time since R&B had a big album. Justin
Timberlake just kind of stopped by the music scene to drop off this beauty of
an album and close the door to any artist trying to step foot near the throne.
That’s high praise but how many albums can hold your attention despite having
songs ranging from 6-8 minutes long throughout?
Every song transitions into something totally new and you might forget a few times that you’re still on one song. Lyrically it isn’t earth shattering, but with R&B it’s more about just that, the rhythm and blues.
Every song transitions into something totally new and you might forget a few times that you’re still on one song. Lyrically it isn’t earth shattering, but with R&B it’s more about just that, the rhythm and blues.
6. Wavves – Afraid of
Heights
Nathan Williams has been around for a while but Afraid of Heights was my first run with
his surf-punk band Wavves. I couldn’t have been more impressed especially
because it was the band’s first hi-fi produced album. Best Coast, another
surf-rock band, tried to dabble with hi-fi in their album The Only Place and it didn’t come out sounding as good. After going
back to Wavves’ previous albums, I can say Afraid
of Heights is my favorite.
The hi-fi sound works with them and Williams’
purposeful apathetic vocals fit with their distorted instrumentals. The song
writing is another plus as Williams continuously paints a cynical picture of
the world around him, creating a very grey world that you long to explore more
of.
Demon to Lean On
Demon to Lean On
5. Drake – Nothing
Was the Same
Following up what I thought was a really good album in Take Care; Drake had a lot to live up to
with Nothing Was the Same. Drake’s
stigma in the rap community is that he’s soft. Yeah we get it, “Drake’s the
type of --insert phrase here--“. And those criticisms were reinforced with
songs on Take Care like Marvin’s Room but this album has Drake
sounding much more matured.
His lines are more confident, his hooks are
catchier and his subjects are more interesting. If there’s one thing that’s
true, it’s that Drake can flat out write songs. Tuscan Leather is probably the best album opener of 2013 and Hold On, We’re Going Home is the hottest
song of the year. Showing that Drake can
still put together an album that gives a little of everything.
Tuscan Leather
Tuscan Leather
4. Daft Punk – Random
Access Memories
I mentioned that this was the year of old artists debuting
new sounds. Hard to think of an artist or group that had a bigger year than
Daft Punk. Not only did Random Access
Memories contain the summer’s hottest song, it was statement by the
legendary electronic duo. What was the statement? No matter how much time
passes, Daft Punk will stop it, and make us
adjust accordingly.
Everyone was excited when Daft Punk announced their album,
but everyone had the same question, how could the duo relate to today’s music
scene? Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger simply
isn’t a track that would climb today’s charts. Then they went out and grabbed
Pharrell, Chic funk guitarist Nile Rodgers and a slew of other features to put
together a near perfect album.
I didn’t think they could make an album as good as Discovery but they did. The album has an 80’s summer sound and it fits in today’s nostalgia-obsessed society. If I write anymore, I might convince myself to put it #1.
I didn’t think they could make an album as good as Discovery but they did. The album has an 80’s summer sound and it fits in today’s nostalgia-obsessed society. If I write anymore, I might convince myself to put it #1.
3. Chvrches – The
Bones of What You Believe
Ohhhhhh boy this was a joy to come across. Chvrches is a
synthpop band from Glasgow, Scotland and one of big emergences of pop scene in
2013. The group has Iain and Martin, primarily, working the instrumentation and
FX pads while Lauren Mayberry is the lead vocalist. The chemistry between the trio
is fantastic. The instrumentation is catchy yet at times dark and although
Mayberry’s vocals are soft, they’re just as enthralling. The album creates a
very mystical picture much to Iain and Martin’s remarkable work on the
instrumentals.
As a Smashing Pumpkins fan I’m a huge proponent to metaphors
and symbolism. Mayberry’s lyrics capture a lot of what I love about Billy
Corgan’s song writing. In the song Gun
she talks about being vengeful ex-lover, not to the point of using a literal
gun but to where she will be a metaphoric one to use her own anger against her
former flame.
“Hide, hide, I have burned your bridges.
I will be a gun, and
it's you I'll come for.”
The song We Sink
was brilliantly dissected by the AV
Club. It’s a deadly accurate song about the harsh reality of love. Arguing
and then eventually coming to terms that, as the song says, you’ll be a thorn
in their side, till you die and for always.
Gun
Gun
2. Childish Gambino –
Because the Internet
Very tough decision on the final two spots and for the
longest time I thought Gambino’s album would be #1, but second is where it will
have to finish.
This album was a tough one for me. First listen I didn’t
like it…at all. Second, third listen I understood it and it was growing on me.
Last few listens and this might be my second favorite project of his (Behind
his EP). Because the Internet isn’t
the album Childish Gambino wanted to make. It’s the album Donald Glover wanted
to make. Not Donald Glover the comedian. Not Donald Glover the actor. Donald
Glover the person. Donald Glover the writer. The insecure, afraid and
intimidated individual was traditionally known for being a funny, punch-line spitting
rapper who was really, really corny and we loved him for it.
Looking back at his first album, Camp, I can honestly say it was pretty lackluster. The theme was
there and the songs weren’t bad. But it didn’t feel genuine. Songs like Kids were overshadowed by contradicting subjects
like in You See Me. It felt like an
album that was unsure of what it wanted to be and maybe that’s a reflection of
Gambino at the time. As someone who related to Gambino on a lot of levels, I
grew a fondness to his early music. But his flip-flopping lyrics eventually
wore thin.
Fast-forward to now.
This album just feels right. It doesn’t fall into
conventional hip-hop structure, or even music structure. Its progression is
sporadic and in some cases (Earth: The Oldest Computer) it’s just chaotic, but
that’s OK. The story seems much more sincere because he isn’t pleading for the
listener to relate or feel sorry for him. He’s just as insecure as ever but not
trying to make it relatable, simply narrative, of himself.
It’s about not being satisfied with where you’re at and
being confused about what should motivate you or apathy of even if you should
risk anything at all. Being afraid of what’s next and at the same time, not
wanting to be content.
The entire saga Gambino’s put together started with his
short film Clapping for the Wrong Reasons
that highlighted what I mentioned above. Where the film ends, the album, and
cooperative screenplay, begins.
Lyrically solid, but musically unique and narratively
obscure, Because the Internet may not
be likable on your first listen, second or maybe even at all. It’s not for
everyone, but I thought it was brilliant.
II. Earth: The Oldest Computer ft. Azealia Banks
II. Earth: The Oldest Computer ft. Azealia Banks
1. Haim – Days Are
Gone
Number one! HAIM! Days
Are Gone!
I’m going to leap 20 years into the future. When a teenager
or young adult in 2034 asks me what the 2010s, specifically 2013, sounded like,
instantly my mind will go to Haim. Spring sounds like Falling, summer sounds like Forever,
fall sounds like The Wire and I could
go on with many more song-scenario attachments.
Three infinitely talented sisters from California stole the
hearts of many, and especially mine,
this year. Their style is a sonically pleasing blend of folk, R&B, pop and
indie rock all thrown into a brick wall of charisma and pummeled with the
ever-clichéd “girl power”.
The craziest thing about Haim is that despite having a look
and feel traditional associated with indie bands; there is no reason why they
shouldn’t be a mainstream success. Their songs are catchy and there is at least
one song on the album that literally anyone can get into. Each sister has her
own identity that, together, makes the ensemble iconic. Este is the “wild” one,
Danielle is the “cool” one and Alana is young one. Live I have yet to see them, but they’re
gotten immense praise all over as being one of the top live acts of the year
and a must see in the future.
I’ve often compared their sound and feel to a modern-day
Fleetwood Mac and as I’ve thought on it, it’s kind of unfair. Haim is Haim.
There’s really no way to properly describe them so from now on I’m simply going
to recommend a song whenever someone asks me what they sound like.
I know I’m not writing as much about Days Are Gone that I did about Because
the Internet and that’s not a knock on how much I loved it. It’s clearly my
#1 album of 2013 there just isn’t as much to dissect. The songs are pure fun
and the sister act melds together many genres of music.
Falling
Falling
Notable Missing:
Kanye West – Yeezus
When I came up with my list of top 20 albums Yeezus was there. In the end I found
myself only liking Yeezus and not loving it as much of the internet has seemed
to.
Arcade Fire –
Reflektor
I actually haven’t given this album the time it needs I
think. I’m such a big Arcade Fire fan that I only heard it once and never went
back to it again because there wasn’t time to just sit and listen. I was busy
when it first came out and by the time I got stuff done, it was too late.
Sigur Ros – Kveikur
I’m ashamed to say I forgot this came out…that’s it.
And on that note, for me, 2013 in music is a wrap!
