Favorite Albums of 2013: #20-1

(20) Big Wheel and Others - Cass McCombs (Domino)
I find that if I have something to complain about regarding Cass McCombs, it is his tendency to craft songs that are way too long considering how repetitive they are (Catacombs and Wit's End, I'm looking at you). I was able to look past that on his second 2011 LP, Humor Risk, because the songs were THAT good. Now, on Big Wheel and Others he seems to have finally gotten back to what he did best on 2007's Dropping the Writ (which, I love): dark folk and sometimes bizarre guitar pop songs of reasonable length and with more of a typical structure. There's just one problem here. It is made up of 22 songs and is almost an hour-and-a-half long. 22 SONGS. AROUND 85 MINUTES. I have sworn off albums from bands that choose to be this indulgent. But, I can't shake this record. It is sad, and utterly gorgeous, and keeps me captivated the entire time. Maybe this will become my new thing instead of nine song full lengths that are under 30 minutes (nah!).
Top jam: "Morning Star"


(19) MBV - My Bloody Valentine (self-released)
MBV fans of all denominations have been waiting 20+ years for the oft rumored follow-up to Loveless. Was the wait worth it? I mean, sure, I guess. It is another My Bloody Valentine album, and it picks up where Loveless left off, and even progresses to some weird tribal dronings to close out the album. I'm sure this is a controversial stance, but, while there are jams (ESPECIALLY "New You") I don't view MBV as a necessary addition to the canon. But, like I said, it is a My Bloody Valentine album, and those guitars sound as strange and gorgeous as ever. So, it makes the list!
Top jam: "New You"


(18) Kitchen Table - Frank Schweikhardt - (Crossroads of America)
My Indiana friend Frank Schweikhardt used to play guitar and sing in an awesome emo/punk band called Away With Vega that an old band of mine used to play with. They were awesome, and so much fun to watch, and sounded like a cross between Braid and Small Brown Bike. Now, he's had this solo project (with assistance from some other Bloomington buds) going since 2006, and Kitchen Table is his third LP. The sound here could be considered slowcore in the vein of Sun Kil Moon, Idaho and Owen. The lush production works extremely well with the slow and mid tempos of the songs, smart instrumental arrangements and beautiful layers of guitars. And, Frank's subtle, hushed melodies top it all off. So proud of these boys.
Top jam: "Motel"


(17) AMOK - Atoms for Peace (XL)
Ah, yes, the first full-length record under the Atoms for Peace moniker. I assume you know that this group is made up of Thom Yorke, Nigel Godrich and... FLEA! This record rules. It sounds more like an extension of Yorke's 2006 solo record, The Eraser (but better), than Radiohead's The King of Limbs. The vocals and melodies are typically Yorkeian, and Flea's bass parts are surprisingly understated and fantastic. Throw that all in with a mix of sparse guitar, relatively difficult electro-pop and IDM beats, and you have AMOK. "Dropped," "Unless," and "Reverse Running" are all excellent.
Top jam: "Unless"


(16) Long Enough to Leave - The Mantles (Slumberland)
Thanks be to my girlfriend Sara for introducing me to this band. The Mantles sound like a beautiful mix of The Feelies and The Byrds, equal parts 80s jangle pop and 60s sunshine psych pop. Long Enough to Leave gets better with each listen. "Marbled Birds" and the title track are the best songs, but, "Rasberry Thighs" hits that fall jam sweet spot, sounding like a lost Real Estate song.
Top jam: "Long Enough to Leave"


(15) The Distance is So Big - Lemuria (Bridge Nine)
I am an idiot, because I STILL haven't listened to what is supposedly Lemuria's best album, 2008's Get Better. Pebble was good enough to land in my top 40 of 2011, but my passion for that record wained as time went on. Now, this year's The Distance is So Big gets better every time I hear it. Sheena Ozzella's vocals and guitar chops are strong as ever, and the band seems more at home here than they did on Pebble (though, both being recorded by J. Robbins, I do like the production on the latter a bit more). Lemuria have reached that stage where they are much more than just emo or pop punk. This is technical guitar pop with smart hooks and plenty of hidden treasures. Listen to 'em, ya dummies!
Top jam: "Public Opinion Bath"


(14) The Flower Lane - Ducktails (Domino)
Matt Mondanile's Ducktails project started off as aimless, trippy, psychedelic bedroom music and had expanded to become the jangly guitar pop that was 2011's Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics. Mondanile took another big step on his fourth LP, The Flower Lane, by roping in a backing band made up of members of Big Troubles and adding a ton of keyboards. The result (aside from opener, "Ivy Covered House," which sounds like an awesome Real Estate song) sounds more in line with classic pop, soul and adult contemporary music. There's still an "indie" element to The Flower Lane (whatever that means anymore), but it seems like Mondanile was trying to channel way more MJ and Steely Dan than The Feelies, which makes for a more unique and surprisingly rewarding listen.
Top jam: "The Flower Lane"


(13) 10x - Celestial Shore (Hometapes)
This record is INSANE. Imagine a less groove-oriented, even more technical Deerhoof. The songs are impeccably structured, yet, so intricate that their parts seem random. The complex musicianship and weird time signatures are mindblowingly impressive. There is a certain amount of pop sensibility here, as the melodies are gorgeous and some of the moments on 10x call back to the psychedelic sunshiney pop of the 60s. However, if you like straightforward pop song structure, Celestial Shore certainly are not for you.
Top jam: "Stairs Under Stars"


(12) Random Access Memories - Daft Punk (Columbia)
Return to form! Kind of, at least in that, unlike 2005's Human After All, Random Access Memories is not disappointing. I'm sure we've all come to terms with the fact that Daft Punk will never match nor exceed the glorious level they reached with 2001's Discovery, my second favorite record of that decade. RAM is not perfect; there are a few laughably poor decisions, and the record is WAY too long. But, there are a lot of charming aspects that I appreciate deeply, such as the way a variety of vocalists were used, as well as the live instrumentation. I also appreciate that it is not a collection of hits, but an actual album, even if its structured awkwardly in a few places. RAM is very much a Daft Punk album in the way that they knew exactly what they were doing, and they found ways to still catch their listeners off guard. I may not like to dance anymore. I may not listen to modern electronic music anymore that isn't Radiohead-related. But, I will always follow Daft Punk.
Top jam: "Fragments of Time"


(11) We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic - Foxygen (Jagjaguwar)
Foxygen may be made up of two young dudes that seem to hate each other, but, at least they provided some excellent music in 2013. Here are some swampy, sneakily complex guitar pop jams that call back to The Kinks and T. Rex. Great, very appropriate production, smart, quality songwriting, and the type of surprising changes that I have always loved. "No Destruction," "On Blue Mountain," "Shuggie" and "Oh Yeah" all rule big time.
Top jam: "Oh Yeah"


(10) No Passion All Technique - Protomartyr (Urinal Cake)
It's been a little while since I've felt this excited about a newer Detroit band. I haven't had the honor to see them live yet, but on record, Protomartyr KILL.No Passion All Technique is a fantastic mix of jittery, post-punk and raw garage rock. Imagine Joy Division meets The Stooges? This record came out late in 2012, but, didn't come across my radar until half way through 2013. Regardless, I am stoked for their Hardly Art debut coming in 2014!
Top jam: "Hot Wheel City"


(9) The Chronicles of Marnia - Marnie Stern (Kill Rock Stars)
Marnie Stern's albums continue to get more poppy (which isn't a bad thing), but, that never takes away from her finger-tapping guitar heroics, nor the octopus drumming (formerly courtesy of Zach Hill, now Oneida's Kid Millions). Even moreso than 2010's self-titled offering, the musicianship here is extremely impressive. The songs may be driven even more by melody and not quite as zany, but, The Chronicles of Marnia is still very much Marnie Stern: ridiculous guitar riffage, mathy rhythms, etc. "Year of the Glad" and "Nothing is Easy" are typically awesome Marnie Stern affair, while the focus on groove in "East Side Glory" make it the top jam of the album.
Top jam: "East Side Glory"


(8) Siberia - Polvo (Merge)
I have a few dude friends in their early-30s who have been encouraging me to spend time with Polvo for a while now. I had done so with 2009's In Prism (which I thought was pretty decent), and tried 1997's Shapes (I did not like it, but I do not remember why). It seems like last year's Siberia is generally considered a return to form record for the band. I don't know, I just think it's really great, technical, muscular guitar rock, with all the fixins of a real "Quillen" album (big, awesome guitars, complicated song structures, impressive, mathy drumming). I enjoy every song here, "Some Songs" taking top honor. I can't imagine how much better this record would be if the songs were shorter.
Top jam: "Some Songs"


(7) Wakin on a Pretty Daze - Kurt Vile (Matador)
I'm not going to pigeonhole Wakin on a Pretty Daze as a purely folk album; there is a lot more going on than just that. But, Kurt Vile is definitely the best thing going in folk music since early and mid-2000s Sufjan, and, at this stage of my life, I largely prefer Vile. Like on 2011's Smoke Ring for My Halo, Vile still has some Dylan/Young/Springsteen/Petty elements to his sound, but, the songs on Wakin on a Pretty Daze are more grandiose and epic in scope and length. This could be a bad thing, however, as is Vile's tradition, I easily get hypnotized and lost in the beauty of these songs. Once again, I could complain that they are too long, but, when they are this good, it is hard to do so. Simply put: Kurt Vile does it again, and I cannot wait for what is next.
Top jam: "Goldtone"


(6) Fade - Yo La Tengo (Matador)
Yo La Tengo have been releasing music since the dawn of time (or, 1986), and I am familiar/in love with their material from Painful (1993) onward. Based on my experience with them, they release an album every three-or-so years, and that album is always at least really good, if not absolutely great. Fade does not deviate from this pattern. It is their softest, slowest album since 2000's And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out, but then again, it is incredibly dynamic like all of their records (that I've heard). There is a bit of variety from song to song in the first half, from epic folk rock to orchestral 60s pop to noisy YLT-style indie rock, etc. The second half seems to have more of a focus on the acoustic guitar, so I will dub it the "folk half" of Fade. I will not complain, as the songs are gorgeous (especially the huge, climactic closer, "Before We Run"), but, I would have loved a little more rockin' here. Otherwise, Fade is another YLT album that is pretty much on par with most of the rest (still up for debate).
Top jam: "Well You Better"


(5) Light Up Gold - Parquet Courts (What's Your Rupture?)
This record was originally released in 2012, and then What's Your Rupture? reissued it at the very beginning of 2013. Now that I have that out of the way, Light Up Gold RULES. Big time. I'll admit I didn't entirely get it at first; it just sounded like a pretty cool garage rock record. Then, I noticed all the subtle guitar nods to Pavement, which makes for a pretty interesting sound when combined with the simple, driving rhythms that make up these songs. The whole slacker feel here also calls back to Pavement, along with The Modern Lovers. Parquet Courts churn out 15 jams in under 35 minutes (love that) that sound like the two bands mentioned above rolled into one with some Television thrown in. I didn't like the 2013 EP Tally All the Things That You Broke nearly as much, but I am pumped for the next full-length.
Top jam: "Yr No Stoner"


(4) Extended Plays - Cheatahs (Wichita)
Cheatahs are a newer London-based rock band that dabbles with elements of Britpop, shoegaze, dream pop, post-punk, and straight-up American indie rock, sounding not unlike an even poppier version Swervedriver's poppiest moments (with less technical drumming). As I'm sure you could have guessed, Extended Plays is not actually a proper LP, but a collection of two EPs originally released in 2012. Their proper full-length debut is to be released this month, and I cannot wait. Every moment of all eight of these songs are great, particularly "Coared," and I am expecting this 2014 LP to compete for album of the year status.
Top jam: "Coared"


(3) Ideal Cities - Roomrunner (Fan Death)
At this point, I feel like it's a disservice to Baltimore's Roomrunner to say they sound like a heavier Nirvana and other bands from the early 90s who ride the thin line between indie rock and grunge, but, they really do. Ideal Cities is loaded with atonal vocal melodies, big, roomy drums, beefy power chords and perhaps the most important sound on the whole record: TONS of feedback. It's hard to explain, but, Ideal Cities is much more than just a Nirvana knock off, even if I can't think of a more original way to describe it at this point. I am really into this record and love the way it sounds. Really looking forward to their follow-up EP (recorded by J. Robbins!), as well as seeing them at New Way Bar in Ferndale later this month.
Top jam: "Weird"


(2) Am - Ovlov (Exploding in Sound)
Connecticut's Ovlov came out of nowhere for me. Well, they were recommended to me by a couple of trusted friends, so, not exactly nowhere, I guess. But, I had never heard of them prior. Anyway, their 2013 LP Am is fantastic in that lo-fi, Dinosaur Jr.-meets-My Bloody Valentine way. The vocals are understated and the guitars are huge and gnarly, combining early-90s indie rock fuzz with shoegaze's bending and warped tones. Every song is pretty much lights out, with "The Well," "Where's My Dini?," "Moth Rock" and "The Great Alligator" being the absolute best. Production-wise, this record is sort of a mess, sounding like it was recorded quickly in a basement or garage. This is probably perfect for these songs in particular. I'd be interested to hear them record in the future with Albini or something, though. It doesn't matter. Everything Ovlov did here makes Am my second favorite album of 2013. Now, on to #1.
Top jam: "Where's My Dini?"


(1) Major Arcana - Speedy Ortiz (Carpark)
I had a pretty good idea after my first or second listen that Speedy Ortiz's Major Arcana, would be my favorite record of the year. It's a very "Quillen" album: complex song structures, dual guitars intricately tangled together in jagged rhythms, smart, enjoyable melodies, etc. Major Arcana is too complex to be considered a hook-heavy album, but, after wading through all the dense trickery presented here, there are indeed hooks to be found after all. Speedy Ortiz have repeatedly been compared to a holy trinity of sorts in 1990s indie rock: Pavement, Archers of Loaf and Helium (I'd even throw in Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville, which I need to spend way more time with, and soon). Apparently, this is the best combination of sounds possible at this point in time, and Speedy O put an awesome, fresh twist on everything, keeping it from sounding dated, unoriginal or overwrought. Without question, this is the greatest of 2013.
Top jam: "Fun"