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Albums, music, songs of 2013.. (Read 13835 times)

Falling Down

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Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 03, 2013, 09:37:12 pm
OK kids here it is, the perennial albums/music/ of the year 2013 thread..

I've spent most of the year listening to older music but there's a few gems that have made the playlist this year.

1 - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Push the Sky Away.

A tremendous album.  The best from the band in years.  So worthwhile in anybody's collection. Jubilee Street is probably one of the best songs of this decade.

2 - British Sea Power: Machineries of Joy.

A proper pop-rock LP.  So many good songs with a real energy, propulsion and, well, joy.

3 - Savages: Silence Yourself.

Four piece band channeling Souxie and the Banshees & Ian Curtis into a stripped down, angular, danceable post-punk 2013 sound.  Brilliant.

4 - Jon Hopkins: Immunity.

Minimal electronica and techno with a lot of feeling and emotion.  You can hear the King Creosote influence here in spite of it being a computer thing...

5 - James Blake: Overblown.

Superbly navigates the space between lush analogue and crispy digital.  I kept thinking my stylus was fucked until I realised there was deliberate distortion on some of the channels in the mix.  Very good songwriting realised to great effect and a proper album with the ebb and flow that rewards repeated listening.

6 - Fat White Family: Champagne Holocaust.

Dirty, scuzzy Happy Monday's 'esque avant pop.  I'd like to see this band live.

7 - Pissed Jeans: Honeys.

Following the same template.  Garage rock at its best.  Stooges/Dwarves/Lazy Cowgirls. Get pissed, smoke fags, take class A drugs, take two or three strippers out for the night.

8 - Grumbling Fur: Glynnaestra

As if The Orb, Primal Scream, Psychic TV and Fairport Covention emerged from a mission to Mars induced sleep.  This is quality.

9 - Wardruna: Yggdrasil.

Nordic spiritual music played on bones, reindeer gut, ancient wood and chanting by Gaahl of Gorgoroth.  What more do you want?

10 - The Asphodells: Ruled by Passion, Destroyed By Lust.

Master shaman Andy Weatherall and friends conjure up a very British gauze covered wound of lush, dub based chugging guitar electronic pop songs.

11 - Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1980

Dion Hinchcliffe's (Tindersticks) soundtrack to the Red Riding episode “1980” - the grimmest one. 

Lots of 12”'s and other shapes worth mentioning too.

1 - Theo Parrish/Tony Allen: Day like this.

Fela Kuti's drummer teams up with TP for a really soulful excursion all recorded live with beautiful vocals from Eska Mtungwazi.

2 - The Asphodells remixes.

3 - Soulwax's cut of Pulp.

4 - Juan Atkins/Moritz Von Oswald: Borderland series. Techno legend with Basic Channel/Rhythm and Sound legend.

5 - PsychicTV - Silver Sundown Machine.  Like it says on the tin.

On the reissue:

#1 has to be Bobby Beasoleil's “Lucifer Rising” soundtrack box set.
Closely followed by A Tribute to Conny Plank; Kraut producer extraordinaire.  Then Dark's “Dark round the edges” very rare psych-folk-rock album from 1972 with Comus's “First Utterance” following a similar template.  Slayer's classics remastered and cut to 180g are pretty breathtaking; Cabaret Voltaire's box set and The Beatles box set (although this was released last year) are fucking amazing.

Get your roll call up...
















andy popp

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#1 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 03, 2013, 09:50:29 pm
Fantastic stuff Ben. I'm going to have to see if I can remember buying any music, there must be some.

But, just to be going on with, two weeks ago I saw a simply incredible gig; Low at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral. I'd already seen them twice this year and thought they were very good but this was one of the times a band seems to transcend everything they normally do. They managed to take it some wholly other place. It must have been something about the space (and the sound was incredible); two spellbining hours. I went with a friend who barely knew them and felt exactly the same.

Falling Down

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#2 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 03, 2013, 10:38:25 pm
I missed them playing in London.  It sounds great. A proper musical experience.

Fiend

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#3 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 03, 2013, 11:25:27 pm
Album: Carcass - Surgical Steel

Clear stand out this year that did what everyone had hoped.



Track: Rockwell - Detroit

Okay there are many many good tracks but this one is pretty irresistable.




Ti_pin_man

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#4 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 04, 2013, 08:19:00 am
1. Soulfly - Savages - the opening riff on bloodshed is just fab
2.  Carcass - Surgical Steel - just the best soundtrack to fingerboard sessions
3.  Scar The Martyr  - Scar The Martyr
   - - - really enjoyed getting back into some realkly loud metal this year, its been a while
4.  Stone Sour - House of Gold - I actually liked part1 more than 2 but it was 2012 so part 2 will suffice
5.  In This Moment - Blood - Another great riff on Commanche
6.  Arcos Angel - Lifes Love Loss - inward looking for those depressing moements in life
7.  Black Star Riders - Black Star Riders - simply a stunning Thin Lizzy album
8.  Newsted - Heavy Metal Music - does what it says on the tin

SA Chris

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#5 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 04, 2013, 08:21:44 am
Shit, this time already!

the_dom

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#6 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 04, 2013, 08:38:05 am
I didn't buy much 'new' music this year, but I really enjoyed:
  • Gogol Bordello - Pura Vida Conspiracy. Not their best, but they still put me in a good mood.
  • Frank Turner - Tape Deck Heart. I really enjoyed this, despite thinking it'd probably be too shoegazey and self-involved.
  • Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Push the Sky Away. Like FD said, this is a tremendous return to form.
Shit, that's all the music that I bought that was released in 2013.

Some of the fun 'older' things that I discovered in 2013 were:
  • The Lawrence Arms, especially Cocktails & Dreams. This grew on me.
  • The New Bomb Turks - !!! Destroy!! Oh Boy!! The first track, Born Toulouse Lautrec, is one of the greatest punk tracks I've heard in years.
  • Earth - The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull. Moody instrumental stuff by the guy who bought Kurt Cobain the gun he used to kill himself.
  • High on Fire. Everything they've ever done.

Fiend

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#7 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 04, 2013, 11:04:21 am
Hurry up and post GCW, then Surgical Steel can definitely outnumber the other album picks  :punk: ;D

SA Chris

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#8 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 04, 2013, 06:49:46 pm
In no particular order

Foal - Holy Fire - Not as good as Total Life Forever, but still ace
Depeche Mode - Delta Machine. Were always "my band" when young, listening to this feels like they were never away.
Public Service Broadcasting - Inform Educate Entertain - all the best bits from the EPs in one place.
Califone - Stitches - Nice bluesy country - up Panton's street
John Hopkins - Immunity - as per FD's comment
Phaeleh - Tides - more crisp techno
Ulrich Shnauss and Mike Peters - Tomorrow is anther day - see comment above
Bastille - Bad Blood - I know I shouldn't like it but I do. New song is fucking terrible though
Eels - Wonderful Glorious - more of his usual niche stuff, love it or hate it. I love it

And some stuff from late last year on frequent rotation

XX - Coexist
Simian Mobile Disco - Unpatterns
The Sea and Cake - Runner
Liars - WIXIW

Lowlights - Daft Punk and Delphic



fried

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#9 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 04, 2013, 07:18:17 pm
It probably been the worst year since about 1983 for listening to new music. Moving home basically meant cutting out most of my music spending. I'm also finding as I get older the 'wow' moments are getting rarer and rarer.

The beginning of the year's listening was heavily influenced by Julian Cope's 'Copendium'. I listened to a lot of stuff I wouldn't normally listen to like Van Halen, black sabbat...not stuff I'd normally play but interesting for a muso like me. The only 3 albums I bought this year were album recommendations from the book, the first 2  were excellent.

Comets on fire - Field recordings from the sun
Rocket from the tombs - The day the earth met the rocket from the tombs

the last was ok, but a bit polished, there old stuff is fantastic.

Simply saucer - Half human/ half live

Lots of other interesting stuff from the book I beg, borrrowed or stole.

Apart from that very little although I've just started reading 'Electric eden' and been listening to a fair bit of folk music (which is nothing new) but I did 'discover' Trees - Garden of Jane Delawney

Most played album, as last year - Neil Young - On the beach

Johnny Brown

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#10 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 04, 2013, 08:11:53 pm
Not listened to much new either, but surprised this hasn't had a mention:

Steve Mason - Monkey Minds In the Devil's Time

Beta Band main man's third solo effort is a career high; the single 'A lot of love' just trumps Dry the rain as his best song yet. The rest of the album takes a bit of getting into but should repay the effort. Surprised to hear he played the Leadmill last month, but in the small room. I guess the critical acclaim but commercial failure of the Beta Band continues...



Also enjoyed Mogwai's soundtrack to Les Revenants. Until I saw the series, which turned me off a bit. Like Fried, enjoyed the Copendium very much, the man is brilliant. I doubt anyone else could write so entertainingly about what is often broadly unlistenable.

As Chris said, the PSB album isn't all new but saw some heavy rotation. Just caught them live supporting: 

Gig of the year: New Order at Jodrell bank. After missing half their triumphant set at Festival No.6 in 2012 I was made up to catch this gig, as sort of homecoming for the band. No Hooky but you can't have it all. Amazing moment just before the Joy Division encore when the dish went from being projection screen to malevolent deathstar. (Also in support was Johnny Marr, who played several Smiths tracks. Which was nice).



Most played album of the year was Nic Jones - Penguin Eggs. This obsession neatly coincided with a (very good) BBC doc on his life, but I was amazed to see the Glossop bar-room where he played his last gig before his near-fatal accident was the one we'd had a BMC meet in only days previously.

Special mention for the best pop single in about twenty years. Not a Daft Punk fan but you've got to hand it to them, fantastic.




fried

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#11 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 04, 2013, 08:18:07 pm
Do you have any links to the Nic Jones documentary? This is yet another of my all time favourite albums of all time.

underground

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#12 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 04, 2013, 08:49:19 pm
Do you have any links to the Nic Jones documentary? This is yet another of my all time favourite albums of all time.
I have to agree with JB on Nic Jones, amazing and sublime. Here's a link to the doc, unfortunately not available on iplayer although I do still have it on the Sky box if you want to come round for a watch...

Still considering my list for the year.

Johnny Brown

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#13 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 04, 2013, 08:51:55 pm
I suspect it will be repeated, I'll keep an eye out. It was premiered at The Showroom the same night, my mother-in-law went down but Nic wasn't there...

In the meantime there is a BBC Radio doc . Not listened but I doubt it'll be crap.

fried

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#14 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 04, 2013, 09:16:23 pm
Cheers :2thumbsup: the iplayer is currently unavailable but I'll have a listen to the radio programme soon. Bit of a distance to come and watch on the skybox but thanks for the offer.

Falling Down

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#15 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 04, 2013, 10:52:37 pm
Some great selections that I've not heard gents, I will seek out.  Superb... I reckon there's probably ten years of these threads archived.

Fried - Yes, Copendium is a really good read and coupled with Spotify & t'interweb an avenue to all sorts of fabulous music.

andy popp

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#16 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 05, 2013, 12:06:33 am
Just this minute back from great two set Yo La Tengo gig. It's been a great year for live music for me

underground

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#17 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 05, 2013, 03:07:09 am
Loads of music for me this year, but looking at my Spotify stats, loads of old stuff and loads of the same old stuff (tonnes of nostalgic 90’s indie)-  however, undoubtedly, the best album, from start to finish, every song a real banger, has been:

Hiatus Kaiyote - 'Tawk Tomahawk' – so different, so called ‘nu soul’ but also to my mind some lush guitars, really amazing female vocals and song structures…  Nothing else came close.


I also loved:

Charles Bradley - 'Victim of Love'

Disclosure - 'Settle' (mainly for the intro sample into ‘When a fire starts to burn’ and ‘Latch’ and the next 2 tracks, but on that basis it’s album not track. Bit of 4/4 that got my jaw going….)

Om'Mas Keith - 'City Pulse'

Karriem Riggins - 'Alone Together'

Band A Part - 'Franny Y Tu' (also look for the ‘Franny Y Tu’ EP for a track called ‘David Y Claudia’ which made me seek this out, like the best of Stereolab-lite and lovely)

Mazzy Star - 'Seasons of your Day'

Jon Hopkins - 'Immunity'

These New Puritans - 'Fields of Reeds'

Myron & E - 'Broadway'

A couple of albums I heard for the first time this year, from last year but deserve a mention:

Matthew Halsall – ‘Fletcher Park Fields,’

Neil Cowley Trio 'The Face of Mount Molehill'

One of my favourite things all year has been listening to Gilles on iplayer, in parts on Saturday driving or in and out of the house, but savouring on my days working from home – some weeks it’s all I’ve listened to all week depending on quality, some weeks have been a bit average, others, utterly amazing, and as such it’s given me loads of tracks that may not make the Album cut but don’t need to, they just stand out. Too many to mention really but the ones I can remember:

The standout one for me is:

Omar - 'The Man' – filthy brass, funky and soul-y as f**k, maybe my favourite song of the year, in fact.

Runner up:

Ady Suleiman – ‘Longing for my love’ – just brilliant. Other acoustic guitar / singing artists, go home and have a think.


The rest:

The Electric Soft Parade – ‘Brother, you must walk your path alone’
Earl Sweatshirt - 'Centurion' (David Axelrod samples, apparently. I was only vaguely aware of that but I like them)
Fat Freddy's Drop - 'Mother Mother' (especially after the break when the bass-y synth kicks in….  never really liked FFD before this)
Sons of Kemet - 'Inner Babylon'
Wraight Webster Ensemble - 'Nature and Light’
Cashmere Cat – ‘Mirror Maru’
King Krule - 'The Lizard State' (amazing voice for a little ginger haired teenager)
Den Sorte Skole – ‘Formula Dub’
Erykah  Badu – ‘The Booty Don’t Lie’

I also heard this – in TK Maxx of all places, and Shazamed it – turns out it’s on Truth and Soul records and is a guy from Nottingham. It’s also from 2012 but I was so impressed it’s on the list:

Liam Bailey - 'Please Love me'

So much of my listening this year has been influenced by Gilles, and I’m not a follower of ‘world’ music as such but there’s been a couple of bangers I had to slot in, in spite of being years old:

Alka Yagnik - 'Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai' (hit Bollywood song, my mates in India tell me it means ‘What’s behind the blouse?’ The groove on this is fantastic)

Zia – ‘Helel Yos’ (Iranian funk. Totally awesome, brass and drumming are deadly)

Most Listened to:

Jens Lekman – ‘Nights Fall Over Kortedala’ (2007) (just listen. You’ll love it or hate it. I love it massively)
.

SA Chris

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#18 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 05, 2013, 09:25:27 am
Hurry up and post GCW, then Surgical Steel can definitely outnumber the other album picks  :punk: ;D

Better do something fast, Jon Hpokins appears to be pick of the moment.

dave

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#19 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 05, 2013, 11:59:15 am
Is it too mainstream for me to highlight the new album "AM" from high green's favourite neo-tedyboys the Arctic Monkeys? Cos its fucking well jackson.


SA Chris

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#20 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 05, 2013, 12:16:03 pm
I don't think too mainstream. Good to see a return to some form after 2 albums best decribed as "patchy"

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#21 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 05, 2013, 12:58:48 pm
Recently downloaded Spaces by Nils Frahm. Really good to have a focussed listen to, preferrably with headphones. Very ambient. Not an everyday listen.

I've listen to AM quite a lot - it was kind of our California soundtrack. it goes a bit flat in the middle but either end of the album, has some great tunes.

Wild Light by 65days of Static - Layered, Textured, Well paced. Also a headphones listen.

Cupid's Head - The Field More of the same really...

I have not bought much this year.

GCW

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#22 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 05, 2013, 01:35:44 pm
Hurry up and post GCW, then Surgical Steel can definitely outnumber the other album picks  :punk: ;D

Yes, Surgical Steel really has been the stand out this year. 

I am also getting into NiN's Hesitation Marks, different but very powerful.
Suede's Bloodsports is a good album too, not quite their high point but still good.
Travis' Where You Stand is worth a listen too.

Jaspersharpe

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#23 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 05, 2013, 02:21:29 pm
Another vote for Arctic Monkeys, I was never that big on them but I think they're getting better and better. Also:

Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City - Never got this band at all but this is great and Diane Young is one of my favourite tracks of the year.

Foals - Holy Fire - Likewise, I always thought Foals were awful and didn't understand the hype. This is a brilliant album.

!!! - Thr!!!er - Variously described as any mixture of pop/funk/dance/disco/indie/punk I have no idea what you call this but it's good. The ungoogleable !!! have been around for 13 years but I'd never heard of them before the disco cheesefest "One Boy/One Girl" was played on 6music. Bought the album on the strength of that track and I really like it.

Cold War Kids - Dear Miss Lonelyhearts - Another band who've been around for years and I'd never heard of (although once I started searching I realised I knew "Hang Me Up To Dry" which is excellent and a few other tunes) until 6music played "Miracle Mile". Anyway, this is really good, "Robbers & Cowards" from 2006 is probably better.

John Grant - Pale Green Ghosts - This is my favourite album of the year and GMF is my favourite tune of the year. I'd never heard of...... etc

Good shout on Savages btw FD, not got the album yet but love what I've heard.

Oh and from the back end of 2012 but needs a mention as it's brilliant and what I'm listening to now:

Melody's Echo Chamber - Melody's Echo Chamber - French bird Melody Prochet doing what I've seen called "Kraut-rock-dream-pop-electronica". Eh? No idea what that means but this is an amazing album. e.g.



Yes, I listen to 6music all day.  :guilty:

johnx2

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#24 Re: Albums, music, songs of 2013..
December 05, 2013, 04:42:55 pm
what no math rock? Check out this toe:



Seriously, give it a chance. If only to see the drummer at the end.

(yeah and Get Lucky was single of this and a few other years. Off an overhyped album that I just kept on listening to. AM I found disappointing. Hey but these are just, like, my opinions man.)

 

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