Yet again we asked a host of our favourite musicians, writers and ocassionally just people in general to write a little about their favourite records of 2013. This year we have some familiar faces returning (like Frank Turner, Chris Farren and Ben Morse) as well as some new additions that we've welcomed with open arms.
Chris T-T on Frightened Rabbit’s ‘Pedestrian Verse’
I've long loved Frightened Rabbit but a few years ago their album Midnight Organ Fight took on a weight that meant I had to stop listening for a bit: I'd had it on headphones almost constantly for several days sitting in a hospital waiting-room, during a family tragedy (I vaguely reference this in 'The Music Is Alive With The Sound Of Ills'). Anyway, it meant that when I came to Pedestrian Verse, I'd kind of forgotten how wondrous and heartbreaking Scott's wordplay can be when you dive into it, full force. Pedestrian Verse is FR's step up to major label action – for any band risky, ambitious, complicated – but the sense of time and production quality hasn't remotely screwed up Scott's incredible, visionary songwriting. Nor has the need to be a 'real' band and build shows to bigger crowds with bigger budgets. Instead (and rarely in my opinion), this stuff all helped forge a richly listenable masterpiece. It came out early so there were always new records around to knock it off the pedestal – Future Of The Left, my friend Gill Sandell and 65DaysOfStatic all came close. But now it's got cold again and we're trying to sum up the year in music and I'm still hearing new things, new thoughts in the layers, still listening to it in full at least once a week, for me Frightened Rabbit sit easily on top of the woodpile. My friend Marc takes the piss out of them for their wet name but the vulnerability is crucial. What a majestic effort.
Henry Cox (of Boston Manor) on Daylight’s ‘Jar’
A fuzzy wave of 90's inspired Alternative Rock laced thick with Grunge and Emo elements, ‘Jar’ is a monster of a record. Songs like 'Crawl' pack a punch with powerful raw percussion that carry moody riffs to the desperate aching vocals of its chorus. Equally tracks like 'Sponge' and 'In on It', explore a more melancholy, lonely sound both sonically and lyrically, reminiscent of bands like Nirvana and The Smashing Pumpkins. It's a fantastic debut, with power, weight and a lot of emotional baggage. It's catchy as hell too.
Jamie Lenman on Kill Chaos' 'Promises Promises'
The album of my year is without a doubt ‘Promises Promises’ by Kill Chaos, who I just spent a week on the road with. I saw them playing an all-dayer at the sadly deceased Flower Pot in Kentish Town a few years ago and we got talking. They’d send me across demos and rough mixes as they happened so I’d heard a lot of it before it was finished but it still sounds fresh every time I hear it. 12 tracks of punchy, aggressive, honest-to-god rock and roll with hooks to die for and riffs to die from – second track‘Crush’ has gotta be the chorus of the year.
I don’t think anyone would accuse them of trying to re-invent the wheel with this collection, but sometimes it’s a lot harder to just write a plain old brilliant, well-structured song than it is to twat around with theremins trying to find a new sound, and that’s what they’ve done here, twelve times in a row. Like I told singer Darren the other day, every track is my favourite track. I can’t wait for their next one.
Mark McCabe on Nathan Hussey’s ‘Ground Me’
Nathan Hussey is, for those who don't know, the frontman of South Carolina based band All Get Out. Their album 'The Season' dominated my year in 2010 when it came out and is still as fresh for me now as it was then. Naturally, when I saw that Nathan was releasing a solo record I was rather excited. Simple yet beautiful, lo-fi yet perfectly constructed, this album is one that has made me question time and time again what I can achieve myself as a songwriter.
Whether its the more upbeat tracks like ‘Angry Men’ and No One’ or the slower, more melancholic numbers such as ‘Intervention’ and ‘Persona Non Grata’ there is an abundance of clever, catchy songwriting and beautiful lyrics throughout the record.
Nathan’s voice is intense yet always tuneful and no other song showcases his vocal prowess better than ‘Long Bad Days’. For me this is the standout track of the album. One guitar, an organ drone and harmonies that are to die for. Perfectly balanced between unhinged and genius - it gives me goosebumps every time.
In a year when many other songwriters have been praised for over produced and poorly thought out albums, Hussey’s apt words ‘I don’t buy the dream no more, I’m only paid when I don’t think’ have, in my humble opinion, got right to the core of the problem.
Chris Farren (of Fake Problems/Twitter) on Paramore’s ‘S/T’
Listen, I’m just as surprised as you are* that I like this as much as I do. From the outside, atop my perch of superior music taste, I always assumed Paramore was some sort of Warped Tour-y pop punk band. And maybe they were at one point, but this record is total 80’s soul rock. For all of January 2013 I listened to “Higher Love” by Steve Winwood exclusively. There is something about that over-the-top office party rock that really strikes a chord deep within my soul. I desperately want to hate it, but by the time that pre-chorus kicks in my arms are raised to the heavens and I am vibing hard. Anyway that’s what this record makes me feel like. Great article thank you. *You are always thinking about and wondering what kinds of things I like.
Tiffiny Kallina (actual punk celebrity) on Frightened Rabbits ‘Pedestrian Verse’
Pedestrian Verse (Frightened Rabbit) was an early contender (February), but it's stood the test of time. With the backing power of Atlantic, this album reached new heights. The production is absolutely gorgeous. There isn't a single mediocre track, each was written straight from the heart and is absolutely bursting with Frightened Rabbit's typical raw anxiety, depression, and self-loathing. My favorite of which is "Late March, Death March" which I cannot listen to enough times. I am reminded of the life-changing impact of my first listen to Midnight Organ Fight in Pedestrian Verse- it is truly a work of art.
© 2013 Brantley Gutierrez
Frank Turner on Larry & His Flask’s ‘By The Lamplight’
2013 was a pretty good year for music, and this narrowly edged out Frightened Rabbit and J Roddy Walston for me, but I just love this album. Touring with these guys last year and this didn't hurt my appreciation for what they do. The record is exciting, clever, original, energetic, awesome. ‘The Battle for Clear Sight’ is probably my song of the year. Love it.
Joe McCorriston on The Front Bottoms’ ‘Talon Of The Hawk’
2013 has been a great year for new records, but I think the one that tops it for me is 'Talon of the Hawk' by The Front Bottoms. I was already a big fan of the band before this record, but “Talon of the Hawk” cemented them a place as one of my favourite bands ever. Brian Sella bares all with his brutally honest lyrics in songs like 'Skeleton', “Lone Star”, 'Funny You Should Ask', well basically every single song. There have been many times this year I’ve been sitting on a train or bus, going to one of my own gigs, whilst listening to this album, and many-a-time have I been tempted to just jump up and put my arms around the other passengers, hoping for a mass singalong to the end of 'Twin Size Mattress'. Amazing songs, direct lyrics, and a great full band sound on this album. Maybe my mass singalong will happen one day…who knows?
Jacob Glew (of Fighting Fiction) on Great Cynics' 'Like I Belong'
My favourite record this year was Great Cynics' 'Like I Belong'. Last year my favourite record was the Menzingers' 'On The Impossible Past' and whilst you might think that irrelevant, here are my reasons for mentioning it. 'On The Impossible Past' - for me at least - defined The Menzingers' sound. It was like their previous releases all built up to it; a sudden vivid marriage of heartbreak, victory, nostalgia and defeat. That, and the production of the songs really does their consistently brilliant lyrical content, signature descending melody hooks and crashing contoured guitars, the justice they deserve. I would (and still do) come back to this album in sadness or happiness, and no matter wether I'm angry, content or how many 100's of late night, post gig journeys home, or depressing early morning half light commutes that I find this album my soundtrack; I can find something in it that makes me come away feeling like it's ok to feel whatever way I'm feeling and everything just seems a bit better after.
'Like I Belong' does exactly the same thing for me. It's the joyful sound of a young band, assured but never arrogant in the brilliant music they write. They've come of age with this record and so I can't recommend you listen to it enough. Someone had to come along and be my favourite UK band after the demise of Our Time Down Here, and thanks to 'Like I Belong' Great Cynics are it by a country mile.
Ben Morse (photographer extraordinaire) on J Roddy Walston & The Business' 'Essential Tremors'
My favourite album of the year is J Roddy Walston & The Business' 'Essential Tremors'- a real rock n' roll record. No filler, just well crafted foot stomping, sweaty rock and roll with old fashioned hooks and melodies.
Jayna Doyle (of Death Of Paris) on Paramore's 'S/T'
I've always had a love/hate relationship with Paramore's sound and didn't really "get it" until Riot! came out. But when this self-titled album dropped, I was so equally surprised and impressed. There's a playful abandonment in the new direction they've taken since working with Justin Medal-Johnson, and it's refreshing. How Paramore has reinvented themselves after losing two key members, resonates so deeply with both myself and my band. Lineup changes are so rough to overcome and they've bounced back more fearless and compelling as a result. "Ain't It Fun" is one of the best songs I've ever heard - I think I smiled for two straight days after first hearing it. Hayley Williams is on fire this year and I really get a sense that this album especially has both liberated and empowered her. I find myself constantly daydreaming about touring every time while listening through and I'm thankful for the inspiration this 2013 release has given us.
Eric Ayotte on Onsind's 'Anaethesiology'
While any ONSIND fan could instantly get into this album, it is far from the same old thing. I loved last years Mildred, Margie, Annie, Clarice, and felt like that was a step forward, and a great concept EP. With 'Anaesthesiology' they seem more confident, and I feel like I am picking up more and more what it's about with each listen. There's just the right amount of extra instrumentation and back up vocals mixed perfectly with Nathan and Daniel's dueling guitars and sweet harmonies. Anaesthesiology furthers ONSIND's position as one of the bands I most respect, both as humans and musicians.
Gregory Macdonald (of Sloan) on Jay Arner's 'S/T'
Jay Arner is a genius. I’ve known this for a long time, we went to high school together. In fact, it was in Mr. Morewood’s Grade 10 Math class that Jay introduced me to Sloan, the band I’ve been playing with for about 8 years now. You see, Jay is a year younger than I yet we ended up in the same math class. How, did that happen, you ask? I’ve already told you. GENIUS. It’s nice to see other people are finally starting to realize what I’ve known for years. The legendary and highly respected imprint known as Mint Records (The New Pornographers, Carolyn Mark, Geoff Berner and The Sadies) out of our native Vancouver, BC has released Jay’s first solo album and it’s my favorite album of 2013. Yeezus by Kanye West is a distant second. Jay has been practicing his singing, his recording techniques and more importantly, his songwriting since we were back in that math class together almost 20 years ago and they were good then but they’re great now. So much so that one of my favorite songwriters, Jay Ferguson of Sloan lists Jay Arner among his favorite songwriters and he has pretty great taste. When we were kids we were obsessed with rock bands like Guided By Voices, Nirvana and Weezer and even played in a few bands together trying to sound (and drink) like our heroes and just trying to figure out how it all worked. These days his songs feature more thoughtful drum beats and charming justoutoftune enough synths that could make even me (or Julian Casablancas) dance. “Bird Of Prey”, “Broken Glass” and “Surf Don’t Sink” are some of my favorites, but it’s the 7th song, “Don’t Remind Me” with its grumpy bass sound and just a bit too much reverb on the drums that seems to bring all the elements together for a ‘classic’ Jay Arner experience.
Gregory Macdonald is a Vancouverborn Torontodwelling musician and music fan playing in such bands as Sloan, Limblifter, Thomas D’Arcy and Flash Lightnin’. He also hates eggplant.
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