The B&C Best Albums of 2013 Thread

[LemonMelon]

Too slow Traviud.

I do agree that the line is hard to draw though. The purpose of EPs can vary from genre to genre - some genres definitely place more importance on EPs (and singles) than others, as the RYM charts also show, and the normal length of an EP or an album will change a lot between genres. It does, however, seem to me that EPs sometimes unfairly get maligned, especially when for some bands - usually young bands building a reputation - an EP can be a very significant artistic statement, as important as an album.

Personally, I love EPs and think they can be useful in introducing new artists (Lorde's Love Club was a big deal) or in fleshing out established albums (a lot of them fall into this category).

The Empty Estate EP was a favorite of mine because it implied a new direction without diving right in. I wouldn't call it an album because I think the band purposely wanted to tease a new sound without a great deal of commitment to it, but it certainly was an important release for the band.

 

[cobl04]

I Understand What You Want But I Just Don't Agree

 

[The Sad Punk]

I Understand What You Want But I Just Don't Agree

I'll post my list sometime in the next few'.

 

[No spoken words]

Nobody wants to see your list.

I posted mine at the last minute last year, and, it's looking like no list for this year. I know my top 5 and that's about it. I'm a bad music fan.

 

[IWasBored]

I was quite surprised to find they'd reformed - and that they still have the passion and intensity of the past.

I saw them live a handful of years ago, which was probably longer ago than I realize since I never heard the album they put out in 2007 either. Oops. The first couple were good though, so I'll have to look into what I haven't heard.

 

[lazarus]

The only EP that comes to mind that really makes a substantial artistic statement is Sugar's Beaster. I'm sure there are others but that one is a whopper.

 

[cobl04]

Joe Goddard's Taking Over EP is awesome.

 

[Axver]

You can make a case that basically every first wave shoegaze band made better EPs than albums. I'd disagree, but I can definitely see where people are coming from when they say that.

 

[Kieran McConville]

New Boy & Bear Album 'Mediocrity Is Never So Dangerous As When It Is Dressed Up As Sincerity' to Drop March

Sorry for the driveby, I can't really add to this poll, I just don't listen to that many albums in a year. List of 15? Lawd. No. No no no. But my hot favourites seem represented so that's all good and well.

 

[cobl04]

New Boy & Bear Album 'Mediocrity Is Never So Dangerous As When It Is Dressed Up As Sincerity' to Drop March

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha I love you Kieran

 

[Axver]

Oh man that's a quality call.

 

[bono_212]

Are we talking about all EPs ever?

 

[u2popmofo]

Nobody wants to see your list.

I posted mine at the last minute last year, and, it's looking like no list for this year. I know my top 5 and that's about it. I'm a bad music fan.

Do what I always do, give everything the exact same amount of points and don't rank any of them. Easy peasy.

 

[phanan]

Tegan and Sara - Love They Say

My favorite from that album as well.

 

[Dalton]

Did this ever get tallied up?

 

[lazarus]

Another Interference poll abandoned by Peef.

 

[LMP]

As usual, we will go a couple of weeks into the new year (2014 for those who were confused) before establishing a cutoff, giving you the opportunity to listen to albums on other people's lists that you never got a chance to listen to.

Still got some time, folks.

 

[mikal]

1. Arcade Fire - Reflektor (15)
2. Washed Out - Paracosm (15)
3. Kurt Vile - Walkin On A Pretty Daze (14)
4. Boards of Canada – Tomorrow’s Harvest (12)
5. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories (12)
6. Pearl Jam - Lightning Bolt (8)
7. Arctic Monkeys - AM (7)
8. The Strokes - Comedown Machine (7)
9. Los Campesinos! - No Blues (5)
10. Atoms For Peace - Amok (3)


Tiebreaker - Limp Bizkit

I don't know why the hell I did this, but I left Deerhunter's album. phillyfan126, can I submit a new list by chance?

 

[PhilsFan]

I don't really care, do whatever you want.

 

[lazarus]

 

[bono_212]

I may do a write-up later, I don't know. I'm super busy with moving right now, but if I didn't turn this in now, I might not ever have got it out.

1. Charli XCX - True Romance (10)
2. Foals - Holy Fire (10)
3. St. Lucia - When the Night (10)
4. HAIM - Days Are Gone (10)
5. My Bloody Valentine - M B V (9)
6. The National - Trouble Will Find Me (7)
7. Frightened Rabbit - Pedestrian Verse (7)
8. Yo La Tengo - Fade (7)
9. David Bowie - The Next Day (7)
10. Cut Copy - Free Your Mind (6)
11. Blue Sky Black Death - Glaciers (5)
12. Yuck - Glow and Behold (5)
13. Shout Out Louds - Optica (3)
14. No Joy - Wait to Pleasure (2)
15. Bell X1 - Chop Chop (2)

Honorable Mentions to:

16. Washed Out - Paracosm
17. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
18. Autre Ne Veut - Anxiety
19. Fitz & The Tantrums - More than Just a Dream
20. Okkervil River – The Silver Gymnasium
21. Los Campesinos! - No Blues
22. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Push The Sky Away
23. Neon Neon - Praxis Makes Perfect

I really, really, really wish that I could have given all of those albums points.


Favorite Songs (in no particular order):

Yo La Tengo - Stupid Things
Free Energy - Dance All Night
Foals - My Number
Foxygen - San Francisco
Eels - On the Ropes
Autre Ne Veut - Gonna Die (OK, there's no question, this was absolutely my favorite song of 2013)
Phosphorescent - Song for Zula
Suede - Barriers
Charli XCX - Lock You Up (since "Nuclear Seasons" wasn't released this year)
M83 - Oblivion
Shout Out Louds - Hermila
Fitz and the Tantrums - Break the Walls
The National - Slipped
Vampire Weekend - Finger Back
Classixx - Holding On
Delorean - Dominion
No Joy - Lunar Phobia
CHVRCHES - Recover
Yuck - Rebirth
Los Camp! - What Death Leaves Behind
HAIM - Don't Save Me
St. Lucia - When the Night


Biggest Disappointment: Phoenix - Bankrupt!
Biggest Disappointment for a 1,000 intangible reasons: Fall Out Boy - Save Rock & Roll
Band of the Year: Wampire!
Biggest Surprise: Bell X1 - Chop Chop I've loved these guys for a long time, but this is the first album they've ever released that has been consistently good from start to finish and I really wish they were more popular.

 

[iron yuppie]

I need to hear the St. Lucia album.

 

[bono_212]

My God, I love that album. I was just running through it trying to decide which track was my favorite and it was the hardest decision of my life.

 

[No spoken words]

That doesn't seem like an exaggeration.

ETA - Just listened to :30 of one song and now I must listen to it all.

 

[bono_212]

See?!

 

[No spoken words]

Oh man an unexpected sexy saxophone just popped up during the 2nd song.

A coworker just popped into office to ask me what I'm listening to.

 

[bono_212]

It's me... Sexy saxophone should not have been unexpected.

 

[cobl04]

Well who the fuck knows when I'm gonna finish writing this goddamn shit up so I'll just post my top 15 now.

The National - Trouble Will Find Me (12)
Disclosure - Settle (10)
Sigur Ros - Kveikur (10)
Los Campesinos! - NO BLUES (10)
Nick Cave & Bad Seeds - Push the Sky Away (9)
Kanye - Yeezus (8)
Kurt Vile - Wakin on a Pretty Daze (7)
DJ Koze - Amygdala (7)
Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience (6)
Jon Hopkins - Immunity (6)
Chance the Rapper - Acid Rap (5)
Atoms for Peace - Amok (4)
Run the Jewels - s/t (3)
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories (2)
David Bowie - The Next Day (1)

Major, major apologies to Cut Copy, Bonobo, QOTSA, Arcade Fire.

Worst album: The Knife - Shaking the Habiutal
Worst song: Kid Cudi - Young Lady
Biggest disappointments: Phoenix and YYYS

 

[mikal]

Oh my. This St Lucia album is awesome!

I guess this list thing served its purpose. I discovered a new album.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[bono_212]

It's stupid how happy this makes me, lol.