The B&C Best Albums of 2013 Thread

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Anyone heard Pale Green Ghosts by John Grant? This thing is turning up on all kinds of year-end lists.

I've got to hear it again, but I remember it being very good. Great lyricism and a unique sound for a singer/songwriter record. His voice is a bit unusual, but that's not a complaint as such.
 
Despite loving Deerhunter, I didn't pay much attention to Monomania when it was released. As I've listened to it more, though, it's beginning to stand out as one of the more distinctive albums of the year. Garage rock near its finest.
 
As someone who is not a big fan of Deerhunter I'd say it's my favorite album of theirs, easily.
 
As a huge fan of Deerhunter, I'd say it's my third favorite, which is a testament to how much I love that band.
 
1. David Bowie - The Next Day (15)
2. Savages - Silence Yourself (12)
3. Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks (12)
4. Arcade Fire - Reflektor (10)
5. The National - Trouble Will Find Me (10)
6. Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork (10)
7. The Joy Formidable - Wolf's Law (7)
8. Los Campesinos! - No Blues (6)
9. Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories) (4)
10. Foals - Holy Fire (3)
11. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories (3)
12. Atoms for Peace - Amok (3)
13. Lady Lamb the Beekeeper - Ripley Pine (3)
14. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Mosquito (1)
15. Rachel Zeffira - The Deserters (1)

Honorable Mentions:

16. Depeche Mode - Delta Machine
17. CHVRCHES - The Bones of What You Believe
18. Gary Numan - Splinter
19. Sarah Neufeld - Hero Brother
20. Pearl Jam - Lightning Bolt

I've heard Pale Green Ghosts and it is pretty fantastic. Really great lyricism.
 
1. David Bowie - The Next Day (15)
2. Savages - Silence Yourself (12)
3. Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks (12)
4. Arcade Fire - Reflektor (10)
5. The National - Trouble Will Find Me (10)
6. Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork (10)
7. The Joy Formidable - Wolf's Law (7)
8. Los Campesinos! - No Blues (6)
9. Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories) (4)
10. Foals - Holy Fire (3)
11. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories (3)
12. Atoms for Peace - Amok (3)
13. Lady Lamb the Beekeeper - Ripley Pine (3)
14. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Mosquito (1)
15. Rachel Zeffira - The Deserters (1)

Honorable Mentions:

16. Depeche Mode - Delta Machine
17. CHVRCHES - The Bones of What You Believe
18. Gary Numan - Splinter
19. Sarah Neufeld - Hero Brother
20. Pearl Jam - Lightning Bolt

I've heard Pale Green Ghosts and it is pretty fantastic. Really great lyricism.

Glad you included Foals. Great album
 
Yeah, they were one of my discoveries of the year. "Prelude" through "Bad Habit" is an excellent way to open an album.
 
I'm going to make a list and probably give a point to the billy bragg album from last march I didn't even know existed until about five minutes ago. Maybe even before I hear it, just because it's billy bragg and outside of giving a few more points to the national most of it probably won't get the mandatory 3 votes anyway.
 
Despite loving Deerhunter, I didn't pay much attention to Monomania when it was released. As I've listened to it more, though, it's beginning to stand out as one of the more distinctive albums of the year. Garage rock near its finest.

I only got to hear it recently, and I think it's fantastic. I'd place it slightly below Microcastle, but in a way I think I will go back to it more often, as it's a more fun album to hear, if it makes sense.

I love this band. They can't seem to put out bad albums, and their range is pretty amazing.
 
I've heard Pale Green Ghosts and it is pretty fantastic. Really great lyricism.
I'm listening to it just now and it's surprisingly good. For some reason I expected him to be some boring singer-songwriter. I expected to hear only an acoustic guitar.
 
I'm listening to it just now and it's surprisingly good. For some reason I expected him to be some boring singer-songwriter. I expected to hear only an acoustic guitar.

Like I said, the instrumentation was surprising. It's a lot more...not lush, necessarily, but certainly more spirited than I was expecting based on the descriptions.
 
Ughh I wanna get to work on this but I've gotta hear Arctic Monkeys, Factory Floor, Childish Gambino, Snoop, Burial, Destroyer and Beyonce first.
 
1. David Bowie - The Next Day (15)
2. Savages - Silence Yourself (12)
3. Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks (12)
4. Arcade Fire - Reflektor (10)
5. The National - Trouble Will Find Me (10)
6. Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork (10)
7. The Joy Formidable - Wolf's Law (7)
8. Los Campesinos! - No Blues (6)
9. Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories) (4)
10. Foals - Holy Fire (3)
11. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories (3)
12. Atoms for Peace - Amok (3)
13. Lady Lamb the Beekeeper - Ripley Pine (3)
14. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Mosquito (1)
15. Rachel Zeffira - The Deserters (1)

Honorable Mentions:

16. Depeche Mode - Delta Machine
17. CHVRCHES - The Bones of What You Believe
18. Gary Numan - Splinter
19. Sarah Neufeld - Hero Brother
20. Pearl Jam - Lightning Bolt

I've heard Pale Green Ghosts and it is pretty fantastic. Really great lyricism.

Completely forgot Wolf's Law came out this year, I thought it was late last year.
 
Pitchfork list is now up. It's probably their most predictable ever as a quick look through seems like there's only 5 records on it that didn't receive a Best New Music tag. In fact, I've heard all 50 already which is probably a first for me.

I particularly liked the inclusion of M.I.A.'s latest as the initial review was far too harsh (there's just too much inspired creativity on it for someone to dismiss it like that). Pitchfork's annual wrap-up is probably losing a bit of its luster in spite of the site's still massive influence as a taste maker. Posting your albums list on the 18th of December after everybody else did theirs three weeks prior really means you'll just be reiterating the same titles.
 
Here's my shitty attempt at a list. While I've clocked in listens of 214 titles and own physical releases (if at all produced, virtually all on vinyl) for the 67 that I loved, I did an absolutely horrible job reassigning new ratings on AlbumOfTheYear based on albums that I did like. In other words, my list probably focuses a little too much on first impressions. Next year, I'll do better, I promise!

Also, I like to vote strategically. I'd rather have a say in what albums make the year-end list on here (and where they finish) instead of wasting fifteen points on something that. However, albums not receiving points but thought of highly appear below as well.

1. My Bloody Valentine - mbv [15 points]
2. Rhye - Woman [15 points]
3. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Push The Sky Away [13 points]
4. Charli XCX - True Romance [13 points]
5. Foxygen - We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic [13 points]
6. Yo La Tengo - Fade [13 points]

7. Jason Isbell - Southeastern
8. Porcelain Raft - Permanent Signal
9. Zola Jesus - Versions (debatable as to whether this even qualifies)
10. Various Artists - After Dark 2 [5 points]
11. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories [5 points]

12. Grouper - The Man Who Died In His Boat
13. Jenny Hval - Innocence Is Kinky
14. Boards Of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest [4 points]
15. The National - Trouble Will Find Me [4 points]

16. Mikal Cronin - MCII
17. Sally Shaprio - Somewhere Else
18. Dan Friel - Total Folklore
19. The Besnard Lakes - Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO
20. Doldrums - Lesser Evil

Well, don't I feel stupid. Upon finishing this post, I noticed that like two other posters had actually finished their ballots. Therefore, making strategic voting impossible. :lol:

Anyway, I had 20 albums with a 90 or higher on my AlbumOfTheYear list to choose from and gave points to the more obvious contenders. :up:


Do we have to give points to 15 separate albums? The first post just specified a 15 per album maximum, but no minimum.
 
Once again, let me take a moment to make the same bitch about the Pitchfork list that I do every year:

There are 50 spots, plus, what? 20 Honorable Mentions? 10? How many albums get a BNM? Not a single one of those albums should be missing from the year-end list.

And yes, this is about Charli and yes, I'm pissed off.
 
Really good list, BigMacPhisto. Pretty similar to mine.

I didn't count After Dark 2, but it's fucking awesome.
 
From the Pitchfork write-up on Vampire Weekend:

"Maybe what this album is really breaking up with is dogma—anything that limits the scope of your perspective and what (or who) you can love."

Talk about over-intellectualizing.
 
Here's my shitty attempt at a list. While I've clocked in listens of 214 titles and own physical releases (if at all produced, virtually all on vinyl) for the 67 that I loved, I did an absolutely horrible job reassigning new ratings on AlbumOfTheYear based on albums that I did like. In other words, my list probably focuses a little too much on first impressions. Next year, I'll do better, I promise!

Also, I like to vote strategically. I'd rather have a say in what albums make the year-end list on here (and where they finish) instead of wasting fifteen points on something that. However, albums not receiving points but thought of highly appear below as well.

1. My Bloody Valentine - mbv [15 points]
2. Rhye - Woman [15 points]
3. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Push The Sky Away [13 points]
4. Charli XCX - True Romance [13 points]
5. Foxygen - We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic [13 points]
6. Yo La Tengo - Fade [13 points]

7. Jason Isbell - Southeastern
8. Porcelain Raft - Permanent Signal
9. Zola Jesus - Versions (debatable as to whether this even qualifies)
10. Various Artists - After Dark 2 [5 points]
11. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories [5 points]

12. Grouper - The Man Who Died In His Boat
13. Jenny Hval - Innocence Is Kinky
14. Boards Of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest [4 points]
15. The National - Trouble Will Find Me [4 points]

16. Mikal Cronin - MCII
17. Sally Shaprio - Somewhere Else
18. Dan Friel - Total Folklore
19. The Besnard Lakes - Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO
20. Doldrums - Lesser Evil

Well, don't I feel stupid. Upon finishing this post, I noticed that like two other posters had actually finished their ballots. Therefore, making strategic voting impossible. :lol:

Anyway, I had 20 albums with a 90 or higher on my AlbumOfTheYear list to choose from and gave points to the more obvious contenders. :up:


Do we have to give points to 15 separate albums? The first post just specified a 15 per album maximum, but no minimum.
I'll allow it unless someone has a compelling reason not to allow it. (I stopped trying to understand math outside of sports like five years ago.)
 
15. Hookworms - Pearl Mystic (1)
14. Chelsea Wolfe - Pain is Beauty (3)
13. The National - Trouble Will Find Me (3)
12. Los Campesinos! - No Blues (4)
11. Kurt Vile - Wakin on a Pretty Daze (5)
10. HAIM - Days Are Gone (5)
9. Volcano Choir - Repave (6)
8. Disclosure - Settle (6)
7. Chance the Rapper - Acid Rap (7)
6. Janelle Monae - The Electric Lady (8)
5. Autre Ne Veut - Anxiety (8)
4. Daughter - If You Leave (10)
3. Darkside - Psychic (10)
2. Danny Brown - Old (11)
1. Kanye West - Yeezus (13)

Honorable Mentions:

A$AP Rocky - Long Live A$AP
Atoms for Peace - Amok
Beyonce - Beyonce
James Blake - Retrograde
Boards of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest
Burial - Rival Dealer
Charli XCX - True Romance
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
Deap Vally - Sistrionix
The Flaming Lips - The Terror
Four Tet - Beautiful Rewind
Grouper - The Man Who Died in His Boat
Eleanor Friedberger - Personal Record
Heliotropes - A Constant Sea
My Bloody Valentine - mbv
Okkervil River - The Silver Gymnasium
Pusha T - My Name is My Name
Rhye - Woman
Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels
Sigur Ros - Kveikur
Small Black - Limits of Desire
Earl Sweatshirt - Doris
Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience Pt 1
Youth Lagoon - Wonderous Bughouse

and more I can't quite recall this morning.
 
Tinymixtapes' list:

Full List:

50. Lil Ugly Mane - Three Sided Tape [Volumes One and Two] (Self-Released)
49. Foodman - Shokuhin (Orange Milk)
48. Frog Eyes - Carey’s Cold Spring (Self-Released)
47. These New Puritans - Field Of Reeds (Infectious)
46. Paisley Parks - Бh○§† (Pan Pacific Playa)
45. Earn - Hell On Earth (Bathetic)
44. Grouper - Man Who Died In His Boat (Kranky)
43. The Dead C - Armed Courage (Ba Da Bing!)
42. Huerco S - Colonial Patterns (Software)
41. Death Grips - Government Plates (Self-Released)
40. Jenny Hval - Innocence Is Kinky (Rune Grammofon)
39. Chief Keef - Almighty So (Self-Released)
38. Ahnnu - World Music (Leaving)
37. Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light (Constellation)
36. Wolf Eyes - No Answer: Lower Floors (De Stijl)
35. Julianna Barwick - Nepenthe (Dead Oceans)
34. The Flaming Lips - The Terror (Warner Bros.)
33. Lee Noble - Ruiner (Bathetic)
32. Nmesh - Nu.wav Hallucinations (AMDISCS)
31. Matana Roberts - COIN COIN Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile (Constellation)
30. Bill Callahan - Dream River (Drag City)
29. The Body - Christs, Redeemers (Thrill Jockey)
28. Stara Rzeka - Cien chmury nad ukrytym polem (Instant Classic)
27. Danny Brown - Old (Fool’s Gold)
26. Inga Copeland - Higher Powers (Self-Released)
25. James Blake - Overgrown (Republic)
24. Dirty Beaches - Drifters/Love Is the Devil (Zoo Music)
23. My Bloody Valentine - m b v (Self-Released)
22. Bill Orcutt - History Of Every One (Editions Mego)
21. Andrew Pekler - Cover Versions (Senufo Editions)
20. DJ Rashad - Double Cup (Hyperdub)
19. Dean Blunt - Stone Island (Self-Released)
18. The Knife - Shaking Habitual (Mute)
17. James Ferraro - NYC, HELL 3:00 AM (Hippos in Tanks)
16. Lucrecia Dalt - Syzygy (Human Ear Music)
15. D/P/I - Fresh Roses (Chance Images)
14. Laurel Halo - Chance Of Rain (Hyperdub)
13. Sean Mccann - Music For Private Ensemble (Recital)
12. Mohammad - Som Sakrifis (PAN)
11. Tim Hecker - Virgins (Kranky)
10. Forest Swords - Engravings (Tri Angle)
09. Arca - &&&&& (Hippos in Tanks)
08. 18+ - MIXTAP3 (Self-Released)
07. Graham Lambkin / Jason Lescalleet - Photographs (Erstwhile)
06. Autre Ne Veut - Anxiety (Software)
05. Kanye West - Yeezus (Roc-A-Fella)
04. Pharmakon - Abandon (Sacred Bones)
03. Julia Holter - Loud City Song (Domino)
02. Dean Blunt - The Redeemer (Hippos in Tanks)
01. Oneohtrix Point Never - R Plus Seven (Warp)

2013: Favorite 50 Albums of 2013 | Staff Feature | Tiny Mix Tapes | Page 5
 
From the Pitchfork write-up on Vampire Weekend:

"Maybe what this album is really breaking up with is dogma—anything that limits the scope of your perspective and what (or who) you can love."

Talk about over-intellectualizing.

I have no idea what that means.
 
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