2013 Album of the Year
It's that time of year again. The time where I tell you what I've been listening to during the past year and I announce my winner for the 2013 ALBUM OF THE YEAR! Are you excited? You should be. Last year I did the announcement "award show" style. This year I am going to do it "Top Ten List" style. So, without further ado...here is the list.
- I found New Arcades on ElectronicRumors.com. They have a vintage 80s synth sound that is nostalgic and captivating. This album is really great. The only issue I have is that it's way too short. I know, it's just an EP. I get it. That's why it's hard to consider it to be on this list. If New Arcades were to produce a full album of this caliber, it's VERY likely it would be top five, and possibly number one.
And now onto our Top Ten Albums of 2013. Let me remind you that I have not listened to every single album that was released in 2013. That's ridiculous to think that I have. Also, remember, this is just one man's humble opinion. You are entitled to your opinion as well. I'd love to see what album you think is number one. Please post your number one in the comments section below.
10. Panic! At The Disco - Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! [video]
- I'm sure most of you know who Panic! At The Disco is. I have been a fan of theirs for a while but never have I purchased a Panic! album. When I heard their first single off of the album, "Miss Jackson," I was hooked. It's an amazingly catchy song. Then when I heard "This is Gospel." I knew this album was a can't miss. It's a pretty good album. The best two songs are these two singles but the other songs are worthy of a listen. That is why this album is number ten and not number one.
- Franz Ferdinand has been one of my favorite bands for many years now. When I found out that they were releasing a new album I was beside myself with joy! And when I heard the first single, "Right Action," I was even more excited for this album. Not to mention, that the video is visually awesome. The album is good but not as great as past Franz Ferdinand albums. Oh how I wanted this album to be a number one album. But alas, it's only a number nine.
8. Ra Ra Riot - Beta Love [video]
- This was one of those albums that I didn't know was coming out until it was already out. I had started listening to Ra Ra Riot a couple years ago with their album The Orchard (which is a pretty good album). Beta Love has a little different sound than their previous two albums. In my opinion, I think this album more fun and poppy. Enjoy number eight, Ra Ra Riot.
7. One Republic - Native [video]
- One Republic is never a let down. I haven't heard Ryan Tedder produce a bad record. This wasn't my favorite album when I first listened to it but the more spins I gave it, the more it grew on me. If I would have made this list when I first listened to this album, it would have been ten if not lower. So be happy, One Republic, that your album came out early enough in the year that I was able to let it grow on me. Number seven is the spot for Native.
- Phoenix is a band that many people may think they don't know. Then I play "1901" and most people say "Oh yeah...I've heard that song." It was on some commercials for a while. Nevertheless, that was four years ago. This year was Bankrupt! and based on the reception of this album, Phoenix won't be going bankrupt anytime soon. I originally had this album lower on the list but after giving it one more listen, it had to move up. It's a fun adventure through the world of indie pop rock. It's a solid album from start to finish.
- I don't listen to rap music much any more. I used to be a big fan but most of the stuff being released these days is just garbage. Run The Jewels, however, is not. I don't know if it's the underground production of this album, the non-mainstream cookie-cutter style, or just the amazing lyrical flow that makes this album so amazing. Sure, the crass language gets to be a bit much if you aren't used to hearing so much swearing in your music, but what did you expect from Killer Mike and El-P...this isn't TobyMac. If this was a top ten list of this year's rap albums, this would be number one (and the list would only be one album long). Unfortunately for Run The Jewels, this list includes all music genres. So this album comes in at a very respectable number five.
4. Rogue Wave - Nightingale Floors [video]
- Rogue Wave never disappoints. If you don't know who Rogue Wave is, you are missing out. They are an indie rock band that's been around since 2002. Earlier this year, I thought to myself, "I wonder if Rogue Wave has any news about working on new music?" So I went to their website and OMG! They had a new album being released in less than a month! There was a preview of the song "College" on the site. It's a pretty great song and so is the rest of the album. Like I said earlier, Rogue Wave never disappoints. Man! This is a good album. Any other year, this album could have been number one but there were some other awesome albums that just eked past it in this list.
3. Hurts - Exile [video]
- I'm not even sure how to describe Hurts. According to Wikipedia they are an English synthpop duo, but I don't think that description gives their music enough credit. There is so much passion and angst (though I hate using that word, because people use that word for the likes of Avril Lavigne and Alanis Morissette)...maybe just emotional. I first heard of Hurts by listening to BBC Radio1 several years ago and it was like nothing I had heard before. It's moody but still has this, dare I say, fun pop sound. This second album of Hurts is really, pretty awesome. The more I listen to it, the more I like it. Especially the track titled "Sandman." Ladies and gentlemen, your number three album of 2013, Exile by Hurts.
2. Fall Out Boy - Save Rock and Roll [video]
- By this point, we all know who Fall Out Boy is, right? (If not, click here. You're welcome.) Fall Out Boy has been the ridicule of many people over the last decade for their emo-punk-pop music that filled the airwaves for a few years, along with other bands like Cobra Starship, Panic! At The Disco, Boys Like Girls, and so on. I, however, enjoyed their music immensely. I was very upset when there were rumors of the band breaking up four years ago ("What A Catch, Donnie" song and video was supposedly their farewell song). Luckily for people like me, Fall Out Boy decided to end their hiatus (and their not so great solo projects) and get back to what they do best, make amazing music together. This album is a progression of what their previous sound was. They took some time off and grew up a bit. With this album they explored some new sounds but still stayed true to their original selves. I love when bands grow and evolve over time. If they do the same thing over and over, they become predictable and boring. This album is none of those things. This album is Fall Out Boy grabbing a giant bullhorn and yelling to the world "WE'RE BACK AND WE AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE!" This album was almost number one on this list, or we almost had co-winners again this year (like we had in 2010), but just by the smallest of margins the next album won out. But oh my! This album is awesome.
And now for the number one album of 2013...
1. FM Attack - Deja Vu [video]
- This is truly a dark horse. I found FM Attack in 2012. Though the album I was listening to, Dreamatic, was released in 2009. It introduced me to a whole new world of music that I didn't know existed. Heck! I didn't even know I liked this style of music. I'm not sure what to call it. Some websites call it chillwave, while others call it synthwave, but whatever you call it, there is no denying that it's purely 80s retro electronic. And it's delicious. This whole genre of music has captivated most of my year. I've found artists like Miami Nights 1984, Kavinsky, New Arcades, and, of course, FM Attack. I can't stop listening to this style of music. It has grabbed my ears and captivated my soul. This album, Deja Vu, is like a delicious meal that you want to eat night after night after night, and never get tired of it. This album isn't just complete because of the amazing music, it also has some astonishing vocals from some artist named Kristine. I have never heard of her before, but through some searching on the interwebs, I've found that she has a solo album coming out in 2014 (Looking forward to that one now!). Please do yourself a huge favor and load up Spotify, iTunes or SoundCloud and listen to Deja Vu by FM Attack it's, in my humble opinion, the...
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