The Shaffer Files: 2013 in Congressional Tunes

(The good congressmen submitted his list to us and graciously allowed us to post it on the site. Much like the rest of us, he had a hard time condensing it down to just 10, hence leaving us with a bonus 10 to start. From here on out, it's all the work of a hard working man of the people...)

 

I wanted to give recognition to other albums I liked that either just fell short or I haven’t had time to form a solid opinion on yet.

 

Dr. Dog – B-Room: 

Unfortunately weaker than their other albums but still good.  I saw them live and it made me go back through and re-listen to this.

 

Flaming Lips – The Terror: 

So dark and slow.  Need to be ripped to really enjoy this.  I’d say Hobo Keith and Ironfishlantern should probably stay away from this.

 

Cut Copy – Free Your Mind: 

Yea, I’m almost ashamed to admit I like this.  I honestly only dig 3 or 4 songs but they sound like Talking Heads meets 80’s pop meets 90’s dance music…such a strange sound.  I only checked these guys out because British Knights (Name changed to protect the innocent) wouldn't stop raving about this album plus reviews claimed it sounds like the Stone Roses (I don't hear the connection).

 

The Knife – Shaking The Habitual: 

Just heard this album for the first time less than a week ago so I need more time.  I can honestly say El Lantern and The Hobo should stay far away from this.  The album is over 100 minutes long with several 10 minute ambient instrumental songs that need to be skipped.  The actual songs on here sound like Can with a Swedish chick instead of Japanese guy. 

 

Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City: 

Disappointed with this one.  The other two albums are great, this one is a step down for me. I still like a lot of it, maybe it will grow on me over time but I'm just not feeling it as much as their first 2 albums.

 

Belle & Sebastian – The Third Eye Centre: 

Singles and outtakes collection from 2004-present.  Probably best if anyone reading this stays away from this album unless you're already a Belle & Sebastian fan.

 

Franz Ferdinand – Right Thoughts…: 

Meh…OK, not bad not great.  Good live though.

 

Of Montreal – Lousy With Sylvianbriar: 

Of Montreal doing rootsy/country rock with a pinch of Dylan?  Not too bad.

 

Smith Westerns – Soft Will: 

I’m sick of typing and my kids are wreaking havoc on my house. (Editors note: What he meant to say was "This is a great album that I will love in a matter of time. Can't wait until it's amazing my ear-balls over and over.")

The Top 10 of 2013:

10. Paul McCartney – New

 

      Hey...old dude with a good album...sweet!  I didn’t really give a shit when I heard a new McCartney album came out because I haven’t really liked anything he put out after the 70’s.  Lots of songs on this album and most  of them are good.  A few suck (like Hosanna and Appreciate) but mostly solid stuff here.  Alligator, Queenie Eye, Everybody Out There and I Can Bet are my favorites.

9. Deer Tick – Negativity

 

      Definitely a step up from their other albums.  Songwriting and production got amped up big time and now instead of sounding like some rootsy bar band, they have their own sound.  Definitely catching a Wilco vibe here. 

8. Jonathan Rado – Law and Order

 

      Yea it’s not Foxygen but still good.  Aside from a couple of instrumental songs on here that I skip and that horrible abomination of a song “Looking 4a girl like U” that no one in their right mind should ever have to hear, the album is damn good.  The more I listen, the more it grows on me.  Check out the last song on here for the hell of it.  Foxygen does such a great job of aping 60’s music and now with the last song I can see they (or maybe just Rado) can also branch out into weird 70’s adult contemporary.  After reading all the shit about these guys, I hope they stay together but if not, at least I’m optimistic we’ll continue to get good music in one way or another.

7. Blitzen Trapper – VII

 

      Another solid Blitzen Trapper album.  I like this one a little better than American Goldwing.  For some reason when I put my music on shuffle and one of these songs comes on, I don’t want to hear it as much as I do when it comes up naturally on the album.  Hard to explain but I think this album sounds better just played all the way through in natural order.

6. The Strokes – Comedown Machine

 This one slowly grew on me throughout the year.  There are like 3 or 4 songs I don’t care too much for but the rest is pretty solid.  Welcome To Japan is the best one on here and Happy Ending is total guilty pleasure.  Not quite as good as Angles but still sweet.  I am definitely OK with the 80's sound they're embracing.

5. My Bloody Valentine – MBV

 I liked “loveless” a lot (I don’t think it deserves all the praise it gets but oh well) so I at least hoped this one would be good, which it is.  This is a great album to get really stoned to.  Tons of guitar and distortion here.  The first song is a little weak but I won’t hold that against the album because it’s kinda like an intro and the second song is great.  The only song on here I have to skip is “is this and yes”.  It’s like 5 minutes of beeping and moaning.  How anyone can enjoy that is beyond me but whatever.  It’s not as good as Loveless but oddly enough sounds like it was recorded almost at the same time despite being released 20 something years later.   These guys have changed absolutely nothing about their sound since 1990 and I'm fine with that.

4. Surfer Blood – Pythons

 

      Yea this album got ripped apart when it came out by almost everyone.  Bullshit man!  There is some really good stuff here!  Sweet 90’s throwback album.  Short with only 10 songs but only one or two I don’t care for all that much.  The two bonus tracks are pretty good also.  Definitely a step up from their first album.  The EP from 2 years ago is worth checking out as well.

3. Wavves – Afraid of Heights

 

      Another album full of 90’s sounding tunes.  Difference here is that while the Surfer Blood album has more of a Weezer/Pixies sound, these guys ape the shit out of Nirvana.  The songs are really good, just don’t pay too much attention to the lyrics because this guy is a whiny bitch. Almost every song on here is really fast and catchy.

2. Foxygen – We Are The 21^st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic

 

      Although I think their first album is better, this one is still really good.  First 6 songs are pretty awesome (except the instrumental song, which is kinda weak).  The last three are still pretty good, just not as good as the beginning.  Call me crazy but I still think the chorus of Blue Mountain reminds me of Suspicious Minds.  I got to see these guys live twice and I’ll gladly go again.  The good thing about this album is that they’re getting their own distinct sound.  Don't get me wrong, I love the Stones, VU, Kinks sound that was all over the first album but it's nice to hear a band start coming into their own.  Let's just hope they don't break up.

1. David Bowie – The Next Day

      Much like McCartney, when I heard Bowie had a new album coming out I didn’t exactly get excited as  I hadn’t been a huge fan of anything he put out after the 70’s.  “Where Are We Now?” came out as the first single and I was even less interested.  I downloaded the album when it came out just for the hell of it to check it out and I’m really glad I did.  Turns out the first single ended up being one of my least favorite songs on the album.  Definitely the best thing he’s put out in a long time.  I listened to it all year and I’m still not sick of it.  Also worth mentioning is that there is a whole disk of bonus tracks, most of which are good.  I have 23 total songs for this album (14 album, 9 bonus tracks) so there’s a lot to get into here.  Maybe I’m out of line but I think this definitely fits right in with the best of his material.  I haven’t ranked my favorite Bowie albums but this would definitely be in the top 10, possibly in the top 5.  Worth noting is the song with the best title is also probably the best song on the album (I'd Rather Be High).  Yea, I know that it's some anti-war protest thing but I just like the idea of 60 something year old Bowie singing about how he'd rather be high than dealing with shit.  Yes, the song itself is great, not just the title.

Hobo Keith's Sexy List Of The Top Ten Albums of 2013

As I get older, I'm generally more and more let down by albums i'm anticipating...usually by bands I love. This year it was hard for me to even keep up with new releases, it seemed like every band I've ever been remotely interested in put out an album. So in a way to streamline said music, I put together a list of my favorites. That's what normal people do right? RIGHT?

10. Veronica Falls – Waiting For Something To Happen (February 12)

This one caught me by surprise. Their first album from 2011 was critically acclaimed (i.e. Pitchfork sucked their dick hard) and I ended up liking 1 or 2 songs off it. This one however, they overhauled their sound got rid of their gothic/over the top melodrama, acquired production value and released a solid collection of 80’s style jangle indie pop songs that make you reminisce about your teenage years. No surprise it was a critical failure.

9. Foxygen – We Are the 21^st Century Ambassadors Of Peace & Magic (January 22)

I’ve never seen a band who is able to mimic multiple other musicians' voices so well. This album is such a melting pot of various 1960's genres boiled to a fine stew (of Carl Weathers propotions) that could change 3 different times during one song. Great album, but in my opinion it’s one of those albums best taken as whole because it creates an atmosphere unto itself, listening to the songs outside of the album you lose that context. Can’t wait to see what these guys are up to next.

8. She & Him – Volume 3 (May 7)

This one was a grower for me, besides the Phil Spector-esque Wall Of Sound on the album’s first track, "I've Got Your Number, Son" (and one of their best to date) the rest of it was a letdown compared to their earlier work especially Vol. 2. It’s more breezy summer girl group pop songs, but instead of the 60’s influence they’ve moved more in 70’s singer/songwriter territory. Not as immediately catchy and bright as before but it certainly has its own relaxed kind of charm.

7. Blitzen Trapper – VII (September 30)

These guys kill it with every record they put out. They’ve explored some different sounds and genres but it ALWAYS sounds like Blitzen Trapper no matter what. I'm not sure what you would even call the music on this album, white southern country funk? I don’t know, but I know I like it. The lead singer strikes me as someone who can write songs very easily and very naturally they all have a very kinetic energy that seems effortless. Blitzen Trapper continues to confuse and astound.

6. Smith Westerns – Soft Will (June 25)

I really enjoyed Soft Will more so than their previous effort. It’s a very laid back and relaxed album with a sort of melancholy approach. Sometimes I find myself not recalling which song is which when it starts since they sort of blend into one another, but all the hooks are so strong that it pulls you in. Not to mention this is a monster of a guitar album, which seems at odds with the description. Almost every song has a gorgeous glam guitar solo that fits the mood perfectly. How are these guys American?

5. The Strokes – Comedown Machine (March 26)

The mostly enjoyable Angles couldn’t prepare me for what I was about to hear. As “different” as Angles got at is core it still always sounded like the Strokes to me. Comedown Machine definitely leaves behind most traces of the band’s former sound. Ironically, the song that sounds most like the Strokes of yesteryear, “All The Time” is easily one of the most boring songs on the album. On the other hand “Welcome To Japan” is classic new strokes and it’s fantastic. All the uptempo “rockers” feel tacked on and uninspired to throw a bone to fans of their old stuff. These guys were one of my favorite bands prior to the hiatus after the 3^rd album and since they’ve come back I don’t care as much about them but I’m always interested to see what they sound like and where they are going next.

4. Beachwood Sparks – Desert Skies (November 26)

This album feels like I’m listening to a great lost Teenage Fanclub album from the 90s full of power pop harmonies and melodies galore, messy guitars, pianos and a touch of psychedelia.  Turns out before the Beachwood Sparks got signed to Sub Pop and put out a fantastic psychedelic gram parsons inspired country album in 2000 they had recorded an entire album worth of material that never saw the light of day. This is different from their first album, but awesome never the less. It has early versions of 3 songs from that album in entirely different forms. After being utterly disappointed by their 2012 reunion album Tarnished Gold this was a nice way for the band to ride into the sunset.

3. Surfer Blood – Pythons (June 11)

Rarely these days do I feel that there is a pay off from a band where you don’t love the early work but you can see something that might manifest down the road. That’s how I feel about these guys, I wasn’t that taken with their first album but the song “Floating Vibes” had such a strong Weezer power pop feel that was lacking from the rest of the album.  The EP that bridged the gap between that album and this one showed them moving in the right direction. With Pythons they cleaned up their sound, got some production value courtesy of Gil Norton and knocked out a whole album of breezy summer power pop songs that sound equal parts like Weezer and the Pixies.

2. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City (May 14)

This album is the definition of a grower. When I first heard it, I was let down. It’s an album that takes a lot of time to weave its way into your brain. It’s dark and more contemplative than their more eclectic, energetic world beat pop of their previous albums. It’s a perfect fall/winter album where in the past they’ve made only spring/summer albums. That band can still be heard on the on a handful of cuts like the sublime "Diane Young" which sounds like Paul Simon filtered through kinetic indie rock. It’s not an album that I’m always in the mood for, but when I am it does the job.

1. Bob Dylan – Another Self Portrait (1969-1971): The Bootleg Series, Vol. 10 (August 27)

I’m a sucker for Dylan archival material, ESPECIALLY when it’s stuff that is new to me that hasn’t been bootlegged before. You would think at this point it’s becoming increasingly rare, but it’s not. This guy has so much in the vaults. The thing is his alternate takes and unreleased songs are better than some people’s whole career. They’ve been able to release an entire 2 discs worth of material from one of Dylan’s so called “troubled” periods that not only illuminates this time but also proves that he was his own worst enemy during these sessions since a lot of this is pure gold. It’s not all A+ material, but it’s always interesting to hear.

Dick Dankstardly: Top Ten Albums of 2013

Well, here we are. 2013 is coming to a close, and everyone and their dad has a top ten list. I was tempted to over-think this list, but the sheer number of good albums that came out in the past year made that extremely impractical. Any year end top ten list like this is basically a time capsule. It's merely a snapshot of convoluted, hard-to-qualify rankings based on personal opinion. Often skewed by which albums came out when, top ten lists are simultaneously disposable and extremely interesting. I'd like to revisit this list next December and see which albums still hold up and which were flashes in the pan.

To start off, I'd like to list, in no particular order, a few albums that I enjoyed this year, but didn't make the top ten. Some of them caught my attention but never became anything more than a passing fancy. I stumbled upon other albums too late in the year, and didn't have enough time to fully delve into them.

Honorable Mention:

RJD2 - More Is Than Isn’t

Turntable-styled hip-hop instrumentals from the year 2269.

Kurt Vile - Wakin On A Pretty Daze

Dreamy instrumentals with Kurt's typically hazy vocals. I could have used more time with this one.

Jonathan Wilson - Fanfare

A man with impeccable influences makes a great album. Sounds like Pink Floyd on some songs, The Beatles or Neil Young on others.

Cut Copy - Free Your Mind

Psychedelic disco grooves from down under.

Cults - Static

A decent follow-up to their self-titled debut. Indie female vocals driven by heavy distorted bass.

Bombino - Nomad

Jimi Hendrix was reincarnated in the Sahara desert. Non-english vocals help you appreciate the unique guitar work. Produced by Dan Auerbach.

Starfucker - Miracle Mile

I didn't know this album was released until last week. Given how much I enjoyed their previous brand of indie-psychedelic-electronica, this album could have made a run at my top ten.

MGMT - s/t

Like Miracle Mile, I didn't hear about this album until recently. I tend to need more time to appreciate MGMT's brand of aural weirdness. Apparently, this album comes with accompanying visual elements.

Minus the Bear - Acoustics II

Menos el Oso once again proves that when you strip away the effects loops and samples, they are still one of the tightest bands around today.

I wouldn't be shocked if in a year's time, I enjoy one of the albums from the above list more than the albums that are listed below (or an unlisted album for that matter). Regardless, these are my top ten albums from 2013, as I feel about them in 2013.

My Top 10:

10. Jason Isbell - Southeastern

I didn't find out about this album until a few weeks ago (from someone else's top 10 list). I was immediately drawn in by the former Drive By Trucker's mature brand of alternative country. If you're like me, and the nauseatingly corny brand of country that gets played on the radio makes you lose faith in the genre, do yourself a favor and check out Southeastern. Suggested tracks: "Traveling Alone" and "Elephant"

9. Foxygen - We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic

IronFishLantern and Hobo Keith both suggested this album to me on separate occasions, and with good reason. Foxygen's blend of superb classic rock influences in a modern wrapper is right up my sweet, sweet alley. Suggested tracks: "On Blue Mountain" and "San Francisco"

8. Boards of Canada - Tomorrow’s Harvest

You have to be in the right mood for this one. It's dark, foreboding, and menacing at times. The Scottish duo are at their best here, evoking strangely creepy nostalgic sounds out of vintage electronic instruments. Suggested tracks: "Reach for the Dead", "Jacquard Causeway", and "Split Your Infinities"

7. John Frusciante - Outsides

Full disclosure: John could release an LP of himself farting through a wah-wah pedal and it would likely make my top ten list. No matter what type of music he's making, his music always has an ethereal, soulful quality. Continuing down his psychedelic/rock/trip-hop path, John makes my dreams come true on the opening track "Same", a ten minute guitar solo set to an ever-modulating rhythm track of his own creation. The rest of the album ends up being something an afterthought. Suggested tracks: "Same" and (to a lesser extent) "Shelf"

6. The Strokes - Comedown Machine

I almost forgot this album came out this year, which is odd because I was pleasantly surprised by it when it came out. Though not exactly a return to form, Comedown Machine is a much straighter album than Angles (ba-dum-bum). I was one of the weirdos that really liked Angles and Comedown Machine is almost as good, if a tad forgettable. Suggested tracks: "Welcome to Japan" and "Tap Out"

5. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

Almost a guilty pleasure for me. This album made it so high on my list due to the duo's use of real life 70s session musicians to create one of the funkiest albums to come out in years. It has some skip-able songs, but I listened to this album straight through for a month after it came out. Submit yourself to the groove and shake dat cracker ass. Suggested tracks: "Instant Crush", "Giorgio by Moroder", and "Give Life Back to Music"

4. Arcade Fire - Reflektor

Their previous album The Suburbs was my top album of 2010. I had a particularly revelatory experience listening to it repeatedly while on mushrooms (portobellos, officer). As a double album, Reflektor is much more expansive and not as tight, but still has a few instant classics. Mostly recorded in Jamaica, the album pairs Caribbean musical elements with the bands usual brand of ensemble, anthemic, nostalgia pop. Suggested tracks: "Joan of Arc", "Reflektor", and "We Exist"

3. Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork

If you told me in December 2012 that one of my top 3 albums of the following year would be by Queens of the Stone Age, I would have opened your mouth, stepped into your throat one foot at a time, and proceeded to squirt diarrhea on your tonsils. In other words, I would have found it highly unlikely. Well, ...Like Clockwork proved that even the staunchest musical prejudices can be challenged. The album combines modern cock-rock with sludgy, Zeppelin-esque funk. An A-list cast of contributors makes many songs instant classics. Suggested tracks: "If I Had a Tail", "Fairweather Friends", and "Smooth Sailing"

2. Superchunk - I Hate Music

A pitch-perfect follow-up to 2010's Majesty Shredding, Superchunk's I Hate Music was basically the soundtrack of my summer. The perpetually teenage vocals from Mac McCaughan pair perfectly with upbeat pop punk instrumentals and nostalgic lyrical content. My love of this album is well-documented and it reached its zenith when I saw them perform many of the tracks live with IronFishLantern. I Hate Music rarely left my car stereo or earbuds. It is a perfect ode to a lifelong love affair with music and the people you enjoy it with. Suggested tracks: "Overflows", "Low F", "Trees of Barcelona", and "What Can We Do"

1. Portugal. The Man - Evil Friends

I was a fan of this band's previous albums. Their unique brand of psychedelic soul and indie rock captured my attention with songs like "So American". But even I didn't see this coming. Paired with the sublime production talents of Danger Mouse, PTM unleashed their masterpiece Evil Friends upon my unsuspecting ear drums. Endlessly catchy, lyrically deep, all over a rhythmic backdrop that only Danger Mouse could summon. Evil Friends combines indie pop, soul, and psychedelic rock in the most ridiculously listenable way possible. Suggested tracks: "Modern Jesus", "Purple Yellow Red and Blue", "Plastic Soldiers", and "Atomic Man"

If you're interested, here's the full list of albums that I considered for this list. I'm sure I still omitted some good ones.

Ironfishlatern: 2013 in 10 Eargasms

There are years when my friends and I try to do this and it's a downright stretch to include 10 albums. Whether it's due to bands I like not being in their album cycle or new music not making it's way to me, down years pop up every now and again. I find myself talking an album up and promoting it's worth/value to a level that is completely fake, essentially lying to myself,  just to reach the quota. This is not one of those years.
If anything this year is just the opposite. In a casual perusal of the new, 2013 music I added to my iTunes, it became clear quickly that I had a good 25 albums I needed to whittle away at to get my final list. After talking to some other contributors to the site, I know I was not alone in this challenging task.
That's how a top 10 list becomes a top 15. In order to "technically" not cheat, I'll do the last 5 as an honorable mention group without any real ranking. Mostly, these albums didn't make it because they had a strange or convoluted connection to me, didn't get enough play or just need more time to sink in. Give me another month and I'm sure this list gets as scrambled as 7th grade Cinemax.

Honorable Mentions:

 

The Fling - Mean Something
While I truly did enjoy this album I'm sure I have more of a connection to it because I helped pay to make it. Through a PledgeMusic campaign I helped finance that one snare drum on track 7. Technology allows for this and there is a good chance that all music is going to be put out in this way when labels fold in the future, but for now it just seemed cool as hell for me to contribute directly to the creation of the art of someone I appreciate. A California band that I found through a buddy of mine, The Fling takes breezy Beatles pop and fuzzes it up a little. Think this would have made my top 10 if it was as good as it's predecessor, but still a really good chill album.

 

Arctic Monkeys - AM
These guys crashed out of the gate with Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, one of my favorite debut albums of all time. The albums were choppy and mixed to say the least from that point on. It had almost gotten to the point where I wasn't going to actively seek out their new work. Then I stumbled across the track "Do I Wanna Know?" and I was back in, hard. Purchasing the album I wasn't let down by what they had become and it got me stoked enough to go back and check out their last few albums again for another listen. While I wasn't convinced I should have loved them any more than I did, the fact that this album caused me to try should say enough.

 

The National - Trouble Will Find Me
Go see these guys live and you're a fan. Get past the fact that they are media darlings (a less experimental Wilco of 2004 if you will) and really listen to any of their albums. Odds are you'll dig what you hear. I resisted for as long as I could prior to The Boxer, but "Brainy" had me from the first few seconds. This year, their new record is tight, varied and just downright good shit. Everything from the build of "Sea of Love" to the simmering melancholia of "I Need My Girl" manages to sound like a band as comfortable in their own skin as could be. The problem for me is the mood of this album is too forlorn (like most National work). While that's a perfect soundtrack for a miserable college existence and or a post breakup wallowing, sadly my life is too positive right now to enjoy this album fully.

 

Minus the Bear - Acoustics II
This is the second time the supremely talented MTB has rehashed their songs in an acoustic format. Both EPs have been really successful at re-interpreting their effect laden and electric heavy album counterparts. The two new songs (especially "Riddles") were a great bonus in combination with the first 5 newly arranged versions. Stripping these tunes down does wonders for your appreciation of the substance beneath the flair. The major issue for me was that I don't like the last 3 songs they redid in the first place, and hearing them acoustic only confirmed my thoughts.

 

Dawes - Stories Don't End
Another workmanlike album from a band that fits that ethos to a T.  The third album from this southern Cali band churns out some fantastic songsmanship one after the other. As they grow as songwriters though, they are losing a little of the raw studio brilliance that was pulled out of them by none other than Jonathan Wilson himself (see ranking #2) on their debut work, North Hills. With that said, "From a Window Seat" is easily one of my favorite songs of the year and there is a good chance I play it on repeat in my casket as they lower me into the ground. When you see these guys live, an area where they always thrive, this collection of songs makes more sense. They are slowly working their way through the 70s musical landscape I love and only a really strong musical year helped to push them out of the top 10.


The Real Deal

 

10. Foxygen - 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic
Every time I listened to this smattering of genres, sounds and styles I found myself enjoying it immensely. If this album could package "On Blue Mountain" into a 45 minute track, it would probably be my number 1 record of the year. Even now as I listen through to do my review, I'm amazed it's not higher in my rankings. I'm just not familiar with the album in it's entirety. The problem was I didn't find myself listening beyond track 4 . I'd just keep hitting repeat to hear those sweet "I need it, I need it, I need it" falsettos just ONE more time. This was easily the hardest one for me to rank. I'm still not sure how it didn't make it beyond #10.

9. Pearl Jam - Lightning Bolt
I'm as surprised as anyone to see these guys here after the weak sauce which was 2011's Backspacer. They still hold onto a little too much of that pop sheen that I felt made their previous effort too polished and radio friendly, but it's edges have been roughed up. The album kicks off with the really solid, albeit predictable hard rock threesome recipe of a lot of PJ albums in the past. The album gets really good though when you can explore some of the more unique, mellower tracks that follow. The first 20 seconds of "Sirens" bother me to no end, but from there I am helplessly hooked into the crooning Vedder of my old man dreams. Perhaps it's the aging of my parents or the burgeoning orchid of femininity that's blossoming in my old age, but "Future Days" never fails to make things get a little misty. In fact, outside of a poorly redone Vedder ukelele tune ("Sleeping By Myself"), a strangely cheap blues rip ("Let the Records Play") and a poor ass acoustic ballad ("Yellow Moon"), this album contains 9 songs I really enjoy. Vedder's voice sounds rich, the mix is tight and for the first time, having every band member bring ideas to the table sounds cohesive and comfortable.

8. Strokes - Comedown Machine
The amount of songs I don't like on this album says how much I enjoy the shit out of those that I do. This is not a band that was in my good graces after Angles and they returned the scene of the (genre) crime. Thankfully they did it with style, grace and a lot less keytar. It's a roller coaster for me. "Tap Out" starts out really strong, perfectly sound-tracking a buddy cop "getting to know you better" montage. But then, nothing makes any sense. Going from "All the Time", which sounds the most like a First Impressions outtake, to "One Way Trigger" manages to upset, confuse and excite me all at the same time. Then they kick out "Welcome to Japan", a track that blows the roof off my expectations for any Strokes song ever, leaving me confused in puddle of my own uncertainty. That's how I leave this album. I'm pleased that things look brighter than before, but I still don't really know what the hell is next.

7. Blitzen Trapper - VII
I've been on a rock solid 4-year long Blitzen Trapper kick. I can't scratch the itch and it's been years of intensely digging at it. With that said, I expected this album to be higher. Don't get me wrong, I still really enjoy this odd amalgam of "hick hop" meets "country whoop ass" and in a normal year I probably would have had this in my top 3. "Ever Loved Once", "Drive On Up", "Thirsty Man" and "Don't be a Stranger" were everything I could have wanted. Two things happened though. When I first heard it, only 4-5 tracks really stuck with me and I got the sneaking impression that they were trying to get a little too far away from the country/folk/psych/rock that I had become infatuated with. Suddenly, this album was tumbling down my rankings. Thankfully though a few buddies and I went and saw them at a really small venue and I had a chance to hear most of the new tracks live. They stretched them out, jammed like hell and blew the minds of anyone in attendance. It made sense now and easily catapulted back up into the top 10.

 

6. Portugal.The Man - Evil Friends
Just recently, I went through why this album managed to weasel it's way deep inside my dome. Thanks to Dr. Doobin' I found an album that I never would have bothered to check out and lookie, lookie where it ended up. Aren't you proud good Doctor? As a real testament to how much I enjoyed Evil Friends, I need to dive into the bands back catalog. But for now I'll continue to shake a variety of tail feathers to the funky grooves and soaring choruses. As I listen again and go back to attempt to find a favorite track, I realize I can't. I just like too many too much. This type of top to bottom consistency is rare in a band, especially in one you haven't had the time to fully digest and appreciate. Let Dr. Doobs guide you to the light here fellow bloggers, this is some grade A, premium, homogenized and pasteurized beef stick.

 

5. The Men - New Moon
Another album I covered in detail earlier this year, this couldn't have hit me at a better time. There was no real production value, a fan base clamoring for more of their rawer guitar freakouts and then me, enjoying this album repeatedly. It just sounds like a few guys getting together, putting on some records I enjoy and then drunkenly trying to recreate their own version of them. Maybe it's because that's all I've ever wanted to do as a person who can't play a lick of music, but hot damn did this hit me right in the breadbasket. "Half Angel Half Light" is easily in the top 5 songs of the year for me, "I Saw Her Face" would make Uncle Neil proud and "Bird Song" seems like it would be enjoyable as hell live with that truly perfecto harmonica. Though I know the circumstances surrounding my discovery helped to make this album reach such heights on my list, I'm sure that in years to come I'll be validated by my continued love.

 

4. Smith Westerns - Soft Will
I didn't think there was any way that these guys could put out an album that would compete with my love of Blonde on Blonde, a record that has been one of my most played in the last 10 years.  In fact, I purposely lowered my expectations because I didn't want to be mad at a band just because they put out something so stellar previously. Thankfully, I didn't have to do much lowering. The songs lost a little youthful flair, but what they lost in youth, they grew in polish and maturity. The peaks may not have reached the same heights, but the general vibe you floated along at stayed at a cruising altitude way above average. These guys grew up, showing a more refined sound on "3am Spiritual", "Idol", "Only Natural" and "Glossed". Even if this album had sucked, I wasn't going to be mad at these guys thanks to the work they did before. But now that I have these two records back to back, I can easily say they have a seat at the "really excited about every subsequent album release" table. Welcome fellas.

 

3. Superchunk - I Hate Music
Outside of the time I got Cat's Cradle Ebola when going to see these guys perform the new album with Dr. DoobieBros (which we chronicled with our inaugural podcast!), I couldn't have had a stronger connection to a local band since moving myself from the frozen north. Going back to 2011's Majesty Shredding I have managed to see these guys 4 times and enjoy everything they've put out, from full length records, to EPs, to little summer one-off tracks that celebrate the joy that is driving with your windows down. This album has a little darker feel to it but the songs couldn't be better. "Me & You & Jackie Mittoo" could only improve if it didn't end so quickly. "Void", "Trees of Barcelona", "Low F", "FOH" and plenty of others bring a youthful exuberance to topics that shouldn't have that type of levity. They sound like kids, play music like pros and talk about issues that become more prescient by the day as I grow older. I can only hope I'm doing what I do half as well as these guys are at their age.

 

2. Jonathan Wilson - Fanfare
The honest truth. If we did this list in another month, this album would be in first place, easy. I just tracked it down about a month ago and though I've been trying to make up for lost time by playing it until my ears developed leprosy, it just didn't quite have the time to leap into the #1 position. An LA producer, Mr. Wilson cobbles together an impressive cadre of musicians (Benmont Tench, Mike Campbell, Graham Nash, David Crosby, Jackson Browne, Josh Tillman and many others) to create one of the finest albums of the year. "Love to Love" has a killer country rock groove, "Future Visions" has the sexiest funk breakdown this side of James Brown, "Moses Pain" takes you on a ride through everything great about Laurel Canyon and plenty others do their part to show just how much talent this guy has to offer. I couldn't stop recommending this album to everyone I came across. It literally became an obsession. If you have any faith in my ability to appropriately rank music and you like the sounds of the 70s, you should stop whatever you are doing right now, skip reading #1 and just listen to this album for the rest of the day. Seriously.

 

1. Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork
Mr. Wilson was only foiled by his long time red-headed rival, Dennis the...err..Josh Homme. This summer my obsession with this album reached Fanfare-ian levels. In fact, in the spirit of recommendation I vehemently pushed this album on Doctor Dee, knowing full well his hatred of their live sound. As he chronicled quite well, this album brings the sex stomp. When I first heard it, I was living a normal life. Now my wife is 7 months pregnant. Coincidence? I think not. Odds are this album, Biff Tannen, a flux capacitor and mother Mary lead us all to celebrate the December 25th birth of the man himself.....Rod Serling. The raucous, cripplingly seductive guitar romps of "I Sat By the Ocean", "If I had a Tail" and "Smooth Sailing" are enough for me to moisten my own undergarments. But, surprise(!), there are also some mellower moments that truly shine as well. "The Vampyre of Time and Memory", "Fairweather Friends" and "Like Clockwork" all deliver in an arena I didn't think these guys could even step foot into. After the absolute abomination of an experience I had when I saw/got shit on for 2 hours seeing these guys live earlier in life, the fact that I am itching to get back out there and see them again should answer any questions as to what album was the best this year. Congrats, you Queens you, you deserve it.