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.