Year-End Critics' Polls 2013

This really is a collection of particularly uninteresting records and Haim

and caitlin rose!

decibel top three otm

As far as classic-rock albums go, 2013 was all about familiar sounds by old favorites As far as classic-rock albums go, 2013 was all about familiar sounds by old favorites As far as classic-rock albums go, 2013 was all about familiar sounds by old favorites As far as classic-rock albums go, 2013 was all about familiar sounds by old favorites As far as classic-rock albums go, 2013 was all about familiar sounds by old favorites As far as classic-rock albums go, 2013 was all about familiar sounds by old favorites As far as classic-rock albums go, 2013 was all about familiar sounds by old favorites As far as classic-rock albums go, 2013 was all about familiar sounds by old favorites As far as classic-rock albums go, 2013 was all about familiar sounds by old favorites As far as classic-rock albums go, 2013 was all about familiar sounds by old favorites As far as classic-rock albums go, 2013 was all about familiar sounds by old favorites As far as classic-rock albums go, 2013 was all about familiar sounds by old favorites As far as classic-rock albums go, 2013 was all about familiar sounds by old favorites As far as classic-rock albums go, 2013 was all about familiar sounds by old favorites As far as classic-rock albums go, 2013 was all about familiar sounds by old favorites As far as classic-rock albums go, 2013 was all about familiar sounds by old favorites

in a complete turnaround from the classic rock albums of 2012

I think they've been running that '20 Hottest Rock Daughters' list since last November, unless it's been brought back for #InternationalMensDay

Thanks for the Decibel list. EZ Snappin put it in Rolling Metal yesterday, but has it actually been published anywhere? Happy to see Noctum, Anciients, Oranssi Pazuzu, Purson and SubRosa. A little surprised not to see Russian Circles, Windhand, Kvelertak, Palms, Pelican and Sahg. Also missing tons of great doom, but did not expect them to pay mind to that stuff. Corrections House is interesting in a similar way to Pinkish Black, need to listen more.

I still don't get how you can write a best of year list in November. Mid November, even.

if anything a lot of the ones being printed now were likely submitted before the end of last month

Theoretically the print mags already had access to promos of albums due out this and next month. Still, they are working at a disadvantage. That's why the ILM poll is way better ;)

Fnb he did post it but i added the album names. Got it from my digital sub for my ipad.

The Boombox - Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2013
http://theboombox.com/10-best-hip-hop-albums-of-2013/

Kanye West - Yeezus
Danny Brown - Old
Drake - Nothing Was the Same
Earl Sweatshirt - Doris
Jay Z - Magna Carta Holy Grail
Pusha T - My Name Is My Name
Mac Miller - Watching Movies with the Sound Off
Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels
A$AP Ferg - Trap Lord
French Montana - Excuse My French

Classic Rock sure knows what it's there for. You're a 60s/70s dude, alive or dead, with a new album out? Step this way sir!

*Ultimate* Classic Rock if you please

to be fair to them, it has been a pretty good year for sexegenarians and septuagenarian, half that list is better albums than i expected those guys to make at this late date

Great Decibel list. In Solitude and SubRosa, pretty much my two favourites of the year, in the top 5. :)

Any rap list with Magna Carta Holy Grail on it makes me just think "here's a list of rap albums that came out in 2013".

I didn't realise only 10 hip hop albums had been released this year

Listening To Albums With The Sound Off

lol DL I had the same reaction

is retro soulster Charles Bradley the only African-American on the Rough Trade shops list?

― curmudgeon, Monday, November 18, 2013 11:10 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

aw i mean i could see having problems with the list, but i saw bradley and was just completely and utterly charmed by him...also he's not really "retro" so much as "old guy doing the same stuff he always did"

he has some good songs and can really sing.

it was pretty touching how grateful he was that people were interested in seeing him and having fun listening to him

yeah, that charles bradley record is really good, and i can't wait to see him live. (also, valerie june is african-american)

I don't think curmudgeon is having a go at Charles.

There's a tune on the album I absolutely love - "Confusion"? I cannot remember the name but it's something like that.

I like a few off the boombox list but it is still one dry-arse list. What no Juicy J, Vic Mensa, le$, Ka in there ? just to name some from memory that shined very brightly.

Saw Charles Bradley at a festival in Bilbao this summer and was blown away by his mic-stand humping and his strained wail. He was great. Went to the VIP section after and saw him sat alone, drinking a small beer and smoking a rollie, looking utterly depressed. Bit of a bummer really.

I was not criticizing Bradley. I like him too. I was just being less than clear in pointing out that Bradley prefers to sing old-school '60s style soul rather than the slightly more contemporary feeling Southern soul/chitlin circuit soul that XChuckx and I talk about on the Chitlin Circuit soul thread (that uses synths and such)

Another shop one:

Resident Records / Brighton - top 100 albums of 2013
http://www.resident-music.com/

01 Matthew E. White - Big Inner
02 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Push the Sky Away
03 Savages - Silence Yourself
04 Daughter - If You Leave
05 Valerie June - Pushin' Against A Stone
06 Jon Hopkins - Immunity
07 John Grant - Pale Green Ghosts
08 Laura Mvula - Sing to the Moon
09 Hookworms - Pearl Mystic
10 Melt Yourself Down - Melt Yourself Down
11 Follakzoid - ii
12 Mazzy Star - Seasons of Your Day
13 Forest Swords - Engravings
14 Charles Bradley - Victim Of Love
15 Fuck Buttons - Slow Focus
16 Public Service Broadcasting - Inform - Educate - Entertain
17 Dirty Beaches - Drifters / Love is the Devil
18 Rokia Traore - Beautiful Africa
19 Ghostpoet -Some Say I So I Say Light
20 Devendra Banhart - Mala

Good shop, kinda boring list

I guess Mojo and Uncut will be out shortly, wonder what they'll do about the Roy Harper situation?

That Melt Yourself Down Album bangs. I have no idea what people are seeing in Daughter though.

x-post to me --I think Charles Bradley fans would like Southern soul singer Mel Waiters 2013 album "Poor Side of Town" but since its on a small label, uses programmed rhythms and was not marketed to indie, NPR, and such related outlets, they'll likely never hear it.

Need to give it another go, but I couldn't get along with the sax playing on that Melt Yrself Down. Bit too much Pigbag and not enough unrestrained skronk for me.

That's wareham, right? I meant to check that out & never got round to it.

Yes, Brit sax player Pete Wareham. Never heard it either, but I liked Pigbag back in the day.

daughter literally the boringest album i heard all year. their cover of "get lucky" was soul destroying

They cover Loverboy?! That shoulda been awesome.

I was not criticizing Bradley. I like him too. I was just being less than clear in pointing out that Bradley prefers to sing old-school '60s style soul rather than the slightly more contemporary feeling Southern soul/chitlin circuit soul that XChuckx and I talk about on the Chitlin Circuit soul thread (that uses synths and such)

― curmudgeon, Wednesday, November 20, 2013 6:52 AM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Valerie June also Af-Am but she makes bluegrass or something. Definitely capturing the zeitgeist of black America.

I should make clear that's a shot at Rough Trade, not at June, who I have no beef with.

Damn, I'm listening to the title track from the Mel Waiters and it's a total jam. I feel like ILM's R. Kelly fans would dig this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XXSlH8Y-wM

17 Dirty Beaches - Drifters / Love is the Devil

standout album, but probably will be largely overlooked in year-end polls.

Haha so I've been listening to melt yourself down for the last 30 seconds and the sax is immediately recognisable as wareham, can see where the pigbag comparison comes in kinda (not a prob for me tho), also I basically love this already

Popmatters' Best Mainstream Pop Singles of 2013
http://www.popmatters.com/post/176599-the-best-pop-singles-of-2013/

1. One Direction - “One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)”
2. Paul McCartney - “Queenie Eye”
3. Hanson - “Get the Girl Back”
4. Kelly Clarkson - “Tie It Up”
5. Hunter Hayes ft. Jason Mraz - “Everybody’s Got Somebody But Me”
6. Backstreet Boys - “In a World Like This”
7. Keith Urban - “A Little Bit of Everything”
8. Ariana Grande ft. Mika - “Popular Song”
9. Yvlus - “The Fox (What Does The Fox Say?)”
10. Justin Timberlake - “Mirrors”

You can’t deny the effervescent charm of its performers. It sounds like the boy band had a blast recording it. And for all those who dismiss this as mere bubblegum teen pop: remember that “One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)” was a Red Nose Day charity single, raising funds to help poverty-stricken people all over the world.

Watertight case.

jesus christ what in the fuck?

that mel waiters track is sick!!

normally I hate it when people do this but jesus christ there is no way that list isn't trolling

Hey it's Pop Matters, they know what they're talking about

From Manchester's finest indie record store: the Piccadilly Records Top 100 Albums of 2013

1. Parquet Courts - Light Up Gold
2. Fuck Buttons - Slow Focus
3. Steve Mason - Monkey Minds in the Devil's Time
4. Factory Floor - Factory Floor
5. Bill Callahan - Dream River
6. Gramme - Fascination
7. Föllakzoid - II
8. Ducktails - The Flower Lane
9. Fuzz - Fuzz
10. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - II
11. Hookworms - Pearl Mystic
12. Matthew E. White - Big Inner
13. Crocodiles - Crimes of Passion
14. Jon Hopkins - Immunity
15. Jim James - Regions of Sound and Light of God
16. The Oh Sees - Floating Coffin
17. Quasimoto - Yessir Whatever
18. Mazzy Star - Seasons of your Day
19. Kurt Vile - Wakin on a Pretty Daze
20. Dirty Beaches- Drifters/Love is the Devil

(British) people are way overrating that Public Service Broadcasting album imo, btw.

yeah, i didn't like that record at all. it's a clunky concept played in a really clunky way