[New post] My Favorite 50 albums of 2013

Kevin Oliver posted: "An excess of good music means that this year I got ambitious and expanded my usual Top Ten Albums list to a cool 50, with random subsection titles where appropriate themes emerged. The top ten are pretty much solid in my mind as the ones I listened to the" Respond to this post by replying above this line New post on Music That Matters My Favorite 50 albums of 2013 by Kevin Oliver An excess of good music means that this year I got ambitious and expanded my usual Top Ten Albums list to a cool 50, with random subsection titles where appropriate themes emerged. The top ten are pretty much solid in my mind as the ones I listened to the most and liked the most; the rest of the list are admirable releases that you ought to check out especially if the 'theme' applies to you or is something that sounds like you might like it. --2013 Top Ten Favorites-- 1. David Francey, So Say We All Canadian folk singer David Francey has one of those intimately familiar voices that's inviting and yet aching with pain experienced in a life that's lived, for better and worse. I listened to this album more than anything else this year, by a long shot. 2. A Fragile Tomorrow, Be Nice Be Careful Power pop isn't restricted to the Shoes/Beat/Tommy Keene heyday of the 80's, as these twenty-somethings proved on this Don Dixon produced joyride through a thoroughly modern take on the genre. 3. The South Carolina Broadcasters, Short Time To Stay Here Making old-time music new again through their undeniable energy and enthusiasm, this trio is a joy to see perform, single-microphone style; the songs are nearly as much fun in recorded form. 4. Rhye, Woman Was there a more gorgeous album of wispy pop music made this year? The male duo Rhye sounds like this generation's Everything But The Girl, all understated charm and unencumbered hooks. 5. Olafur Arnalds, For Now I Am Winter I'm not sure that this qualifies as 'pop music', but it's beautiful stuff whatever the genre. Arnalds' style is closer to a classical one than anything resembling radio fodder; it's telling that his other album this year was a film score. 6. Rudimental, Home Released this year in the United States after taking over European clubs, this set includes hip-hop, dance, EDM, funk, and more in a mashed-up mix of beats, rhythms, and inspiring if simplistic songs. 7. Jason Isbell, Southeastern Mellower than his southern rock leanings might suggest, Isbell's latest found him on an introspective trip through some arresting character sketches that rank among his best songs. 8. Daft Punk, Random Access Memories European dance-rockers resurrecting Giorgio Moroder and Nile Rodgers for this century's party crowd? Why not; Moroder and Rogers had it right—hook 'em with the groove, pour on the sugary synth, and you're cooking. 9. The Avett Brothers, Magpie and the Dandelion The slowly evolving Avetts are gradually expanding their sound here, without losing the emotional core of their songwriting. Comfort food for the acoustic folk/rock set, with a great live "Souls Like the Wheels" thrown in for dessert. 10. Gogol Bordello, Pura Vida Conspiracy Weird, wonderful wackiness masquerading as rock 'n' roll mayhem and pulling it off admirably.   --Ten Artists Still Making Great Music After All These Years-- Willie Nile, American Ride Del-Lords, Elvis Club Mazzy Star, Seasons of Your Day Meat Puppets, Rat Farm Drivin' N' Cryin', Songs from the Psychedelic Time Clock EP Yo La Tengo, Fade My Bloody Valentine, m b v Juliana Hatfield, Wild Animals Lisa Germano, No Elephants The Ocean Blue, Ultramarine   --Five Guys Making Great Music Now-- Joseph Arthur, Redemption City Jake Bugg, Shangri-La Ed Harcourt, Back into the Woods Devandra Banhart, Mala Mayer Hawthorne, Where Does This Door Go   --Five Female Singers I'd Like to Introduce My Daughters To-- Ellie Goulding, Halcyon Days Whiskey Gentry, Holly Grove Neko Case, The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight... The Civil Wars, The Civil Wars Sam Phillips, Push Any Button   --Five Loud Favorites-- Coheed and Cambria, The Afterman: Descension Clutch, Earth Rocker Volbeat, Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies Kylesa, Ultraviolet Dillinger Escape Plan, One of Us is the Killer   --Five I Can Dance To-- Toro Y Moi, Anything In Return Major Lazer, Free the Universe Moorcheeba, Head Up High Ra Ra Riot, Beta Love The 1975, The 1975   --Five So Weird I Like Them Just Because-- Youth Lagoon, Wondrous Bughouse The Knife, Shaking the Habitual Kid Cudi, Indicud Sigur Ros, Kveikur Bombadil, Metrics of Affection   --Five I Think We've Both Heard Of-- Bastille, Bad Blood The National, Trouble Will Find Me Portugal. The Man, Evil Friends Frank Turner, Tape Deck Heart Iron & Wine, Ghost on Ghost     Kevin Oliver | December 31, 2013 at 10:58 am | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/p7uzs-EG Comment    See all comments Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from Music That Matters. 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