The votes of over 30 is this music? writers have been cast, and without further ado, we bring you the collated ‘best’ albums of 2013.
1. Chvrches – The Bones Of What You Believe
On paper either a supergroup or a bit of a long shot – members of The Unwinding Hours & The Twilght Sad fronted by the singer from Edinburgh popsters Blue Sky Archive, but producing electronic pop far removed from either epic post rock or winsome indie outfits. Never actually reviewed owing to the vagaries of the major label scramble for the year’s mostly “hotly-tipped” act, it still became clear that the three-piece were a clear shoo-in for the title, even for one lapsed writer who confessed that they’d “not heard that much new music this year, put me down for Chvrches just like everyone else”.
Aside from that, fairly wide-ranging voting ensued with acts as diverse as Keane West and Burial figuring in the final vote. However, the indie credentials of the writers shone through, even if there was less of a Scottish bias* than we might have expected!
2. Savages – Silence Yourself
A band with a reputation built on fierce live shows, quite how this would translate onto record was uncertain. Worries over, the inevitable Siouxsie comparisons are tempered slightly as the London four piece are free to adopt a more experimental edge while still retaining a hard rocking edge captured perfectly on record. Figuring in quite a few writers lists both here and elsewhere and not unexpectedly.
3. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Push The Sky Away
In the words of Matt Ward’s 5-? review: “Few lyricists conjure up the images of Cave and few stay so consistently compelling in their output. What is unanticipated is how the Bad Seeds have been able to maintain such an intensity in their music despite a constant evolution of their sound… it could even be said that Cave’s lyrical talents take a back step to subtle and intricate musicianship in a greater sense than ever before. This is far more a record that allows Warren Ellis to show his talents through uncompromising arrangements that convey a gripping yet controlled sense of drama. It might not be loud, but it’s possibly the Bad Seeds’ heaviest record to date.”
4. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City
A band whose third long-player rather slipped under the radar here yet still clearly made an impression on itm?’s writing crew, indeed this effort going one better than their debut did in 2010’s poll. Since then the band have made efforts to shake off their one-trick ‘world music’ tag with some success – ‘Obvious Bicycle’ despite its semi-tribal rhythms shows songwriting skills far beyond those employed in their Paul Simon / Bhundu Boys-esque back catalogue.
5. Adam Stafford – Imaginary Walls Collapse
A solo album in the pursest sense of the word as the former Y’all Is Fantasy Island frontman uses pretty much his own voice to generate the hypnotic beats and rhythms that propel the nine tracks here.
But let’s be clear, there’s no novety factor at play in its success – the loops and effects merely act as the vehicle for perfect pop tunes which draw on funk and soul and experimental classical and post punk and gospel and… well, you name it, Stafford takes it and uses it as a building block in a towering release.
6. Mogwai – Les Revenants
7. Arctic Monkeys – AM
8. Arcade Fire – Reflektor
9. There Will Be Fireworks – The Dark, Dark Bright – There Will be Fireworks
10. Queens of the Stone Age – Like Clockwork
11. Bob Mould – Silver Age
12. David Bowie – The Next Day
13. Franz Ferdinand – Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action
14. My Bloody Valentine – M B V
15. John Grant – Pale Green Ghosts
16. The Pastels – Slow Summits
17. Kid Canaveral – Now That You Are A Dancer
18. Frightened Rabbit – Pedestrian Verse
19. Low – The Invisible Way
20. The National – Trouble Will Find Me
21. Biffy Clyro – Opposites
22. Yo La Tengo – Fade
23. Foals – Holy Fire
24. The Just Joans – 6.9 Love Songs EP
25. Boards of Canada – Tomorrow’s Harvest
Oh, and what I said about the diversity of the votes cast? ‘Honourable mentions’ – the first choices of writers which didn’t make the top 25 cut – included Kanye West, Jason Isbell, Jensen Sportag, Moderat, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Follakoid, Fall Out Boy, Dead Flowers, Pearl Jam, AFI, James Blake, and, Kiss.
Same time next year?
* for a full-on Scottish-biased chart see Jockrock’s Albums of 2013 listing!
“@isthismusic: is this music? writers’ poll – the top albums of 2013: http://t.co/OYCBlhjd3Z” some good ones in there….
Votes are in for the @isthismusic top 30 albums of 2013. I cast my vote on the best of the year, but do you agree? http://t.co/rPwLZ6fvre