2013: Radicool To The Maxtreme
Somehow ended up listening to around 70 albums that came out this year,
here's my top 50 or so. This is purely ranked based on my level of
enjoyment because I think to try and be objective about music misses the
point of music entirely. |
| 1 |  | James Blake
Overgrown
soul/dubstep
I liked his first album alright, but holy shit this is an incredible album. I've
essentially been listening to it at least once a week all year and it's hardly worn off
on me. |
| 2 |  | The Black Heart Rebellion
Har Nevo
post-hardcore/ambient/tribal/psychedelic/post-rock
I listed way too many genres for this, but it has such a unique sound that that's the
best way for me to describe it. People have definitely been sleeping on this one, I
highly recommend it. |
| 3 |  | TTNG
13.0.0.0.0
math rock
A band I love releases what is possibly their best album yet, what else can I say? |
| 4 |  | Dance Gavin Dance
Acceptance Speech
post-hardcore
I understand a lot of the criticism this album has received, but at the same time it's
just so fun I can't bring myself to give a shit about any of that. New vocalist is
great, band is as tight as ever, the songs are well written. I can't really ask for
much more than that from one of my favorite bands. |
| 5 |  | Chance the Rapper
Acid Rap
hip-hop
If you've heard this, you know why it's here. If you haven't, then I can't stress it
enough that you check it out. Immaculate production, insane flow, extremely witty
lyrics, lots of squawking. |
| 6 |  | Nam Le
Nam Le
post-hardcore
Why the fuck has no one on here except Adam Downer heard of these guys?
Incredibly underrated post-hardcore, these guys are going to do great things (and
have already done so with this EP). |
| 7 |  | State Faults
Resonate/Desperate
screamo
A breath of fresh air in a scene that seems to be becoming increasingly stagnant
and over-saturated. |
| 8 |  | Parent Guardian
Specific
math rock/indie/post-hardcore
Been seeing most of the guys in this band play in various bands throughout my
time in high school and I feel privileged to be friends with such talented musicians.
This isn't just me plugging my friends' band, if I was this would be far lower on the
list. No, this is the culmination of all the hard work these guys have put in over the
years: all those fucking loud shows, the drastic changes in style over the years,
their progression as musicians. Parent Guardian have always had a pretty distinct
sound, but they've really come into their own with this album, and while I was
expecting to enjoy it, Specific vastly exceeded my expectations. It's also free so
you've got nothing to lose by checking it out
http://parentguardian.bandcamp.com/album/specific |
| 9 |  | Queens of the Stone Age
...Like Clockwork
rock |
| 10 |  | Justin Timberlake
The 20/20 Experience
pop/r&b
I was extremely skeptical when a friend recommended this to me, but I ended up
having one of those wonderful experiences where you go in expecting to hate
something and it ends up completely proving you wrong. |
| 11 |  | Barrow
Though I'm Alone
screamo/post-rock
Tied with Har Nevo for the darkest album of 2013. It's not often that I'm in the right
mood to listen to this, but when I am, it delivers. |
| 12 |  | Run The Jewels
Run The Jewels
hip-hop
"Killer Mike and El-P, fuck boys, think about it." |
| 13 |  | Childish Gambino
Because The Internet
hip-hop
fuck all the hate this album's been getting. I can hardly stand any of his other
work, but this album is fucking awesome. |
| 14 |  | Ta-Ku
Songs to Break Up To
electronic
It's so nice when a concept album fits its concept perfectly, especially one that's
mostly instrumental. |
| 15 |  | August Burns Red
Rescue and Restore
metalcore
I enjoyed this more than the new Misery Signals, sue me. |
| 16 |  | Loading Data
Double Disco Animal Style
rock
If you like Quuens of the Stone Age, you'll like this. Only QOTSA album I like more
than this is ...Like Clockwork. |
| 17 |  | Streetlight Manifesto
The Hands That Thieve
ska-punk
This album is pretty much the reason I didn't go insane working at the most mind-
numbingly boring job I've ever had. |
| 18 |  | Deafheaven
Sunbather
black metal/shoegaze
still not sure if I like this more than Roads to Judah, but it's really been growing on
me lately. Black metal purism is stupid. |
| 19 |  | The Dillinger Escape Plan
One of Us is the Killer
mathcore
Not for the faint of heart. |
| 20 |  | Jizue
Journal
jazz fusion/post-rock
Really interesting Japanese band, they got a bit of hype on this site earlier this
year, but they deserve a little more. |
| 21 |  | The Story So Far
What You Don't See
pop-punk
one of the only good pop-punk bands in today's scene. They were really freaking
intense when I saw them over the summer. |
| 22 |  | Coheed and Cambria
The Afterman: Descension
post-hardcore/faux-prog (jk what a dumb term) |
| 23 |  | The Wonder Years
The Greatest Generation
pop-punk
No idea why this band needs 3 guitarists, but they make some pretty solid pop-
punk so I guess I'm not complaining. |
| 24 |  | Eluvium
Nightmare Ending
ambient/solo piano |
| 25 |  | Senses Fail
Renacer
post-hardcore
They were starting to get kind of stale so the new sound they've developed with
this latest album was extremely refreshing. |
| 26 |  | bansheebeat
Spiral Power
ambient/electronic |
| 27 |  | Old Gray
An Autobiography
post-hardcore |
| 28 |  | Silverstein
This is How the Wind Shifts
post-hardcore
Enjoyed this way more than I thought I would |
| 29 |  | Strawberry Girls
French Ghetto
math rock |
| 30 |  | Protest the Hero
Volition
metalcore |
| 31 |  | Palms
Palms
post-rock |
| 32 |  | Touche Amore
Is Survived By
post-hardcore |
| 33 |  | Misery Signals
Absent Light
metalcore
Haven't jammed this as much as I should have |
| 34 |  | Sigur Ros
Kveikur
post-rock
best album they've put out in a while. That bass tone in Brennisteinn... |
| 35 |  | Russian Circles
Memorial
post-metal |
| 36 |  | My Bloody Valentine
m b v
shoegaze |
| 37 |  | Kanye West
Yeezus
hip-hop
I was way more into this when it came out. It didn't really hold up that well, but I
got a lot of enjoyment out of it and it's insanely quotable. |
| 38 |  | Bring Me The Horizon
Sempiternal
metalcore
Most of this album blows, but Can You Feel My Heart, Sleepwalking, and Hospital
For Souls and one or two other songs are so good I had to put this on the list. |
| 39 |  | Letlive
The Blackest Beautiful
post-hardcore
So many awesome songs on here, but before this album I'd never had such a
negative reaction to an album's production that it actively detracted from my
enjoyment of the album. |
| 40 |  | A Lot Like Birds
No Place
progressive/post-hardcore
Should have jammed this more than I did, I really liked what I heard, but I haven't
listened to it enough to warrant it being much higher than this on the list. |
| 41 |  | Modern Life Is War
Fever Hunting
hardcore
Honestly wasn't as enthralled by this as many people seemed to be, but it's a good
album. |
| 42 |  | Scowler
How to Find Light
screamo
thanks for the rec Mister Tornado |
| 43 |  | Damascus
Heights
post-rock/math rock |
| 44 |  | Lotte Kestner
The Bluebird of Happiness
folk |
| 45 |  | Vampire Weekend
Modern Vampires of the City
indie pop |
| 46 |  | Kayo Dot
Hubardo
avant-garde/progressive metal |
| 47 |  | Burial
Rival Dealer
dubstep
Underwhelming by Burial's standards, which still means it's a pretty solid EP. |
| 48 |  | The Dodos
Carrier
indie |
| 49 | | Boris
Präparat
metal
yeah that's right I bet you forgot that Boris released something this year |
| 50 |  | Arcade Fire
Reflektor
indie |
| 51 |  | Submotion Orchestra
1968
dubstep/jazz |
| 52 |  | 65daysofstatic
Wild Light
post-rock/electronic |
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