Best of 2013. . . So Far

Best Albums of 2013. . . so far

Yeah, I’m a bit early for a best of list, just like seeing xmas decorations before Halloween- it’s a bit obtuse. But I got the time and I been listening to these handful of albums a lot. And besides, so what? It’s a list. I also haven’t had much time in the last couple of months to really explore what’s been released recently (I work in a field that is dependent on sunshine, so I get real busy in the summertime). I’m hoping to catch up on all the good stuff that’s been coming out this fall.

Here’s my “subjectivity” disclaimer: I got some biased opinions about some albums that came out this year, like Marnie Stern’s “The Chronicles of Marnia.” I love it, but I know it’s not her best album. And there are other albums out this year that are better, but I still want to put hers near the top, but I realize I’m doing that for sentimental reasons. (my judgment is skewed) But my judgment is skewed on most things music anyhow. I’m not that smart about all things music. I like what I like. So now that I’ve filled the page with a few more words so it doesn’t look so anemic just to tell you that I’m choosing albums that I like (duh), let’s get onto the list.

First off, there’s a whole slew of albums that I haven’t even listened to yet (i did already say that didn’t i) just so you know (but tell me what i should listen to anyway). This is what I have queued up: Ty Segall – Sleeper; Colleen Green – Sock it to Me; Jacuzzi Boys – Jacuzzi Boys; Happy Jawbone Family Band also S/T and there are more. . .

So I went over to last.fm and took a look at my scrobbles. Now this only includes the tracks that I listened to on Spotify and here is the top ten for the past 12 months:

Thee Oh Sees

The Growlers

Marnie Stern

Akron/Family

Yo La Tengo

OBNIII’s

The Mallard

Shannon and the Clams

Pterodactyl

Gap Dream

(in that order) Starting with 350 scrobbles for Thee Oh Sees and ending with 113 for Gap Dream. Of course, the scrobbles aren’t only for the 2013 releases, it includes all their music available. Only 2 of those bands didn’t put out an album this year- OBNIII’s and Pterodactyl. And while The Mallard did put out an album this year, I really haven’t listened to it much, mostly I’ve listened to their 2012 release “Yes on Blood”. So those three bands aside, there is only one band missing that breaks my top 5 albums of 2013, so far. Pissed Jeans “Honeys” is a truly phenomenal album. So with all that said, here it is- the best albums of 2013, so far:

1)  The Growlers – Hung at Heart

2)  Shannon and the Clams – Dreams in the Rat House

3)  Yo La Tengo – Fade

4)  Pissed Jeans – Honeys

5)  Thee Oh Sees – Floating Coffin

and I can’t believe I’m putting Thee Oh Sees at 5, I can’t put any of these at 5 really, they’re all tied for 1st, everybody wins.

Fuzz – Fuzz’s Fourth Dream

ep51 Fuzz – Fuzz’s Fourth Dream

Ty Segall is the music man. I have no problems whatsoever with how much music he is producing, and I’m astounded by how good the music is. Don’t quit baby, keep on rockin in the free world.

his new single on Trouble in Mind records ——> here

Ty Segall – The Hill

Ty Segall – The Hill ~8 minutes

Ty Segall is on a tear, he’ll be playing at the Treasure Island Music Festival smack dab in the middle of the San Francisco Bay, on October 14th as one of his last remaining shows of a jam packed year. Last year he released 2 albums, but he had plenty more to give in 2012. His solo album, Twins, will be his third album this year. Last month, the Ty Segall Band, released Slaughterhouse, and earlier this year Ty Segall toured with White Fence supporting their April release of Family Purfume. He’s a busy boy and I hope he’s got something left for 2013, because I didn’t catch him once this year and I’d really like to see him play. . .

End of Season 1

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It seems that somewhere around 15 songs makes for a pretty decent playlist. So I decided to recap the first 15 episodes with “the songs that could’ve been.”

Enjoy.

Season 1 – That’s a Wrap ~62 minutes

the list

Fugazi – Margin Walker

Mudhoney – Flat-Out Fucked

Deep Purple – Perfect Strangers

Tom Waits – Filipino Box Spring Hog

Pterodactyl – Esses

White Denim – I Start To Run

The Thermals – Now We Can See

Marnie Stern – For Ash

I Heart Hiroshima – Punks

High Tension Wires – Toyko Is Burning Down

Ty Segall – The Slider

Jay Reatard – Nightmares

Alice Donut – Mother Of Christ

The Jesus Lizard – Monkey Trick

Liars – The Overachievers

Sonic Youth – Mary-Christ

Sonic Youth may be done, who knows, but at one point someone asked me if I were stranded on a desert island and could have only one artist/bands complete works to listen to who would it be. . . I guess I wouldn’t be relating that little slice of life if the band weren’t Sonic Youth so, cat’s outta the bag, my answer then was Sonic Youth and it would still be Sonic Youth today. I had a little bit of anxiety trying to pick a song, but resigned myself to the fact that if I continue doing this show I will have plenty of opportunity to do another Sonic Youth song, and another, and another.  Anyway, I picked a good number of songs that were released relatively close to when Goo was released and then a few songs that are more recent.  I rolled out the first of a 2012 release and added some songs to the best of 2011 list that will never die.  Hope you enjoy. Sonic Youth – Mary-Christ ~63 minutes

the list:

Sonic Youth – Mary-Christ

PJ Harvey – Me-Jane; Yuri-G; 50 Ft. Queenie

Yo La Tengo – From a Motel 6

My Bloody Valentine – Soft As Snow (But Warm Inside)

Love and Rockets – Kundalini Express

Concrete Blonde – God is A Bullet

The Jesus and Mary Chain – Blues From A Gun

Cloud Nothings – No Future/No Past; Stay Useless; No Sentiment

Ty Segall – You Make the Sun Fry; The Slider; Fist Heart Mighty Dawn Dart

Random Song of the Show

Alice Donut – Mother Of Christ