With no authority other than my own musical tastes and predilections, I thought I’d write up a review looking back on the various albums that came out last year–albums that in any case I was anticipating, interested in buying, and of the type of music that I enjoy listening to. The following are my top 5 of 2013:
Paramore – Self Titled
They did not disappoint. After several turbulent years and the loss of two key members, I was admittedly skeptical about how this album would turn out. I was worried they would lose “their” sound entirely and go down the overproduced, predictable pop-punk route that can so easily be fallen into. But I was completely surprised by what this album became. It’s the most different of the previous three albums, and yet they still managed to retain the spunk and vivacity and signature something of a Paramore album. Maturity is a word that gets thrown around a lot, and yes, this album shows a graceful maturation in the sounds and styles they’ve experimented with rather than a contrived “we’re a REAL band now” sort of declaration forced by so many others. But more than the maturation, I was delightfully relieved to still feel the youthful urgency, and sure, even a little of that residual angst of their past years in the music. They’re still catchy as hell. And yet, this new album, which I think might be my favorite of theirs, quelled all concerns about what else they can do. What can’t they do? They can rock, pop, punk it out with the best of them—but equally exciting are the funk, 60s and even country influences. Safe to say this album will remain on repeat well into 2014.
Standout tracks: Ain’t It Fun; (One of Those) Crazy Girls
A Lot Like Birds – No Place
This was one of my most anticipated, if not the most anticipated album of 2013. After the absolutely amazing debut album Conversation Piece I could not get enough. I had not heard anything quite like them before—beautiful soaring melodies over intricate riffs, punctured by cathartic screaming vocals. As a whole that may not sound like anything too groundbreaking but they are anything but formulaic, and with their progressive and even funk influences I was hooked. No Place, while pretty different from their first album, lived up to my expectations. Gone are the more poppy, catchy songs a la “Vanity’s Fair”, and in are the more ambient, atmospheric songs, perhaps more a la their EP Plan B. Still incredibly high energy in many respects, but much more often tempered by a haunting introspection and tone, the boys turned out an exceptionally crafted and beautiful album. The quality that remains constant across their works is their ability to transport you to another place completely—to whisk you away, for four or five minutes at least, into their comprehensive world of sound.
Standout tracks: Connector; No Nurture
Hands Like Houses – Unimagine
After the debut of their immediately enticing first album, I was excited to hear how the Australian band would follow up. They more than delivered on Unimagine, which like their first became the type of album you can listen to all the way through in a sitting. More than just catchy and empowering, the nature of their songs is one of compelling urgency. Replete with soaring melodies and resonant guitars, the songs have an incredibly filling sound bursting with insistence. In a different turn from Ground Dweller, this album has a decidedly more optimistic and hopeful tone, perhaps mirroring the band’s own journey of recognition and ascendancy since then. The album rocks, literally, and the Aussies do the post-hardcore genre incredibly well. But they keep it fresh with their signature use of sounds and subtle ambient additions, which production wise were much better incorporated this time around. It’s difficult to choose my favorite of favorites for the year, but if forced at the point of a gun, I would probably choose Unimagine. Top to bottom, it is an excellent and passionate album demanding to be heard.
Standout tracks: A Tale of Outer Suburbia, Developments
Senses Fail – Renacer
We have never seen Senses Fail quite like this, but boy is it awesome. Renacer is harder hitting and more explosive than any of their previous albums, but perhaps even more (wonderfully) surprising is the new positive and encouraging attitude their music has taken on. Still emotionally wrought and intense as ever, the songs focus on the renewed purpose and peace lead singer Buddy Neilsen has found in recent years. Fans who have followed Senses Fail for awhile will have traced and commiserated with Neilsen’s dark struggles throughout the past albums, and so this renewal, or “rebirth” becomes especially heartening and satisfying. We got an inkling of this positive turn in their Follow Your Bliss EP, and the full manifestation of it here is not only a kick ass, face-melting rock album but also a compelling advocation for life, love and agency over one’s own fate. There is something strangely effective and motivating about music that encourages you to live without fear to the tune of heavy guitars and aggressive vocals—give it a listen!
Standout tracks: Closure/Rebirth; The Path
The Speed of Sound in Seawater – First Contact
The first word that comes to mind to describe TSOSIS’s music is “charming.” They wield a unique blend of calming prettiness and progressive, mathy rock. With First Contact we get more of a taste of pleasing, delectable vocals over catchy yet elegant guitar tunes that we saw with their previous EPs. This album has a bit more of a tranquil feel overall, but retains a spiritedness that at times spills into bubbly enthusiasm and vibrancy. This lovely and refreshing first full-length portends only good things from this hidden gem of a band, and will hopefully garner them the recognition they deserve.
Standout tracks: Apples to Apples, Dust to Dust; The Oddest Sea