I love to look at top 10 lists, but really just to make sure there isn't anything that I missed from people who I trust. You probably don't know me, but this is my top 10 list. If there is something on here that you've never even heard of, man... get in on the goodness while the gettin's good.
This was easily the best album of the year. The War on Drugs had, in my opinion, a breakout year even though their last album was solid gold as well. It's an album you will share with your grandkids who will be in awe of your taste.
There is nothing to say about this... If you're surprised that this album is on a year end list, you must not be familiar with the caliber of music these guys put out EVERY TIME THEY RELEASE AN ALBUM.
Honestly, I've never cared much for Mac Demarco until I heard Passing Out Pieces from this album... that song is incredible, and was fortunately good enough to make me listen to the rest of the album. I don't know why I loved it so much this year, I think it's something about the production. This album makes me feel some type of way. If it was scratch-and-sniff, I feel like it would smell like a pack of marlboro's.
Perfume Genius for President 2016. If you don't listen to this album and his debut from a couple years back, I can't help you.
I saw Spoon at a bowling alley this year. I bowled a 59 and I was really trying. Don't get me wrong, I was drunk and at a spoon concert, but I really actually tried. This album is, and that concert was, incredible and must have disoriented me.
Feel like people won't understand how this ended up on my year end list and almost nobody else's... but Damon Albarn is a phenomenal artist and this album takes me back to his previous masterwork, Think Tank from 2003.
In passing, you might think this album is weird in a not-good way. Wake up. It's genius.
Like a couple other artists on this list, this is the first time I've had Future Islands on a year-end list, but I was probably late to the show, their last albums were fire too. I saw these guys at a concert in an alley that smelled rancid and I genuinely had to question if the stagnant water in the corner was piss. But, a steady breeze kept the smell at bay, and I watched Samuel Herring own the stage like few other artists I've ever seen. Dude has energy and I'm genuinely excited by their success with this album.
St. Vincent is my spirit animal.
This album is relatively fresh due to it's late-in-the-year release date, but TV on the Radio is one of the most consistently phenomenal bands I've ever listened to. As soon as I heard "Careful You" from this album... I was hooked like the first time I heard Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes. This entire album is great though, and as far as vinyl-lovers are concerned, this is one of the better complete packages I put my hands on this year.
this was what 2013 looked like.