Best Albums of 2013

Ok. Here's the cliche blog post for the end of December. You've all seen it before. I'm just going to dive right in and we'll see how many picks I actually end up with.


1. Foy Vance - Joy of Nothing
This is the best album of 2013. I can't say enough about it...except I already did in a separate blog post...so go read that. It's intelligent, beautiful and has the perfect amount of soul. There isn't a single flaw on this album and it's going to be one of my favorites for many many years. The gem of 2013 for sure. Go buy it already!

2. Lorde - Pure Heroine
Another album I've already yammered on about. It's brilliant. If you want to talk about the controversy surrounding Lorde as a person and musician, I don't want to hear it. This album is creative and fresh and has such a great sound. That's all you need to care about.

3. Arctic Monkeys - AM
This was probably my most anticipated album of 2013. It delivered. I think all of Arctic Monkeys' albums are stellar, and this one, like the others, doesn't disappoint. It took me a couple listens to really get into it but I think it's a really stand-out addition to their old stuff. They never really change their sound but somehow always build on whatever they've put out in the past.

4. Disclosure - Settle
Let's be honest, EDM was sort-of a joke this year. I'm still listening to my favorites from 2012 and nothing really compares to Luxury Problems by Andy Stott (will it ever?). I did, however, really enjoy this album by Disclosure. It's upbeat, creative, and throws together some really nice collabs and mixes. Impressive to say the least.

5. The Neighbourhood - I Love You.
This album really hooked me in. I've noticed it being played on the radio (with a subtle pop dance beat added...OF COURSE) and it makes me annoyed. Listen to the rest of the album. It's angsty, a bit rock, a bit pop, a bit everything. I love it.

6. Jay-Z - Magna Carta, Holy Grail
A lot of people are putting Yeezus on their list of best albums but I'm going to mix it up and put MC|HG on there. I think it's brilliant. Since I basically worship Hova I'd probably say anything he put out was brilliant but I just keep listening to this album and every song on there sounds a bit different. It's truly a diverse album while still keeping the classic Jay-Z sound. He grabbed about 8 trillion Grammy noms so we'll see what happens with that.

7. Frank Turner - Tape Deck Heart
Frank Turner put out yet another stellar album. There isn't much to say about this except it screams "Frank Turner". Insanely clever lyrics and driving sound. It's all there.

8. Arcade Fire - Reflektor
I was looking forward to this album like none other. I've been a massive Arcade Fire fan for years and the hype surrounding this release was crazy. With the neon animal parties and the sparkles and the whatever else I knew it was going to be good...and it is. I really was disappointed at first, but then I found myself singing the title-track Reflektor randomly at work and jiving around. It gets stuck in and you realize how truly catchy the whole album is. ALSO, I get to finally see them live in 2014. Someone pinch me.

9. Beyoncé - Beyoncé OR Katy Perry- PRISM
In terms of pop godesses I can't decide. Miley and Britney are for sure out. They released just piece of crap garbage albums that I wish never existed. Katy Perry shocked me. Prism is a really incredible pop album with an insane amount of diversity. Dark Horse hooked me in and then I just listened to the whole thing...over and over and over and over again. Do I need to say anything about Beyoncé? Her self-titled album is amazing and the way she released it deserves an award alone.

10. Little Green Cars - Absolute Zero
After seeing them live this album really opened up to me. I was always a fan of their work but when I saw how incredibly raw and talented they are live, I really started listening to this all the way through and it's such a fresh and awesome sound. They really deserve a lot more credit than they've gotten this year. Amazing vocals.

Well look at that, I actually ended up with 10. It's like I planned it or something (I actually didn't). Of course there are plenty of songs that I want to include but not everybody can be a winner. These are truly my stand-out albums of 2013 and I think they are all complete choices with multiple good tracks on each album. They all have a very distinct idea and concept behind the albums and deserve recognition as we end the year.

Happy New Year xx

"meh"

I've been really good about keeping up with this blog lately so, of course, I recently got writer's block. I've been stressing about a lot of things so music-related junk has been put on the back burner and frankly, nothing is out right now that's really tickling my fancy? ...what a disgusting expression.
So basically, nothing is good and it's pissing me off. I feel like everyone is coming out with new things and there's all this hype attached but they are all just so boring. Is it just me? I feel like everything sucks and generally that happens when I'm in a crabby mood so the problem is most likely me. Grumble grumble.

Examples:

Devandra Banhart - Mala 
Meh. His worst album. I keep trying to listen to it but I just can't even get through it and it's just so flipping boring. Everyone is going on and on about he's incorporating his Venezuelan roots with this album and how it's supposedly more cohesive but...no...or in Spanish...no.

David Bowie - The Next Day
Blah. It's ok. I don't even know what to say. Bowie fans will like it. I'm kind-of whatever about it.
..."Wow this is such a great blurb, Carmen. How are you so eloquent?"

Stornoway - Tales From Terra Firma
Bloop. I really love Stornoway. Zorbing is probably one of the best songs ever written. When I heard they had a new album I was super jazzed but upon listening to it I just felt...underwhelmed. I don't know. I can't help but just thinking of them as a Decemberists/Sufjan Stevens hybrid (which they're not) and literally while I was going through the tracks I kept flipping back to their old album. Maybe it will grow on me but right now I'm adding it to the "meh" pile.

The Strokes - All the Time
Ok, so, I've only heard the one song but I'm not feeling it. Yeah, it's catchy. Maybe I'm just having Angles flashbacks and I'm not getting my hopes up. Man, this whole blog post is super monotone and I'm incredibly sorry.

Thao & The Get Down Stay Down - We the Common
This album bugs the crap out of me. I had people literally throwing this CD in my face to listen to and we had it promoted at work so I was forced to listen to it. Holy cannoli it's probably the most blah album ever. Also, the most annoying album. Yeah, sure, you can listen to one of the songs once or twice in a playlist but listening to the whole album makes me want to rip my hair out. Dat voice.

Beyonce's New Song
I can't think of a Beyonce song that I don't like...except this one. It's repetitive, really weirdly put together and not consistent with anything she's EVER done before. I'm just really confused about it and I don't know if it's the pre-cursor to something? Like an artistic something? Yeah, no idea.

Local Natives - Hummingbird
Is this good? I can't decide if this is good. It's not good. But they sound really Shins-y on this album? Right? And Black Balloons is pretty good. Right? Ugh.

Vampire Weekend 
I'm bored already. It sounds the same. They always sound the same.



After all that bitching and moaning is there anything I'm actually liking? Well, sure. It's all just getting swallowed by boring crap.

• The new Cold War Kids track is growing on me and I find myself getting more and more excited for their new album...I'm nervous to get my hopes up though.
• Bastille's new stuff is really really realllayyy good. I'm loving it.
• This is good...I mean, it's not really new, but Australian things take a while to sail over to me.
• Big thanks to my wonderful friend Kyle for sending me to Woodkid (as I was writing this, great timing) whose album "The Golden Age" just came out. When I saw the album cover I was thinking it would be Fever-Ray-ish but it's more like Rufus Wainwright meets alt-J? I LOVE WHEN THINGS SURPRISE ME. This is good. Kyle, you rock.

MAYBE THERE IS GOOD STUFF OUT THERE. MAYBE IT'S NOT JUST ME. MAYBE THERE IS HOPE. *weeps softly*

Grammy Predictions

As I briefly mentioned in a previous post I work in the music department of a store (which will remain nameless for as much as I dislike my job and would like to be fired I know realistically that wouldn't be a good idea). One of the new displays in our stores features "Grammy Nominees For 2013": Taylor Swift, fun., Maroon 5 and Kelly Clarkson. That's it. One of the explanations for this shit wall display is the fact that my merchandiser is a guy who would rather be playing golf any given day than picking out music or possibly, that the Grammy nominations this year slightly...underwhelming.

I thought I would go through all (or some...let's not get too crazy) of the 2013 nominees and I can share my two cents about who will probably win (underlined), and then who I would pick to win. I'm not a clairvoyant by any means but strictly based on previous year's statistics, about 300% (math.) of the time they give the Grammy to the person I most dislike.
Cool. 

Also, big ups to Wikipedia for existing so I can just copy and paste this shit.

Record of the Year
“Lonley Boy” — The Black Keys
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Kelly Clarkson
“We Are Young” — fun. feat. Janelle Monae
“Somebody That I Used To Know” — Gotye feat. Kimbra
“Thinking About You” — Frank Ocean
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” — Taylor Swift

Ugh. I just rolled my eyes at this entire category. I'm going to have to give this one to Taylor Swift. We're going to get plenty (pleeeenty) of T. Swizzle at next year's Grammy's so I just feel like they're going to prep and prime us for that. After all, she's always just so "surprised" when she wins! LIKE, WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED!? ...everyone. always.
As for who I think should win... Frank Ocean. He did something brilliant with Channel Orange that deserves to be recognized. I also wouldn't be opposed to Gotye winning because as overplayed as that song was, I love his music (especially "Like Drawing Blood"), he puts on a good show, and is sexy as hell.

Album of the Year

The Black Keys — El Camino
fun. — Some Nights
Mumford & Sons – Babel
Frank Ocean — Channel Orange
Jack White — Blunderbuss

Predicting Mumford for this one. I mean, yeah. Probably. I don't really care. I'm already over this. Frank Ocean should win though. I like every song on his album and I only like certain ones on the other ones. So, that's the reasoning I had. I do love Jack White though... whatever. I'm done with this.

Best New Artist

Alabama Shakes
fun.
Hunter Hayes
The Lumineers
Frank Ocean

Predicting fun. to win this one. I mean, they probably will because they are "new" and their songs took over every radio station in existence the past year. As far as who I'd pick...Frank Ocean (shock.) or Alabama Shakes. Ho Hey makes me want to drive off the nearest cliff and Hunter Hayes is that child that sings that one song that if wasn't sung in a countryesque way would sound really possessive. Right? I WANT TO WRAP YOU UP. I WANT TO KISS YOUR LIPS. I WANT TO MAKE YOU FEEL WANTED. I WANT TO CALL YOU MINE. I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND FORRRREVVVERRR. NEVER LET YOU FORGET IT. Creeps me the fuck out.

Song of the Year
“The A Team” — Ed Sheeran
“Adorn” — Miguel
“Call Me Maybe” — Carly Rae Jepsen
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Kelly Clarkson
“We Are Young” — fun. feat. Janelle Monae

Predicting Call Me Maybe...because...it's Call Me Maybe and everyone and their mom (literally) knows it. Get it away. Just get it over and let it die.
As for who I'd pick...Ed Sheeran. Obviously. I'd give an award to Ed Sheeran for every category if I could...new artist, latin pop album, movie score...all of the above. Done and done.
Shit, I didn't even see that We Are Young is nominated...so...this category is a mess of who-knows-what and I change my mind to having fun. win this one. Or something? Who the fuck knows. Maybe we should just fuck it all and give it to Miguel.

Best Rock Album

El Camino — The Black Keys
Mylo Xyloto — Coldplay
The 2nd Law — Muse
Wrecking Ball — Bruce Springsteen
Blunderbuss — Jack White

Guessing that the Black Keys will win this one because the Grammy's aren't like a regular mom, they're a cool mom. Right, Regina?
I'd pick Muse because Muse will always be one of my absolute favorites and despite the shit it gets, the 2nd Law is the 2nd best album (appropriate) they've ever put out (after Origin of Symmetry, duh). YEAH I SAID IT. The rest of the nominees are good too though. So I don't really care who wins...except NOT Bruce Springsteen because who even heard that album at all? Go home, Bruce.

Best Rap Song (I had to type these out by hand because I couldn't find a list, can you tell?)
"Daughters" - Nas
"Lotus Flower Bomb" - Wale feat. Miguel
"Mercy" - Kanye West and Pusha T and other people but really? Kanye's going to accept the award if he wins
"The Motto" - Drake feat. Lil' Wayne
"N*!%$&*^S in Paris" - Jay-Z and Kanye West

"Young, Wild and Free" - Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa

I was going to discuss best Rap Album but the nominees were stupid and the Roots won't win so I don't even want to go there. These are all good songs but I'm mega confident that it will go to N*#*$#(&84s in Paris because the song is damn good. Mercy is also amazing and I literally listen to it at least 300 times a day. So really, either way Kanye's going to make an appearance on stage and I couldn't be more excited for the bullshit that comes out of his amazingly talented mouth.

In conclusion, there's a lot of bullshit going on at this year's Grammy's and they haven't even started yet. Basically:

• We're going to see Frank Ocean not winning anything except Best Urban Contemporary (FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AT LEAST GIVE HIM THAT)
• Amy Winehouse is going to win posthumously (with Nas) and someone is going to cry (me)
• Adele better show her ass up and make another perfect acceptance speech ("fanks!")
• Nobody will give a single fuck about 99% of the categories (Sorry Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance, Album Notes, Recording Package, etc.) 
• I'm already 4,000% done with Rihanna's performance
• If the Muppets beat out T. Swift it will be the best night of my life
• Bill Clinton will be there