Look, we love a great single, and we definitely have our favourite Songza playlists, but we also appreciate artists and bands who take the time to craft excellent albums through and through. These were the records we kept coming back to in 2013.
Suzanne’s picks:
The National, Trouble Will Find Me: Far and away my top album of the year, The National’s Trouble Will Find Me is a phenomenal listen from powerful beginning (the guitar strums and steady drum beat of “I Should Live In Salt”) to gentle end (the piano strains of “Hard to Find”). Some write the Brooklyn-based band off as too dour, but there’s beauty in their melancholy moments, and hope as well. Their lyrics are sharp as ever, and Matt Berninger’s voice has never sounded richer than it does here. Best tracks include “Demons” and “Pink Rabbits.”
Daft Punk, Random Access Memories: Even if “Get Lucky” wasn’t on this album, it would still be a great one. Some of the strongest moments on the French electronic duo’s latest album are the unexpected ones, such as “Giorgio by Moroder,” in which a track of synth-disco pioneer Giorgio Moroder talking about his early career is laid over a chill, funk-laced background. Of course both tracks featuring Pharrell Williams — mega-hit “Get Lucky” and “Lose Yourself to Dance” — are excellent and highly danceable. I also enjoyed the energetic closer “Contact.”
Ron Sexsmith, Forever Endeavour: Ron Sexsmith’s follow-up to the glossy, Bob Rock-produced Long Player, Late Bloomer is this stripped down and intimate collection of songs that once again proves he’s among the best songwriters in music today. “She Does My Heart Good” is a sweet ode to the love of his life, while the sombre, strings-laden “If Only Avenue” reflects on decisions made and the “luxury of hindsight.” Sexsmith re-teamed with producer Mitchell Froom, who produced his earliest albums, for this effort, and it shows. The ballads are beautifully crafted and arranged, but the centrepiece is (and should be) Ron’s voice.
Tegan and Sara, Heartthrob: This is Tegan and Sara at their best since 2007’s The Con, even though the two albums are quite dissimilar. Where The Con was raw emotion and relatively bare bones, instrumentally, Heartthrob is a synth-infused burst of energy (“Closer”, “Goodbye, Goodbye”, and “I Couldn’t Be Your Friend” have all made it onto my running playlist). Also worth seeking out by the Calgary twins (and released in 2013) is their inspired and heartbreaking cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Fool To Cry”, not on this album but the Girls Vol. 1 soundtrack.
Queens of the Stone Age, …Like Clockwork: I was a casual QOTSA fan until I had the chance to see them in concert this year — wow, do they ever put on a terrific live show. They were touring in support of their latest, …Like Clockwork, and I was impressed by how well the new songs translated live. The band shows off their melodic side more on this record, with tracks like “My God Is The Sun” and “If I Had A Tail” getting under my skin immediately. My favourite on this album though is the slow, sinister groove of “I Appear Missing”, an excellent showcase for frontman Josh Homme.
Suzie’s picks:
Tegan and Sara, Heartthrob: Considering that I’ve been a Tegan and Sara fan for years, I shouldn’t have been so surprised by how amazing their seventh studio album was. Their last album, Sainthood, didn’t rank high with me, so I was afraid that my beloved sisters were starting to lose their touch, but apparently I couldn’t have been more wrong. Heartthrob is pure pop genius from start to finish. The lead single and opening track “Closer” kicks off the album perfectly with its incredibly infectious chorus, and songs like “I Was a Fool” capture Tegan and Sara’s beautiful melancholic side.
HAIM, Days Are Gone: These three Californian sisters broke on to the music scene this year with a debut album that solidly rocks from start to finish. Often compared to Fleetwood Mac, as well as 90s R&B girl groups like TLC and Destiny’s Child, these girls have created a sound that’s all its own and quite unique to everything else that’s currently heating up the airwaves. While I love the entire album, I’m especially partial to the first three tracks, “Falling”, “Forever”, and “The Wire”, all three of which tend to get endlessly stuck in my head. I already can’t wait for their next album.
Basia Bulat, Tall Tall Shadow: This is the third studio album from Canadian folk singer-songwriter Basia Bulat, and definitely her most accomplished work to date. Straight from the opening title track, Bulat comes out swinging with a catchy and demanding beat and her beautiful, Joni Mitchell-esque vocals soaring above it all. Bulat wields a number of instruments throughout the album, including an autoharp, an organ, and a piano, all of which contributes to the songs’ stunning depth. Two of my favourite tracks are “Tall Tall Shadow” and “Paris or Amsterdam”.
She & Him, Volume 3: The fourth studio album from musical collaborators Zooey Deschanel (more famously known for her starring role in the TV comedy New Girl) and M. Ward sticks with their well-trodden indie pop/folk formula, but fortunately for them, it’s a formula that totally works. These aren’t songs that make you think awfully hard — they’re sunny and joyful, and generally fairly simple both in lyrics and style. With 11 original songs and 3 cover songs, it’s easy to put this album on and be whisked away by its charming nostalgic feelings. Highlights include “Never Wanted Your Love” and “Somebody Sweet to Talk To”.
MS MR, Secondhand Rapture: This New York-based duo, consisting of vocalist Lizzy Plapinger and producer Max Hershenow, have captured my heart and soul with this ethereal debut album that channels the musical stylings of Florence and the Machine and Lana Del Rey. Plapinger’s voice is beautifully haunting with a dark, dream pop vibe that leaves a lasting imprint. I’m particularly hooked on the opening track “Hurricane”, as well as groove-inducing “Fantasy” and the beautiful “Dark Doo Wop”.
What was your favourite album of 2013? Share your picks in the comments below.