My Favorite Albums of 2013

Yes, I’m still alive. Sorry about the unplanned hiatus, but I got promoted at work (yay!) and my new position has been keeping me busy. Then there’s Christmas shopping and all those holiday parties, so I haven’t had much free time lately.

But the end of the year is approaching, so I had to create my list of favorite albums from 2013. Usually, this is a fun recap for me to look back on the past 12 months and reflect on all the great music that has come out. But as I assembled this year’s list, I felt mostly depressed at the pathetic number of albums I had to work with. Granted, I really did love all the music that I put on this list, but there weren’t nearly as many of them as there usually are. Did I miss lots of incredible releases, or were my favorite artists just slacking this year? Maybe I need to check in with my fellow music bloggers for recommendations.

Anyway, I’m going to assume that I loved the following albums so much that I just couldn’t bear to stop listening to them to find more new music. Here it goes:

Sons of the Sea - Sons of the Sea
I didn’t put this list in any particular order, but if I had to choose a number one record, I’d go with Brandon Boyd’s latest effort. I blog about him all the time, so you all know how obsessed I am with everything he does. Sons of the Sea sounds like summer, and it’s been keeping me warm all through the fall.

Such Hot Blood - The Airborne Toxic Event
This album grew on me a lot. And the bonus track, “The Way Home” is simply gorgeous.

The Hurry and the Harm - City and Colour
This summer, I saw Dallas Green perform outdoors in Central Park. It was a perfect setting for such beautiful music.

Burials - AFI 
Sing the Sorrow (the first AFI album I got into) turned 10 this year. Yup, a decade later and I’m still worshipping Davey Havok.

The Pop Underground EP - Andrew McMahon 
Also back in 2003, Something Corporate was the opener at my very first concert. Listening to Andrew McMahon’s solo work takes me on a magical journey back to that night. (Plus, these four songs are just so catchy!)

Guilty Pleas EP - Night Terrors of 1927 
I still miss The Honorary Title so much, but this EP helped fill the Jarrod Gorbel-shaped hole in my heart.

Paramore - Paramore 
I never really got into the band’s last release, brand new eyes, but the new self-titled album made me fall in love with Paramore all over again.

Save Rock and Roll - Fall Out Boy 
Similar to Paramore, I never really spent much time with the last few Fall Out Boy records. That’s not because I’m a snob -- I never bother to hide how much I love a good pop-punk tune. I was always more attached to the earlier albums that I listened to non-stop in high school. But this new album makes me want to start a dance party in my cubicle every time I listen to it at work.

Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action - Franz Ferdinand
Oh Franz Ferdinand, it’s been too long. I’m so glad you boys have returned.

What were your favorite albums this year?

My Favorite Albums of 2012

Well, it's already time once again to reflect on all the great music that has come out over the past year. Here are my favorites, in no particular order.

Of Monsters and Men - My Head Is An Animal: Last January, I dubbed these guys my new favorite band of the year. (This was before their album even came out in the US, because I am suuuuch a hipster). This band is totally deserving of all the attention they received, and I'm so happy that they found success here as well as Iceland.

Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel: Fiona is my queen. This album is genius. Etc etc. 

The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten: I'm basically obsessed with this band and lead singer Brian Fallon these days. Every time I listen to this album, I fall a little bit more in love with it.

The Chevin - Borderland: David Letterman said it best when these British lads played on his show: "Holy crap! That's good."

Green Day - ¡Dos!: I thought American Idiot was fantastic and I will fight anyone who says otherwise. That said, Green Day's take on retro-y garage rock on this album is just so damn fun. I love ¡Uno! and ¡Tre! too, but this is my favorite of the three. 

A Fine Frenzy - Pines: I have such a girl crush on singer Alison Sudol. She could put out a dubstep record and I would still buy it. Thankfully, she channeled her energies into this vibrant, nature-inspired album instead.

The Lumineers - The Lumineers: I don't mean to toot my own horn, but The Lumineers are another band that I totally discovered before they were famous. (#trendsetter) But thanks to Mumford & Sons and that Bing commercial, the rest of the world is discovering how fabulous this three-piece folk band is. I also interviewed lead singer Wesley Schultz back in April, right as the band really started to take off.

Blaqk Audio - Bright Black Heaven: I'm not usually an electronic music fan, but I'll buy anything singer Davey Havok wants to sell me.

The All-American Rejects - Kids in the Street: This band has yet to disappoint me. Right when I moved away from home to NYC, they released a mature album about growing up and figuring out who you are. Thanks for reading my mind, guys.

The Horrible Crowes - Elsie: Okay, this album actually came out last year, but I just discovered it and have listened to basically nothing else since. 

Thanks 2012, it's been real.

Favorite Albums of 2011

In no particular order.

2011 was truly a great year for my music collection. A bunch of my favorite bands released new material, and almost all of it actually lived up to my ridiculously high expectations. I also fell in love with some new acts that I stumbled across. Last year, I couldn't even come up with a top ten list; this year, I can't keep it to ten, so I had to expand to twelve. Here they are, along with links to any reviews I wrote earlier.

Incubus - If Not Now, When?: If I had to choose a favorite album of the year, it would probably be this one. So many critics and fans disliked this album, leaving me to wonder if the rest of the world is crazy. This album is just gorgeous. It reawakened my obsession with Incubus and I ended up spending a combined total of approximately four months listening only to their music.
The Airborne Toxic Event - All At Once: I was originally disappointed in this album, but turns out I just needed some time to let it grow on me. TATE has to be one of the most hard-working bands I listen to, and also one of the most fun to see live.
Hard-Fi - Killer Sounds: I dare you to resist busting a move while listening to this.
Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials: I do still find a few songs to be a little boring, but when these songs are good, they are great. Florence Welch is a goddess.
Midnight Youth - World Comes Calling: My only complaint about this album is that it is too short. These songs are so epic and catchy that I simply am not satisfied with only ten.
City and Colour - Little Hell: City and Colour always puts out staggeringly beautiful music, and this latest effort is no exception.
The Black Keys - El Camino: This band blew up for a reason. The album just came out so I'm still getting acquainted with it, but I knew on the first spin that this one would be constantly on repeat.
Jack's Mannequin - People and Things: This album makes me both desperately sad and insanely happy. Damn you Andrew McMahon for manipulating my emotions.
Movits! - Ut Ur Min Skalle (Out Of My Head): If you're looking for a Swedish hip-hop swing jazz band that will make you dance like you're in an old school iPod commercial, Movits! is the band for you.
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light: You know, I never really listened to the Foo Fighters before this year, despite my great admiration for Dave Grohl. So I can't claim to be a loyal fan, but I do love this album.

U.S. Royalty - Mirrors: This was my soundtrack to summer this year.
The Chevin - Champion EP: This band, formerly known as Your Vegas, did not make it easy to get this EP. Thankfully, it was worth the wait.

It's been real, 2011.