Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Ear Candy From The Distant Past...2013

Another year has come to a close and once again, thank you to everyone who stops by the blog to check out my ramblings (even if they were quite sparse this past year).  While I haven't been as diligent as I would have liked when it comes to posting stuff, I have had the time to find and enjoy some great albums and songs that were released in 2013.  

SULK - Graceless


If 2013 should be remembered for anything, it's the wealth of great new bands that released debut albums.  One such band is London's SULK.  Their debut Graceless is chock-full of swirling guitars and pounding drums.  With the production duties handled by veterans Ed Buller (he produced Suede's first three albums) and Marc Waterman (he produced Ride's debut Nowhere), it's no surprise this album sounds like a lost gem from the early 90s.  

Standout tracks: Back In Bloom, Flowers, Marian Shrine, The Big Blue


SUEDE - Bloodsports


What a difference a decade makes.  In 2003, Suede limped to the finish line after the previous years A New Morning failed to do anything except disappoint.  Fast forward to 2013 and the release of Bloodsports.  Spiritually, this is the true follow up to 1996's Coming Up.  Suede are back and are clearly refreshed and refocussed.  This surely has to be the blueprint for how a reunion album is done. 

Standout tracks: Barriers, It Starts And Ends With You, Hit Me, Sometimes I Feel I'll Float Away


TRIPWIRES - Spacehopper


Yet another new band who released a dandy of a record this year.  Even though Spacehopper is a relatively recent discovery by yours truly, it quickly jumped into my most played and loved albums of the year.  Spacehopper is a psychedelic, sweaping and cinematic tour de force.  Frankly, this is the type of album Radiohead should be making.  They're not, so thankfully, we have Tripwires.  

Standout tracks: SpacehopperA Feedback Loop Of Laughter, Shimmer


JOHNNY MARR - The Messenger


The Messenger might be ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr's first proper solo album, but it is packed with everything you would expect.  Marr is thirty years into his career but you wouldn't know it to listen to this record.  While most artists that far into their career deliver a safe, watered down version of their former selves, the songs on The Messenger have the energy and originality that a lot of up and coming bands wish they had.  

Standout tracks: The Right Thing Right, Upstarts, Lockdown, Generate! Generate!


PEACE - In Love


There hasn't been a record that has made me feel like a teenager again in quite a while.  In Love did.  It is a near perfect record that was a breathe of fresh air from the indie for the sake of being indie pastiche that seems to dominate "alternative" radio.  In Love oozes swagger and confidence and the songwriting shows a maturity well beyond the age of its creators.  

Standout tracks: Lovesick, Follow Baby, Float Forever, Sugarstone


MILES KANE - Don't Forget Who You Are


For his sophomore album, Miles Kane enlisted former Lightning Seed frontman Ian Broudie to produce.  The result is a winning combination of in your face, bombastic rockers and tender, vulnerable ballads.  Kane's songwriting seems to have a new found confidence, and collaborations with the Modfather Paul Weller and former XTC man Andy Partridge I'm sure didn't hurt.  Now about that second Last Shadow Puppets record?

Standout tracks: Don't Forget Who You Are, Better Than That, Darkness In Our Hearts, Out Of Control

Honourable mention: Primal Scream - More Light, The Fauns - Lights, Exit Calm - The Future Isn't What It Used To Be, Arctic Monkeys - AM, My Bloody Valentine - MBV, Editors -  The Weight Of Your Love

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