Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Top Songs of 2013

Yeah, I know I've been away for a long time. I've been working on a record label with my buddy John. I'm not going to implore anyone to buy anything but check it out if you're curious: http://chinapig.bandcamp.com/ And that's it for me being a corporate shill.

I was aiming for a top ten but just couldn't get it all down to that small number so it's a top 13 for 2013, sounds appropriate (edit: I totally forgot that Arctic Monkeys record but I'd probably go with Do I wanna know?, I can't be arsed re-arranging the list now). I thought about trying to write some critical analysis of why I like these songs but that sounds like a drag so here ya go:


13. Lorde - Tennis Court: Did I drink the Kool-Aid about a 16 year old musical prodigy from New Zealand? Yes I did. The Lorde album is actually a great listen but for some reason this song got stuck on a loop in my head.



12. (Tie) Violent Soho - Covered in Chrome/Royal Blood - Out of the Black: I guess this is what happens when kids grow up listening to Soundgarden, Nirvana and Rage Against the Machine rather than Phil Collins. Sure, both songs have a grunge heart but I think both bands have something going on. Bonus points to the Violent Soho video for somehow recreating every sharehouse experience I had when I lived in Queensland.


11. Nine Inch Nails - Satellite: Never underestimate Trent Reznor's sense of humour. Everytime I listen to this song, I imagine a boy band in white suits dancing along in an accompanying video. This is Nine Inch Nails as a Backstreet Boys song and it is oddly awesome and addictive.


10. Arcade Fire - Reflektor: When I heard this single I fell in love with it. Unfortunately, it's the only thing I fell in love on Arcade Fire's new album which I found to be a bloated directionless mess. Given the epic narrative that drove the Suburbs, the Reflektor album was kind of rubbish. That being said, this song is awesome.


9. The National - Pink Rabbits: There were a number of reasons I didn't fall in love with the new National record but this song clawed it's way through my skin and burrowed itself into my sad, sad heart.


8. Future of the Left - Singing of the bonesaws: Who knows what Falco is singing here but the Jesus Lizard bass chug and a line of abject non-sequiturs makes this the oddest, catchiest song of the year.


7. Neko Case - Local Girl: I think Neko Case is incapable of writing a bad song and I could have picked several from her new record. However, there is something gorgeous about the collision of melodies and clatter of a broken heart on local girl.


6. Mark Kozelek and Jimmy LaVelle - You missed my heart: Given Mark Kozelek released at least three albums of new music this year, it was hard to choose but I keep coming back to this record. There is something something annoyingly twee about this song but I love it anyway.


5. Coliseum - Bad Will: Good old fashioned, no thrills rock n' roll your mother always hated. Raise your fist and say fuck yeah.


4. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Jubilee Street: "I'm transforming, I'm vibrating, I'm glowing, I'm flying, look at me now!" I just find this song incredible, a single riff building to a Warren Ellis freak out all with a sinister lyrical pull - Nick's still got it.



3. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels: I am a bit rubbish when it comes to hip hop but I know what I like when I hear it. Apart from that Childish Gambino song, this is the song that really got me excited this year and yes, even dancing badly around my house. I mean listen to that bass riff - incredible.



2. Superchunk - Void: Old punks never die, their lyrics get more complicated.



1. Queens of the Stone Age - I Appear Missing: Well, duh.

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