There are so many bands and artists battling for the recognition but we all have our own personal opinions and that’s all that matters. This end of 2013 ‘albums’ list is from the people who love music here and these slices of vinyl and digital releases represent what our writers here listened to the most. They may not be anything like your top 10, they may not be your tastes whatsoever, but they may even open your eyes and ears to new tunes, who knows.
Let us know what was your most listened to albums over 2013 and raise a glass to the people who get off their own arses to deliver us music in the first place. Essentially, all of those wonderful people come in at number one every year for their efforts in making it, touring it and busting their guts for it. Do your bit and actually pay for their music rather than ripping them off on dodgy downloads and shares. This way, the world of music happiness becomes a fair and equal place for everyone.
ZAC LEEKS
1. Pissed Jeans – “Honeys” – Sub Pop (review)
2. Polvo – “Siberia” – Merge Records
3. Run The Jewels – “S/T” – Fools Gold
4. King Khan & The Shrines – “Idle No More” – Merge Records (review)
5. Parquet Courts – “Light Up Gold” – Dull Tools (review)
6. Babysitter – “Eye” – Psychic Handshake Records (feature)
7. True Widow – “Circumambulation” – Relapse Records (review)
8. The Men – “New Moon” – Sacred Bones
9. Forest – “Sweetcure/Caramel Arms” – Tip Top/Indelabel (EPs yeh fuck it)
10. Fist City – “It’s 1983 Grow Up” – Black Tent Press (review)
Honourable mentions: The Love Triangle, Deathfix, Destruction Unit, Baby Godzilla (EP)
JAMES SHERRY:
1. Polvo – “Siberia” -Merge Records (review)
2. The Men – “New Moon” – Sacred Bones (review)
3. Destruction Unit – “Death Trip” – Sacred Bones (review)
4. The Love Triangle – “Clever Clever” – Static Shock
5. Deathfix – “S/T” – Dischord (review)
6. Lee Ranaldo & The Dust – “Last Night On Earth” Matador
7. Pissed Jeans – “Honeys” Sub Pop
8. The Night Marchers – “Allez Allez” Swami
9. Cheap Time – “Exit Smiles” In The Red
10. King Khan & The Shrines – “Idle No More” Merge
SARAH MAYNARD
1. letlive. – “The Blackest Beautiful” – Epitaph Records (review)
2. Arctic Monkeys – “AM” – Domino
3. Danny Brown – “Old” – Fools Gold Records
4. Chvrches – “The Bones of What You Believe” – Virgin Records
5. Paramore – “Paramore” – Fueled By Ramen
6. Daughter – “If You Leave” – 4AD
7. The Wonder Years – “The Greatest Generation” – Hopeless Records
8. Night Verses – “Lift Your Existence” – Southworld
9. Run The Jewels – “Run The Jewels” – Fools Gold (review)
10. A$AP Rocky – “Long. Live. A$AP” – ASAP Worldwide
Bonus (I can’t not) R. Kelly – “Black Panties” – RCA
Honorable mentions:Chance The Rapper, Kelela, Drug Church, Funeral For A Friend, The Weeknd, Bring Me The Horizon.
JOE PARRY
1. Deafheaven – “Sunbather” – Deathwish Inc.
2. Kanye West – “Yeezus” – Def Jam
3. Chelsea Wolfe – “Pain Is Beauty” – Sargent House
4. Joanna Gruesome – “Weird Sister” – Fortuna Pop! / Slumberland
5. Hookworms – “Pearl Mystic” – Gringo Records
6. Pissed Jeans – “Honeys” – Sub Pop
7. Balance and Composure – The Things We Think We’re Missing – Hassle
8. Weekend – “Jinx” – Slumberland
9. Speedy Ortiz – “Major Arcana” – Carpark Records
10. Torres – “Torres” – Self release
Honorable mentions
Run The Jewels, California X, Pity Sex, The Men, Daughter, Future of the Left, Touche Amore, Lemuria.
PETER CRAVEN:
1. Night Birds – “Born To Die In Suburbia” – Grave Mistake (review)
2. Hard Skin – “On The Balls” – JT Classics
3. Sickoids – “No Home” – Sorry State/Grave Mistake
4. Criminal Damage – “Call Of Death” – Feral Ward
5. The Night Marchers – “Allez Allez” – Swami
6. Infernöh – “7 Spår EP” – D-takt & Råpunk
7. Jello Biafra and The GSM – “White People and the Damage Done” – Alternative Tentacles
8. ViolentArrest – “Distorted View” – Boss Tuneage
9. The Love Triangle – “Clever,Clever” – Static Shock
10. Hoax – “S/T” – La Vida Es Un Mus
MILES HACKETT:
1. Trigger Effect – ‘What’s Left To Eliminate?’ – Dry Heave
2. Old Firm Casuals – ‘For The Love Of It All’ – Oi! The Boat
3. Sectarian Violence – ‘Upward Hostility’ – Carry The Weight
4. Vista Chino – ‘Peace’ – Napalm
5. Suicidal Tendencies – ‘13’ – Suicidal
6. Hard Skin – ‘On The Balls’ – JT Classics
7. The Bronx – ‘IV’ – PIAS
8. Pasadena Napalm Division – ‘Pasadena Napalm Division’ – Minus Head
9. Nails – ‘Abandon All Life’ – Southern Lord
10. The Rival Mob – ‘Mob Justice’ – Revelation
Honorable mentions:Septic Tank, HOAX
DAVE PALMER
1. Weekend – “Jinx” – Slumberland
2. Yuck – “Glow and Behold” – Fat Possum (review)
3. Parquet Courts – “Light Up Gold” – Dull Tools / What’s Your Rupture?
4. Kurt Vile – “Wakin’ on a Pretty Daze” – Matador
5. The Men – “New Moon” – Sacred Bones
6. Destruction Unit – “Deep Trip” – Sacred Bones
7. Drug Church – “Paul Walker” – No Sleep
8. Weed – “Deserve” – Couple Skate (review)
9. Milk Music – “Cruise Your Illusion” – Fat Possum
10. Joanna Gruesome – “Weird Sister” – Slumberland (feature)
Honourable mentions: True Widow, Mac Demarco, Boards Of Canada, MBV.
JONO COOTE:
1. Dropkick Murphys – “Signed and Sealed in Blood” – Born & Bred Records
2. Jaded Eyes – “Gods and Monsters” – Boss Tuneage Records
3. Serious Sam Barrett and David Broad – “Live at Café Lento” – Yadig? Records
4. Night Birds – “Born to Die in Suburbia” – Grave Mistake Records
5. Ghostface Killah and Apollo Brown – “Twelve Reasons to Die: the Brown Tape” – Soul Temple Records
6. The Melvins – “Tres Cabrones” – Ipecac Records
7. Hard Skin – “On the Balls/ Why Do Birds Suddenly Appear?” – JT Classics Records
8. Serious Sam Barrett and James the Fang – “North Country Steed” – Yadig? Records (review)
9. The Filaments – “Land of Lions” – Burnout Records
10. Johnny Rioux – “Cowboi” – Randale Records
Honourable mentions: Pissed Jeans, Snuff.
Until next year…please send us your fave albums of the year.