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Monday, July 8, 2013

Best Albums of 2013 (So Far) 50-41

So yes, once again it has been a while since I've posted anything. You know the drill if you've kept up with my posts at all. I go out of town for work and get busy and next thing I know I'm 10 albums behind and don't post for a while. Which is sad because I was starting to get a nice following. C'est la vie, story of my life.

Since I have been terrible with posting this year, yet have listened to way too many albums for any normal person in 6 months, I've decided to do a mid-year "Best-of" list. That way, you can get a taste of what I've been into this year and I'll just do mini-reviews of each.

Hope you enjoy! 2013 has been one of the better years for me, music-wise. So many bands I love have released great new albums. Also, fantastic new side projects and new artists have infiltrated my musical soul. It's barely July and I've already amassed my usual amount of music for an entire year. As tough as it was to compile an ordered list for 2012, it has been equally as tough, if not harder, to do the same for the 1st 6 months of 2013.

That said, I'll get to it since I doubt you're really here to read my mumbo jumbo.

Albums 50-41

50) Hey Marseilles: Lines We Trace - 6-piece from Seattle whose latest album will quite possibly find itself climbing this list before the end of the year. An album of indie-pop goodness that, at times, brings back the baroque pop sounds of early Ra Ra Riot. Lead vocalist Matt Bishop has a tendency of channeling the occasional Colin Meloy (The Decemberists). You may remember them from their cover of Daniel Johnston's classic tune "True Love Will Find You in the End" back in 2010 for a Starbucks Sweetheart compilation album.

Check out the video for the beautiful "Heart Beats" below



49) David Bowie: The Next Day - No intro needed here for one of the living legends of music, who decided to surprise everyone and release his first album in over a decade. Apparently he recorded almost 30 songs in this session and there is talk of another album to surface in the next year or so. A solid effort back into the front of our minds as his style and voice fit in nicely with the current age of pop music.

Check out the video for "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" ft. Tilda Swinton below



48) Unknown Relatives: 2 - I find it kinda funny that it took me finding out about this recently-former Austinian band, now in California, through my first Feedbands album to arrive. Feedbands....once you sign up, they send you a new 1st pressing vinyl album of an up-and-coming band. You have no clue who it is until it arrives, as they want you to hear it first via vinyl. Pretty cool concept. Anyway, this album has quite a garagey grungetastic taste to it. Kinda reminds me of a pre-empt to Yuck's debut album, that I love. Check these guys out and check out Feedbands!

See the just released video for "Say What You Want" by clicking HERE (since the YouTube search on here won't find it. awesome start)

47) MS MR: Secondhand Rapture - This, the band's debut LP following last year's splendid debut Candy Bar Creep Show EP, is pretty epic and shows a bright future for this duo. I was lucky enough to catch one of their shows earlier this year at SXSW and was beyond impressed. Usher was even there watching them and seemed to dig it. My initial thought was if Florence (sans the Machine) was heading up the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Lizzy Plapinger just has one of those amazing voices but they have this unique weirdness to them as well. Solid debut and I look forward to what they have in store for us in the future.

Scope the awesome "Hurricane" below



46) Fear of Men: Early Fragments - The debut by this UK foursome is one of the dreamiest and most beautiful new shoegaze entries for 2013. This album fell into my lap earlier in the year and has remained in the forefront of my listening pleasure and I can imagine a steady climb as the year continues on.

Check out the opening track "Seer" below



45) Young Hunting: Hazel - Gold Robot continues to roll out solid records, this being a stellar debut by this LA quintet. A recent addition to my collect, was just released June 11th, but steady in my rotation will no doubt climb up the charts before the year ends. Lush, dark, folky, dream-pop album with lead vocalist Hari Rex sounding like he just left Yeasayer for this project. Solid debut worth giving a listen.

Scope out "Baby's First Steps" below



44) Autre Ne Veut: Anxiety - There's a lot going on here with the latest from Arthur Ashin (aka Autre Ne Veut). Dude has a pretty amazing voice and add that to the R&B, brass, 80's synth and you have a solid album to get you moving.

Check out "Counting" below



43) Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside: Untamed Beast - LOVE this band and album. Following in the footsteps that Brittany Howard laid last year, Sallie Ford brings some awesome nasty grit with her voice. Add that to their fun, emotional, gritty, rockabilly with soul and you have the makings of an awesome band. Hoping to see them live sometime soon.

Check out "They Told Me" below



42) Junip: Junip - Latest album from this Swedish psychedelic folk trio. Another gorgeous entry for 2013. A late add for me, even though this album was released in April. Have only been able to listen through a couple times but it made quite an impression on me nonetheless.

Watch the eerie/awkward video for the stellar "Line of Fire" below



41) Free Energy: Love Sign - It's funny because I actually saw this band play last year during SXSW. I really enjoyed their set, that we happened upon while waiting for another band to play. Then, I seemed to have forgotten about them because it took me a few weeks after getting and enjoying Love Sign before I made the connection when talking to a friend about it (shout out to Travis). This was the 1st album of 2013 I purchased and I still love the fun (free?) energy it brings. No way you can listen to this and be in a bad mood. They're one with a sound perfect for a hot and sweaty dance-fest concert in a bar near you. So hit them up when they come your way, if you like having fun.

See the video for opening track "Electric Feeling" below



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