best albums of 2013

Unlike the rest of the world, who seem content to publish their “best of” lists in mid-December, I can never really get my head around it until the year is over, which is why this post comes as my first of 2014, rather than my last of 2013.

This post will also be my last of 2014, as I’ve decided to shut down 70/day/wknd. Don’t worry – it’s me, not you.  All the classic reasons apply: I’ve gotten busy with work/school and blogging has become a bit of a drag, so no hard feelings here.

But before you and I part ways, take a minute to check out some of the albums in 2013 that got me going.

a list of things from 2013!

Hola Amigos! I know it’s been a long time since I hollered atcha… (JIM ANCHOWER 4 EVAH!) but I figured I owed you a year end something!

I didn’t listen to a lot of new stuff this year. Or rather I didn’t listen to a lot of new records all the way through this year… I did listen to a lot of songs that were new though! Like Phosphorescent. That Zula whatever song was so good. I am sure there was other good stuff I listened to that was new…

More importantly I listened to a lot of old stuff that kicks tons of ass and that everyone should listen to. I also read books too. So there’s that.

So with that in mind, here are my 7 things from 2013!

take cover: lcd soundsystem x ms mr

I’m sort of ambivalent on MS MR‘s original material, but I sure do seem to like what they do with other people’s stuff.  So it’s not surprising that I’m digging this cover of LCD Soundsystem’s “Dance Yrself Clean” that they recently posted.

Or maybe it’s just my recent nostalgia for all things LCD Soundsystem, given that Sound of Silver has been on repeat the last few weeks.  Either way, worth some time as you prep for the weekend:

watch: “impregnable question”- dirty projectors

Dirty Projectors just released a video for the track “Impregnable Question” off 2012’s Swing Lo Magellen, and it basically features a dude running through the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks.

I can’t decide if I’m really digging this song, or if I’m just in love with the visuals – but does it really matter? Just let me zone out looking at the landscape and wondering when I’ll have both the time and money to visit these magnificent places.

 

listen: “lost boys and girls club” – dum dum girls

Don’t be afraid of the fairly hideous cover art for Dum Dum Girls upcoming album Too True, due out in January via Sub Pop.

The first track they’ve released, “Lost Boys and Girls Club” features the same fuzzy garage rock you’ve grown accustomed to, with some synth elements for novelty.  Not a repetition of their earlier work, but a small and conscious step forward:

listen: “realize you” – empress of

Taking the best possible meaning from the wretched Toby Keith-esque phrase “freedom ain’t free”, Empress Of has released a new single, “Realize You”:

better late than never: “lovers in the parking lot” – solange

Have you been spending the last month and a half watching this video for Solange’s “Lovers in the Parking Lot”?  If so, excellent work. If not, fix it now.

Need another reason to watch it? The video was shot in Houston:

listen: keep shelly in athens x postiljonen

It’s a beautiful thing when two bands we love collaborate, so it’s not surprising that I’m in love with this Postiljonen remix of Keep Shelly in Athens‘ “Oostende”. If you had a rough entry into the work week yesterday, put this track on repeat and your Tuesday morning will feel a lot smoother: 

listen: “y.a.l.a.” – m.i.a.

“YOLO? I don’t even know anymore. What that even mean though? If you only live once, why do we keep doing the same shit?”

M.I.A. needs you to replace your YOLO with Y.A.L.A..  If you’re digging it, you can grab her new album Matangi on November 5th.

listen: “afterlife” – arcade fire

Damn this fall has been flying by.  Doesn’t it seem like just yesterday that you heard that that Arcade Fire was releasing another album?  Now that album, Reflektor, is being released next week.

As they ramp up for that release, they’ve released this lyric video for a new song, “Afterlife”: