I'm not going to bore you with a contrived introduction about how great 2013 was for music. Here are my top 25 favorite tracks of the year!
PS: I'm burning CDs for anyone who wants one! Just comment or message me on FB!
25. Dr. Dog – “Love”
Folk rock band Dr. Dog gets poppy on this awesome track,
asking, “Love, can it last all my life as it passes?”
24. Fake Shark – Real Zombie! – “Paint it Gold”
Had you asked me for this list back in the spring, this song
would have been number one. Catchy lyrics backed by deep electro beats and
simple guitar riffage create a perfect summer single.
23. Imaginary Cities – “Chasing the Sunset”
Magnificent string orchestration really drives home this
lovely soft rocker from the Winnipeg-based Imaginary Cities. I love the female
vocals that just float above the track.
22. Woods – “Be All Be Easy”
Folk rock with dreamy lo-fi vocals give this track a cool
DIY vibe.
21. DL Incognito – “Days Gone feat. D-Sisive”
Canada’s most underrated rapper by far. DL’s flow is
unmatched, except by his classy and professional production. “Days Gone” tells the
story of a man coming out of a drinking problem. DL’s delivery is compelling, and the hook on the chorus brings me back time and time again.
20. Cold War Kids – “Miracle Mile”
Pounding piano set a high tempo for this rock track, and
dancing comes highly recommended. But as lead singer Nathan Willett sings,
don’t forget to “come up for air.”
19. GRMLN – “Do You Know It Feels”
There’s something about the ride cymbal matched with the
distorted vocal “do you know how I feel?” that just gets me every time. The
half time breakdown to end this rockin’ track is just the cherry on top.
Soundcloud
18. Shad + Skratch Bastid – “Classic”
Shad’s 2013 album Flying
Colours proved popular with fans and critics alike. But back in the spring
he dropped a free mixtape called The
Spring Up, with Skratch Bastid dropping the beats and guest verses from Cadence
Weapon on a track or two. The lead-off track, “Classic,” is a great summer tune
with Shad K delivering confident, faux-cocky verses seemingly without effort.
It’s this carefree attitude that beats out the more professional tracks on Flying Colours.
17. Houndmouth – “On the Road”
The playful duet vocals on this folk rocker make the track
for me. I love the bridge with the guy and gal flirting back and forth before
crashing back into the peppy chorus.
16. Radiator Hospital – “Our Song”
An anxious, speeding indie pop number, with singer Sam
Cook-Parrott howling out lyrics at an ever-increasing pace. The story told in
the lyrics is touching even though it’s technically a break-up song. The guy
has finally come to terms with the fact that his girl doesn’t love him anymore,
and all he wants is to see her happy instead. Cook-Parrott’s delivery seems
spontaneous and improvised, adding to the DIY feel of this awesome song.
15. The Matinee – “Sweetwater”
The catchiest country tune you’re going to hear for a long
time. This is what should be blaring with every crappy country bar across the
nation. Big Valley Jamboree, get this band (still not going to go!).
14. Leeroy Stagger – “Goodnight Berlin”
Stagger and his band rock out on this track, backed by power
chords and a sick bass saxophone and horn section. The album Truth Be Sold was produced Steve Berlin,
so I’ve always wondered if Stagger is making reference to him as well as the
city of Berlin in the chorus.
13. PUP – “Lionheart”
WOW. PUP is an
awesome new band out of Toronto. Having not heard any of their music prior to
seeing them warm up for Hollerado, I was shocked by the amount of noise and
energy coming from this band. They pack a serious amount of mojo, and
“Lionheart” with its driving bassline and hollered “ohhhs” and “ahhhs” is great
evidence of that.
12. The Strumbellas – In This Life
Everyone says this, but I think it’s a fair comparison: The
Strumbellas are 2013’s Lumineers. What an outstanding folk track complete with
a uplifting catchy sing-a-long chorus reminding us all that there’s “something
out there for ya in this life."
11. Two Hours Traffic – “Faster 4 U”
Backed by a killer riff, singer Liam Corcoran’s somewhat desperate and confessing lyrics perfectly express the feeling of new love. Add this song to THT’s stable of other great tunes throughout the years.
10. Pink Frost – “Ruins”
This is guttural, pounding, rock and roll music. It’s a war
between the guitarist and the drummer to play the faster beats or gnarlier
riffs. I love the drum fills near the end of the song, as well as the use of
the heavy toms throughout the track. At the same time, the lyrics accentuate
the ridiculous guitar playing that basically makes the track. Riff of the year
in my books! Black Mountain fans should check this band out.
9. Portugal. The Man – “Evil Friends”
I had a tough time narrowing it down to just one song from
this album. In the end I chose the title track, “Evil Friends.” It starts off
with John Gourley’s epic falsetto vocals accompanied by mellow instrumentation
before dropping into an all out rock out session. It’s a song that continues to
build and build, and when they run out of room, the track explodes into a
joyous, catchy chorus. The grungy, distorted bassline and handclaps during the chorus
just add to the effect.
8. Wildlife – “Born to Ruin”
Anthemic. What more can be said about this track? Powerful,
booming drums back soaring guitars and shimmering synth noises. But at the
heart of the track are the band-sung vocals passionately hollering “BABY! We
were born to ruin!” It’s a song about the trials and tribulations of love and,
theoretically, the heart, which is a topic touched on frequently on the album,
On the Heart. EPIC!
7. Generationals – “Put a Light On”
Generationals first caught my attention back in 2009 with
their catchy-as-hell song “When They Fight, They Fight.” With their newest
album, Heza, the band continues to
push its indie pop sound in new directions. “Put a Light On” is a great example
of that. The key to the song is the percussion and bass. Various sounds are
used percussively, some of which are unusual and draw the ear. The bassline
holds the song together while the percussion constantly varies. Finally, the
effect on the lyrics are AWESOME. From distorting to looping and
everything in between, the vocals are both catchy and confusing and keep me
coming back.
6. Hollerado – “Desire 126”
It’s all in the chorus on this rockin’ track. I love the
group-sung vocals exuberantly chanting “DESIRE!!!” The chorus is matched by
simple and effective verse crafting with jaunty guitar chords and clear precise
lyric writing. Sorry to everyone at the Commodore who had to listen to me
howling during their show…
5. The Head and the Heart – “10,000 Weight in Gold”
This is a lovely, yet haunting folk track that builds and
builds to a euphoric finish. The song wistfully looks back at those left behind
either at home or in death, and reminds us that even “10,000 Weight in Gold” is
not equal to the love of family and friends. Excellent piano work by Kenny
Hensley serves as the backbone to the track, while Charity Thielen adds little
glimpses of violin here and there. Add to those a stellar drum track that gets
me “air-drumming” every time, and you’re set. The “oooohs” added at the end of
the track are both mysterious and concluding, as you can’t really tell if they
are sung by Charity’s female voice or singer Jonathan Russell’s falsetto. The
song beautifully represents The Head and the Heart's folk-pop sound with their
balance of vocal harmonies, and piano, bass, and strings.
Soundcloud
4. Starfucker – “Kahlil Gibran”
Close your eyes and get ready to nod your head along to this
hypnotic beat from Portland indie synth band Starfucker. The “twangy” guitars
give the track an Indian-inspired vibe, while a soft bass kick and a sharp
snare provide an awesome backing beat. The song really hits its stride in the
middle segment, where the vocals kick into a higher pitch and follow a catchy
arpeggio. In true Starfucker tradition, the lyrics remain impossible to
understand, but in this case it really doesn’t matter, as the lyrics are more
for instrumental emphasis rather than for substance. And, as the song concludes,
“I don’t want to know” anyways.
(free DL!)
3. Cage the Elephant – “Halo”
First-rate bass guitar playing is at the core of this rock n roll blast. This is especially apparent in the pre-chorus when the bass drops into this really cool walking pattern that completely shifts the feel of the song. At the same time, without the driving guitar and additional piano riffage, “Halo” would not have the same impact. Matt Shultz shows off his mean howl in a serious way, going from whispering to shouting in a matter of seconds, captivating the listener and piloting the song wherever he chooses. This should be a radio hit!
There were a couple of songs I could have chosen from my
favorite album of the year, and, frankly, I didn’t really ever listen to
individual songs as the whole LP flows together so wonderfully. That being
said, “Best Friend” stands out from the crowd. I love the guitar work,
especially the solo with its infectious hooks and reverb heavy tones. The
lyrics are longing and wishful and tell the story of one-sided love with the extended chorus proclaiming “Why
won't you let me see you again/you're the one/My best friend.” It’s a dreamy, lovelorn song that
instantly transports you into a different state of mind.
1. Surfer Blood – “Demon Dance”
The song of the summer becomes the song of the year. This
song will always take me back to ripping around the city with all the windows
down, blasting tunes for all the peons to dance along on the sidewalks. This
song ROCKS OUT. I love the screaming guitar right off the start before dropping
into power chord action for the verses and chorus. Surfer Blood hasn’t
forgotten their roots, with the surf inspired drum beat in the pre-chorus and
JP’s screamed vocal lines in the bridge that build into an epic climax. At the same time, there’s something about the track that seems so
effortless and natural to a rock band that has been playing together in various
garages for years. This feeling is capped off by JP’s nonchalant “la-dee-das”
at the end of the track which, to me, just say: “We’re Surfer Blood, and we
rock.”
Honourable Mentions
Chvrches – “Recover”
Polyphonic Spree – “You Don’t Know Me”
The Thermals – “Howl of the Winds”
Fast Romantics – “Take Me Back”
Arcade Fire – “Reflektor”
Superchunk – “Me & You & Jackie Mittoo
RL Grime – “Pockets” and “Shells” – 2013 was the year of the
trap
Avett Brothers – “Another is Waiting”
Heckle Away :)
