And here we have it… the top ten albums of 2013, kicking things off with Australia’s own Josh Pyke. If you’d like to look back on the rest of the top 40 albums, Part One is HERE, Part Two HERE and Part Three HERE. After you read the list, feel free to sound off on our Facebook Page with your thoughts on our fifth annual list!
Charmaine Thompson: Josh Pyke strikes again with a heart-rendering set of melodic tracks, layered by harmonies and a few peculiar instruments. Josh Pyke’s music always has a very personal feel to it, something warm and home-grown, a homage to the ocean, the Australian sun and, of course, to the love of a family.
Larry Heath: It was one of the most hyped records of the year. OK, it was THE most hyped record of the year and though some had mixed reactions at first, it was without question one of the most exciting, impressive and repeatable electronic records of 2013. Daft Punk have once again proven themselves the robot kings of electronic music, both in France and around the world. Here’s hoping the next album doesn’t take as long…
Bridget Hustwaite: It was a long time coming but 2013 finally saw the triumphant return of Foals with their stunning 3rd album release, Holy Fire. Back with a more refined and mature sound, the Oxford 5 piece have turned heads with an impressive production that although could be deemed more mainstream, still captures the raw and explosive energy that Foals are so well known for.
Michael Lean: Holy Fire, showcased Foals at the top of their powers. An all killer, no filler record that leaps between colossal guitar riffs, funk, math rock and post rock. In a cohesive joy filled package that wasn’t in the slightest way pretentious.
Clare Armstrong: As far as debut albums go, Howlin’ has been nothing short of an internationally acclaimed triumph for Melbourne-based duo Jagwar Ma. The album’s brilliance lies in its simplicity; each track is a unique fusion of guitar and dance with copious amounts of catchy hooks and hypnotic synths, which all contribute to a larger picture of a single stream of musical consciousness.
Bridget Hustwaite: Jagwar Ma have managed to make a sound of their own and as a result have smashed out an absolutely stellar debut record that is Howlin’. It’s versatile, infectious and sounds INSANE live.
Lauren Connelly: Queens Of The Stone Age up the ante once again with this brilliant piece of work that is as cohesive as it is charming. It struts and oozes as much sex appeal as Josh Homme himself. There’s no question that QOTSA are the sexiest band in rock and roll. I just don’t think they can release a bad album, though this could be their best to date.
Justine McNamara: What an album. Every song has its own story to tell, its own journey to take you on. They kept us waiting so long between albums for a reason, to create this masterpiece.
Sabina Rysnik: The whole album is stunning. It’s intricate, raw and just cool.
Callan Lawrence: Ballads and melodies for badass people. Listen with whiskey, cigars or weed and in a darkened room.
Tanya Ali: My Lorde, what a record. Ace production, thoughtful and thought-provoking lyrics and confident, unique and show-stopping vocals from Ella. Love her use of vocal layering throughout.
Ben Cuzzupe: Off kilter pop music has rarely been this profound by saying very much. Melodic moments on ‘400 Lux’ and ‘A World Alone’ are delivered with a confidence of an artist beyond Lorde’s years. Pure Heroine is the ‘Definitely, Maybe’ for the post GFC world; Gen Y may be content in their middle class kingdoms, but they’re built upon mountains of debt which means they’ll never be royals.
Philippe Perez: Lorde really just came out of nowhere with nice punchy songs that teetered on being way popular and preaching to the hipster-y crowd. A balance is pretty much achieved here, where everyone can enjoy the catchiness of ‘Royals’ but others can enjoy the darkness of ‘Biting Down’.
Meredith McLean: Loud, weird and catchy. Is this “new” Kanye or just Kanye unfolding?
Ben Cuzzupe: Kanye’s latest trip down the rabbit hole into his conflicted persona is as enthralling as always. ‘Hold My Liquor’ swirls, ‘I Am A God’ pulses; it’s a record that never stays in one place and always looks to change tempo. ‘Bound 2’ is the record’s greatest achievement, portraying the contradictory and complicated force of nature that is behind one the year’s best albums.
Chris Singh: Love him or hate him; he pushed the boundaries of hip-hop further than anyone expected. He even mixed up dancehall into a salacious pot of party rap greatness, and had Daft Punk distort the hell out of the intro to complement a freakin gospel sample. The man gave us his most experimental album to date and he won on all accounts. Maybe except the ”Bound 2” video, but Charlie Wilson still kills that.
Sosefina Fuamoli: This was the album I’d been waiting for Arctic Monkeys to make. Humbug was never going to be memorable, but Suck It and See showed inklings of what we eventually saw the band produce in 2013. Alex Turner has reinvented himself as this Sheffield anti-hero oozing sex appeal – each vocal take has a quivering quality about them that is incredibly attention-grabbing and disarming. “Fireside”, “Arabella” and “I Wanna Be Yours” are clear winners on a well-produced and slick album. I’m still not sick of it.
Matilda Mornane: AM is classic Arctic Monkeys: it’s chilled but also easy to sing along too.
Clare Armstrong: There are few albums that have attracted the level of attention or words of praise that have been bestowed upon AM this year, the fifth and arguably greatest record that Alex Turner has ever written. There’s heartache and melancholy, soft brooding vocal melodies and brilliant guitar riffs, it’s the darker side of Arctic Monkeys that their previous albums had been alluding to all along.
Lauren Connelly: The ultimate summer soundtrack if I ever heard one. Fresh and polished, ‘Days Are Gone’ will take you back to a time you never lived in and a dance floor you never danced on, while tugging simultaneously at every damn heart string you’ve got. Wonderful.
Daniella Bagnara: Three sisters doing it for themselves. That’s all that needs to be said. A brilliant album from start to finish.
Jules LeFevre: For a debut this is an unbelievably tight and well thought out record. It’s a crazy mash of genres, but it works. The songwriting is fantastic and the rhythms and structure second to none.
Matilda Mornane: Haim’s sound is incredible – it feels old-school and familiar; it’s funky and their whole album is a great listen.
Shasha Gong: Loved all their singles and was anticipating this album to be just as fun to listen to. And they didn’t disappoint!
Tanya Ali: On first listen I knew immediately that Haim deserve every bit of hype they’ve accumulated over this year. There’s a clear yet tasteful eighties feel throughout Days are Gone, but the catchy licks, thumping beats and strong vocal harmonies are timeless.
——————-
Look back on the rest of the list! Part One is HERE, Part Two HERE and Part Three HERE. After you read the list, feel free to sound off on our Facebook Page with your thoughts on our fifth annual list! Stay tuned, tomorrow we’ll kick off our top 40 tracks of 2013 list…
On an editorial side note, with Beyoncé dropping her album this week, it’s clear these sorts of polls need to be done a bit later in the year. It won’t be the last time that something like that happens, and she clearly would have made this list had the voting not already wrapped up. Something all publications should keep in mind. The year’s not over until it’s over!
