i don't usually do album lists. but that's cos i've been lazy. here are my 20 favourite albums of 2013.
20. John Zorn - On the Torment of Saints, the Casting of Spells and the Evocation of Spirits
Always judge an album by its cover. Particularly if the cover is Salvador Dali's "The Temptation of St. Anthony".
19. Forest Swords - Engravings
Contrary to what some claim, this does not sound like what the hippies play outside the Freo town hall.
18. Burial - Rival Dealer EP
Keeps getting better and better and better.
17. Esmerine - Dalmak
Esmerine is Bruce Cawdron (GY!BE) and Beckie Foon (Thee Silver Mt. Zion). Wikipedia says they play "modern chamber music", but fortunately this album doesn't sound anything like that. Heaps of Mediterranean influences in this. Worth more than a tasty nibble.
16. Nick Bohun - Repetitive Nature /ofinely Tuned Machine
Nick Bohun is an experimental musician whom I discovered on twitter. He records sound for films and has released several albums on his bandcamp this year - all of which are excellent. This particular one is my favourite.
15. Wooden Wand and The World War IV - Wooden Wand and The World War IV
Macdonalds on the moon, Starbucks at the wailing wall.
14. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Push The Sky Away
The second best Nick Cave album, ever. The best, of course, was 1997's The Boatman's Call. Like that album, Push The Sky Away has one track which is so bad it should have never been there.
13. Moderat - II
I'm still surprised that I like this.
12. Bill Callahan - Dream River
Nothing surprising about this one. Makes you wanna make love in the fertile dirt, with a careless mind.
11. Acid Mothers Temple and Space Paranoia - Black Magic Satori
The most listenable Acid Mothers Temple album ever. Here, they do Black Sabbath.
10. X'Ho + ARCN TEMPL - Lucifugous
Chris Ho singing more dark songs of Singaporean authoritarianism. Brilliantly backed by ARCN TEMPL (Leslie Low and Vivian Wang of The Observatory).
9. Future of the Left - How to Stop your Brain in an Accident
Their best album so far. "Singing of the Bonesaws" wins the award for Best Lyrics 2013.
8. Awk Wah - Ava
Someone called this "outsider step".
7. Sigmun - Extended Play MMXII
Like Led Zep, only more psychedelic and better. Will I get to see them in Bandung?
6. Nurse With Wound - Chromanatron
Steve Stapleton together with Andrew Liles meditating on the music of legendary German Krautrock band SAND.
5. Tim Hecker - Virgins
A lot of good things have been said about this album, and they are all true.
4. Grails - Black Tar Prophesies Volumes 4, 5 and 6
Together with Mogwai and Russian Circles, one of the best post-rock bands around. Was fortunate enough to catch them live. Intense.
3. Dieuf-Dieul De Thies - Aw Sa Yone Vol. 1
20. John Zorn - On the Torment of Saints, the Casting of Spells and the Evocation of Spirits
Always judge an album by its cover. Particularly if the cover is Salvador Dali's "The Temptation of St. Anthony".
19. Forest Swords - Engravings
18. Burial - Rival Dealer EP
17. Esmerine - Dalmak
16. Nick Bohun - Repetitive Nature /ofinely Tuned Machine
15. Wooden Wand and The World War IV - Wooden Wand and The World War IV
14. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Push The Sky Away
13. Moderat - II
12. Bill Callahan - Dream River
11. Acid Mothers Temple and Space Paranoia - Black Magic Satori
10. X'Ho + ARCN TEMPL - Lucifugous
9. Future of the Left - How to Stop your Brain in an Accident
8. Awk Wah - Ava
7. Sigmun - Extended Play MMXII
6. Nurse With Wound - Chromanatron
5. Tim Hecker - Virgins
4. Grails - Black Tar Prophesies Volumes 4, 5 and 6
3. Dieuf-Dieul De Thies - Aw Sa Yone Vol. 1
Recorded 32 years ago. Released in 2013. Psychedelically groovy with the legendary Pape Seck on guitar.
2. Mazzy Star - Seasons of Your Day
It was like they never went away.
1. British Sea Power - From The Sea To The Land Beyond
Right. There's something about BSP scoring films. The best concert I have ever been to was watching them perform their score of Robert Flaherty's Man of Aran - a film I had studied as an undergrad. The score of From The Sea To The Land Beyond is like Man of Aran meets True Adventures.
