Al Bedsitter's Best Albums of 2013: Part 2 of 3 : One Day Alan Thicke's Progeny Will Rule Us All

Round 2.. 

Foxygen - We are the 21^st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic (Jagjaguwar) – Quite possibly the best album of the year. Take the kids off Broadway was on my list last year.  In some ways, I sort of prefer the ‘spot the influence’ playing of Broadway (British Invasion, the Velvets, Nuggets, Roxy Music, T Rex, 70s funk), on Ambassadors, those influences finally meld into their own sound.  In the last year of Lou Reed’s life, he should be honored by the best imitator of Reed at his most Dylan-ist since the Alias Record heyday of the early 90s.  To their credit, the imitation is too good to criticize.  Abum closer “Oh No 2” would be right at home on Ziggy Stardust, Sgt Pepper’s or The Rocky Horror Show.  The album rightfully got them a lot of attention in 2013- both positive (showing up with glowing reviews in all the usual indie outlets) and negative (stunning criticism of their live performances).

Franz Ferdinand Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action (Domino) – Four albums in, Franz Ferdinand have comfortably found a niche as a dance-influenced new wave band.  Unfortunately Right thoughts fells like one of those classic lost new wave albums not only in quality, but in that the Ferdinands seem to have lost the momentum gained by their stellar debut.  Whether anyone is paying attention still or not, this album is a nice little gem hidden among the other treasures of 2013.

Future Bible Heroes Partygoing (Merge)- In the last 25 years, Stephin Merritt has released at least 23 albums of material.  The question remains -is what is surely 3^rd of 4^th on the list of Merritt’s priorities (his project with Chris Ewen of late-80s also-rans Figures on a Beach)- as good as any album on the market.  The answer is yes.  All the criticisms are true- Merritt may be churning out lyric after lyric and the music hasn’t evolved since the FBH debut in 1997.  It is all irrelevant when you have gems like “Drink Nothing But Champagne” with “guests” (term used loosely) like David Bowie and Alastair Crowley.

Gogol Bordello Pura vida Conspiracy (ATO/MapleMusic Recordings)- I can’t discuss GB without comparing them to the Pogues.  Two amazing little records that introduced them to the world and changed the genre followed by two albums that made it to the wider audience to make them one of the most buzzed bands in the world.  Album #5 was difficult for both bands even with what should have been a dream producer match (Rick Rubin for the Gogols. Joe Strummer for the Pogues).   The album showed that no band could change the rules indefinitely.  We never will know what the Pogues with Shane MacGowan would have done on album 6 (they parted ways), but on their 6^th effort, the Gogols do capture that magic again with the unlikeliest of partners (recording for Dave Matthews’ label, they recorded with Andrew Scheps- a guy who’s mixed Adele, Michael Jackson and Bon Jovi).  The Gogols add Tex/Mex and Mariachi to the mix to make an album that is as vital as they were on Multi Kontra Culti vs Irony

Johnny Marr The Messenger (New Voodoo) – In the year where Morrissey finally fulfills his promise of leaving music to write his memoirs, Johnny Marr’s album was a nice surprise.  2003’s Boomslang recorded as the Healers was a disappointing Britpop pastiche which seemed to indicate a Marr solo career was never going to be a worthwhile venture.  The Messenger dispels that notion as a dozen songs that are at least as strong as the crowd of Smiths inspired bands who have cropped up in years past.  Perhaps, this album would have shook the world had it been recorded and released in the 90s, but as a nice slab of pleasant Britpop tunes, it will surely do.

The Men -  New Moon (Sacred Bones)- For the third year in a row, the Brooklyn trio known as The Men make my list.  As their album names become more generic, their music gets even better.  I joked that the bands 2011 album Leave Home sounded as if they took all of the best 80s American Indie rock bands (Sonic Youth, Black Flag, Minutemen, Big Black, Dinosaur Jr, Husker Du) and mixed it together.  Last year was as if the band collectively said “Oops, we forgot the Replacements”.  In which case, this album is where they realized they had forgotten REM on that list (or as one critic described it “Tom Petty if he recorded for SST Records” which gets you to the same place.  I am already looking forward to their 2014 effort (scheduled for March).

Al Bedsitter's Best Albums of 2013: Part 3 of 3 : Daft Punk is Playing At My House

Part 3...  If it's not here, then it's not on the list.

 

Moby  Innocents (Arts and Crafts) – Unnoticed by many, Moby is quietly putting out one solid album after another.  Innocents is clearly in the mold of Play and Everything is Wrong, but lacks the publicity that attracted people to those albums.  Like 2011’s Destroyed, these songs are as good as any he’s recorded, except this time he brings a list of all star guests –Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips (the excellent single “The Perfect Life”), Mark Lanegan, Damian Jurardo, and Skylar Grey and a star producer Spike Stent (everyone from U2 to the Spice Girls, Massive Attack and Lady Gaga, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Ellie Goulding, Madonna and the Kaiser Chiefs).  Well worth seeking out.

Scott and Charlene’s Wedding Any Port in a Storm (Fire)- Australian Craig Dermody’s project is the next true heir to the Modern Lovers  style and sound- self-loathing and lo-fi.  When the music doesn’t sound like the  Velvet’s (or Velvet-inspired bands like The Feelies, which it usually does), Dermody sounds a bit Gordon Gano in his vocals.  One of my favorite finds of the year.

Harper Simon Division Street (Play it Again Sam/Tulsi)- There’s a lot to hate about Harper Simon if you are so inclined- he’s the son of Paul Simon, and thus has an all-star producer (Tom Rothrock who’s worked with Elliot Smith, the Foo Fighters and Beck on their most well-known albums) and an all-star backing band (members of the Strokes, Elvis Costello’s Attractions and Wilco).  If you can get past that, it’s a strong singer-songwriter outing regardless of artist name and if his debut didn’t set the world on fire, then this album gives promise that his time may indeed come.  If Harper does owe a debt to mid-90s indie pop like the Lemonheads, it’s certain that Evan Dando owes Harper’s dad a large part of his career.

Eddie Spaghetti The Value of Nothing (Bloodshot) – The Supersuckers’ front man’s country albums have made my list before (2011’s Sundowner), but I will continue to champion this unsung career.  Nothing is as close as you get to a serious Spaghetti album- in that it still features a near-naked woman on the cover, and songs have titles like “People are s#it”.  It is almost ‘mature’ though in that it’s all original songs (usually, he mixes in about half covers) and a certain amount of  earnestness, which sort of brings it into Rhett Miller territory.  It’s not a bad thing though, he still makes my list.

The Thermals Desperate Ground (Saddle Creek Records)  In theory, this album shouldn’t be here.  Ostensibly, the Thermals are a one trick pony, and even the Ramones had lost their relevance ten years into their career.  Plus, the Thermals have had their career defining album The Body The Blood The Machine, and you can argue they have had at least three strong albums.  So on paper, you can’t explain this album.  Sure enough, though on their Saddle Creek debut, the Thermals have made an album about as solid as they (or anyone in their genre) have ever made.

Linda Thompson  Won’t Be Long Now (Topic) – With apologies to Richard Thompson who has made solid album after solid album, it is Linda’s disc this year that I feel compelled to include and best captures the classic feel of albums like I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight .  It’s the right mix of original songs , covers and standards and a great cast of musicians (Richard, Teddy Thompson and the whole family, Susan McKeown, Eliza and Martin Carthy, Tony Trischka), although clearly it’s Linda’s vocals which take this to ‘instant classic’ level.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs  Mosquito (Polydor/Interscope) – Some critics hated this album, which I attribute to the gross-out cover, but for me, this is what I wanted from this band.  Like The Strokes, the commercial and critical success of their first album overshadows everything they do, but unlike the drastic gear-shift of Comedown Street, this band was always evolving.  Sure there is more than one song here that can’t escape “Maps” comparisons (“Despair” for one), but it’s the mix of songs that make it work, as they are side-by-side with  some songs that are as primal as anything as The Cramps ever did, and songs that satisfy the band’s dance-inspired side.