Now It's On

Best Albums of 2013: #1 - Local Natives - Hummingbird

It didn't take long for me to find my favorite album of 2013. Hummingbird, the sophomore effort from Los Angeles based band Local Natives, was released in late January and I knew immediately from the first listen it was destined to place high on my Best Albums of the Year list. I was not much of a fan of their debut Gorilla Manor. Although it was well received critically and put them on the map, it didn't do much for my musical tastes. So to say my reaction to Hummingbird was unexpected is an understatement.

This album brought with it some change for Local Natives. First, they parted ways with bassist Andy Hamm. But the move that drew the most attention was moving from self-producing their debut to enlisting the help of Aaron Dessner to produce the follow-up. Dessner is one of the key members of the highly critically acclaimed band The National, and you can hear his influence on this album. Whereas Gorilla Manor had a much more psychedelic folk-rock sound, Hummingbird puts a major emphasis on melodic rock.

The other major emphasis on this album is one of sadness and loss. There are still tracks  like "Heavy Feet" and "Breakers" that call to mind their debut with sunny harmonies and more upbeat moments. But it is the slower, more subdued material that strikes the heavier impact. Lyrically, things also take a heavier turn starting with the opening track "You & I", an exploration of a relationship on its way to crashing down. 'When did your love grow cold? The closer I get, the farther I have to go', sings Kelcey Ayer in his affecting falsetto. The band's trademark vocal harmonies are still all over Hummingbird, lifting up other strong, yet sorrowful songs as "Ceilings" and "Black Spot". The somber "Mt. Washington" is another personal favorite with its moaning guitars.

At the emotional center of Hummingbird is the very difficult topic of the passing of Ayer's mother. Her death, coming three months after Hamm's less than amicable parting with the band, is addressed first on the track "Three Months". It's not hard to decipher lyrics like 'I keep on calling just to get the machine, I've got to go on now, having thought this wasn't your last year'. Ayer's falsetto cries in the chorus are incredibly affecting on this gorgeous piano based ballad.

However, even "Three Months" did not prepare me for the emotional wallop that is "Colombia", titled as such because Ayer's mother was Colombian. Starting with sparse electronic beats, the song is another piano heavy piece with an incredibly moving vocal performance. Ayer addresses his mother's passing, and looks inward, questioning himself, first repeatedly asking 'Am I giving enough?', then 'Am I loving enough?' as he looks back at his mother's life and the love she gave her son. Reflecting on his mother's life and confronting whether he is living up to the kindness she brought into his life and the world?  Needless to say, this one never fails to move me to tears. The ending, when he personalizes his questions by prefacing them with the name Patricia is heartbreakingly sad, yet beautiful at the same time. "Colombia" is a powerhouse of a song, carrying a tremendous emotional impact.     

I can usually tell upon first listen when I have come across one of those special albums and Hummingbird certainly fit that description. I said in my original review it had Album of the Year potential written all over it. Nothing else released in 2013 was able to surpass it for me personally, so that potential was realized. 

Favorite tracks: "Colombia", "Mt. Washington", "You & I", "Ceilings"

Hummingbird was released January 29, 2013 via Frenchkiss Records.

Official Website of Local Natives

Purchase Hummingbird from Amazon.com

Best Albums of 2013: #2 - Pet Shop Boys - Electric

Pet Shop Boys have been one of my favorite artists since their 1986 debut Please, second only to Prince. As with many veteran acts, the duo of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have seen their more recent albums fail to match the quality of their earlier works. I enjoyed every album up through 2006's Fundamental, overall it was an incredible nine album run of top notch pop music, but more recent albums started to contain a dud or two, with 2009′s Yes a low point for me.

Last year's Elysium was a step back in the right direction, but even that album had a few less than stellar songs in its second half. Much to my surprise, the band announced another new album was to be released in 2013, but even a long time fan like me was not prepared for Electric.

There is a segment of PSB’s fan base that is always disappointed when the band ventures into non-dance music territory. That is part of what has endeared Pet Shop Boys to me, they have refused to be pigeonholed and albums like Release, which featured mostly live instrumentation, were welcome forays into different sounds. But I certainly can’t deny an all-out electronic dance album from one of the legendary acts of the genre is welcome, and Electric is a smashing album in every way. For those disappointed that Daft Punk didn’t deliver the dance album of the year, here is what you were missing.

Electric sounds both current, yet retains that signature Pet Shop Boys sound and much credit for that goes to producer Stuart Price. Much like Mark Ronson did for Duran Duran on their last album, Price helps guide Tennant and Lowe back to what they do best. Pet Shop Boys have always been a pop band at heart and tracks like “Love Is A Bourgeois Construct”, one of Tennant’s wittiest lyrics in years, and “Thursday”, an ear worm of a song if ever there was one, are perfect pop concoctions. Even the rap by British rapper Example works. 

The pop songs here are still also designed to get you on the dance floor. And for dance music legends like Pet Shop Boys, it is nice to have a full album devoted to that goal. Opener “Axis” and “Shouting In The Evening” are largely instrumentals, “Fluorescent” is fiendishly dark yet boasts a killer groove, and then there’s the Springsteen cover. PSB turn Bruce’s “The Last To Die” into a synth drenched dance track, but it retains the somber tone of the subject matter. It’s a wonderful version done with sincerity, minus the winking sarcasm of past covers of the likes of U2.

As catchy as the chorus of “Bolshy” is, I can’t get enough of the break down about half way through. A solid dance-pop track suddenly melds into storming house music, a reminder of this band’s mastery and experimentation with just about every form of electronic music over their career. “Inside A Dream” is my personal favorite, and on an album this good it was tough to choose. That synth line, those beats and claps, the soaring chorus, this may just be my favorite dance track of 2013.

Electric closes with its first single “Vocal” and it sums up my feelings about the album perfectly. “I like the people, I like the song. This is my kind of music, they play it all night long”, Tennant sings before the song goes into dance overdrive. It’s no surprise they closed their tour behind the album with this track, it’s a fitting end to a concert and a great album. Yes, I love the introspective and orchestral side of Pet Shop Boys as well. But sometimes you just want to dance and with the help of Stuart Price they created their best album since Very, and one of 2013′s best, period.

Favorite tracks: "Inside A Dream", "Thursday", "Axis", "Bolshy"

Electric was released July 16, 2013 via the x2/Kobalt label.

Official Website of Pet Shop Boys

Purchase Electric from Amazon.com

Best Albums of 2013: #3 - Bonobo - The North Borders

Simon Green's fifth album under his Bonobo moniker came at the perfect time of the year, released right at the tail end of a cold Michigan winter. As much as I love most forms of electronic music, there is nothing like a well done downtempo album to serve as a soundtrack to the chilly weather. This one was so good, it kept finding its way back to my stereo throughout the year.

The North Borders once again highlighted Green's expertise of mixing various musical styles into his electronic background. There are elements of jazz, trip hop, soul and a number of differing electronic music genres. Guest vocalists spotlighted this time around are Erykah Badu on "Heaven For The Sinner", Grey Reverend on opening track "First Fires", Szjerdene who sings on both "Towers" and "Transits" and Cornelia who is featured on the album closer, "Pieces".

The instrumental tracks shine even brighter, starting with the laid back, jazz feel of "Emkay". "Cirrus" is danceable, with a deep bassline propelling it, while "Sapphire" has a dark feel with heavy beats. My personal favorites are the back to back thrillers "Don't Wait" and "Know You". Sampled vocals are interspersed within these two standouts, the former a perfect chillout track, the latter another downtempo dance song. Green's use of live instrumentation within his music is another element that draws me into this genre of electronic, keeping it full of life and emotion. Although I have enjoyed a number of Bonobo's tracks over the years, The North Borders was flawless all the way through, by far my favorite release of his.

Favorite tracks: "Don't Wait", "Know You", "Sapphire", "Towers"

The North Borders was released April 2, 2013 on the Ninja Tune label. 

Official Website of Bonobo

Purchase The North Borders from Amazon.com

Best Albums of 2013: #4 - Fossil Collective - Tell Where I Lie

Four debuts albums made my 20 Favorites of 2013 list with the English duo Fossil Collective landing the highest placement. After their previous band Vib Gyor parted ways, David Fendick and Jonny Hooker formed Fossil Collective and went in a new musical direction. They released two EP's last year that caught my attention with their take on folk-pop, songs that are swimming in gorgeous harmonies. Drawing influences from the likes of Neil Young, Simon and Garfunkel and more recent acts like Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes, Tell Where I Lie served as an amazing debut full length. 

The title tracks from both of their 2012 EP's carry over onto this full length. "Let It Go" is the song that intrigued me to check out more from this band so no complaints from me that it appears here as well. That leaves nine more songs to explore and there is truly not a bad one in the bunch. Most are built around an acoustic guitar and bathed in lovely string arrangements. But it is the vocal harmonies that knock me out every time. "Under My Arrest" goes into another dimension once the chorus starts and their voices intertwine. "When Frank Became An Orb" starts with nothing but swooning "Oohs" for the first minute with a slight acoustic guitar accompaniment and then bursts into one of the album's best tracks.

Words will fail to do justice to the sparse beauty of "Monument", an absolutely stunning song. Although there is acoustic guitar and some electric as well, the song is carried by the falsetto vocal duet and brings about an atmosphere of tranquility as you listen. One of the prettiest songs I heard all year. At just over seven minutes, "The Magpie" is another standout. It starts as a finger picked guitar track before it stops halfway through for a keyboard segment that leads to echoed vocal harmonies over a lone drum beat. The song then concludes with an explosion of live drums, electric guitars and ambient keyboards added to the mix, a sign of the willingness to break from a formula you wouldn't blame these two for sticking to.

The duo released another EP called The Water late in the year, a sign they aren't running out of quality tunes any time soon. But Tell Where I Lie is where you should start your introduction to Fossil Collective. It's flawless. 

Favorite tracks: "Monument", "Under My Arrest", "When Frank Became An Orb", "Let It Go"

Tell Where I Lie was released in the U.S. July 9, 2013 via the Dirty Hit label.

Official Website of Fossil Collective

Purchase Tell Where I Lie from Amazon.com

Best Albums of 2013: #5 - Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - The Speed Of Things

It was a busy 2013 for one of Detroit's best music stories of the last few years. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. released their Patterns EP in April just in time for their hometown concert on Record Store Day, the second straight year they have packed the Majestic Theatre downtown. Patterns gave a preview of their much anticipated second full length album The Speed Of Things which followed in October, along with another triumphant Detroit concert, this time at the Jack White Theater in November.

As much as I enjoyed their 2011 debut album It's A Corporate World, the duo of Josh Epstein and Daniel Zott out-did themselves on the follow-up. The production is stronger, as hard as it is to believe the songs are catchier and the lyrics are deeper. Again, this is not to slight the first album, they just took what worked and improved upon it. A few of the tracks even call to mind the direction their former projects, The Silent Years and The Great Fiction, were going in before DEJJ took off.

The Speed Of Things is loaded with expertly crafted pop songs, a few tender ballads and all manner of DEJJ's electronic bells, whistles and effects. Their gift of sweet melodies and harmonies runs throughout each song. Epstein takes the lead on "Run" and "Don't Tell Me", both perfect electronic pop tunes. He is also front and center on what currently stands as my favorite DEJJ song, the appropriately titled "A Haunting". This song most reminds me of the material I heard performed live from Epstein's The Silent Years band, off their sadly still never released Spider Season album. The song slowly builds, adding instrumentation as it goes, while lyrically it's a little heavier than past DEJJ material, lamenting past failures in relationships.

On the complete opposite end of the emotional spectrum is the album's first single "If You Didn't See Me (Then You Weren't On The Dancefloor)". Zott takes the lead vocal on this gem, as infectious a song as was released in 2013, so much so, it should have rivalled Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" in unavoidability. "Hiding" has a sing-along chorus that works great live and listen for Epstein's sax work on album closer "War Zone", another live favorite. It's always nice to see local musicians achieve national recognition, especially those you see work so hard for years around town. With their immense talent, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. have made the most of this opportunity and produced one of 2013's best albums.

Favorite tracks: "A Haunting", "If You Didn't See Me (Then You Weren't On The Dancefloor)", "Don't Tell Me", "Hiding"

The Speed of Things was released October 8, 2013 via Warner Bros. Records.

Official Website of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

Purchase The Speed Of Things from Amazon.com

Best Albums of 2013: #6 - Andrew Belle - Black Bear

Andrew Belle's debut album The Ladder was one of my favorite releases of 2010. Born just outside of Chicago, the singer-songwriter crafted an album of fine melodic pop, much of it mid-tempo, and awash in acoustic and electric guitars, as well as strings. Yes, there are a ton of acts making this type of music, but The Ladder was so strong lyrically and melodically, it stood out from the crowded field.

Fast forward to 2013 and Belle returned with his second full length, one of tremendous growth as an artist, in Black Bear. The easy thing to do would have been to repeat the formula of The Ladder. After all, tracks from that album were used on a number of network television shows, earning him a wider audience, one he deeply deserves. But Belle challenged the listener with the addition of a heavy electronic influence on his music, one that only served to enhance the still fantastic pop songs these ten are. Belle says the change in direction was brought on by listening to bands like M83 and Beach House, and it has given his music a whole new life.

Black Bear was created during a time of great change for Belle. A relocation to Chicago from Nashville, marriage and a reaffirmation of his faith all played a role in the lyrical and thematic content of the album. Musically the album is propelled by keyboards and electronics starting with the opening track "Dark Matter". This is not an 'electronic' album though. Belle still utilizes guitar and piano to build the majority of these songs around, but the electronic additions to songs like "Sister", "The Enemy" and the pulsing "Details" are perfectly executed.

There are a couple gorgeous ballads in the title cut and "I Won't Fight It". "Santa Fe" is a personal favorite and by far the most experimental song on here, almost an electro-R&B vibe on this one with Belle's falsetto vocals slightly echoed and enhanced. As much as I love everything on the album, first single "Pieces" deserves its own mention. A song inspired by his new wife, the melody and chorus on this song are so perfect, it is an absolute musical crime it was not all over radio. I know commercial radio is not what it used to be anymore, but when I hear a song this spot on, this catchy, I get frustrated when it doesn't find enough listeners. Andrew Belle solidified his place as one of my favorite singer-songwriters with Black Bear and getting to finally see him live late in the year in Ann Arbor was an added bonus.

Favorite tracks: "Pieces", "I Won't Fight It", "Santa Fe", "Sister"

Black Bear was released August 20, 2013 via Elm City Music.

Official Website of Andrew Belle

Purchase Black Bear from Amazon.com

Best Albums of 2013: #7 - Night Beds - Country Sleep

Although Night Beds tour as a full fledged band, the project is very much the creation of singer/songwriter Winston Yellen in the studio. Formed in 2006, Night Beds has released a few EP's but Country Sleep stands as the project's debut full length album. Yellen made quite the entrance with one of the best releases of 2013.

Country Sleep was borne out of a low period in Yellen's life. After losing both his job and girlfriend, he moved around from state to state and job to job for half a year before moving to Nashville and the location that would inspire this album. He rented an old home in the woods, previously owned by Johnny and June Carter Cash no less, and started work on what would become Country Sleep.

There must be something to this whole 'record an album in a secluded location' genre, as it has produced a number of great records in the last few years, from Bon Iver to James Vincent McMorrow, and you can add Country Sleep to that list. After opening with the short vocal piece "Faithful Heights", a stunning representation of Yellen's gift as a vocalist that I can vouch for after seeing Night Beds live in 2013, the album kicks into gear with "Ramona", one of its more musically uplifting tracks.

Night Beds' music draws on folk, country and rock elements. Acoustic guitars and strings dominate throughout and the album has a very 70's feel and sound to my ears. Sweet melodies abound in songs like "Wanted_ You In August", "Lost Springs" and "Even If We Try". The harmonies are lush, with Yellen's voice the album's strongest instrument. The gorgeous ballads "22" and "Cherry Blossoms" particularly stand out on an album full of stand-outs. An important new voice in the singer/songwriter world and another of 2013's best debut albums.

Favorite tracks: "Cherry Blossoms", "22", "Lost Springs", "Ramona"

Country Sleep was released February 5, 2013 via the Dead Ocean label.

Official Website of Night Beds

Purchase Country Sleep from Amazon.com

Best Albums of 2013: #8 - Andrew Bayer - If It Were You, We'd Never Leave

Born and raised in Washington D.C. but mostly based out of both New York and London these days, electronic producer Andrew Bayer came across my radar this year. Recording for Above & Beyond's influential Anjunabeats label, Bayer released his second full length in April, giving 2013 another first class electronic music full length. 

If It Were You, We'd Never Leave is a musical journey, starting with "Opening Act" and finishing with, appropriately enough, "Closing Act". In between Bayer explores all manner of electronic music amongst the album's 16 total songs. Nothing is overly long here, most songs are in the three to four minute range, and it gives the album a nice flow, something mostly instrumental works sometimes struggle with.

If ambient/orchestral music is your thing, you'll find it on tracks like "Let's Hear That B Section Again!" and "All this Will Happen Again". Prefer darker, glitchy electronic? "Doomsday" and "It's Going To Be Fine" fit that bill. "Echo" and "You Are" are built around looped vocal samples with heavier, hip-hop beats. "Lose Sight" is another highlight, using Ane Brun's version of Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" as its vocal hook. "Gaff's Eulogy" is a personal favorite, a magnificent, cinematic piece drenched in strings and piano. Bayer's skillfulness no matter the form of electronic music is on full display, a stunningly grand piece of work from start to finish.

Favorite tracks: "Gaff's Eulogy", "Lose Sight", "Farnsworth Court", "Let's Hear That B Section Again!" 

If It Were You, We'd Never Leave was released April 22, 2013 via the Anjunabeats label.

Andrew Bayer on Facebook (He does not have an Official Website)

Purchase If It Were You, We'd Never Leave from Amazon.com

Best Albums of 2013: #9 - Moby - Innocents

It is always a challenge for veteran artists to stay relevant and keep music listener's interest. Especially in today's short attention span music world, veteran acts have to rely on their diehard, long time fan base more than ever. Moby, already a big name in the electronic and dance music worlds, became an international star with 1999's Play. A musician's reaction to reaching that level of success is always interesting. Some repeat the formula ad nauseam, some go in a completely different direction, like Prince did after Purple Rain, losing a bunch of casual listeners but gaining respect and a dedicated group of fans.

Moby's initial reaction to Play was the very similar 18, an album I still love as much as its predecessor. His career since then has been interesting to watch. As the million selling albums stopped and the general public lost interest, Moby wandered a bit. He eschewed samples for the live in studio Hotel, then returned to his early dance roots for Last Night, one of my least favorite albums of his. But starting with 2009's Wait For Me and continuing with 2011's Destroyed, he has returned to what he does best. Mostly downtempo, beautiful, orchestral electronic music. 

Innocents continues the streak of strong albums Moby is on and I'll be the first to admit, it sticks to the blueprint of his last two albums. Much of it is somber, string laden and downtempo. But this time Moby enlisted the great Mark 'Spike' Stent to produce the album instead of handling the production role himself, as he usually does. And Stent has touched Innocents with a much fuller, richer sound, you'd never know it was another work recorded in Moby's apartment. It's a wonderfully produced album.

Seven of the album's 12 songs enlist a guest vocalist with Canadian singer-songwriter Cold Specks delivering knockout performances on both "A Case of Shame" and "Tell Me". Her voice is perfect on these dark, but beautiful songs. Damien Jurado lends a vulnerable performance to "Almost Home", while The Flaming Lips' own Wayne Coyne is featured on the upbeat and uplifting "The Perfect Life". "The Last Day" featuring Skylar Grey is another favorite. With a vocal sample running underneath throughout, the song definitely calls to mind material from the Play/18 era.

I'm sure Moby is due for another dance record at some point, but for now I am perfectly satisfied with what he continues to deliver. Innocents is a truly captivating listen.

Favorite tracks: "A Case For Shame", "The Last Day", "Tell Me", "Everything That Rises"

Innocents was released September 30, 2013 via Moby's Little Idiot label.

Official Website of Moby

Purchase Innocents from Amazon.com

Best Albums of 2013: #10 - Pretty Lights - A Color Map of The Sun

Derek Vincent Smith continues to raise the bar in the electronic music world. So much more than just another DJ, Smith, better known as Pretty Lights, is a musician, producer, composer, arranger and all around one man storm, always looking for new ways to take his music to the next level. He went over and above with his 2013 release A Color Map Of The Sun.

In the past, Smith has used borrowed samples to create his music, a mixture of hip-hop inspired beats, electronic, funk and soul. But this time he wanted to go in a new direction. So he assembled groups of musicians in various cities including Brooklyn and New Orleans to record all original music he had composed. He then took these recording sessions, pressed them to vinyl and used them to then sample his original compositions to create the songs on A Color Map Of The Sun.

Although still falling under the electronic umbrella given the beats and Smith's trademark whirring keyboards, the live band recordings used put this album squarely in the instrumental funk and soul category. Surrender your expectations to what electronic music is capable of, this is old school funk through and through. From the jazz influenced opener "Color Of My Soul" to the gorgeous dreamscape "Yellow Bird", A Color Map Of The Sun is Pretty Lights taking his music to new heights.

Favorite tracks: "Yellow Bird", "Color Of My Soul", "So Bright", "Prophet"

A Color Map Of The Sun was released July 2, 2013 via 8 Minutes 20 Seconds Records.

Official Website of Pretty Lights

Purchase A Color Map Of The Sun from Amazon.com