The Echo Chamber: Best Music of 2013

It's been an interesting year, my friends.  For every great advance -- engagement, promotion, permanently disfiguring body art -- there have been an equal number of frustrating retreats to earlier days. Case in point the chronically sleep deprived mind sitting down to write this -- my first and only post of the year again -- after another fifteen hour day and five calls in the middle of the night. Who says progress isn't improvement?

While in certain cases these reminders of yesteryear were a welcome surprise, as evidenced by several of the albums below and their time capsule charms, all too often they were an annoyance you just couldn't shake.  Names and flames that wouldn't fully disappear, workloads and worries that wouldn't let up.  Together they conspired to give the year a tug of war quality you couldn't quite escape; a low-grade buzzing in the ear just loud enough to diminish an otherwise brilliant symphony. But to focus on those woes in lieu of the wows would be a betrayal of my Chicago roots and the unassailable Sunshine name.

Because the wows were simply too good -- in addition to the three above there were new homes and haunts, great new friends and coworkers, and the arrival of my favorite little maritime craft to dote on. And then there's the absolute treasure trove of good music that came out this year.  For the one or two of you who still read this blog, you'll know I often struggle to adhere to the "top ten list" strictures this time of year, cramming anywhere from 15-17 discoveries into my annual list. This year, though, I struggled to keep it under thirty, and had to kick several frequent fliers off the manifest -- there was just that much quality stuff released.

So that's what you're left with below -- Bobby's effort to cram as much sunshine as he can into the annual wrapup, the thirty best albums I encountered this year.  Of those thirty, five were clear and away favorites -- albums of such perfection or purpose that to have them share space with another would besmirch their true value.  I listened to them relentlessly, and at times obsessively, so am confident they stand up to serious scrutiny.  For the remaining 25 I've paired them off -- in part for their thematic or stylistic kinship, and in part as homage to my impending twinning.  I hope you enjoy them -- as always, there's a little something for everyone, adventurous and conservative alike -- so take a few out for a test drive and let me know how the wind feels in your hair.  Until next year, my friends...

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1. Parquet Courts -- Light Up Gold:  A punky, brash blast from these newcomers from Brooklyn, this was hands down the album I listened to most this year.  Trashy, funny, and flat out fun, at thirty-four minutes this was the sonic equivalent of a meteor streaking across the sky.  The one-two opener of "Master of My Craft" and "Borrowed Time" set the tone early -- machine gun lyrics, racing backbeat, and surf-style guitar riffs flying all over the place -- while follow on tracks "Yonder is Closer to the Heart," "Light Up Gold II," and the deservedly ballyhooed "Stoned and Starving" continue blowing out windows along the album's arc. Downtempo gems like "Yr No Stoner," "Careers in Combat," and "Tears of Plenty" give momentary respite, merely serving as kindling to keep the blaze in the aforementioned's wake burning.

In conjunction with their subsequent EP (the five song Tally All the Things you Broke), these guys represent all the joy and charm of a killer garage band -- sharp, quick songs, snarled lip attitude, and lots and lots of energy. (Perhaps not coincidentally this was also one of my favorite shows of the year, as they thrashed around the Cat in a blistering little set.)  All in all, this is one hell of a debut album from a band definitely worth keeping an eye on.

2. Kanye West -- Yeezus: Only a genius like Kanye could make his most non-commercial album to date -- an aggressive, at times abrasive offering that seems almost intent on repelling those who love him for his polished, layered singles of the past -- and still deliver something so tremendous. And don't kid yourself -- this IS a tremendous album.  Despite his statements in the opening "On Sight" of how little a fuck he gives -- right before he pauses the electronic squalls to cut to a children's choir -- Kanye's packed this album full of an embarrassment of riches, all surreptitiously crafted with meticulous care under the banner of middle finger in the air rebellion.

Of all the albums on the list it's perhaps the most emblematic of the year writ large with its push-pull qualities.  For every potentially offensive lyric or annoying sound -- and there are enough of both to have given writers plenty of fodder to keep them going over the year -- there are a greater number of classic lyrics or mind-melting sounds to tip the balance. (The marrow-rattling growl of "Black Skinhead" or the exasperated line about croissants, which still makes me smile every time I hear it, to name two.) Similar to the year's nagging frustrations, the more you push past these superficial issues, the more you're treated to an abundance of fortune.  Vocal flourishes or samples that make you weak in the knees -- the instant classic Nina Simone sample in "Blood on the Leaves" for the latter or Kanye-crony Justin Vernon's ever-amazing voice embellishing "Hold my Liquor" and "I'm In It" for the former.

This album is pure id -- songs about sex and liquor and god complexes, all surrounded by the screams and wails of a noisy, unencumbered pleasure system. I know I say it pretty much every year now (and I do, since Kanye's had an album make the list in each of the last three years), but Kanye remains the most ruthlessly creative guy in music right now, one constantly taking chances or pushing the envelope for what people will respond to.  And he's pushed the farthest to date with this one.  Thankfully it's worth the effort to understand.

3. Foals -- Holy Fire: Of all the bands on the list this year, this was my most pleasant discovery as I got to experience not only this, their third album, but each of their previous two as if they were new, as well -- 2008's Antidotes and 2010's Total Life Forever -- because they were to me.  I can't remember how, exactly, I backed into these guys, but I'm damn glad I did as I've run these three albums through the thresher this year.

As on those older outings, the band harnesses a smoldering, somewhat Caribbean vibe in their songs, often building layers of jittery, reverb-laden guitar until the songs blow apart in flurries of frenzied color. From tracks like "My Number" and "Bad Habit" to "Late Night" and lead single "Inhaler," the band blends their poppy energy with good old fashioned rock breaks that continuously have you on the edge of dancing. (As one of the many Lolla bands on the list this year, they also put on a heck of a show live that did, in fact, have folks thrashing about.) Always good for a reliable dose of energy whenever I put them on, these Oxford boys were my island getaway band whenever I needed a jolt this year.

4. Alt-J -- An Awesome Wave: This one wins the truth in advertising award, as its title is indeed reflective of the rush of sounds and influences that run throughout this album.  With everything from art rock esotery to acapella interludes, electronic edges, and folk rock sidebars, this album covers an impressive amount of terrain. There's the lush "Tessellate," the surfer riff smoldering in "Fitzpleasure," the soaring harmonies in "Taro," the all-around lovely "Matilda." And then there's the glorious "Breezeblocks," which goes from oddly entrancing ditty with its dancing xylophone accompaniment to something truly special when it shifts gears at the end to a love song in the round.

At times lead singer Joe Newman's voice can sound a bit like an Adam Sandler impression gone awry, but the beautiful melodies and harmonies that proliferate here are more than enough to win over any doubters.  The band sounds surprisingly good live, too, as we managed to catch and enjoy them -- after Ms. Kymbers shouted the jabbermouths around us into silence -- at Lolla. It's easy to see why this took home Britain's prestigious Mercury Prize this year -- an original, daring mix of dissonant sounds and influences, this one's a true beauty.

5. Cayucas -- Bigfoot: If the Foals were my go-to this year for a reliable jolt of energy, Cayucas were my ready dispensers for sunbeams.  Appropriately hailing from California, this album instantly transports you to the coast -- be it a top-down drive along the water or a sunsoaked romp on the beach -- while taking you back in time, as well.  Sounding a bit like the Beach Boys' nieces and nephews,  the album's washed out vocals and simple, shimmery guitar riffs bring you back to the sun-and-surf era of the early 60s with aplomb.

Songs like the opening one-two of "Cayucos" and lead single "High School Lover" start an instant beach party, while "Will 'the Thrill,'" "A Summer Thing," and "East Coast Girl" form the soundtrack for when you're on your back out of breath once the sand's stopped flying. Great harmonies, great vibe, and with only eight songs you're definitely left wanting more.  Here's to hoping it comes soon!

6. (TIE) Arcade Fire -- Reflektor; Nine Inch Nails -- Hesitation Marks: On to the double features...The thread bringing these two together -- two of the best either artist has released, it turns out -- is their unexpected urge to make you dance. Neither of these artists are known for making you move your feet -- Arcade's sweet spot typically is soaring, anthemic songs while NIN's is forming the misanthropic soundtrack for some post-apocalyptic, end of the world scenario -- but both of these albums reveal an innate funkiness that brings forth welcome new aspects to their sound.

It's perhaps a little more jarring for Arcade, just for how wholeheartedly (and aggressively) the band rolled out the new sound -- with the hugely promoted double album, the much hyped production by former LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy, the potentially cloying (or pretentious, to quote Colbert) costumes and makeup during initial performances. (See the skin-crawling SNL performance for the most egregious example.) Once you push past all that nonsense, though, you're greeted with some pretty great songs -- there's lead single "Reflektor" whose bongo break at the end of the song's third minute still makes my heart race; there's the gonzo Carnival freakout at the end of "Here Comes the Night," which remains my high point on the album; the Smiths-ish "You Already Know;" the Bowie-esque "Joan of Arc;" the flat out excellent "Afterlife."  Taken as a whole, you start to understand what the band was getting after -- a simple, Mardi Gras style good time with flecks of the 80s in the crust -- and you begin to forgive the ham-handed rollout.

For NIN, the surprise isn't that the funkiness exists -- it's been there to some degree on every album since the beginning, from "Kinda I Want To" to "Suck" or even "Closer." What surprises here is the prominence.  Instead of dusting a song with it here or there, it's treated as a primary ingredient here, propelling songs throughout the album.  From "All Time Low" to "Satellite," "Running," and even lead single "Came Back Haunted," there's a slinking sexiness to the songs that takes the album -- already on par with previous classics The Downward Spiral and The Fragile -- to another level.

7. (TIE) The National -- Trouble Will Find Me; Vampire Weekend -- Modern Vampires of the City: The theme for this slot is Keep Doing What You're Doing (Part I). Neither of these artists are strangers to this site's wrapup ramblings -- National topped the 2010 list and finished second in 2008; Vampire, despite not charting, has shown up in both those years after finishing just outside the cut -- and neither changes much up on their sixth and third albums, respectively. The National remain masters of melancholy, offering another brood of beautiful, brooding tunes -- lead single "Don't Swallow the Cap," "Sea of Love," and "Graceless" are perfect companion pieces to 2010's High Violet, while "Fireproof" ranks among the band's best songs.

Vampire, too, largely continues what they've done so well to date -- jaunty, quirky indie rock melding front man Ezra Koenig's hyper-literate lyrics and nasally falsetto with the band's African rhythms and globetrotting sensibilities. There's the almost spiritual hymn of opener "Obvious Bicycle;" the belt-it-to-the-rafters chorus of lead single "Unbelievers;" the lush chamber pop flourishes of "Step;" the motormouth blitz of "Worship You." What's new (and what represents the ancillary theme for this slot) is the note of darkness that runs through the album. (Everything the National touches has a bit of black to it, after all, it's just a matter of shading.) There's a sense of weariness under the surface here; a touch of jaundice tinting the otherwise sunny yellow that makes the album resonate a little more.  Case in point the incredible "Hannah Hunt," an elegiac gem that slowly shifts from defeated murmur to resilient yowl in four short minutes. Beautiful stuff from both bands -- so keep it comin'!

8. (TIE) Queens of the Stone Age -- ...Like Clockwork; Black Rebel Motorcycle Club -- Specter at the Feast: This one's the rock block (also known as Keep Doing What You're Doing (Part II)), which highlights the two best straight rock albums of the year.  Both albums chart similar paths -- both are best enjoyed as the dark soundtrack to a midnight drive, out cruising for (or causing) a little mischief. Both have smoldering, slow burn openers followed by a handful of uptempo barnburners on par with the bands' best.  The remainder of the songs at times feel like treading water -- not bad by any means, but maybe lacking a bit of the fire of some of the standouts.  Which I'll take pretty much any day of the week -- even tarnished diamonds still shine more than almost everything around them, after all -- it just keeps these albums from being truly exceptional face melters.

For Queens that means their reunion with drum god Dave Grohl lacks a bit of the venom of their 2002 classic Songs for the Deaf, but what they leave behind can at times still be pretty blistering. There's the aforementioned opener "Keep Your Eyes Peeled," followed by the fantastic "I Sat by the Ocean," "If I Had a Tail," and lead single "My God is the Sun."  All show the band at the top of their form (as did their face-melting set at Lolla this year, which was a top three finisher for the festival).

For BRMC the black lava opener is "Fire Walker," which is followed by  the equally sludgy "Sell It," the vintage "Let the Day Begin," and the firebomb barrage of "Hate the Taste," "Rival," and "Teenage Disease."  Interspersed are songs showcasing the band's brand of folksy gospel like "Returning," "Lullaby," "Lose Yourself," and "Warning Sign," all of which dutifully add to that side of the band's canon. Both albums show why these bands are potent combos -- even if they pop out to the second baseman every now and again.

9. (TIE) Pusha T -- My Name is My Name; El-P and Killer Mike -- Run the Jewels; Danny Brown -- Old: This one's the rap attack and appropriately where we break from the monogamy parade for a freaky little threesome.  First up is Pusha's first official album (after a series of excellent mixtapes) and he pulls out all the stops with guest spots by Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Pharrell, and others. Thankfully he isn't papering over shoddy framework as the album maintains all the quality of his former work, the trio of albums from the ever excellent Clipse. (The best rap outfit of the past ten years, if you're curious.) From lead single "Numbers on the Board" to tracks like "King Push" and "Nosetalgia," there's still the coke rap he/Clipse were known for, but the album finds him branching out a bit as well, with tracks like "Hold On," "40 Acres," and "Let me Love You," which touch on less classic rap bravura topics like love, suicide, and slavery. Pusha shows why Kanye recruited him to both his label and his posse here, and both benefit from the partnership -- Kanye adds some musicality and diversity to Pusha's street grit and stinging lyrics and Kanye gets a little edge to his pink polo and backpack origins.

Speaking of grit, next up is the positively grimy collaboration from El-P and Killer Mike, a ten song assault on your senses, sensibilities, and resistance to rap (if for some reason you still have one after 30 years). The songs are unabashedly aggressive, rapping with zeal about drugs and violence over beats that are sledgehammer heavy at times. ("The beat breaks and your teeth break," as Mike raps on the album's closer.) If you push past the shock and awe front, though, you'll be treated to two of the best lyrical performances of the year.  El and Mike positively shred the mike with some of their verses -- see the title track, "36" Chain," and the brain melting "Sea Legs" once El gets rolling.  And that's why this is a perfect test to win over rap haters -- it has all the hot button things people hate about it, but El and Mike's skill is so amazing that I think it's impossible not to warm to.  With flow this blistering and hot, just call it magma.

All this goes double for Danny Brown's album Old -- almost literally, as this monster debut clocks in at 19 tracks and is chock full of debauchery over its hour duration. Brown looks and sounds a bit like the reincarnation of Ol Dirty Bastard, most pointedly as he honks out verses of near-nonsense like a demented toucan (as on the infectious "Wonderbread, for one) or chronicles his graphic sexploits ("Dope Fiend Rental," "Red to Go," virtually all of Side B). His maniacal energy -- and lyrical skill -- punch through any worries about one note subject matter and keep you coming back for more, though.  For he is bringing more than a Solo cup and erection to the party -- Brown has some serious skills and more going on upstairs than the party tracks may convey.  Check out down tempo tunes like "The Return," "25 Bucks," "Clean Up," and "Float On" as proof.  Their dexterity and depth help highlight the other side of the lunatic party persona from songs like "Smokin & Drinkin," lead single "Dip," and the rest of side B.  One hell of a debut -- we'll see where the party takes us on future offerings.

10. (TIE) Airborne Toxic Event -- Such Hot Blood; Bastille -- Bad Blood: Besides the titular similarities, these two are paired together for their big hearted, sing em to the rafters choruses and their status as the two most reliable instigators of an in car karaoke party this year. My fiancee hates Airborne, saying they sound like a bad Christian rock band, and I understand the resistance -- lead singer Mikel Jollett's voice and his penchant for throwing synths and strings into every song's climax can sound pleading and pretentious, potentially.  To me, though, it's always sounded predominantly sincere; almost an alien reflection of unguarded openness that hasn't been diluted by cynicism or walled off as a defense to pain. They're the fat nerd in high school always wearing Star Wars T-shirts and talking about comic books on the way to AV club -- for some reason they haven't had that brilliant honesty beaten out of them yet.

So basically these guys get the Macklemore Exception -- their to-some over-earnestness gets a pass from me, if for no other reason than to keep encouraging a little unadulterated emoting from this end of the spectrum. God knows we've got plenty of batshit crazy lunatics out there flinging their nuttiness in our faces -- why not a little more sincerity and heart to balance things out?  If you're on board with that, you should find plenty to enjoy because there are some great tunes here -- there's the standard soaring anthems like opener "The Secret," "The Storm," and lead single "Timeless," but there are also more introspective, understated gems like "This is London," "Elizabeth," and "Bride and Groom," which highlight the band's gift for sprawling Springsteen-esque narratives.  Call em corny or call em cliched, but I'll call em keepers -- they keep me singing along, for three albums and counting now.

As for Bastille, they too can suffer the slings of over-earnestness and pop polish on their debut, for it is a pretty, shiny thing.  The twelve tracks from these Londoners are a mix of piano ballads and electropop -- two trademarks of the Bobby Sunshine brand, I know -- but for whatever reason their heart and harmonies grab hold and bring you close. From tracks like "Overjoyed," "Oblivion," and "Daniel in the Den" (for the former) to "Things we Lost in the Fire," "These Streets," and the title track these songs get their hooks in, an affliction that only worsens with time.  And I defy anyone to listen to "Pompeii" and "Flaws" and not sing along at the top of your lungs.  If you can, you need medical attention because you're dead inside. #truthbomb

11. (TIE) The Features -- The Features; Kings of Leon -- Mechanical Bull:  This one's for The Voice (aka Keep Doing What You're Doing (Part III), starring two of the best rock voices around, The Features' Matt Pelham and Kings' Caleb Followill.  It's appropriate these two are paired together for other reasons, too, as I discovered the Features when they opened for Kings years ago and actually impressed me more than the headliners I'd shown up for.  Were it not for me breaking with tradition and actually showing up for an opening act, I might never have found what now ranks as one of my favorite little bands, so consider this a bit of debt paying, as well.

Both albums show the bands relying on their beloved strengths (both have finished on the annual wrapups several times before, including as recently as last year -- the Features earned the #2 spot for Wilderness, while the Kings nabbed the #10 slot for their last album three years ago, 2010's Come Around Sundown), while also branching out a bit to keep things fresh.  For whatever reason, both chose the 80s as the element to mine for in their drilling -- for the Features it ends up being synth, for Kings it's 80's style, reverby guitar -- but thankfully it works for both of them.

The Features' album is a little less straight-forward rock than previous offerings and a bit more of a departure for them, coming across a bit like an 80's era dance party, fueled mainly by the more prominent synth and predominance of songs about love.  "Tenderly" (lovingly rechristened "Tymberly" for how much it sounds like our new team name) and "Won't Be Long" sound like vintage offerings, but tracks like "This Disorder," "With Every Beat," and "Ain't No Wonder" show the band fusing things in a slightly different manner. Like I said, though, it works -- the band remains fantastic live (their intimate back room blast at the Cat was one of the high points this year), drummer Rollum Haas remains a ridiculously underrated drummer (deceptively so -- but I challenge you to keep up with him on tracks like "Won't Be Long" or "Ain't No Wonder," which sound a whole lot easier than they are), and these guys writ large remain worth keeping track of.

The latter can be said for the Kings, too, who despite their annoying, self-important public personas and constant infighting keep churning out albums full of solid rock songs on this, their sixth full length effort. We've known for years that the fiery, shambling glory of their early years has been forsaken for the broader, more radio-friendly embrace of the mainstream, but the band seems to have grown into that role more comfortably (and less desperately) here than it's felt at times in the past. So what we're left with is a confident batch of tracks that'll have you reaching for the volume and tilting back your head to sing along even louder.  From lead single "Supersoaker" and its follow on "Rock City," to tracks like "Temple," "Tonight," and the rollicking "Family Tree," the band shows glimmers of the swagger of yore.  Whereas tracks like "Beautiful War," "Wait For Me," "Comeback Story," and "On the Chin" highlight the lighters in the air heart of recent years that's bound to end up on the airwaves. (Rightfully so, as they're solid tracks.) As much as they give you to hate, they give you double to like, so I'm stickin' with em to see what comes next.

12. (TIE) Junip -- Junip; The Dodos -- Carrier: This slot's for the criminally underrated and a nod to some super talented musicians making really pretty music.  For the Dodos, it's not their first rodeo -- they were last here for their fourth album, 2011's No Color, which earned them the #3 spot that year -- but it is the first dance for Junip with this, their second full length. Which is not to say they were one of the year's prized discoveries -- that title goes to any of the first timers we've covered so far (and the equal number still to come).

The band's 2010 debut Fields was a solid affair very similar to this year's offering, but by that point I'd already been following lead singer Jose Gonzalez for years with his trademark marriage of phenomenal classic guitar playing and his haunting voice.  Junip took those sounds and plugged them in, building on the stripped down acoustic style of his solo work and giving them a little meat with the help of bandmates (and fellow Scandinavians) Elias Araya and Tobia Winterkorn.  Those elements haven't paled or grown tiresome in the three years between albums -- the band again offers a smoldering batch of dark, lush songs that at times crackle like a log in the fire.  Tracks like the opening "Line of Fire," "So Clear," "Your Life Your Call," and "Walking Lightly" build the heat while the closing duo "Beginnings" and "After All is Said and Done" are the blissed out embers at the end of the night.  Put this on and bask in the warmth.

For the Dodos, this fifth album finds them bridging their previous pattern of staid, sometimes melancholic album followed by a more buoyant, even joyous one, a pattern that held through their previous four offerings. Carrier charts the course between the two to positive effect -- "Relief," "Holidays," "Death," and "The Ocean" plumb the darker water, while "Substance," "Confidence," "The Current," and "Destroyer" navigate the sunnier coastal shores. The album's opening track perhaps purposely boils this dynamic down to a single song, the aptly named "Transformer," which cants and reels like a sailboat in a squall.  Frontman Meric Long and his percussive tempest Logan Kroeber continue to put out winning, heartfelt music (and an equally strong live performance), and this album is no different. These guys remain among my favorites.

13. (TIE) Jake Bugg -- Jake Bugg; Shovels and Rope -- O Be Joyful: For the final chapter of this review we enter the wormhole and go back in time.  If Act I of the wrapup was The Untouchables and Act II was Catching up with Old Friends (minus the stray ingenue), Act III is the Land of The Newcomers, ten debuts from folks hearkening back to earlier days -- two per decade. As is only appropriate, we'll start at the beginning with this pair of albums giving us a dose of the 60s.

First, and perhaps most notably of all the throwbacks, is Jake Bugg's debut, which dances so effortlessly between late 60s Dylan and Croce it can give you chills.  The opening third of the album is all Dylan -- lead single "Lightning Bolt" and its middle finger follow on "Two Fingers," along with "Taste It," "Seen it All," and "Trouble Town" are uncanny analogs to Big Bob's early days. Whereas slower acoustic tunes like "Simple as This," "Country Song," "Broken," and "Someone Told Me" are lovely finger-picked gems that would make the Hard Time Losin' Man himself proud. What makes all this even more impressive is that a 19-year old English kid could so effectively replicate two giants of the American canon. As he already showed on his equally excellent Shangri-La (released late this year), this wasn't a flash in the pan -- you've seen the signs, so jump on the lightning bolt.

Husband and wife duo Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst take us a bit earlier in the decade, tipping more toward early 60s folk groups (of which there are oodles to pick from, so pick your favorite and away we go).  They capture the warmth of the sound well -- the album is perfectly named, as it never fails to get me grinning when it comes on -- and that spell is only deepened when you see the pair play live. This was one of the six Act III bands we saw at Lolla this year and they were among the highlights, mixing a fan wedding proposal into the joyful set without missing a beat. The two feed off each other and even on the album you can hear them smiling at each other while they sing. You really can't miss here -- from lead single "Birmingham" to "Keeper," "Tickin Bomb," "Cavalier," and the title track, the album is chock full of singalong gems.  So grab a chair and warm up those knees -- they'll keep the beat nicely once you hit play.

14. (TIE) Night Moves -- Colored Emotions; Little Green Cars -- Absolute Zero: These two take us into the 70s with their rich harmonies and warm AM radio sound.  First up is Night Moves, the Minneapolis trio I stumbled on to when they opened for Django Django this year and really wowed me with their lush, bright melodies. Similar to Shovels there's no single band they're particularly evocative of, but rather call to mind the mood of a broader time or place -- in this case those Laurel Canyon bands from the early 70s when the studio polish and drugs started taking hold, sanding off both the music's rougher edges and its innocence, which led to the decadence and vacuousness of the disco era. For that stretch of time, though, we had music like this -- pretty, unadulterated music that was shot through with California sun.  There's no fat here -- it's sequenced so well the songs run together like one big tone poem. Mountain peaks include "Headlights," "Only a Child," "Family Tongues," "Put Out Your Shoulder/Horses," and the title track.

Little Green Cars dance through the same valley as Night Moves, but sound very much like a specific band -- in this case, golden era Fleetwood Mac with their soaring, three-part guy-gal harmonies and soulful, bluesy siren that creeps in to steal the show on certain tracks. At times the echoes are eerie -- "My Love Took me Down to the River to Silence Me" sounds so much like a Stevie Nicks vocal you swear you've heard her sing it before, while "The Kitchen Floor" sounds like a lost track from Rumours.  Even when the echoes are more muted (however slightly that may be) the band succeeds -- from fan favorites "Harper Lee" and "Angel Owl" to "Big Red Dragon" and lead single "The John Wayne," these guys can get your heart rate up and your vocal chords vibrating with ease.

15. (TIE) Wild Cub -- Youth; Atlas Genius -- When it Was Now: The time warp continues forward into the decadent, hazy 80s now with its synth-laden dance parties, jangly guitars, and ethereal vocals, everything awash in reverb (and a healthy layer of cocaine dust). Leading the charge here is the Nashville quintet Wild Cub and their buoyant batch of throwback tracks, which channel the best of the era of excess' energy and bounce.  Tracks like "Colour," "Wishing Well," "Summer Fires/Hidden Spells" and the jaunty lead single "Thunder Clatter" dance along with all the colors of the Benetton rainbow, while "Jonti" and "Wild Light" capture the bubbly Caribbean vibe so predominant back then.  The band puts on a surprisingly good live show, too, relying on more live instrumentation than electronic assistance than you'd expect to get the party started.  Worth a look/listen.

If Cub represents the club, Atlas are 80s rock radio -- synth backed songs full of jittery guitar and soaring choruses that make up for their utter lack of danger or edge with indelible melodies. And I'm ok with that, because there are some REALLY catchy songs on here. Opener "Electric," "Back Seat," and "Symptoms" all bundle nifty little riffs with catchy hooks, while the two lead singles "If So" and "Trojans" are absolutely undeniable. There's nothing complicated (or all that manly) going on here, but I found myself letting this one play whenever it popped up on shuffle during the year.  Why not? Some guys get beard trimmers and tattoos, some get loofahs and pedicures. Who am I to judge? Bright, clean sound, catchy lyrics and riffs, all in a package that's kid tested, mother approved.  These brothers from down under might be on to something.

16. (TIE) The Neighbourhood -- I Love You.; ZZ Ward -- Til the Casket Drops: Next stop on the fun bus takes us to the 90s when hip hop was creeping into everything it touched -- political campaigns, advertising, slang used by soccer moms ("raise the ROOF, son! This is WHACK!") -- only sometimes to positive effect.  Case in point being these two offerings, which capitalize on the genre's cadence and sturdy backbeat while staying true to the originating material (predominantly indie, with a little soul thrown in for ZZ -- but more on that shortly.)

For Neighbourhood, the inspiration seems to be stoner bands like 311 or Incubus, though with more talent and things to say. (My fiancee, a fervent defender of both "bands" probably just spit out her drink as she's reading this.) The band captures the California vibe nicely -- their home, it so happens -- as the album is infused with languid rhythms and a mood that stretches out like a cat in the sun, encouraging you to do the same.  Tracks like "Afraid," "Everybody's Watching Me (Uh Oh)," "W.D.Y.W.F.M.," and "Staying Up" are all woozy warmth, while lead singles "Sweater Weather," "Let it Go," and "Female Robbery" magnify that effect like a nice carmenere. The band puts on a surprisingly good live show, too -- we caught them at Lolla and were won over to check out the deeper tracks.  You should do the same.


ZZ's album is a bit of an anachronism -- it's got clear hip hop and country influences, but doesn't fit neatly in either category; her soul-inflected voice and delivery owes a definite debt to modern acts like Adele, but also hearkens back to the golden era of 60s soul; and the sheer singability of almost every song here tips to pop leanings, but the substance filling the songs belies any bubble gum superficiality.  And thus you've got an album that doesn't really fit anywhere -- one that calls to mind a little bit of everything, but is beholden to none of them.  In short, the true 90s slacker, a misfit with no nation or allegiance.

Which is a long way of characterizing a really great little album -- for all the difficulties your brain has figuring out how to categorize it, the songs go down easily.  From the title track and lead single "Put the Gun Down" to tracks like "Blue Eyes Blind," "Cryin Wolf," "Lil Darlin," and "Move Like You Stole It," these are some really infectious tunes.  ZZ kind of came out of nowhere and still lingers off the radar, but I have a feeling she'll be worth tracking down to see what she does next.

17. (TIE) Guards -- In Guards we Trust; Jagwar Ma -- Howlin': Last stop on the time warp is the early 2000s and our modern bands, which tend to reflect the ADD nature of our kids and dabble in a little bit of everything, from earlier eras to the weirdest, most esoteric instrument/influence/sound you can get your hands on, to varying degrees of success.  These two, at least, get it right, mashing together both the modern and the historic, creating a bit of a butterfly effect when you try to tear it apart.

The Guards are a bit of a mystery -- there's not much written on them (the vaunted AllMusic, for example, has nary a word outside their album's track listings), but that doesn't much matter as the music is so warm and embracing. (For what it's worth leadman Richie Follin started the band as a spinoff of his sister's band Cults with bandmates Loren Humphrey and Kaylie Church and off we go.) Sounding a bit like early MGMT, the band run through a dozen tracks of relentlessly sunny, slightly psychedelic pop that'll have you singing/moving along in no time.  Tracks like "Giving Out," "Not Supposed To," and "Coming True," with their belt it to the rafters choruses all shine, while the Bowie-esque lead single "Ready to Go" multiplies that by 11.  A really consistent and enjoyable (but NOT fun!) debut.

If Guards bring up echoes of MGMT's psychedelic pop, Jagwar call to mind psychedelic tripsters Beta Band (with a healthy pinch of the Beach Boys thrown in for good measure). The Australian trio throw a lot in the pot on their debut, filling songs with sunny three-part harmonies and surfer guitar riffs that ride along on lead singer Gabriel Winterfield's voice like modern day updates to the Wilson brothers' catalog. ("That Loneliness," "Let Her Go")  Others start out as similar romps on the beach before devolving into trippy electro fragments swirling in the round. ("The Throw," glorious lead single "Come Save Me")  Others never leave that realm, dancing firmly in Betas territory throughout, all bird chirps, hypnotic beats, and strange percussion. ("What Love," "Four," "Exercise")  Somehow it all holds together, though, capitalizing on this strange mix of influences for a great little album.