Top Ten Twenty Thirteen! - Year in Review Top 10+

1
Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City

They did it again. Smart, intricate, catchy. This is the epitome of the indie pop band right now, doing all the things right.

2
Moonface - Julia, With Blue Jeans On

Only a musical genius could pull off an album as stripped down as this and make it so captivating and achey. With just a piano and his voice Spencer Krug has crafted one of the most compelling albums of 2013. Every time I hear it I want to continue to listen to it forever.

3
Lightning Dust - Fantasy

Beauty in music. There's a lightness here that swirls without taking away from its substance. The grungier raw sound has all been used up in Black Mountain leaving pure sweetness. Fans of Young Galaxy take notice!

4
Top Less - Top Less Gay Love Tekno Party

Why should I bother describing this album with such an apt title? It's pure bliss with its danceability and sly, silly lyrics. Incredibly they've made a record that lives up to their indescribable live experience.

5
Neko Case  - The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You
The more I listen, the better it gets, the better it gets, the more I love it. (Sorry everyone.)

6
Tegan and Sara - Heartthrob
Whoa, the most infamous gay identical twin sisters in music went off the pop deep end with 2013's Heartthrob. More often than not this would alienate longtime fans but in this case I haven't a thing to complain about. From the understandably ubiquitous Closer through the catchy, vulnerable How Come You Don't Want Me to the heartbreaking Now I'm All Messed Up these are some of the best pure pop songs produced in ages, and they are all from the same group. The glue that pieces them together is excellent too.

7
Wildlife - ..On the Heart
This criminally underrated Toronto band makes true unified records with earnest lyrics, real musical chops and quality production, with this follow-up proving that the lightning was properly sealed in the bottle after their debut Strike Hard, Young Diamond. Their live shows are just as impressive and perhaps if they played more of them people would really start to provide the attention that is deserved.

8
River Tiber - Synapses
An up-and-comer from Toronto, this project is the brainchild of one Tommy Paxton-Beesley who meticulously crafted a darkly engaging full-length. With electronic hints and an assortment of sounds the album weaves its way through as one continuous, complex ride.

9

Gold & Youth - Beyond Wilderness
A supremely listenable wavy synth record that doesn't lull like many shoegaze contemporaries but hums right along, using tried sounds in a fresh way.

10
Jay-Z - Magna Carta Holy Grail
Perhaps a guilty pleasure tucked down here at the end of the list but I jammed out to this record, front to back, more times than I'm willing to admit. The star power off the top helped get into it, not to mention Beyonce's touch down the stretch, and from there it's a pretty smooth ride. The lyrics are not the most engaging which is normally a large part of a hip hop record but the beats are catchy all the way through. Don't even try and argue: Beach is Better!

Honourable Mentions

That's the top ten culled from a long list of contenders for the year, the strongest of which deserve mention below:

M.I.A - Matangi
This is a MIA pounding through; strong, brass and abrasive which usually means at her best. It takes some listener fortitude but absolutely worth it.

Shad - Flying Colours
As always Shad's smarts shine through in his lyrics while the beats and production do not suffer. Off the top there are more than a couple superb songs, including a few amazingly clever rhymes. Case and point:
"To the guys that draw lines and make the borders real,
But then bend the rules when there's more to drill,
Don't turn away the stateless, think of the waste,
If one in three refugees is a Lauryn Hill"

Jim Guthrie - Takes Time
As the title says it does take time to craft such a balanced, wise album. It is also the home to one of my favourite earworm hooks of the year "You said, 'The rest is yet to come' - I said, 'Don't you mean the best?'"

Arcade Fire - Reflektor
There are a thousand musical ideas competing here and the majority of them flourish. Here Comes the Night Time, amirite? An album that is going to be plenty of fun to see live.

Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Volume 3: To See More Light
I guarantee this album will be like nothing else you hear this year. "A man and a saxophone" you say? "Just give it a listen," I respond.

The Strumbellas - We Still Move on Dance Floors
Strong follow-up for the hardworking Ontario band. Comes through on the promise of plenty of dance floor fodder.

Frightened Rabbit - Pedestrian Verse
This Scottish band has been kicking it for years now but this was the first album to even grace my radar. With a couple of standout tracks and more smart, classic indie goodness here it is a solid listen.

The National - Trouble Will Find Me
Another very fine effort from this well-polished American indie machine.

The 1975 - The 1975
If I hadn't worn myself out last year on the EPs from which they culled a good portion of the material for this record it would have been high atop my list.

Aroara - In the Pines
This duo made one of the most interesting records of the year and is likely the breakout live Toronto act of 2013.

Dodos - Carrier

A real solid record from this band that has been doing their own thing with the acoustic/electric mix for some time.

Basia Bulat - Tall, Tall Shadow
In the running for best title track of 2013 this album starts strong and continues to impress as it carries on. Basia has been consistently making excellent music with her autoharp and this album lives up to the high standards she has set for herself.

Late Addition

Royal Canoe - Today We're Believers
Unfortunately I didn't get a hold of this disc until the new year so it didn't get much of an audition to make the list but I can see what all the buzz is about. A diverse assortment of sounds but all very well done.

Last year's list

All the year-end lists on this blog

Lists from Vernacular (my previous blog)

River Tiber - Drake Underground (Nov 21/13)

Adding to the six neon words already up around the Drake Underground in bright orange read a stylized "River Tiber". In front of this sign stood the four piece making up that entity. Seemingly the brainchild of multi-instrumental singer (keyboard and electric guitar on this night) the group was fleshed out by a full time guitarist, bassist and drummer fitted with electric drums in his kit. Combined with the backing samples, the electro keys and synthesized voice they came across as an indie rock band with a noticeable electro edge. As previously noted the droning and building upon this structure comes across like a not-half-bad Kid A-era Radiohead. It seemed well thought out and meticulously arranged which is why it was especially irksome that what sounded like a recording from a police scanner cut from underneath many songs, even when it was quite out of place. The album, Synapses, and The Star Falls EP, for which this served as the release party, are quite good and the music translates to the stage but the band could give more of a presence. The various projections behind them, from birds to army parachuting in reverse, lent an interesting distraction briefly until it began to loop. An encore showcased a couple older tunes, one of which proved they used to unabashedly rock rather than the more balanced new approach (which I much prefer). The final featured only the two guitarists on a 'very old' (3 years old) tune and wasn't the best way to end a decent show but happened regardless of my say.

River Tiber - Drake Hotel (Feb 21/13)

It was perhaps an odd slot playing an opening set for a free (Rich Aucoin) show in a hotel restaurant but it didn't phase the local River Tiber. The set was successful in that it won over at least one new fan who had never even heard of them. My notes read 'ambient, rich bass, keys, dynamic drumming' where the last in the list was at least in part due to the integrated electronic drums. It's a little useless to liken a band to Radiohead, considering they are credited with pioneering a wide range of modern music from indie to electronica but it was in fact the vocals which also fell in line with Thom Yorke's. Despite the forward-thinking music some of the members were keeping it casual with backwards ball caps. Not an overly long set it was top quality and a great introduction to the River Tiber who have since followed it up with their equally compelling debut full-length. Keep your ears open and show this up and coming band some support for the 'I remember when's'.