Top Musical Releases Of 2013
Music geeks are very particular when it comes to album selection. The feeling an album produces is directly correlated to the atmosphere in which it plays. Every minute detail is taken into account: the mood, time of day, location, and so on. Because I’m one of these full-fledged music geeks, decisions such as these are my favorite.
2013 was jam-packed with album releases, from the anticipated first major release of rapper A$AP Rocky to the end-of-the-year surprise masterpiece from Beyoncé. In between, however, five albums were released that became my absolute favorite of the year.
What I found interesting was that all five fit into a specific atmosphere at which I played them-late at night. This is why I’ve dubbed them “Midnight Records.” Each of these five records exude a vibe only fitting for the early hours of the morning. Whether I was driving home from a night out or slowly closing my eyelids while staring at my bedroom ceiling, everything made perfect sense in the after hours.
- Atoms for Peace – AMOK
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke formed this supergroup in 2009, consisting of Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist Flea, Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, drummer Joey Waronker and percussionist Mauro Refosco. AMOK is the epitome of fluidity—even at moments of silence the album is in complete flux. Flea’s bass lines melt perfectly over Yorke’s vocals and sizzle with Godrich’s keyboards.
Favorite track: “Judge Jury and Executioner”
- Arctic Monkeys – AM
Entering parties with a leather jacket and sunglasses on, sipping whiskey and hoping the person you’ve had your eye on hasn’t left yet. Then you go home, spill some drinks on your settee and play a song that makes you think of that person “on repeat.” This is how late nights in AM are spent, according to lead singer Alex Kapranos. It’s the Monkeys’ best album yet, and don’t you dare play it in the PM.
Favorite track: “Do I Wanna Know?”
- Arcade Fire – Reflektor
“If you want to be righteous, get in line.” Reflektor was influenced by Søren Kierkegaard’s essay, “The Present Age,” the 1959 film Black Orpheus and inspiring trips to Haiti and Jamaica. Synth heavy, surrealistic dance vibes and philosophical grandeur embody the year’s best double album from the world’s most ambitious band.
Favorite track: Normal Person.
- Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
The electronic French duo returned from an eight year break (other than their score for 2010’s Tron: Legacy) and released what became their response to the EDM craze that they themselves started: 74 minutes and 24 seconds of disco beats that make you feel like it’s 1978. The collaborations on here are brilliant, ranging from Pharrell Williams to Nile Rodgers.
Favorite track: “Instant Crush” (feat. Julian Casablancas.)
- Queens of the Stone Age – …Like Clockwork
Kalopsia: The delusion of things to be more beautiful than they are. This term from a song on …Like Clockwork, the sixth album from QOTSA, best defines the record itself. Full of dark imagery, drinking potions to erase your loved ones and living in cities of glass with no heart, …Like Clockwork has been nominated for two Grammys this year.
Favorite track: “I Sat by the Ocean.”