It’s that time of year again.
No, not when we spontaneously buy full-year gym memberships in effort to help forge the new you, only to go once and ultimately never again after accidentally letting one rip during a downward-dog.
…although, it is that time of year too.
I’m talking about that time of year when you assess the previous twelve months, when you take inventory of all your gains and loses, your highs and lows (and cringe at your really lows), and attempt to use these experiences to help construct a better plan for the next 365 days.
You know the better plan I’m talking about, the one you’ll strictly follow for roughly three weeks before abandoning ship and settling back comfortably into the 2013 model of yourself anyway.
And that’s all right, because why not?
Because to hell with the Blue Book, that’s a damn fine ride you’ve got there. Sure, there may be a few dings and bangs all about, and some dead bug in the overhead light, and a few burns and blood oil stains in the upholstery, and a squirrel or two living in the tailpipe, but it’s still yours.
It’s still you.
And that’s not wear-and-tear, it’s experience. And experience is what betters us, what changes us, not resolutions.
You made it all through last year, and the year before, and you’ll make it through this year too, because you’re built to last. So, instead of hoping to change something that probably doesn’t even need changing in the first place (unless, you know, you’re Tom Brady or a murderer or… oh, I dunno… just an all around dick) why not just enjoy the ride as is? Reflect upon the times you had last year, upon the memories, good and bad.
And what better way to do that than by revisiting the soundtrack to those memories, the music that made the year as amazing and amazingly awful as it proved to be. That’s what I’m going to do.
So here we go, five albums that helped me journey down Rte. 2013:
Frank Turner – Tape Deck Heart – The other OTHER F WORD is for Frank. Frank Turner, that is, and he’s what we get when punk finally grows up. After disbanding Million Dead and trading in his electric guitar for an acoustic some years and several solo albums ago, Turner has somehow manged to maintain his angst and edge, even without the reverb and palm mutes. And while this particular record may not pack the same punch as some of his previous efforts (most notably 2011’s near-perfect album “England Keep My Bones”), it’s still pure Frank, which means pure folk-punk, fantastically crafted songs, and lyrics you’ll find yourself wishing you had written. Case in point here, and here for a little Frank Lite.
The National – Trouble Will Find Me – Before I start I must state that hipsters and I go together about as well as… well, as hipsters and anyone else other than other hipsters. Which is to say not well. But, regardless, we do see eye-to-eye on a few things. Vests, for one. And eyeglasses. Yup, need them to read. Sushi? Yum (although I prefer to eat mine, not just Instagram it). And, finally, the National. And why the hell not, they’ve been solid for over a decade now, pumping out one quality record after another, while seemingly always flying under the radar. And they’ve done it again with this 2013 effort, another collection of downright heart-wrenching tunes that can act as the soundtrack to anyone’s life at any given moment. If you want to see my cry, play Let It Be or Nevermind, indeed. Plus, they teamed up with THE FUNNIEST SHOW on television to create this absolute gem, only solidifying their sheer awesomeness all the more.
Jake Bugg – Jake Bugg – Imagine a 19-year-old musician. Now imagine he’s not a spoiled brat, but an actual musician. Who writes his own music. And doesn’t spit on fans. Or vandalize foreign countries. Now imagine he’s constantly compared to legends like Dylan and Cash. Imagine all that and you have Jake Bugg, who may not always the greatest lyricist, but has songwriting down. Don’t believe me? I dare you not to tap your toes over the next two and a half minutes. DARE YOU, I SAY!
Bastille – Bad Blood – I haven’t exactly been on board with the whole synth-rock/New Wave resurgence occurring over the past few years. Don’t get me wrong, I love all music [for the most part], just some genres appeal to me more than others. And that’s not to say that there aren’t any synth songs I like, as there are certainly exceptions. There are a few Alt-J and Neighbourhood tracks that I thoroughly enjoy, and more than a handful TV On the Radio tunes that tickle my auditory fancy, but there’s never quite been a whole album that I loved. That is until I came across Bastille. Their 2013 debut is easily one of the more consistent efforts I’ve heard all year, boosting several consecutive solid tracks that somehow manage to sound different and yet still flow relatively seamlessly. And all with a rather impressive range, going from one epic track to (my personal favorite) haunting without derailing or seeming out-of-place. I actually expect big things from these guys in 2014, somewhere along the lines of Imagine Dragons 2.0. Mark my words.
…unless I’m wrong, in which case, forget I said anything.
Deer Tick – Negativity – This should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me well, as this was probably the one album I was looking forward to most all year. And I wasn’t disappointed. I typically never am when it comes to these guys. Granted, this effort sounds a bit different, and doesn’t have the fervor or intensity of past albums, but that appears to be more attributed to collective growth as songwriters than a misstep. Frontman John J. McCauley and company make no attempt to hide getting older, trading in the faster-paced ballads about drinking and fighting for a more mature, refined sound (for the time being, at least). And they do it only as they can. There is no other band out there that sounds like Deer Tick, and those that do don’t do it nearly as well. They’re raw and unforgiving, and even when more polished (like on this record), have a primal presence most acts would sell their collective souls for.
So there it is, my 2013 summed up in five albums. I wonder what will be playing in the background of next year…
Live, Love, Learn,