12-14-2013, 07:56 PM
1. Headstones- Love & Fury
By far my favorite album of 2013. Not once did it even come close to relinquishing the crown. A non stop barrage of gritty, kick-you-in-the-nuts rock n' roll; not to mention my favorite comeback album of all time. It's like they never left. All I need now is some western Canadian tour dates and everything will be right with the universe.
2. Queens of the Stone Age- Like Clockwork
A flawless hard-rock gem. Arguably the best thing these guys have ever produced.
3. Jason Isbell- Southeastern
Everything this guy writes is pure gold. His best album so far IMO, and I can't wait to hear what he gives us next.
4. Neko Case- The Worse things Get, the Harder I Fight/ The Harder I Fight, the More I Love You
Not much needs to be said here. The woman is a goddess, and her gorgeous voice and songwriting chops are second to none. She is simply incapable of putting out a bad record.
5. Pearl Jam- Lightning Bolt
Their best album since Yield. Not a single dud on the entire thing, and the best part is that these songs sound even better live.
6. Frank Turner- Tape Deck Heart
Love this guy. I only just discovered his music about a year ago and was lucky enough to see him live last month. Great songwriter, performer, and lyricist.
7. The National- Trouble Will Find Me
Excellent album, and another worthy addition to their increasingly brilliant catalogue.
8. Mark Lanegan & Duke Garwood- Black Pudding
I'm a fan of pretty much anything that Lanegan is involved in. Dude is a terrific songwriter, and that bluesy bone-chilling baritone of his sounds like it's coming straight from the depths of hell. Like fire and brimstone kind of stuff. This record is awesome.
9. Steve Earle & the Dukes- The Low Highway
Probably my favorite record of his since Transcendental Blues. This one's a grower and it just gets better with each spin. His trademark poetic storytelling is as passionate as ever.
10. Blue Rodeo- In Our Nature
I lost interest in these guys for a few years there in the early '00s, as they seemed to be spinning their wheels at the time. But their killer 2009 album "The Things We Left Behind" caught my attention again and reminded me how much I love them. Needless to say, I'm firmly back on the bandwagon. In Our Nature is about as strong and consistent an effort as one could ask for at this stage of their career. Proof that Keelor and Cuddy can still write songs with the best of them.
By far my favorite album of 2013. Not once did it even come close to relinquishing the crown. A non stop barrage of gritty, kick-you-in-the-nuts rock n' roll; not to mention my favorite comeback album of all time. It's like they never left. All I need now is some western Canadian tour dates and everything will be right with the universe.
2. Queens of the Stone Age- Like Clockwork
A flawless hard-rock gem. Arguably the best thing these guys have ever produced.
3. Jason Isbell- Southeastern
Everything this guy writes is pure gold. His best album so far IMO, and I can't wait to hear what he gives us next.
4. Neko Case- The Worse things Get, the Harder I Fight/ The Harder I Fight, the More I Love You
Not much needs to be said here. The woman is a goddess, and her gorgeous voice and songwriting chops are second to none. She is simply incapable of putting out a bad record.
5. Pearl Jam- Lightning Bolt
Their best album since Yield. Not a single dud on the entire thing, and the best part is that these songs sound even better live.
6. Frank Turner- Tape Deck Heart
Love this guy. I only just discovered his music about a year ago and was lucky enough to see him live last month. Great songwriter, performer, and lyricist.
7. The National- Trouble Will Find Me
Excellent album, and another worthy addition to their increasingly brilliant catalogue.
8. Mark Lanegan & Duke Garwood- Black Pudding
I'm a fan of pretty much anything that Lanegan is involved in. Dude is a terrific songwriter, and that bluesy bone-chilling baritone of his sounds like it's coming straight from the depths of hell. Like fire and brimstone kind of stuff. This record is awesome.
9. Steve Earle & the Dukes- The Low Highway
Probably my favorite record of his since Transcendental Blues. This one's a grower and it just gets better with each spin. His trademark poetic storytelling is as passionate as ever.
10. Blue Rodeo- In Our Nature
I lost interest in these guys for a few years there in the early '00s, as they seemed to be spinning their wheels at the time. But their killer 2009 album "The Things We Left Behind" caught my attention again and reminded me how much I love them. Needless to say, I'm firmly back on the bandwagon. In Our Nature is about as strong and consistent an effort as one could ask for at this stage of their career. Proof that Keelor and Cuddy can still write songs with the best of them.