Your Album[s] Of 2013!

[Segue Myles]

Ok...year is nearly over!

 

For me, 2013 has been pretty boring musically. The highs are high. But there are not enough of them!

 

So...let me give you my pitiful list of highlights:

 

1) Paramore- Paramore. I am not sure if this is pop or rock. But its darn good stuff! Everything I think a decent pop album should be, and brilliant diversity. I really am surprised by how much I love this beauty! Hayley Williams proves herself to be a brilliant singer and a quirky lyricist. Everything No Doubt should have been last year when they released the rather bland (though still good) Push And Shove.

 

Best songs are: Daydreaming, Fast In My Car, Ain't It Fun and the sublime (I'm Not One Of Those) Crazy Girls.

 

2) Alter Bridge- Fortress. Wow. Just wow. Everything a hard rock album should be in 2013, songs like Cry Of Achilles and the title track verge on prog, and Calm The Fire and the haunting Lover are amongst the finest of the bands career! A few lesser moments prevent this from taking the top spot.

 

Best tracks: Cry Of Achilles, Addicted To Pain, Lover, Calm The Fire, Fortress, Bleed It Dry

 

3) Ayreon- The Theory Of Everything. This features Cristina Scabbia as a guest vocalist. So yeah, I bought it. But it is an incredibly mental album! Its both fully awesome, and often unbearably cheesy (just read a few of the lyrics). All I can say is that if you were to tell me the Muppets had asked Rush to write and develop a Broadway show AND throw a Star Trek convention into the mix, whilst the universe slowly turns on its axis to have a egg and spoon race with a kitchen sink, well, I would believe you. Brilliant, bold, and very naff. I really enjoyed this!

 

Oh and Cristina Scabbia was awesome.

 

Best tracks: hard to say. Mirror Of Dreams.

 

4) Rush- Vapor Trails Remixed. I had never heard this album before. I'm still not convinced its one of the stronger collections of Rush tunes, but it has many very good songs. Still, a step up from Test For Echo, and possibly better than Snakes And Arrows. This is still no Moving Pictures.

 

Heck, its not even a Presto.

 

Still, a very well deserved 6/10. Like all Rush albums, bar a couple, this is close to being super briliant. But compared to the bands highest highs, well, it can eat my bubbles.

 

Best songs: I really love The Stars Look Down.

 

I have heard a few other albums. None stand out. Any other year, the last two on this list would have failed to make the top 10.

 

Soo..What's yours?

Edited December 11, 2013 by Segue Myles

[Narps]

You didn't expect me to respond to this did you? :codger:

[Segue Myles]

Don't worry. If you like, tell me how good Yes were during the Topographic Oceans era, and then explain why on earth you haven't bought anything since forever!

[Brucey]

1) Clockwork Angels Tour DVD

 

2) Vapour Trails remixed

 

That's it :D

[ColdFireYYZ]

I kind of went crazy this year and listened to a ton of new albums, so here's a few of my favorites:

 

Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused to Sing (and other Stories): I don't think this one needs an introduction here. Easily my album of the year. Brilliant album, and the accompanying tour was phenomenal as well.

 

Big Big Train - English Electric, Part Two: I don't know how they topped Part One, but they did. Very lush, melodic English prog with brass, violins, etc and some awesome guitar/keyboards.

 

The Opium Cartel - Ardor: A project by the guitarist from White Willow, and features several members of prog bands like Anglagard, No-Man, etc. It has a very strong 80s pop influence (Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, etc.) along with some 70s prog, jazz, and electronic influences. Very cool stuff, and there's a great cover of Blue Oyster Cult's Then Came The Last Days of May.

 

Mike Keneally - You Must Be This Tall: Another great and eclectic album from former Zappa guitarist Mike Keneally. It's really crazy and creative, and very fun to listen to.

 

These New Puritans - Field of Reeds: I'm not sure how to describe this one, but this was a surprise. I guess you could compare it to Talk Talk's Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock, but it's pretty original. Very orchestral and dense (but not overwhelming) with a lot of layers of instruments that all sound clear.

 

Moon Safari - Himlabacken, Vol. 1: Great album that features five-part vocal harmonies and fantastic melodies on top of upbeat, keyboard-heavy prog with a strong pop influence.

 

Anna von Hausswolff - Ceremony: This is a singer/songwriter album that features the pipe organ as the predominate instrument, rather than a guitar or piano. The album starts off with an instrumental, and when the vocals start, they are very shrill and harsh to the ears, but the rest of the album features incredible vocals and very strong songwriting along with the organ.

 

Blue Cranes - Swim: Instrumental jazzy melancholic album, with a bit of a post-rock influence.

 

Jack o’ the Clock - All My Friends: I'm not quite sure how to describe this one. Kind of an experimental/avant-garde folk album, but it's still focused on the songs, rather than just straight-up experimentation. Lots of traditional folk instruments are used here, from hammered dulcimers to banjos and accordions, along with bass, drums, violins, and more. Despite the smorgasbord of instruments, it manages to stay focused and is pretty accessible, IMO, while still being highly creative and unique.

 

Chrome Hoof - Chrome Black Gold: I just got this one, and it's very weird. The band describes themselves a "prog/gloom/disco" band, and a wide variety of different styles of music are portrayed here. Bizarre but great!

 

Pixel - We Are All Small Pixels: A jazz album that manages to write pop/rock songs using all acoustic instruments. The bassist/singer, Ellen Andrea Wang, is super talented and is an amazing musician.

 

Riverside - Shrine of New Generation Slaves​:They moved away form their prog metal influences to a Pink Floyd-influenced prog rock sound. Great album, and the songs were even better live. Can't wait to see what they do next!

Edited December 11, 2013 by ColdFireYYZ

[Rod in Toronto]

Dream Theater - Dream Theater is the absolute best release this year.

[Na na na]

Crime & The City Solution - American Twilight

Foals - Holy Fire

Janelle Monae - The Electric Lady

Motörhead - Aftershock

Of Montreal - Lousy With Sylvianbriar

Savages - Silence Yourself

Tedeschi Trucks Band - Made Up Mind

[Segue Myles]

Dream Theater - Dream Theater is the absolute best release this year.

 

I only own a best of. I really enjoy it when i pla it! Is this a good place to start properly?

[invisible airwave]

Bowie - The Next Day

Depeche Mode - Delta Machine

Dawes - Stories Don't End

Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks

Arcade Fire - Reflektor

Airborne Toxic Event - Such Hot Blood

Queens of the Stone Age - Like Clockwork

Kings of Leon - Mechanical Bull

[Presto-digitation]

Jolly - The Audio Guide To Happiness Pt. 2 Edited December 11, 2013 by Presto-digitation

[Rick N. Backer]

Black Sabbath 13 is the only album of new material I bought this year.

[J2112YYZ]

Dream Theater - Dream Theater is the absolute best release this year.

 

I only own a best of. I really enjoy it when i pla it! Is this a good place to start properly?

 

I always tell everyone to start with the albums Images & Words and Awake if they're looking to get in to Dream Theater. If those two albums don't hook you then nothing will. If you like those two then listen to Metropolis 2: Scenes From A Memory next.

[Segue Myles]

Dream Theater - Dream Theater is the absolute best release this year.

 

I only own a best of. I really enjoy it when i pla it! Is this a good place to start properly?

 

I always tell everyone to start with the albums Images & Words and Awake if they're looking to get in to Dream Theater. If those two albums don't hook you then nothing will. If you like those two then listen to Metropolis 2: Scenes From A Memory next.

 

Ok, thanks! Dream Theater and Yes are both on my list of bands I need to further explore...

[adace1]

This year has been an absolute clusterf&*@ of awesome music. I haven't even had time to properly listen to about 90% of these and let them sink in but the little I've heard of them is fantastic.

 

In no particular order:

 

Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused to Sing

Dream Theater - Dream Theater

Sigur Ros - Kveikur

Amon Amarth - Deceiver of the Gods

Alice in Chains - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here

Russian Circles - Memorial

Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork

Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks

Deafheaven - Sunbather

Coheed and Cambria - The Afterman: Descension

Ghost - Infestissumam

Soilwork - The Living Infinite

James LaBrie - Impermanent Resonance

Amaranthe - The Nexus

Boards of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest

Black Sabbath - 13

Deep Purple - Now What?!

Scale the Summit - The Migration

Depeche Mode - Delta Machine

Riverside - Shrine of New Generation Slaves

Paysage d'Hiver - Das Tor

Summoning - Old Morning's Dawn

Caladan Brood - Echoes of Battle

Intronaut - Habitual Levitations

Protest the Hero - Volition

Cult of Luna - Vertikal

The Ocean - Pelagial

Nails - Abandon All Life

Immolation - Kingdom of Conspiracy

Persefone - Spiritual Migration

Shade Empire - Omega Arcane

Stratovarius - Nemesis

Amorphis - Circle

Orphaned Land - All is One

Tesseract - Altered State

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

Leprous - Coal

Dark Tranquillity - Construct

The National - Trouble Will Find Me

Havok - Unnatural Selection

Blood Ceremony - The Eldritch Dark

Night Verses - Lift Your Existence

The Reign of Kindo - Play With Fire

Carcass - Surgical Steel

Ulver - Messe I.X-VI.X

Blackfield - IV

Moon Safari - Himlabacken Vol.1

Haken - The Mountain

Chvrches - The Bones of What You Believe

Jon Hopkins - Immunity

Alter Bridge - Fortress

Peste Noire - Peste Noire

Kataklysm - Waiting for the End to Come

Exivious - Liminal

Rhapsody of Fire - Dark Wings of Steel

Hammock - Oblivion Hymns

Avatarium - Avatarium

Touche Amore - Is Survived By

Sound of Contact - Dimensionaut

Chelsea Wolfe - Pain is Beauty

Volto! - Incitare

Kalmah - Seventh Swamphony

Finntroll - Blodsvept

My Bloody Valentine - MBV

Germ - Grief

Goldfrapp - Tales of Us

Vulture Industries - The Tower

Windhand - Soma

[Mr. Not]

In order of preference:

 

Stratovarius - Nemesis

Great album, probably Stratovarius's best but it's hard to pick between this one and Elysium. This one feels like a greatest hits album because all the songs are short, catchy and straightforward, yet still mannage to have good instrumentation at times and even some outstanding solos on some tracks - some of their best. Still, this fact that it's more like a "greatest hits" and less of an album as a whole works to it's disfavor imo which is why it was very hard to accept this album as a top favorite of theirs. On the other hand, what seems to save the album is the amazing melodies, great vocals, and many memorable choruses. The album can and will stand the test of time thanks to this...

 

Steven Wilson - Raven that Refused to Sing

Good songs paired with good music videos, SW's best solo work yet and maybe his best work of all time? Maybe. Knowing this and acknowledging that he's a shining light in the music industry, a real musician's musician who appeals to anyone with a good set of ears willing to adapt to his generic voice - why the f**k did he sell out by putting his title track in the trailer for that bound-to-be-mediocre Pompeii film? That song's a bit ruined thanks to that.

 

Coheed and Cambria - Afterman: Decension

Good but not a whole lot of an album unless paired with Ascension, same goes vice versa of course. Still good and I like the direction Coheed is taking, especially artistically. They have a piece of concept art for each song on each of these two albums, this is a good way for them to not alienate fans who don't read the Amory Wars (which is a majority of fans, let's face it) and let them in on the complex story in some way or another.

 

Dream Theater - Dream Theater

Good but not phenomenal and the band really worked this album for next to nothing. The bass interludes in Enigma Machine are just silly, and the snare is terrible, it's sound only working a minority of the time. There is a new sound and direction taken here but to be completely honest I liked it better when they were going for Images & Words pt 2 on the previous album.

[Rick N. Backer]

Black Sabbath 13 is the only album of new material I bought this year.

 

I lied. After reading adace1's list, I realized that I got Random Access Memories by Daft Punk too.

[Segue Myles]

This year has been an absolute clusterf&*@ of awesome music. I haven't even had time to properly listen to about 90% of these and let them sink in but the little I've heard of them is fantastic.

 

In no particular order:

 

Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused to Sing

Dream Theater - Dream Theater

Sigur Ros - Kveikur

Amon Amarth - Deceiver of the Gods

Alice in Chains - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here

Russian Circles - Memorial

Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork

Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks

Deafheaven - Sunbather

Coheed and Cambria - The Afterman: Descension

Ghost - Infestissumam

Soilwork - The Living Infinite

James LaBrie - Impermanent Resonance

Amaranthe - The Nexus

Boards of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest

Black Sabbath - 13

Deep Purple - Now What?!

Scale the Summit - The Migration

Depeche Mode - Delta Machine

Riverside - Shrine of New Generation Slaves

Paysage d'Hiver - Das Tor

Summoning - Old Morning's Dawn

Caladan Brood - Echoes of Battle

Intronaut - Habitual Levitations

Protest the Hero - Volition

Cult of Luna - Vertikal

The Ocean - Pelagial

Nails - Abandon All Life

Immolation - Kingdom of Conspiracy

Persefone - Spiritual Migration

Shade Empire - Omega Arcane

Stratovarius - Nemesis

Amorphis - Circle

Orphaned Land - All is One

Tesseract - Altered State

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

Leprous - Coal

Dark Tranquillity - Construct

The National - Trouble Will Find Me

Havok - Unnatural Selection

Blood Ceremony - The Eldritch Dark

Night Verses - Lift Your Existence

The Reign of Kindo - Play With Fire

Carcass - Surgical Steel

Ulver - Messe I.X-VI.X

Blackfield - IV

Moon Safari - Himlabacken Vol.1

Haken - The Mountain

Chvrches - The Bones of What You Believe

Jon Hopkins - Immunity

Alter Bridge - Fortress

Peste Noire - Peste Noire

Kataklysm - Waiting for the End to Come

Exivious - Liminal

Rhapsody of Fire - Dark Wings of Steel

Hammock - Oblivion Hymns

Avatarium - Avatarium

Touche Amore - Is Survived By

Sound of Contact - Dimensionaut

Chelsea Wolfe - Pain is Beauty

Volto! - Incitare

Kalmah - Seventh Swamphony

Finntroll - Blodsvept

My Bloody Valentine - MBV

Germ - Grief

Goldfrapp - Tales of Us

Vulture Industries - The Tower

Windhand - Soma

 

Well...at least we have Alter Bridge in common! An amazing number of new albums...where do you find the time?

[adace1]

^Somehow I manage. ;) But as I said, I've listened to most of those only once or twice. If you like the new Alter Bridge definitely check out the new Alice in Chains. It's one of my top 5 of the year. Edited December 11, 2013 by adace1

[nappy2112]

Riverside - Shrine of New Generation Slaves

Spock's Beard - Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep

Black Sabbath - 13

The Winery Dogs - (debut)

Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused to Sing

Coheed and Cambria - Afterman Decension

Dream Theater - (self-titled )

[Rod in Toronto]

Dream Theater - Dream Theater is the absolute best release this year.

 

I only own a best of. I really enjoy it when i pla it! Is this a good place to start properly?

 

I always tell everyone to start with the albums Images & Words and Awake if they're looking to get in to Dream Theater. If those two albums don't hook you then nothing will. If you like those two then listen to Metropolis 2: Scenes From A Memory next.

 

Ok, thanks! Dream Theater and Yes are both on my list of bands I need to further explore...

 

I fully agree with these tips. And while we´re at it, I forgot to mention The Winery Dogs´ debut, which is excellent. I still listen to it almost every day!

[Segue Myles]

The Winery Dogs?

 

I recognise that name...will give that a go as well!

[toscanobarga]

Not a huge amount of new music this year, but my favorite of the year was Deep Purple's "Now What"

 

I also liked the Winery Dogs' album, and "Filthy Empire" by Heaven's Basement.

 

Oh, and "All Hell Breaks Loose" by Black Star Riders far exceeded my expectations, as did the "new" Queensryche.

Edited December 12, 2013 by toscanobarga

[nappy2112]

Not a huge amount of new music this year, but my favorite of the year was Deep Purple's "Now What"

 

I also liked the Winery Dogs' album, and "Filthy Empire" by Heaven's Basement.

 

Oh, and "All Hell Breaks Loose" by Black Star Riders far exceeded my expectations, as did the "new" Queensryche.

 

Good call on Black Star Riders ...I forgot that one.

[Narps]

Did you start this thread to make me feel worse SM? :) :codger:

[Chronos]

I didn't hear much new music in 2013:

 

Ghost: Infestissumam.

Jess and the Ancient Ones: Astral Sabbat (EP)

Blood Ceremony: The Eldritch Dark

 

I'm pretty sure that's it. Besides the VT Remix, of course.