The top 5 rock albums of 2013

Rock music, contrary to popular belief, is not dead.  The world is changing and that extends to music as well.  Old rock conventions and standards that have been rehashed since the 90s will not be so interesting in this era.  Rock music--especially rock--has to change and adapt with the times. 

That is why mainstream is out, out in my opinion.  Though some mainstream acts have pushed out solid releases this year, it is the underground scene that has really stolen the show.  Our five best albums span between shoegaze (the best being considered nu-gaze), post-rock, and alternative/indie. 

Thankfully, 2013 has given us quite a few good to great albums from those subgenres.  So, without further ado, I present to you our list of the five best rock albums from 2013.

1. The Joy Formidable-Wolf's Law
This Welsh rock group has only released two full-length albums.  Their first was impressive in its own right.  With Wolf's Law, the band takes their sound to new heights and, by so doing, blow the doors off everything they have done in the past.  This is a rock album chock-full of catchy choruses and bridges tinged with deep echoes.  There is literally so much to this album that posting one track can hardly do it justice.  Check out a couple of great tracks below.

2. The History of Colour TV- Emerald Cures Chic Ills
Pure shoegaze is an art that dates back to the early 1990s.  Over time, bands have adapted that concept.  In addition to electronic and guitar loops, this German band incorporates dark, spaced-out melodies and a certain metal-like flair for noise.  This may sound like a lot to handle, but the package is masterfully put together.  This is a great album and every track has its place.  Check out the first single from Emerald Cures Chic Ills here.


3. Sigur Ros-Kveikur
Sigur Ros is one of those post rock bands that can't put out a sub-par release.  They have been doing it a long time and remain one of the best in the genre.  Kveikur represents a somewhat darker approach, which is more akin to what post-rock is believed to be: stretched out, apocalyptic song structures with dreary melodies and no vocals.  Although Sigur Ros does use vocals, the music remains very much post-rock.  This album is being hailed by many publications as one of the best albums of the year and it is no mystery why.  They are perhaps the best band in Iceland. Check out a great track below.

4. Spc-Eco-Sirens and Satellites
Nu-gaze music blended successfully with electronic sounds and crystal-clear vocals is a rare treat.  This British group puts it all together on Sirens and Satellites.  The band's signature sound of looped, reverb-laden guitars melded with electronic grooves is on full display here.  The best element may be the vocals.  Spc-Eco have certainly stepped up their game in that department.  Check out an outstanding track from their latest album here.


5. Monochromie-Enlighten Yourself While You Sleep
Ambient post-rock with crunching waves of static seem to the be the theme on French band Monochromie's new album.  This is a slight departure from their excellent debut.  Everything the debut album presented remains present on this album, while the quality is kicked up yet another notch.  This is outstanding production occasionally disguised as lo-fi buzz rock.  The most important qualifier I can mention is ambient.  Though the album is very much a post-rock release, its ambient grace elevates it above the crowd.  Check out a track below.


The list of great rock releases goes far beyond the top 5.  In no particular order, here are our 2013 honorable mentions:
Apricot Rail-Quarrels
David Bowie-The Next Day
The Cherry Wave-Blush
Edweena-Solar Days and Lunar Nights
Elara-Soundtrack for a Quiet Place
Funeral for a Friend-Conduit
Gargle & Bosques de mi Miente-Absence
Gespenst-The Bloodline
Kigo-So Lost Now, Chance, Closer (Hear My Voice), Guilt, and Some Other Place
Russian Circles-Memorial
SiJ-Daguerose
Sleeping Bear-Sleeping Bear
Sleepstream-A Waltz with the Seventh Crane
Syahmi Rawi-Odyssey
Venera 4-Deaf Hearts
Weekend-Jinx
Whatfunlifewas-Stumbling Towards Purgatory

As always, thanks for listening and Enjoy!

The History of Colour TV-Emerald...reveiw

I have been following these Berlin shoegazers since their EP 1-800-Badnite was released.  That was an incredibly strong EP with plenty of stirring moments mixed into its short two-song, ten-minute play time. 

Saint Marie Records has just released The History of Colour TV's brand new album to North American shores.  I knew the EP had me wanting more, but little did I know how much more.  "Emerald Cures Chic Ills" is not as straightforward as most shoegaze.  This is a overall a smooth listen flooded in distortion and loud reverb.  Borrowing traits from both psych-rock and post-rock, this band wastes no time concealing their intentions. 

The first two tracks are full on, in-your-face psych that are at times atonal, but at the same time mesmerizing.  Exactly how this band fills their music with such variety while keep a general overall theme is beyond me.  What makes this band special is that they are not content to rest on their laurels and produce consistent music.  They continually push themselves, experimenting and evolving their sound.  What "1-800-Badnite" was promised, "Emerald Cures Chic Ills" has delivered.  Both tracks from "Badnite" appear on this album.

What cannot be understated is that this band experiment and unload heavy amounts of both analogue and digital distortion.  This makes for an interesting and intense listen that at times can border on the extreme (as extreme as shoegaze music can be). 

When I first saw that this band would be releasing a full-length album I was excited.  The cover art is fantastic and only further made me want to purchase this album.  Needless to say, I have been awaiting the North American release of this album for some time.  It is everything I was expecting and more. 

Unfortunately, only three of the ten tracks on this release have been made available for streaming, but of course we've got them all here.  These three tracks perfectly showcase everything The History of Colour TV is capable of.  In short, this album rocks.  Get it and you will not be disappointed. Thanks for reading and enjoy!