Totally Unauthorized 2013 Mid Year Recap: Top 10 First Half Albums

With a series of smashing releases that pull from a wide spectrum of styles and genres, 2013 is shaping up to be a banner musical year. As each year seems to be getting better than the year before it, this era of music is beginning to stake its claim that it may be one of the all time best. Here are but a few of the best sounds on display through the year's first half:

10. Atoms for Peace - Amok

Thom Yorke has a clear sense of purpose, and this time he has friends to help him execute it. Yorke and producer Nigel Godrich's joy of concocting sublimely hypnotizing dancefloor electro-pop is almost equal to the bliss that comes from consuming it, resulting in a much more friendly and inviting offering than The King of Limbs. Flea and Joey Waronker provide an added emphasis on percussion and rhythm, giving Amok a fiercer bite.

9. Wayne Shorter - Without a Net

If you can make an album like this at age 80, hats off to you. The former saxophonist from the groundbreaking jazz fusion outfit The Weather Report still packs a punch, supported by one of the best backing bands in the business. Without a Net sees Shorter presenting a mind warping but a set of original tune and reinterpretations of old classics, along with a jaw dropping 23 minute collaboration with the Imani Winds quintet.

8. Deerhunter - Monomania

Very few people who would have guessed Deerhunter would release a grimy dive bar rock and rock and roll record in the year 2013. Even fewer would have expected them to pull it off well, yet here we stand with one of the year's best records, albeit in a dramatically different tone from the band's past offerings. Bradford Cox has come into his own as a magnetizing frontman, and the sound is presented with such an honest clarity and sense of humanity that one can't help but be caught up in the undertow.

7. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

Daft Punk's latest album feels like an event.  The French electronic duo have ditched house for a 1970s inspired funk/disco sound, and have brought along plenty of collaborators for the party. It's hard to decide which is more fulfilling: getting down with Pharrell and Panda Bear, or jamming out to stories of the olden days with famed producer Giovanni Giorgio. One thing is certain: Daft Punk's shindig doesn't sound like it's ending anytime soon.

6. Bad Religion - True North

When a song called "Fuck You" is one of the more mellow pieces on an album, you know you'd better hold on to your ass. They may be pushing 50, but Bad Religion's crackling intensity has lesser bands pushing up daisies. The lyrics are as socially conscious as ever, as Greg Graffin urges personal self development above all else. After a long wait, Bad Religion has finally made a record that can stand against their best work.

5. The Knife - Shaking the Habitual

It's hard to decide which is more en vogue in 2013 -  electronic duos releasing comeback albums, or electronic duos releasing albums somewhere around two hours in length. The Knife decided to do both. It's tough to say the entire opus is a gripping listen, it's a guarantee that The Knife's exotic vision never gets dull.  In an industry that thrives on the flow of new ideas, the importance of their work cannot be understated.

4. Savages - Silence Yourself

Before this album, I couldn't stand anything post-punk. This band forced my mind open. I'd have to dig deep to think of higher praise to give a band than that. This all-female outfit present their subject matter from a woman's vantage point, but do so with the straightforwardness of men. Jehnny Beth's impassioned shrieks combine with Gemma Thompson's razor edged guitar and Ayse Hassan's propulsive bass to forge one of the year's most explosive releases.

 3. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City

Pop music is often considered disposable, but Vampire Weekend doesn't see why it has to be that way. Modern Vampires of the City contains slick enough hooks to land most of its tracks on the radio, but there are deeper forces at work here. Nods toward religion, history, and death couple with fresh approaches to the band's songwriting to present an convincing argument that pop music is not only a respectable institution, but also a vital one.

2. Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork

It's said good things come to those who wait. Six years is no short interval, but Josh Homme and crew made it worthwhile by dropping this undeniable gem of an album. ...Like Clockwork widens the band's sonic footprint by masterfully presenting moody atmospheres, tripped out soundscapes, and smooth doses of Trent Reznor inspired sensuality. The fact that they manage to craft so many distinct styles so well makes this one of the can't miss albums of 2013.

1. Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused to Sing (and Other Stories)

Eclectic 1970s style prog freakouts. Basslines that burrow into your brain. Spacey, chilled out astral washes, Pink Floyd style. Demented King Crimson scales and battering ram drum work. Jazz fusion freakouts. Haunting flute and acoustic guitar combos, along blazing solos from guitar prodigy Guthrie Govan. It's all capped off by one of the most touching piano ballads in recent memory, and structured around the theme of supernatural ghost stories. And that's without even mentioning the genius mind of Steven Wilson pulling the strings like a master puppeteer. Best wishes to anyone putting out an album the rest of the year. The Raven That Refused to Sing (and Other Stories) sets the bar for music releases in 2013.

Totally Unauthorized 2013 2nd Quarter Playlist: April - June

Of all the quarterly reports, the midyear/summer one is always the toughest. April through June are typically the most fertile breeding for mindblowing music releases, and this year has proven that to be more true than most. After painstakingly narrowing it down, here is the best of the past three months.

TYLER, THE CREATOR - COWBOY

Tyler has grown and matured since his last album, and in the process his mood pieces have become even more impressive. "Cowboy" serves as a dual threat by offering a relaxed, chilled out hook and beat while contrasting that with Tyler's deep sense of personal and social tension.

BASSEKOU KOUYATE & NGONI BA - JAMA KO 

Here's a nice change of pace for you. Malian musician Bassekou Kouyate is skilled with the ngoni - a West African lute instrument. "Jama Ko" is full of political tension and dissension that has marred his homeland, but is also brought to life by rich African harmonies and intricate yet electrifying sound from Kouyate's strings.

THE KNIFE - FULL OF FIRE

No doubt one of the most insane songs of the year, "Full of Fire" is a masterwork that explores nearly every area of electronica conceivable. It's filled with primal, instinctive jungle beats, passionate sexual tension, and distorted vocals stretched to the breaking point. And that barely begins to scratch the surface.

DEERHUNTER - PENSACOLA

Few would have predicted dreamy shoegaze heroes Deerhunter would have started pumping out dive bar music, and even fewer would have guessed they would do it this well. The guitars and drums are dirty, grimy, and totally captivating, while Bradford Cox's hazy storytelling method will leave you spellbound.

SAVAGES - SHUT UP

Post punk revivalists Savages sound like a powder keg under extreme pressure throughout this song. Vocalist Jehnny Beth resurrects the image of a defiant and empowered rock and roll vocalist in stunning fashion, while Gemma Thomspon's guitar strains pierce your consciousness like shards of broken glass.

DAFT PUNK - GET LUCKY

The definitive song of summer for many, Pharrell's blazing collaboration with this French pop electronic duo had fans salivating. The long awaited return of Daft Punk was headlined by this tune, which features a supersize dose of sensuality, smooth falsetto vocal, and a heavy helping of Daft Punk's funky disco vibes.

DARK TRANQUILITY - THE SCIENCE OF NOISE

The original wave of Gothenberg melodic metal bands have been dropping like flies, so it's nice to see that at least Dark Tranquility is still putting out quality content. "The Science of Noise" is melodic metal at its best, combining winding leads with catchy, driving hooks and rhythms.

LAURA MARLING - MASTER HUNTER

Many people think of folk music as something mellow, but Laura Marling shows that intensity can crackle with nothing more than her voice and an acoustic guitar. The dizzying guitar work grabs your attention, giving Marling the chance to assert her claim as a dynamic force to be reckoned with.

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE - I SAT BY THE OCEAN

Queens of the Stone Age have one of the best comeback stories in recent memory, and this cut is easily among the most compelling of their new material. Grooving rock and roll riffs combine with Josh Homme's heady wordplay to create one of the most footstomping sing alongs of the year thus far. 

PORTUGAL. THE MAN - CREEP IN A T-SHIRT

Funky psychedelic rockers Portugal. the Man strike back in a big way. John Gourley's high falsetto may remind some of Dan Auerbach, but the musical backdrops are far more varied. "Creep in a T-Shirt" boasts driving piano, a big brassy sound, and lilting melodies that will burrow their way into your brain.

BOARDS OF CANADA - REACH FOR THE DEAD

 With 2013 serving as the year of comebacks, this Scottish electronic duo couldn't allow themselves to be outdone. They're capable of covering many different emotional planes, but "Reach for the Dead" aims for a more blissful and serene type of vibe. It's the perfect type of sound for chilling out and vegging out.

KANYE WEST - NEW SLAVES

Kanye reinvents himself on each successive release, but now he's gone somewhere far beyond what anyone could have imagined. Aphex Twin couldn't imagine beats this dense and foreboding in his worst nightmare, while Kanye himself unleashes a unprecedented torrent of anger over racial and economic inequality.

 

RUN THE JEWELS FEAT. BIG BOI - BANANA CLIPPER

When three of the most explosive emcees of the year converge on a single track, you should expect things are going to get heady. This collaborative project between Killer Mike and El-P features lots of braggadocio and repping of Atlanta, while Big Boi steps in with his smooth delivery to provide a little contrast.

Deerhunter deftly avoids a one track state of mind on Monomania

Atlanta indie rockers Deerhunter have reached the apex of an arc they have traveled since the beginning of their career. Each subsequent release has trended toward cleaning up their sound and crafting shorter, more tightly constructed tunes, which culminated with their breakout 2010 effort, Halcyon Digest. So after riding that rail as far as it can go, what's next?

There is the temptation to pull an Animal Collective, who veered sharply back toward their old school sound on the followup to their watershed album Merriweather Post Pavilion. But Deerhunter's response has been far more intricate. Their new album, Monomania, maintains the sharp focus demonstrated on Halcyon Digest while confidently displaying a messier, less frilly, and more free spirited sound. The result is a record that's much more challenging than its predecessor, and ultimately more rewarding.

Frontman Bradford Cox has drawn from some new influences to give rise to an abrasive, rough around the edges sound. As he attested in a Pitchfork feature article, Monomania draws inspiration from the likes of Hank Williams, John Lee Hooker, and Bo Diddley. If you're a fan of those artists but don't have much background with Deerhunter you likely won't see much resemblance. However, looking at it through Deerhunter lenses reveals a much more swashbuckling and swaggering sound than we've seen from this band thus yet. More than ever Cox is becoming a lightning rod as frontman, and is proving to be a fascinating one at that. On several songs here he fashions himself as a transient figure -- a wandering vagabond who is caught in the moment of not knowing what he wants to do, but knows he hasn't found it yet.

This manifests itself best in Monomania's traveling songs, the most enamoring of which is "Pensacola." The song, about hopping a bus to Pensacola, boasts a southern rock vibe with its crunching, rollicking guitar riff. Cox certainly comes across as down on his luck: among his problems is the fact that his woman just ran off with another nan, and with nothing particularly holding him down he's just looking to move on. The theme continues on the next track, "Dream Captain." Once again he seems pretty bummed out, mentioning that he has no one to take care of him. So he urges the ship captain to take him away. He realizes the stark nature of his situation while still hoping for the future, wondering if he can find his place on board the deck of the company ship.

Most convincingly, the band even prove they are capable of conjuring this sense of desolation without always riding the woe is me vibe. Album opener "Neon Junkyard" sounds like a postcard sent from the edge of nowhere; with its dusty desolate backdrop, it's not hard to imagine Cox wading through a wasteland of bright lights and faded streetsigns.

At times, the band pushes their sonic intensity even farther up the Richter scale. "Leather Jacket II" is bolstered by an instantly recognizable wailing guitar riff. Cox's indiscernible vocal fades in and out of the muddled mix like a broken transistor radio, while guitarist Lockett Pundt lights it up with a headbanging riff that demonstrates a bonafide sense of groove. But even that can't hold a candle to the album's title track, easily the craziest song in the set. It builds up briskly, exploding in a churning maelstrom as Cox repeatedly shouts the song's title phrase over an inferno of fuzz, clashing guitars, and tortured shrieking solos. It ends with the distant ragged buzzing of a weedeater motor.

Then, of course, there are the more subdued, shoegazey pieces that Deerhunter are well known for. Tracks like "The Missing" and "T.H.M." are mellow dream coated pieces that easily could have fit on Halcyon Digest or perhaps Microcastle. "Sleepwalking," in particular, displays a hypnotizing Interpol inspired closing coda, something that could also be said about "Desire Lines" from Halcyon Digest. These songs are well done and capture the spirit of what Deerhunter have been doing for a long time, but they are typically the most straightforward of the selections here and therefore the least interesting.

Already one of the more unique bands inhabiting the blogoverse, Deerhunter have proven they had only begun to push the limits of their intoxicating sound. Monomania contains their most nuanced, fertile, and mature writing to date. Most encouraging, they pull off the tricky task of staying true to their roots without floating in the nebulous broth that dragged down their early material. As far as Cox goes, he's made a stunning transition following his string of solo/Atlas Sound records; his voice was once a small brick in their wall of hazy sound, and now he has emerged as a dynamic and relatable frontman. The themes of travel, transience, and being down on your luck are sure to appeal to any young person living through a roughspun and ramshackle existence. No matter whether you're scraping by today or bear memories of doing it long ago, Cox and crew have concocted a brew that is soul affirming, and incredibly, incredibly affecting.

Score: 93/100
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Related Review: Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest 

Lockett Pundt stands on his own two feet with sophomore solo LP

I've made two critical mistakes since I began blogging here, both of them involving the same band. The first came when I had the chance to see Deerhunter, and instead elected to review a Fang Island concert.
The other was when I inadvertently passed up reviewing the Atlas Sound's Parallax record last year. Needless to say, I won't be repeating that mistake with Lotus Plaza's Spooky Action at a Distance, which serves the dual purpose of not only showing how stacked with talent Deerhunter's roster is, but also reminding us that we should probably count ourselves fortunate to be inhabiting the same planet as them.

Spooky Action at a Distance is the second solo effort from Lockett Pundt, better known as the guitarist for  shoegaze heroes Deerhunter. And generally the album's sound is not a huge departure from that of Deerhunter, though Pundt does sneak in a couple of personal influences from time to time. "Eveningness" and "Strangers" easily sound as if they could have been pulled from Deerhunter's latest record, Halcyon Digest. Both tracks highlight the dreamy hypnotic style that defined that album and nicely sum up Pundt's playstyle. There are also some pretty catchy hooks there, to boot.

One of Pundt's greatest talents is his ability to express ideas through sound. I don't mean simply expressing emotion. There are plenty of talented artists who can do that. What Pundt does is express tangible, concrete concepts using nothing more than sound. Take "Jet out of the Tundra," a song based on the principle of motion. This song makes me imagine sitting in the window seat of a bus and watching the trees and fields as they pass by.

Incidentally, that's almost the exact same way that Pundt himself described the feeling of the track in interviews. And he's able to get this message across using nothing more than chord progressions. Pundt has stated that the inspiration for the track came from constant din and shuffle of life on tour. It is actually rather reminiscent of the closing coda to Deerhunter's "Desire Lines," a song Pundt also wrote.

Furthering the similarity to Deerhunter is the fact that Pundt's voice is not too far off from Bradford Cox. His voice is a little deeper and flatter, but for the most party fairly interchangeable with Cox.

"White Galactic One" is anchored by the most swaggering and swashbuckling riff on the album, which sounds like something out of some kind of warped, alternate dimension shindig. Meanwhile, "Monoliths" gets straight to the point almost immediately, and is carried by one of the catchiest hooks on the album.

The album's finest moment comes perhaps with Black Buzz, a Lee Hazlewood inspired piece focusing on the dredges of mental addiction. It has a very smoky, western feel to it, and a healthy dose of reverb on the vocals. It's like you were listening to it in a haze filled room. The lyrics, which speak of the effort to kick drug addiction, are poetic and well done; Pundt explains well how easy it is to find yourself stuck in an unending cycle. "Once was becomes a never will," he notes.

Bradford Cox may be the driving force behind Deerhunter, but Pundt shows the band wouldn't be who they are without his signature dream like playing style. His debut solo LP, Floodlight Collective, buried his voice under a wall of fuzz and distortion, but Spooky Action at a Distance sees Pundt now beginning to find his way as an artist and performer. His vocals and lyrics are clearer, and the composition sounds much more well thought out. The result? It's not just noteworthy in comparison to Deerhunter's works. Spooky Action at a Distance proves it's a great record of its own accord.

Score: 92/100

Deerhunter delivers dreamy art pop with Halcyon Digest.

Genre: Indie Rock
4AD
Running Time: 46:03

Atlanta's Deerhunter has been making quite the name for themselves over the past several years. They generated shockwaves with 2008's Microcastle, but may have just had its finest moment yet with the recent release of their fourth LP, Halcyon Digest.

I'll admit, I had a hard time with this album at first. I saw Pitchfork giving it rave reviews, which drew my attention. But the vocals sounded strange and the music itself wasn't really doing anything for me.

Then I hopped on Youtube and listened to "Earthquake" and the melodies suddenly started to make sense. I was taken in by the fuzzy guitar/synthesizer sound that keeps fading in and out, like waves crashing on the sea.

This could be a somewhat challenging record for some listeners, because their sound is so unique. But this is what makes Halcyon Digest one of the greatest records of 2010.

Halcyon Digest is a very dreamy, spaced out record. But the use of melody is the main strength of the album; they're very mellow but haunting at the same time. I find it to be the perfect album to put on early in the morning when you just get out of bed and you're still trying to wake up.

I greatly admire the aesthetic of Halcyon Digest; it is a very atmospheric album. But it's also much more than that. Listen to the strums of the guitar in the opening of "Helicopter." They have a true pop sensibility to them. The rest of the song floats on at a midsummer night's pace; you can close your eyes and imagine floating in the ocean.

Bradford Cox's vocals are often awash in distortion, but this just adds to the dreamy effect of the album. Most of the tracks are pretty heavily melody driven. Every now and then you might find a really spacey track, but at their surface most of the songs are solid pop rock nuggets that stand on solid songwriting.

Two prime examples of this are "Don't Cry" and "Revival," which propels the album along after the bands comes back down from the sonic soundscape of "Earthquake."

Then you get "Sailing," which may be the sleepiest and most mellow moment on the album. But it's also utterly brilliant, and provides a nice change of pace from the two previous tracks.

Other highlights include "Desire Lines," which has a pretty extended outro that reminds me of Interpol. "Coronado" supplements its melody with a jazzy saxophone, which makes the track an instant standout.

The lyrics on this album are like short, moody, moving poems. "Revival" speaks of the jubilation of redemption, "Basement Scene" sees Cox struggling to deal with aging and death, and "Sailing" paints a portrait of desolation felt by someone who is all alone.

What defines this album, in the end, is the great sense of indie pop melody derived from the mind of Bradford Cox, along with the dreamy, sweet mellowness that gives Deerhunter its distinctive sound.

Score: 90/100