10 Records That I Deem Worthy: Pt 1 (10-6)

The past 363 days have shown a great wealth of mediocre art. As is often the case with music, the majority of the mainstream is streamlined to the point of absurdity. Familiar hooks, shallow themes, and predictable instrumentation riddled the radio. A large part of the so called "indie" music scene did not fair better. More often than not, we would hear a band hyped on the internet, to the point where it became impossible to come close to living up to the created expectations. More often than not, we became witness to try-hard wannabes who just did exactly what could be expected of them. 

The Following list includes records that I thought achieved their intended goal in an excellent way. 

10. CRUSADES - Perhaps You Deliver This Judgement With Greather Fear Than I Receive It

     Crusades has been a band that has flown under my radar for quite a while now, but I never took the time to check them out. I had often seen their dark images filled with Satanic imagery on ratty black shirts at punk shows, so when I finally gave them a listen, I was quite surprised with what I heard. While I anticipated a dark and moody post punk band in the vein of Savages or the punk-goth vein of 45 Grave, what I heard was shockingly digestible. With soulful melodies and a strong/clean voice, this band hit the spot. While every band is trying to imitate the gruff blue collar punk of Hot Water Music or the Springsteen influenced rock of Gaslight Anthem, Crusades take in influences from some of the best Fat Wreck bands of the last 15 years. While their singer reminds me strongly of Tim from Rise Against, I can hear hints of the metal riffing of Today's Empire.. era Propagandhi, and even occasional duel guitar leads that bring to mind the best parts of early 2000s metalcore. Lyrically, the record focuses on classical atheist philosopher Giordano Bruno, who helped bring in secular humanism into art and poetry. Check it out if you dig Alkaline Trio, Propagandhi, or inverted crosses


9. Nails- Abandon All Life

      Speaking of inverting crosses, this has to be the most sonically punishing record I've heard this year.
While their previous record had perhaps more Powerviolence influence, this record brings in a strong blend of Death Metal, Grind, and Hardcore. Upon the first notes on the record, I found myself instantly head banging and cranking the music as lot as my flimsy car speakers could go. With guitar riffs that pack the punch of classic Florida Death Metal, and vocals that alternate between gutteral screeches and Hardcore style barking, this is THE record to commit (or want to commit) random acts of violence on your immediate surroundings.


8. Superchunk- I Hate Music

     With bands like Arcade Fire or Vampire Weekend topping the charts, its often hard to believe that there was a time when "Indie-Rock" actually ROCKED. While 2013 has shown a continued interest in 90s nostalgia, you need look no further than North Carolina's Superchunk for the real deal. With twangy guitars and incredible hooks and harmonies, I Hate Music reminded me why I'm so sick of hearing so called "Indie kids" or hipsters, or whatever the hell we all the cool kids these days,  harping about how fantastic -insert beloved pitchfork band here- are. Much like the Dinosaur Jr's record in 2012, Superchunk, while not having reinvented the wheel, have brought a much needed guitar crunch that college kids should consider looking into.


7. Tegan and Sara- Heartthrob

    Tegan and Sara ditched the guitars and melodrama in 2013 in favor of a sleek, highly processed, sound that brings to mind the dawning of MTV, and all the classic pop music it spawned. While I am often critical of the music riding the charts, I am a big fan of genuine pop music that is neither sleazy nor simple. Tegan and Sara hit the ball out of the park on this record because you can clearly see what their intention was with Heartthrob, and that they achieved it perfectly. Songs like "Goodbye, Goodbye" bring to mind 80's tween idols like Cyndi Lauper who had songs that were both clever and highly relate-able, with hooks that will stick in your head in the best way possible. This is a record that is void of pretense, and filled to the brim with synths and bouncy hooks that will have you dancing in your bedroom into 2014.


6. The Front Bottoms- Talon of the Hawk

     To quote Best Coast, there is just something about the summer. This record takes me back to high school; after sitting in a cramped classroom or cubicle for months and months, you finally get the chance to feel the sun on your face and not care about anything but having fun for the next 3 months. The Front Bottoms have written the record that I wish I had when I was in high school, being 17 and spending the summer nights drinking a beer or two and going to punk shows every night, and than the next morning rolling out of bed at noon, meeting up with your best friends, and doing it all again. "Skeleton" proved to be one of my favorite singles of the year, driving around town and singing along with my jackass buddies. Much like with the Tegan and Sara record, this is an album that had a goal and hit the target perfectly. The lyrics of Talon of the Hawk are both straight forward, fun, and clever. While I found the lyrics and vocals at first laughable, it was not long before I found myself blasting this record and singing at the top of my lungs, feeling the hooks burn through me as if I had written them myself. This music sounds like it could have been written by the group of guys that you see working at local coffee shops or gas station, who seem both interesting yet approachable, with supposedly no care in the world. The additional instrumentation of the keyboards and brass adds texture and a mood that is both exuberant and introspective. This record is not for the cynical or the "too cool for school" crowd. You can expect to see the Front Bottoms blowing up even more with their next release.
     

Stay tuned to see what I think are 5 of the best records of the year. Some of which are aggressive, some are poppy, some are experimental, and all of which are incredible.

-MK