Well hi there. Miss us? No? Fair enough. Let’s great straight to the point – here’s the first instalment of our annual Christmas countdown.
50. Trips and Falls – The Inevitable Consequences of Your Stupid Behaviour
Cutting lyrics and shonky guitar pop from Song, by Toad’s American imports.
49. Russian Circles – Memorial
Blistering, intricate riffs from monstrous Chicagoan three piece.
48. RM Hubbert – Breaks and Bone
It might not linger as long in the memory as Thirteen Lost and Found, but this was a fine effort.
47. Sigur Rós – Kveikur
A supremely dark set from Iceland’s greatest ever band.
46. When the Saints Go Machine – Infinity Pool
Snyths aren’t just for dancing to, a static thousand yard stare is just as appropriate according to these dreamy Danes.
45. Daughter – If You Leave
One of the UK’s biggest breakout bands of the year. Hugely melodic but with a dark undercurrent.
44. Suuns – Images du Futur
Eclectic Canadians. Serrated guitars bled into throbbing electro throughout this intriguing record.
43. Yo La Tengo – Fade
Comfortably their best record in years, a real mishmash of styles.
42. Laura Marling – Once I Was An Eagle
Fast becoming England’s national treasure. Possibly her best album yet.
41. Sweet Baboo – Ships
Super-cute quirk-pop from Wales. This was about a billion times better than that sounds.
40. Franz Ferdinand – Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action
It was looking like their best days were behind them, but this was like the paddles off a crashcart for their career. *CLEAR!*
39. Joanna Gruesome – Weird Sister
Pun-tastic fuzz-pop. By no means original but a big bag of fun nonetheless.
38. The Besnard Lakes – Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO
Two-minutes cheery, hook-laden melo….. oh wait. Sorry, we meant barely penetrable, spacey epics. We get easily confused here.
37. Public Service Broadcasting – Inform-Educate-Entertain
Built nicely on the cut-up sounds of their debut EP with more samples and pounding drums on their debut proper.
36. Pictish Trail – Secret Sounds Vol 2
Tours with metal bands and a new label made this an interesting year for Johnny Lynch but this is where his 2013 began. Rather well, too.
35. And So I Watch You From Afar – All Hail Bright Futures
Derry’s post rock experimentalists found their inner sunshine on this lively rollercoaster of an album.
34. PVT – Homosapien
Dark, pulsing techno from down under bore fruition on a record that matched their previous best.
33. Conquering Animal Sound – On Floating Bodies
Where Kammerspiel could sounds a little flimsy in retrospect, this cranked up the bass to floor-shaking levels. A real progression.
32. My Bloody Valentine – m b v
Undoubtedly an ‘event’ release and it will surely be a grower. Not quite into classic territory just yet though.
31. The History of Apple Pie – Out of View
2013 was overflowing with scuzzy guitar pop, but this was a genuine treat, awash with cracking hooks.
30. Dutch Uncles – Out of Touch in the Wild
Manchester’s musical boffins found critical and commercial acclaim, and rightfully so with the fully formed follow-up to Cadenza.
29. Rick Redbeard – No Selfish Heart
Who needs the Phantom Band, eh? Rick Anthony’s name was writ large as one of Scotland’s leading troubadours with this gentle near-classic.
28. Steve Mason – Monkey Minds in the Devil’s Time
The Beta Band are now surely long-forgotten. Mason’s legacy now lies as much with his solo material than the divisive Fence pioneers.
27. Swearin’ – Surfin’ Strange
A fine follow-up to last year’s self-titled debut. Commercial success also looms in the slipstream of Waxahatchee – but let’s be clear, Allison Crutchfield doesn’t need her sister’s help to make fine records.
26. Future of the Left – How to Stop Your Brain in an Accident
The abrasive Welsh shit-stirrers surpassed themselves here. Nasties lurked alongside pop nous to create some hissing evil.
The Tidal Wave of Indifference 