2013 Recap: Maddy's Top Albums

   
     With all the great albums released this year, it's hard to even listen to them all, let alone rank them.  However, after lots of time and effort, I've compiled a list of my favorite albums of 2013.  While some are a solid and welcomed addition to a band's discography, others are classics-in-the-making with each listen increasing their chance of being one of my favorite albums of the decade.  Feel free to comment with what you agree with, what you don't, or which albums you think should've made this list.  Thanks to Craig's great idea: if you haven't heard of an album listed below, check out the my favorite songs listed which can also be found in the Spotify playlist at the bottom of this article.  Finally, here it is. The great music of 2013 in a nutshell:

Honorable Mentions: Stray from the Path- Anonymous, Have Mercy- The Earth Pushed Back, Lydia- Devil, Anthony Green- Young Legs, Tallhart- We are the Same

20. twenty|one|pilots- Vessel: Twenty|one|pilots cracked the code in writing music that takes what is great in multiple genres and making into cohesive material. With poppy choruses, rapped verses, dance beats, and screaming bridges, it seems as though the Ohio duo covered all their bases without any single element getting lost.  2013 brought these guys an explosion of popularity and recognition for their unique sound, which is well-deserved.  

• Key Songs: "Car Radio"; "Holding on to You"

19. A Day to Remember- Common Courtesy: In any ordinary situation, A Day to Remember would've had a tough time making an album that I would deem "okay," let alone "good."  Add in the a long and bitter legal battle with Victory Records and this record should have been the band's last stitch mess to finally just give us new material, especially after releasing the first single almost a year before Common Courtesy's debut.  But in one final plot twist in this album's dramatic story, ADTR actually came out with a career-saving album that proves they are capable overcoming even the most treacherous of obstacles.  

• Key Songs: "City of Ocala"; "Sometimes You're the Hammer, Sometimes You're the Nail"

18. Citizen- Youth: In a very similar genre as Balance and Composure, Citizen had a lot to compete with.  However, they came out swinging, giving fans the second album in the past two years.  Comparing 2013's Youth to 2012's Young States, the learning curve is ever apparent as they finally figured out their gritty sound and biting lyrics that first album couldn't quite accomplish.  Citizen is definitely improving and making a name for themselves.  Give it some time and a big tour (like The Wonder Years tour that they'll be on this Spring), this band is one to keep an eye on.

• Key Songs: "Roam the Room"; "The Night I Drove Alone"

17. Senses Fail- Renancer: Although Senses Fail did not necessarily need to reinvent themselves, Renancer makes me glad they did.  The overall heaviest album to date, this release serves as a reminder that this band still kills it even 10 years after From the Depths of Dreams.  While the sound might be heavier, the lyrics take a turn towards hope and life, an overall theme not typically associated with Senses Fail.  If that's not enough for you, Buddy Nielsen takes it a step further with the first single "Mi Amor," with the verse's vocals in Spanish. Renancer is a breathe of fresh air for Senses Fail fans, although not particularly needed but certainly appreciated.

• Key Songs: "The Path"; "Renancer"

16. The World is a Beautiful Place- Whenever, if Ever: I've been a fan of The World Is since their 2011 release Are Here to Help.  So when this highly anticipated album leaked months early, I was extremely concerned about how it would be received when officially released and whether or not it would be able to generate buzz.  However, all my worries subsided when the band and album alike got great reviews and feedback.  This album, reminiscent of the angriest of Bright Eyes' songs, attacks society's expectations and the human condition while highlighting flaw and emotion, making it apparent that both are acceptable things to have, despite others' opinions on such.

• Key Songs: "The Layers of Skin we Drag Around"; "Getting Sodas"

15. Listener- Time is a Machine: With the spoken word genre continuing to gain popularity, Listener vocalist Dan Smith remains an icon for aspiring lyricists.  Although this album does not meet up to the emotional intensity of the 2009 release Wooden Heart, Time is a Machine highlights the instrumental capabilities of the band in songs such as "Not Today" and "I Think it's Called Survival" that other albums lacked.  Overall, this album's sound is much fuller compared to their past releases, complimenting Smith's raw southern accent as opposed to being simply background noise.  With this newfound combination of building drums and guitars with the expected introspective lyrics on all things dealing with the heart and mind, Listener did not disappoint.

• Key Songs: "There are Wrecking Balls Inside Us"; "Good News First"
• This album isn't on Spotify but you can listen/ buy it here!

14. Dance Gavin Dance- Acceptance Speech: With a turbulent past with the cancer that is Johnny Craig as well as a rotating line-up that could never seem to solidify, the future of Dance Gavin Dance seemed grim.  However, the introduction of ex-Tides of Man vocalist Tilian Pearson gave new life to their dwindling career, reminding us of the talent this band hasn't been able to tap into in recent years.  Pearson's clean vocals compliment the vocals of Jon Mess so well that it's almost upsetting that Pearson only signed up to do this one album with DGD.  Therefore, once again, the future is unknown for this band.  For now, however, we can appreciate the revival of Dance Gavin Dance's career.

• Key Songs: "Acceptance Speech"; "Strawberry Swisher pt. 3"

13. The Story So Far- What You Don't See: When this album first came out, I was so disappointed and thought this would be the let down of the year.  Turns out, it was the most played album in my iTunes library this year and Transit released Young New England; it's safe to say I got a couple things wrong.  After sitting down and really listening to this album, the great aspects became much more prevalent.  This album might not have the overt angst of Under Soil and Dirt but rather recognizes gaps in self-confidence and flaws in relationships. Lyrically, Parker Cannon graduated from the cutting one-liners to a more mature explanation in song.  While it might not be the guilty pleasure that their first LP was, this release shows growth and flexibility as The Story So Far takes the pop-punk scene by storm.

• Key Songs: "Things I Can't Change"; "Stifled"

12. The Devil Wears Prada- 8:18: The Devil Wears Prada has built on every release, each one better than its predecessor, making so much progress that they won't even touch the first two LPs when playing live.  8:18 is a culmination of the strides TDWP has taken to continue changing and improving even after the success of their last two full-lengths. It seems to be common practice for metalcore bands to release a few albums that sound very similar and then slowly fade into the background.  However, the ever-evolving TDWP continues to stay relevant as 8:18 incorporates punk and screamo influences to reinvent their dark metalcore sound while others in the genre stay complacent.

• Key Songs: "8:18"; "Martyrs"

11. Moving Mountains- Moving Mountains: One of the more mellow on my list, it is bittersweet that Moving Mountains announced the indefinite hiatus after releasing such a moving album.  On one hand, we will always remember Moving Mountains as an innovative band that continuously reinventing their sound without losing their roots.  Yet, I can't help but wish we were getting another album since this one is just so good. Goodbye, Moving Mountains.  Thanks for everything.

• Key Songs: "Swing Set"; "Eastern Leaves" 

10. Touche Amore- Is Survived By. . . : Simply put, this album was exactly what Touche Amore needed.  While Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me put the band on the map and made them a post-hardcore fan favorite, the song-writing was not quite up to pare with other up-and-comers.  It seemed like every critique of that album was addressed and fixed for this one while not compromising the witty lyrics of  Jeremy Bolm.  With some songs surpassing the 3-minute mark and  building to tell a story instead hitting you with one line here or there, Touche Amore figured out what set them a part from other post-hardcore bands and ripped it into pieces.  If this is the difference two years makes in song-writing and album development, these guys have a ton of potential up their sleeves.

• Key Songs: "DNA"; "Is Survived By"

 9.  Silverstein- This is How the Wind Shifts: For an album that I wasn't particularly excited for, this was a pleasant surprise.  After the release of Discovering the Waterfront in 2005, a staple album for any post-hardcore fan, Silverstein failed to impress with several lackluster albums.  However, it was in 2013 that Silverstein got their act together to create yet another incredible post-hardcore album to remind us why we fell in love with them in the first place.  Dropping the poppy and cheesy melodies for their old edgier sound, the band refused to stay in the funk the last couple years has brought them.

• Key Songs: "Massachusetts"; "In a Place of Solace"

 8.  Jimmy Eat World: Damaged: A very solid addition to Jimmy Eat World's discography, Damaged left many fans content after waiting a couple years for a new album.  While it might not be as influential as Futures, the band still displayed the straight forward lyrics and melodies that illustrate the pains and thoughts that accompany any breakup.  However, in a scene with many teens and young adults taking over, it's almost a breath of fresh air to get the adult perspective of a breakup, with wisdom and maturity that this music often lacks.

• Key Songs: "I Will Steal You Back"; "Appreciation"

7.  letlive.- The Blackest Beautiful: The biggest complaint I've heard about this album is the production quality.  But hey, rock and roll, dude. In a time where bands pumps tons of money into production just to create a clear-sounding crappy album, I appreciate albums like these- with all the energy put into great music by a great band.  To combat any complaints about the overall quality of the sound, just see these guys live and you won't have anything to say about it.  Extremely dynamic and bursting at the seams with energy, they had the best set at Warped Tour this year, with Jason Aalon Butler ending up in a tree by the middle of the set.

• Key Songs: "Banshee-Ghost Frame"; "That Fear Fever"

6.  The Front Bottoms- Talon of the Hawk: As one of my most anticipated of the year, The Front Bottoms somehow exceeded expectation.  Without losing the quirkiness of the self-titled album, the band upgraded to a fuller sound that brought their songs to the next level.   Vocalist Brian Sella and drummer Matt Uychich keep the energy up while still addressing heavy topics, exemplified in "Lonestar" which addresses an unplanned pregnancy.  The growth of The Front Bottoms is just as apparent live.  In just a short year, they've sold out several venues during what seems like constant touring, controlling the stage and playing one of the most entertaining sets I've ever seen, playing almost their entire discography in a two hour set.  2013 was very good to The Front Bottoms and from the looks of it, 2014 will be even better.

• Key Songs: "Twin-Sized Mattress"; "Funny You Should Ask"

5.  Defeater- Letters Home: This is hands-down the best hardcore album of the year and it's not even close.  It really bums me out that this album did not get as much attention as it should have but it's time to give credit where credit is due.  Letters Home follows a family during World War II and as the title suggests, is centered around letters and post-cards between family members.  Although Defeater does an excellent job of making the album a unified story, vocalist Derek Archambault hits hard with catchy one-liners that will stay in your head for days, such as the hook in the album opener "Bastards," saying "And still all I see is the bastard in me." The rest of the album follows suite as the dark lyrics with heavy-hitting instrumentals that will knock the wind out of you.  If you are like many and have overlooked the album or simply forgot to listen to it, I wouldn't wait any longer.  It is no easy task to create an album better than Empty Days and Sleepless Nights but somehow, Defeater continues to progress and outdo themselves.

• Key Songs: "Bastards"; "Hopeless Again" (really just listen to the entire thing)

4.  The Dangerous Summer- Golden Record: The Dangerous Summer is something special, mostly because they've yet to write an album that I haven't wholeheartedly loved.  At Keep Calm and Carry On, we rank the three TDS albums from best to third best because we refuse to label any of their albums as the "worst album."  The band has found the secret to write catchy music with substance through instrumentals that compliment the building lyrics that tear the heart apart.

• Key Songs: "Catholic Girls"; "Into the Comfort"

3.  The Wonder Years- The Greatest Generation: From a band that created Suburbia, also known as one of the best pop-punk albums written to date, I'm not sure anyone expected The Wonder Years to write an album that could match it, let alone write an album that's better.  But 2013 was a wacky year and they did just that.  As the band grows up, so do the albums as TWY gives us the third chapter of their book on tackling adulthood.  Addressing issues from teen parenting ("Teenage Parents") to loved ones with illness ("Dismantling Summer") to dealing with life itself ("A Raindance in Traffic"), this album focuses on problems bigger than teen angst and the stereotypical pop-punk struggle of trying to leave this town.  With their original fan base growing up as well, this could not come at a better time to hold on to old fans while grabbing the attention of new fans as well.  This album proves The Wonder Years matured from a group of pop-punk teenagers with small town problems to adults who view the troubled world with a keen eye, giving words to situations that leave most speechless.

• Key Songs: "There, There"; "Dismantling Summer"

2.  Balance and Composure- Things We Think We're Missing: Through reading other's Top Albums of 2013 lists, there seems to be a general consensus: no one knows why they like Balance and Composure so much but they just do and they don't fight it. The grunge influences and lingering melodies of B&C were perfected in this album, filling in the gaps in cohesive sound present in Separation. Upon the initial listen, I actually got goosebumps as this album really hits you in the gut, although I still cannot clearly explain why.  It's an absolutely stellar album by a band that is making strides to be one of the best in the scene.

• Key Songs: "Reflection"; "Notice Me"

1.  Fall Out Boy- Save Rock and Roll: With a reunion and an amazing album, 2013 was the year of Fall Out Boy.  The album was extravagant to say the least, from the big instrumentals to over-the-top guest appearances (Elton John, seriously?!).  While it may not be solely a rock album, this is one of the best pop-influenced albums released in this decade. Opening the album with “The Phoenix,” featuring dramatic strings and drums, this anthem starts this comeback with a bang and had left us hitting the tables and screaming the lyrics in the station on numerous occasions.  From there on, the album exceeds expectations as FOB demonstrates their artistic flexibility and possibility, touching on several different sounds without missing the mark.  It’s obvious the band has evolved with the times as seen with the hip-hop influences and Big Sean feature in “The Mighty Fall” while “Young Volcanos” brings out the acousticy-pop sound Train has been trying to figure out for years.  Of course, the album closes with the mother of all songs “Save Rock and Roll,” accentuating Patrick Stump’s beautiful lyrics and vocals, not to mention the one and only Elton John is featured on this track.  They aren’t legends for nothing.  While it might not be another “Take this to your Grave,” Fall Out Boy has outdone themselves, keeping things interesting, relevant, and as extraordinary as ever.

• Key Songs: "The Phoenix"; "Where did the Party Go"

2013 Recap: Craig's Top Albums

Here we are at the end of 2013, which means it is time for another annual compilation of my favorite records I listened to this year. This year features one of the strongest crops of Album of the Year contenders I can remember, and as such I had a really difficult time putting my list together. If your favorite record isn't represented here be sure to tell me why and try to convince me to give it another shot, or give it a shot for the first time. I can't possibly listen to every album that comes out in a year so I may possibly have missed it. For those readers who want to check out an album I talk about below, but don't have time or energy to listen to the each of the records, I have provided key tracks for each album. These key tracks are represented in the handy Spotify widget below, where you can give each album a quick two song preview. Enjoy!

Best of the Rest

30. Alcoa- Bone and Marrow
29. Saves The Day- Saves The Day

28. Citizen- Youth

27. The Neighbourhood- I Love You

26. Tegan and Sara- Heartthrob

25. The Story So Far- What You Don't See

24. The World Is a Beautiful Place and I am No Longer Afraid To Die- Whenever, If Ever 

23. The National- Trouble Will Find Me

22. Touche Amore- ...Is Survived By

21. Senses Fail- Renacer

The Top 20:

20. AFI- Burials

In the four years since AFI released Crash Love, an uneven but promising experiment that attempted to answer the question, "What would an AFI album sound like if it ventured even more into mainstream rock?" the band returned with the aptly-titled Burials, a dark, occasionally ambient, occasionally in-your-face record, that has the band sounding downright pissed off. The lead single "I Hope You Suffer" is vintage, angry AFI, while 17 Crimes wouldn't be out-of-place on the band's breakthrough album Sing the Sorrow.

Key Tracks: "I Hope You Suffer", "17 Crimes"

19. Vampire Weekend- Modern Vampires in the City 

The indie darlings Vampire Weekend released their third full-length album, Modern Vampires in The City, and it's the first of their albums that has taken me by the throat and made me care deeply. While I found the band's first two albums a little too scatter-shot and unfocused to catch on with me, Modern Vampires seems to take the band's already great songwriting and refine it to perfectly mesh with vocalist Ezra Koenig's unique lyrical perspective.

Key Tracks: "Hannah Hunt", "Diane Young"

18. Kanye West- Yeezus 

In a year where many hip-hop albums were very impressive, this was by far the very best of them all. The production is top-notch, as one of the world’s top producers enlists an A-list crew of producers including Rick Rubin, Daft Punk (who truly ruled the music world this year), and frequent collaborator Hudson Mohawke. Kanye’s wild, sometimes unfocused ramblings may not be the best of his career, but his perspective on racial relations is wildly interesting to track over the course of Yeezus’ running time, from the high octane “On Sight” to the Nina Simone-sampling “Blood on the Leaves.”

Key Tracks: "Black Skinhead", "Blood On The Leaves"

17. Hands Like Houses- Unimagine
Saosin fans take note: Hands Like Houses may be your new favorite band while you wait for that next Saosin album that’s never coming. Rise Records continues its hot streak over the past two years, as Hands Like Houses shows tremendous growth on their sophomore release.  To continue the Saosin comparisons, the band seems equally adept at “Sleepers”-like driving post-hardcore (See the devastating “Introduced Species”) as they are emo ballads like “You’re Not Alone” (the stunning album closer “Fire on a Hill”).

Key Tracks: "Introduced Species", "Weight"

16. Bastille- Bad Blood
This maybe looked back on in a few years as the album I put way too low on here.  The arena-ready indie rock (as my co-host Donald Wagenblast has termed it) follows in the footsteps of Imagine Dragons and AWOLnation on the path to mainstream success. But the band retains a unique sound and tremendous vocal harmonies on the way to one of the best pop releases of the year.

Key Tracks: "Pompeii", "Laura Palmer"

15. Paramore- Paramore

All year, I have been inundated with people telling me how bad the new Paramore album is, but I don’t give a damn. This is an album, though inconsistent, full of some of the most powerful, and well-written pop-rock songs of Paramore’s career. Sure, it is basically a glorified Hayley Williams solo album, but to me there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. She has never sounded better in her career than she does on the bridge of “Still into You,” while the riotous “Ain’t It Fun” is a giant send-off the Farro Brothers-era of the band in the most tongue-in-cheek way.

Key Tracks: "Still Into You", "Daydreaming"

14. The Dangerous Summer- Golden Record 

The third-best album by a band that has three albums, but notice that I didn’t say “worst” album. Golden Record is still a tour-de-force in emotional songwriting, vocalist AJ Perdomo puts together a heart- and throat-shredding vocal performance, and there are still those defining climactic moments which make for such great sing-alongs (See “the chorus right after the big, drum fill in “Miles Apart” for one particular moment.) 

Key Tracks: "Catholic Girls", "Knives"

13. Lydia- Devil 

Those readers who read my favorite albums of all-time feature know the potential this band has for creating an album that hits me in a particular way. Devil is not that album, and Lydia may well never come close to achieving that same potential again. But it is the second best album by Lydia, and that is, in this particular case, good enough. The album is carried by the powerhouse voice of Leighton Antelman, which can make even the most droll musicianship seem evocative and emotionally-gripping (see his other band The Cinema for reference.) Devil luckily combines this vocal prowess with a refreshed lyrical approach. Whereas the band’s last two releases have gotten stale overtime, Devil proves itself to be a grower.

Key Tracks: "Knee Deep", "Devil"

12. Cartel- Collider

Cartel proved on Chroma that a pop-rock band that new exactly what it wanted to be could find success without interference from outside parties. Their subsequent release, a self-titled album, was tarnished by a massive major label budget and the tampering of one Dr. Pepper-sponsored bubble. But 2013 gave us a marvelous thing, a Cartel album free from expectation. And boy did it deliver. Collider is pure pop-rock gold. Hopefully, this is the album that revitalizes Cartel’s fading career, although initial sales projections do not seem to indicate such a resurgence.  If this is the last album we get from Cartel, then Collider is a damn good way to go out. 

Key Tracks: "Uninspired", "Sympathy" (*Collider not available on Spotify*)

11. Silverstein- This Is How The Wind Shifts 

Struggling band leaves label that only cares about them as a money-making entity instead of an artist, joins a label that allows the band to maintain their artistic vision and releases their best album in a number of years. Stop me if you’ve heard this script before. Though this very well could’ve been the tale of All Time Low’s 2012, instead it is their Hopeless Records labelmates Silverstein who return to form with the pseudo-concept album This is How The Wind Shifts, a dynamically heavy master stroke in lyrical storytelling.

Key Tracks: "Stand Amid The Roar", "Massachusetts"

10. A Day To Remember- Common Courtesy 

Speaking of bands who left Victory Records for greener pastures, here comes the surprise of the decade. A Day To Remember looked dead in the water, their single, debuting almost a full-year before the album, was an atrociously generic bungling of the band’s metalcore roots, the band was embroiled in a nasty legal dispute, and the release of the new album seemed inevitably distant on the horizon. Yet somehow, A Day To Remember found a way to release Common Courtesy- and what’s more, somehow it was really, really good. Not only does Common Courtesy build on the band’s previous three albums in almost every conceivable way, it keeps the band's momentum moving upwards- an idea no one thought possible before the album's improbable and sudden release. 

Key Tracks: "City of Ocala", "Sometimes You're The Hammer, Sometimes You're the Nail"

9. Balance and Composure- The Things We Think We're Missing

I’m not sure exactly what it is I love so much about Balance and Composure. It seems near impossible to explicate what it is that draws me to their music. Vocalist Jon Simmons doesn’t have the most objectively appealing or commanding voice, though his vocal delivery did improve drastically on this release. The musical backing is greatly indebted to the grunge stylings of Nirvana and other like-minded bands- yet here they are in 2013 having released their second eviscerating release in a little over two years. There doesn’t seem to be another band out there making music that I can connect to spiritually in the same way I do with Balance and Composure. They get me.

Key Tracks: "Reflection", "Tiny Raindrop"

8. Jimmy Eat World- Damage 

This may well be Jimmy Eat World’s most straightforward release in their history. It may not have the same spark that the band’s classic Clarity or fan favorite Futures have that make them connect with new audiences so many years later, but what it does have is a decidedly focused lyrical narrative. Jim Adkins described the record before its release as an “adult breakup record,” and that description proves stunningly accurate for the record's sub-38-minute run time (the shortest of their career). The band’s lyrical approach continues to be its greatest strength, balancing adeptly along the delicate tightrope that is writing about heartbreak.  

Key Tracks: "Damage", "I Will Steal You Back"

7. Letlive. The Blackest Beautiful

Initially, I had written a write-up for this album that included the line “If it wasn’t for the production issues, this could perhaps have been a top 5 release.” However, I have decided to completely expunge that line of thinking from my perception of this album. Yes, the production is muddled, yes the drums sound like they were recorded underwater, and yes, it is not as clean or “produced” as the band’s previous album Fake History. But the question I am now asking myself is, “Why would I want it to be?” Letlive. is not widely regarded as the most “tight” live band, but I would venture to say they are among the two or three most energetic and entertaining bands I have ever witnessed live. That same liveliness courses through the tracks on The Blackest Beautiful, and it is electrifying.

Key Tracks: "Banshee (Ghost Fame)", "White America's Beautiful Black Market"

6. Moving Mountains- Moving Mountains

In case you, dear reader, did not hear the news, Moving Mountains announced shortly after this album was released that they would be going on an indefinite hiatus.  Those who are long time viewers of the blog or long time listeners to the show know that Moving Mountains know they are among my favorite bands. It is with a heavy heart then that I write this album write up. But I, for one am thankful that we got one last release before the hiatus, however long it lasts. Their self-titled release is one that is worthy of carrying the band’s name as its title, as it is absolutely the definitive record to sum up the 8 year career of a band that was constantly innovating. It, in and of itself, charts the course of an evolution, an evolution from a band that was unsure of themselves and the band that they could be- one that would lean on their collective inspirations too heavily at times- into a band that was so self-assured that it eschewed all those inspirations in favor of a sound that is uniquely suited to them.

Key Tracks: "Eastern Leaves", "Swing Set"

5. twenty.one.pilots.- Vessel

On the second of three occasions that I saw twenty.one.pilots perform live this year, vocalist Tyler Joseph said a very peculiar thing on stage. He said, “Thanks for buying into these weird songs we make.” Joseph may have been speaking from the perspective of a self-aware artist, but he has a fair point. The music twenty.one.pilots makes defies classification. While it is undoubtedly a pop album, it also displays elements of dance, hip-hop, punk, screamo, emo and countless other genres. The deeply introspective lyrics would not be out of place on a Jimmy Eat World album, yet here they are on an album that also contains the lyrics “lean with it rock with it, when we gonna stop with it.” And somehow, even with all this contradiction and binaries, it all just works.The band successful eschews the ideology that all pop music must exist in a neatly defined box to find success, and I hope more bands follow suit.

Key Tracks: "Car Radio", "Holding On To You" 

4. The Wonder Years- The Greatest Generation

The best album by a band that once released my Album of the Year 2011, and it doesn’t even make the top 3? 2013 was rough like that. This is nothing against The Wonder Years, who crafted the most well-written pop-punk album since the genre’s heyday in the early 2000s (In fact, in a tweet, I believe I called it the greatest pop-punk album since Tell All Your Friends), it is just a simple testament to how strong the Album of the Year candidates were this year. On The Greatest Generation, an album that vocalist Dan Campbell has called the “third in a trilogy about growing up” the band takes on the difficult tasks of setting a bildungsroman to music, and do so in a way that would make even the master of the form, Charles Dickens, proud. Whether it is the understanding of parents doing anything they can to provide a child a better life than they themselves had (“Teenage Parents”,) or the difficulties associated with battling depression (“The Devil In My Bloodstream”), or even the simple inevitability of dealing with death and tragedy (“Dismantling Summer”), The Wonder Years convey the experience of the human condition in such visceral and acute detail that it’s a wonder they became musicians and not psychologists.

Key Tracks: "I Just Want To Sell Out My Funeral", "The Devil In My Bloodstream"

3. The Front Bottoms- Talon of the Hawk

I mistakenly failed to listen to The Front Bottoms debut full-length, a self-titled album released in 2011, until 2012, resulting in the album not being included in my countdown the year it came out. I would like to apologize for that mistake and offer this album write up as a sort of apology. However, little did I know that my love for The Front Bottoms would only grow with the release of their second full-length, Talon of the Hawk- an album that arguably contains the band’s two best song “Twin Size Mattress” and “Funny You Should Ask.” The band has always had a penchant for releasing catchy, quirky anthems (see the single on their first album, “Maps”), but on Talon of the Hawk they add to that quirk, adding an even deeper dimension of heart and sentiment to the at times chaotic nature of their lyrics. This isn’t the same band that released the self-titled two years ago, they have grown both in maturity and in number (the band has added two more members to their lineup), but all the same characteristics that made listeners, including myself, fall in love with The Front Bottoms in the first place are present on this release in spades. And if it continues to grow on me just as much as their first record has, I may one day regret putting Talon of the Hawk even this low on this list.  

Key Tracks: "Twin Size Mattress", "Funny You Should Ask"

2. Fall Out Boy- Save Rock and Roll 

Fall Out Boy wins reunions forever, end of discussion. But in all seriousness, who could possibly have seen this coming? February 4^th was the fateful day, and on that day they could’ve just announced a Take This To Your Grave tour/show and been done with it, but instead they came back with a bang. Three reunion shows right away (one which Don and I were lucky enough to attend), a full tour playing a selection of songs from their full discography, a new song, and most importantly and album announcement. That album was Save Rock and Roll, and it opened up the discussion of what Fall Out Boy’s best album is. Hopping from hip-hop influenced rock with arena flare, like “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark,” to campfire sing-along-esque tracks like “Young Volcanoes,” to poignant, piano-led ballads like the title track, Save Rock and Roll is a diverse and unique pop album from a band that has diverted further away from their pop-punk roots with each subsequent release, with great success. This is, in essence, a perfectly written pop-rock album. Yes, it doesn’t have the same straightforward “intensity” as the band’s debut, the aforementioned Take This To Your Grave,” but it replaces it with scathing lyrics hidden under pop-song exteriors, such as the biting gem hidden within the seemingly 80s style jocking “Miss Missing You”: “Sometimes before it gets better, the darkness gets bigger. The person that you’d take a bullet for is behind the trigger.” It is this toying with conflict and binaries that makes Save Rock and Roll so interesting to analyze, and what makes the album one of the year’s best albums.

Key Tracks: "The Phoenix", "Save Rock and Roll"

1. The 1975- The 1975

In a year full of surprises, a year in which Fall Out Boy not only reunited and toured, but released a new album, a year in which Cartel and Silverstein released their best albums in seven years, a year in which Relient K and Transit disappointed us all with surprisingly atrocious releases, while A Day To Remember did the reverse with their album, perhaps the biggest surprise of them all is how a little band from Manchester, England that I had never heard of before when 2013 kicked off ended up releasing my favorite album of the year. The band’s self-titled album is as good a debut as I’ve heard since I heard Moving Mountains’ Pneuma, or perhaps even earlier than that. Never has a band’s debut record struck me as so self-assured in vision and aesthetics as The 1975. Perhaps this is a product of the band’s extensive pre-the 1975 history (it has gone through several lineup and name changes in years past) or perhaps it is a product of their release history (with four EPs preceding this album release over the past two years), but The 1975 know exactly who they are, and they do what they do better than anyone else.

Key Tracks: "Sex", "Chocolate"