"Best of Lists are for Pretentious Assholes" A.K.A. The Best of 2013

As our dreaded third annual "Best of" listed loomed closer. I decided to do something a little different by reaching out to some of my favorite musicians, artists, bloggers and record labels to see just what moved them in 2013. In reaching out I was hoping to get a wide array of lists from varied genres and styles. I had no idea just how diverse and varied they'd be. Nor did I have any expectations about the willingness and enthusiasm shown. Thanks to everyone who pitched in. I'll be tracking down a lot of the stuff I haven't, myself heard. Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to everyone. James Damion

James Damion - United By Rocket Science / Unite Fanzine / Damion Photo
Superchunk - I Hate Music
Savages - Silence Yourself
BoySetsFire - While A Nation Sleeps
Frank Turner - Tape Deck Heart
Sound City - Real to Reel
Red Hare - Nights to Midnight
The Front Bottoms - Talen of the Hawk
Eastern Anchors - Drunken Arts and Pure Science
Blast! - Blood
Thinning the Herd - Freedom From the Known
Cinema Cinema - 50 ft. Queenie EP

Reissues;
Unwound - Kid Is Gone (Box Set)
Dangerhouse - Complete Singles (Box Set)
Isis - Debut s/t album (Reissue)
The Abused - Loud and Clear (Reissue LP)
Altercation - Demo 7 inch
Rival Schools - United By Fate

Shows;
Cinema Cinema opening for Black Flag at Warsaw. (The rest, not so much)
Knapsack Reunion at Music Hall of Williamsburg
Stuyvesant's final performance at Maxwell's
Overlake at Asbury Lanes (I wept)
Anything the band Archie Alone has done in a live setting.

Dave Galgano - United By Rocket Science / Rocket Science Records
Blast! - Blood
Beastmilk - Climax
Superchunk - I Hate Music
Cult of luna Vertikle
Redhare - Nites of Midnite
Deadverse - Carpet Burns
The National  - Trouble Will Find Me
Pelican - Forever Coming
Wreaths - Wreaths
The Jealous Sound - A Gentle Reminder (Deluxe version)
Big Boys - Where's My Towel/Industry Standard  (reissue) Light In The Attic Records
Unwound - Kid Is Gone (Box set)
Cicada Radio - No Fate But What We Make
Eastern Anchors - Drunken Arts and Pure Science

Freddy Alva - Wardance Records / New Breed Compilation / Reconstruction Records
Villains "Never Abandon The Slut   Train" Lp

Sick People "Fakes Rule" 7"
Battle Ruins 2013 demo tape
Glam "Veneno En Sus Flechas" 12"
Altercation live @BNB Bowl & 7"
Raspberry Bulbs "Deformed Worship" lp
Inherit "Crushing Wheels Of Samsara" 7"
Bloody Hammer Lp
Echoes Of A Killing novel by Ted Gogoll
Don Juan Matus "Espejismos" cassette lp.
Criminal Damage "Call Of Death" Lp.
1981 "In The Dead Of The Night" 7"
Major Damage "Sheer Mayhem" 7"
The Abused reissue Lp
DHK "La Krudeza No Muere" Lp

Ev Gold - Guitarist / Singer / Cinema Cinema
"M B V" by My Bloody Valentine
"Fetch" by Melt-Banana
"Life is Too Short To Not Hold a Grudge" by Good For You
"Change Becomes Us" by Wire
"What The.." by Black Flag
"Oddfellows" by Tomahawk
"Amok" by Atoms for Peace
"Beautiful Rewind" by Four Tet
"Rat Farm" by Meat Puppets
"Surgical Steel" by Carcass

Chris Wynne - In Effect Hardcore
Down To Nothing "Life On The James" (no it is not about you James Damion)
Rotting Out "The Wrong Way"
Stigma "For Love & Glory"
World Eater "Worm Feast"
Take Offense - "United State of Mind"

Joe Gorelick - Drummer Garden Variety, Blue Tip, Retisonic, Red Hare
Released: The Human Rights Concerts - A Conspiracy of Hope DVD Box Set (various artists)
Bob Dylan - Complete Collection Box Set
Nick Drake - Remasters (Vinyl)
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - II
Lou Reed, John Cale, Nico - La Bataclan Paris '72
Cheap Trick - Live front row Westbury Music Fair
Sebadoh - Defend Yourself + Live
King Crimson - The Road to Red Box 24 CD/DVD/BluRay Box Set
J. Robbins - Live Acoustic at Cakeshop
Be Bop Deluxe – At The BBC 1974-1978
Volto! - Incitare
Chavez - Live at Tivoli (new unearthed bootleg from 1997)
OFF! - Live
Replacements - Live Archive (one of the most amazing sites ever created)

Christopher Skelly - Guitarist Dahlia Seed / Static is a City
Laura Marling – Once I Was An Eagle

Chelsea Wolfe – Pain Is Beauty
Beastmilk - Climax
Iceage- You’re Nothing
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Specter At The Feast
Pissed Jeans - Honeys
Disappears – Era
Savages – Silence Yourself
Psychic Ills – One More Time
Wooden Shijps – Back To Land
The Black Angels – Indigo Meadow
Black Joe Lewis – Electric Slave
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Push The Sky Away
David Bowie – The Next Day
Holograms – Forever
The Besnard Lakes – Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO
Sigur Ros – Kveikur
Crocodiles – Crimes Of Passion
The Body – Christs, Redeemers
Foxygen – We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors Of Peace And Magic
Thee Oh Sees – Floating Coffin
True Widow – Circumambulation
White Hills – So You Are, So You’ll Be
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – 2
Grumbling Fur – Glynnaestra
Theologian – Some Things Have To Be Endured
The Black Hollies - Somewhere Between Here and Nowhere

Andy Stern - Drummer Feral Babies / Early Forms
Favorite albums/reissues of 2013
Future of the Left – How to Stop Your Brain in an Accident
Parquet Courts – Light Up Gold
Frank Turner – Tape Deck Heart
Smith Street Band – Don’t Fuck With Our Dreams EP
Tiny Empires – Just Imagine 7”
The Front Bottoms – Talon of the Hawk
Lemuria – The Distance so Big
Iron Chic – The Constant One
Off with Their Heads – Home

Best shows of 2013
Gorilla Biscuits – Chicago IL
Infest – Miami FL
Deep Sleep – Gainesville FL
Tiny Empires – Gainesville FL
Old Flings – Gainesville FL
Frank Turner – Orlando FL (In-store, Park Ave Records)
Cory Branan & Jon Snodgrass – Ybor City FL
Koo Koo Kangra Roo –  Atlanta GA
Broncho – Ybor City FL

Joe Lanza - Guitarist Holy City Zoo
Notable Releases/Shows of 2013
Releases
My Bloody Valentine - MBV
Haim - Days Are Gone
France - Remember Kids, Your Pigeon Is Sacred http://francetheband.bandcamp.com
Dolly's - EP1 http://dollys.bandcamp.com Court Tavern
Humboldts - Blockhead EP http://thehumboldts.bandcamp.com
Vasudeva - Life In Cycles http://vasudeva.bandcamp.com
Pearl Jam - Mind Your Manners (Single Release)
Daft Punk - Get Lucky (Single Release)
Sound City: Real to Reel
Chemtrail - Your Frequencies Have Been Missed http://chemtrailmusic.bandcamp.com

Shows
My Bloody Valentine: Hammerstein Ballroom
Sound City Players: Hammerstein Ballroom (adolescent dream show come true part I)
Blink 182 - Starland Ballroom (adolescent dream show come true part II)
Any France Show
Dolly's EP Release Show: Court Tavern
Mission of Burma: Maxwells
And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead: Maxwells
Toe: Glasslands Ballroom
Chemtrail: Paradise Lost (best post-rock performance I have ever experienced)
Vasudeva Release Show: Court Tavern

Mike Sylvia - Killing Horse Records / Singer Life Eaters
Worriers - Cruel Optimist ( Don Giovani)
The Night Marchers - Allez! Allez! (Swami)
Neko Case - The Worse Things Get... (Anti)
Mikal Cronin - MCII (Merge)
Black Hollies - Somewhere Between Here And Nowhere (Ernest Jennings)
Savages - Silence Yourself (Matador)
Mount Moriah - Miracle Temple (Merge)
Far Out Fangtooth - Borrowed Time (Slitbreeze)
Vacation - Candy Waves ( Don Giovani)
William Tyler - Impossible Truth (Merge)

Courtesy Tier drummer Layton Weedeman Shares his List of Favorites from 2013

Photo courtesy of Leyla Lacheri

Drummer Courtesy Tier / DJ Laytonic

When I first contacted Layton about contributing to this years Best of 2013 list.
I was more than confident he'd bring something completely unique and interesting to the table. Drummer for the Brooklyn's
The Courtesy Tier. A band whose EP
 'Holy Hot Fire' had me singing it's praises to anyone and everyone willing to listen. It wasn't until we started talking about his other passion that we bonded over vinyl records, soul music, hip hop and specifically, Detroit's own J. Dilla Layton's list and attention to passionate detail was more than deserving of his own post.
I can only hope we can drag him in from time to time to drop some key knowledge from the underground,  Here's to seeing that through. Thanks kid. James Damion

DJ Laytonic  Beats, Rhythm, Life
The Courtesy Tier Bandcamp


Joey Bada$$ x J Dilla - Two Lips (single)
https://soundcloud.com/truthstudios/joey-bada-two-lips-prod-j

I've been hearing about this young MC from Brooklyn, Joey Bada$$ over the year, and heard a few tracks that I really liked, but didn't go much further into finding more from him.
Just last week, he released a new track rhyming over an unreleased J Dilla beat and I instantly fell in love. Not only is the track lo-fi and fresh, the J Dilla Foundation pressed a limited amount of 7" singles with all proceeds going towards schools in low income communities paying for musical instruments and programs.

Jonwayne - Rap Album One (full-length)
http://www.stonesthrow.com/store/album/jonwayne/rap-album-one

With a totally awesome marketing campaign through Stones Throw Records earlier this year releasing three cassette mixtapes, each borrowing artwork from three different popular American brands, Marlboro, Coca-Cola, and the first Apple iPod, artist-on-the-rise,
Jonwayne released his first full-length "Rap Album One" just a few weeks back with immediate underground and critical acclaim. True rap music at it's best. 

Busta Rhymes ft. Q-Tip - Thank You (single)
https://soundcloud.com/digi-tat/busta-rhymes-ft-q-tip-thank

Veterans to the hip-hop world, Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip team up on this really fun and cool sample of the Alicia Meyers original with some help from Kanye West and Lil Wayne.
Keep an eye out for the new Busta full-length Extinction Level Event 2 scheduled for released early 2014.

Drake - Nothing Was The Same (full-length) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRducErGG1U

With all the hype that surrounds this artist, I had to give it a listen and see what all the talk was about, and I was not disappointed. You can laugh and criticize if you wanna, but this album sounds incredible production wise, and lyrically can be relatable if you forgive the parts where Drake mentions money and how big his house is. If you're a sucker for love and stories of heartbreak, then you'll really appreciate Drake singing the blues.

Kanye West - Yeezus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWrVxBLycsc

Say what you want about Kanye West, dude knows how to make music and change the game. Always staying on the forefront of innovation musically, Kanye did not make an album you can listen to at the club. This is raw and hardcore music that is powerful and unsettling. Definitely a favorite of 2013.

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib ft. Karriem Riggins - City (single)

https://soundcloud.com/wmstrecs/freddie-gibbs-madlib-feat

One of my favorite producers of all time next to Dilla, is Madlib. Pretty much anything he puts out I'm interested in. Gary, Indiana MC Freddie Gibbs has been in the rap game for quite awhile, but never hit my radar until he teamed up with Madlib for an upcoming
full-length. Here is a single released for the Adult Swin Singles Series.

Madlib & Freddie Gibbs - Deeper EP

https://soundcloud.com/rappcats/freddie-gibbs-madlib-deeper

https://soundcloud.com/rappcats/freddie-gibbs-madlib-harolds

A couple tracks here from the upcoming full-length with Freddie Gibbs & Madlib. Hardcore rap lyrics reminiscent of N.W.A. meets funky, soulful, beat making from one of my favorite producers. The sample based tracks alone will satisfy any hip-hip aficionado and
Freddie's hardcore rap lyrics make you feel like your cruising around on rims rolling through the intensity of the ghetto. Real music.

Steve Arrington & Dam-Funk - Higher (full-length)

http://www.stonesthrow.com/store/album/steve-arrington-dam-funk/higher-4

On a lighter note, Slave front man and veteran to funk music, Steve Arrington teamed up with west coast groove-funk producer Dam-Funk for a powerfully fresh and fun collaboration called "Higher". Funky beats and positive words, this album will make you want to get high and move your body. A solid listen from beginning to end.

Homeboy Sandman - The Plot Thickens (single)

https://soundcloud.com/stonesthrow/homeboy-sandman-plot-thickens

I really dig this MC from the Bronx, Homeboy Sandman, but sometimes his releases can be hit or miss in my opinion. I still check out everything he puts out, which I guess says something about the type of artist he is, but this track in particular is so good.
Beats by Brooklyn native Keith Edwards, I love the feel and flow of this track.

J Dilla Documentary

I was sitting in Dalek's Union City studio interviewing MC Dalek and producer Oktopus a few years back. Sitting amongst the mountains of vinyl, turntables and mixers, the band spoke of their musical journey and wide array of influences. The conversation flowed as Alap Momin (MC Dalek) traced his routes and musical journey. I felt an almost immediate connection having shared  many of the experiences and mutual friends. It wasn't until he brought up his biggest influence that I drew a complete and total blank. That influence was Detroit's own J. Dilla (James Dewitt Yancey) I found myself scratching my head, curiously wondering just what I had missed. Sadly, Dilla had already passed. His death in 2006 at the age of 32 due to a rare blood disease (and possibly kidney failure) left us with an incredible music legacy and reputation as one of the most influential and respect Hip Hop artists and producers in the industry. Since that conversation with Dalek and numerous ones with D.J.'s and fans alike. I've fallen in love with the mans music, finding one gem after another on vinyl. In recent months I've picked up seven of his albums. Listening closely to each track with mindful ears. 

James Damion

Bodega System - Taber-nakyl Jakyl

Over the last couple of days I've had Bodega System's "Taber-nackyl jakyl" with me on a pretty consistent basis.
Each time taking something different away from the experience.

Formed in 1995 and still kicking out a style that infuses the best of early hip hop, electro and lo-fi drone. Overall giving their sound a dark yet chill vibe that I found addictive.

"The Whorehouse McGuffin" plays like a midnight run into the heart of darkness. 

I can imagine hearing this on the soundtrack to my favorite movie. The part where the
anti-hero digs deep for  the strength he never knew he had in order to overcome or better yet, embrace his demons.

Bodega System reminds a lot of my early experiences listening to underground legends Dalek. It was undiscovered territory for me and though at first, I didn't really know what to make of it. I found myself wanting to dig deeper. It also conjured up vivid memories of hanging out with Patrick System during my mid teens. Hanging out in the school yard of P.S. 145, drinking 40's and perpetrating all sorts of shenanigans while discovering our love for acts such as Eric B. and Rakim, Public Enemy and The Beastie Boys. It was there that I feel Patrick was gathering the bricks that would build what was to become
"Bodega System".  James Damion