"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)