Top Ten Albums 2013
1. The National Trouble Will Find Me
To me, a greatest hits album straight off of the bat, I can play and sing-a-long to this album all day long.
2. Eluvium Nightmare Ending
An epic and awesome ambient masterpiece from Portland’s Matthew Cooper
3. David Bowie The Next Day
The Thin White Duke returned as cool as ever
4. Israel Nash Gripka Rain Plans
A new discovery this year. His latest album took over the Jonathon Wilson mantle of last year. Neil Young esqe and superb with it.
5. Jason Isbell Southeastern
Ex Drive By Trucker. This album puts him up there with Ryan Adams as one of Americana’s finest songwriters.
6. Low The Invisible Way
This band keep churning out gems, this time with Mimi Parker’s vocals to the fore on the record with stunning results.
7. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Push the Sky Away
A master of the musical narrative and yet again with the Bad Seeds they didn’t disappoint, even getting back to a performance high with this record.
8. Neko Case The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You
A career high on a record that does not shun away from the dark side of the topics covered on this devastatingly great LP
9. Heirlooms of August Down At The 5-Star
Ex-Red House Painter Jerry Vessel with a truly beautiful second album as Heirlooms of August
10. Haim Days Are Gone
Could not stop playing this infectious record for a month. Toes are still tapping!
Top Ten Gigs
1. Neil Young & Crazy Horse O2 Arena London
2. Bruce Springsteen & the E St Band Ricoh Arena Coventry
3. Sigur ros Brixton Academy
4. The Postal Service Brixton Academy
5. The National Roundhouse
6. Atoms for Peace Roundhouse
7. Low Junction 1 Cambridge
8. John Grant Junction 1 Cambridge
9. Dave Grohl's Sound City Players Forum London
10. The Charlatans & guests Royal Albert Hall
Top Ten Festival Performances
1. The Rolling Stones British Summer Time Hyde Park
2. Band of Horses Green Man
3. Sigur ros End of the Road
4. Caitlin Rose End of the Road
5. Midlake Green Man
6. Frightened Rabbit End of the Road
7. The Leisure Society End of the Road
8. Lucy Rose British Summer Time Hyde Park
9. Arbouretum Green Man
10 Half Moon Run Green Man
Best Song: Local Natives - 'Heavy Feet'
Best Musical Moment of the Year: The feeling of exhaustion after bearing witness to The Neil Young & Crazy Horse Live Piledriver at the O2 Arena.