The Pop Critics Top 20 Releases of 2013

2013 was a mixed bag when it came to releases. Like 2012, it was the debuts of artists that really shined, where some follow-ups did their job cementing their status as some of the best acts of the These are the releases that captured my ears, my Last.Fm account, my iTunes, kept me going through grueling exercises and long days of doing homework and held my attention from their release dates up until this list was created. 

20.Perfume-Level3

The Japanese trio under the tutelage of composer Yasutaka Nakata's fourth full length album mixes what the girls have been putting out for the past thirteen years of their career into a neat package of sugary, electropop eargasm that even a person unfamiliar with the Japanese language can get into. 

Recommended Tracks: Spring of Life, Spending All My Time, Magic of Love

19.Lorde-Pure Heroine

While Lana Del Rey had to (re)-work to get the public to show her some type of admiration, 17-year old Ella Yelich O'Connor from New Zealand  did it without trying. Pure Heroine is an aged album that's best listened to with some type of understanding of the world, or a rainy day is ok too.

Recommended Tracks:Ribs, Tennis Court, Team

18.James Blake-Overgrown

The post-dubstep phenom dug a little deeper for his second LP, which is more a continuation of his self-titled LP rather than a deviation. Rather than recycle the understated iciness that made James Blake so good, he opened himself up to collaboration with Brian Eno and RZA and added warm tones of R&B and soul, making it moodier and more accessible.

Recommended Tracks:Digital Lion, Take The Fall For Me, Voyeur, Retrograde

17.Kanye West-Yeezus

Kanye, though polarizing in real life, always makes above average music (except for "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", I have no idea what he was thinking when he released that). Though it divided his fans, "Yeezus's" mix of genres from industrial to metal and glimpses of pre-808's Kanye are warm welcome and gives us hope that Kanye will give us another "Graduation" caliber release, but don't hold your breath waiting.

Recommended Tracks:Blood on The Leaves, Bound 2, Black Skinhead, New Slaves

16.Kavinsky-OutRun

Kavinsky's 80s inspired concept album about a teenager who becomes a music making zombie after crashing his Lamborghini (every teenager's dream to be honest) was six years in the making. Six years that couldn't have come sooner, especially after hearing "Nightcall" in "Drive" two years prior. "Outrun" is a test drive you'll want to repeat on numerous occasions. Maybe over some episodes of Knght Rider (the 80s version, preferably).

Recommended Tracks: Suburbia, Nightcall, Protovision, Deadcruiser

15.Frankmusik-Between

After leaving the big wigs over at Island, Vincent Frank was able to stretch his wings and get his creative juices flowing, which resulted in a independent dance record for the ages. Frankmusik drops us in on the tail end of a relationship, where he goes from questionably passive aggressive, to angry, to resolving his issues and moving on. All over some solid production and catchy lyrics.

Recommended Tracks:Cake, Fast as I Can, Captain, Life is My Revenge

14.Autoheart-Punch

Autoheart's debut is a slow starter and may take a few plays before you can fully appreciate the depressing yet whimsical nature of it. Piano pop in its purest form, "Lent" is a rare record: untouched by the hands of mainstream radio and made for the ears of people who more than likely never hear Jody Gadsden's glorious feminine vocals.

Reccomended Songs:Control, Agrophobia, January, Lent, The Sailor Song

13.HAIM-Days Are Gone

HAIM actually knows how to sound like the 80s, 90s and 00s without cheesing it up to high heaven. Rock music with a pop sensibility that few can master, Days Are Gone blends all the ingredients of what an emerging indie superpower should aspire to sound like: consistency, cleanliness and fun.

Recommenced Songs:The Wire, Let Me Go, Forever, Days are Gone, Don't Save Me

12.Alice in Chains-The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here

After 2009's "Black and Blue," many were unsure how the refurbished Alice in Chains would sound going into future. Rest easy fans, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Put Here  is a mainstream rock album that doesn't compromise the tortured grit that made the band the alternative staple that it is today. The band hasn't sound this fresh or cohesive since the 1995 EP release "Jar of Flies".

Recommended Tracks:Voices, Choke, Scalpel

11.Oliver Tank Slow Motion Music

The Australian's 2nd EP is more a religious experience than a listening one. A dreamy, ethereal landscape is created within the span of seven tracks, doing what Bon Iver's Justin Vernon does on their album, though conveys the feelings behind the songs better with the icy production and haunted special effects.

Recommended Tracks: Stay, Home, Blessing In Disguise, Her

2AM Club "I See Stars"

While Beyonce's surprise album is hot on everyone's lips and Twitter feeds, a select few were buzzing for a different reason. 2AM Club dropped another song! "I See Stars" is another winner for the group, who I feel like is incapabable of releasing a sucky tune. The reggae inspired tune, that would have been a perfect July release will (hopefully) make the band's elusive second studio album, which will like Beyonce's drop out of the sky with videos for every song. I'll be waiting!


2AM Club - I See Stars
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2AM Club "Evidence" Music Video

It's getting harder and harder to survive without a new 2AM Club LP, but these singles and freebies are doing the job for now. The official vid for their third single "Evidence" has premiered and matches the somber tone of the song nicely. Singer Marc Griffin is shown in his apartment, cleaning himself up, throwing away his exes belongings and roaming his hood when a wild Tyler pops up and does his rap. Not much of a storyline, but hey! It's something...

2AM Club "Evidence"

Overall amazing band and musical trolls 2AM Club have released another single, which is (hopefully) gonna be on their upcoming album (which I'm now declaring will come out in 2014 since all they did was release freebies, tour and tease us with singles). "Evidence" is a midtempo tune about breaking up with someone and removing every trace of their existence, including pictures, toothbrushes and clothing. It isn't as hard-hitting as their past tunes, but it's still a winner in my book. Make sure to pick up a copy on iTunes!

2AM Club "Heat of The Night"

I'm really getting frustrated. First of all, we have yet to get 2AM Club's second studio album. The "Moon Tower" mixtape only sustained me for so long and though they released newer ones periodically, I want to be able to purchase a physical version. The band has released yet another freebie in the form of "Heat of The Night." This is where the second frustration comes in. Their newer material is screams radio hit, the Dr.Luke-esque drums, the Drake-like lyricism, the all around talent that these guys have, yet I don't see RCA (or whoever they are signed to now) pushing them. At least send them abroad, I'm pretty sure Australia/New Zealand would welcome them with open arms, especially after the success of "Mary" on Kiwi radio. Dudes, I really want that second album. Hopefully with this new single coming in October (that most definitely will change the landscape of alternative rock/pop forever) that we can at least get it in early 2014.

2AM Club "Miley Cyrus"

Miss Miley Cyrus has become a thing on the hip-hop scene now. Jay-sans hypen Z name dropped her in "SomewhereinAmerica", Big Sean made her the starring lady in his "Fire" music video and Mike Will Made is giving her a feature on his debut studio album. But 2AM Club has upped the ante and dedicated a whole song to the former Disney Channel star turned faux-ratchet poster child for cultural appropriation and not just mentioning her as a code name for cocaine. A mix Drake style R&B with 90s Jay Z instrumentation, the song is new territory for the band and conquer it flawlessly.  While the song has her name as a title, the song could be applied to any person attempting to shed one image for another contrived one. Now I have one question, when's album #2 coming?

My Favourite Songs of 2013...Thus Far

With half of the year over and another half to go, the music has been just coming and coming and coming and...well you get the idea! Some of it good, some bad, some meh and some very exceptional. While a lot of American artists seem to be giving us the run-around with their music (a certain artist whose name begins a B and ends with a Eyonce?), other countries have been keeping their music flowing (sometimes overflowing) that I can't keep up with releases. I usually do a best of list, but since it's only the middle of year, I decided to go with some of my favourites rather than the ones that I think are the best, which can wait until December.

Girl's Day-Expectation

Girl's Day shed their quirky, side-splitting antics for a more mature concept and did not disappoint with this highly infectious dance-pop slice of heaven. It's already my most played song of the year and second most played of all time (damn you BoA for releasing "Only One.")

     Nine Muses-Dolls

The classy nine get paired with Sweetune for this equally classy, jazz-inspired record. If you aren't tapping your toes to the beat, you seem to be missing a soul (or just don't like K-Pop).

              Ellie Goulding-You,My Everything 

This song is everything that is right with Ellie Goulding. "You, My Everything" is just  Ellie's husky yet dreamy vocals over Jim Eliot's drum and bass inspired production. Just how I like her.

Girl's Generation-I Got a Boy 

The hate for this song was warranted. I commend SM for breaking the Americanized cookie-cutter mold for K-Pop songs by mixing and mashing five or so songs together and transforming the divine nine into aegeyo hip-hop queens. #bowdown.

2AM Club-Black Liquor 

The band laments their late night escapades over a minimalist beat fit for a The Weeknd record. If I told you that I have never cried listening to this record, I would be telling you a lie.

Rudimental-Hell Could Freeze (feat. Angel Haze) 

Rudimental is a extremely versatile and "Hell Could Freeze" has to be one of their best. New York raptress Angel Haze talks about a failed relationship that she is willing to try again

Jessie Ware-Imagine It Was Us 

Her solo foray into the 90s house trend that has become so popular within the past year, Jessie blesses us with her consistently sultry vocals while serving some "Queen of The Night" realness in the music video.

Supercell-The Bravery 

J-Pop as I remember it from when I used to watch Anime as an awkward pre-adolesent/teen. Full of energy, heavy on the rock and a soaring inspiring chorus with so whoas and yeahs added for good measure. The five minute length is a turn off though.

Kate Nash-OHMYGOD! 

Kate Nash starts this punk-pop tune languid then hits us with a stir-crazy chorus that was made for the summer and for pop radio. Too bad she's independent now.

Kanye West-Bound 2

The Kanye West that everybody was waiting for to come back. Though the lyrics are a bit iffy, it still captures perfectly who Kanye was before his "808"days.

T-ARA N4-Countryside Life

THE BEST K-POP OF 2013 SO FAR!!! Only T-ARA would have the balls to have their sub-unit come out with a netizen diss song, incorporate the real Harlem shake in the video and update Richard Simmons's ridiculous exercises. Why U Hatin'?

2AM Club "Not Your Boyfriend"

After killing the masses with their epically flaw-free mixtape "Moon Tower" (which a review will be up shortly) only two weeks ago, 2AM Club are continuing the slaughterfest with the release of the first (or second, not sure if "Too Fucked Up To Call" is the first) single from their sophomore effort. "Not Your Boyfriend" is much more dancier than their previous material and like its predecessor, it screams mainstream smash! If people like Mac Miller and Hot Chelle Rae, who make similar sounding music to can chart decently, there is no reason why 2AM Club shouldn't at least hit the top forty with this one! Check the single below and make sure to purchase it on iTunes!

Graded Song: 2AM Club "Too Fucked Up To Call" and MV

I am a massive fan of the band 2AM Club. They bring a blend of rock, pop, alternative and hip-hop to their sound and their first album, "What Did You Think Was Going To Happen?" was one of the best albums released in 2010 (I still jam out to "Worry About You" and "Only For Me" often. Any way, they released a string of non-album songs that were equally as great, then they released "Mary," which did not resonate with me at all (maybe because I don't smoke weed). Now the band has released another song, "Too Fucked Up To Call," which may or may not be on their new album due later this year.
Quite impressed with one to say the least. It is a massive step up from "Mary," which suffered for being a bit "too mainstream" and for making us suffer through Dev's "whoops whoops" and Tyler Cordy sounding like the male Kreayshawn (but we forgive you). The song has the mainstream appeal of songs like "Tonight, Tonight" by Hot Chelle Rae (without the bad lyrics and horrid vocals) The whoa-oh-oh-oh-ohs is perfect for singing along to on the radio. Time to make that big push to the mainstream!  
Overall Grade:B+