2013 was a year of unexpected surprises, including new material and tours from My Bloody Valentine, Sebadoh, The Postal Service, The Pixies, The Dismemberment Plan, NIN, Beck, Lucius Jackson, Neutral Milk Hotel, Deltron 3030, and more. Below is a sampling of my favorite surprises of 2013.
“We had this show all wrapped up last Friday. It was totally in the can! Then My Bloody Valentine dropped its highly anticipated new album over the weekend and threw our previously recorded show into total chaos! But hey, it was worth it. We (and all the other My Bloody Valentine fans out there) have been waiting more than 20 years for this!” via NPR: All Songs Considered
It’s been 13 years since Dan the Automator, Del the Funky Homosapien, and Kid Koala joined forces as Deltron 3030 and released their debut album. Though I didn’t enjoy waiting for Event II, it was well worth it.
Defend Yourself is the 8th studio album (and 1st in 14 years) by Sebadoh. I don’t think i’ll ever get tired of “I Will,” which makes the perfect lead-off track for this rather eclectic album.
Though we’ll probably never get a new album from The Postal Service, 2013 marked the 10th anniversary and deluxe reissue of the supergroup’s debut album Give Up. Along with a extensive “reunion” tour, the group released two brand new tracks, including this little gem.
Of all the surprises this past year, there was one definititive highlight. After 10 (long) years, the one and only David Bowie released his 24th studio album – The Next Day. This is my favorite album of the year and there really isn’t a bad track on it. But in my opinion, “Valentine’s Day” is the standout track. Right when you hear that first guitar riff you know, this is a David Bowie song…and it’s fantastic.
These are simply in alphabetical order. It’s hard enough to rank my top 10, i don’t want to do it more than once a year. Enjoy all of these on Spotify, which i’ll continue to update throughout the rest of 2013. And with some highly anticipated releases still on the horizon, including new albums from Porcelain Raft, Smith Westerns, and Elton John, i’m sure this list will evolve.
But enough babbling, enjoy my favorite albums of 2013 (so far) and please check back in December to see which (if any) make the cut for my top 10 of the year.
A few of my favorite new releases, including the latest from EELS, Frightened Rabbit, The Spinto Band, and Thao and The Get Down Stay Down. Oh, and My Bloody Valentine surprised us all with m b v, their LONG awaited follow up to 1991’s Loveless!! As always, be sure to visit Largehearted Boy more new music.
After 20+ years of waiting, My Bloody Valentine dropped a bomb on fans yesterday and released m b v. The new record is available to download/purchase on the band’s website now, but if you prefer to listen before you buy, head on over to the band’s youtube channel and stream the new album.
m b v:
01 she found now
02 only tomorrow
03 who sees you
04 is this and yes
05 if i am
06 new you
07 in another way
08 nothing is
09 wonder 2
