ALARM’s 51 Favorite Albums of 2013
Saving the best for last, we’ve chosen our 51 favorite albums of 2013, pulled from the acclaimed and the unsung — some of the best as well as most boundary-pushing releases from rock and beyond.
Scott Morrow
Best Albums: Sage Francis, Mastodon, Beastmilk
Sage Francis: Sick to D(eat)h
Mastodon: Live at Brixton
Beastmilk: Climax
Best Albums: Secret Chiefs 3, Mutoid Man, Deicide, Sole, Soundgarden
Secret Chiefs 3: Book of Souls: Folio A
Mutoid Man: Helium Head
Deicide: In the Minds of Evil
Sole: Crimes Against Totality
Soundgarden: Screaming Life / Fopp reissue
Best Albums: Sandrider, Ghost, Mark Orton, Mick Turner, Audiences
Sandrider: Good to Die
Ghost: If You Have Ghost EP
Mark Orton: Nebraska soundtrack
Mick Turner: Don’t Tell the Driver
Audiences: Roam
Best Albums: Vaura, Weekend Nachos, Grizzly Bear, Exivious, Brutal Truth / Bastard Noise
Vaura: The Missing
Weekend Nachos: Still
Grizzly Bear: Shields: B-Sides
Exivious: Liminal
Brutal Truth / Bastard Noise: The Axiom of Post-Inhumanity
Best Albums: Melvins, Bryce Dessner & Kronos Quartet, Czar, Phuture Doom
Melvins: Tres Cabrones
Bryce Dessner & Kronos Quartet: Aheym
Czar: No One Is Alone If No One Is Alive
Best Albums: Russian Circles, Sepultura, Big Business, Son Lux, Mutation
Russian Circles: Memorial
Sepultura: The Mediator Between Head and Hands Must Be the Heart
Big Business: Battlefields Forever
Son Lux: Lanterns
Mutation: Error 500
Yamantaka // Sonic Titan: Uzu
Best Albums: Spindrift, So Hideous, Calibro 35, Dosh
Spindrift: Ghost of the West soundtrack
So Hideous: Last Poem / First Light
Calibro 35: Traditori di Tutti
Dosh: Milk Money
Best Albums: Doomriders, Cults, Red Fang, Pelican, Marijuana Deathsquads
Doomriders: Grand Blood
Cults: Static
Red Fang: Whales and Leeches
Pelican: Forever Becoming
Marijuana Deathsquads: Oh My Sexy Lord
Mikael Jørgensen & Greg O’Keeffe: s/t
Best Albums: Chrome Hoof, RJD2, Anna Calvi, Sleigh Bells, Kevin Hufnagel
Chrome Hoof: Chrome Black Gold
RJD2: More Is Than Isn’t
Anna Calvi: One Breath
Sleigh Bells: Bitter Rivals
Kevin Hufnagel: Ashland
Best Albums: Grails, Deltron 3030, Prefuse 73 & Teebs, Melt-Banana
Grails: Black Tar Prophecies Vol. 4, 5 & 6
Deltron 3030: Event II
Sons of the Morning: Speak Soon Vol. 1
Melt-Banana: Fetch
Oneohtrix Point Never: R Plus Seven
Best albums: Trentemøller, Deer Tick, Kings of Leon, Touche Amore, INVSN
Trentemøller: Lost
Deer Tick: Negativity
Kings of Leon: Mechanical Bull
Touché Amoré: Is Survived By
INVSN: s/t
Marbeya Sound: Colonies