algabor writesCHIRP Radio Best of 2013: Al Gabor

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its members’ top albums of 2013. Our next list is from volunteer Al Gabor.

• Chastity Belt – No Regerts (Help Yourself)
  BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
  
  Wickedly funny, raunchy songs from an all-female quartet from Walla Walla, Washington. Boasting amazing vocals and chiming, driving guitars, No Regerts is one of those albums you need to listen to at least once a day for months on end.
• Bombino – Nomad (Nonesuch)
  BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
  
  Desert rock filtered through American trance blues with incendiary guitar work from Tuareg artist Bombino from Agadez, Niger.
• Savages – Silence Yourself (Matador)
  BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
  
  A ferocious debut from London-based quartet. It’s great to see a buzz band that lives up to its buzz—especially when the overall message of said buzz band is telling you to tune out all the hype, noise and distractions.
• Arcade Fire – Reflektor (Merge)
  BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
  
  Arcade Fire’s most enigmatic album. During the first couple of listens, I found myself admiring its ambition, but hating its pretension; finding the songs derivative, then inventive; diffuse but too solipsistic. But every listen gave me more to admire. Reflektor is one of those albums that rewards patience and getting past preconceptions.
• The National – Trouble Will Find Me (4AD)
  BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
  
  Personally, I think Matt Berninger goes looking for trouble ‘cause it’s so much fun to sing about. No new ground broken here, but the National make angst and self-doubt so musically inviting.
• Low – The Invisible Way (Sub Pop)
  BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
  
  Gorgeous songs of faith, longing and reconciliation, ably produced by Jeff Tweedy.
• Superchunk – I Hate Music (Merge)
  BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
  
  Somehow Superchunk manages to write a summer road song (“Me & You & Jackie Mittoo”) that also ponders time, loss and mortality. Maybe music “can’t bring anyone back to this earth” but it’s the best we got. And on this album, it’s fine compensation.
• Mavis Staples – One True Vine (ANTI-)
  BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
  
  The second album of Mavis Staples produced by Jeff Tweedy is a low-key gem. Her version of Low’s “Holy Ghost” is a spine tingler.
• Neko Case – The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You (ANTI-)
  BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
  
  After falling into a depression after a number of deaths in her family, Neko Case creates one of her most personal and arresting albums.
• Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Push The Sky Away (Bad Seed Ltd.)
  BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
  
  Nick Cave eases up on the pedal-to-the-metal assault of the two Grinderman albums and Dig, Lazarus, Dig, but these are no lullabies. The musical restraint creates its own tension, and the lyrics, with mermaids hung by their hair from the streetlights and a fetus on a leash, add to the unease.

Honorable Mention

• My Bloody Valentine - mbv (self-released)
  Rhye - Woman (Republic)
  Yo La Tengo - Fade (Matador)