Bradley’s Almanac

[Nac Faves] My Favorite Music of 2013

Posted on January 16, 2014 at 8:18 am | No Comments

Another year down, another annual list of the long-players that soundtracked 365 days of my earthly existence. Same deal as ever: 20-ish albums (and a couple EPs), listed alphabetically rather than numerically (never liked ranking), with links to buy and shareable audio if it exists.

This time around I’ve also gotten a bit meta with a short list of my favorite year-end music lists, made by a few people whose tastes I respect and admire. Some have a bit of overlap, but they’ve each given me a few more records to check out, and hopefully they’ll do the same for you. That list follows my own faves…


My Favorite Music of 2013

(plus a couple of EPs & reissues)


Bent Shapes“Feels Weird”
[ on Father/Daughter Records ]

Stream at Bandcamp / Buy at Father/Daughter


Bottomless Pit“Shade Perennial”
[on Comedy Minus One]

Buy at Comedy Minus One


The Broken River Prophet“A Dagger and A Dove”
[self-released via Bandcamp]

Stream / Buy at Bandcamp


Neko Case
“The Worse Things Get The Harder I Fight,
The Harder I Fight The More I Love You”

[on Anti Records]

Stream at her site / Buy at Anti


Dowsing“I Don’t Even Care Anymore”
[on Count Your Lucky Stars]

Stream / Buy at Bandcamp


Ex Cops“True Hallucinations”
[on Other Music]

Stream songs at Soundcloud / Buy at Other Music


Joel RL Phelps and the Downer Trio“Gala”
[on 12XU]

Stream / Buy at 12XU


Mikal Cronin“MCII”
[on Merge]

Stream / Buy at Merge Records


Guillermo Sexo“Dark Spring”
[on Midriff Records]

Stream at Bandcamp / Buy at Midriff Records


The History of Apple Pie“Out of View”
[on Marshall Teller Records]

Stream on Soundcloud / Buy at Rough Trade


Kid Canaveral“Now That You Are A Dancer”
[on Lost Map Records]

Stream a song at Bandcamp / Buy at Lost Map Records


Krill“Lucky Leaves”
[via Bandcamp]

Stream / Buy at Bandcamp


Minor Alps“Get There”
[on Barsuk Records]

Stream songs at Soundcloud / Buy at Barsuk


Ola Podrida“Ghosts Go Blind”
[on Western Vinyl]

[MP3] Ola Podrida – “Staying In

Download 2 songs at their website / Buy at Western Vinyl


Overseas“Overseas”
[on Undertow]

Stream 2 songs at Soundcloud / Buy at Undertow


Peyton Pinkerton“Peyton Pinkerton”
[on Darla Records]

[MP3] Peyton Pinkerton – “Pharmacies and Bars

Buy at Darla


Sebadoh“Defend Yourself”
[on Joyful Noise]

[MP3] Sebadoh – “State of Mine

Stream at Bandcamp / Buy at Joyful Noise


Slowdim“Slowdim”
[via Bandcamp]

Stream / Buy at Bandcamp


Speedy Ortiz“Major Arcana”
[on Carpark Records]

Stream more at Soundcloud / Buy at Carpark Records


Superchunk“I Hate Music”
[on Merge Records]

Stream at Merge / Buy at Merge


Throwing Muses“Purgatory/Paradise”
[on It Books / Harper Collins]

Stream 3 songs at Soundcloud / Buy through Harper Collins


Yo La Tengo“Fade”
[on Matador Records]

Stream at YouTube / Buy at Matador


Elizabeth Morris“Optimism” EP
[via Bandcamp]

Stream / Buy at Bandcamp


Withered Hand“Inbetweens” EP
[via Bandcamp]

Technically late 2012, but arrived in my mailbox in early 2013, and spent too much
time in my headphones to be left out. 2014 will be Dan Willson’s year.


Unwound“Kid Is Gone” Box Set
[on Numero Group]

Stream / Buy at Numero Group

So there you have it. Put a period on the end of the messy, run-on sentence that was my twenty-thirteen.

As burned out as I inevitably get on the ever-increasing number year-end lists that flood my feed, a few in particular have risen above the pack. Take some time, dig around in the following posts, and find more music you may have missed…

A non-ordered list of favorite lists of 2013 favorites…

My previous year-end fave lists can be found here: 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, and 2001. Jeez, some of those early posts are embarrassing – not the picks, but the associated words. They could also use some serious reformatting thanks to my WordPress migration. I’ll add that to the “won’t do” “to do” list.

Finally, I can’t truly leave 2013 behind before acknowledging the loss of some favorite addictions that will be much-missed, each to varying degrees.

And so I bid a very fond farewell to Chromewaves (the best damn music blog there ever was), the Boston Phoenix (I still get the itch to grab it every Thursday), The Best Show on WFMU (counting the days until its rebirth elsewhere), and to the Lemmingtrail board (a love/loathe relationship if ever there was one). To all the people who made those things what they were, well, thanks for helping me pass the time. Onwards, upwards.

Sometime next week I’ll share up my semi-annual list of releases I’m looking forward to this year, and I’ll be spinning songs from many of them at the first New Music Night of 2014, happening next Thursday at River Gods in Cambridge, MA.

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    Friday, June 9th
    Mercury On Mars
    Airport
    The Lights Out
    Fox Canadian
    @ the Jungle

    Friday, June 9th
    Steep Leans
    Kremlin Bats
    The Calendars
    Audrey & Karina
    @ the Loft, Somerville

    Friday, June 9th
    Tina Fey & Amy Poehler
    "Restless Leg Tour"
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Saturday, June 10th
    Bryan Adams
    Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
    @ TD Garden

    Sunday, June 11th
    Matt Talbot (of HUM)
    live in a living room
    @ Somerville, MA

    Wednesday, June 14th
    The Magnetic Fields
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, June 15th
    Fiddlehead
    Citizen
    @ House of Blues

    Friday, June 16th
    The Waco Brothers
    Matt York
    @ Haymarket Lounge
    @ City Winery

    Friday, June 16th
    Juliana Hatfield
    Kay Hanley
    Two shows! 4pm & 7pm
    @ the Burren Backroom

    Friday, June 16th
    Cloud Nothings
    Wavves
    @ the Paradise

    Friday, June 16th
    Toad The Wet Sprocket
    @ the Wilbur

    Friday, June 16th
    Steve Lacy
    James Blake
    Toro y Moi
    Fousheé
    @ the Stage @ Suffolk Downs

    Friday & Saturday
    June 16th & 17th
    Chris Smither
    @ Club Passim

    Saturday, June 17th
    LCD Soundsystem
    Jamie xx
    Idles
    L'Rain
    @ the Stage @ Suffolk Downs

    Sunday, June 18th
    boygenius
    Clairo
    Dijon
    Bartees Strange
    @ the Stage @ Suffolk Downs

    Sunday, June 18th
    Califone
    @ the Cantab

    Sunday, June 18th
    The Cure
    The Twilight Sad
    @ Xfinity Center

    Sunday & Monday
    June 18th & 19th
    Yo La Tengo
    @ the Paradise

    Wednesday, June 21st
    Lupo Citta
    Valley of the Weights
    Nat Freed
    @ the Silhouette

    Wednesday, June 21st
    Wednesday
    Tenci
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, June 22nd
    Dave Hill
    with Tony Nagy
    @ the Burren

    Thursday, June 22nd
    Alice Austin
    @ the Porch

    Thursday, June 22nd
    Tiny Habits
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, June 23rd
    Mike Gent (of the Figgs)
    Solo LP release show
    @ the Burren

    Saturday, June 24th
    Oldjack's Last Saturdays with...
    Phil Aiken
    OldJack
    Eric Salt & the Electric City
    @ The Lizard Lounge

    Saturday, June 24th
    Teen Suicide
    @ the Sinclair

    Monday, June 26th
    Gretchen Shae & the Middle 8
    Salem Wolves
    Graveyard of the Atlantic
    @ the Silhouette

    Tuesday, June 27th
    GZA performing "Liquid Swords"
    @ Roadrunner

    Thursday, June 29th
    Cozy Throne
    Gia Greene
    Josephine With A Cause
    @ Notch Brewing Brighton

    Thursday, June 29th
    Corin Ashley
    @ Medford Brewing

    Friday, June 30th
    Pile (solo Rick)
    Squitch
    @ Yellow Mailbox, Somerville

    Friday, June 30th
    Ronan MacManans
    with The Goon Squad
    (Ed Valauskas, Dan Kopko,
    Chris Anzalone, & Phil Aiken)
    @ Sally O'Brien's

    Friday, June 30th
    Major Stars
    Adult Learners
    Major Stars
    @ Faces Brewing

    Saturday, July 1st
    Sparks
    @ the Wilbur

    Sunday, July 2nd
    X
    Squirrel Nut Zippers
    @ the Wilbur

    Sunday, July 2nd
    Dream Theater
    Devin Townsend
    Animals As Leaders
    @ the Pavilion

    Thursday, July 6th
    Elvis Costello & the Imposters
    with guest Charlie Sexton
    Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, July 9th
    Fear
    @ Big Night Live

    Wednesday, July 12th
    The Dirty Nil
    Daniel Romano's Outfit
    Family Dinner
    @ Sonia

    Wednesday, July 12th
    Waveform*
    They Are Gutting A Body Of Water
    & Teethe
    @ the Sinclair

    Saturday, July 15th
    Jenny Lewis
    Cass McCombs
    Hayden Pedigo
    @ Roadrunner

    Saturday, July 15th
    Counting Crows
    Dashboard Confessional
    Frank Turner
    @ the Pavilion

    Saturday, July 15th
    Noel Gallagher's
    High Flying Birds
    with Garbage
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, July 16th
    Braid
    "Frame & Canvas"
    25th Anniversary Tour
    with J. Robbins (Jawbox)
    & Oceanator
    @ the Sinclair

    Sunday, July 16th
    First Aid Kit
    The Weather Station
    @ Roadrunner

    Tuesday, July 18th
    Panda Bear & Sonic Boom
    with Braxe + Falcon
    @ the Paradise

    Tuesday, July 18th
    Peter Frampton
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Tuesday, July 18th
    Cake
    @ the Pavilion

    Thursday to Sunday
    July 20th to 23rd
    NICE, a fest, featuring...
    Karate, Swirlies, Guerilla Toss,
    Frances Forever, and over 70
    local-Boston artists
    @ Davis Square, Somerville

    Friday, July 21st
    Defeater
    Caspian
    Stand Still
    Rough Francis
    Stay Inside
    @ the Middle East Down

    Friday, July 21st
    Staring at the Sea
    (a tribute to the Cure)
    @ Medford Brewing

    Saturday, July 22nd
    Walter Sickert &
    the Army of Broken Toys
    with Sapling, Astral Bitch,
    and Dropbear
    @ the Sinclair

    Monday & Tuesday
    July 24th & 25th
    Le Tigre
    @ the Royale

    Tuesday, July 25th
    Shady Bug
    Pet Fox
    Holiday Music
    Ski Club
    @ O'Brien's

    Tuesday, July 25th
    Culture Club
    Howard Jones
    Berlin
    @ Xfinity Center

    Tuesday & Wednesday
    July 25th & 26th
    Billy Strings
    @ the Pavilion

    Thursday, July 27th
    Iron & Wine
    Half Gringa
    @ Tree House Brewing, Charlton

    Thursday, July 27th
    Jason Isbell and
    the 400 Unit
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, July 28th
    King Krule
    @ House of Blues

    Sunday, July 30th
    Please Don't Destroy (SNL)
    live on stage
    @ the Wilbur

    Monday, July 31st
    The Drums
    Cold Hart
    @ the Royale

    Saturday, August 5th
    Extreme
    Living Colour
    @ Roadrunner

    Saturday, August 5th
    Mellow Bravo
    Cask Mouse
    Hayley Thompson-King
    @ the Sinclair

    Saturday, August 5th
    Foreigner
    Loverboy
    @ Xfinity Center

    Wednesday, August 9th
    The Clientele
    @ Crystal Ballroom

    Friday, August 11th
    Band of Horses
    The Revivalists
    @ the Pavilion

    Friday, August 11th
    Glen Hansard &
    Marketa Irglova
    (of the Swell Season)
    @ the Wang

    Friday, August 18th
    Sarah Sherman (SNL)
    @ the Wilbur

    Saturday, August 19th
    The Baseball Project
    with Fenway organist Josh Kantor
    @ the Sinclair

    Saturday, August 19th
    Sigur Ros
    with an orchestra
    @ the Wang

    Saturday & Sunday
    August 19th & 20th
    In Between Days Festival
    with
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    Jimmy Eat World
    Manchester Orchestra
    Middle Kids
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    Bruce Springsteen
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    Alex G
    Alvvays
    @ the Pavilion

    Friday, August 25th
    John Oliver
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Saturday, August 26th
    The Pixies
    Modest Mouse
    Cat Power
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    Sunday, September 3rd
    Future Teens
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Sunday, September 3rd
    The Offspring
    A Simple Plan
    Sum 41
    @ the Xfinity Center

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    Beck
    Phoenix
    Weyes Blood
    Sir Chloe
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Wednesday, September 6th
    Duran Duran
    Nile Rodgers & Chic
    Bastille
    @ TD Garden

    Wednesday, September 6th
    Damien Jurado
    Lilly Miller
    @ Crystal Ballroom

    Thursday, September 7th
    Ted Leo & the Pharmacists
    Tami Hart (MEN)

    Thursday, September 7th
    Sting
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Friday, September 8th
    Speedy Ortiz
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Friday, September 8th
    Jeff Rosenstock
    Sidney Gish
    Gladie
    @ Roadrunner

    Saturday, September 9th
    Billy Idol
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Saturday, September 9th
    Buffalo Tom
    @ Bellforge Arts Center

    Monday, September 11th
    Mr. Bungle
    Tove Lo
    @ Roadrunner

    Monday, September 11th
    Luna
    Ryder the Eagle
    @ the Paradise

    Tuesday, September 12th
    Squeeze
    Psychedlic Furs
    @ the Wang

    Tuesday & Wednesday September 12th & 13th
    Death Cab For Cutie
    The Postal Service
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Thursday, September 14th
    Gin Blossoms
    Sugar Ray
    Tonic
    Fastball
    @ the Chevalier

    Thursday, September 14th
    Peter Gabriel
    @ the Garden

    Friday, September 15th
    Godflesh
    Cel Genesis
    @ the Middle East

    Tuesday, September 19th
    Boris
    Melvins
    @ the Paradise

    Tuesday, September 19th
    Gorillaz
    @ Fenway Park

    Tuesday, September 19th
    Death From Above 1979
    @ the Middle East Downstairs

    Wednesday, September 20th
    OSEES
    @ the Royale

    Wednesday, September 20th
    Death Grips
    @ House of Blues

    Thursday, September 21st
    Bully
    @ Crystal Ballroom

    Friday, September 22nd
    Fiddlehead
    @ the Royale

    Friday, September 22nd
    Tegan & Sara
    Carlie Hanson
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, September 22nd
    Lady Lamb
    celebrates 10 years
    of "Ripely Pine"
    @ the Sinclair

    Saturday, September 23rd
    Stevie Nicks
    Billy Joel
    @ Gillette

    Wednesday, September 27th
    Ratboys
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Wednesday, September 27th
    Royal Blood
    Bad Nerves
    @ Roadrunner

    Thursday, September 28th
    Ratboys
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Sunday, October 1st
    Explosions In The Sky
    @ Roadrunner

    Monday, October 2nd
    Neil Gaiman
    @ the Emerson Colonial

    Thursday, October 5th
    Belly
    @ the Paradise

    Friday, October 6th
    Kingsley Flood
    The Shang Hi Los
    @ the Burren

    Friday, October 6th
    Garrison
    Orangeisland
    Pilot to Gunner
    @ the Middle East Upstairs

    Saturday, October 7th
    Agent Orange
    Spice Pistols
    @ the Middle East

    Tuesday, October 10th
    Nick Cave with
    Colin Greenwood (Radiohead)
    on bass
    @ the Wang

    Wednesday, October 11th
    Young Fathers
    @ the Royale

    Wednesday, October 11th
    The Mission UK
    The Chamelons
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Friday, October 13th
    Violent Femmes
    performing their debut LP
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, October 15th
    Thundercat
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, October 15th
    Queen
    @ the Garden

    Monday, October 16th
    Chromeo
    Ric Wilson
    @ Roadrunner

    Tuesday, October 17th
    The Chats
    Cosmic Psychos
    Schizophonics
    Gymshorts
    @ House of Blues

    Wednesday, October 18th
    Christine and the Queens
    @ House of Blues

    Saturday & Sunday
    October 21st & 22nd
    Gregory Alan Isakov
    The Milk Carton Kids
    @ Roadrunner

    Monday, October 23rd
    Pile
    @ the Sinclair

    Tuesday, October 24th
    My Morning Jacket
    @ Roadrunner

    Thursday, October 26th
    Hiss Golden Messenger
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, October 26th
    Mudhoney
    Hooveriii
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Saturday, October 28th
    Jethro Tull
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Tuesday, October 31st
    Depeche Mode
    @ the Garden

    Wednesday, November 1st
    The Hives
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, November 2nd
    Henry Winkler
    @ First Parish Church

    Saturday, November 4th
    Blonde Redhead
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Saturday, November 4th
    Amyl and the Sniffers
    Die Spitz
    @ Roadrunner

    Wednesday, November 8th
    Codeine
    Barbara Manning
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, November 10th
    Couch
    @ Royale

    Wednesday, November 15th
    Tool
    @ the Garden

    Sunday, November 19th
    Men I Trust
    Tops
    @ Roadrunner

    Tuesday, November 21st
    Liz Phair
    Blondshell
    @ Roadrunner

    Thursday, November 30th
    Nation of Language
    Miss Grit
    @ the Sinclair

    Tuesday, December 5th
    Bar Italia
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Saturday, December 16th
    A John Waters Christmas
    @ Berklee Performance Center