The Absolute Best Records Of 2013

The Absolute Best Records Of 2013, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

I cannot even remember the last time there was a year in music as good as 2013. You'd probably have to go back to the 90's to find a year that had so many truly fantastic records come out. From the second January started right up until the waning days of December, I feel that all I did this year was listen to great music.

The top 5 records this year were so strong, it really could have been a coin toss to select who got number 1. In the end I gave it to the Night Marchers. As I've been listening to John Reis bands for over 20 years now, it just feels the most like home if that makes any sense.

However, I want to make a special case for some records on this list that really deserve a little extra attention as the bands aren't quite as well known as some of their peers. The Dead Mechanical record could have been a number 1 record in almost any other year. It's just flawless and I really encourage people to check it out if they haven't heard it. Chestnut Road brought me back to my favorite scene of the 90's and they felt like the second coming of Broccoli, Hooton 3 Car or Leatherface, If you like fast guitar pop like The Marked Men, you're a fool if you don't give the Tight Bros record a listen. And finally, that Hooper record I reviewed a few days ago is just incredible. It may have ended up higher on this list had it come out a bit earlier so I could have spent even more time with it.

All of the records on this list are amazing in my humble opinion. I couldn't have asked for a better year in music. Sure, I spent an awful lot of money on records this year (I tracked all of my purchases in 2013, my advice is don't do that, it's depressing), but it was worth it. It's crazy that there's even more records from this year I wasn't able to pick up.  I'd like to grab the new Young Leaves record and I'm pretty sure I would like that Sweatshop Boys LP, but as you may have noticed, as it is I buy way to many records. Maybe next year.

Thanks again to everyone who reads this website and an extra special thanks to the folks that have emailed, tweeted to me or sent me records to review. Here's to more good rocking in 2014.

01 - The Night Marchers - Allez Allez - Swami
02 - Dead Mechanical - OK Night - Toxic Pop
03 - Radioactivity - Radioactivity - Dirtnap
04 - The Steve Adamyk Band - Third - Dirtnap
05 - Chestnut Road - Chestnut Road - Brassneck / Speedowax
06 - Warm Soda - Someone For You - Castle Face
07 - Tight Bros - Tight Bros - Rad Girlfriend
08 - The Blind Shake - Key To A False Door - Castle Face
09 - Obits - Bed & Bugs - Sub Pop
10 - Audacity - Butter Knife - Suicide Squeeze

11 - Mrs. Magician - B Sides - Thrill Me
12 - Hooper - How To Become A Ghost - Snappy Little Numbers
13 - Rumspringer - Stay Afloat - Dirtcult
14 - Dirtbombs - Ooey Gooey Chewy Ka-Blooey - In The Red
15 - Superchunk - I Hate Music - Merge
16 - Boat - Pretend To Be Brave - Magic Marker
17 - Low Culture - Screens - Dirtnap
18 - Plow United - Marching Band - Jump Start
19 - Sundowners - The Larger Half Of Wisdom - Dirtcult
20 - Crusaders - Perhaps You Deliver This Judgment... - No Idea

21 - Iron Chic - The Constant One - Bridge Nine
22 - Humanoids - Humanoids - Throwing Things
23 - Murmurs - Fly With The Unkindness - Dead Broke / Drunken Sailor
24 - The Resonars - Crummy Desert Sound - Burger
25 - Deltron 3030 - Event II - Bulk
26 - The Thermals - Desperate Ground - Saddle Creek
27 - RVIVR - The Beauty Between - Rumbletowne
28 - Shy Mirrors - Negative Collector - Big School
29 - Off With Their Heads - Home - Epitaph
30 - Wrong Words - Everything Is Free - Trouble In Mind

Other records I bought & enjoyed this year:
A Giant Dog - Bone - Tic Tac Totally
Autistic Youth - Nonage - Dirtnap
Bad Sports - Bra - Dirtnap
The Dagger Eyes - The Dagger Eyes - Ptrash
Dumpster Babies - Dumpster Babies - Tall Pat
Heavy Times - Fix It Alone - HoZac
Leatherface - More Mush - Bootleg
The Men - New Moon - Sacred Bones
Mind Spiders - Inhumanistic - Dirtnap
Paper Dragons - Die To Please - Toxic Pop
Southport - Southern Soul - Yo Yo
Space Wolves - IV - UT
Terry Malts - Nobody Realizes This Is Nowhere - Slumberland
The Visitors - Yeti - It's Alive
Wavves - Afraid Of Heights - Mom + Pop
Your Pest Band - In My Doom - Snuffy Smiles
Yuck - Glow & Behold - Fat Possum
Zebrassieres - I Am Human - Ptrash

Previously:
2012
2011
2010
2009

Dead Mechanical - OK Night LP - Blue Vinyl (/100)

Dead Mechanical - OK Night LP - Blue Vinyl (/100), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Toxic Pop (2013)

I reviewed the Insub Fest Test Pressing Early Bird Fun Time version of this record back in July (www.ibuywaytoomanyrecords.com/2013/07/dead-mechanical-ok-...), but now that I have received the full art, limited to 100 blue vinyl version, well, I have to say a few words about it as well. Before I go any further, somehow Toxic Pop still has a handful of the blue vinyl version for sale on their website. I cannot fathom how, but they do. You really, really should go buy it right away: www.firestarterrecords.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath...

Now, about this record. Though I did gush quite a bit about OK Night in my initial review, the past few months have only strengthened how I feel about Dead Mechanical. I will say it again, as far as punk rock bands go, they are probably just about the best there is out there right now. They play a raspy vocal, urgent punk rock with nods to Jawbreaker & Leatherface, but they don't (and I cannot stress this enough) sound like another carbon copy No Idea band (not that there's anything wrong with those No Idea bands).

Dead Mechanical have elevated the form and weave powerful lyrics into their dynamic guitar driven rock. Anyone who knows me knows that John Reis & Rocket From the Crypt related bands have pretty much been my favorite thing for the last 20 years or so. This Dead Mechanical record is so good, it's really looking like it could push the Night Marchers out of my #1 record of the year spot. Now that is high praise from me.

Dead Mechanical - OK Night LP:
firestartertoxicpop.bandcamp.com/album/ok-night

Dead Mechanical - OK Night LP - Screened Cover (/40)

Dead Mechanical - OK Night LP - Screened Cover (/40), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Toxic Pop (2013)

This Dead Mechanical record is coming out in the next month on Toxic Pop records. There's a pre-order for it on the label's website right now, and I put in my order the very day it went up. However, since Dead Mechanical was playing Insub Fest in late June, Toxic Pop had a some test pressings of the record rushed and they made special screened covers for the occasion. They only sold 40 copies of this record at Insub Fest, but I was very luckily that a quick email to Toxic Pop had them put aside a copy for me. I guess being a loyal customer that buys almost every single thing the label puts out the day it goes on sale earned me some karma points.

I love the screened cover and as cool as it looks in the picture, it really pops in person. Now, as for the music, I could not possibly say enough good things about this record. Over and over I've stated what a great year for music 2013 has been, but it's just getting downright insane at this point. This is an album of the year most years. It's a surefire top 5, it's probably a top 3. In all seriousness, just stop reading this review as you are wasting time that could be better spent buying this record.

The band weaves together some of the best influences in punk. You've got your early Jawbreaker vocals, there's Leatherface inspired guitar play, Dillinger Four-esque catchiness in parts and it's all presented though a filter of incredible energy and passion. I always say that to me, the most important thing about a band is that I want to believe in them. I want to feel the conviction they have in their music. Dead Mechanical has this in spades. I believe every word, every note that comes out of this band. It's a soundtrack for life kicking you low, and your quest to crawl back.

OK Night is essential, just absolutely essential. After 3 perfect records, I do not understand how this band is not one of the biggest in the US. Dead Mechanical should be huge. They should be the first thing anyone mentions when talking about today's great punk bands. Go buy this record, you deserve it.

Dead Mechanical - OK Night:
firestartertoxicpop.bandcamp.com/album/ok-night