2013 Favorite Albums (40-31)

Continuing my list of top albums of the year, here are numbers 40 through 31:

40. London Grammar - If You Wait

London Grammar, a trio made up of vocalist Hannah Reid, guitarist Dan Rothman, and pianist and drummer Dot Major, made a buzz late last year with the single "Hey Now," which cribbed from the playbook of The xx, sparse instrumentation (delicate trills of guitar, plaintive piano, and dusky percussion) and intimate, emotionally charged lyrics, but went one step further with Reid's powerhouse voice that can go from a hushed whisper to full on wail in seconds. The band wisely realizes that Reid's voice is the star of the show, and steps things back to allow her to be the focus, but she has amazing control of her instrument, never letting it get too out of control, and reigning it back when necessary. Their debut If You Wait collects all of their singles from this past year with new tracks that seamlessly create a gorgeous collection of atmospheric pop that only falters every so slightly with some timidity that only comes with their youth, but foreshadows great things to come.

39. Letherette - Letherette

Wolverhampton duo Letherette, Andy Harber and Richard Roberts, made the best Daft Punk album of the year with their self-titled debut. While Letherette definitely draw their initial influence from the house music titans, it is merely a stepping off point for a record that is so much more than the sum of its influences. Granted, the first few tracks almost seem like Daft Punk-by-numbers, and by that point in listening to their debut I believed I had them pegged. But Letherette is structured more as a deep cuts DJ set, taking you on a journey, with many highs coupled with interesting sojourns into darker, more contemplative territory. With such insanely catchy tracks, Letherette made me forget all about the debacle that was Random Access Memories.

38. Phoenix - Bankrupt!

Phoenix' breakthrough album, 2009's Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is still a headscratcher for me. While it is a really good alt-pop record, there is a huge disconnect with me about it. I loved the singles but the rest of the album left me wanting; it was just a little too quirky, and lacked a certain charm. Even more puzzling is how the band has erupted since then into a festival headlining, SNL guesting, sold out touring juggernaut of epic proportions. So with the release of their new album Bankrupt! I was expecting basically more of the same, but perhaps a little more cleanly polished guitar rock. Imagine my surprise on my first listen to Bankrupt! how gloriously weird it all is. Working with Cassius member Philippe Zdar, Phoenix have ramped up the synths this go around eschewing the sleek guitar pop of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix for a more technicolor/widescreen vision.

37. Daughter - If You Leave

When the first lines of an album are "Drifting apart like two sheets of ice, my love/Frozen hearts growing colder with time," you know you are entering dark and lonely territory. London trio Daughter, led by Elena Tonra, have crafted a debut album that picks over the minutiae of a failed relationship in intimate detail, but never feels overwhelmingly bleak. There is a delicate balance at work here, the softly reverberating guitars and intricate percussion work create a gorgeous sweep of sound that elevates these tracks to sublime beauty. There are touches of The xx's minimal guitar palate, The Innocence Mission's shy naivete, and hints of the legends of their past 4AD label mates Cocteau Twins, Dif Juz, and Mojave 3. Tonra's voice is an evocative instrument that is akin to Florence Welch's dramatic beast, but is far more reigned in and subtle. Daughter don't necessarily sound like any of these bands per se, but they are good stepping off points in comparison. With If You Leave, Daughter rise above their influences and create their own distinct sound.

36. The National - Trouble Will Find Me

It is easy to overlook The National. They aren't flashy, gimmicky, or trendy. In fact, they are probably the most reliable band out there at the moment, always putting out record upon record of comfortable, assured alt-rock. I am sure the band is not thrilled about being considered the musical equivalent to a Lazy-Boy chair, but there is something nice in knowing that you are going to get what you get with The National, and their haunting lyrics and subtle way with melodies is never less than stunning. With their last album High Violet, I thought I had reached the saturation point with the band, believing they had reached the ultimate rung in their upwards trajectory, and a much needed U2/Radiohead sound+game changing shift in their output was needed. Several listens in to Trouble Will Find Me, I actually began to think this was true. While most records from The National require a growing period before you understand what they are going for, with this record I just didn't get it. Throwing my hands up in frustration, I began to develop the thought that "gasp" could this be my first review of theirs that would be less than glowing. Trouble Will Find Me is by far the most subdued record from The National, and perhaps that is what struck me as so odd about the record. There were no immediately killer singles like "Bloodbuzz Ohio" or "Squalor Victoria" that grabbed hold of you. For the most part, these songs are languid and tranquil, the subtle shifts in tone and melody are almost imperceptible at times. Although the tag "grower" is often used with The National, here it is very apropos, and it is almost frustratingly so. But once it ultimately sets hold, Trouble Will Find Me is completely rewarding and another stellar release in their canon.

35. Suede - Bloodsports

When Suede's last album A New Morning came out in 2002, the lukewarm response from fans and critics alike essentially killed the band, seemingly for good. Their first two records, Suede and dog man star, were fueled by tensions between singer Brett Anderson's rock star excesses and guitarist Bernard Butler's more reigned in personality. After Butler left the band, the resulting records Head Music and Coming Up were more fueled by drugs and Anderson's almost suicidal need to live the life of a rock star. The inevitable come down from all that resulted in their most toothless record, one that almost faded into the background. In the interim, Anderson worked with some other artists (including some work with Bernard Butler), released some solo material, and also reissued Suede's first albums with the assistance of Butler. In 2011, Suede quietly got back together again and toured in support of the reissues. I was fortunate to see them perform at Coachella that year, and even without the drug soaked excesses of the past to fuel him, Anderson was a commanding presence on stage, showing everyone in attendance what it meant to be true rock star and front man. Against all odds, Suede are now back with Bloodsports, finding original producer Ed Buller back behind the boards, giving this project a much needed focus and burst of energy. This record bursts forth from the opening chords of "Barriers" and pulses with life up until the final notes of "Faultlines." As with David Bowie's new record, perhaps it was a good thing to take a step back and regain the urge to record again. This record is not just a return to form for Suede, it is one of their best records.

34. FKA Twigs - EP2

Enigmatic UK singer twigs, who goes by the rather clunky new moniker FKA twigs (a change at the behest of another artist called Twigs), follows up her first EP with four tracks produced by up and coming producer Arca (who worked on Kanye West's album Yeezus). Blurring the lines between trip-hop, Aaliyah/Timbaland future R&B, UK bass music, and the menacing, sinister throb of Mezzanine-era Massive Attack, EP2 is a thoroughly beguiling, addictive listen. These four tracks effortlessly flow into each other, utilizing the same elements (whispered vocals, warped samples, fractured beats, and haunted silences), but are offered up in different shades and perspectives.

33. Arcade Fire - Reflektor

Say what you will about Arcade Fire, but no one can slag them off as being reticent. If any band these days follows the maxim "go big or go home" they would be the poster child. Following their surprise Grammy award for best album for The Suburbs, Arcade Fire returns with Reflektor, an expansive double album that draws inspiration from the film Black Orpheus, the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, writings of Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, Haitian rara music, as well as practically any art-pop record of the past 50 years, from The White Album, Low, and Achtung Baby. It is a go-for-broke record that is in turns brilliant, bloated, icy, hot, awe-inspiring, and head scratching but never less than intoxicating. Using the Orpheus myth as a jumping off part, Reflektor loosely trails through that epic of undying/unwavering love and its sad resolution, but fractures it through our age's over-saturation of media and information overload. It's a paranoid and shaky journey with lots of false steps, restarts, meanderings, but somehow all comes together to be a rewarding listen.

32. Cut Copy - Free Your Mind

Over the course of three albums, Aussie act Cut Copy have subtly been moving from more guitar-centric dance rock to full on electronic dance music, and never more so on their fourth record Free Your Mind, a trippy, sun-kissed love letter to the late 80s and early 90s summer of love in the UK. Drawing inspiration from Primal Scream's Screamadelica, acid house, and the whole Madchester scene (Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, Charlatans), Cut Copy have come up with their most consistent and their most fun record. While many people will decry that Cut Copy have abandoned their New Order-hook galore sound for something more ephemeral, these tracks insinuate themselves within in you to where you can't get rid of them, and honestly, the whole record is a grower, with each listen revealing more and more going on behind the scenes.

31. Darkstar - News From Nowhere

I've stopped trying to figure out what UK electronic trio Darkstar are going to do next, as there is absolutely no way to determine it. Starting out on the Hyperdub label, the original duo of James Young and Aiden Whalley made waves with the brilliant track "Aidy's Girl's A Computer" that pointed them in the direction of UK grime/two step/dubstep. With their debut album North, the duo added a third member, vocalist James Buttery, and moved into dark synth pop territory. With tracks like their cover of the Human League track "(You Remind Me Of) Gold," they kept their coolly sensuous sound but added a human touch to their aesthetic. It was a challenging listen and showed the band's depth of talent. I was basically expecting more along the lines of North when word hit the street that their follow up was imminent. Confounding expectations, Darkstar has once again slid into new territory. New From Nowhere is 10 tracks that flow together seamlessly as one. While there are a few "singles" sprinkled in the mix, for the most part the music acts as a complete work. Drawing from more impressionistic acts like Animal Collective, James Blake, and Oneohetrix Point Never, these liquidy tracks bubble and shimmer and glow with a delicate light. Immersing yourself in this netherworld takes some time and effort, but once you allow it access to your mind and heart, it becomes one of the most gorgeous records you will hear all year.