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2013: Year End Review by Bobby Gorman
ThePunkSite.com’s Best Of 2013
Once again all of us here at ThePunkSite.com have taken the holidays to sit back and revisit all of our favourite albums of the year. Narrowing them down into easy-to-consume list forms – here’s what the people behind the website you’re currently browsing thought of this year’s music output.
Bobby Gorman | Cole Faulkner | Steven Farkas | Emily Thompson | Dustin Blumhagen | José Da Costa | Cardo Solis | Lanny Bolger
2013: Year End Review by Bobby Gorman
2013 was a strangely busy year for me and a year where I, sadly, heard less music than I wanted to. It was a combination of a few things – working ten to eighteen hours a day makes finding time for music difficult and the increased domination of digital releases made many albums fly under my radar. So yes, Dropkick Murphys may have released Signed and Sealed in Blood back in January but I only finally listened to it two weeks ago. A few more listens and it’ll probably made it into my top ten. There’s something about holding a physical album, flipping through the booklet and reading the lyrics that still leaves an impression on me. It creates a visual connection to the music as well that is slowly disappearing. But that’s neither here not there.
The fact is there were still great albums released this year and despite the busy work load; I was able to see more concerts than I have in years. There’s still albums that I haven’t truly given a fair shot to, and many which I’m sure I’ve missed that I’m working hard to finally listen to.
As it is, these are my favourite albums of the year. It was a tough call – chances are I’ll listen to Dave Hause’s Devour more than The Slow Death’s No Heaven years from now but there’s no denying that No Heaven is just a stronger, more surprising record that’s worthy of the recognition. Yes, I’ll never forget relaxing at Coal Harbor in a brisk autumn morning at 1AM listening to Captain We’re Sinking’s The Future Is Cancelled. The raw power, emotion and intensity blaring through the headphones as I watched the moon reflect in the ripples of the water was euphoric but Red City Radio still excites me more.
So just as with music, this list is fluid – ever changing, ebbing and flowing and every note deserves your attention.
Top Ten Albums Of The Year
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10. Bad Religion – True North – Epitaph Records
Thirty years and sixteen albums in, Bad Religion aren’t pulling any punches. You like them or you hate them, by now any self respecting punk fan will know what to expect from a new Bad Religion album and True North doesn’t deviate. There’s nothing wrong with that though as True North pulsates with energy and fire. Only a band like Bad Religion can release a song called Fuck You and not make it sound cheesy and condescending. Their importance can not be overlooked and True North shows they have no intention of slowing down. |
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9. The Slow Death – No Heaven – Rad Girlfriend Records / ADD Records
The Slow Death came out of nowhere. An email arrived in my inbox saying “hey, do you wanna stream this album?” I listened to it and immediately said yes – and have kept it on repeat ever since. If you’ve ever liked anything Red Scare has ever put out, but imagined they merged with someone like Leatherface and you’ll get the raspy, raw, pop-punk that is The Slow Death. |
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8. Red City Radio – Titles – Paper + Plastick Records One of those band that impressed me live before properly hearing any recorded output, by the time Titles hit my ear drums, Red City Radio did not disappoint. A poppier Nothington, Red City Radio are fast melodic skate-punk with harmonized anthems anchored by a gruff vocalist that gets you excited sing-along with them. A few listens and you’ll be singing the songs without even realizing. |
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7. Direct Hit! – Brainless Gods – Red Scare Industries Never has the end of the world sounded so good. A concept album about an upcoming nuclear apocalypse, Direct Hit! bombards the listener with tales of survival, parties, purgatory, revenge and philosophical questioning all around the end of the world. When Devon Kay sings there’s moments of Screeching Weasel and Blink 182 and then Nick Woods comes barrelling in like an a-bomb of raw fury and the whole album explodes. A smart album, that nods to Auld Lang Syne in one song and then follows with a non-stop punk battle cry against God for ending the party too soon. Fuck You, Get Pumped indeed. |
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6. The Flatliners – Dead Language – Fat Wreck Chords I always say that The Flatliners are Canada’s best punk band, but even that sells them short. Limiting to only the Great White North doesn’t do the band justice. The Flatliners are one of the world’s best punk bands. Fast, fiery, and unrelenting with Chris Cresswell’s vocals sounding unlike any other singer around today, The Flatliners have moved away from their ska-punk days completely with Dead Language and shown the listeners what a true punk band can do. Propagandhi watch your back. |
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5. Wolf-Face – Still A Son Of A Bitch – Mooster Records Wolf-Face are a gimmick band, there’s no denying that. Claiming to be werewolves, they perform in costume, go by names like Michael J. Wolf and sing about the trials and tribulations of living life as a werewolf. It’s stupid yet endearing. When you add in the fact that these songs are actually good, then Still A Son Of A Bitch starts to gain some teeth. |
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4. RVIVR – The Beauty Between – Rumbletowne Records Brendan Kelly wrote a great blog entry about why RVIVR are not only great, but an important and necessary band to have around. Go read it now. Done? Okay, great. That’s RVIVR. A dirty, grimy org-core punk band that I saw play a Queer The Fest showcase in the middle of a field in the pouring rain. It was awesome. The Beauty Between is equally as awesome. Yes, they can come off preachy at times live, but Kelly’s right, you need to push the edges and RVIVR does this that. Even if you don’t like what they say, their music is impossible to hate. |
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3. Streetlight Manifesto – The Hands That Thieve – Victory Records Following RVIVR with Streetlight Manifesto is a jarring juxtaposition, but a worthy one. The only great ska-punk band still around (well, Less Than Jake released a pretty good album with See The Light, so that’s not completely true but you get what I’m saying), The Hands That Thieve was a long time coming. Filled with controversy between them and Victory Records, the album almost never saw the light of day (the companion solo album was squashed by Tony Brummel sadly) but it would’ve been a disservice to the music world to withhold this album. Six years in the making, Tomas Kalnoky is back with a vengeance here. A grandiose album, not in concept, but in sound and emotion, The Hands That Thieve may not pack as big a punch as Somewhere In The Between but no one can craft a song like Kalnoky. Unparallel musicianship makes Streetlight Manifesto worthy of the praise they get, creative genius ensures they’ll be talked about for years to come. |
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2. The Wild – Dreams Are Maps – Asian Man Records Every album on this list is a fast paced, high energy punk album. The Wild is the black sheep of the list with their brand of folk-punk. There’s still energy and excitement embedded within Dreams Are Maps but there’s also an unbridled sense of optimism and emotion that pushes the album to new heights. Alternating make/female vocals, acoustic guitars, harmonicas, tambourines and banjos, Dreams Are Maps is the first album produced by Against Me!’s Laura Jane Grace in her new studio and the introspective, pro-community, anti-corporation album kicks off her producing career perfectly. Folk-punk the way it’s meant to be played. |
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1. Off With Their Heads – Home – Epitaph Records Home sees Young trying new things, there’s still the bass-heavy Minneapolis punk sound imbued in every track but there are times when he actually tries to sing this time (see Don’t Make Me Go for the prime example of him experimenting). It’s more polished without losing its bite; yet every song remains angry – questioning, accusatory, introspective and depressive self reflection abound. In the midst of it all, they offer a re-recording of Janie and it doesn’t miss a beat. Home is a perfect album, cementing Off With Their Heads as a band for the history books. |
Honourable Mentions (Alphabetical order)
- Alkaline Trio – My Shame Is True
- Arliss Nancy – Wild American Runners
- Captain We’re Sinking – The Future Is Cancelled
- The Creepshow – Life after death
- Elway – Leavetaking
- The Front Bottoms – Talon of the Hawk
- Get Dead – Bad News
- Iron Chic – The Constant One
- Less Than Jake – See The Light
- Various Artists – Tony Sly Tribute
Top Three Shows of the Year
The Fest 12 – Oct 29 – Nov. 3 – Tampa and Gainesville, Florida
Big Pre-Fest In Little Ybor and The Fest 12 were most definitely the highlights of my year. I already wrote a detailed review of my adventures and misadventures that weekend, but two months later we’re still talking about it. Seeing White Wives do a Green Day cover set in the Holiday Inn hotel, dancing up a storm with my fellow Canadians during The Wild at Boca Fiesta, getting chills down my spine as Paul Baribeau serenaded the Orpheum, the weekend was full of memories. In between seeing 95 bands during the six days, I made countless friends, drank untold number of beers, did more sing-alongs then I ever thought possible and slept for maybe four hours a day if I was lucky. We climbed palm trees and sang Oh Canada, shared tacos with Tim Barry and even ended up a Coyote Ugly bar. Fest Friends are the Best Friends.
Rancid – July 13/14 – Commodore Ballroom
Another show that I enthusiastically previously reviewed, Rancid did two sold out shows in Vancouver in the middle of the summer in the heart of Granville Street. I walked home from the second night (and the first as well), feeling alive again. No other time had the lyrics “When I’ve got the music, I’ve got a place to go” meant so much to me.
Streetlight Manifesto – October 19th – The Venue
I hadn’t left a show that sweaty in ages. A perfect ska show.
Most Surprising Show of the Year
Twin Forks – November 26 – Biltmore Cabaret
There were some surprisingly good shows this year (Fall Out Boy actually impressed me instead of making me laugh) and some surprisingly bad (Danzig’s 25th anniversary tour was just plain weird) but Twin Forks were the band that really hit it out of the park. Going on a whim because we had nothing better to do and figured we may as well check out Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional)’s new band. They were in their element in the small venue, and the few Dashboard songs were easily the weakest in the set. Carrabba seems to be freed here and Twin Forks has definite potential.
Best Bonus Song
Frank Turner – Wherefore Art Thou Gene Simmons – Tape Deck Heart
B-sides are almost a necessity know. Deluxe albums, iTunes exclusives, Wal-Mart only versions – an album is rarely the full album anymore. Frank Turner’s major label debut, Tape Deck Heart is the latest addition to that list. The deluxe edition features six added songs, including Tattoo and Wherefore Art Thou Gene Simmons – the two best songs on the album. The latter of which can be played on repeat until your iPod runs out of battery.
Best Song to Sing-Along To
The Front Bottoms – Au Revoir (Adios) – Talon of the Hawk
This probably isn’t the best sing-along song, but based on the amount of times different people started singing it in the hotel lobby at the Fest, it’s pretty damn close.
Best Interview
Polar Bear Club – Jimmy Stadt – November 23rd
Jimmy Stadt talks a lot, but he says good stuff. My interview with him in support of Polar Bear Club’s Death Chorus clocked in at over forty minutes even though I only touched on a third of my questions. After a lull of interviews, Stadt reminded me why I do interviews in the first place and makes me want to do many more.
Album With The Surprisingly Least Impact
Mixtapes – Ordinary Silence- No Sleep Records
2012’s Even On The Worst Nights was my number three album of the year and I still play it constantly. That’s why I’m so surprised at how little I cared about Ordinary Silence. It’s not bad, but man I barely remember even listening to it.
Best Discoveries I Haven’t Really Discovered Yet
Rational Anthem and Jabber.
I’ve heard one song from Jabber on a digital-only compilation that I streamed from bandcamp. But I’ve kept replaying that song over and over again and will now never forget the name. I just really need to listen to another song by them.
At least I’ve properly heard Jabber though. I walked into Rational Anthem playing a house show in Tampa and was instantly blown away. I’ve told all my music friends about them but have yet to track down an actual song from the band. My bad.
Summary
That’s it, that’s all. It’s New Years’ Eve, time for me to head downtown and watch The Menzingers for the fourth time this year and properly kick off 2014 with a bang.
As for 2014? Well January will see new albums from Against Me! and The Lawrence Arms. You can’t get much better than that can you?
Bobby Gorman is the Editor and Founder of ThePunksite.com
