David's Top Ten (12) of 2013

I've looked back over the new music I listened to this past year, and reviewed the various 'best of 2013' lists, and came up with my top ten albums of 2013.  Actually, I came up with twelve and didn't see any point in reducing it to ten.  The albums are provided in no particular order, and there was no real criteria used for selecting these albums.  They are just twelve albums released in 2013 that I really like, and currently think I like more than the other albums released this year.  I'm also not terrifically gifted at describing music; so, sorry for that.  Here they are:

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

I loved this album from the day it was released.  My kids loved it even more.  I guess we all... wait for it... got lucky.

Valerie June - Pushin' Against A Stone

I feel like this is quintessentially American music.

Franz Ferdinand - Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action

This album sounds like, well, a Franz Ferdinand album.  If you like that, you'll probably like this.

William Onyeabor - Who Is William Onyeabor?

NPR describes him as a "Nigerian Funk Master."  What else is there to say?  His songs are pretty long.

Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg

If Bob Dylan were 19 years old, and from England, this might be what he would sound like.  Although probably different.

Arcade Fire - Reflektor

I feel like Arcade Fire's newest album is as good as anything they've done (except maybe Funeral), but not necessarily better.  Still, that's pretty darn good.

Tegan and Sara - Heartthrob 

Everybody's favorite Canadian, hipster, sister duo are back with another terrific album.

Avicii - True

American roots music meets Swedish electronica, and they get along great.

Bombino - Nomad

An internationally renowned Taureg guitarist from Niger, where playing the guitar is banned, Bombino's latest album is produced by Dan Auerbach, of Black Keys fame.

Kurt Vile - Walkin On A Pretty Daze

Although it is from 2013, it's not even his most recent album.

Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City

Like their other albums, but without so much , East-coast upper-crustiness, fewer African beats, and more grown up.

Waxaharchee - Cerulean Salt

I haven't listened to Waxahatchee's home-recorded first album American Weekend, so I can't speak to how different this album is (although I understand it is very different).  However, I think this might be what Lou Reed would sound like if he were a 24 year old lady, lived in Philadelphia instead of New York, and was from Alabama.