The Needle Drop's Top 50 Albums of 2013

The Needle Drop's Top 50 Albums of 2013

Original Source →

50.

May 14, 2013
Critic Score
81
45 reviews

Vampire Weekend's latest album is a worth sequel to 2010's Contra, presenting songs that truly stand on the merits of their memorable writing and lush instrumentation.

49.

Comadre - Comadre
January 8, 2013
Critic Score
80
1 review

48.

August 24, 2013
Critic Score
77
30 reviews
While it is a little overbearing at times, it delivers an almost immeasurable amount of passion!

45.

March 25, 2013
Critic Score
81
15 reviews

44.

September 24, 2013
Critic Score
81
15 reviews
West Coast screamo outfit Touché Amoré's third record is easily the most ambitious in their discography so far, featuring some incredibly dynamic and melodic punk guitars and lyrics that dive into the depths of mortality, legacy, and the band itself.

43.

The Dillinger Escape Plan - One of Us Is the Killer
May 14, 2013
Critic Score
81
16 reviews
The Dillinger Escape plan comes through again with another solid set of pummeling, difficult riffs and catchy choruses on this new full-length album.

42.

March 1, 2013
Critic Score
87
3 reviews
On the Drones' latest release, the band is working with some of their longest and most emotive songs yet.

41.

February 3, 2013
Critic Score
87
42 reviews

On the band's first effort in over 20 years, My Bloody Valentine doesn't overreach their seminal efforts on Loveless, but the band still proves they have a hefty amount of relevance and creativity to spare when it comes to shoegaze.

40.

April 15, 2013
Critic Score
84
18 reviews
The Haxan Cloak's new, sophomore album is possibly one of the scariest sonic experiences you'll have all year.

38.

Cakes da Killa - The Eulogy
January 29, 2013
Critic Score
78
2 reviews

37.

Stone Titan - Scratch 'n Sniff
June 25, 2013
Critic Score
80
1 review

36.

Young Fathers - Tape Two
June 11, 2013
Critic Score
78
9 reviews

On Tape Two, the Scottish hip hop trio Young Fathers christen their Anticon. signing with a handful of new tracks that are just as creative, vibrant and thrilling as the material on Tape One.

35.

October 15, 2013
Critic Score
77
6 reviews

Detroit rapper and producer Black Milk outright wows me with some creative, grimy beats set against some very personal stories on this latest full-length of his, No Poison No Paradise.

34.

September 17, 2013
Critic Score
79
30 reviews
The latest full-length from singer-songwriter Bill Callahan is a wonderful display of adventurous, tender folk instrumentation and poetic lyricism.

33.

June 25, 2013
Critic Score
72
29 reviews

32.

May 21, 2013
Critic Score
83
50 reviews

The kings of French House return with a new album that pays homage to the roots of their roots.

29.

Flatbush Zombies - BetterOffDEAD
September 11, 2013
Critic Score
75
4 reviews
Aside from a few unnecessary tracks that could have been a lot better with some more fleshing out, the new Flatbush Zombies tape is incredibly solid, grimy, cunning, and hilarious. Instrumentally, vocally, and lyrically, these three Flatbush natives bring plenty of thrills and personality.

28.

Buke and Gase - General Dome
January 29, 2013
Critic Score
77
12 reviews

27.

October 8, 2013
Critic Score
70
16 reviews
Alternative rock outfit Cage the Elephant completely surprises me with a record of songs that have uniformly interesting production, energetic performances, memorable hooks, sharp melodies, and a pretty diverse array of instrumentation.

26.

October 8, 2013
Critic Score
74
25 reviews

of Montreal's latest record sees the band stripping things back to some pretty base instrumentation, resulting in a sound that's pretty similar to the band's early work. However, Kevin Barnes proves he's still a pretty manic songwriter, consistently delivering wordy, witty, and intense lyrics in his trademark vocals.

25.

Ghostface Killah & Adrian Younge - Twelve Reasons To Die
April 16, 2013
Critic Score
75
24 reviews
On Ghostface Killah's latest project, he's working with composer and multi-instrumentalist Adrian Younge. Together, they create a fantastically conceptual album that's loaded with all the b-movie thrills a Wu-Tang fan could ask for.

24.

June 11, 2013
Critic Score
89
23 reviews

West Coast metal outfit Deafheaven has really improved their sound on this latest outing of theirs, delivering sharper, more triumphant compositions through a barrage of black metal-style instrumentation.

22.

August 19, 2013
Critic Score
83
32 reviews

On her latest album, Loud City Song, CA singer-songwriter Julia Holter maintains her dreamy aesthetic while bringing some beautifully arranged horns and strings.

21.

YC The Cynic - GNK
August 26, 2013
Critic Score
80
1 review

20.

June 3, 2013
Critic Score
84
33 reviews

On Immunity, electronic music producer Jon Hopkins focuses in on the worlds of house and techno, fusing the characteristics of these genres with some pretty atmospheric and grandiose keyboards.

19.

きゃりーぱみゅぱみゅ [Kyary Pamyu Pamyu] - なんだこれくしょん (Nanda Collection)
June 26, 2013
Critic Score
74
4 reviews

Japanese singer Kyary Pamyu Pamyu comes through with a second collection of tracks that are some of the most colorful and eccentric mainstream pop songs from her country.

18.

September 3, 2013
Critic Score
80
20 reviews
Darkened singer-songwriter Chelsea Wolfe returns with another diverse set of songs that approach pain, suffering, and isolation in the most beautiful way possible.

17.

Armand Hammer - Race Music
October 22, 2013
Critic Score
80
1 review

Billy Woods and Elucid team up on Race Music to make one of the most dense hip hop albums to come out this year. With seventeen tracks laced with this duo's esoteric lyricism, this one's gonna require quite a few replays for maximum enjoyment and comprehension.

16.

Da Mafia 6ix - 6ix Commandments
November 12, 2013
Critic Score
80
2 reviews
Southern rap titans Three Six Mafia are back under a different name--and with a slight lineup change--but that hasn't stopped them from pulling together one of the rawest, grimiest mixtapes to drop this year.

15.

This Routine Is Hell - Howl
April 10, 2013
Critic Score
73
3 reviews

14.

October 21, 2013
Critic Score
85
15 reviews
If you like your rock music to have catchy hooks, wordy verses, and lots of smart-ass remarks, then I see no reason why you won't dig the new Future of the Left album.

13.

May 6, 2013
Critic Score
80
41 reviews
Savages' full-length debut may just be a group of tracks, but they're an incredibly performed, produced, and written group of tracks that bring the energy of old school post-punk and gothic rock alive again.

11.

February 7, 2013
Critic Score
78
24 reviews

Autechre may be coming from the same cold, analytical place they usually do, but Exai shows that their skills for crafting sound are stronger than ever.

10.

Grave Babies - Crusher
February 25, 2013
Critic Score
66
7 reviews

8.

February 19, 2013
Critic Score
79
37 reviews
Iceage's sophomore full-length brings the same downtrodden, depressive ferocity that the band's last album did, but with a bit more length and diversity. While it's not exactly progressive, it's still a blast--just like the debut LP.

7.

clipping. - midcity
February 5, 2013
Critic Score
80
2 reviews
It's Clipping, bitch...

6.

November 4, 2013
Critic Score
80
3 reviews

5.

Melt-Banana - Fetch
October 1, 2013
Critic Score
83
8 reviews
After a short studio album hiatus, Japan's Melt-Banana is back with their most exciting, dynamic, joyous, and detailed album to date. I actually think it's their best!

4.

June 4, 2013
Critic Score
83
49 reviews

With ...Like Clockwork, Queens of The Stone Age pulls together their dreariest album yet, but don't forget to deliver plenty of badass alt rock numbers in the process.

3.

Altar of Plagues - Teethed Glory and Injury
April 30, 2013
Critic Score
87
7 reviews
Irish black metal outfit Altar of Plagues' latest album sees the band challenging their atomspheric black metal roots with loops, synthetic drums, keyboards, noise, and some unique grooves.

2.

April 8, 2013
Critic Score
80
44 reviews
On the Knife's latest full-length, the Swedish electronic music duo goes absolutely insane with a 98 minute album that features a ton of long, linear art pop tracks that overload the senses and challenge expectations.

1.

October 14, 2013
Critic Score
83
29 reviews
Canadian music producer Tim Hecker returns with a stunning collection of tracks that make for some of the most beautiful music I've heard this year.
Original Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYEZK6_MlDw
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