MCCh 2013 (02) February, 15

[Otisredding]

The best albums of 2013 (update February, 15)

The final numbers is the average rating and number of reviews in brackets (over 31)
New Entry or Re Entry

The magazines I used for the ratings were:
EUR: Gaffa-dk; Gaffa-sw; Jenesaispop; Laut; LesInrocks; MagicRPM; Mondosonoro; Music-story; Nojesguiden; Plattentests; Playgroundmag; Sentire Ascoltare; Storia Della Musica
UK: Bowlegs; DIY; Drowned In Sound, The Guardian, Music OMH, NME, No Ripcord
USA: Allmusic; AV Club; BeatsPerMinute; Blurt; Consequence Of Sound; Paste; Pitchforkmedia; Popmatters; Rolling Stone; Spin; Tinymixtapes

Out:
Christopher Owens: Lysandre
Foxygen: We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors Of Peace And Magic
Local Natives: Hummingbird

15 - Broadcast: Berberian Sound Studio - 75,3 (14)
[imgsize 180x180]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ab0cwDfRn4/U ... A1500_.jpg[/imgsize]

14 - Mountains: Centralia – 75,4 (11)
[imgsize 180x180]http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9 ... L7kF66BA-S[/imgsize]

13 - Unknown Mortal Orchestra: II - 75,6 (17)
[imgsize 180x180]http://theswollenfox.com/wp-content/upl ... UMO-II.jpg[/imgsize]

12 - Toro Y Moi: Anything In Return – 75,9 (26)
[imgsize 180x180]http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9 ... lP5IylUulv[/imgsize]

11 - Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds: Push The Sky Away - 76,0 (9)
[imgsize 180x180]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JSjvhQ1dTCI/U ... /front.jpg[/imgsize]

10 - Villagers: {Awayland} - 76,6 (19)
[imgsize 190x190]http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9 ... cpL99X3VYA[/imgsize]

09 - Tegan And Sara: Heartthrob – 76,7 (17)
[imgsize 190x190]http://fistintheair.com/wp-content/uplo ... x12001.png[/imgsize]

08 - Foals: Holy Fire – 77,7 (20)
[imgsize 190x190]http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9 ... eNtAvWjKvb[/imgsize]

07 - Pissed Jeans: Honeys – 78,0 (14)
[imgsize 190x190]http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af10 ... bec94a.jpg[/imgsize]

06 - Frightened Rabbit: Pedestrian Verse – 78,3 (14)
[imgsize 190x190]http://wmuk-apache.co.uk/frightened_rab ... nVerse.jpg[/imgsize]

05 - Grouper: The Man Who Died In His Boat - 81,1 (13)
[imgsize 200x200]http://factmag-images.s3.amazonaws.com/ ... .20121.jpg[/imgsize]

04 - Yo La Tengo: Fade - 81,5 (26)
[imgsize 200x200]http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9 ... 6qEX7IiSpQ[/imgsize]

03 - Matthew E. White: Big Inner - 83,2 (12)
[imgsize 200x200]http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9 ... PiFD-WoY1Q[/imgsize]

02 - Parquet Courts: Light Up Gold - 83,7 (10)
[imgsize 200x200]http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9 ... P5aomDD-Ow[/imgsize]

01 - My Bloody Valentine: MBV - 87,5 (25)
[imgsize 200x200]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iiqxZZtNgeY/U ... er+(2).jpg[/imgsize]

[Jackson]

I bet m b v will have the top position in this poll for a while.

[Jirin]

No Foxygen?

Hope M B V gets unthroned soon. It's okay/boring.

[Jackson]

No Foxygen?

Hope M B V gets unthroned soon. It's okay/boring.

If there is a better album than m b v this year, I will be truly impressed. It hit me in a visceral way today reminiscent only of Loveless.

[Optical]

Light Up Gold is one of the best debut albums you'll hear all year.

[Jirin]

No Foxygen?

Hope M B V gets unthroned soon. It's okay/boring.

If there is a better album than m b v this year, I will be truly impressed. It hit me in a visceral way today reminiscent only of Loveless.

I guess I'll have to listen to it again, because when I heard it I thought it sounded like it was going through the motions of Loveless without inspiration.

[Future Critic]

5 albums above an 81 already?! Last year, I believe only 15 albums scored that high all year.

I can tell it's going to be a good year. And thanks again for doing this OtisRedding! I rely on your posts to determine which albums to purchase each month. Maybe you should see if you can get a cut from the albums' profits...

[Otisredding]

No Foxygen?

16 - Foxygen: We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors Of Peace And Magic - 75,0 (20)
[imgsize 80x80]http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9 ... WZdjrZLaUg[/imgsize]

[Otisredding]

5 albums above an 81 already?! Last year, I believe only 15 albums scored that high all year.

I can tell it's going to be a good year. And thanks again for doing this OtisRedding! I rely on your posts to determine which albums to purchase each month. Maybe you should see if you can get a cut from the albums' profits...

Thank you, Future. Then do not buy the album of Tegan And Sara. In the next update the album will not be in the top 20.

Nick Cave will be top 5.

And many other new

[Jackson]

No Foxygen?

Hope M B V gets unthroned soon. It's okay/boring.

If there is a better album than m b v this year, I will be truly impressed. It hit me in a visceral way today reminiscent only of Loveless.

I guess I'll have to listen to it again, because when I heard it I thought it sounded like it was going through the motions of Loveless without inspiration.

Try focusing on just the last 3 tracks, which take the signature MBV sound in a new direction. Also, I think this album is definitely a grower, so if you think you could really like it, it would be worth it to give m b v 3-5 listens before making a final judgement on it.

But also, I think enjoyment of this album is related to what Loveless means to you. To someone like me whose favorite album is Loveless, getting new music that sounds like Loveless is a genuine gift. If MBV put out five more albums that sounded exactly like Loveless, I think all of them would end up as personal favorites because no other band's sound has the same impact on me. That being said, I do really think that m b v is more than just a simple rehash of Loveless.

[Harold]

Then do not buy the album of Tegan And Sara. In the next update the album will not be in the top 20.

D'oh! NOW he tells me... I bought it two weeks ago, for precisely the same reason outlined above.

It does seem that more albums are being rated highly early this year. Any idea why that might be (other than the obvious, that there just might be that many more top-tier albums being released this early)?

[irreduciblekoan]

Although five albums are already above 81, keep in mind that 3 of them have a relatively small number of reviews. I always take # of reviews into account when I'm using this Mega-critic myself. My rule of thumb is: at least 16 reviews, because that's about half of the total possible which is 31. That's my system, anyway. No one has to follow it. Just pointing out that the smaller number of reviews may be the reason for the high ratings.

[Setherex]

Although five albums are already above 81, keep in mind that 3 of them have a relatively small number of reviews. I always take # of reviews into account when I'm using this Mega-critic myself. My rule of thumb is: at least 16 reviews, because that's about half of the total possible which is 31. That's my system, anyway. No one has to follow it. Just pointing out that the smaller number of reviews may be the reason for the high ratings.

I very much agree with this, and most of the time (especially for last year's Metacritic chart), I looked at number of reviews a lot before charting out my expectations. But in this situation, with both Matthew E. White and Parquet Courts, I think both albums very much deserve their spot on the list. Brilliant things.

Well, White less. Maybe that's just my style. Parquet though is exceptional, haha.

[irreduciblekoan]

But in this situation, with both Matthew E. White and Parquet Courts, I think both albums very much deserve their spot on the list. Brilliant things.

Well, White less. Maybe that's just my style. Parquet though is exceptional, haha.

That's true. I wasn't trying to slight the three albums. Maybe they DO deserve to be higher than 81 and will stay there with more reviews. I haven't heard the Grouper yet but both Parquet Courts and Matthew E. White are excellent albums. It has been a good year so far, with one out and out masterpiece and a bunch of very solid albums already.

[Jirin]

Loveless is my #20 of all time. I'll definitely give M B V more listens. But, Sticky Fingers and Exile are also close to my top of all time, and that does not mean I have to like A Bigger Bang.

Parquet Courts and Frightened Rabbit are excellent. Matthew E White is good, not great.

[Otisredding]

MCCh 2013 (03) February, 28