Serious Question - Is 2013 So Far The Worst Year For Album's In Over A Decade?

[IlliniQ]

Because that's how I'm feeling it now.

But not trying to flame, rather trying to spearhead an interesting discussion on where the music world is right now, the impact of the internet and mega-festivals, etc.

First, a little definition of me and my listening patterns - I'm an old timer (47) with a serious jones for staying up with what's current. The classic "Critics" listener, I neither listen to radio or burrow deep to discover up-and-coming bands no one else is talking about, rather, I track reviews on critical aggregators like metacritic, Album of The Year.org and acclaimedmusic.net and try to pick up the year's consensus top 100-150 albums. At the end of each year, I put together a massive mix collection for friends and coworkers highlighting what I've enjoyed the most, and I've been doing this since I was about 22 (1988). Granted it used to be mixtapes for just a few and Rolling Stone, Newspaper, and Spin best of lists rather than internet sites...but the overall point is like many on this board, I'm seriously into popular music, and gravitate towards what many others find to be the best.

Given that perspective, I have to say this year, from an album perspective, has bored me like few others...So far, maybe only 10-15 songs I really care for, and only 2 albums I'm actively promoting...Nick Cave's Push The Sky Away and Parquet Courts last (which might not even count, as it's a 2013 re-release). There's others I like moments of...Daft Punk, Autre Ne Veut, The Haxan Cloak, Foals, Jake Bugg, Mikal Cronin, Vampire Weekend, Deerhunter, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Phosphorescent, Savages, Kurt Vile, The National, Rhye, The Knife, Ghostface Killah...but even here, most of these are lesser efforts from bands that have been stronger before, or decent efforts in genre's that have been beaten to death and already done better the last few years.

Not that the last two years were that much stronger, but at least the last two years had some genuine front-to-back classics to offer that I firmly believe we'll be talking about twenty years hence...Let England Shake in 2011, Swans The Seer in 2012 (I'm not fully sold on Channel Orange yet).

And then, so many titles this year, celebrated titles a lot on here like that I just can't stand - Youth Lagoon, Disclosure (someone please tell me what this album offers that hasn't been done five times better by other acts over the last half decade), "Boreds" of Canada, QOTSA's sleep inducing ...Like Clockwork, MBV disappointing new release, James Blake, Kanye's comically bad Yeezus.

So obviously, for me, I feel like I've hit some kind of saturation point...where just decent/good/kinda interesting suddenly doesn't cut it anymore, and in both music and frankly, the last two year's Coachella, I feel like that's all we are getting anymore.

So my questions to you fellow board members are the following.

1. Are we reaching an age of oversaturation, where too much of a good thing, too many solid bands, making too many solid but not great albums, playing too many mega-festivals, is threatening to dull our appreciation of the new.

2. Are the technological market forces that have returned us to the "era of the single" killed the "album" as the central element in rock music, or are we just in a lull.

3. Was classic rock maybe more "classic" than younger listeners want to believe. Case in point, I go back and listen to one of my past music collection mixes each week, and the thing that's really striking me about so many of them from the Aughts is how poorly many of the songs, even some from just a few years ago, are holding up, how "disposable" many of them feel, while old sixties classics I've burned through multiple copies of - VU and Nico, Are You Experienced, Astral Weeks, Exile On Main Street, Rubber Soul, Who's Next, Something Else By The Kinks, London Calling - sound as vibrant today as when I first heard them.

4. Or is it we've entered an era where performance chops, technological production savvy, and a sense of history outweigh the one skill outlasts all the others - genuine songwriting skill - this has been my biggest gripe the last two years of Coachella - dozens of dozens of bands with great energy and already finely honed performance chops, mostly in the service of such average material - didn't feel this so much 08-11.

5. Is it time for music to start looking forward again? - As one LA Times critic put it so well, in the years from the mid-50s to the late 90s - rock and it's offspring had a constant forward momentum - there were retro offerings and back to basics movements to be sure - but primarily, the direction and innovation was always forward leaning - but that momentum stopped cold in the Aughts - with that decade's mantra instead becoming one of synthesis, the emphasis on finding new recombinatory possibilities in the styles of the past. Have we reached a point where it's time for our artists to start looking forward again, rather than to the past for inspiration...I don't know, like I said, I hate the new James Blake, and that's in some ways as forward looking a release as 2013 has produced.

6. Or are we just experiencing a cyclical lull - For me 2013 is shaping up as an all-time weak album year, rating right there with 73-74 and some of the early CD years of the mid-late 80s, that produced almost nothing of genuine note on the long playing spectrum? Are better days just around the corner, or has every nook and cranny possible in the rock/Hip-Hop spectrum been exploited, so today's young artists really have almost no place to go other than imitating their forebears unless they are willing to go majorly inaccessible...I've always felt that Radiohead was really just a latter incarnation of the Beatles, and incredibly dextrous band looking to constantly change and push boundaries, only when it came into existence, the boundaries were much farther out there.

The answer to all of this is I don't know...But I'd love to hear thoughts on these points from others on this board, especially older posters who aren't just now growing into their music loving years, but have been at it a good long while like I have.

Thanks for indulging me on my long winded rant.

[amyzzz]

New My Bloody Valentine and Boards of Canada this year. You're nuts.

[heart cooks brain]

troll post is trolling

[Larry Farnsworth]

First, a little definition of me and my listening patterns - I'm an old timer (47) with a serious jones for staying up with what's current.

I think we've identified the problem here, doctor.

[Neighborhood Creep]

TL;DR

[ocbruin84]

2013 is, for me, maybe the most exciting year in music since 2003.

[IlliniQ]

2013 is, for me, maybe the most exciting year in music since 2003.

Glad to hear you feel that way, but why - any examples, new directions or bands that are causing this, or just increase in quality of what you've heard.

[Trick Loves The Kids]

Not even going to try to read that huge block of text but this year we got new Daft Punk, Kanye, BoC, MBV, Arcade Fire, and Mazzy Star. The only thing that could maybe make this a more "exciting" year would be Detox but lmao Detox is never coming out. This has been a great year for music.

[bmack86]

I was feeling this way in the past few years where there were very few things jumping out at me. I mean, in 2011 I was in love with Kurt Vile and The War on Drugs, but it'd be rare for those sorts of acts to produce my favorite album in any given year, due to their backward-looking sound and lackadaisical nature. However, what's really kicked my ass in 2012 and 2013, and got me very excited about music again, is finding the areas of music that are producing forward thinking, exciting and exhilarating music. Indie rock hasn't been doing that for me. Nor has most hip hop or EDM, and really even most "punk" work. However, the number of downright excellent metal releases in the past few years has me consistently excited to find new music, including up-and-coming obscure artists and has me really interested in new music again.

In terms of your question as to whether "classic" rock is more classic, I think a huge part of that is the amount of time you've lived with that music. Yeah, the songs are going to be excellent regardless of whether you've heard them one time or 100, but when you know those albums front to back they're more likely to be seen as integral parts of your musical knowledge and new stuff will sound either like pale retreads or less "classic" due either to that being the truth or due to lack of extreme listening driving the eventual excitement that can build over time when a relationship with a record develops.

So maybe the saturation has something to do with it. Back in the 60s-90s when you had to buy music to listen to it, you were forced to sit with the albums you purchased more. You couldn't say, "Hey, this is interesting, now lets listen to something else!" and so you really got into the nuances of the albums. I think this period of music is going to be excellent for reappraisal after the fact, as people slowly develop that sort of relationship with a wide swath of great works that have been underdigested by most listeners due to the glut of music consistently available.

So now, to my thesis statement: This has been a great year for music, but you have to know where to look and be more willing to do your own searching to find what thrills you now that there is so much available. This glut of music causes us to be overwhelmed and deluged to the point where true gems may be harder to recognize amongst all the "very good" work, but it's still coming at us all the time, and it might just take longer to recognize it.

[TomAz]

I haven't decided if 2013 is a poor year or not, but the first two albums the OP lists are Youth Lagoon and Disclosure. Neither of which are bad but both of which are boring IMO. OP, I suggest you go get the Tet Holiday EP and play that fucker loud.

[bmack86]

Not even going to try to read that huge block of text but this year we got new Daft Punk, Kanye, BoC, MBV, Arcade Fire, and Mazzy Star. The only thing that could maybe make this a more "exciting" year would be Detox but lmao Detox is never coming out. This has been a great year for music.

Well, he did mention his feelings on every one of those albums that has been released thus far. I wouldn't disagree with his judgments on Daft Punk or BoC. I love the new MBV and can't see a fan finding it disappointing, but I can understand people (incorrectly) having gripes against Yeezus. The mere fact that rare marquee acts release new music doesn't in-and-of-itself make a year worthwhile.

What does is the great new releases coming out. For my money Deafheaven - Sunbather, Inter Arma - Sky Burial, Portal - Vexovoid, William Tyler - Impossible Truth, Vhol - Vhol, The Men - New Moon, Nails - Abandon All Life, Iceage - You're Nothing, Altar of Plagues - Teethed Glory and Injury and Fuck Buttons - Soft Focus have all been spectacular releases that do exciting things either moving a genre forward or exploring new nuances of a band's work. The first four in particular have been in constant rotation for me since I first heard them.

[IlliniQ]

I haven't decided if 2013 is a poor year or not, but the first two albums the OP lists are Youth Lagoon and Disclosure. Neither of which are bad but both of which are boring IMO. OP, I suggest you go get the Tet Holiday EP and play that fucker loud.

Thx, will try to grab that one at Amoeba in a couple weeks. (yeah, I still like hard copies)

[nathanfairchild]

We also have new NIN and PJ albums coming out later this year.

[nationocean]

I say 2003 spilling into 2004 was amazing. and really 2013 has been just as amazing (as suggested). there are just so many genres, and so many veterans and bands on long breaks between albums that are releasing material this year.. there is so much to look around and listen to.

So, I don't know, keep listening and looking!

[TheRotten42]

the new Portugal. The Man album Evil Friends is amazing.

[TomAz]

What does is the great new releases coming out. For my money Deafheaven - Sunbather, Inter Arma - Sky Burial, Portal - Vexovoid, William Tyler - Impossible Truth, Vhol - Vhol, The Men - New Moon, Nails - Abandon All Life, Iceage - You're Nothing, Altar of Plagues - Teethed Glory and Injury and Fuck Buttons - Soft Focus have all been spectacular releases that do exciting things either moving a genre forward or exploring new nuances of a band's work. The first four in particular have been in constant rotation for me since I first heard them.

This paragraph makes this thread totally worthwhile. Thanks Bryan!

[bmack86]

Thx, will try to grab that one at Amoeba in a couple weeks. (yeah, I still like hard copies)

You won't find it at Amoeba. You can order the CD from our esteemed board member/Singer-songwriter-guitarist for the Tet Holiday, bballarl.

[bmack86]

This paragraph makes this thread totally worthwhile. Thanks Bryan!

Tom, just a warning: most of those are metal records, and some of a fairly extreme metal bent. That said, I think you'll get at least some enjoyment out of Deafheaven, Inter Arma, William Tyler, The Men, Iceage and maybe Fuck Buttons and Vhol. I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on the others.

[TomAz]

Thx, will try to grab that one at Amoeba in a couple weeks. (yeah, I still like hard copies)

What bmack said. But I'm not kidding. I mean, I'm old too (older than you) and so I have the same sort of biases in my listening that you seem to. the Tet Holiday EP is really a fun, exciting listen.

[TomAz]

Tom, just a warning: most of those are metal records, and some of a fairly extreme metal bent. That said, I think you'll get at least some enjoyment out of Deafheaven, Inter Arma, William Tyler, The Men, Iceage and maybe Fuck Buttons and Vhol. I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on the others.

oh well fuck that then. lulz.

[bmack86]

Another album I've been really enjoying (and a shameless plug for a group of talented friends) is the Riot Professor's new release. Jeff Mark, one of the guitarists/vocalists in the band, helped produce the Tet Holiday's EP. Cool, well-played folky abstractions.

[Spooks]

We also have new NIN and PJ albums coming out later this year.

Modern Life is War and Touche Amore both releasing new albums in Sep through Deathwish

[IlliniQ]

In terms of your question as to whether "classic" rock is more classic, I think a huge part of that is the amount of time you've lived with that music. Yeah, the songs are going to be excellent regardless of whether you've heard them one time or 100, but when you know those albums front to back they're more likely to be seen as integral parts of your musical knowledge and new stuff will sound either like pale retreads or less "classic" due either to that being the truth or due to lack of extreme listening driving the eventual excitement that can build over time when a relationship with a record develops.

No doubt there is truth in this statement - but it can also go the other way, and does with me...ie, Sgt. Peppers, Led Zeppelin IV in particular are two albums, that to my sensibility, are not weathering the passage of time well - I guess what I'm maybe getting at, when I throw around the word classic - is that like many on this board who've listened to a large chunk of rock's most celebrated titles - I'm pretty good at smelling out the future classics as soon as they hit...didn't take me long to realize I was listening to something special with OK Computer, Sound Of Silver, The Woods, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Elephant, The Seer...and I've yet to have that feeling with anything I've heard in 2013 so far.

That said, I don't track on contemporary metal...with a few exceptions haven't been listening to metal, hardcore punk for the last decade, but it makes sense that that is where much of the energy is at the moment, the way metal was marginalized critically the previous decade. I need to change that and check out Deafhaven and some of the other titles you mention.

So maybe the saturation has something to do with it. Back in the 60s-90s when you had to buy music to listen to it, you were forced to sit with the albums you purchased more. You couldn't say, "Hey, this is interesting, now lets listen to something else!" and so you really got into the nuances of the albums. I think this period of music is going to be excellent for reappraisal after the fact, as people slowly develop that sort of relationship with a wide swath of great works that have been underdigested by most listeners due to the glut of music consistently available.

This is an excellent point, and no doubt, I'm an old-fashioned listener, giving everything I take on a minimum of 6 spins before locking in on an opinion and dropping it if I don't like, which is definitely a touch out of step living in an era of click and shuffle where even getting a listener to stick a single song through to the end is a challenge.

Also furthering your point, given how niched and isolated the market is right now, our assessment of the Aughts 20 years from now may be dramatically out of sync with our assessment of them now...where numerous titles emerge VU & Nico/Forever Changes like from the ashes of contemporary obscurity to be viewed down the road as the decade's best...I for one remain at a complete loss of understanding as to how S-K's The Woods isn't on just about everyone's short list as one of the best releases of the aughts, and hope to see other woefully under appreciated titles that didn't capture their original moment...be it Mark Lanegan's Bubblegum, The Mountain Goat's The Sunset Tree, Howe Gelb's 'Sno Angel Like You, Patty Griffin's Children Running Through, or Anais Mitchell's Hadestown...gradually gain mention among the decade's very best as I feel they ultimately will be.

[menikmati]

Not even going to try to read that huge block of text but this year we got new Daft Punk, Kanye, BoC, MBV, Arcade Fire, and Mazzy Star. The only thing that could maybe make this a more "exciting" year would be Detox but lmao Detox is never coming out. This has been a great year for music.

We have new Arcade Fire?

[TallGuyCM]

2011 was the overall worst year for new music in the past decade. Like bmack said, the Kurt Vile album (along with the Real Estate album, which was my AOTY) were really good, but wouldn't have even been Top 5 in any normal year.

[bmack86]

Agreed on that point Chris.

[TallGuyCM]

And yeah, just as bmack's discouragement with current independent music has caused him to find metal discovering new horizons, I've been the same way the past few years with the experimental/noise side of things. Records like Carter Tutti Void's Transverse from last year and Pan American's Cloud Room, Glass Room or Andrew Pekler's Cover Versions from this year are to me much more significant and resonant than the buzz bands/albums you hear about everywhere you turn.

[IceyHotshot]

Pan American's Cloud Room, Glass Room or Andrew Pekler's Cover Versions from this year are to me much more significant and resonant than the buzz bands/albums you hear about everywhere you turn.

Thanks for the reminder to listen to these two.

[IceyHotshot]

For me the biggest highlights have been a couple free jazz records (Fire! Orchestra - Exit and Merzbow/Gustafsson/Pandi - Cuts) and a couple ambient/modern classical albums (Dustin O'Halloran - The Beauty Inside and Sean McCann - Music for Private ensemble)

[TallGuyCM]

For me the biggest highlights have been a couple free jazz records (Fire! Orchestra - Exit and Merzbow/Gustafsson/Pandi - Cuts) and a couple ambient/modern classical albums (Dustin O'Halloran - The Beauty Inside and Sean McCann - Music for Private ensemble)

And I, in turn, need to give these a spin.