There are 292 posts tagged Top Ten (this is page 22 of 42).
I’m pretty 2013-ed out at this point, but I suppose this is the path we’ve chosen. The set quota I’ve made for myself now is to listen to 40 albums and see 40 movies in a given year, though I came in a bit short this year by seeing 38 films. But I listened to 42 albums. So maybe it balances out? Anyways, my list isn’t that exciting considering it features a lot of middle-of-the-road consensus favorites, but let’s take a look at it anyways… Continue reading
I’ve never struggled to put together a “Top Ten Favorite Albums” list as much as I did in 2013. I agree with my colleague Mr. Colin Wessman that 2013 peaked in May, leaving the rest of the year to flounder. I literally spent the last month of 2013 desperately scrambling to put together something that didn’t suck. In the end, I’m satisfied with my choices and now have the confidence to live my life to the fullest.
I’m really happy to not be living in 2013 anymore; thank god we process time linearly! Can you imagine how terrible it would be to always (and conversely never) be stuck in that dump of a year? Anyway, just in case this is your first time reading one of my album lists, a quick recap: I don’t consider myself a music critic, and I spend my time listening to a lot of albums (over 90 last year) searching for something that just gets me. It’s not a very scientific process, but it is a quick moving one – let’s go!
Stop! Before we go any further, I’ve got to give some shout-outs. Because believe me, a year with new releases from basically all my favorite bands – Arcade Fire, David Bowie, Phoenix, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Sigur Rós, Neko Case, the Shout Out Louds, Atoms for Peace (featuring Thom Yorke), Jim James (of My Morning Jacket) – would have to be pretty interesting to not see any of them making my favorite ten. So… I still don’t know what to say about CHRVCHES. Tegan & Sara fucking rocked it at Bumbershoot and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a soft spot for Heartthrob. That new Los Campesinos! album is actually pretty cool too. Spreading Rumors, by Group Love, was a pleasant surprise. I just checked out that Magical Cloudz album, it seems pretty sweet, but I need to listen to it way more. Actually, this might take too long, there’s a bunch more that a liked a lot. Of course basically anything in the 2013 Rundown that didn’t make the cut was certainly close to it. Running out of time, I’m sorry! OK, list!
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As far as music is concerned, 2013 was kind of a weird one for me. Mainly because it was a year filled with one great month of new releases, while the other eleven months paled in comparison. Because looking at my list as it is, all but one of the albums in my top five came out in May of last year. But for now, how about we take a look at the other spots on my list before this devolves into a loving tribute to the magnificent month of May 2013. Continue reading
2013 was a mixed bag of horror movies. Every once in awhile you’d find a Twix but most of the time it was just a bunch of Good ’N Plenty… Good ’N Plenty suck by the way. Nonetheless, it wouldn’t be a Shocktober countdown without “John’s Top Five Horror Movies of 2013” Let us ride into the night!
I guess I like David Bowie more than most people? Well, I can’t really speak to that. I can say with certainty I like his music more than Nancy, and most likely more than John or Colin, since they haven’t gone to the trouble of listening to all of his albums. Narrowing everything I’ve heard of his, both in my life and in the last month, down to just 10 songs was a daunting task. To make it a little easier, I disqualified any song that was already on Colin or John’s lists, but that only helped a little. Not that I disagree with their picks, there are just so many songs I like. I mean, there would have to be, to get me through 24 albums.
Like many children who grew up in the age of video, my introduction to David Bowie came from the 1986 cult classic Labyrinth. In the film, Bowie played the tuneful yet terrifying Jareth the Goblin King. Flashforward to junior high when I come to the realization that Jareth is that guy who sings that song “Changes” that I’d heard on oldies radio. I think that background is important on how I’ve come to view David Bowie, slightly sinister and full of surprises. As for my favorite Bowie songs don’t expect to see much out of the ordinary. Though I was this close to giving “Magic Dance” some much needed love. I’m not lying when I say that song is pretty sweet.
