Miguel Chen (Teenage Bottlerocket), Jon Loudon (Restorations), Laura Stevenson

'Tis the season for us to commence posting "Best of 2013" lists. It's been a good year for music and we've invited a couple friends to submit their favorites for us to share with you. In the first edition of guest Best of 2013 lists, we have Miguel Chen from Teenage Bottlerocket, Jon Loudon from Restorations, and the lovely Laura Stevenson. We'll be bringing you these guests lists twice a week for the rest of December. Enjoy!

Image Miguel Chen is the bass player of Teenage Bottlerocket.

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10

Jetty Boys: Let 'Er Rip

Kid Tested Records


8

Night Birds: Born To Die In Suburbia

Grave Mistake Records


5

The Creeps: Our Time

Self-Release


2

Murderburgers: These Are Only Problems

Asian Man Records

Image Jon Loudon is the vocalist and guitarist of Restorations. From Jon:

Honorable Mention: Savages, Waxahatchee, Psychic Teens, Earthless, True Widow, Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, Superchunk, Night Marchers. Shout outs to Paint It Black’s Invisible and The Smith Street Band’s Don’t fuck With Our Dreams EPs, too.


10

Hell : I-III Cassette Box Set

Loweryourhead

Totally missed this band while they still had things in print. "I" "II" and "III" were the best metal(?) I stumbled upon this year. Wild band.

9

The National: Trouble Will Find Me

4AD

There’s been enough said about this record. "Hard To Find" is their best.

8

Frightened Rabbit: Pedestrian Verse

Atlantic Records

Again, maybe not their best, but this got a ton of spins. "The Woodpile" is Olympics-grade indie pop.

7

Self Defense Family: The Corrections Officer In Me [EP]

Family Drugs

Is that new full length out yet? The most interesting band in punk.

6

The Bronx: The Bronx IV

ATO / White Drugs

This started the most circle pits in our van this year.

5

The Necks: Open

Northern Spy

Slow. Really slow.

3

Bars of Gold: Wheels

Bellyache Records

They finally nailed it. Brilliant, and as good as (better than, at times?) anything Bear Vs. Shark ever did.

2

Mark Kozelek & Desertshore : Mark Kozelek & Desertshore

Caldo Verde

This is my second favorite songwriter, joined here by a couple of musicians from some of my favorite records of his. Droney folk music with bizarre lyrics.

1

Bill Callahan: Dream River

Drag City

This is my favorite songwriter. Maybe not his best record, but I listened to it more than anything else since it came out. "Small Plane" and "Summer Painter" are among his best. His lead guitar player deserves a lot of credit, too.

Laura Stevenson and the Cans Laura Stevenson performs solo and also with Laura Stevenson and the Cans.


10

Katy Perry: Prism

Capitol Records


9

Owen: L'Ami du Peuple

Polyvinyl


8

Vampire Weekend: Modern Vampire of the City

XL


7

Neko Case: The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You

Anti-Records


6

Tim Kasher: Adult Film

Saddle Creek


5

Tegan and Sara: Heartthrob

Warner Bros.


3

The Spinto Band: Cool Cocoon

Spintonic


2

Kurt Vile: Wakin on a Pretty Daze

Matador


1

Jake Bellows: New Ocean

Saddle Creek