2020 Releases
2019 Releases
2018 Releases
2017 Releases
2016 Releases
2015 Releases
2014 Releases
2013 Releases
2013 was a great year. I reviewed a total of 45 albums (way more than I was anticipating when I started reviewing contemporary releases back in March), and I was impressed by a surprisingly high percentage of them. I even handed out a couple of 5-star ratings, and I told myself at the beginning of the year that it was something I would never do. Well, obviously things can change. Generally speaking, my reviews tend to be positive, since if I don’t like something, I don’t want to spend the time or energy reviewing it. The exception is when it is an album that is highly anticipated or from a high-profile artist and I feel like it is an album I “should” review, though obviously I just review what I feel like at this point.
10/10
- The Knife – Shaking the Habitual (April 9, Brille) [Indie]
- Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (May 21, Columbia) [Sony]
9.5/10
- Kacey Musgraves – Same Trailer Different Park (March 19, Mercury Nashville) [Universal]
- Kurt Vile – Wakin on a Pretty Daze (April 9, Matador) [Beggars]
- Phoenix – Bankrupt! (April 23, Glassnote) [Indie]
- Nine Inch Nails – Hesitation Marks (September 3, Columbia) [Sony]
- HAIM – Days Are Gone (October 1, Columbia) [Sony]
9/10
- Johnny Marr – The Messenger (February 26, Sire) [Warner]
- Ashley Monroe – Like a Rose (March 5, Warner Bros. Nashville) [Warner]
- How to Destroy Angels – Welcome Oblivion (March 5, Columbia) [Sony]
- Pistol Annies – Annie Up (May 7, RCA Nashville) [Sony]
- Elvis Costello and The Roots – Wise Up Ghost and Other Songs (September 17, Blue Note) [Universal]
- Paul McCartney – New (October 15, Hear Music) [Concord]
8.5/10
- My Bloody Valentine – m b v (February 2, MBV) [Self-Released]
- Atoms for Peace – Amok (February 26, XL) [Beggars]
- Capital Cities – In a Tidal Wave of Mystery (June 4, Capitol) [Universal]
- Queens of the Stone Age – …Like Clockwork (June 4, Matador) [Beggars]
- Arctic Monkeys – AM (September 10, Domino) [Indie]
- Sons of the Sea – Sons of the Sea (September 24, AVOW!) [Indie]
- Yuna – Nocturnal (October 29, Verve) [Universal]
8/10
- Yo La Tengo – Fade (January 15, Matador) [Beggars]
- Primal Scream – More Light (May 14, Ignition) [Indie]
- Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City (May 14, XL) [Beggars]
- The National – Trouble Will Find Me (May 21, 4AD) [Beggars]
- Black Sabbath – 13 (June 11, Vertigo) [Universal]
- Kanye West – Yeezus (June 18, Def Jam) [Universal]
- Avicii – True (September 17, Island) [Universal]
- Beyoncé – Beyoncé (December 13, Columbia) [Sony]
7.5/10
- David Bowie – The Next Day (March 12, Columbia) [Sony]
- Paramore – Paramore (April 9, Fueled by Ramen) [Warner]
- MS MR – Secondhand Rapture (May 14, Columbia) [Sony]
- Tricky – False Idols (May 28, Studio !K7) [Indie]
- Disclosure – Settle (June 4, Interscope) [Universal]
- Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull (September 24, RCA) [Sony]
7/10
- Depeche Mode – Delta Machine (March 26, Columbia) [Sony]
- Pearl Jam – Lightning Bolt (October 15, Republic) [Universal]
- Arcade Fire – Reflektor (October 29, Merge) [Indie]
- Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (November 5, Interscope) [Universal]
6.5/10
- Deafheaven – Sunbather (June 11, Deathwish) [Indie]
- Lorde – Pure Heroine (October 1, Republic) [Universal]
6/10
- Eric Clapton – Old Sock (March 12, Surfdog) [Indie]
- Alice in Chains – The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (May 28, Capitol) [Universal]
5.5/10
- MGMT – MGMT (September 17, Columbia) [Sony]
5/10
- The Strokes – Comedown Machine (March 26, RCA) [Sony]
4/10
- JAY Z – Magna Carta… Holy Grail (July 9, Roc-A-Fella) [Universal]
Reissues
10/10
- The Beatles – The Beatles in Mono [Box Set] (September 9, 2009)
9/10
- Nirvana – In Utero [Super Deluxe] (September 24, 2013)
- Oasis – Definitely Maybe [Deluxe] (May 20, 2014)
- Oasis – (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? [Deluxe] (September 30, 2014)
8/10
- Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin [Deluxe] (June 3, 2014)
- Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin II [Deluxe] (June 3, 2014)
- Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin III [Deluxe] (June 3, 2014)
- Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin IV [Deluxe] (October 28, 2014)
7/10
- Soundgarden – Superunknown [Super Deluxe] (June 3, 2014)
Reviews Coming Soon
- Oasis – Be Here Now [Deluxe] (October 14, 2016)
- The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead [Deluxe] (October 20, 2017)
Review Queue
- Eagles – Hotel California [40th Anniversary Expanded Edition] (November 24, 2017)
- Ramones – Rocket to Russia [40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition] (November 24, 2017)
- R.E.M. – Automatic for the People [25th Anniversary Edition] (November 10, 2017)
- Stone Temple Pilots – Core [Super Deluxe] (September 29, 2017)
- The Verve – Urban Hymns [Super Deluxe] (September 1, 2017)
- Ramones – Leave Home [Deluxe] (July 21, 2017)
- Prince and The Revolution – Purple Rain [Deluxe Expanded Edition] (June 23, 2017)
- Ice Cube – Death Certificate [25th Anniversary Edition] (June 9, 2017)
- R.E.M. – Out of Time [Deluxe] (November 18, 2016)
- Soundgarden – Badmotorfinger [Super Deluxe] (November 18, 2016)
- Ramones – Ramones [Deluxe] (September 9, 2016)
- The Verve – A Northern Soul [Deluxe] (September 9, 2016)
- The Verve – A Storm in Heaven [Deluxe] (September 9, 2016)
- Fleetwood Mac – Tusk [Expanded] (December 4, 2015)
- The Velvet Underground – Loaded [Re-Loaded] (October 30, 2015)
- Led Zeppelin – Coda [Deluxe] (July 31, 2015)
- Led Zeppelin – In Through the Out Door [Deluxe] (July 31, 2015)
- Led Zeppelin – Presence [Deluxe] (July 31, 2015)
- Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti [Deluxe] (February 24, 2015)
- The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground [Super Deluxe] (November 24, 2014)
- Led Zeppelin – Houses of the Holy [Deluxe] (October 28, 2014)
- The Velvet Underground – White Light/White Heat [Super Deluxe] (December 9, 2013)
- R.E.M. – Green [Deluxe] (May 14, 2013)
- Fleetwood Mac – Rumours [Super Deluxe] (January 28, 2013)
- Eric Clapton – Slowhand [Super Deluxe] (December 18, 2012)
- The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico [Super Deluxe] (October 30, 2012)
- R.E.M. – Document [Deluxe] (September 25, 2012)
- Nirvana – Nevermind [Super Deluxe] (September 26, 2011)
- R.E.M. – Lifes Rich Pageant [Deluxe] (July 12, 2011)
- R.E.M. – Fables of the Reconstruction [Deluxe] (July 12, 2010)
- Nirvana – Bleach [Deluxe] (November 3, 2009)
- R.E.M. – Reckoning [Deluxe] (June 23, 2009)
- Pearl Jam – Ten [Legacy] (March 24, 2009)
- R.E.M. – Murmur [Deluxe] (November 25, 2008)