Favorite Duluth Albums of 2013
Oh, isn’t it just so typical to ask a question like this at the end of the year? Well, with something like four-dozen albums released by local musicians in 2013 it’s hard to keep up. Someone has to inform the general public of what’s essential. And that someone is you. Let your preferences be known in the comments.
And yes, this is leading into a poll.
Graham Hakala of Lake Voice News selects these five as his favorites:
Southwire – Southwire
Fever Dream – ’83
Low – The Invisible Way
Trampled by Turtles – Live at First Avenue
Retribution Gospel Choir – 3
Duluth News Tribune music critic Tony Bennett also picks the Southwire and Retribution Gospel Choir albums, along with:
Duck Duck Punch – Human Chemistry
Marcus Loren Matthews – Requiem
Christoph Bruhn – Weekends on the Frontier
I’d like to add Cars & Trucks’ Theatre Stardusk to the list. Also, although I haven’t heard it in its entirety yet, Actual Wolf’s record received some critical acclaim, so that merits some mention.
Cloud Cult – Love
Although technically not a Duluth album its at the top of my list, certainly Duluth-related.
Red Mountain – Scowl Lightly
Gifted this recently, doing some pretty creative stuff not far from Cloud Cult’s mark, and best album name of the year for sure.
There was a lot of great stuff this past year, for me in no particular order…
I’d say Southwire managed to meet my expectation, which was high.
Low had some very good songs on their album, in some ways I liked the stripped down EP that was co-released a little more.
Broke Heart Songs from Dave Mehling is pretty lovely.
The sheer amount of stuff Zac Bentz throws out
is a double-edged sword, I like a lot of it, but it
makes it hard (for me) to get to know all of it
well, but …So We Burn (released as the
Electric Witch) is definitely worth your time.
Two other releases from that general direction, If
Thousands released For which is almost
perfect for this time of year, and while you
probably can’t get it anymore Microphone
Obscura from Tim Kaiser is always worth the
time and attention.
I also really liked Out West by Next of
Kin/Sonja and The Reckoning. I’d go as far to say
this is likely the most underrated unknown
album of the year.
Cars & Trucks Theater Stardusk is probably the best flat-out rock and roll album.
Some good singles this year, Shaunna Heckman,
Low, Hannah Rey, Wino, WI.
Others worth mentioning:
Horse & Rider
Ryan Van Slooten
Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank
Snobarn