Andy Weber writesCHIRP Radio Best of 2013: Andy Weber

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its members’ top albums of 2013. Our next list is from DJ Andy Weber.

1. CAVE – Threace (Drag City)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   
   Side A of this album consists of a total of 2x tracks! Track #1 - Sweaty Fingers - is downright hypnotic in nature. The baseline can slightly terrify you and, in all likelihood, mesmerize you all at the same time. It is an amazing start to a great album. CAVE has done it again and they are a true Chicago gem. They took a line-up change like a mere speed bump and released their best music to date. In addition if you have never seen them live do not hesitate to go! Their precision is just as precise live as it is recorded. It is something to behold.
2. Judson Claiborne – We Have Not Doors You Need Not Keys (La Société Expéditionnaire)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   
   It has been 3 years since this (sometimes) Chicago band has released an album but it was well worth the wait. To be honest over the last few months I have been working under the assumption that this would be my #1 album of the year. Not to slight these guys in the least bit there just something about the CAVE album that edged it out. This is just an incredibly lush sounding album in which you can actually hear the time and effort put into it. There is nothing close to a throw away track. Every time I listen to this album I am shocked that this band has not found a wider audience. They deserve it! (I am still not sold on the album title, but hey, what are you gonna do?)
3. Califone – Stitches (Dead Oceans)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   
   First place how great of an idea is a "living room tour" of the US? How fortunate were we that Califone chose one of their hometown living rooms to be CHIRP! It was a unique introduction to many of the tracks on this record. In this Califone fan's opinion Stitches would have to be outstanding to out do their previous work and it did just that and more. Great records are supposed to stir your emotions and transcend you from where you are. Stitches does that for me. This is really a #1b ranking rather than #3.
4. Palma Violets – 180 (Rough Trade)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   
   "Step Up For The Cool Cats"???"Chicken Dippers"!!!! "Johnny Baga Donuts" WHAT! These are a couple of the track names on 180. When I first read about these guys and the hype coming from across the pond I thought I would HATE them without a doubt. Once I read the track list I was convinced! One of my more spoken statements is that "I trust my ears over a review any day" and thank god for that. These guys are quite simply a fun rock and roll band and I feel we all need some fun rock and roll in our lives from time to time.
5. Bare Mutants – The Affliction (In the Red)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   
   Pitchfork trashed this hometown super group's debut LP and they were dead wrong in this DJ's humble opinion. It may not be breaking down barriers and changing the music scene is massively profound ways but it is a solid collection of songs from start to back. Since it's release a few months back every time I do something stupid (which is frequent) I recite "I Suck At Life" in my head. They also had an incredibly good record release show at the Bottle back in September.
6. Yo La Tengo – Fade (Matador)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   It's almost been a year since this album has been released so I have spent the most time with this record over the others on this list. For awhile I actually had this album stuck in the honorable mentions until I decided to give it one more focused spin. It was a great experience because I fell in love with it all over again. These aging indie rock vets called on all of their experience to release a really great piece of work for their 13th album. I also went to see them on a snowy night in February at The Vic where they did an acoustic set for about an hour before they took an intermission and then plugged in. This led to one of my favorite concert moments of the year... During the intermission in the men's room there was an incredibly adamant fan expressing his anger about the acoustic set and threatening at the top of his lungs to "kick their ass if they do not start to rock!"
7. The Shivas – Whiteout (K)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   
   The Shivas are just noisy and fun! My top 10 is never complete without a downright fun album and Whiteout! fits that bill. Beyond that this release has some depth and is very solid track for track. If you have ever frequented my radio show you would know that I have a certain affection for K Records and their work and they hit it out of the park with The Shivas.
8. Volcano Choir – Repave (Jagjaguwar)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   
   For a couple of years now I have been asking myself (and others for that matter) which artists of this generation will anyone care about 20-30 years from now. Who will be known as the great songwriters of the day? Perhaps Justin Vernon is that musician? Just a thought and he has miles to go.... But the Volcano Choir collaboration have put out a very compelling record. Track #2 "Acetate" could very well be my favorite song of the year. This album would be higher on the list if not for a couple of weaker tracks.
9. The National – Trouble Will Find Me (4AD)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   
   So I have never been a National super fan but I have always liked them from a distance so to speak. Then shortly after the release of Trouble Will Find Me I had the rare moment to sit on my back deck on a Friday evening with a glass of whiskey as the sun was setting and listen to some new music. I threw on this album and I was blown away! For most of the year I thought that my love for this record might just have been sunset and whiskey induced. Then I started to re-listen to this year's favorites in anticipation of compiling this list. This album did not have any letdown for me... So here it lands squarely in my top 10.
10. Panda Riot – Northern Automatic Music (Saint Marie)
    BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
    
    This is a local band I have enjoyed for a while now and it saddens me to say that I have never seen them live! I always have intentions to go and then something arises; prior engagements, weddings, ballet recitals, locusts! It is almost cosmic how I never get a chance to see them... So my goal for 2014 is to see Panda Riot live! So please Panda Riot, please don't go and break up or take the year off. Oh by the way they did release this very beautiful sounding album this year.

Honorable Mentions

• Lakesigns - Husk (Pandarosa)
  Outside World - Seaside Nowhere (Night-People)
  Weekend - Jinx (Slumberland)
  Delorean - Apar (True Panther Sounds)
  The Men - New Moon (Sacred Bones)
  Wooden Shjips - Back to Land (Thrill Jockey)
  Foxygen - We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic (Jagjaguwar)