Most enjoyed lps 0f 2013

What a year 2013 was for lps!  For a chap with my predilections, the release of a new Pastels record was always going to be the main event and so it transpired.  From the songs which peppered their live shows over the years, I knew with some surety that "Slow Summits" was not going to disappoint, a sense that was only heightened when Annabel Wright's gorgeous sleeve art was revealed early in the year.  And "Slow Summits" is something special: refined, reflective and detailed.  For a while I listened to little else besides.  In Glasgow, it felt as if everyone got wise to the brilliance of Ela Orleans at almost exactly the same time. Her terrific double-lp "Tumult In Clouds" (currently out of print but soon to be re-pressed on her own Parental Guidance Records) was actually released in mid-December 2012 but only came to my attention via a Monorail Records tweet in early 2013 so I've decided to make it eligible for my list.  From the list below, it would appear that Not Unloved had treble in mind with The Mantles, Dick Diver, Ginnels, The Prophet Hens and many more releasing exquisite, jangly guitar saturated lps.  2014 can't possibly be better can it?  We'll see...

1. The Pastels “Slow Summits” (Domino)
2. Amor de Dias “House At Sea” (Merge)
3. Mazzy Star “Seasons of Your Day” (Rhymes of an Hour)
4. Ela Orleans “Tumult In Clouds” (Clan Destine)
5. Golden Grrrls “s/t” (Night School / Slumberland)
6. Veronica Falls “Waiting For Something To Happen” (Bella Union / Slumberland)
7. The Rosy Crucifixion / The Wharves “split” (Soft Power)
8. The Mantles “Long Enough To Leave” (Slumberland)
9. Dream Boys “s/t” (Art Fag)
10. My Bloody Valentine “mbv” (mbv)
11. Jacco Gardner “Cabinet of Curiosities” (Trouble In Mind)
12. Dick Diver “Calendar Days“ (Chapter Music)
13. Ginnels “Plumes” (Tenorio Cotobade)
14. The Focus Group “The Elektrik Karousel” (Ghost Box)
15. Joanna Gruesome “Weird Sister” (Fortuna Pop / Slumberland)
16. The Prophet Hens “Popular People Do Popular People” (Fishrider)
17. Counter Intuits “s/t” (Pyramid Scheme)
18. The Liminanas “Costa Blanca” (Trouble In Mind)
19. Parquet Courts “Light Up Gold” (What’s Your Rupture?)
20. Reiko Kudo “Mikan” (Hiyotan)

(Click the titles to hear a song!)

Most enjoyed singles of 2013

New singles:

1. The Pastels “Check My Heart” (Domino)
2. Girls One and The Grease Guns “Driving Without Headlights (Once Again)” (Squirrel)
3. Veronica Falls “Teenage” (Bella Union)
4. Marnie “The Hunter” (Soft Power)
5. The Thanes “She’s Coming Back To Me” (State)
6. The Fireworks “Runaround” (Shelflife)
7. Joanna Gruesome "Sugarcrush" (Fortuna  Pop)
8. The Mentalettes “Fine Fine Fine” (Copase Disques)
9. Kids On A Crime Spree “Creep The Creeps” (Slumberland)
10. Veronica Falls “Broken Toy” (Bella Union)
11. Alpaca Sports “Telephone” (Duffelcoat)
12. Pups "Month Long Sleep" (Where It's At Is Where You Are Singles Club)
13. Bubblegum Lemonade “Have You Seen Faith?" (Matinee)
14. Heathers "Teenage Clothes" (Death Party)
15. Listening Center with Pye Corner Audio “Study Series 08: Projections” (Ghost Box)
16. The See See “Featherman” (Great Pop Supplement)
17. English Singles "Ordinary Girls" (Slumberland)
18. Jacco Gardner "The End of August" (Trouble In Mind)
19. The Jellies "The Conversation" (Emotional Rescue)
20. Mad Nanna "I Wanna See You" (Soft Abuse)

Reissue: 

Denise and Company "Boy, What'll You Do Then?" (Big Beat)

Should've been the A-side:

Sauna Youth "Oh Joel" (Static Shock) / Slushy "Pocket" (Randy Records)

Digital single that should've been on vinyl:

The Creeping Ivies "What Would Joey Ramone Do?"

What a year for the 7" single!

P.S. All titles above are links.