As you may have surmised from various comments I’ve made here throughout the year, or worse, from all of my work throughout the years, I’m not much for lists, even though I cut my teeth on something called “The It List.” This is especially true when applied to lists of the year-end variety. They often seem like little more than a marketing tool to remind consumers of last-minute gift suggestions, that is before the record companies switch their fiscal calendars, and head into the next album launch season, or Second Quarter 2014. It’s a bit conceptually dated at this point.
That being said, I usually like to ask the local music community for a handful of their favorite moments, because the answers tend to be more interesting than a straight staff list from each publication. These include singers, promoters, DJs, radio personalities, and even writers from non-D publications. Whenever I try this experiment, I’m usually surprised by some of the answers. As for my own list, I’ll keep mine close. I suddenly feel some affection for the year that was, which includes the following blur of moments as opposed to a top-ten albums list:
Riff Raff’s avant-Tweeting South By Southwest 2013. Seeing Sky Ferreira lose her voice and Iggy Pop wave from a passing SUV at the same festival.
The Residents putting on a fittingly absurd performance at the Kessler.
Solange Knowles taking things indoors during the storm at 35 Denton, a festival I miss already.
This extreme lineup performing at Taqueria El Picante as a result of Chaos in Tejas spillover, which included Pharmakon and Marshstepper.
Gorilla vs Bear sustaining its aesthetic dominance for the third year in a row at the Granada.
Running across an old D Magazine article about Lou Reed visiting the Rachofsky House, while doing research in the shocking wake of the icon’s death.
I really enjoyed Twin Peaks, the new, young band from Chicago.
Now is a good time to mention that Ynfynyt Scroll has a new EP available, entitled Drone Warfare, that came a little late in the year’s promotional cycle. There was also a compilation that is still fairly new from the related Track Meet collective, we should have mentioned. More from that crowd is featured below.
I listened to Yeezus an embarrassing number of times. The album is remarkable in that it brought together an odd group of gawkers who wouldn’t otherwise have much to share about what they had been listening to or watching online this past summer. Judging by some of the answers below, I wasn’t alone. By popular demand, here are the year-end lists:
GAVIN MULLOY (THE GRANADA THEATER)
Albums
1. Yeezus—Kanye West
2. Run The Jewels—El-P and Killer Mike
3. After Dark 2—Various Artists
4. DiveHiFlyLo—A.Dd+
5. Random Access Memories—Daft Punk
Songs
1. “Hold my Liquor”—Kanye West
2. “Inhaler”—Foals
3. “Chain Smoker”—Chance the Rapper
4. “The Plus is Silent”—A.Dd+
5. “Diane Young”—”Vampy Weeks,” as Mulloy calls them.
Concerts
1. Yeezus (Kanye West, obviously) “By leaps & bounds,” says Mulloy.
2. Foals at House of Blues
3. Fun Fun Fun Fest
4. The xx, 1st show (at Granada Theater)
5. Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Ice Cude & De La Soul
5a. Lee Fields, after-party at FFF Fest
5b. Sigur Ros, Verizon Theater
WANZ DOVER (“LOST GENERATION”/BLACK DOTZ/SILVER SAINT)
Albums
1. m b v—My Bloody Valentine
2. Alfa—Freund Der Familie
3. Enormous Door—The Ex & Brass Unbound
4. Borderlands—Juan Atkins & Moritz Von Oswald
5. Excavation—Haxan Cloak
Songs
1. “Confusion”—Charles Bradley
2. “City’s Full”—Savages
3. “Who is Walt Deuce?”—The Cactus Channel
4. “Ashtray Eyes”—Pinkish Black
5. “Soultempo”—Caroline Lacaze
Concerts
1. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
2. Planetary Assault Systems
3. My Bloody Valentine
4. Rrose
5. Echospace
MEGGIE HILKERT (EAT AVERY’S BONES)
Albums
1. Truck Month—Slugbug
2. Michael Briggs—Bukkake Moms
3. Lost Age—The Mole People
4. Angel Terrestial EP—The Bell Riots
5. Trash From Our Lips—Eets Feats
Songs
1. “Temporarily Happy”—Big Bill
2. “Dig It Up”—Danny Francis Doyle & the Dreamers
3. “Krystal Tearz”—Vulgar Fashion
4. “Peter Venkman”—Basketball Shorts
5. “Tonight, We Fall”—Adult.
Concerts (Chronologically Listed)
1. Rush at Frank Erwin Center – April 2013
2. Hall and Oates at Moody Theater – May 2013
3. The Mole People “Lost Age” release at Holy Mountain – September 2013
4. They Might Be Giants at Stubb’s – October 2013
5. Descendents at Fun Fun Fun Fest – November 2013
AARON ORTEGA (MUSIC WRITER, THE DALLAS OBSERVER)
1. After Dark 2—Various Artists
2. First Demo CD—Daniel Francis Doyle and the Dreamers
3. Vulgar Fashion—Vulgar Fashion
4. m b v—My Bloody Valentine
5. “A leaked album by Jai Paul,” says Ortega.
Songs
1. “Baby”—Ariel Pink
2. “Cherry”—Chromatics
3. “The Possessed”—Glass Candy
4. “Planned Attack”—Quasimoto
5. “To Make You Afraid”—Verity Susman
Concerts
1. Glass Candy/Chromatics at the Granada
2. Ariel Pink
3. Silver Apples at 35 Denton
4. Nevada Hill Benefit
5. My Bloody Valentine
SALLY GLASS (FOUNDER/EDITOR, semigloss. magazine)
Albums
1. Yeezus—Kanye West
2. Nothing Was the Same—Drake
3. Fear Fun—Father John Misty (Note: Technically, 2o12)
4. Something—Chairlift (Note: Also 2012, and practically 2011. I’m thinking Ms. Glass should be disqualified at this point.)
5. We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves—John Maus (Note: 2011? Sigh.)
Songs
1. “Retrograde”—James Blake
2. “Papi Pacify”—FKA Twigs
3. “Hold On, We’re Going Home”—Drake
4. “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings”—Father John Misty
5. “Clouds”—Deep Time
“Another song is Nguzunguzu’s “Boy is Mine” remix,” says Glass. “Also, ‘Pony,’ by Ginuwine.” “Okay, stop,” I said.
Concerts
1. Beyonce, at the AAC.
2. Father John Misty
3. Def Rain/Jenny Robinson/Vulgar Fashion/-topic at Sandaga 813.
4. Black Pus, at the Earl, in Atlanta.
5. Thrwd Fest at Ware:Wolf:Haus.
CHRIS COLE (AV THE GREAT, K104)
Albums
1. Magna Carta Holy Grail—Jay-Z
2. Poetry—AV the Great & Juicy the Emissary
3. R.A.W—J Whoa
4. Yeezus—Kanye West
5. Rico Dynamite—Wild Bill
Concerts
1. Erykah Badu, Red Bull Sound Select Show
2. Oaktopia Festival
3. 35 Denton Festival
4. Index Festival
5. Kwanzaa Fest
Songs
1. “Blood On The Leaves”—Kanye West
2. “Dreams and NightMares”—Meek Mill
3. “On My Kennedy”—Fab Deuce
4. “Grinding Hard”—TC
5. “The Conversation”—AV the Great & Juicy the Emissary
DONOVAN FORD (NEW SCIENCE PROJECTS/JOY SORES/ElESH NORN)
Albums
1. Always—Xiu Xiu
2. Low Health—The Reptilian
3. Places—Alta
4. Audible—Football Etc.
5. A Lot of Bad Things Happened, But We’re Still Here—Two Knights
Songs
1. “Dream House”—Deafheaven
2. “Sedated”—Pity Sex
3. “Only Tomorrow”—My Bloody Valentine
4. “Glasgow Grin”—Nnamdi Ogbonnaya
5. “College House”—Innards
Concerts
1. Rock Lottery 12, at Dan’s Silverleaf.
2. “Growing Up Is Dumb 2013,” in Los Angeles, California.
3. Sleep, performing at 35 Denton.
4. 1919 Hemphill’s Eleventh Anniversary Show.
5. Nevada Hill Benefit, at Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios.
SEAN KIRKPATRICK (NERVOUS CURTAINS)
Albums
1. Run the Jewels—El-P and Killer Mike
2. Siberia—Polvo
3. Serpents Unleashed—Skeletonwitch
4. Era—Disappears
5. Future Fusion—Streetwalker
Songs
1. “2013”—Primal Scream
2. “Pale Green Ghosts”—John Grant
3. “Crave for Lust”—Phantom Love
4. “Obsolete Elegies”—Locrian
5. “The Weight of Gold”—Forest Swords
Concerts
1. Neurosis at Emo’s.
2. 35 Denton – SLEEP(!), Danny Rush & DD’s, Killer Mike, Reigning Sound, Thee Oh Sees, TV Ghost, Locrian, Silver Apples.
3. My Bloody Valentine at Verizon Theater.
4. Melvins at Trees.
5. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds at McFarlin Auditorium.
George Quartz (Singer, DJ, and Dallas Observer Cover Boy)
Albums
1. Cupid Deluxe—Blood Orange
2. After Dark 2—Various Artists
3. Silence Yourself—Savages
4. Razed to the Ground—Pinkish Black
5. Gov’t Plates—Death Grips
Songs
1. “Noxeema”—Son Of Stan (“Especially the video,” says Quartz.)
2. “My Kind of Woman”—Mac DeMarco (“It’s 2012, but I listened to this constantly this year,” Quartz says.)
3. “Fill the Blanks”—Apaloosa
4. “Pilgrims”—Sam Lao
5. “Mmagic”—George Quartz
Concerts
Mr. Quartz summarized his answer thusly: “Any shows, any place, featuring Party Static, Sir Name and the Janes, Cutter andor Def Rain. There are so many more locals I’d like to include.”
He also mentioned Glass Candy and the Chromatics at the Granada.
JEFF RYAN (MYOPIC, BAPTIST GENERALS)
Albums
1. Tomorrow’s Harvest—Boards of Canada
2. Fade—Yo La Tengo
3. Immunity—Jon Hopkins
4. Loud City Song—Julia Holter
5. m b v—My Bloody Valentine
Songs
1. “Endlessly”—Toy
2. “Peace Sword”—Flaming Lips
3. “The Lord is Out of Control”—Mogwai
4. “The Messenger”—Johnny Marr
5. “Reach for the Dead”—Boards of Canada
Concerts
1. Daniel Johnston (“Before I backed him up,” says Ryan.)
2. Built to Spill, Sub Pop Jubilee Performance in Seattle.
3. Sea and Cake, Trees.
4-5. “Sh*t, I don’t think I saw five concerts besides the ones I played in.”
RODRIGO DIAZ (YNFYNYT SCROLL, TRACK MEET)
Albums
1. Y.R.N.—Migos
2. Nothing was the Same—Drake
3. Club Constructions—Jam City
4. Xtreme Tremble—NA
5. Britney Jean—Britney Spears
Songs
1. “9 on Me”—Ballout and Chief Keef
2. “Bando”—Migos
3. “Dip So”—Dubbel Dutch
4. “Ella Dice”—La Nueva Escuela
4. “Fire”—Baglady
Concerts
1. Night Slugs/Fade to Mind at South by Southwest 2013.
2. Brenmar at It’ll Do.
3. DJ Sliink at Sizu.
4. Juan Atkins at It’ll Do.
5. Ben Aqua at the Contemporary. (Ed’s Note: I think this was in 2012, but I won’t complain too much).
CHRIS MCDONALD (THE GRANADA THEATER)
Albums
1. Holy Fire—Foals
2. Play by Play—Autre Ne Veut
3. Random Access Memories—Daft Punk
4. Settle—Disclosure
5. The Bones of You—Chvrches
Songs
1. “Doin’ it Right”—Daft Punk
2. “Stay”—Rihanna, Featuring Mikky Ekko
3. “Black Skinhead”—Kanye West
4. “Bad Habit”—Foals
5. “Weight”—Mikal Cronin
Concerts
1. Washed Out, at Granada Theater
2. Foals, at Park West Chicago
3. “Gorilla vs Bear III,” at Granada Theater
4. Grizzly Bear, at Palladium Ballroom
5. Sigur Ros, at Verizon Theater
PAUL SLAVENS (KXT/BAPTIST GENERALS/SOLO ARTIST):
Albums
1. The Chronicles of Marnia—Marnie Stern
2. Overgrown—James Blake
3. Shaking the Habitual—The Knife
4. Pale Green Ghost—John Grant
5. Wakin on a Pretty Daze—Kurt Vile
Songs
1. “Pact with the Devil”—Vulgar Fashion
2. “Give Up, Give In”—Daniel Markham
3. “Water Me”—FKA Twigs
4. “Retrograde”—James Blake
5. “Forge”—Glasser
Concerts
1. Marnie Stern at Prophet Bar
2. Danny Rush at “that biker bar in Deep Ellum.” (Pretty sure he means Rob’s Chop Shop.)
3. Residents at the Kessler
4. Dirty Projectors at the Kessler
5. Warpaint in Deep Ellum
ARIEL SALDIVAR (MUSICIAN/FOUNDER, OLIVIA K JEWELRY):
Albums
1. Yeezus—Kanye West
2. m b v—My Bloody Valentine
3. Monomania—Deerhunter
4. Silence Yourself—Savages
5. 180 Songs—Palma Violets
Songs
1. “Back to the Middle”—Deerhunter
2. “We Found Love”—Palma Violets
3. “She Found Now”—My Bloody Valentine
4. “Black Skinhead”—Kanye West
5. “Royals”—Lorde
Concerts
1. Nicholas Jarr
2. Small Black
3. Beyonce
4. Pearl Jam
5. Father John Misty
Saldivar also added Dark Rooms to the list. “To throw out some local love,” she says.
MATT GOODMAN (WFAA):
Albums
1. 1017 Thug—Young Thug
2. Yeezus—Yeezus
3. Trap House 3—Gucci Mane
4. Young Rich N–––—Migos
5. Virgins—Tim Hecker
Songs
1. “SH!T”—Future
2. “Hold On, We’re Going Home”—Drake
3. “Versace”—Migos
4. “24 Hours”—Sky Ferreira
5. “UONEO”—Rocko featuring Rick Ross & Future
Concerts
1. Kanye West at New Orleans Arena.
2. Killer Mike at Red 7, Fun Fun Fun Fest Nites.
3. Lil B at Prophet Bar.
4. My Bloody Valentine at Verizon Theater.
5. Nevada Hill Benefit at Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios.
BRITT ROBISHEAUX (J. Britt Robisheaux Audio Engineering)
Albums
1. Understated—Edwyn Collins
2. Sun Worship—Tiger Hatchery
3. Era—Disappears
4. Gala—Joel RL Phelps
5. B Room—Dr. Dog
Songs
“I really can’t think of specific songs,” says Robisheaux.
Concerts
1. Nick Cave and Bad seeds, McFarlin Auditorium.
2. Television
3. BJ Thomas
4. Year of The Bear
5. Flatbush Zombies
Dave Sims (North TX Critic and Journalist)
Albums
1. Silence Yourself—Savages
2. Random Access Memories—Daft Punk
3. Wakin on a Pretty Daze—Kurt Vile
4. The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You—Neko Case
5. Settle—Disclosure
Songs
“Wakin on a Pretty Day”—Kurt Vile
“Ohm”—Yo La Tengo
“Inside You”—Mind Spiders
“Don’t Let Me Die in Florida”—Patty Griffin
Don’t ask Mr. Sims about Jason Isbell, however: “I decided I just didn’t like the Jason Isbell record,” says Sims.
Concerts
1. Helio Sequence at Uncanned
2. Midlake at Dan’s Silverleaf
3. AV the Great, fronting Trill, at Rock Lottery
4. The March Forth Marching Band at Portland State University
5. Chelsea Light Moving at 35 Denton
LEE ESCOBEDO (CO-FOUNDER/EDITOR AT THRWD MAGAZINE)
Albums
Beyoncé—Beyoncé
Acid Rap—Chance the Rapper
Tree House—Le1f
Jai Paul—Jai Paul
Old—Danny Brown
Songs
“Round Here”—James Blake, featuring Chance the Rapper
“Fashion Killa”—A$AP Rocky
“Papi Pacify”—FKA Twigs
“Dark Horse”—Katy Perry Featuring Juicy J
“New Slaves”—Kanye West
Concerts
1. Cutter/Def Rain/Knifefight/Future at Ware:Wolf:Haus.
2. Bukkake Moms at J&J’sPizza, during Oaktopia.
3. Thrwd Fest at Ware:Wolf:Haus.
4. Lily Taylor at Oliver Francis Gallery, “Poetry Night 3”
5. Kanye West at American Airlines Center.
OLEG BELOGORSKY (TRACK MEET)
Albums
Club Constructions Vol. 6—Jam City
Y.R.N.—Migos
Skycell—Nguzunguzu
Crescent EP—Saga
Drone Warfare EP—Ynfynyt Scroll
Songs
1. “Dip So”—Dubbel Dutch
2. “2kbc (Primal Mix)”—Poolboy92 featuring Labanna Babylon
3. “Fire”—Baglady
4. “Shawty Wassup” (Murlo Remix)—Yung Nation
5. “Ain’t Worried About Nothin”—French Montana
Concerts
1. Fade To Mind/Night Slugs After-Party at South By Southwest.
2. Bok Bok/L-Vis 1990/Kingdom/Prince William/Track Meet at 35 Denton.
3. DJ Sliink at Sisu Uptown.
4. Afterlyfe 3.0 at Loft 718.
5. Brenmar at It’ll Do.
CLINT BUTLER (DJ C RUBY RHOD)
Albums
1. No World—Inc.
2. Cut 4 Me—Kelela
3. R Plus Seven—Oneohtrix Point Never
4. I’m Fine—Visionist
5. Contact—The Drum
Songs
1. “Skycell”—Nguzunguzu
2. “P*ssy” (Prod by. Dj Mustard)—TeeFLii
3. “Karate Chop”—Future
4. “214 Number”—Dorrough
5. “OG Master”—Kingdom
Concerts
1. Kelela at Night Slugs/Fade To Mind Showcase SXSW.
2. Beyonce at AAC.
3. Artful Dodger at It’ll Do.
4. MORRI$ at Canton Co-op.
5. Track Meet at Travis Basement, for Shook Nite’s Birthday.
MARK CHURCH (GOOD RECORDS)
Albums
1. Excavation—Haxan Cloak
2. Pain is Beauty—Chelsea Wolfe
3. The Word As Power—Lustmord
4. Razed to the Ground—Pinkish Black
5. Troller—Troller
Songs
1. “Flatlands” (Chelsea Wolfe cover)—Mark Lanegan
2. “Memorial”—Russian Circles
3. “Last Patrol”—Monster Magnet
4. “Just Make it Stop”—Low
5. “Changes”—Charles Bradley
Concerts
“I only went to one concert the whole year,” says Church. “One. It was Monster Magnet at Trees, and it was awesome.” But he conceded one performance from a local act: “Honorable mention to Unconscious Collective at Good Records, on Record Store Day,” Church said.
KEVIN RUBÉN JACOBS (OLIVER FRANCIS GALLERY)
Albums
1. Government Plates—Death Grips
2. Skycell—Nguzunguzu
3. No Meal No Deal—Tunk
4. EP—Cutter
5. Trap House III—Gucci Mane
Songs
1. “Complex Hate Crimes”—Lil B
2. “Death Perception”—Cutter
3. “Type of Way”—Rich Homie Quan
4. “Wrecking Ball in G-Major”—Miley Cyrus
5. “Cockiness”—Rihanna (Yes, it’s from 2012, but Jacobs claims he “heard it at a strip club this year.”)
Concerts
1. Cutter at Ware:Wolf:Haus
2. THRWD Fest at Ware:Wolf:Haus
3. Kendrick Lamar at AAC
“That’s all i got…. I don’t go to concerts that often,” says Jacobs.
JOSH BAISH (RUBBER GLOVES REHEARSAL STUDIOS):
Albums
5. MCII—Mikal Cronin
4. m b v—My Bloody Valentine
3. Troller—Troller
2. Last Days Here—Pentagram (This is “A 2002 compilation album of songs from the early 70s,” explains Baish. “Nowhere near a 2013 release, but it played in our household more than any other record this year.”)
1. Präparat—Boris
Songs
(Sorry, I’m trying to get this list done, my daughters are screaming, and can’t think of any individual songs that I would list for best of 2013 )
Concerts
1. Mötley Crüe (9/12/13; Chocktaw Casino/ Durant, OK) Baish says he witnessed this concert on a particularly special evening: “Saw them the night my wife and I were married,” said Baish. “Didn’t know what to expect. Vince Neil was portly and seemed to be winded the whole show, Mick Marrs looked like he could crumble at the touch of a feather, but they pulled it off wonderfully. Sang along at the top of my lungs to every song, and those types of shows are always the best.”
2. Boris / Thrones / Pinkish Black / Bludded Head (4/26/13; Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios/ Denton, TX)
3. My Bloody Valentine / New Fumes (8/17/13; Verizon Theater, Grand Prarie, TX)
4. Nevada Hill Benefit Show with New Fumes / Early Lines / Pinkish Black / Drug Mountain / Douche (11/22/13; Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios, Denton, TX)
5. The Cult (12/18/13; Billy Bob’s, Ft. Worth, TX): This show hasn’t even happened yet, (it’s tonight), but it’s the 1st tour they’re playing Electric in it’s entirety,” Baish said. “That’s enough for me to list it.”
DARRYL RATCLIFF (GREEN BANDANA GROUP)
Albums
1. Yeezus—Kanye West
2. Acid Rap—Chance the Rapper
3. Nothing was the Same—Drake
4. My Name is My Name—Pusha T
5. Long. Live.—A$AP Rocky
Songs
1. “Blood on the Leaves”—Kanye West
2. “Mother Prism”—Ishi
3. “Worst Behavior”—Drake
4. “Nosetalgia”—Kendrick Lamar/Pusha T
5. “Wrecking Ball”—Miley Cyrus
Concerts
1. Danny Church at the Dram.
2. Snarky Puppy and Shaun Martin at the Prophet Bar.
3. Erykah Badu, Larry Gee, Dustin Cavazos, and -topic at The Prophet Bar.
4. Screaming Females and the Chloes at Club Dada.
5. Mount Righteous at Double Wide.
ALEX ATCHLEY (BAD TIMES)
Albums
1. Jane Papaya—Pajjama
2. Hard On—New Science Projects
3. Big Steel Wheels—C-Jeff
4. Loss—Anger House
5. Honey Locust Honkey Tonk—Robert Pollard
Songs
1. “I Killed A Man That Looks Like You”—Robert Pollard
2. “Pachinko Devil”—Pajjama
3. “A Pathetic Way to Say I Need You”—Elesh Norn
4. “Linear Narrative”—Slugbug
5. “No Pizza No Party”—Lord Machino
Concerts
1. Rock Lottery at Dan’s Silverleaf.
2. Nevada Hill Benefit Dallas at Crown & Harp.
3. Nevada Hill Benefit Denton at Rubber Gloves.
4. Seth Sherman & band at Rubber Gloves.
5. Complete & Eat Avery’s Bones at Hailey’s.
AMANDA NEWTON (THE TREELINES)
“I really liked Daniel Markham’s album,” Newton said. “Have you heard it? It ruined my life.” “Codetalkers are great, too,” she added.
