Brenton Harris’ ‘Best Of 2013’ In Music

December 31st, 2013

Brenton Harris

Family aside, music has and always will be my first love and closest friend in this world. It is my voice in the times that I cannot speak and my favourite choice of topic for the times I can. It can take me from the depths of despair to the highest peak of elation and back again within the space of one song and it is the one spiritual power in which I will always maintain my belief.

The influence is so deep that the records I love become the hallmarks by which I remember my life, and as such each and every record in my collection holds a memory and an experience all of its own. Put simply, the music I love is as much a part of me as anything I have done or anything that I own and as such putting together end of year rankings is always a struggle for me, as the music and the memory always converge into one, creating a vortex of memories which I disappear into each time I press play. It is an experience that I am sure that many of you are rather familiar with, but also one that is not all that conducive to productivity. Alas, after many hours lost to reliving the events of the last year, I have managed to compile a Best of 2013 list.

My list goes to 11 — The Best Albums of 2013:

1. Letlive. – The Blackest Beautiful
2. The Wonder Years – The Greatest Generation
3. The Dangerous Summer – Gold Record
4. Balance and Composure – The Things We Think We’re Missing
5. Frank Turner – Tape Deck Heart
6. Shad – Flying Colours
7. Jimmy Eat World – Damage
8. A Wilhelm Scream – Partycrasher
9. Dave Hause – Devour
10. The Bronx – IV
11. Defeater – Letters Home

Honourable mentions: Touche Amore – Is Survived By, State Champs – The Finer Things, Sigur Rós – Kveikur, Allison Weiss — Say What You Mean, Kevin Devine – Bubblegum, Sainthood Reps – Headswell, Future of the Left – How to Stop Your Brain in An Accident, Counterparts – The Difference Between Hell and Home, City and Colour – The Hurry and the Harm, Protest The Hero – Volition.

Anger is an emotion too: The Worst Record of 2013:

Falling in Reverse – Fashionably Late

Dishonourable mention: Survive This! – The Life You’ve Chosen

Interesting observation: Both my best and worst albums of 2013 came out on the same record label Epitaph records. That’s some incredible emotional manipulation, Mr. Brett!

Call that a record? This is a record! – The best Australian releases of 2013:

1. Bodyjar – Role Model
2. Jack The Stripper – Raw Nerve
3. High Tension – Death Beat
4. The Nerve – Audiodacity
5. Northlane – Singularity
6. The Smith Street Band – Don’t Fuck With Our Dreams

The John Farnham ‘this is the last time’ award for the year’s best reunion: Boysetsfire

“I Heard They DON’T Suck Live” – Top seven gigs of 2013:

1. Every Time I Die @ The Corner Hotel, Richmond (AU)
2. The Bronx @ The Corner Hotel, Richmond (AU)
3. The Wonder Years/Such Gold @ The Corner Hotel, Richmond (AU)
4. Parkway Drive @ Irving Plaza, NYC
5. Against Me @ The Manning Bar, Sydney (AU)
6. The Gaslight Anthem @Palace Theatre, Melbourne (AU)
7. City and Colour @ The Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne (AU)

The Bestival Award – For best festival:

1. Soundwave Festival, Melbourne (AU)
2. The Big Day Out, Melbourne (AU)
3. Vans Warped Tour Australia, Melbourne (AU)