2013

I always enjoy reading the year's 'Best Of' lists as they often throw up music, film or books I might have missed.  Most of the music lists tend to focus on new music, but my 25 Best of 2013 tracks are a combination of the new, the newly-discovered and forgotten classics.

Each track is linked to a video or stream if you'd like to listen to it.  There is also a Spotify list here, if you're that way inclined (without the Nils Frahm track, unfortunately), and, to create an element of suspense, they are in reverse order.  There's no reason why there are 25, other than I struggled to find more and struggled to cross any off.  Oh, and all comments should be preceded with the acronym 'IMHO'.

25. Poor Fractured Atlas - Elvis Costello
2013 was the year I rediscovered Elvis Costello. I fell out of love with him in the late 90s, but a visit to his Spectacular Spinning Songbook brought back all the good times we'd had in the 70s and 80s.

24.Sassafrass – Van Dyke Parks
One of several tracks I've discovered thanks to Steve Lamacq's afternoon radio show on 6Music.  This is decidedly odd, but also rather lovely.

23.  Third Man – The Duckworth Lewis Method
Their first album was good, the second album only so-so, but this was the standout track.  I love Neil Hannon and Thomas Walsh dearly, but I think it's time for the DLM to leave the crease.

23.  Jessica [feat. Ezra Koenig] – Major Lazer
I hate white men playing reggae (it probably started with 10cc's Dreadlock Holiday).  On first listen I wasn't impressed with this.  Second time, I realised it wasn't too bad. Third time, I relised there would be a fourth time.

21.  Running to the Sea – Röyksopp
A recent entry into the Top 25.  I 'heart' Röyksopp and all their Norwegian noodlings and this new track bodes well for a tour in 2014.

20.  Mayor Of Simpleton – XTC

XTC are great, aren't they?  This has been one of those 'ear worm' tracks for me this year.  It stuck in my head and I was very reluctant to let it leave.

19.  GMF – John Grant
Not the best choice when driving the kids to school, but for me, the highlight of a slightly disappointing second album.

18.  Fly Like An Eagle – Steve Miller Band

This reminds me of the 70s, my musical prime. For best results listen to the album version with Space Intro leading into Fly Like An Eagle.

17.  Waiting – Alice Boman

Another Steve Lamacq discovery. Her Skisser EP is lovely and I couldn't choose between this track and Skiss 3. I'm not sure I could take a whole album though.

16.  Signal 30 – Public Service Broadcasting

Another track from one of those 'I couldn't eat a whole one' albums.  This sounds great in the car.

15.  Don't Save Me – Haim

2013's Next Big Thing failed to float my boat (it was all a bit too 'AOR' for my indelicate tastes), apart from this track, which had me singing along like nobody's business.

14.  Valentine's Day – David Bowie
He's back, back, back.  I would have preferred The Next Day to be a bit less like Scary Monsters... and a bit more like Hunky Dory, but it's a minor quibble because he's back, back, back.

13.  Apologise – Ben's Brother

I know nothing about Ben's Brother (I didn't even know Ben had a brother) and the internet tells me that this was released in 2009.  This is just a great pop song.

12.  Oh Me Oh My [I'm A Fool For You Baby] – Aretha Franklin

I discovered this, thanks to David Hepworth's excellent Spotify playlist, 1971 - The Annus Mirabilis of the Album. One of those great tracks that slipped under the radar while I was away listening to Yes and ELP in the 70s.

11.  Breathe This Air – Jon Hopkins

Immunity is one of my albums of the year. It's a difficult choice to pick one standout track, but this will do.   

10.  Axis – Pet Shop Boys

I thought I'd lost them, but when I heard this first single from Electric, I knew I was still in love. If I'm honest I would probably have the whole of Electric in the top 25, but I thought I'd give the also-rans a chance.

9.  Big Love – Matthew E. White

Why, oh why do I love his album, Big Inner, so much?  It's slow, sounds slightly gloomy, but has rarely been off the car's 8-track in 2013. Apart from Electric (obviously), it's probably my favourite album of the year.  And then he goes a tops it by releasing a supplementary EP towards the end of the year.  This track sums up his infectious white soul.

8.  The Light At The End Of The Tunnel (Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train) – Half Man Half Biscuit

I heard Cammell Laird Social Club for the first time this year (I'm a relatively recent convert to HMHB and I'm slowly catching up).  This is a tale of lost love in the Derbyshire Dales from HMHB.  What's not to love?

7.  Alive – Empire Of The Sun

I've never been that keen on Empire Of The Sun.  They always promised more than they delivered.  I bought their Ice On The Dune album and only listened to it twice, but this is a standout track.

6.  Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes – Kevin Ayers

I wasn't a big fan of Kevin Ayers in his prime, but his death early in 2013 prompted me to revisit his oeuvre.  I like this very much.

5.  Reflektor – Arcade Fire 

On first hearing I thought this was about twice as long as it needed to be.  This just builds and builds and really gets under your skin.

4.  Where Are We Now? – David Bowie

The biggest surprise of the year was turning on the car radio to find that, not only was Bowie still alive, but he'd released a new single that morning. Where Are We Now? is very Bowie and very good.  My only disappointment is that the rest of the album wasn't more in the same vein.

3.  Says – Nils Frahm

Electronic ambient is not everyone's cup of tea, but this is a classic. Reminiscent of Tangerine Dream in their prime, it starts very quietly and develops into something very beautiful.

2.  Get Lucky – Daft Punk

How effing good is this? Very effing good, is the answer.  This is the one track this year that can justly be called a classic.  In 20 years' time there will be programmes on BBC4 about how they made this track.

1.  Love is a Bourgeois Construct – Pet Shop Boys
The best record ever made (I may be exaggerating a tad, but it's certainly entered my Desert Island Disc selection with a bullet).  I love you Neil and Chris and want to have your glitterball-headed babies.