2013: Records. Themes. Gigs. The Lot.

Like every other self-respecting music freak, I'm more than partial to the annual December list-athon, but what I cannot fathom are those which instantly speculate how a given year will be remembered. Sure, it's an intriguing aspect to the whole discussion, but alleging certain records will remain classics for years and decades to come is ultimately a hiding to nothing. Who's to say that Yeezus, for example, won't gather dust as its production tricks and shock value succumb to age, or that come 2020 we won't snigger at Modern Vampires of the City as an "album of the year" catastrophe? On the other side of the coin, how can we be sure we've not dismissed another Odessey and Oracle or Velvet Underground & Nico; an overlooked gem whose early obscurity masks a future cult classic?

With these and other bloopers in mind, I prefer to avoid declaring which LPs we'll view as "the best" or "the most important" with retrospect, and instead focus on the patterns and events which have unquestionably left an impression on the here and now. Without further ado, then, here the themes which have shaped my own musical year, together with a selection of personal favourites from what present impressions suggest has been another solid 12-month innings...

Live Review: Frightened Rabbit, Newcastle University (11/5/2013)

The size and makeup of Frightened Rabbit's audience has altered immeasurably since I first saw them at Newcastle's tiny Castle Keep, but this upturn is through nothing if not hard labour. Kicking off another UK tour, the Scots returned to the region near the end of their busiest year yet; one that's brought a major label debut in Pedestrian Verse, and treks around Australia, North America (twice) and mainland Europe, together with countless festival appearances. With venues being upgraded with each fresh round, the intimacy of earlier shows is now in scant supply, but that's done little to inhibit their towering performances, which have essentially mirrored the growth heard in their stellar back catalogue.

Best Of The Year 2013: First Quarter Update

As we've done every three months since the beginning of 2011, we will again be doing quarterly updates in 2013. All of the staff here at MuzikDizcovery listed our top five albums that we've heard so far in 2013, and wrote up little blurbs about why we love these albums. We really hope you check out the albums on our lists, as I'm sure most of them are very dear to us. There's a very wide variety of music that you'll find on these lists, as groups such as Owel, Autre Ne Veut, Justin Timberlake, K Sera, The Story So Far, My Bloody Valentine, Youth Lagoon, Foals and Frightened Rabbit all have mentions from at least two of our staff members, so we guarantee that there will be at least one artist on here that you will end up loving. Check out all of our lists below.

Live Review: Frightened Rabbit, Hall 2, The Sage, Gateshead, 25/02/2013

It's little over four years since Frightened Rabbit's last visit to The Sage Gateshead; a fleeting period in the grand scheme of things, yet one which in musical terms represents a vast yearning gap. That certainly seems so in the case of Selkirk's finest, who upon their last visit arrived as virtual unknowns hot on the heels of gargantuan sophomore The Midnight Organ Fight, a stonewall modern classic from which the quintet have truly never looked back. Now, of course, Scott Hutchinson and company are beginning to outgrow their cult status, with a major label deal and UK top 10 album to their name, not to mention a reputation that's well on its way to joining the likes of Belle & Sebastian and Arab Strap in the realms of Scottish folklore. Comfortably selling-out the venue's second room, this show was further evidence of their meteoric rise, aptly showcasing the strides they've made whilst also providing a night that'll live long in the memories of all in attendance.

Album Review: Frightened Rabbit - Pedestrian Verse

Album Rating: A-

Scott Hutchinson has earned his stripes as a candid, emotionally connected songwriter, and one need only read a handful of interviews to realise he scarcely differs away from the mic. Quizzed by my local freebie NARC concerning his band's relocation to major label Atlantic, the Frightened Rabbit mainman uttered a typically frank response, admitting "when you sign for a major label you do it for a reason; you want to further your career. We're not going to deny that." Commendable though they wore, those words were only eclipsed for fans by claims their imminent fourth album would evoke the bleak lyrical intensity of The Midnight Organ Fight, not to mention that it'd also mark their first foray into group-orientated songwriting - a significant development for an outfit which essentially began as its frontman's pet project.

Album Review: Frightened Rabbit - State Hospital (EP)

EP Rating: B+

Everyone has a dream collaboration; a pair of artists who, in some misplaced reality converge purely for the sake of that listener with appropriately mind-blowing consequences. It's a romantic concept, but one which rarely comes to fruition, partly because musicians can't pamper to the needs of every last fan, and partly because the results in practice scarcely live up to the fanciful standards built in one's imagination. Even so, the lure of such endeavours remains strong, so strong it'd be inhuman not to feel some form of excitement on the odd occasion when one does crop up. You'll forgive me then for losing my metaphorical shit upon discovering that Frightened Rabbit's eagerly awaited comeback EP was to be rounded off with an appearance from the master of the dark arts himself, Mr. Aidan John Moffat.

Jukebox: Frightened Rabbit - State Hospital

Scott Hutchinson has completely changed his approach to songwriting in just a short four years.  On The Midnight Organ Fight, Hutchinson crafted 14 songs that defined every dimension and facet of human heartbreak: he wrote insanely personal songs about the end of romance, trying to find new romances, the pain of having to see an old love, the pain of nostalgia and growing up, and how all of this resulted in his dramatic suicide attempt.  Every gigantic chorus, witty lyric, acoustic ballad and powerful punk rock guitar riff on The Midnight Organ Fight was for anyone who had experienced any kind of personal heartbreak.

2012: A Look Ahead



Great Expectations... will 2012
be the year that The Gaslight

Anthem become huge?

Ah, finally it's 2012, and thank Christ - no more end of year lists!

Yes, the obligatory avalanche of retrospective madness has finally ran it's course, and at long last we can begin looking ahead at what the new year has to offer. And wouldn't you know it, even a cursory glance over the coming months reveals plenty that's worth getting excited about.

As well as the obvious big names and returning old favourites, there are also legions of newer acts hoping to make an impression with debut releases, while others who have already completed that opening hurdle will be looking to kick on and really establish themselves within the industry. So, with a run through the early year release schedule, as well as a few well educated pieces of guesswork, let's cast our minds ahead and behold what could well be another year of stellar musical achievement...