Dartmouth Soundoff: 13 Debut Albums You Should Know From 2013
While most of us are looking forward to new classes, new roommates and New Year’s resolutions, I’m going to take the opportunity to look back. Like any year, 2013 saw a number of artists’ debut albums. Some, like Lorde and Sky Ferreira, are fairly well known, while others, like A$AP Ferg and Kacey Musgraves, may be known inside-out to subscribers of their respective genres, but have yet to pique the interest of the general public.
Usually when I write these columns I can pick some of the items— like St. Lucia or Charli XCX — from my personal collection, but the remaining content requires a bit of research. Often I discover something that makes its way into my personal selection of music and plays in the background of my daily activities. This week, Lucius takes this title, closely followed by Chvrches (although I realized that I already knew a lot of the latter's songs without recognizing them, so maybe you do too).
Without further analysis, here are 13 debut albums you should know from 2013.
Bastille — Bad Blood (March 4)
Despite receiving mixed critical reviews, this synth-rock debut album reached No. 1 in the U.K. and No. 11 on the U.S. Billboard charts. Bastille's most successful single, “Pompeii,” kicks off the album with a catchy, arena sound that contrasts to the piano and strings-driven ballads, like “Oblivion,” which appear later in the record.
“Pompeii”
Kacey Musgraves — Same Trailer Different Park (March 19)
Technically this is cheating, since Musgraves has released prior albums, but this is her debut on a major label. I’m often hesitant to bring my country roots to the table, but since I already mentioned her in this column, the damage has already been done. 2013 has been the year for this sassy country breakout, whose album topped country charts, making her a leading Grammy nominee. Same Trailer Different Park flaunts a trendy and artsy vibe often lacking in the country industry.
“Back on the Map”
Charli XCX — True Romance (April 12)
Making my new albums list from 13S, this next-generation Robyn is probably better known for her feature on Icona Pop’s ubiquitous “I Love It.” Her first distributed release True Romance received favorable reviews, although its commercial success was a bit underwhelming.
“Nuclear Season”
Disclosure — Settle (May 31)
As probably the most critically acclaimed album on this list, Settle was described by Pitchfork at the time of its release as “2013’s best dance record so far”. Although it's a distinctly dance-pop record, Settle almost retro when compared to the clubby and EDM sounds that have come to define our understanding of dance music.
“You and Me”
A$AP Ferg – Trap Lord (August 20)
After A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg was the second member of Harlem A$AP Mob, a group of like-minded artists, directors and producers, to have a major release this year. The album is definitely geared toward the rap connoisseur rather than the mainstream listener. Pitchfork describes Trap Lord as “leering and paranoid but rippled with muscle. It’s a dark-tinted record, to be sure, sonically and lyrically.”
“Shabba”
The 1975 — The 1975 (September 2)
With a sound like The Kooks fast-forwarded 10 years, The 1975 produced a debut album that hit No. 1 on the U.K. charts, seeing both critical and commercial success. “You wouldn't call theirs the most distinctive of sounds: you can point to almost all the elements of most any song here and tell where it came from,” says The Guardian, but The 1975 executes these borrowed elements well, with catchy hooks and a sense of familiarity that makes you think you’ve heard the song before, even if you haven’t.
“Chocolate”
Lorde — Pure Heroine (September 27)
Possibly THE debut album of the year, Pure Heroine is impossible to ignore, especially comparing its quality to equally commercially successful and equally young artists — Lorde just reached her 17th birthday. If she’s going to continue her career though, she’s going to need to find some more material beyond feeling poor, because she’s probably waist deep in cash by now.
“Ribs”
Chvrches – The Bones of What You Believe (September 20)
The Scottish electropop trio, pronounced “churches” (the unique spelling is brilliant for appearing in search engines), peaked at No. 9 on the U.K. charts and No. 12 on the U.S. charts. Chvrches has an aural aesthetic that sometimes makes you feel like all the blood is rushing to your head, a sound Pitchfork describes as “immaculate.”
“Night Sky”
Haim — Days are Gone (September 27)
Haim, comprised of three sisters, debuted with a pop rock record that has some definitive nostalgic R&B influences. Days are Gone found its way onto a number of “Best of” albums lists for 2013, including those compiled by Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Paste and Spin.
“Falling”
Darkside – Psychic (October 8)
Producing the avant-garde (or objectively weird) album on this list, Darkside is a duo comprised of Chilean producer Nicolas Jaar and guitarist Dave Harrington. NME probably best describes the record —which has an opening track on the better side of 11 minutes — as “heavy-lidded meanderings through post-punk, Balearic dippiness and ’80s synth weirditude.”
“Freak Go Home”
St. Lucia — When the Night (October 8 )
I really want this guy to blow up. The Brooklyn local put out two EPs and both of his New York shows for this winter sold out before I could get to them, so that’s a good sign. For fans of Bastille, When the Night is a collection of dance pop tracks with robust sounds and thoughtful arrangements that are catchy without being gimmicky. According to Consequence of Sound, the album “recalls the addictive power of ‘Africa’”, accurately referring to the 1980s Toto mega-hit.
“Elevate”
Lucius — Wildewoman (October 15)
As a terrific collection of different sounds, like the breathy folk of “Two of Us on the Run” and garage rock in “Nothing Ordinary,” Wildewoman maintains the same character throughout the entire album while managing to present each song uniquely. Rolling Stone named them one of SXSW music festival’s must-see acts and Paul Krugman, the professor who wrote my Economics 1 textbook, gave them a shout-out in his New York Times column.
“Two of Us on the Run”
Sky Ferreira— Night Time, My Time (October 29)
Ferreira, known for her edgy "life in the fast lane," produced a debut album surrounded by hype. Part dance-pop, part grunge, part art-rock, Night Time, My Time peaked at No. 45 on the Billboard charts and received favorable critical reception. Next up, Ferreira is slated, along with Icona Pop, to open for Miley Cyrus on her 2014 Bangerz tour.
“I Blame Myself”