2013 Calvin Awards: Best Album
By Kim Hollis
February 18, 2013
BoxOfficeProphets.com
This year's runner-up made headlines in 2012 when he published an open letter on his blog announcing he had fallen in love with someone of the same sex (which is notable since he works in a genre that has traditionally been homophobic), but by the end of the year, Frank Ocean's album channel Orange was making "Best Of" lists all across the board. Ocean channeled his feelings of unrequited love and longing into an album that paints a picture of contemporary Los Angeles while taking musical storytelling to a new level. He's going to be an exciting artist to watch in the coming years.
Indie folk has seen an explosion over the last few years, but The Avett Brothers have actually been at it since the late 1990s, with their first EP released in 2000. This past year brought them their biggest selling album ever in The Carpenter, and with Rick Rubin producing the band's second album in a row, they seem to have discovered a formula that works, good enough for third place amongst our voters. Before you assume that the Avetts can be easily categorized under that indie folk label, you might reconsider after giving The Carpenter a listen, as they shift from grunge to Beatles-esque sounds to doo-wop - all couched in the language of grief. I had the pleasure of seeing the band perform a couple of years ago after a baseball game, and their energy is simply astounding.
It's been five years since The Shins had a studio album, but they came back strong with Port of Morrow, a more polished and electronic album than what they had given us previously. This album was the first for the band since the departure of founding members Dave Hernandez (currently of Little Cuts), Marty Crandall (who was released from the band after legal difficulties) and Jesse Sandoval (now with The Minders), although all of those former players make an appearance. As always, James Mercer's songwriting is dreamy and bouncy, and we dare you to keep "Simple Song" out of your head for several hours after you listen to it.
We delve back into the realm of indie folk, but this time we're doing it Iceland style. Of Monsters and Men's My Head Is an Animal finishes in fifth place, thanks to its catchy tunes and earnest lyrics. It's all but guaranteed that you're going to sing along with the choruses of these infectious songs, with #1 alternative hit "Little Talks" being a particular standout (though by no means the only fantastic song on the album). My Head Is an Animal is effectively the band's first studio album, and we're thoroughly excited to see what their future will bring.
After a year and a half hiatus, The Killers returned with new album Battle Born, which impressed us enough to come in sixth amongst our voters. Although early sessions in developing the album proved to be contentious for the band members, they soon found their groove and delivered a collection of songs that would thrill fans, including "Runaways", which was the debut single. Apparently a little time apart is good for the soul.
If you're wondering where all the major label artists are, look no further. Pink comes in at #7 in our voting with her newest album The Truth About Love. She channels some very raw emotion into some powerful lyrics, with accompanying music that is as catchy as anything she's ever done before. With titles like "Blow Me (One Last Kiss) and "Slut Like You", you kind of know what you're getting, and yet Pink goes above and beyond in delivering raunchy, sassy stuff that you just love to sing.
The Walkmen chose to collaborate with producer Phil Ek for their newest album, Heaven, and while that name might not mean much to you on its own, you might take notice when you hear that he's produced past albums for Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses, and the aforementioned The Shins. It's a lush, upbeat, optimistic album, a record that the A.V. Club calls "dad-rock" because of its adult themes. Now that the Walkmen have been working together for the better part of a decade, they've matured, and it shows in their sound and their lyrics.
Ninth place goes to quite possibly the greatest songwriter/poet of our time, Bob Dylan. Like so much of his work, in Tempest he deals with those eternal and universal themes of love and death, going to some darker places than he traditionally has. Dylan wrote every song on the album himself with the exception of the fantastic "Duquesne Whistle", which he co-authored with Robert Hunter (the primary lyricist of The Grateful Dead). Mood shifts take place not just between songs but within songs. Ardent fans will find much to love, but even people who have never admired Dylan in the past can find haunting truths present in Tempest.
Our final top ten slot is taken up by another debut artist. This time it's Alabama Shakes with their album Boys and Girls. It's probably no coincidence that our 2012 favorite Jack White has toured with this up and coming garage band; his ear for talent is unmistakable. It's a blues explosion that establishes them as a future force to be reckoned with. Just writing this paragraph has put "Hold On" in my head as an earworm I may not be able to dislodge for several hours.
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