The Best Of 2013. Album #1

01. Leon Benavente "Leon Benavente" (p) Marxophone

Abraham Boba is a busy man. Formerly emerging as the member of Nacho Vegas' studio and touring team, later he became the anticipated session musician appearing on the albums by Julio De La Rosa, Pumuky, and tons of others as well as having three successful solo releases on Limbo Starr label. Now teamed up with old pal Luis Rodriguez (also of Nacho Vegas' team fame) on guitar along with Eduardo Baos from Tachenko (bass) and Cesar Verdu from Schwarz (drums) he started a new band (himself focusing on his 'Farfisa' and singing duties). Though this project hardly contradicts all what these well-trained men did before, but also it hardly coincides fully with their previous experiences, and the sound of their debut disc has little in common with Nacho Vegas or Tachenko. Loosely based on Joy Division-inspired branch of gloomy post-punk so many times reinterpreted by myriads of bands worldwide, the music on "Leon Benavente" is nevertheless deeper, smarter, and more emotionally charged (especially in the songs "La Palabra" or "Ser Brigada" with the inner tension escalated to the point where it could produce the spontaneous combustion) than the most of contemporaries. And the voice of Boba - warm but pretty detached - sticks all the parts together creating such the well-balanced and inward-looking state in you that you easily fall into to never come back. Until the music stops.

The Best Of 2013. Album #2

02. Mi Pequena Radio "Donde Esta Lo Que Un Dia Fuimos" (p) Bohemia Music

It took almost 4 years for David Tabuena to record the sophomore release of his alter ego Mi Pequena Radio. Like the 1st album "Esquiando Hacia Arriba" the new album is very energetic one, but unlike the previous release, "Donde Esta..." is much more diverse rhythmically, containing the trademark fast rockers along with danceable rock tunes and a couple of the perfect ballads.
Unfortunately, it's a pretty overlooked album, and even the casual help of Iker Casillas didn't work well. But it contains the best tunes this side of Miss Caffeina, and the songs like "La Reina Magnetica" or "Si No Me Has Matado" you'd never shake off your head even if you'd want to. So I don't have much words about this album except the following: if you haven't listened to it, then you haven't listened to year 2013 at all.

The Best Of 2013. Album #3

03. L.A. "Dualize" (p) Marxophone

There's the simple term that fits "Dualize" the most - 'a grower'.
I'm not a big fan of the latest solo works of Richard Swift, american singer/songwriter who spends much time producing other musicians. So I was kinda afraid what kind of sound he might create for Luis Alberto Segura. "SLNT FLM", an EP released a year ago, have already shown the turn from the polished pop-rock sound of the great "Heavenly Hell" to visually simplified and stripped-down roots-rock tone. But what's with "Dualize"? I should admit that the things stay the same, and the album logically follows the same path as EP. However, the sound and instrumentation might seem pretty simple, but if you give the songs a bit more time to grow on you, you will see how perfectly the room is constructed and organized and structurized for each of them. Close your eyes at any moment of any song - and you almost get right there in the studio behind the shoulder of Luis playing...

P.S. The song which I disliked the most when listening to the album for the first time now I like the most. It's "Mirrorball", and it's absolutely gorgeous in its simplicity.

P.P.S. I should also admit that the label Marxophone seems to be the champion of all labels this year, especially if knowing what album would make it to the #1.

The Best Of 2013. Albums 10 - 4

10. Cyan “Delapso” (p) Sony/BMG

Under the wing of the international major label the Barcelonians Cyan have perfected their sound for the 3rd album, having now all the components in the right proportion and delivering the stark guitar/piano-pop melodies (both easily sing-alongable, as "Philippe Petit", and not so easily distinguishable, as "Solo Es Una Herida") brushed with ethereal strings and translucent electronica.

09. Maryland “Los Anos Muertos” (p) Ernie Producciones

From the very beginning of their 3rd album the band do it full-throttle: the drums are banging, the guitars are ringing and buzzing, and overall picture makes me recalling the international punk-rock acts such as Alkaline Trio, for instance, or the 1st album of the fellow countrymen Mi Pequena Radio. 

It seems to me that the Galician indie-label Ernie Producciones, who are also the home of such the renowned musicians as Julio De La Rosa or Ninos Mutantes, make no faults at all in selection of the artists they promote. Really, I haven't ever listened to the bad album with the 'balancing man' stamp on it.

08. Dorian “La Velocidad Del Vacio” (p) PIAS

The first impression: Dorian started to move towards the Great Britain islands, so it's no surprise that "La Velocidad Del Vacio" was recorded with Phil Vinall (the british producer who worked with Elastica, Black Box Recorder and Placebo, to name a few) behind the dashboard. But the experience of the band prevented them from being another Bastille or someone like that, and Marc Gil and his companeros got no problems with self-determination. The sound of the album is a bit colder in comparison with the previous effort "La Ciudad Subterrania" but their electronica truly have the heart. And the small amount of guitar noise.

07. Igloo “04. El Conjunto Vacio” (p) Ernie Producciones

The previous album of the Galicians (yes, they're also on Ernie Producciones) Igloo was much more straightforward rock, but the band is inclined to improve the sound with every subsequent release, and in terms of the sound palette "El Conjunto Vacio" is the major step forward. This album isn't easy, it doesn't wear all its insides on its sleeves. You should listen to it deeper and deeper, and then even much deeper to reach the comprehension of what Beni Ferreiro ans his pals have created for us. Gone is the sheer post-punk of the previous releases, let's meet the best rock band of Gattaca.

And don't forget the best cover of the year!

06. Mucho “El Apocalipsis Segun Mucho” (p) Marxophone

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away there was the band who almost reached international success, and the band was The Sunday Drivers. After the dismissal of the band in 2009 the leader Jero Romero launched successful solo career, and the other members teamed up with Martin Perarnau from Underwater Tea Party and started Mucho. “El Apocalipsis Segun Mucho” is the second full lenght work of the band. It's the concept album dedicated, as you might see from the title, to the end of the world. 'The end of the world according to Mucho' is accompanied by the pleasant melodies you can easily sing along with. What really makes this album so good is the Mucho's ability to create the song that is lightbodied enough to attract listeners while being not too conventional at the same time - in the wide pallette of rhythms, tempos, dynamics etc.

05. Ivan Ferreiro “Val-Miñor – Madrid. Historia Y Cronologia Del Mundo” (p) Warner Music Spain

“Val-Miñor – Madrid. Historia Y Cronologia Del Mundo” is also the concept album of sorts. It was conceived as the vehicle to transfer the solipsist vision of its auteur to the grateful listeners. So it is probably the most personal album of Ivan Ferreiro. The good thing about "Val-Minor..." is that Ivan rejected the sound and rhythms of cheap cabaret ballroom which was usual on two of his previous works: "Mentiroso Mentiroso" and "Picnic Extraterrestre". The bad thing - the album doesn't contain the direct hit of "Cancion Humeda" or "Fahrenheit 451"-like grandeur. Despite this fact, the album has shown that creative form of today's Ivan Ferreiro is somewhere between 'mighty' and 'omnipotent'. You can't resist to the atmosphere of his travel, and you simply fall into - and it doesn't matter whether or not (or how) you relate to the world named 'Ivan Ferreiro'.

04. Miss Caffeina “De Polvo Y Flores” (p) Warner Music Spain

Luckily I can just repeat something I have said previously: "With the new album "De Polvo Y Flores" ("Of Dust And Flowers") Miss Caffeina distinguished almost unbelievable level of melodicism. The songs 'Gigantes', 'Venimos', 'San Francisco', 'MM' and especially 'Hielo T' got such the armour-crashing choruses that it seemed like the band had written them for the pan-universal song contest where Miss Caffeina would be the only contestant from planet Earth". 

Vertigo, sparkles and the pack of melodies any given renowned hitmaker would kill for.

The Best Of 2013. Albums 20 - 11

20. Extremoduro “Para Todos Los Publicos” (p) Warner Music Spain

19. Carlos Siles “Doce Maneras Para Esperar El Final” (p) Flor y Nata

18. Izal “Agujeros De Gusano” (p) HOOK

17. Breis “Invisibles” (p) Sweet Song

16. Grises “No Se Alarme Senora, Soy Sovietico” (p) Origami

15. El Pilar Azul “La Constante Sin Nombre” (p) El Hombre Bala

14. Delafe Y Las Flores Azules “De Ti Sin Mi – De Mi Sin Ti” (p) Music Bus

13. La Sonrisa De Julia “El Viaje Del Sonambulo” (p) Warner Music Spain

12. Buena Esperanza “Pacifica” (p) Gran Derby

11. Muy Fellini “Fragmentos De Una Explosion” (p) Clifford

The Best Of 2013. Albums 30 - 21

30. Julio De La Rosa “Pequenos Trastornos Sin Importancia” (p) Ernie Producciones

29. Sr. Chinarro “Enhorabuena A Los Quatro” (p) Mushroom Pillow

28. Animic “Hannibal” (p) BCore Disc

27. Second “Montana Rusa” (p) Warner Music Spain 

26. Capsula “Solar Secrets” (p) Krian Music Group

25. Lecciones De Vuelo “El Giro Immelmann” Self-released

24. Zico “Demonios Al Sol” (p) Astro Discos

23. Delorean “Apar” (p) Mushroom Pillow

22. DePlasticoVerde “Mentira Universal” Self-released

21. Cabezali “Pequeno Y Plateado” (p) Origami