Sowing Season

So it's 7 minutes past midnight, and for the last hour and a half I have just exposed to what I might believe to be my new favourite album of all time: Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven by Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

Defining this album is probably easiest to compare it to that of a book: It's storytelling at its finest. It ranges from moody, dwindling sections, full of strings and delayed guitars, to huge roaring, melodious passages that just, man, sound so gooooood.

I haven't really exposed myself to much post-rock instrumental music, with the closest to listening to that style being that of Russian Circles latest LP, or Deafheaven's instrumental passages within last year's insanely good record Sunbather. And after having a phase of listening to lots of Brand New, this record was like a breath of fresh air.

What gets me most with this record is just the sheer complexity, and beauty, that the band have created through the use of textures. There's four songs on this record, so each track is extremely long, but the motifs and ideas span throughout, helping to tell the story it is trying to tell. And this excites me a lot; I don't really know what the story is. When listening I just pictured what was happening, but I can't wait to start looking into the making of the album, seeing what they were trying to tell, and exploring how they've used their instruments as story-telling devices.

All-in-all, this is quite simply a gem of an album, and one that has completely taken a hold of me. I went into it completely unknowing, and what GY!BE have made me feel - and experience - is quite staggering.

This is a song about losing one's virginity.

It is also a song about losing one's virginity in the circumstance of lust.

It is also a song about being pushed into losing one's virginity by another person.

It is also a song about someone who is beginning to regret the choice they made about losing their virginity.

It is also a song about someone who has given up with relationships and has resorted to just having sex with someone at a party.

Now, if this doesn't connect to the current generation, in which we are immersed in casual sex and a craving to have it, I don't know what does. It's a sad reality to what the western world, and partying, has come to accept. What the song says about this is how much of a deal it is, how odd and sad it is that there is almost a race to lose one's virginity, and the way modern culture has shown it to be a way of 'growing up', and in the essence of the song, becoming a 'man'.

His stomach turns and he thinks of throwing up. But the body on the bed beckons forward and he starts growing up.

The way these lines are portrayed represent a person that is trying to see the light in the situation, to see it as 'growing up', no matter how wrong, and how much of a failed choice it is to him. The shouted lines in the chorus of 'Die young and save yourself!' resonate loud within the listeners ear, and although completely hyperbolic (I'm sure Jesse doesn't want you to kill yourself), represent a metaphoric way in which when you grow up, and start becoming less innocent (with unmarital sex being the end of all innocence), that 'killing yourself' is the only way to avoid such things happen when you are surrounded by people urging you to do such a thing:

Despite everything he learned from his friends, he doesn't feel so prepared. She's breathing quiet and smooth. He's gasping for air. "This is the first and last time," he says. She fakes a smile and presses her hips into his. He keeps his hands pinned down at his sides. He's holding back from telling her exactly what it really feels like.

The whole concept of the song is simply fantastic. The way that Jesse writes in a way that shows a man concerned with his own ways, who is being manipulated by another woman and his friends into having sex is a very true-to-life story. The way it makes a big deal out of sex, with the unconventional narrative of following the man being pushed into such a thing, reveals that maybe we should think about our actions when resorting to sex, and think about who we are and what we are doing.

The song is about growing up.

Call me a safe bet, I'm betting I'm not I'm glad that you can forgive, only hoping as time goes, you can forget

If it makes you less sad, I'll move out of this state You can keep to yourself, I'll keep out of your way And if it makes you less sad, I'll take your pictures all down Every picture you paint, I will paint myself out It's cold as a tomb, and it's dark in your room When I sneak to your bed to pour salt in your wounds So call it quits, or get a grip You say you wanted a solution; you just wanted to be missed

Call me a safe bet, I'm betting I'm not I'm glad that you can forgive, only hoping as time goes, you can forget So you can forget, you can forget

You are calm and reposed Let your beauty unfold Pale white, like the skin stretched over your bones Spring keeps you ever close You are second-hand smoke You are so fragile and thin, standing trial for your sins Holding on to yourself the best you can You are the smell before rain You are the blood in my veins

2013 has been a crazy year for music. From the black-metal shoe-gaze of Deafheaven to the experimental hip-hop of Death Grips, music has been going mad. Now, I know Mr. Calender, that it's not quite the end of the year yet, but I don't believe that I could listen to an album enough now to really guarantee it a place on this list. But hey, without further ado, here's my top 15 albums of 2013...

15 - James Blake - Overgrown

Overgrown is a uniquely beautiful album. It's minimalistic, sure, but what James Blake has created here is something haunting and hypnotic, and with enough layers of deeply padded keyboard and electronic drums to keep you listening for a good while.

14 - The Knife - Shaking The Habitual

I was mega excited about this album on release. Although it didn't live up to my expectations, it was still one very special record. Double disk and packed full of solid tracks, Shaking The Habitual is a great experimental-electronic LP.

13 - Melt Yourself Down - Melt Yourself Down

The happiest album of the year? Quite probably. Melt Yourself Down mix jazz, funk and a lovely dose of punk-rock to create some truly exciting, fresh and vibrant sounds that really make you groove. It's nothing deep, but it sure is a hell of a lot of fun.

12 - Russian Circles - Memorial

Russian Circles demonstrate how you can still make the hugest wall of sound in existence with just a bass, drums and an array of guitars. Completely instrumental and devoid of vocals (except from the final track ft. Chelsea Wolfe), the music is simply breathtaking, and Russian Circles demonstrate this wonderfully as you they guide you through a musical landscape of epic.

11 - Wavves - Afraid Of Heights

Ahhh, surf-rock; the happy music for the cynic. Although Wavves' album is nothing genre-bending, what it is is something that is just so well executed and fun that to enjoy it is no major feat. The narrative of the album is generally about heartbreak, getting high and hating life, yet still, for some reason, it manages to fulfil the listener immensely with sheer happiness. Now that is cool.

10 - Death Grips - Government Plates

I love Death Grips. Yeah, they're pretty offensive and lyrically-dark, but good God it'll make you feel badass. You know when you're listening to something and you just feel like a giant robot thing that can take over the world? Well Government Plates does just that. I love it. 

9 - Fidlar - Fidlar

Another surf-rock record, this time from new-kids Fidlar. Alike Wavves' LP, its fun, a lot of fun. Like yeah, really really fun. If the opening track Cheap Beer doesn't make you want to party then I recommend you evaluate your life.

8 - Chelsea Wolfe - Pain Is Beauty

From start to finish, Chelsea Wolfe's latest LP is a haunting, moody and dark experience. The tonal layers throughout the record are so vibrant, and yet so emotionally satisfying. It will move you, and it will make you all emotional.

7 - The World Is a Beautiful Place and I am No Longer Afraid To Die – Whenever, if Ever

The name may sound pretentious, but the band, and the music itself, is the complete opposite. With massive crescendos and soaring choruses, The World Is... have become a band that I just love to listen to. Densely layered guitar tracks and screaming vocals are all contained within, and it's just great. When you feel nostalgia from an album at first listen you know it's gonna be awesome.

6 - Iceage - You're Nothing

Danish punk-rockers Iceage prove that punk is not dead with their latest LP You're Nothing. It's noisy, ferocious and gritty, with all the rawness and energy you expect from a punk album. It's also really tight, and musically interesting, making Iceage's 'You're Nothing' one of my favourite albums of the year.

5 - This Routine Is Hell - Howl

This album was free to download. It was free. And it's bloody amazing. Hardcore-punk outfit This Routine Is Hell really have made something quality here. As an album, it flows exceptionally, with stressing drums and crushing power chords, This Routine Is Hell not only make an album that'll make you mosh to the death, but also something lyrically interesting, and something that'll make you think. It's just great.

4 - Cakes Da Killa - The Eulogy

Cakes Da Killa is an American rapper, and he's gay. He's also not shy of that, and shown repeatedly throughout this EP through his lyrics. Without giving any examples, it is hard stuff. Like proper in your face. But at the same time, music needs to be challenging at times, and this mixtape does a good job at that. Musically it's still interesting, with Cake's flow being pretty darn amazing, and the samples being top-quality. It's just a great challenge, but also a surprisingly enjoyable experience (coming from a straight guy... should I be worried?).

3 - Deafheaven - Sunbather

I completely fell in love with this album. The opener Dream House is an absolute monster of a track: mix black metal with shoegaze and this is what you get; something that is quite simply an emotional joyride. This album is also the first one to make me cry. It's that beautiful. It really is the most unique listen of 2013 for me, and simply freaks. me. out. I love it.

2 - Touché Amoré - Is Survived By

No album this year have I been as emotionally connected to than this record. Discovering it what I believe the be just the right time in my life (or did it find me??? oooh, deep...) , the lyrics have inspired me so much and changed how I think unlike any other album this year. It's shouty, it's aggressive, yet it's contagious. From start to finished the album flows with unprecedented amounts of power, with the crescendo in the track Non Fiction being one of my favourite musical experiences from this year. It really is a perfect album, and never throughout its 35 minute running time do I want to skip tracks, check the time or do anything besides listen. The first track gave me shivers from the first chord, the very first time I listened to it; now that is something.

Aaaaannnnndddddddd, here's number one......!

1 - Arcane Roots - Blood & Chemistry

I had an exceptionally hard time choosing my favourite album from this year. Touché Amoré record was, as I said, perfect. It related to me, it moved me, and it inspired me. However, my musical journey would not have involved me bumping into that record if it wasn't for Arcane Roots' 'Blood & Chemistry'.

There's a million reasons why I love this album so much, but the main one is probably just how much I've listened to it; the play count must have surpassed 100, as I can't think of a week that's gone by without listening to the album at least 3 - 4 times. The album inspired me to write a review out of it because of it's sheer greatness. Although it's not a perfect album, what it is, to me, is something that has changed me. It's changed how I listen to music, how I learn music, and how I write music. I've become both a better listener of music and a better musician because of this album, with learning all of the opening track Energy Is Never lost, Only Redirected on bass being one of the most fulfilling songs I've ever learnt.

Musically, the album itself is nuts. With a genre blend of everything, the album has some of the most exciting math-rock breakdowns I've ever heard. Very Mars Volta like, but with a more straight forward, less prog-rock feel, it is something that I just keep coming back to again and again and again.

I also saw them live, and that was my favourite gigging experience of the year, and probably my life. So yeah, I'm pretty happy to have discovered them. Now, if these guys don't get big, then the world is really, really dumb.