Tunes That Ruled My Year

At the end of December, all radio stations go through their top picks of the past year. I thought I'd do the same and reflect on the music that ruled my 2013. Instead of the usual exhausting top 100, here's just a few: 

San Francisco based Thee Oh Sees's record, Floating Coffin. In my eyes, they can do no wrong.
hear Toe Cutter / Thumb Buster

Welsh singer, now living in Los Angeles, Cate Le Bon's album Mug Museum. She will be touring the U.S. again and then Europe this winter.
hear Wild

all images by from bands' FB or MySpace Pages, except Cat Power & UFO

The entire experience of Doug Aitken's Station to Station in Barstow.
Musical highlights:
- Cat Power. Chan played her solo version of Satisfaction. Every show with her feels super intimate, but total chills with this one. So rad.
- No Age. They played noise, not their usual. This was essentially the sound, but in Barstow instead of Chicago. The environment and vibe in Barstow was magical - being in the open air with a desert night. 
- Peter Coffin's UFO during Beck's Performance

I won't even try to wax on about the profundity of Doug's Station to Station and his work in general, because I would sound really REALLY not at all smart - and countless, more reputable others have done so already ... in a smart way.