When Morning Comes Twice a Day, Or Not At All

Day 3 of the Big Rock Candy Mountain Top 50 Records of 2013!!!!

Dawdling too long, so let's get to it!  Our favorite records of 2013, minus (for the most part) 45's, which really should have their own category, and someday we'll get our shit together to properly cover that. 

As ever, none of the following are on "major labels".  And, of course, are taken from vinyl when possible. 

Let us know what we missed, argue against our choices, or otherwise critique our critique as necessary!!! (oh, and if anyone has a guess as to our #1, let us know.  If anybody guesses correctly, we'll send you a specially made mix CD tailored to yr wants...so...there's that!)

The Big Rock Candy Mountain Favorite Records of 2013 (Part 3)

30. Miss Chain and the Broken Heels: The Dawn

Big voice, surging cowgirl/pop/cowpunk/ swirl of delicious desert trash, the trailer park is taking reservations and this is the band playing under the stringed lights...Miss Chain, herself giving contest to Neko Case for exultant holler!


Miss Chain and the Broken Heels: The Dawn Is Me (mp3)

29. The Dirtbombs: Ooey Gooey Chewy Ka-Blooey

Legends of punksoultrash go glam on our asses, kicking bubblegum teenage kicks out the window and into the sunshine, big fun glitter ball party!


The Dirtbombs: Sunshine Girl (mp3)

28. Useless Eaters: Hypertension

Angular noisesleaze, shouty yet soulful vocals over gutbucket surging rhythm, a garage full of dissonance and attitude which should be the alternative soundtrack to yr psychspacevampire epic film, trashy and one of the most consistently great bands of the last several years. 

Useless Eaters: Black Night Ultraviolet (mp3)

27. Neko Case: The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You


THE VOICE....now that that's out of the way...Ms. Case returns, a bit, to the honky tonk roots mutated of course, and big torch ballads, noirish desert rattlesnake sharp observation, she takes no shit and will leave yr decrepit ass bleeding on the hardwood floors of yr favorite motel and boot scooter bar of ill repute...and...did we mention THE VOICE?????


Neko Case: Night Still Comes (mp3)

26. Mikal Cronin: MCII

Astounding set from garage rawker, pulling back the curtains and revealing a surging semi-acoustic stomp, with heavenly harmony and melody galore....a beautifully mature yet never sentimental piece of dissonant back porch joy.


Mikal Cronin: Shout It Out (mp3)

25. James Keyes: The Middle

Full and proper review forthcoming...but, for now, a killer rekkid of hollerin' back porch blooze, dark road ramblin', and cowstomp trash...a holy mess of prophecy and sin, bound in the very soul of American music...would/should have been higher if we had more time to properly digest...but damn, this kid's a comer, make no mistake...stay tuned...

James Keyes: Darkness Comes Creeping (mp3)

24. Mavis Staples: One True Vine

It's Mavis...that should be enough...the very true greatest Soul singer of our time (with numerous apologies)...with proper production by the wayward Jeff Tweedy (come back to us!)...ultimately a Gospel album, transported by the ethereal and the dirt-encrusted...an earthy thing of transcendence and groove, highlighted but the voice, deep and sonorous, of the angels living on earth.

Mavis Staples: Woke Up This Morning With Jesus On My Mind (mp3) (File Removed)

23. The Hussy: Pagan Hiss

Oh shit....cracked open psych noise bleeding drops of Lysergic acid diethylamide...wowzoom geetar spilling splatter drops, fuzzing spray paint over tribal rhythm helium, short sharp shocked bliss jumped up 10-car pileup and oh so good, trunk booty disintegration... 

The Hussy: Hate This Town (mp3)

22. Phosphorescent: Muchacho

Roll easy, past cactus flowering lizard hiss....sands arranging into Mandela trope, the mariachi band stripped to one and marching laconically to the desert sky, burnt orange and embers flare one last time...and we dance in the fading flame, naked and full of the universe, unafraid and hope and sadness beacon our way.

Phosphorescent: Ride On/Right On (mp3)

21. Mick Collins and Danny Kroha: Winter Greens and Blues (ep)

Gories alumni reunite for a tribute to the mighty Kim Fowley...his writings interpreted into a musical revue..A double 7" both properly trashy and yet tenderly rendered...autumnal in spirit, the falling leaves of written sound essayed into collage....sound as attack, the written word as musical antidote...

Mick Collins and Danny Kroha: Summer Storms (mp3)


Please support the artists...buy the records, see 'em live, or buy a damn t-shirt or koozie....Do you really need the latest Beyoncé record?  Of course not...you need all these records!  Independent records will always provide you with the greatest satisfaction!!!!