Best Albums of 2013

Wasn't sure if this was a great year for music or not. But when I started working through everything I listened to, I actually had a really hard time paring it down to 10. I persevered and here are the top 10.

10. Talon of the Hawk – The Front Bottoms

9. The Features – The Features

8. We the Common – Thao and the Get Down Stay Down

7. Willy Mason – Carry On

6. Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action – Franz Ferdinand

5. Untamed Beast – Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside

4. Trouble Will Find Me – The National

3. Pushin’ Against a Stone – Valerie June

2. Modern Vampires of the City – Vampire Weekend

1. Love has Come For You – Steve Martin and Edie Brickell

And my rather extensive list of runners up (in no particular order):

Foreverly – Billie Joe and Norah

Idle No More – King Khan and the Shrines

Hearts and Minds – Son Volt

Wakin on a Pretty Daze - Kurt Vile

VII – Blitzen Trapper

Southeastern – Jason Isbell

AM – Arctic Monkeys

Lightning Bolt – Pearl Jam

Isles – Wild Belle

Pythons - Surfer Blood

Gone Away Backward – Robbie Fulks

Muchacho - Phosphorescent

Carrier – The Dodos

Magpie and the Dandelion – The Avett Brothers

Shangri La – Jake Bugg

Country Mile – Johnny Flynn

From the Hills Below the City - Houndmouth

Huh?

So Sarah Palin said this in response to Martin Bashir's comments about her and the rather nasty treatment she should receive for her comments comparing the debt to slavery:

"But I just hope that unprovoked attacks like that don't result in people being hesitant to jump in the arena anyway, to get out there and serve the public or start a business or really commit themselves to changing within their family, their community, their world, doing whatever that they can, despite the fact that in this world, you are gonna be hurt and attacks will come your way. I just hope an attack like that doesn't make people hesitate."

Some people paint. Some people play music. Sarah Palin talks nonsense. That is her art, and she is a master.