When it came to 2013 it was the year of the Harlem Shake, the year the inventor of the foam finger waved his finger at Wrecking Ball era Miley Cyrus and renowned US crime drama Breaking Bad made its final return for dad’s everywhere to suggest for many more years to come, and of course when it came to indie music it was a pretty good year also.
Let's take a trip down memory lane, and feel terrifyingly old, with 13 albums turning 10 in 2023...
Parquet Courts - Light Up Gold
When it came to Parquet Court’s first album American Specialities, an exclusive cassette tape release felt more like a dirty little secret and as you’d expect it didn’t get the ball rolling for the four piece straight away. It wasn’t until Light Up Gold, first self-released in 2012 and again through label means in January 2013, that the indie rock outfit fully emerged. With their lightweight lyrical observations, jangly guitars, post-punk grooves and krautrock intricacies, the Brooklyn band provided a refreshing raw take on guitar music.
Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
The Ezra Koenig led band started recording their third album Modern Vampires of the City on a writing retreat to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts however the record’s black and white aerial cover shot displayed the type of environment the album was really born from. The melancholy lyrics of Koenig, against the instrumental upbeat energy of the album serves as a juxtaposition for the initially afro beat led Vampire Weekend, a sound revisited in both Contra and their self-titled debut. Modern Vampires saw the band scrap anything familiar, recording drums to tape machines, using samples, major chord sequences and pitch bent melody lines.
The Strokes – Comedown Machine
Upon release The Strokes barely announced their fifth album Comedown Machine due to internal issues for the band. The New York alternative rock group previously known for their often-monotone vocal delivery again opted for similarly humorous, observational top lines such as 'Welcome To Japan’s' “What kind of asshole drives a Lotus?” The bright jangly guitars of Comedown Machine also benefit from the addition of littered synth lines, similar to that of 2011’s Angles. Middle of the road 50/50 truly separates the album thanks to its distorted vocals and the fast-paced eviction of the track.
Foals – Holy Fire
Early on in their career Foals demonstrated an understanding of groove, debut Antidotes featured math-rock sensibilities and the tight, dance rock nature of early Bloc Party. It wasn’t until the arena sized, Mercury Prize nominated hooks of their third album, 2013’s Holy Fire, that Foals were installed as a permanent name to watch according to indie rock bookies. Two of Holy Fire’s biggest crowd pleasers included the recognisable high-end lead guitar line, rhythmic stabs and choppy waters of 'My Number' and 'Inhaler', a song with a rise and decline similarly arched like the hills and valleys of a mountain.
Everything Everything – Arc
Art rock Manchester formed Everything Everything began as a math-rock trio dubbed Modern Bison, self-released album I Could Have Had a Rustic Pagoda, an example of their earliest intentions as a collective: guitar driven and unsettled. Similar to their 2010 debut Man Alive, Arc features odd time and disjointed moments but with an added atmospheric pop coating. Third single 'Duet' also expressed a theatrical nature with orchestral drive, lead single 'Cough Cough' meanwhile stood as a disclaimer for the choppier side of things Arc and Everything Everything were quickly becoming known for.
Palma Violets – 180
A young band at the time and set against the backdrop of successful names such as the Arctic Monkeys, Palma Violets were very much in cloudy waters when it came to the release of their debut 180. Heavily experimenting with psych, when it came to their sound on 180 Sam, Chilli, Pete and Will collectively delivered a set of scuzzy guitars songs fixed with garage and punk energy similar to that of The Fall. The band’s leading track 'Best of Friends' featured quivering guitar lines and rattling vocals, 'Chicken Dippers' meanwhile felt feistier with its squealing guitar segments.
Fidlar – Fidlar
Debut release for the bratty garage punk quartet, Fidlar’s self-titled features recognisable short, fast paced outings such as 'Max Can’t Surf' and 'Cheap Beer' plus a longer track in the form of seven-minute-long 'Cocaine'. On Fidlar, the band dive into the highs as well as the lows of party culture with the band similarly earning themselves a devoted fanbase due to their DIY mentality. Hailing from Los Angeles, their young, punk rock ethos for partying resonated with fans alike, Fidlar itself standing for skate mantra ‘fuck it dog, life’s a risk.’
Daughter – If You Leave
The indie folk trio Daughter fronted by Elena Tonra, also known for Ex:RE, have announced a long-awaited new album for 2023 to the delight of many. Additionally, this year marks 10 years of their debut release If You Leave, a release which placed Daughter’s lyrically focused, deeply meaningful songs at the top of many playlists worldwide. The trio had a knack for writing unapologetically, honest lyrics with some of their most well-known overall being featured within the album’s lead single 'Youth', which featured lightly arpeggiated guitars and unique drum parts such as the expressive use of brushes instead of sticks.
The National – Trouble Will Find Me
Taking some well-deserved time off after a twenty-two-month touring cycle to promote past album High Violet, it was The National’s sixth studio album that saw vocalist Matt Berninger jump back into the driving seat almost immediately after hearing guitarist and co-producer Aaron Dessner’s music sketches. This was The National at their most patient, dreamlike and whimsy. Trouble Will Find Me was inspired by the birth of Dessner’s daughter, a lack of sleep intertwining itself in the guitarist’s approach to straight forward melodies and chord structures, Berninger’s vocals meanwhile booming over Bryan Devendorf’s creative paces.
The 1975 - The 1975
Bursting onto the scene with their debut, it was the self titled album that launched a huge career. Only seeming to get better with every year and new release, The 1975's debut immediately started it up with bold experimentation, infectious pure indie riffs and tracks that would remain their greatest like 'Robbers', 'Chocolate' and 'The City'. Becoming a true instant classic, that iconic rectangle dogged tumblr then and still lingers now.
Pond – Hobo Rocket
Perth five-piece Pond for the most part started as a revolving door of musicians mashed together, their fifth album Hobo Rocket is a whistle-stop tour through the psychedelic astral heights of synth pop and features fuzzy garage guitars that’ll knock you down an inch (see 'Giant Tortoise'.) With an impending, Black Sabbath presence on 'Aloneaflameaflower'and the jolty screams of 'Midnight Mass (At The Market Street Payphone)/, Hobo Rocket might not be Pond at their best with 2018’s The Weather also a contender but it goes to show how much their song crafting abilities have grown from standalone hooks to fully fleshed out tracks.
Cage the Elephant – Melophobia
“Spiders in my head, spiders in my mind” sings Matt Shultz on 'Spiderhead', the fourth track of Cage the Elephant’s third studio album Melophobia, meaning a strong dislike or fear of music, something no one had for this album when it graced indie clubs, Melophobia is an album which felt timeless when its lyrics were plastered over Tumblr feeds even in 2013. Highlights of the release include the bass leading 'Come A Little Closer', the distorted textural wash of 'Teeth' and as the band soar alongside their 90’s scuzzy alt rock references on tracks like 'It’s Just Forever'.
Peace - In Love
2013 was a big moment for the suburban boom, with a different indie band bursting out of some different town every week. And leading the pack with their huge debut album, Peace definied the look and feel of fuzzy indie, away from the grunge aesthetic and into something more colourful. Housing tracks like 'Wraith', 'Lovesick' and 'Follow Baby' - play any to a 2010s indie fan and the nostalgia will be heavy.
