THE AUDIOVORE "BEST OF ALABAMA 2013"

***A QUICK DISCLAIMER: This list is in no way "definitive" and reflects my own personal tastes, biases, and predilections for the music I dug most from my home state of Alabama in 2013 and is meant to be nothing more than a personal "best-of" list for the things that caught my attention throughout the year. I know there are plenty of albums and EPs that slipped under my radar or I just didn't have time to listen to thoroughly, so please consider this to be what the Minutemen might call "one reporter's opinion" from the belly of the local music business. As you may notice, a lot of the performers who are listed here either don't live in the state anymore- or were never from here to begin with (as is the case with Wooden Wand)- but are here for a reason and either have a profound connection to the Yellowhammer State, put on breathtaking performances within our borders, or would not have been able to produce their work were it not for the plethora of incredible musicians we have here in Alabama. So, please forgive any accidental oversights, glaring omissions, missed field goals, or the like....and ENJOY the best our state has to offer!!! RMFT!!!!

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Knowledge, Rhythm & Understanding by Shaheed & DJ Supreme

Beautiful packaging, amazing sound quality, sick beats, and some of the dopest rhymes this side of the ATL. I haven't stopped listening to this record since the day it came across my desk and haven't looked back since. In fact, I've probably played this record more than any other product from the state of Alabama this past year and may continue the trend into 2014. With the help of audio engineering whiz Darrell Thorp (Radiohead, Beck, Outkast) and guest spots by the likes of Akil The MC from Jurassic 5 and R-Tist from The Green Seed, Communicating Vessels put out one of the most satisfying listening experiences of 2013 from the burgeoning Birmingham hip hop scene and set the stage for a larger audience for one of my favorite rap groups since A Tribe Called Quest. From Shaheed's impeccable flow and positive lyrical attitude, to DJ Supreme's encyclopedic rhythmic sensibilities, there's not much to not like about this amazing double LP of righteous rhymes. From the epochal single "Right Now," to the driving street funk of "Power Moves" and "Revolutionary," this album ruled from beginning to end and every track in between. One day this will become an important founding document of the Birmingham hip hop community. For now it's the best hip hop record to have ever come out of the Magic City.

                                         Music video for "Right Now" by Shaheed & DJ Supreme.

TOP 10 ALBUMS

1. Blood Oaths Of The New Blues- Wooden Wand
2. Southeastern- Jason Isbell 

3. Muchacho- Phosphorescent 

4. The Grenadines- The Grenadines 

5. Cerulean Salt- Waxahatchee
6. Defcon 5...4...3...2...1- Man or Astro-man?
7. The Brave And The Blue- Belle Adair
8. The Breeze- Banditos
9. Overseas Then Under- The Bear
10. Hits & Missives- Teen Getaway

                                      Alabama Shakes perform "Always Alright" on Saturday Night Live.

SONG OF THE YEAR: "Always Alright" by Alabama Shakes

Although officially released in 2012 as part of the soundtrack to the movie "Silver Linings Playbook," this song didn't really take hold until well into 2013 when it got a significant showing during the band's much-lauded appearance on Saturday Night Live following their empty-handed stop at the Grammys just a few nights before. As the second song from the group's performance that night- following a rather subdued take on their hit single "Hold On"- the Shakes shook off whatever nerves they might have had the first time around and let loose on a barnburning rendition of this firecracker of a tune that would eventually see it nominated for "Best Rock Performance" for the 2014 Grammys alongside such luminaries as Led Zeppelin, Jack White, and the Queens of the Stone Age. As the sole musical missive from the group in 2013 as they stormed stages across the world, the song would ultimately serve as the proverbial shot-across-the-bow for the resurgence of "Alabama music" in national consciousness in 2013, particularly from the northwest corner of the state, which would soon be immortalized in the Muscle Shoals documentary a few months later. Having lead the charge for the past two years, the Shakes deserved to take the year off from recording and let people bask in the glorious, soul-stained sweat of their live shows as the band unwittingly provided a calling card for a new generation of Alabama musicians around the globe. And no other song was needed. "Always alright" indeed.

TOP 20 SONGS

1. "He's Not Mine"- The Bear

2. "Broken Bones And Pocket Change"- St. Paul and The Broken Bones

3. "Right Now"- Shaheed & DJ Supreme

4. "Cover Me Up"- Jason Isbell

5. "Supermoon (The Sounding Line)"- Wooden Wand

6. "Warmer"- The Grenadines

7. "Song For Zula"- Phosphorescent

8. "Lips And Limbs"- Waxahatchee

9. "Unwelcome Guest"- Belle Adair

10. "The Breeze"- Banditos
11. "All Systems To Go"- Man or Astro-man?

12. "I Had Me A Girl"- The Civil Wars

13. "Rabbit Runs A Destiny"- Duquette Johnston

14. "Someday This Child Will Die"- Wooden Wand & The World War IV
15. "Up All Night"- Maria Taylor

16. "Constantine"- The Dexateens

17. "Rome"- Through The Sparks

18. "Spring Fever"- Teen Getaway

19. "Dirty World"- Cosmonaut On Vacation

20. "Temple Of The Guiding Light"- Dorado

                                      Jason Isbell performs "Cover Me Up" on Austin City Limits.

BONUS:
1. "Terminator"- Preston Lovinggood
2. "Come Down"- Feather Canyon

3. "I've Been Searching"- The Blind Boys of Alabama feat. Merrill Garbus
4. "Last Night"- MackONE

5. "Silver Hands"- Onehundreds

6. "Heavy Dreams"- \\GT//

                                        Music video for Wooden Wand's "Supermoon (The Sounding Line)."

TOP 10 CONCERTS
***These were the ten best shows I saw in the state of Alabama this year by both local and national acts from Muscle Shoals all the way to Gulf Shores.

1. Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires (Old 280 Boogie/4.23.2013)

As the headliner for the Old 280 Boogie, Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires delivered the goods at this soul-stirring performance at Standard Deluxe in Waverly, AL this past spring. From Bradley's James Brown-inspired dance moves, to the Menahan Street Band's air-tight arrangements, it was hard to take your eyes off the stage as the band ripped through their set in what can only be described as a monumental throwdown of funk and soul. So much so that I was late for my own DJ gig back in Birmingham the same night, as I just couldn't bring myself to leave early to make it back in time. The Screaming Eagle had landed and left nothing but scorched earth in his wake. I'm not sure the Boogie will ever be the same. 

2. Neutral Milk Hotel (Iron City/10.20.2013)

As a classic "bucket list" show for any aging indie hipster worth their salt, it was hard to not be moved by the hundreds of screaming fans singing along to every note of this epic performance by one of the most mysteriously intriguing bands of the 1990s alt-rock explosion. As one of the leading lights of the Elephant 6 collective, Jeff Mangum re-emerged from his self-imposed exile fully intact and wasted no time in delivering a set of broodingly beautiful songs that were both glorious and heartwrenching in their dark melodrama and raw emotion. A powerful performance that pretty much left everyone in the room elated. Riveting.  

3. Stevie Wonder (Hangout Fest/5.15.2013)

Stevie Wonder. On the beach. 'Nuff said. Epic setting for an epic set by an epic artist. You could literally "feel it all over."

4. St. Paul and The Broken Bones/Otis Blue House Show (Highland Underground/3.9.2013)

I saw a lot of great performances by St. Paul and The Broken Bones this past year, but this one was a sentimental favorite. Having taken place in the basement of a house off Highland Ave. that was built by my ancestors in the early-1900s, I had asked the band to be a part of a special house concert series I was producing and wanted to give those in attendance a show to remember as a way of saying "thanks" for all of their support for the band over the past year. Having initially floated the idea to the band of doing a special set of covers to help add to the night's allure, the band decided to one-up my suggestion by performing Otis Redding's classic soul album "Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul" in its entirety (complete with covers of songs by Sam Cooke, Smokey Robinson, and The Rolling Stones, et al.) to a small crowd of 80 rapt onlookers that would prove to be an especially buzzworthy performance and one that the band would go on to perform to sold-out crowds in both Birmingham and Charlotte. It was an incredible night of music and one of the most unique concerts I've ever put on. My father was also in attendance that night, which really helped to bring things full circle, as some of the very first records he ever gave me were from his Otis Redding collection when I was in high school. One of those truly special moments that seemed to make sense out of so much of my life. "Meta" in the best possible sense of the word.

5. Steelism/Jason Isbell After Party (116 E. Mobile Street/12.14.2013)

You know it's a good show when the band has to come back out for an encore and play part of their set all over again just to sate the masses, which is exactly what happened when Steelism took the stage to play Single Lock Records' after party for Jason Isbell's homecoming show in Florence last month. Although most people weren't familiar with the group's ace instrumental work on unreleased songs like "Caught In A Pickle" and "Cuban Missile," by the end the group had the audience howling for more and even had a small super-jam with Chad Fisher and Ben Tanner from the Alabama Shakes to help round out the evening. Didn't hurt that they threw in spot-on covers of Vince Guaraldi's "Linus & Lucy" and Booker T. & The MG's "Hip-Hug Her" to help get the crowd in the holiday spirit. Incredible vibe. One of my favorite shows I've ever seen them play. 

6. Man or Astro-man? (Birmingham Museum Of Art/8.9.2013)

To say that I was stoked to see Man or Astro-man? return to our terrestrial plane as a functioning band in 2013 would be a vast understatement. As one of my favorite bands from Alabama going back to my high school days, their Devo-meets-The Ventures In Space (On Speed) aesthetic is one that I immediately latched onto as a young lad and have held close as one of the shining examples of our more wayward creative tendencies as a state. But I'm pretty sure the Birmingham Museum Of Art (and its patrons) had no idea what they were getting into when MOAM? took to the stage for their "Art On The Rocks" extravaganza this past summer. Having moved the concert indoors into the museum's small theater after a threat of bad weather, it became clear almost immediately that there were only a handful of MOAM? aficionados in attendance surrounded by a small sea of stunned onlookers who didn't quite know what to make of the sci-fi surf rock explosion happening on stage. With people peeling off after almost every song to escape the multi-media spectacle/synapses burn that is MOAM?'s live show, those that stayed for the duration of the set sat plastered to their seats like deer in headlights in what was surely one of the strangest crowds to ever be at one of their shows. It also didn't help that they set their theremin on fire in a crowded theater. Awesome AND hilarious. Just as you'd expect.

6. The Polyphonic Spree/Rocky Horror Picture Show (Bottletree/6.12.2013)

As the warmup show for The Polyphonic Spree's performance of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" at Bonnaroo this past year- and the first time they had ever performed it in the United States- this was one of those rare concerts that only the Bottletree could deliver. Incredible show that perfectly adapted the Rocky Horror aesthetic to the band's already theatrical proclivities coupled with a second performance of the band's original music the same night. Not sure you could ask for more.   

7. Jim James (Iron City/9.6.2013)

Although this show didn't sell out, the energy in the room was palpable as James proceeded to weave his special brand of magic through both the crowd and his music, providing the audience with a rocking yet intimate performance of material from his solo album "Regions of Light and Sound of God" along with a few nuggets from My Morning Jacket's repertoire. Expertly paced with a great light show, it still boggles my mind that more people weren't in attendance.

9. Drive-By Truckers (Iron City/8.1.2013)

A homecoming show if there ever was one. Loud, brash rock n' roll from one of Alabama's finest musical exports that effortlessly moved between poignant lyricism and straight up bravado. Didn't hurt that one-time Birmingham resident Matt Patton (from The Dexateens) was now manning the bass in front of a crowd of hungry locals. Ace performance that deftly balanced rowdy musical acumen with emotional commitment as only the DBT's could deliver. Probably my favorite time I've ever seen them. 

10. EMEFE (Bottletree/1.24.2013)

The night I discovered my new favorite Afro-beat band. As the headliner of a one-two punch that also featured one of the early showings by St. Paul and The Broken Bones, this concert proved to be a double whammy of rhythm and soul that made a mighty impression on the handful of people in attendance. Featuring Miles Arntzen from Antibalas on drums, EMEFE exploded onto the stage with gale-force winds and didn't let up until the very end, taking the audience along with them every step of the way. Needless to say, I was hooked. Really looking forward to hearing their new album in 2014.

St. Paul and The Broken Bones perform Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long" LIVE at Highland Underground as part of their "Otis Blue" house show.

                                           Man or Astro-man? LIVE on KEXP.