Something You Said’s best songs of 2013
Having already brought you the year’s best longplayers and films, now it’s time for somethingyousaid.com’s Top 20 Songs of 2013, as voted for by our team of contributors. Here are the tracks that have been floating our boats over the last 12 months:
SOMETHINGYOUSAID.COM’S SONG OF THE YEAR 2013 IS: LORDE – ROYALS
The track that launched the teenage sensation into the stratosphere and illustrates exactly why the world has fallen in love with the New Zealander (pictured, top). Royals washes over you with its vocal harmonies and finger snaps. Lyrically, it takes a swing at bling-obsessed songs that litter the charts and finds joy in counting change on the train on the way to parties. It’s a feeling we know well and we’ve been on Lorde’s team from the moment we heard this track. She’s a genuine talent to cherish and her success offers another reason for us to brag about how we’ve been raving about her for way longer than lots of other websites. Go us! Bobby Townsend
2. THE PREATURES – IS THIS HOW YOU FEEL?
– The Preatures make music with great strength and clarity. In their stellar 2013 release, Is this How You Feel?, the syncopated pulsing of the drum beat, the motion created by the repetitive guitar riffs and soaring, clear chorus vocals make a magic combination. It’s a simple, catchy, brilliant pop song by a wonderful Australian band whose star is on the rise. Harriet Cheney
– Is This How You Feel? A jangly pop tune with a Fleetwood Mac or Pretenders feel, it pulls at the heart strings while being as catchy as fuck. The day I heard it I listened to it three times in 15 minutes. That’s teen-girl fandom… The sentiment of uncertainty grounds the song in realism and fallibility that anyone who’s ever been unsure whether their crush is reciprocated can sympathise with. Well deserved of their APRA. Colin Delaney
3. DAFT PUNK FEATURING PHARRELL WILLIAMS – GET LUCKY
A neo-disco masterpiece and a paean to making out that feels like so much more. The real joy though is that sublime guitar work from Nile Rodgers, that provides melody, rhythm and soul for the whole thing. The sexiest musicianship of this and perhaps any year. Neil Martin
4. UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA – SO GOOD AT BEING IN TROUBLE
A sleepy ode to memories and lost lovers, this psychedelic space-out is an enjoyable listen. The track featured within ‘II’, an album that I found so much pleasure in throughout the year due to its subtlety and gentle take on lazy, summertime psychedelia. Carol Bowditch
5. YEAH YEAH YEAHS – SACRILEGE
Karen’ Os pained howling, the ominous bass and the climactic gospel choir; my god it’s genius. The choir’s vocal arrangement is a product of the amazing Debra Barsha, and the choral work gave me a conniption during the first listen. It takes the whole song to a completely new place, and uncharted territory for Yeah Yeah Yeah’s. Fuck. Bianca Cornale
6. ARCADE FIRE – REFLEKTOR
Not only a cracking lead-single to signal the return of one of the finest bands of the last few years, but another mention-worthy thing about Reflektor is that it features everyone’s favourite spaceboy, David Bowie. The Thin White Duke supplies a brief backing vocal on the James Murphy-produced track. Bobby Townsend
7. ARCTIC MONKEYS – DO I WANNA KNOW?
Watching a clip of the live performance of this song at 2013 Glastonbury festival, really loudly, reignited my displaced love affair with Arctic Monkeys and in particular, Alex Turner. Since then, the effectiveness of ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ hasn’t been entirely consistent (it has its weak spots), but I can’t not appreciate that it’s led me to (wisely) spend the better half of this year listening to Arctic Monkeys’ back catalogue. It’s worth a top ten place because of sentimentality. I no longer care if Alex Turner has gone from being doe-eyed to a contrived greaser! Such sexy, much hot. Melissa Oey
8. JAGWAR MA – THE THROW
Their un-obnoxious brand of techno-y psychedelia is friendly, fun and should be encouraged on boozy dancefloors. Mellow and groovy, The Throw blends soulful backing calls with jungle beats as Gab Winterfield weaves his vocals over the top. Carol Bowditch
9. RAINBOW CHAN – HAIRCUT
Vintage samples from the Far East, a sexy bass-line and blissful vocals denouncing co-dependency. It’s little wonder Rainbow Chan has been actively killin’ it with her Long Vacation EP. A hard choice between this and her magical cover of Love Fool from the same release. What a dreamboat. Bianca Cornale
10. KIRIN J CALLINAN – LANDSLIDE
Even during the first circuit of Embracism this track stood on its own. Quietly tender and compositionally perfect. Harrowing but hopeful, Sydney’s pin-up boy for the avant-garde hits it out of the park. Bianca Cornale
11. JOANNA GRUESOME – SUGARCRUSH
The Cardiff-based noisepop five-piece might have one of those terrible pun-tastic names that are de rigueur right now, but this is a pop gem. All fuzzy guitars and pretty melody. Lovely stuff. Bobby Townsend
12. DISCLOSURE (ft. SAM SMITH) – LATCH
Reigate’s finest continued with their mission for world domination (in terms of dance music at least) with Settle, an album filled to the brim with really good tunes, including collaborations with the likes of Jessie Ware, AlunaGeorge, Eliza Doolittle and this belter with Sam Smith. Sonia Clarke
13. CONNAN MOCKASIN – I’M THE MAN THAT WILL FIND YOU
Smooth, like caramel. I understand that is a very lazy review as ‘Caramel’ is the title of Connan Mockasin’s (pictured, left) album, but jeez! Have you heard this man’s voice? Carol Bowditch
14. IGGY AZALEA – WORK
‘No money, no family. 16 in the middle of Miami,’ If this song doesn’t want to make you want to ‘work’ for your dreams, I don’t know what will. This Australian beauty has had a big year, including going on tour with Beyonce. Her new album ‘The New Classic’ is set for release early 2014 and I predict big things to come. Sara Potter
15. KING KRULE – EASY EASY
King Krule’s Archy Marshall croons his unique hip-hop style lyrics in a distinctively English accent. The deep, angsty, melodic vocals take centre stage in this song and by the time you reach the anthem-like chorus you’ll be chanting ‘Easy Easy’ and reclining in the nearest chair. Harriet Cheney
16. DRAKE – STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM
This song – which addresses Drake’s early life and career beginnings – has received 95 million hits on Youtube. That shit’s impressive, no? Bobby Townsend
17. HAIM – THE WIRE
With a simple drumbeat, synth strings and delightful harmonies, this is a seductive and poppy gem and illustrative of the appeal of one of the buzz bands of 2013. Bobby Townsend
18. JAMES BLAKE – RETROGRADE
Ahh, Mr. Blake. I heard that angelic hum of his at the beginning of this song and immediately rushed to buy the album (which has been one of the most played albums in my iTunes). He has a way of making magic out of misery as this song is pretty dark, yet lifts my spirits somehow. It feels like there’s some self-reflexivity and tough love projected on a girl he once loved. This song is the anthem to my rainy days, such a sick tune. Tammy Potakh
19. VAMPIRE WEEKEND – DIANE YOUNG
The wordplay of Diane Young might be a bit ropey (Diane Young sounds a bit like dying young. Get it?) but with its groovy bass and surf guitar weaving through something genuinely sonically adventurous and interesting, this is a winner. Bobby Townsend
20. DISCLOSURE/ALUNAGEORGE – WHITE NOISE
At the risk of sounding like crazed Disclosure fangirls (because we’re not. Obviously), it was clearly difficult for our team to choose just one track from the duo’s flawless debut album Settle. Their collaboration with one of our other favourites from 2013, AlunaGeorge, on the brilliant White Noise, mean that two singles made the top 20. A job well done. Sonia Clarke
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ALSO… HIGHLY COMMENDED
Here are some songs that didn’t quite secure enough votes to make the Top 20, but that our team suggest you put in your ears asap….
MARK KOZELEK & JIMMY LAVALLE – GUSTAVO
So much more than song of the year I genuinely believe this is among the finest examples of American storytelling in song that I have heard. There is a novel worth of material in the things left unsaid in the song. What on first listen appears to be a slight and slightly funny song slowly reveals itself as a widescreen panorama of small town Americana. I cannot express enough how much I love and am obsessed with every line of this song. It is just perfect. Neil Martin
TV ON THE RADIO – MERCY
A sign of exciting things to come and a return to the fast-paced, electric sound of the brilliant TV on the Radio. This song makes me want to get up and dance in a big, sweaty mess of bodies. Kate Holcombe
JOHN GRANT – GLACIER
Although John Grant’s second album didn’t quite hit the heights of debut Queen of Denmark, the closing track Glacier is one of the most emotionally charged songs I have heard in a very long time. Written as a message to his younger self, the song resonates due to the sheer honesty of the lyrics about the singer’s homosexuality and his recent diagnosis of HIV. Coupled with a beautiful melody and arrangement, it’s an uplifting end to a bleak but brilliant record. Gary Page
GAMBLES – ANIMALS
God, that video of him and Britany Nola (pictured, left)! I wish I was that in love with someone… Elaina Ransford
SAN FERMIN – SONSICK
Just discovered this song last month but it’s definitely up there. I love the big band vibe to it and the unison belting of the chorus with underlaying harmonies. It’s a modern pop-power ballad and I have had it on replay all month. The group is led by a young composer who knows his shit. It’s a really infectious song and you can’t control yourself when it shuffles on; you just end up belting the lyrics at a friend’s face. At least that’s what happens when I hear it. Tammy Potakh
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS – JUBILEE STREET
There hasn’t been a track in a very long time that I have continually come back to for repeat listening. We aren’t just talking hours, or days, but perhaps entire months went by this year where all I could focus on was this behemoth of a track. Although Nick Cave isn’t quite everyone’s cup of tea, the way song stretches and pulls through time, as though having some sort of elasticity; Nick’s sermon like preaching and devil words spat out in assertion coupled with the ear worm licks of Warren’s viola looping gel this work into a dance of the devil. Give it a try if you haven’t already, you may be surprised. Jack Colwell
US BABY BEAR BONES – SUN
I’m actually in the video for this song. You can see me fleetingly wearing a red beret. Alice Parsons
MAZZY STAR – CALIFORNIA
After 17 years’ absence, Mazzy Star has returned this year with a beaut of a new album and with it, my favourite song of the year. The dusky and hauntingly emotional vocals paired with the atmospheric acoustics echo that dreamlike Mazzy Star signature style. ‘California’ is mysterious. It is sensual. This song to me is a resurrection. A favourite band of mine has come back from the dead. For that reason, I have worshiped its return. Liana Gow-Killingbeck
PHARRELL WILLIAMS – HAPPY
It has an understated quality to it (possibly because 24-hour official video rendered any further commentary obsolete) which pushes me to include it as one of my favourites for 2013. Maybe it’s the lyrical content, which gets to the crux of what happiness actually should be – a ‘truth’ that is self-instigated, expressed individually (though preferably with ridiculous dance, jazz hands and swagger), damn contagious. Melissa Oey
SKY FERREIRA – EVERYTHING IS EMBARRASSING
Sky Ferreira released this diamond earlier in the year. Husky, sexy, thoughtful and beautifully melancholy. I loved it wholeheartedly from the first time I heard it. The video sees her loitering around empty streets and playgrounds with the kind of little girl lost, heroin chic sex appeal that could literally kill you with one poignant stare. Amazing. Golden Lady
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE – TAKE BACK THE NIGHT
When I heard that Justin Timberlake had new material, I wasn’t particularly interested, but when I heard Take Back The Night I couldn’t help turn up the speaker and nod my head. It’s funky, slick, well produced and just reeks of Timberlake. One of the records from the year that makes me move… and not many do. Joe Haddow
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