Top 10s For 2013

First of all, check out my radio station's top ten albums at ACRN.com. I work with some great people with very diverse and lovely music tastes. Keep an eye out for some other cool stuff we experienced this year that will be popping up. 

Personally, I think I preferred 2012 when it came to albums from artists that I already adored, but cheers to 2013 for being a year of new discoveries, side projects and artists on the rise. Here's a rundown of my favorite music that was released this year:

www.explodinginsoundrecords.com

Ovlov - am [Exploding In Sound]: I am so thankful to have stumbled upon this band in my late night, tired-eyed hunts for new music. Ovlov is the very best of buzzing rock delivered from some homies from Connecticut. The sound is unique, original (while influences are still clear) and intriguing. It’s the type of record I’ve been waiting for all of my life, and I didn’t even know I was longing for it. It is elating. Favorite Tracks: "Milk," "Blue Baby," "The Great Alligator," "Nü Punk," "Grapes" 

deafheavens.bandcamp.com

Deafheaven - Sunbather [Deathwish]: Super emotional, chilling and probably the best driving music ever. It stimulates the imagination, mine in particular. It became a very visual record, evoking fantasies and foggy memories that I’m not sure are real. Deafheaven’s screaming is delicate and fragile while still inflicting incredible power and pain. Favorite Tracks: "Dream House," "The Pecan Tree," "Please Remember"

www.pitchfork.com

King Krule - 6 Feet Beneath the Moon [True Panther Sounds]: Check out my post dedicated strictly to the King. This guy has it going on. Favorite Tracks: "Neptune Estate," "Baby Blue," "Out Getting Ribs," "Ocean Bed," "Easy Easy"

www.brooklynvegan.com

Their / They’re / There - Their / They’re / There [Polyvinyl]: For a band that’s just a side project for some really talented, established guys, I’m really surprised at how well this came together. But not really, because I’m pretty sure anything these guys do will sound good. This record is just as fun as I’m sure they all had making it. It’s what Evan Weiss, Mike Kinsella and Matthew Frank are good at, thrown together into one catchy-ass album. Favorite Tracks: "Their / They're / Therapy," "Concession Speech Writer," "Apocalypse"

petalpa.bandcamp.com

Petal - Scout EP [Run For Cover]: RFC just signed this little cutie from Pennsylvania in November and I am head-over-heels. The EP is too short and I’m looking very forward to anything else she comes out with. It kind of reminds me of Lemuria, except I never really got into that band, so I would say this is much, much better. Kiley Lotz’s high notes rule and I’m looking forward to having this on repeat well into 2014 and beyond. Favorite Tracks: "Comeback," "Left A Mark," "I'm Sorry"

crashofrhinos.bandcamp.com

Crash Of Rhinos - Knots [Topshelf]: Crash Of Rhinos’ 2011 release Distal is energetic and upbeat, and Knots follows suit, except with more diversity. The band slows its tracks down and adds a grungy component for a very well-rounded, exciting piece of work. Favorite Tracks: "Interiors," "Luck Has A Name," "Speeds Of Ocean Greyhounds," "The Reason I Took So Long"

www.pitchfork.com

Julianna Barwick - Nepenthe [Dead Oceans]: Julianna Barwick creates dreamy soundscapes perfect for a scenic film with snowy mountains contrasting clear blue skies. Her flawless voice loops around and around as various instruments build around it. Perfect background music to heighten any mediocre situation, or to fall asleep to as a soundtrack for a striking dream sequence. Reminds me of Hallow's Bastion in Kingdom Hearts II or a flying shot through Middle Earth. I'm a freakin' nerd. Favorite Tracks: "Pyrrhic", "The Harbinger," "One Half"

datpiff.com

SZA - S EP [TDE]: Absolutely incredible. What I would consider a mix of the best of hip hop and the best of ambient, with a mouth-watering R&B voice at the front. SZA was just signed by TDE and is a little different from her counterparts Ab-Soul and Kendrick Lamar, but just as big and just as booming. Favorite Tracks: "Ice Moon," "Castles," "Terror Dome"

www.metalinjection.net

True Widow - Circumabulation [Relapse]: It isn’t True Widow’s self-titled, but it’s still awesome. Dark, doomy tracks for the laziest of days and sleepiest of mornings. The kind of album you just listen to all the way through.

altpress.com

Balance and Composure- The Things We Think We’re Missing [No Sleep]: I’m not sure if it was freshman blues or whatever, but this record really hit me. I was not into the band before this album, but I over-played it like crazy after it was pushed on me by a friend. It will always be known as the record that I drove down to OU listening to on move-in day. (They made a documentary about the creation of the album, check it out) Favorite Tracks: "Keepsake," "I'm Swimming," "Parachutes," "Notice Me," "Tiny Raindrop"

~honorable mentionz~

Cloakroom - Infinity, Beach Fossils - Clash The Truth, Gucci Mane - Trap God 2, Local Natives - Hummingbird, Pity Sex - Feast Of Love, Into It. Over It. - Intersections,  Native - Orthodox, Iron Chic - The Constant One, Waka Flocka Flame - From Roaches To Rollies, Pet Symmetry - Two Songs About Cars. Two Songs With Long Titles., Kelela - CUT 4 ME, Kanye West - Yeezus, My Bloody Valentine - m b v

Tracks From Those Albums Among Other Jams:

“Vivid Dreams” - Owen: Mike Kinsella conjures up all pain and longing and soothes it in a way that only he knows how.

“Bank Head" - Kelela: A catchy, sexy party song. Not something to get everyone on the dance floor but enough to nod your head, sing a long and drink to. 

“Drawstring” - Pity Sex: Short and sweet, fuzzy and youthful. 

“I’m In It” - Kanye West: Dirty as hell. Extremely uncomfortable. I couldn’t stop listening.

“No Amount Of Sound” - Into It. Over It.: Sad. Slow. Pretty.

“Dream Journal” - Cloakroom: I did a whole lot of nothing this summer except stare at the ceiling. This song made that much more of an experience than it should have been. 

“No We're Not Actually” - Dads: The power in this song lie in the lyrics, and the build up, and I just love Dads. I'm a weirdo and I really like the complexity of hospitals and this song captures the beauty and pain lodged into every room.

“Anxiety’s Door” - Merchandise: A friend put this on a mix for me over the summer and I can’t get over how '80s it is. Very Meat Is Murder-esque: everything I am about.

“Lose My Breath” - Yuck: Yeah, it's not old Yuck. But this is a jam.

“Receiving Line” - Title Fight: As long as these guys keep putting out releases, I’m always going to find at least one song to overplay. 

"Love In A Cold World" - Beastmilk: Reminds me of Danzig. Into it.

"Curtain Call" - They're / Their / There

I'm sure there's stuff that I'm missing. Thanks for taking interest in my interests. Love ya. Sorry I never post, Sarah. I'm very lazy. 

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By: Marlena Scott

Best Albums of 2013

Oh, a fresh post. Sorry, Marley and I have been on hiatus due to finals and lack of sleep. But I (Sarah) am going to share my top ten albums from 2013 to brighten your winter break and give you a viable excuse to take a break from Christmas music. Without further adieu, here are my personal favorite albums from this past year in alphabetical order because I am a weak son of a B and I can't rank/pick apart these albums.

http://www.amazon.com/

Arctic Monkeys – AM [Domino]: The Arctic Monkeys reestablished themselves as smooth sexy Brits with AM. This album was everything I was hoping and wishing for. Nothing beats Alex Turner cooing into your ear while he strums the guitar. Needless to say AM is heavily sexy infused with rock n’ roll and will be on repeat for years to come.

Favorite Tracks: "Snap Out Of It," "One For The Road," "I Wanna Be Yours"

http://www.amazon.com/

Best Coast – Fade Away [Jewel City]: Best Coast knows how to produce an EP. Fade Away if filled with punchy surf jams, which are perfect for listening to while reminiscing about sunny days. Or you could listen to the whole EP while alone in your room or in the car or in your friends’ car, it doesn't matter. Just listen to the EP because Bethany Cosentino’s voice will make your whole day brighter.

Favorite Tracks: "I Wanna Know," "I Don't Know How"

http://www.amazon.com/

Beyoncé – BEYONCÉ [Columbia Records]: There is only one woman, no, person, in the world who could crash iTunes by releasing an un-promoted album and that person is Beyoncé. She also outsold any female pop singer’s week album sales in 24 hours. Yeah so to saying her self-titled album is pretty worthwhile is an understatement. Beyoncé proves why her nickname is Queen B and BEYONCÉ will turn your cherry out (this sentence will only be funny once you listen to her song "Blow").
Favorite Tracks: "Blow," "No Angel," "Partition," "Rocket," "Superpower"

http://www.amazon.com/

Disclosure – Settle [Universal Island Records]: U.K. siblings Guy and Howard Lawrence created an album that is brimming with seamless dance tunes that have enough synth riffs and guest artists to keep party people going all night long. But Settle is more than just another dance album. It’s catchy and has enough substance to not be categorized as trashy club music.

Favorite Tracks: "Latch," "White Noise"

http://www.amazon.com/

HAIM – Days Are Gone [Polydor]: The Haim sisters gained a lot of hype before the release of their first album, Days Are Gone. A lot of well deserved hype because the sister trio of Este, Danielle and Alana pulled through. Days Are Gone is a mixture of pop hooks and rock n' roll that are strung together with clever lyrics.

Favorite Tracks: "My Song 5," "The Wire," "Falling"

http://www.amazon.com/

Laura Marling – Once I Was An Eagle [Ribbon Music]: Laura Marling’s voice is hypnotic and flows effortlessly from one track to the next in Once I Was An Eagle. This album is just a really solid and is a joy to listen to and is carried effortlessly from track to track by Marling’s smooth, creamy voice.  Basically I want Marling to sing me to sleep every night. 

Favorite Tracks: "Take The Night Off," "I Was An Eagle," "Master Hunter"

http://www.amazon.com/

Miley Cyrus – Bangerz [RCA Records]: Say what you want about Miley but Bangerz is heaven to the ears of pop fans. Miley revamped her sound a long with her image showing how committed she is to the new era of Miley. Or maybe the previous Miley was just a Disney produced image and the current new Miley is the real Miley, woah. Anyway, the media shouldn’t be harping about Miley’s new look if it’s helping her produce albums like Bangerz.

Favorite Tracks: "#GETITRIGHT," "Wrecking Ball, "My Darlin'"

http://www.amazon.com/

The National – Trouble Will Find Me [4AD]: Trouble Will Find Me is a tearjerker of an album. Filled with heartbreak and raw lyrics The National produces an audible emotional roller coaster. So when you're mentally brain dead and trying to write a college essay listening to this album will help you generate some minuscule emotion to emit to your writing. 

Favorite Tracks: "I Should Live In Salt," "Graceless," "I Need My Girl"

http://www.amazon.com/

Sky Ferreira – Night Time, My Time [Capitol Records]: Okay, yeah I have a huge fat girl crush on Sky but that’s not the reason Night Time, My Time made my top 10 list. Many years went into the making of Sky’s first full album. It’s catchy and edgy, showing a different side to Sky than her previous EPs. Sky proves that she has more depth than mass produced pop princesses in Night Time, My Time. It's just a bonus that she is a grungy babe. 

Favorite Tracks: "Heavy Metal Heart," "You're Not The One," "I Blame Myself"

http://www.amazon.com/

Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City [XL Recordings]: Vampire Weekend should be praised for their innovativeness. Ezra Koenig knows his way around a song. Modern Vampires of the City is chalk full of smart lyrics that fly under the radar because of Vampire Weekend’s quirky upbeat image. This album shows how much more they can offer to the music world and solidifies their presence at the top of the charts. Also go follow Ezra on twitter, you're welcome. 

Favorite Tracks: "Hannah Hunt," "Diane Young," "Finger Back," "Don't Lie"

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By: Sarah Weingarten

Diving Deep Into The Girl Crush World

Oh, girl crushes. I have so many, which will makes this post hard to write. They all have taken a space in my heart for different reasons. Diving into the girl crush world is more complicated than it looks to the outside, non-girl crusher's eye (I honestly don't think there are any non-girl crushers out there but if there are, shame on you, girls are so badass).

There's a hierarchy in the girl crush system: Different levels of girl crush.

1. Basic Level Girl Crush
You just appreciate this female's sweet and awesome existence and commend her on her beauty and kick-ass personality.
Personal Basic Level Girl Crushes: Anne Hathaway, Rihanna and Janelle Monae

2. "I Want to be Your Best Friend" Girl Crush

This is the girl crush that you feel an instant over-the-web/tabloid
connection to. Something about her makes you want to have sleepovers with her, braid her hair and dissect all of her deepest, darkest secrets. Every fiber of your being knows that if, or when you ever run into her, an instant connection will form and a beautiful girl crush friendship will blossom.
Personal "I Want to be Your Best Friend" Girl Crushes: Jennifer Lawrence, the HAIM sisters, Mindy Kaling, Tavi Gevinson and Marina Diamandis

3. The "I Want to be You" Girl Crush

The end-all-be-all of girl crush hierarchy. You don't necessarily envy this female, you just want to be her. Everything she does you want to do. It's like a elementary school crush. You want to steal a piece of her hair and drink an everlasting polyjuice potion. There's just something about this woman that really speaks to you; she's an overall babe in your eyes (while you're wishing your eyes were her's).
Personal "I Want to be You" Girl Crushes: Sky Ferreira and Alexa Chung.

Many honorary girl crushes couldn't fit under my personal basic level girl crush and "I want to be your best friend" girl crushes. But Sky and Alexa are for sure my only "I want to be you" girl crushes. You can't be wishy-washy with level three girl crushes. Those are definite and typically static, for if a female gained or lost her status of being a level three crush it's a big deal. It indicates that you're personally evolving as a women. You're changing what you admire and look for in other women and your personal characteristic goals.

Sky and Alexa (I think I'm on a first name basis with them), are my level three girl crushes because I really want to embody their cool it-girl aura. In my head I think I'm smart, a badass, chic and total babe. But in reality I'm consistently none of those things... that's okay. I'm not trying to be something or someone I'm not. I'm just trying to develop my own version of Sky and Alexa's mythical love child. I'm inspired by them and the other girl crushes I listed, and I'm trying to incorporate everything I admire about each female and internalize it.

4. The Ultimate Girl Crush
The most overlooked but highest level girl crush. Level four is when you gain girl crush status from another female. This is the dream of every girl crusher, to have other women be infatuated and appreciative of you. If I was given the ultimatum to either be a girl crush or be Sky, I would without a doubt choose being a girl crush. Being a girl crush is different than being a role model. When you're a girl crush your crushers accept you as a real woman, a flawed but simultaneously amazing women. Role models have the stigma of perfection and fall under daily scrutiny. Role models crash and burn, girl crushes are forever. 

(I do not own any of these photos)

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By: Sarah Weingarten

Friday's Music Day,

But my mind is more frazzled than it has ever been, so here are a bunch of talented people playing candid versions of some very bangin' songs on a Wednesday.

I hope everyone's having a nice week :)

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By: Marlena Scott

Bad Bitches

Hallelujah, it's finally Friday. Here are some good girl tunes to start your weekend right. Booty shaking is encouraged.

#GETITRIGHT - Miley Cyrus

Overdose - Ciara 

Move - Little Mix

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By: Sarah Weingarten

TV Shows That Have More To Do With My Sense of Humor Than I Realize...

This was my favorite part of my favorite Nickelodeon hit The Amanda Show, Moody's Point. It's what I remember most and they're probably my favorite YouTube videos to revisit when I'm feeling nostalgic. Here's my most quoted interaction. 

If it's ever caught by anyone and not mistaken for my own youthful angst, that is a recipe for immediate friendship:

I wonder if shows like these, as well as the other child-sized Saturday Night Live sketch comedy shows (i.e. All-That and Kenan & Kel) have more of an influence on my sense of humor as well as the rest of my peers than we can control. We all seem to be into ironic humor that I find in the revisiting of these shows. Of course it can get loud, repetitive and terribly annoying in a way that only a child could enjoy, but if you skip around there's some real gold to be found.

The same may be said for some moral lessons found in cartoons I would watch, Hey Arnold! being an especially loaded one upon revisitation.  Not to say there wasn't great comic value in those, too.

This may explain the apparent "gap" in the understanding of humor from generation to generation. Just thinking aloud.

Anyway, please enjoy some Moody's Point and my very first brooding, mysterious crush, Sternum.

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By: Marlena Scott

Ali Michael, Girl Crush

My girl crushes are endless. There are so many beautiful women in the world that are cool and fun and funny (as far as I can tell from the internet). More importantly they're huge influences on my personal style, so I will glorify them on this blog. First up:

23 year old Ali Michael from Colleyville, TX. She's a beautiful model with piercing blue eyes, but she's also just really, really freakin' cute.

She's talented in high fashion, but what I admire is the appeal she brings to a t-shirt and socks, my most beloved outfit.

thelibertineezine.com

terrysdiary.com

Pretty self explanatory. B-A-B-E

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By: Marlena Scott

Robyn Lawley, Size Does Matter

My girl crush feelings are at an all time high for Robyn Lawley. She is an Australian plus sized model and is rocking my world right now.

www.glamour.com

For starters Robyn is b-e-a-u-tiful no matter what size. There's just something about her that radiates glamour. But at the same time she seems so "girl next door" down to earth.

Robyn started modeling at 16 being a regular sized model. At age 18 Robin ditched her regular model agency for the plus sized agency, Bella model management. Robin made this move because she was tired of maintaining a size eight. Hallelujah, finally a girl who openly admits she is tired of working out and dieting.

Robyn is a bad ass babe who is slowly changing the model world. She has been on the cover of French Elle, French Marie Claire,  Italian Vogue, Madison, Australia Style and couple other publications. She was also the first plus sized model to have her own editorial in Australian Vogue. She's also had other features in Australia Cosmopolitan and Glamour. She's a bombshell in all of them. 

And to boot Robyn runs her own food blog. A food blog that is so good that she is making a cookbook with her own recipes. I'm convinced she's not real. Robyn is exactly what girls around the world need. A beautiful, confident, successful full figure model to look up to. Robyn's body is the one girls should be looking up to. Not to achieve, per say, but to reference when their body self esteem is low. A beacon of light in the body scrutiny society that illuminates the idea that a girl can be big, curvy, and hot. 

The title of this post is the name of photography exhibition by Kenneth Willardt that features Robyn naked with animals. It explores the power of femininity and the natural world. 

www.kennethwillardt.com

I'm basically drooling. I can't get enough of Robyn and her sex appeal and intelligence. She was recently on Ellen talking about her life and body acceptance. Please watch and fall in love.

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By: Sarah Weingarten