OFF: AI Staff Picks for Best of 2013

Wed Jan 1 12:30:57 EST 2014

Hi Folks...

Jerry's already posted a link I see....but to reiterate...

Well, I know you were just dying to hear how my efforts to come up with a Best of 2013 list turned out, weren't you?  :)  Well, wait no more!  Here are my Top 10 of the year (if you want to see the WHOLE list, plus the lists of all the actual A-I writers (who actually contribute throughout the year!), you'll have to click on the link below)...from the more than 90 candidates I had heard in the last year, not counting those I heard in genres outside the A-I realm (I didn't consider Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, etc., even Clutch to be candidates for my list, for example.)  I see I'm the only one still ranking them top to bottom, which I admit is a little silly, since on any given day, I would rearrange the list significantly (although on average, it would probably resemble the published one to a great degree).  But listicles (what a terrible word!) are what 90% of the internet has become, so...  Anyway, I hope all this great music isn't being simply lost in
 the overwhelming scale of our global culture these days.  It seems there's just way too much of everything for any one little thing to get noticed much, although maybe it was always that way and it was just never possible to become aware of what *wasn't* being noticed.  If that makes any damn sense at all, which I'm sure it doesn't.

I hope also that bands that *are* being noticed to some degree, actually see something tangible come about from their efforts.  I imagine that making music of this sort will never make anybody any significant amount of money (Carl's unsolicited $3 being a noteworthy exception), but it would be nice if the bands could at least buy a new pedal or microphone or something occasionally.  I am sorry to say I am one that is not holding up his end of the bargain, as I buy little music anymore (though I did a pretty good job of it for 30 years or more), as my employment situation is once again completely tenuous or even nonexistent for the near future at least.  So I am left with lots of streaming and little buying, as some part of me even wonders if maintaining a "collection" will even be necessary or have any advantage at all in a few years.  Spotify, Rhapsody, Bandcamp, and the like are starting to make me wonder if "having music" even means anything anymore,
 if you know what I mean.  I kinda hope at least the connection between the fans and artists can be maintained, more than just clicking a "like" button or something.  I'm not sure how this is gonna end up, does anybody?

Rather than prejudice people for or against something based on my lame descriptions/comparisons, I've put links to everything I list so that people can go, have a listen, and judge for themselves whether they like what they hear.  And if you do, and can send a $/quid or two their way, then I feel a little better about not doing it myself.  :)  I can pat myself on the back as a facilitator.  I have a lot of free time at the moment again, (somewhat) unfortunately, so I can waste a lot of time searching for new stuff now and again, as well as catching up on all the great old stuff that is now appearing on any number of online sites.  And that alone takes up a great deal of time.

Anyway, hopefully our "genre" will continue to flourish in its comfortable near-total obscurity at least.  :)  I sense the awareness of "space rock" waning from the relative high point of the late 90s/early 00s, though perhaps that's just because I don't get out much like I used to.  Herzberg is still a big deal, and Scott's band OSC (#9 below) just got invited there (yay!), so if you can make it to central Germany, there's still an audience there for you.  :)  I hope I can make it, but kinda doubt it.  But if Hawkwind comes to No. America this March (where's the final tour dates??!), I'll be happy.  Speaking of Mr. Heller, I'm sure he will have a Best of 2013 list up on his site (writingaboutmusic.blogspot.com), where I often learn of new things myself, and also Ian Abrahams I imagine will have something, if not already.  He's at http://spacerockreviews.blogspot.com/ of course.

Keith H.

P.S.  The January issue of Shindig magazine (a UK publication?) is supposedly all about Space Rock, featuring some of the aforementioned authors.  I went to Barnes & Noble here in town to find it, but they only had December issues still (as of last week).  I'll have to try again soon.

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For all the lists....
http://aural-innovations.com/blog/

1. White Manna (US) – Dune Worship
http://whitemanna.bandcamp.com/album/dune-worship

2. Electric Eye (NO) – Pick-up, Lift-off, Space, Time
http://electriceye.bandcamp.com/album/pick-up-lift-off-space-time

3. Cave (US) – Threace
http://www.dragcity.com/products/threace
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaar268H5zI

4. Nik Turner (UK) – Space Gypsy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OytZekcZst4

5. Pyramidal (SP) – Frozen Galaxies
http://pyramidalmusic.bandcamp.com/album/frozen-galaxies

6. 3rd Ear Experience (US) – Boi
http://www.robbirobb.com/thirdearexperience/boi/

7. The Timelords (UK) – Convergence
http://thetimelords2.bandcamp.com/album/convergence

8. The Ultra Electric Mega Galactic (US) – S/T
http://theuemg.bandcamp.com/album/the-ultra-electric-mega-galactic

9. Oresund Space Collective (DK/US) – Organic Earthly Flotation
http://oresundspacecollective.bandcamp.com/album/organic-earthly-flotation

10. Brujas del Sol (US) – Moonliner
http://brujasdelsol.bandcamp.com/album/moonliner-2