My Favorite Albums of the Year...

So I will admit that this is not 100% final...but here are my (tentative) selections:

Okkervil River's The Silver Gymnasium...I've listened to this album far more than any other and will continue to keep it in my rotation. It's an ultimate coming of age list, particularly resonating with anyone who grew up in the 1980s and is staring down at (ahem) 40. Favorite tracks are several..."Where the Spirit Left Us" has been a stand-out. "Stay Young" may be a bit of a cliche, but it's a song that captures what any 18 year old ready to embark upon the world faces. "Down Down the Deep River" is an artful reflection on the loss of a friend, parental love, and the first time you realize that life isn't fair and things don't always make sense. Love "White" and "Lido Pier Suicide Car" and "It Was My Season." Just love this album.

Vampire Weekend's Modern Vampires of the City...I was not a huge fan of their earlier albums, but this one is perfect. Not a weak song. "Hannah Hunt," "Don't Lie," "Step," "Unbelievers," "Obvious Bicycle"...I still have no idea what will be on my best single playlist.

The National's Trouble Will Find Me...In some way, it's my least favorite National album. But "Demons," "Don't Swallow the Cap," and "I Need My Girl" will be included on my favorite National song lists. It's timeless music, soothing and resonates and calms. Anything they release will go on my favorites list.

Frightened Rabbit's Pedestrian Verse...It's kind of like the National. Not my favorite album of theirs but "The Woodpile," "Acts of Man," "Late March, Death March," and their sequel EP with the aforementioned single plus "Radio Silence" suggests how solid and underrated this band is.

Jason Isbell's Southeastern...like Okkervil River, this is a very autobiographical album. Jason Isbell's songwriting talent in "Elephant" and "Songs She Sang in the Shower" capture the bittersweet, his tentative and continued recovery, and establish him as a very talented artist apart from the Drive By Truckers.

Fitz and the Tantrums' More Than Just a Dream...Seriously the most catchy album, and anytime I hear anything off of this--"6am," "Out of My League," "MerryGoRound," etc. it gets stuck in my head. Love just about anything they release.

Pickwick's Can't Talk Medicine...one of my very favorite releases of the first part of the year and certainly one of the newest artists on this list. Love everything from "Well, Well" and "Lady Luck" and "The Round."

Haim's Days Are Gone...What more can be said about this breakout band of the year? "The Wire" is one of my favorite singles of the year. Kind of like Okkervil River, this screams 80s power pop at times but this is not Spice Girls. Something on this list needs to be happy; this and Fitz will qualify.

Ha Ha Tonka's Lessons...These guys fly under the radar. But there are so many listen-able on repeat songs on this album. "Staring at the End of Our Lives" is kind of the theme of many tunes this year that captures looking back upon the past and reflecting, joyfully at times and with a touch of regret at others. "Colorful Kids" strikes that same note, too. It's an album that is paired nicely with Okkervil River.

So for my final pick, there are several favorites that can lay claim. I love Cold War Kids, the Cave Singers, Arcade Fire, Dawes, The Head and the Heart, Iron & Wine, Josh Ritter, etc. But I am not sure that these were their best works and/or my favorites. Tegan & Sara and Thao both have awesome, girl-power, fun pop records. But I'm leaning toward Volcano Choir's Repave...Bon Iver's Justin Vernon does this well, and "Byegone" and "Acetate" and "Comrade" and every single one of the eight tracks on this album are beautiful, haunting, and prove that this is no mere side project. So it's hard not to include this one.

Overall, 2013 was an excellent year for music. I don't know if there will be an album or two that will be regarded as the best artist's release ever...but so much solid music. It is always a chore to narrow things down to only ten.