My Top 10 albums of 2013

Each year since taking on this gig in 2003 I've chosen my top albums of the year, which you'll find below. I always enjoy those year-end issues of "Rolling Stone" where musicians submit their own top albums alongside the magazine's music critics. Our lists are something my husband and I discuss throughout the year as in, "Oh, this will totally make my list" (yes, we're music nerds). He has one too, which he posts on the StonerRockLives.com message board he frequents. 

With that conversation in mind, this year I asked others to play the game. In looking back at the year that was 2013, this week I'll post Top 10 albums from Charlotte-based musicians, pro-athletes, concert promoters, photographers, and others that work in the arts and entertainment industry. 

Today I start with my own. One thing I noticed that many of the lists, including mine, have in common is many include North Carolina artists. You might expect that, but I'm not playing favorites here. I truly enjoyed Beach Fossils, Valient Thorr, and yes, Charlotte's Scowl Brow - the only local band to make the list - above much higher profile releases. North Carolina's rich musical history runs deep and today NC musicians are some of the best out there in any genre. That's reflected in our lists. 

I'll post a list of favorite local releases next week as well. Look out for lists from Michael Waltrip, Anthony Hamilton, WCCB's Wilson, and others as this week unfolds. Thanks to everyone who participated. Here's mine:

David Mayfield Parade “Good Man Down” - While he may be best known for his associations (sister Jessica Lea, former bluegrass band Cadillac Sky, and friends the Avetts - Seth appears on this record), this charismatic band leader proved his songwriting is just as meaningful and compelling as his live shows are intense and funny. Music fans are lucky to have him.

Beach Fossils “Clash the Truth” - Brooklyn-based Charlotte native Dustin Payseur’s second album garnered national attention for beautifully dark indie-rock reminiscent of late `70s post-punk and no wave, but with contemporary edge and critique on society, apathy, youth, and finding your place.

Chvrches “The Bones of What You Believe” - Take irresistibly catchy modern synth-pop and top it with a girlish voice reminiscent of the Sundays’ Harriet Wheeler and you’ve got this Scottish trio’s buzzed about debut, which delivers genuine emotion and storytelling - like the best electronic music - amid the tech.

Menomena “Moms” - The former trio streamlined its sound as a duo with Justin Harris and Danny Seim trading writing credits and vocals on indie-rock tracks that explored how families and mothers in particular inform our relationships, our choices, and apparently our music.

Valient Thorr “Our Own Masters” - The NC metal outfit ups its game with every record, but none more than this. The twin guitars, chugging classic metal, and wild-eyed frontman Valient Himself’s lyrical observations - you Motorhead/Thin Lizzy/AC/DC fans should pay attention.

Scowl Brow “Scowl Brow” - While leader Robby Hale may be Charlotte’s answer to Axl Rose with graphically unfiltered and stinging lyrics, this Charlotte trio’s snappy, punky songs worm their way into your head like a virus you can’t shake and really don’t want to. He’s also lyrically as hard on himself as he is on his subjects.

The National “Trouble Will Find Me” - I almost disqualified my favorite band because every one of their records since “Alligator” has made my annual Top 10, but this was the year the world began agreeing with me. The Brooklyn-based band recently received a Grammy nomination.

Janelle Monae “Electric Lady” - She’s unpredictable with genre-splicing, funky, playful dance workouts, but when she channels Prince and `80s R&B on the Miguel duet “Primetime” she proves she can let her quirkiness slide for pop perfection.

Kate Nash “Girl Talk” - While my beloved `90s British indie-rock (Sleeper, Echobelly, etc.) is long gone and Lily Allen, until recently, was busy having babies, Nash took up the slack with a clever, very British, girly-pop gem that’s feminist and feminine.

Mansions “Doom Loop” - Sometimes I wish the pop genius and vocals were clearer through this Seattle-by-way-of-Louisville duo’s fuzz, but I think something might be lost if the production were cleaner. There’s something about it that takes me back to how I felt about music in high school. 

Double Door book gets 2nd printing, club turns 40

Charlotte's Double Door Inn has hosted plenty of music legends in its 40 year existence. The night Eric Clapton stepped on stage after headlining Charlotte Coliseum earlier is one of those oft told stories (like R.E.M. at the Milestone). Longtime Charlotteans like to say they were there whether they were or not.

The Double Door celebrates its 40th anniversary Sunday with fixture Lenny Federal's Federal Bureau of Rock n' Roll. December also marks the reprinting of the book that chronicles the club's history. "Charlotte's Home of the Blues" was originally published in 2009. This new edition, which will be available through Fort Canoga Press, includes a new chapter, new photographs and the first publication of photos from that night Clapton showed up.

The Double Door has welcomed other legends and many up and comers in its four decades. Just last month hip California alt-rock band Young the Giant held an intimate show there. Blues greats Stevie Ray Vaughan, Willie Dixon, and NC's own Nappy Brown (who have all since passed) played there as did Americana stalwarts Alejandro Escovedo and Drive-By Truckers. It remains a fun, vital spot with strong ties int he local scene.

The story of The Double Door was compiled by late author Debby Wallace, who passed away a month after it was published, and photographer/writer Daniel Coston. Coston has since published two other books - one on the NC rock n' roll scene in the `60s and another featuring his photographs and experiences as a music photographer largely focused on the Carolina acts he has worked with.

"Charlotte's Home of the Blues: 40 Years of the Double Door Inn" is available on Amazon and at this link. It will also be available Sunday during the anniversary show.

Charlotte's Anthony Hamilton guests in new video

Grammy winner (and current Grammy nominee) Anthony Hamilton duets with fellow classic soul singer Leela James on James' new single "Say That." He also appears in the above video, which is in rotation on VH1 Soul and Centric TV. The single is a precursor to James' upcoming 2014 album, which is tentatively scheduled for early next year.

When she debuted with 2005's "A Change is Gonna Come" it looked as if the Los Angeles' born singer with powerhouse sass would be the next big thing. VH1 named her one of its earlier "You Outta Know" artists. She received Soul Train and NAACP Image Awards nominations. The album boasted co-writes with Raphael Saadiq and Kanye West. You'd likely recognize her single "Music," which received heavy airplay. I really dug the funky, upbeat Wyclef Jean co-write "Ghetto."

James hasn't been quite as high profile since, but she's released critically acclaimed work like 2012's Etta James-inspired collection "Loving You More...In the Spirit of Etta James." That may change since she's also joined the cast of the upcoming season of the reality series "R&B Divas L.A." The cast includes Chrisette Michele, Chante Moore, Lil' Mo, Michel'le, and Claudette.

One thing is for sure. She may have toyed with her look on "Loving You More," but in the video for "Say That" James looks the exact same as she did eight years ago. The same funky `70s-inspired look and the same big hair; the same confidence and the same killer voice with that cool, raspy catch to it.

Hamilton, whose music currently appears on "The Best Man Holiday" and "A Madea's Christmas" soundtracks, is up for two Grammys in January. His song "Best of Me" from his album "Back to Love" is up for Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song. He's competing against fellow Charlottean Fantasia in the latter category.

This week's hot concerts

Mark Kano & Mike Garrigan/Cravin’ Melon

Friday  7:30 p.m., Amos’, 1423 S. Tryon St., $10-$12, www.amossouthend.com

Nostalgic for `90s regional heavy hitters? The acoustic duo of Kano and Garrigan are veterans of the `90s national rock acts Athenaeum and Collapsis who along with Melon put out major label releases in the wake of Hootie’s success.

Junior Astronomers/HRVRD

9 p.m.  Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E. 36^th St., $8-$12, www.neighborhoodtheatre.com

Get clued into some of the city’s best touring acts, both of whom spent the better part of 2013 releasing cohesive indie rock albums on par with the year’s best and touring nationally.

Acoustic Syndicate

Friday  8:30 p.m., Visulite, 1615 Elizabeth Ave., $15-$17, www.visulite.com

“Rooftop Garden” - the NC act’s first album in almost 10 years sonically connects Peter Gabriel, New Grass Revival, and the Grateful Dead and taps into agriculture and environmental issues that concern the band as a multi-generational family of farmers.

Jeff Timmons’ Men of the Strip

Saturday  8 p.m., Chop Shop, 399 E. 35^th St., $20-$25, www.chopshopnoda.com

The hunky 98 Degrees member turns his song and sex Vegas Chippendale’s show into a touring male revue complete with music (he’ll sing 98 Degrees’ hits), choreography and skin courtesy of eight hot recruits that’ll also be part of a reality series reminiscent of "Magic Mike."

Alternative Champs

Saturday  8:30 p.m., Visulite, 1615 Elizabeth Ave., $8-$10, www.visulite.com

No one quite does silly costumes, theme parties, and tongue-in-cheek performances like this Charlotte rock institution fronted by Jolene/the Catch Fire leader Mike Mitschele. Dig out those leg warmers, jelly shoes, and banana clips because it’s an `80s new wave Christmas.

Sidewalks/Tusker

Saturday  10 p.m., Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St., $5, www.snugrock.com

Former members of Lights Fluorescent hit reset with Sidewalks. Its third show marks its last with drummer Zach Irvin (who’s moving). It joins boogying Winston-Salem riff-rock outfit Tusker, which counts former Hopesfall guitarist Mike Tyson in its ranks.

Double Door 40^th Anniversary

Sunday  9 p.m., Double Door, 1218 Charlottetown Ave., $10, www.doubledoorinn.com

The downtown blues club has hosted legendary acts like Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan and continues to feature blues staples, up and comers, and locals. It turns 40 with club veteran Lenny Federal’s Federal Bureau of Rock n’ Roll.

Temperance League

Sunday  5 p.m., Thirsty Beaver, 1225 Central Ave., Free, https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Thirsty-Beaver-Saloon/155129104571598

One of Charlotte’s busiest, most prolific rock bands (which is made up of area music vets) continues this pre-holiday tradition. Expect most of its two full-length albums, some of its early EPs, a new song or two, and surprises during this likely marathon.

Paint Fumes

Wednesday  10 p.m., Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St., Free, www.snugrock.com

The Charlotte garage rock trio finishes out its month-long residency with a Christmas night throwdown that’s sure to exorcise all the ham and sweets, family drama, and holiday blues that may be a part of your high-stress season.

Local musician taps Staples' band for new record

A couple of weeks ago a local musician contacted me about his Kickstarter campaign. I rarely blog about Kickstarters because there are many and I don’t have time to highlight them all, but Ben Hernandez’s story was different. I realize lots of people are out of work and changing careers today by choice, force, or necessity, but I felt for Hernandez who gave up a job as a full-time musician in California when he moved to Charlotte where he worked retail (gasp!). I actually enjoy retail myself. I like the give and take, the semi-formal interaction with customers. I miss it sometimes, which is why I do wine tastings (one of my side gigs). But I digress. I imagine it's quite jolting to go from performing as a professional musician for a living to the less glamorous world of retail sales.

Hernandez hadn’t had a day job since the `90s, he says. He and his musical partner Nathan James toured as a roots music duo playing country blues and jug band music. You can see in the above video filmed while on tour in Denmark, that it’s really well done. Hernandez sang and played harmonica, washtub bass (I can’t help but think of Emmett Otter at Christmas), kazoo, jug and spoons. The two played festivals, theaters, clubs, and house parties regionally in California, in the Northwest, the South, Scandinavia, and occasionally in Canada and Taiwan. But that changed once Hernandez and his wife moved to Charlotte to be closer to family.

“I realized I couldn't maintain enough of a touring schedule with my old music partner back in California to have any kind of income and I really couldn't find the right niche here for being able to play full time regionally.  So I had to get a day job,” he says. 

An avid runner, he took a part-time job at Run For Your Life. He eventually managed that store before moving on to Balega, which makes technical running socks. Hernandez never shook the music bug entirely.  A few years ago he began writing new songs and with the current Kickstarter campaign is ready to record a new album. His band consists of Rick Holstrom, Jeff Turmes, and Stephen Hodges who tour and record with soul legend Mavis Staples. They’re backing her in the Letterman appearance with Jeff Tweedy below and did so on her Grammy winning 2010 album. They’ve also played with R.L. Burnside, Bonnie Raitt, and Tom Waits. Given what you can tell about Hernandez’s previous work from his videos and this band’s credentials, the project seems very worthwhile.  

Over half the Kickstarter goal has been reached already, but the rest must be contributed by New Year’s Eve for Hernandez to collect it. That’s how Kickstarter works. You either meet your goal or you have to forfeit your donations. I call them donations, but there are always incentives from a digital download of the album ($10) to house concert ($3,000).  Others include an instrument lesson, limited edition, and a jar of honey from Hernandez's backyard (apparently he keeps bees too). Hernandez calls it the “Turnrow Sessions” because he sees it as a make or break opportunity to further pursue music - or not.

You can read more about the project and contribute to the Kickstarter campaign here. Hernandez describes it as different from his work with Nathan James.

“Different band. Different concepts. More depth in my songwriting. It's also a little higher profile because of the other musicians associations to Mavis Staples and others,” he says.

I’m sure you’d make his holiday if you checked it out. 

Moogfest details promise label showcases, speakers

Asheville's reconfigured Moogfest revealed the initial plans for its five-day April 2014 festival last week. Independent record labels Ghostly International, Warp Records, DFA, RVNG INTL, Fool's Gold, and No. 19 Music's Social Experiment and Driftless Recordings will curate showcases during the April 23-27 festival. The aforementioned labels represent artists such as Battles, !!!, A-Trak, Phantogram, School of Seven Bells, Danny Brown, Flostradamus, Grizzly Bear, Julia Holter, Com Truise, Pillowtalk, Yacht, Brian Eno and Aphex Twin. If you listen to Sirius/XMU often you'll recognize many of those names.

In addition to those curators, Raleigh's Hopscotch Festival, Detroit's Movement Festival, AFROPUNK - a Brooklyn cultural organization, and Austin electronic music retailer and repair space, Switched On will also host showcases as will collaborative group Crew Love.

The nightly live music lineup has not yet been announced, but experimental performance artist and musician Laurie Anderson (pictured above), disco pioneer Giorgio Moroder, film composer Cliff Martinez, and instrument pioneer Roger Linn are among the speakers that will participate in the daytime conference. Over 60 talks, panels, discussions, film screenings and presentations will take place at eight venues over the course of the conference. Music will take place at 10 venues across the city nightly.

This is Moogfest's ninth year. The festival was created to honor pioneering synthesizer inventor Bob Moog, who called Asheville home until his death at age 71 in 2005. The festival features artists to whom Moog's work was essential in creating a futuristic, often experimental sound.

Moogfest parted ways with concert promoter A.C. Entertainment in 2013, in-turn giving Asheville two electronic music-focused festivals. The inaugural Mountain Oasis Festival took place over Halloween weekend - Moogfest's former season, while Moogfest moved to the Spring.

The music lineup, which will feature around 100 acts, is expected to be announced this month. Tickets, which are already on sale, are available here.

NC musicians raise voices in protest on new album

Two days before Thanksgiving a group of North Carolina musicians called the NC Music Love Army released “We Are Not For Sale: Songs of Protest.” The collaboration between Charlotte’s Jon Lindsay and several triangle area musicians like Caitlin Cary, who spearheaded the project with Lindsay, is a direct result of their involvement in Moral Mondays and the direction NC politics have been heading since Governor Pat McCrory took office.

Writing protest songs is no easy task. It can be difficult not to rely on slogans, but the NC Music Army does an impressive job. That job was probably made easier by the fact that the topics are current, relevant, and close to home. This isn’t a guy in New York writing about soldiers in Vietnam. The issues they’re singing about directly concern the area these musicians live in. Many of the songwriters were spending time on the frontline of the movement in Raleigh and even performing their songs there. 

“We Are Not For Sale” starts with the Django Haskins’ song that gives the album its title and actually prompted the project. Cary and Lindsay began talking about what they could do after Haskins (of the Old Ceremony) posted a video for the track online. Lindsay wrote his own response to the NC legislature and he and Cary began asking friends to do so as well. “We Are Not For Sale” is a classic, inspirational protest song that tries to makes its opponents in government accountable.  It covers everything from frakking to jailing protesters to money-hungry politicians. It’s easy to see why it lit the fire.

Although these songs were written simply and quickly with the folk-based tradition of protest music in mind, they cover a lot of ground. Having disparate artists working together makes for an interesting mix of styles and approaches. Some of the tracks hit you over the head. Billy Sugarfix’s “Abraham Lincoln in His Grave” takes a direct, critical approach. There’s no metaphor, much like Country Joe and the Fish's Woodstock sing-along "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag." Sugarfix lays it out there and names names. 

Rapper Shirlette Ammons’ hip-hop duet with Dasan Ahanu “Get Free” and the countrified “North Carolina We’re Better Than This” by Britt Harper Uzzell and Snuzz take a similar direct approach. Lindsay, who grew up the son of a minister, asks “Is This Here What Jesus Would Do?” in his all-star contribution. It raises particularly interesting questions for an opposition that uses religion in its arguments. 

Cary teams with Ammons for “My Body Politic,” which alternates between hip-hop verses and a big, `70s-style sing-along chorus complete with horns. It’s a strange marriage, but it works.

The Carolina Chocolate Drops’ Rhiannon Giddens takes a revival-raising gospel approach with the layered, a cappella “We Rise.” Instead of presenting an argument, it centers on unity and community. It’s a stirring, pro-sisterhood anthem that could lend itself to all sorts of movements. Like “We Rise,” Laurelyn Dosset’s “My Beloved Enemy” and M.C. Taylor and Hiss Golden Messenger’s “Every Knee Shall Bow” extend beyond NC politics. Those songs seem more universal. It’s easy to imagine Dosset's, for instance, closing out an episode of “Sons of Anarchy.”

What “We Are Not For Sale” says to me is that there are still people out there willing to speak out and spend their time and art to try to battle injustice in some form. It also shows that protest music can be good and creative. I enjoy punk rallying cries a la my favorite protest band Naked Aggression, but the people that need to hear those opposing messages don’t always hear them through the shouting.  

The first five songs on the album were recorded in a day at Pershing Hill Studios in Raleigh by 25 or so NC musicians. Those songs were intended for an EP, but the project grew into a 10-track album as interest escalated. The second side features original tunes submitted to the project. Both sides are well done and well produced. There are many more musicians than the ones listed in the liner notes involved in the project (just take a look at the website of the above video). Another release may be in the cards. The group also held a concert in Chapel Hill following the release. I'd love to see that idea expanded on locally. 

“We Are Not For Sale” is available on CD, LP, and digitally. You can learn more about it here. Proceeds benefit Progress NC and Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina.