Chorizo Garbanzo’s Favourite Things from 2013

Just a couple of days left before we say “arrividerci” to 2013 so it’s time to share with you my favourite things from the year.

Top 25 albums:

The first 5 on the list are my top 5, the rest are in no particular order.
The ones in red were featured in my “best of 2013” podcast.

Clash the Truth – Beach Fossils (Facebook page)
Dear Mark J Mulcahy I Love You – Mark Mulcahy (website)
Hard On – New Science Projects (website)
Afraid of Heights – Wavves (website)
Any Port in a Storm – Scott & Charlene’s Wedding (website)

Folly – Kitchens of Distinction (website)
Ripely Pine – Lady Lamb the Beekeeper (website)
Apocalipstick – Witchboy (free album download)
Understated – Edwyn Collins (website) (our review)
Partygoing – Future Bible Heroes (website)
Nothin is Easy – Ephemerals (“name your price” download)
The Stand In – Caitlin Rose (website)
Otto – Niagara (website)
Rule of Twelfths – Fuzzy Lights (website)
Wise Up Ghost (especially the remix EP) – Elvis Costello & The Roots
Dancing – Nancy Elizabeth (website)
Rewind the Film – Manic Street Preachers (website)
Rock & Roll Animals – Luke Haines (website) (our review)
6 feet Beneath the Moon – King Krule (website)
Revolutionary Suicide – Julian Cope (website)
Silver Delirium – vo§uru (free album download)
Hokey Fright – The Uncluded (Facebook)
Reflektor – Arcade Fire (website)
Pale Green Ghosts – John Grant (website) (our review)
Wilderness – The Handsome Family (website)
Wonderful, Glorious – Eels (website) (our review)

Best Compilations:

A 2 way tie between:

The Rising Cost of Livin’ High and Lovin’ Hard: A Tribute to Kris Kristofferson on PIAPTK Records. You can buy it here and you really should. We played Golden Boots’ song from this album on our podcast number 9.

Nightfly Volume 3, a “name your price” download from the Fly By Night Collective. 35 tracks of fantastic instrumental beats. The Neat Beats track we played on my “best of 2013” podcast came from this album.

Best gigs of the year:

1. Bruce Springsteen – Ricoh Arena, Coventry 20/6/13 review                                    Bruce played 130-something gigs on the Wrecking Ball tour. He played the Born to Run album in full at just 6 of those gigs and I’ will go to my grave being grateful that I was at one of those!
2. Chuck Prophet – The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge, 27/4/13     review
3. World Party – RNCM, Manchester 15/4/13 review
4. The Wedding Present – Academy 2, Liverpool 29/10/13 blog post
5. Scott & Charlene’s Wedding – Shipping Forecast, Liverpool 7/8/13 review
6. Lambchop – The Kazimier, Liverpool 25/6/13     review

Best films:

It seems that the older I get, the more films disappoint me. All I want these days is to see something a bit different so I find myself increasingly drawn away from the mainstream. This cynicism about Hollywood’s output combined with the fact that I have 2 pre-school kids means that I’ve only been to the cinema 3 times this year.

Two of those were with Chorizo Junior and we saw Planes (like Cars but not as good) and Turbo (quite good actually, especially the Samuel L Jackson snail).

The only other film I’ve seen was the new Hobbit one, The Desolation of Smaug which was brilliant so by default that becomes my favourite new film of 2013.

But the best film I’ve seen this year is a Japanese film called Fish Story that tells the tale of how a punk rock song saves the world. It’s shown on Film 4 from time to time, usually very late at night, so look out for that.

Happy New Year everyone!

Related articles

• Kicker of Elves’ Favourite Things from 2013 (trustthewizards.com)
• Podcast number 18: Chorizo’s best of 2013 (trustthewizards.com)
• Podcast number 17: Kicker’s best of 2013 (trustthewizards.com)