Hello, all. We’ve nearly reached the end of another year, which means that after scrambling to write a novel in November (I did it! I did!), I must now throw the fiction aside and pretend it doesn’t exist until I can critique it. Fortunately December is all about compiling lists, so I can distract myself accordingly.

2013 was a year that brought a lot of albums, a lot of great albums, but not a ton of them rocked me to my bones. I assume most of my blog readers are people who know me and my tastes pretty well, so you may be surprised that some established favorites did not make it on my list this year. That’s right, guys: work harder.

First, my simple standards. All of the albums I include are LPs, not singles or EPs. They were released in 2013, not pushed out at the end of 2012 and thus left off other people’s lists (as I was very much anti-year end list last year, but oh well, people change/get bored)/feel entitled to opinions). And that’s it. Ready?

10. The Strypes – Snapshot

You know that scene in Back to the Future at the dance when Marty takes the guitar and shreds the hell out of “Johnny B. Goode,” startling the entire audience into a thoroughly rocked stupor? That’s how I feel about The Strypes. They’re old-fashioned, blues infused rock…which is pretty impressive since I have about a decade on the band members. They have addictive guitar solos. They have catchy, fun lyrics. This is true talent surging forward without pretension or hype, and I hope these lads go far. Is this even out in America? I have no clue. Get an import if not, because these guys are destined to blow up.