The "This Night Has Changed My Life Award" goes to:
NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS LIVE AT THE FONDA THEATRE 2/21/13
DANNY SAYS: "An incredible night of music from all eras of Nick Cave. Even included a children's choir!"
The "Best Soundtrack for Finding Your Spirit Animal Award" goes to:
JIM JAMES - REGIONS OF LIGHT AND SOUND OF GOD
DAVID SAYS: "I felt like I was at home with this record, and just wanted to get back to it… it's a pretty rare sensation these days."
Buy it here.
The "I Think They Serve Spirit Animal Here Award" goes to:
ANIMAL, LA
Photo by Cathy DanhDAVID SAYS: "Still the best, most original dishes and combinations of flavors I’ve tasted in a long time."
The "Print Ain't Dead Yet Award" goes to:
JIMMY MCDONOUGH - SHAKEY: NEIL YOUNG'S BIOGRAPHY
Buy it here.
The "I'm Crying. I'm Crying. Award" goes to:
BAD LIP READING - MEDIEVAL LAND FUN-TIME WORLD EXTENDED TRAILER
TODDRICK SAYS: "I don't think I've laughed harder this year. I was literally crying in my office while watching this from laughing so hard. Completely brilliant and spot on. Medieval Land Fun-Time World even nudged "Everything Louis CK Ever" out of the top spot as my favorite comedy thing of the year. Face lick."
The "Kevin Hart Award" goes to:
THE REAL HUSBANDS OF HOLLYWOOD
DANNY SAYS: "For real, watch this show. Kevin Hart is a genius."
The "Did He Just Kill That Dog In The First Five Minutes? Award" goes to:
HOUSE OF CARDS SEASON ONE
DAVID SAYS: "Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright reinvent the idea of manipulation and you never get tired of their calculated chemistry."
The "Over and Over and Over Award" goes to:
NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS - JUBILEE STREET
TODDRICK SAYS: "In a year absolutely chock full of great music (for proof check out tunes from Marissa Anderson, Son Lux, Big Data, Raw Geronimo, Palma Violets, Jonathan Wilson etc etc etc) - the song I just could not stop listening to (and often on several repeats) is this amazingly rich and rewarding track from the latest Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds album "Push The Sky Away" - which also happens to be my favorite album of the year. Too good."
Buy it here.
The "Best Album to Listen To Whilst Reading the Latest MOJO and Drinking Tea" award goes to:
LAURA MARLING - ONCE I WAS AN EAGLE
MARISSA SAYS: "Nostalgic, stark, honest, cinematic, and ethereal. With so much noise in the universe, it's nice to hear a fully realized album that can cut through all the clutter with a whisper instead of a sledgehammer. For such a young soul, she's a helluva storyteller, and an incredibly gifted songwriter."
Buy it here.
The "This Meal Has Warmed My Soul Award" goes to:
THE BLUE RIBBON, NYC
(Photo by Steve Hill, Mens Journal)MARISSA SAYS: "Dark was the night, cold was the ground on this stormy winter's eve in NYC. I tucked into a warm and cozy bistro, where the good folks inside kindly served me up some of their finest fried chicken. It saved me."
The "Depressing Power of Cinema Award" goes to:
ASGHAR FARHADI - THE PAST
The "What Sophomore Slump? Award" goes to:
PORTUGAL. THE MAN - EVIL FRIENDS
DANNY SAYS: "It's perfect. A beautiful album full of emotional moments and amazing production."
Buy it here.
The "Imma Let You Finish But This Was The Most Exciting Hip Hop Project Toddrick Heard At SXSW Award" goes to:
YOUNG FATHERS LIVE AT THE ANTICON SXSW SHOWCASE - THE MOHAWK 3/13/13
(Photo by Joshua Brasted, Anticon)TODDRICK SAYS: "I left Young Fathers SXSW showcase electrified and convinced I'd just seen a glimpse of the new wave. It was the defining show of the festival for me and a definite 'I was there' moment. No between song banter - I don't think they acknowledged the audience once. No smiles. They came to cut throats and they destroyed, dropped the mics, and walked off stage."
The "This Dish Just Blew My Mind Award" goes to:
SON OF A GUN, LA
(Photo via lagroveliving.com)DANNY SAYS: "Two words: Shrimp. Toast."
The "See? How Hard Was That, JJ Abrams & Damon Lindelhoff?? Award" goes to:
THE FINALE OF BREAKING BAD
The "Internet Is An Awesome Place Award" goes to:
BRYAN RAY TURCOTTE & BO BUSHNELL - THE ART OF PUNK SERIES
TODDRICK SAYS: "As a massive fan of punk and graphic design, I found Bryan Ray Turcotte and Bo Bushnell's series of documentary shorts on MOCAtv exhilarating. Informative and entertaining, stylish and a blast to watch. I'm hoping for more to come in 2014."
The "I Didn't Have Anything Better To Do That Night But Now I'm Obsessed Award" goes to:
LAURA MVULU LIVE AT THE WILTERN 9/17/13
DAVID SAYS: "I didn’t listen much to the album and went to the show without special expectations but was completely mesmerized by her stage personae and the world she brings onstage - enchanting and emotional without ever being cheesy."
The "Forgot I Was At An Industry Showcase Transcendence Award" goes to:
ANNA CALVI LIVE AT THE HOTEL CAFE 11/14/13
MARISSA SAYS: "Wow. What an intimate, glorious, powerful, transcendent, and passionate performance. For such a teeny showcase, she really poured her everything into it. Getting to see her live was a revelation, and I left feeling transformed. She's also one of the greatest guitar players, dead or alive, I've ever seen."
The "Toddrick Discovers What May Be His Favorite Album of All Time" award goes to:
NINA SIMONE - JAZZ AS PLAYED IN AN EXCLUSIVE SIDE STREET CLUB aka LITTLE GIRL BLUE
TODDRICK SAYS: "The best album I heard in 2013 was released in 1958. While visiting my grandmother in Highland Park, IL over the Thanksgiving holiday I was flipping through her records and found this gem. I had never listened to this record before and was completely moved by how beautiful and simple it is. Perfection. I immediately ordered a copy and it lives on my turntable permanently now (my apologies to all other records ever.) The perfect soundtrack to the season and to every morning for the rest of my life."
...and finally The "Greatest Thing That Happened Ever in 2013 and Will Go Down As One Of The Greatest Moments Of All Time Award" goes to (drumroll please):
A NEW EXUM
DANNY SAYS: "Hands down, the best moment of 2013 was finding out we are having a little girl!"
Well that wraps up this year's awards. From all of us at High Bias - here's wishing you a killer 2014!
