As the year begins to wind down and we look ahead on the work we have for 2014, all of us at TheBlueIndian.com want to extend our sincere thanks to each of you who have supported us in what marks our fifth year as “Georgia’s Indie Music Hub.” Some of us are newer than others, and we’ve expanded to not only have a close focus on music in Georgia, but to also expose our readers across the globe to the incredible music scenes throughout the Southeast. We asked each of our staff and team of writers to compile a list of their personal favorite releases from 2013 for our year-end features. Since each of us have different preferences, we felt individual lists would be the best way to give maximum exposure to the bands we’ve grown to love. We hope you’ll take the time to listen to these artists and appreciate your feedback. Happy New Year! – TheBlueIndian.com

Katie Flint‘s “Top 13 Albums of 2013”

13. Haim – Days Are Gone

This album took a while to grow on me, and it still needs to grow on me. I understand that the sisters are an entity all their own, but I’m afraid that some of this hype might be because that they are sisters. On the other hand, I’m just mesmerized by girls playing electric guitar and bass, and I’m brought back to when I was five wanting to be a rockstar instead of a princess.

Standouts: “If I Could Change Your Mind”, “My Song 5”, “Go Slow”

12. Royal Teeth – Glow

Glow is a very “feel-good” kind of album, and honestly I felt a lot of nostalgia listening to this album. Maybe it was that it’s a collection of loving songs laced with implicit heartbreak (I listened to that kind of music a lot in high school, I was a hopeless romantic). Whatever it is, I was feeling lots of buried feelings while listening to this album.

Standouts: “Vagabonds”, “Pick Up the Phone”, “Yellow Paper”

11. Tea Leaf Green – In The Wake

Jam bands are the new thing when it comes to musical trends. Though Tea Leaf Green has been playing this kind of music since 2005 out in California. Their west coast style has made a huge impression with their big shows at Terminal West here in Atlanta. I’m interested to see what they have in store in the future.

Standouts: “Penny Saved”, “Two Parts”

10. Junip – Junip

Jose Gonzalez forever has my heart. No, seriously, if he proposed to me I would marry him in a heartbeat. I found Junip’s album while putting together a playlist for my radio show, and it was a relaxing album. I felt at peace when I was listening to it, and I liked that a lot.

Standouts: “Your Life Your Call”, “Line of Fire”, “Head First”

9. Local Natives – Hummingbird

This album is hauntingly sweet to me. I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I do, and it took a few times for my love for it to develop. All of the tracks, separately, are very different and they each showcase something unique. However, when together, they are surprisingly very cohesive. It’s hard to put my finger on what makes them sound so well together, but it does.

Standouts: “You & I”, “Black Balloons”, “Wooly Mammoth”

8. Millionyoung – Variable

Electronic pop is becoming a huge trend nowadays thanks to the EDM movement across the US. However, there’s a fine line between the two. Millionyoung was able to really straddle that line so that both crowds are satisfied. Also, there’s a little bit for the chill, trip-hop crowd, too. Music for everyone!

Standouts: “Reciprocal”, “Nao”, “Everyday”

7. The Head and The Heart – Let’s Be Still

Let’s hear it for the folk movement, y’all. Mumford and Sons paved the way, and now it’s the duty of guys like The Head and The Heart to bring it on home. Being a southern girl at heart, this satisfies the charm I look for in music as well as the rock that I’ve come to know and love. The band as a whole is very talented, and they’re going places. I’m calling it now that they’ll surpass Of Monsters and Men soon, just saying.

Standouts: “Homecoming Heroes”, “Josh McBride”, “Fire/Fear”

6. Moon King – Obsession II

This is the album that I put on when I want to really let off some steam. It’s a garage rock album with enough electro-indie undertones that it’s a sound all its own. Moon King ended up opening for Majical Cloudz when they came to Atlanta in September. Although they are two completely different sounds, Moon King is definitely a force to be reckoned with when it comes to rocking the small stages.

Standouts: “Violence”, “Glass”, “Icarus”

5. Washed Out – Paracosm

This album reminds me of summer, but then again Washed Out creates the best summer anthems out of anyone I listen to (sorry, Lana). The entire album has a sampling of chirping birds that follows each track and its individual atmospheric aura. However, this album is best listened two in its entirety, and in order. Similar to Phoenix’s Bankrupt! the album tells a story on its own.

Standouts: “It All Feels Right”, “Great Escape”

4. of Montreal – lousy with sylvianbriar

There has been a lot of lists and posts with rankings of of Montreal’s albums from worst to best. Although this isn’t The Sunlandic Twins, the troup has brought a lineup of catchy psychadelic tracks that are even better live. of Montreal is not just a band to me, they are an experience. The group brings not only their tracks from years past, as well as new material, to their live shows. Confetti, films and lizard people take the stage as sideshows during their performance.

Standouts: “Obsidian Currents”, “Raindrop in My Skull”, “Fugitive Air”

3. The National – Trouble Will Find Me

This one was kind of a given. I’ve listened to this album probably more than my most listened tracks [of all time] on iTunes only in a few months. The National has become progressively better in the past few years, and this album can be considered their magnum opus, but chances are they’ll surprise us with something even better. Calling it now.

Standouts: “I Should Live in Salt”, “Sea of Love”, “Graceless”

2. Bonobo – The North Borders

I have recently graduated from college, and whenever the senioritis really kicked in, I would put on this album. This album was the perfect combination of upbeat but still calm. Bonobo had recently came up on my radar this year, but his presence has been pretty prominent since his arrival. I’m really interested to see what Bonobo will do next.

Standouts: “Cirrus”, “Sapphire”, “Towers”

1. Majical Cloudz – Impersonator

I saw this duo in Atlanta a couple of months ago. After interviewing Devon Welsh for an internship, I was originally thinking that the show would be an introverted, reserved kind of performance. Although he seemed softspoken, his emotion comes out in his music beautifully. Grimes and Lorde both take a like to “I Do Sing for You” which is a gorgeous slow song.

Standouts: “Mister”, “Turns Turns Turns”, “I Do Sing For You”