…Like Clockwork (Queens of the Stone Age)

…Like Clockwork
Queens of the Stone Age (2013)

Top Tracks: “My God is the Sun”, “If I Had a Tail”, “Smooth Sailing”

While Songs for the Deaf may be my favorite QOTSA album, this one is super close. This was their sixth album, and Josh Homme has never shied from going with the flow of his need to evolve as a songwriter and performer, which in my book is often the hallmark of an admirable creative wellspring. The version of QOTSA that was assembled for this album has ended up being the most steady; seven years later, the lineup remains unchanged (May 2020).

II (Unknown Mortal Orchestra)

II
Unknown Mortal Orchestra (2013)

Top Tracks: "From the Sun”, "Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark)”, "So Good at Being in Trouble”

I discovered UMO through the song "Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark)”, but not via the album it’s on. I was digging through various indie compilations on a Saturday morning and came across this tune and it hit me like a blast of cool air on a miserably hot day. Refreshing and interesting, this was one of the songs that spurred my previously long-formant interest in new indie music, and after I went and got the II album, I found the whole thing to be brilliant and always re-listenable. I've been a fan ever since (May 2020).