I've only listened to four 2013 albums in full this year as well, but ranking things is fun so let's go:
4. Yo La Tengo - Fade
It probably says a lot that I'd nearly forgotten this album by the time it came to write this list, but that does it an awful lot of disservice. It may not be as flashy or as 'unique' as the albums below, but it does what it does extraordinarily well. Though I haven't listened to it as much as I probably should have, I could easily see myself not really getting tired of
Fade at all.
3. Kanye West - Yeezus
I was tempted to rank this lower than
Fade simply because the stuff on here that doesn't work reeeeeeally doesn't work. But, then again, the stuff that does absolutely soars. Tracks like 'Black Skinhead', 'Blood on the Leaves', though lyrically vapid and possibly offensive, just sound amazing to listen to! I completely agree with Fire Fly as to the level of insanity of the production values. In the songs that I don't like as much, I could just listen to them without West's words and feel an inordinate amount of happiness.
2. The National - Trouble Will Find Me
I only really got into The National towards the beginning of this year, and listening to their 2007 album,
Boxer.
High Violet beforehand had done absolutely nothing for me, but maybe it was just a case of me not 'getting' them until I was slightly older. Whatever it was,
Trouble Will Find Me finds them hitting my musical sweet spot over and over again. The baritone vocals, the pianos, the gentle harmonies: it's aaaaaall good!
1. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
I really did not like Vampire Weekend before listening to this album, and from what I've read, this is a massive departure from their previous work. Moreso than any of the albums on this list, it feels not only a collection of great songs, but a cohesive unit in its own right. This feels like a true album: it has ebbs and flows and all of the songs sound great and distinctive in their own way. I'll be surprised if I listen to a better album this year, if I'm being completely honest.
This is quite an unusual selection for me in that it's a complete sausagefest. For the past two years, I've normally liked female-driven albums more... interesting! :D