Yesterday I revealed #50 - #26 on my "Best Songs of 2012" list, and today it's time to reveal #25 - #1.
Like yesterday, I realized that some record labels don't want me to embed their music via YouTube, so I've decided to use Spotify more often. You can download it for free from their site.
#25
Frank Ocean – Super Rich Kids
#24
Torche – Roaming
#23
Sea Wolf – Dear Fellow Traveler
#22
The Avett Brothers – I Never Knew You
#21
Danny! – Myintrotoletuknow
#20 - #1 are revealed after the jump.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Best Songs of 2012: #50 - #26
I've told you what I thought were the best albums of 2012, and now it's time to tell you about the 50 best songs of 2012. I'm going to do my best to embed links to the songs in each post, but if I can't do so, a link will be provided to the song on YouTube (or, failing that, Spotify).
Edit: Because some record labels don't want anyone embedding their music, I've been forced to use Spotify more than I'd intended to. The program is free to download from their site though, and I highly recommend it.
Edit: Because some record labels don't want anyone embedding their music, I've been forced to use Spotify more than I'd intended to. The program is free to download from their site though, and I highly recommend it.
#50
Carolina Chocolate Drops - Leaving Eden
#49
Rufus Wainwright - Out of the Game
#48
White Arrows - Roll Forever
#47
Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again
#46
Lupe Fiasco - Bitch Bad
Due to the sheer size of this post, the rest of the list continues after the jump.
Due to the sheer size of this post, the rest of the list continues after the jump.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Best Albums of 2012: #10 - #1
And so we come to the top 10 albums that I listened to last year. Just to get it out of the way, there's no Frank Ocean and no Kendrick Lamar. Their albums were good, but I didn't think they were fantastic.
Listen on Spotify
Koi No Yokan is easily the best album that Deftones has ever put out. It's an album that is full of chunky riffs, but it still manages to maintain the atmosphere that Deftones has always been known for. Chino Moreno's vocals set up the ambience of the album, while the rest of the band lays down the riffs that carry you through the landscape. What really makes the album shine is the production quality. Never once does the music become muddy, even though it sounds like it really wants to at times. Recommended tracks: Poltergeist, Entombed, Romantic Dreams
"Fear Fun" feels almost like Father John Misty's resume. He covers so many genres and styles in his "debut" album (it's Josh Tillman's first album using the Father John Misty name) that it seems almost too hectic and too hard to follow. It's this fragmented feel that makes the album really shine. So many artists are content to play it safe, and sane, on albums these days, but Father John Misty isn't afraid to reveal the workings of his seemingly drug-addled mind to the public. Simply put, the album is fun, and that's all I want from an album sometimes. Recommended tracks: Funtimes in Babylon, Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings
Listen on Spotify
This album might have been the biggest statement made by a band in 2012. Cloud Nothings was known as a power pop band before, but with the release of "Attack On Memory", that image has been shed. Cloud Nothings have picked up the torch left by bands like Nirvana at the emergence of grunge. They play music fast, loose, loud, and angry. Dylan Baldi's screams are flooded with emotion, and the music is just as intense. Cloud Nothings got their hands dirty with this record, and I hope they don't wash them before their next one. Recommended tracks: Fall In, Separation
Listen on Spotify
GY!BE's first studio album in ten years is a remarkable example of what post-rock is all about. I feel that this one album encompasses everything that Godspeed You! is about. Music that oozes its way into your head with slow, driving rhythms and overcomes you with noise. It's not an album that is meant to be listened to while you mindlessly browse the internet, and it's probably not a good album to listen to on a long drive either. What you need to do is sit down, strap on some headphones, and just get lost in it. Recommended tracks: Mladic, We Drift Like Worried Fire
Listen on Spotify
Threads was destined to be in my top 10 list from the very start. There's something about how the album is put together that makes it hard not to listen to from start to finish every time I listen to it. It's an album that speaks of many types of love. Love that is sometimes unrequited, sometimes jealous, and sometimes honest. Cacie Dalager's voice is a perfect fit for the themes on display here; her vocals come off as wistful, and they're sung with genuine emotion. Now, Now doesn't try to reach for the stars on "Threads", but somehow they managed to get there anyway. Recommended tracks: Lucie, Too, Wolf
Listen on Spotify
The first thing you hear on this album is the sound of fireworks lighting up the sky. What follows is 35 minutes of music more explosive than any firework. It's loud and it's raucous. "Celebration Rock" conjures images of blasting down the interstate with your friends just after graduating from high-school (or college). Those days where late night bonfire parties led to mid-afternoon hangovers. Quite an apt-title, then, when you see this album as a celebration of living. It's an album that tells you to not take anything for granted, and to live life every single day. I can't think of an album released last year that said, "We're here to play the music we want to play, and fuck you if you're not ok with that" any better than what Japandroids put out in "Celebration Rock". Recommended tracks: Fire's Highway, The House That Heaven Built, Continuous Thunder
Listen on Spotify
Claire Boucher has, in my opinion, set a new standard for pop music with "Visions". While listening to the album, it's hard not to fall in love with what she's produced. Her voice is light, airy, and incredibly pleasant to listen to. A lot of her lyrics are indecipherable, due to a slight lisp and lack of enunciation, but I really don't care because her vocals are just so damned enjoyable. The instrumentals could be described as minimalist most of the time, but there are some tracks with relatively complex arrangements. The lack of "oomph" in some songs doesn't bother me though; the production level is nearly perfect and that makes this album listenable from start to finish. A lot of critic have said it, but I'm going to repeat it here: Grimes is the future of pop music. Recommended tracks: Genesis, Oblivion, Vowels = Space Time
_____________________________________________________________________________________
So there you have it, my top 30 albums of 2012. If you want to listen to these albums in a Spotify playlist, click this link. Coming up next: my top 50 songs of 2012
And so, without any further delay, may I present to you...my top 10 albums of 2012!
#10
Purity Ring - Shrines
The instrumentals on Purity Ring's debut album are slightly above average at best, and a couple of tracks fall into "forgettable" territory because of them. So why is this album sitting at #10 on my list? Because Megan James's vocals and lyrics are just that good. Her voice is pleasant to listen to on every song, and the overall production shines. The lyrics are what make this album extra special though, which I consider an impressive feat for a synth-pop album. If this was their debut, I can't want to see what comes next. Recommended tacks: Fineshrine, Ungirthed
#9
Deftones - Koi No Yokan
Koi No Yokan is easily the best album that Deftones has ever put out. It's an album that is full of chunky riffs, but it still manages to maintain the atmosphere that Deftones has always been known for. Chino Moreno's vocals set up the ambience of the album, while the rest of the band lays down the riffs that carry you through the landscape. What really makes the album shine is the production quality. Never once does the music become muddy, even though it sounds like it really wants to at times. Recommended tracks: Poltergeist, Entombed, Romantic Dreams
#8
Kishi Bashi - 151a
If Kishi Bashi had released the first four tracks of "151a" as an EP, it would have been the best release of 2012. Those opening tracks are magical. Each one is great of example of how eclectic arrangements and uplifting lyrics can really make a song stand out. That magic soon ends though, and what we're left with is an album that is very good, but relatively forgettable. Still, those opening four tracks are strong enough to push the album into the top 10. Recommended tracks: Manchester, Bright Whites, It All Began With a Burst
#7
Father John Misty - Fear Fun
"Fear Fun" feels almost like Father John Misty's resume. He covers so many genres and styles in his "debut" album (it's Josh Tillman's first album using the Father John Misty name) that it seems almost too hectic and too hard to follow. It's this fragmented feel that makes the album really shine. So many artists are content to play it safe, and sane, on albums these days, but Father John Misty isn't afraid to reveal the workings of his seemingly drug-addled mind to the public. Simply put, the album is fun, and that's all I want from an album sometimes. Recommended tracks: Funtimes in Babylon, Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings
#6
Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory
This album might have been the biggest statement made by a band in 2012. Cloud Nothings was known as a power pop band before, but with the release of "Attack On Memory", that image has been shed. Cloud Nothings have picked up the torch left by bands like Nirvana at the emergence of grunge. They play music fast, loose, loud, and angry. Dylan Baldi's screams are flooded with emotion, and the music is just as intense. Cloud Nothings got their hands dirty with this record, and I hope they don't wash them before their next one. Recommended tracks: Fall In, Separation
#5
Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel...
I'm going to come clean -- I haven't listened to Fiona Apple since her late-90s single "Criminal", so I'm not really sure what she's done musically between then and now. What I do know, is that "The Idler Wheel..." (no, I'm not putting the entire title here) is a great piece of avant-garde pop music. Strange instrumentation, bizarre arrangements, and a voice that can be creaky at times is the standard here, and yet there's a beautiful melody riding the undercurrent of every song. I can't say I'll return to this album too often, but when I do, I'll enjoy every minute of it. Recommended tracks: Jonathan, Hot Knife
#4
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
GY!BE's first studio album in ten years is a remarkable example of what post-rock is all about. I feel that this one album encompasses everything that Godspeed You! is about. Music that oozes its way into your head with slow, driving rhythms and overcomes you with noise. It's not an album that is meant to be listened to while you mindlessly browse the internet, and it's probably not a good album to listen to on a long drive either. What you need to do is sit down, strap on some headphones, and just get lost in it. Recommended tracks: Mladic, We Drift Like Worried Fire
#3
Now, Now - Threads
Threads was destined to be in my top 10 list from the very start. There's something about how the album is put together that makes it hard not to listen to from start to finish every time I listen to it. It's an album that speaks of many types of love. Love that is sometimes unrequited, sometimes jealous, and sometimes honest. Cacie Dalager's voice is a perfect fit for the themes on display here; her vocals come off as wistful, and they're sung with genuine emotion. Now, Now doesn't try to reach for the stars on "Threads", but somehow they managed to get there anyway. Recommended tracks: Lucie, Too, Wolf
#2
Japandroids - Celebration Rock
Listen on SpotifyThe first thing you hear on this album is the sound of fireworks lighting up the sky. What follows is 35 minutes of music more explosive than any firework. It's loud and it's raucous. "Celebration Rock" conjures images of blasting down the interstate with your friends just after graduating from high-school (or college). Those days where late night bonfire parties led to mid-afternoon hangovers. Quite an apt-title, then, when you see this album as a celebration of living. It's an album that tells you to not take anything for granted, and to live life every single day. I can't think of an album released last year that said, "We're here to play the music we want to play, and fuck you if you're not ok with that" any better than what Japandroids put out in "Celebration Rock". Recommended tracks: Fire's Highway, The House That Heaven Built, Continuous Thunder
#1
Grimes - Visions
Listen on SpotifyClaire Boucher has, in my opinion, set a new standard for pop music with "Visions". While listening to the album, it's hard not to fall in love with what she's produced. Her voice is light, airy, and incredibly pleasant to listen to. A lot of her lyrics are indecipherable, due to a slight lisp and lack of enunciation, but I really don't care because her vocals are just so damned enjoyable. The instrumentals could be described as minimalist most of the time, but there are some tracks with relatively complex arrangements. The lack of "oomph" in some songs doesn't bother me though; the production level is nearly perfect and that makes this album listenable from start to finish. A lot of critic have said it, but I'm going to repeat it here: Grimes is the future of pop music. Recommended tracks: Genesis, Oblivion, Vowels = Space Time
_____________________________________________________________________________________
So there you have it, my top 30 albums of 2012. If you want to listen to these albums in a Spotify playlist, click this link. Coming up next: my top 50 songs of 2012
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Best Albums of 2012: #20 - #11
Note: After listening to the albums again, I decided to bump Grizzly Bear to #20.
Click here to see #30 - #21, including the new addition of Harmonicraft by Torche at #23.
Click here to see #30 - #21, including the new addition of Harmonicraft by Torche at #23.
#20
Grizzly Bear - Shields
Like Damien Jurado, Grizzly Bear channels that wonderful 70s sound on their newest album. Unlike Jurado, the album explodes right out of the gate. Their vocal harmonies ring clear over the fuzzy rhythm guitar, powerful percussion, and bright, acoustic leads. There's even some synth elements that create a slight experimental sound on a few tracks. What this all adds up to is an album that is wonderfully put together and one that is hard to ignore. Recommended tracks: Sleeping Ute, Yet Again
#19
High on Fire – De Vermis Mysteriis
The best metal release of 2012 comes to you courtesy of
California’s High on Fire. It’s an album that makes you feel like you’re
running through shards of broken glass at high speed one moment, and then slowly
wading through a mud-filled swamp the next. This album is tiring, brutal, and when you’re
done you want to dive right back into it. Recommended tracks: Fertile Green, SpiritualRights
#18
Perfume Genius – Put Your Back N 2 It
Ignore that album title. I know you’re thinking of skipping
this album because of it. Trust me, if you did skip over this, you’d miss out on a great album. Mike Hadreas’s wavering voice and slow piano lead you
through most of the album’s 32 minute run-time. While Hadreas
occasionally breaks into more robust compositions, the album is otherwise a great
example of minimalism in music. Put Your Back N 2 It is over far too soon, but
it leaves a lasting impression. Recommended tracks: No Tear, Normal Song
#17
Sigur Rós – Valtari
I’m going to come right out and say that this album might
not be for everyone. Sigur Rós is an acquired taste. If you’re willing to listen to something new, however, you’d do well to give Valtari a try. There’s not many bands better at this style of ambient post-rock music than Sigur Rós. Valtari is a
haunting, almost ephemeral album, and it’s one of the best forms of escapism I
know. When listening to Valtari, I’m transported to a rocky, fogged over
coastline somewhere in northern Europe. Join me there, won’t you?
Recommended tracks: None, just listen to the entire album. Trust me.
#16
Converge - All We Love We Leave Behind
Converge returned in 2012 with their first studio album
since 2009's Axe to Fall, and what a welcome return it is. With All We Love, Converge shows that they're still a
force to be reckoned with amongst the ever-expanding hardcore/post-hardcore scene
that they helped to create. The album shows that harsh vocals and blazing speed
are still welcome in those genres. Here’s hoping it won’t be another three
years before we hear from Converge again. Recommended tracks: Aimless Arrow, NoLight Escapes
Listen on Spotify
Transcendental Youth is a collection of short stories. Each one's main character (or characters) is an outcast in society, and their stories are told through somber and bouncy tunes alike. There's a couple of songs here that will stay in your head for a while. It's become one of my favorite albums with a story to tell, and it's an album I'm sure I'll return to quite often in the future. Recommended tracks: Lakeside View Apartments Suite, The Diaz Brothers, White Cedar
Listen on Spotify
If you have an R&B itch, this album will scratch it. It's strange hearing such soulful lyrics over a modern "indie" electronic soundtrack, but Tom Krell makes it work. The lyrics speak personally, and show that Krell's struggled through some things in his life, depression especially. This is the direction I'd like to see this genre take. Less focused on standard pop content, while still maintaining the infectiousness inherent in the genre. Recommended tracks: Cold Nites, Set It Right
Listen on Spotify
Sharon Van Etten reminds me of Laura Marling, which is a wonderful thing. Simple yet moving music whose roots are set firmly in folk standards. Lyrics that tell stories of triumph and heartbreak, and a voice that can carry the burden of both. Tramp is an album that you want to put on when you're feeling down and need to know that you're not alone in feeling that way. Recommended tracks: Kevin's, We Are Fine
Listen on Spotify
Dream pop, the genre wave that seems to be ridden by more and more acts every year, has a champion in Beach House. While Bloom isn't as "brave" as their last album, it's better in almost every other way. The duo's newest album helps listeners soar above the clouds, bouncing along to its cheerful-yet-subdued sound and only returning to earth when the album's last note stops. It's an album that's easy to get lost in, and one that makes you never want to be found. Recommended tracks: Myth, On the Sea
Listen on Spotify
Oh man, this album. I usually try not to love things because they make me nostalgic, but this album hit me hard. It brought back memories of late 90s pop-punk throughout the album's first few tracks, but as the album moves on it becomes a somber alternative, almost post-grunge, rock album. The Menzingers slow things down and tell a story worth paying attention to, but they sacrifice almost none of the energy that the album opens with. On the Impossible Past is my teenage years rolled up into one album, and for that reason alone, I love it. Recommended tracks: Gates, The Obituaries, Sun Hotel
#15
The Mountain Goats - Transcendental Youth
Transcendental Youth is a collection of short stories. Each one's main character (or characters) is an outcast in society, and their stories are told through somber and bouncy tunes alike. There's a couple of songs here that will stay in your head for a while. It's become one of my favorite albums with a story to tell, and it's an album I'm sure I'll return to quite often in the future. Recommended tracks: Lakeside View Apartments Suite, The Diaz Brothers, White Cedar
#14
How To Dress Well - Total Loss
If you have an R&B itch, this album will scratch it. It's strange hearing such soulful lyrics over a modern "indie" electronic soundtrack, but Tom Krell makes it work. The lyrics speak personally, and show that Krell's struggled through some things in his life, depression especially. This is the direction I'd like to see this genre take. Less focused on standard pop content, while still maintaining the infectiousness inherent in the genre. Recommended tracks: Cold Nites, Set It Right
#13
Sharon Van Etten - Tramp
Sharon Van Etten reminds me of Laura Marling, which is a wonderful thing. Simple yet moving music whose roots are set firmly in folk standards. Lyrics that tell stories of triumph and heartbreak, and a voice that can carry the burden of both. Tramp is an album that you want to put on when you're feeling down and need to know that you're not alone in feeling that way. Recommended tracks: Kevin's, We Are Fine
#12
Beach House - Bloom
Dream pop, the genre wave that seems to be ridden by more and more acts every year, has a champion in Beach House. While Bloom isn't as "brave" as their last album, it's better in almost every other way. The duo's newest album helps listeners soar above the clouds, bouncing along to its cheerful-yet-subdued sound and only returning to earth when the album's last note stops. It's an album that's easy to get lost in, and one that makes you never want to be found. Recommended tracks: Myth, On the Sea
#11
The Menzingers - On the Impossible Past
Oh man, this album. I usually try not to love things because they make me nostalgic, but this album hit me hard. It brought back memories of late 90s pop-punk throughout the album's first few tracks, but as the album moves on it becomes a somber alternative, almost post-grunge, rock album. The Menzingers slow things down and tell a story worth paying attention to, but they sacrifice almost none of the energy that the album opens with. On the Impossible Past is my teenage years rolled up into one album, and for that reason alone, I love it. Recommended tracks: Gates, The Obituaries, Sun Hotel
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Best Albums of 2012: #30 - #21
#30
Silversun Pickups - Neck of the Woods
Listen on Spotify#29
Damien Jurado - Maraqopa
Listen on Spotify
Damien Jurado's 12th full-length album came out early in 2012, and it sort of unknowingly set the tone for a lot of the albums that would follow. Music that wears its inspiration on its sleeve. Inspired by the slightly psychedelic folk & soul music from the 70s, Maraqopa updates that laid-back, easy-going sound for a modern audience. It's easy to close your eyes and get lost in the echo and the warmth that comes out of every song. Recommended tracks: Life Away From the Garden, Maraqopa
#28
Bobby Womack - The Bravest Man In the Universe
Bobby Womack teamed up with Damon Albarn (of Blur & Gorillaz fame) to release his first studio album in 13 years. Albarn used his knack for creating catchy electronic/hip-hop hooks and samples to lay down the base for Womack's stellar voice to soar above. It's one of the most creative albums I've heard in a long time, and while some people questioned the decision to have Albarn produce, I can't imagine a better person for Womack to have worked with. Recommended tracks: The Bravest Man In the Universe, If There Wasn't Something There
#27
Soulsavers - The Light the Dead See
The best band I can compare Soulsavers too is Savatage. Whether you know who Savatage are or not, all you need to know is that Soulsavers has re-ignited the old torch of symphonic and orchestral progressive rock, and they're not even a rock band. Soulsavers is an electronic production team based out of England, and Dave Gahan from Depeche Mode joined them to perform lead vocals on this album. Slow, atmospheric, gloomy, and oh so very good. Recommended tracks: Longest Day, Presence of God
#26
Earth - Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 2
This album is everything I like about drone metal, and almost nothing I hate about it. Earth has a great ear for melody and composition, and while the album clocks in at 46 minutes over 5 tracks, it isn't a chore to listen to. Unlike some other drone albums there isn't any point where I feel like I'm being tortured while listening to it. Granted, that may actually turn some people off of the album, but hey, different strokes. Recommended tracks: None (mostly because you need to listen to this album from start to finish).
#25
Bill Ryder-Jones - If…
Ok, so this album came WAY out of left field last year. It's essentially a movie score without a movie to go along with. Beautiful orchestration and wonderful composition combine to create easily the best classical album I listened to last year. It's not something that you can listen to all the time, but when you're in the mood for modern classical music it's hard to recommend anything other than If…. Recommended tracks: The Flowers #3 (Lotus)
#24
First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar
This duo came to my attention when their cover for Fleet Foxes' "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" hit YouTube. It was obvious that they could re-create great music, but I really wanted to hear what original work they could compose. "The Lion's Roar" proves that these girls have a knack for solid songwriting. While the songs aren't overly complex, they speak to the basics of folk music that make the genre one of my favorites. Come for the beautiful vocal harmonies; stay for the stories that they tell. Recommended tracks: Emmylou, To a Poet, The Lion's Roar
#23
Torche - Harmonicraft
Listen on SpotifyWhile this album can sort of lose itself at times as the sludge rises a bit too high, it's got enough high points to pull you up-and-out of the mire. Those high points represent the parts of the album more focused on melodies than droning, and I prefer that sound from this band. It's an enjoyable listen most of the time, but nothing about it really stands out enough to push it any higher than #23 on my list. Recommended tracks: Kicking, Roaming, Skin Moth
#22
Allo Darlin' - Europe
Jangly indie pop (or twee pop) from England. Very catchy, very bouncy, and almost impossible to listen to with a frown. Allo Darlin' fits right in with bands like Camera Obscura, Belle & Sebastian, and Rilo Kiley. There's really not much else to say, so go and listen to this album right now. It'll make you smile. Recommended tracks: Capricornia, Tallulah, My Sweet Friend
#21
Crystal Castles - (III)
Listen on SpotifyThe first experimental electronic album on my list is a doozy. This is a genre that I used to avoid like the plague, but 2012's releases really made me change my opinion on it. Crystal Castle's third album is a dark and moody piece of music. Most of the time it's not a happy listen, and it honestly can be a bit draining if you listen to it in the wrong state of mind. In fact it might be because it's so gloomy that it stands as one of the best albums I listened to last year. Recommended tracks: Plague, Affection
An Introduction
Thanks to discovering and subscribing to Spotify in late 2011, I decided that
in 2012 I would listen to as many new releases as I could.
Over the course of the year, I listened to about 350 albums spanning many, many different genres and styles. Of those albums, I identified 30 as my personal best of the year. I then set out to compile a list of my favorite 50 tracks from the over 3,800 songs that I listened to. Over the next few days, I will detail both lists in a very, very subjective way. This is not meant to be anything other than one man’s opinion on the music of 2012. So sit back, and please enjoy.
Over the course of the year, I listened to about 350 albums spanning many, many different genres and styles. Of those albums, I identified 30 as my personal best of the year. I then set out to compile a list of my favorite 50 tracks from the over 3,800 songs that I listened to. Over the next few days, I will detail both lists in a very, very subjective way. This is not meant to be anything other than one man’s opinion on the music of 2012. So sit back, and please enjoy.
Note: There were A LOT of albums and songs
that I enjoyed, but I couldn't call them the best of the year. Those will be discussed in an “Honorable
Mentions” post (or two) that will follow the Best Of… lists.
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