2012 albums - your highlights/lowlights

[3LB]

Getting much spin:
Astra - Black Chord
Big Big Train - English Electric Pt.1
Frequency Drift - Laid To Rest
Headspace - I Am Anonymous
Marillion - Sounds That Can't Be Made
Squackett - A Life Within A Day
Taylor's Universe - Kind Of Red
The Sea & Cake - Runner
Wovenhand - The Laughing Stalk
Muse - The 2nd Law
Mystery Jets - Radlands
Aimee Mann - Charmer
ZZ Top - La Future
Ultravox - Brilliant
Donald Fagen - Sunken Condos
Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits
Great Lake Swimmers - New Wild Everywhere
Nada Surf - The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy

Just OK:
The Shins - Port of Morrow
Ben Folds Five - The Sound of The Life of The Mind
Grizzly Bear - Shields
The Gathering - Disclosure
The Killers - Battle Born
The Darkness - Hot Cakes
Keane - Strangeland

Top 5:
Rush - Clockwork Angels
Smashing Pumpkins - Oceania
Zeus - Busting Visions
David Byrne & St.Vincent - Love This Giant
Pinback - Information Retrieved

meh:
The Pineapple Thief - All The Wars
Anathema - Weather Systems
Izz--Crush of Night

What ifs, maybes and might-have-beens award:
Ian Anderson : TAAB 2 (Whatever Happened To Gerald Bostock)

[ForeverAutumn]

You like the Muse disk? It's not doing anything for me at all. I've spun it about 20 times hoping it will click at some point. But all I hear is a whole lot of meh.

[jonnyhambone]

following your lead,

Getting much spin time:
Baroness
Tame Impala
Grizzly Bear
Andy Stott
Circle
(Codeine box set)...reissue/remaster
Japandroids
Polica

Just OK:
ExitMusic
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
High On Fire
Jakob Olauson

Top 5:
Bob Mould
Mt. Eerie (both Clear Moon & Ocean Roar are great)
Swans
Julia Holter
Sigur Ros

meh (or just not giving them much time...):
Mark Lanegan
Kelly Hogan
Fiona Apple
The Caretaker

...maybe some more that I haven't picked up yet or not thinking of right now.

[3LB]

You like the Muse disk? It's not doing anything for me at all. I've spun it about 20 times hoping it will click at some point. But all I hear is a whole lot of meh.

I like it better than than the last one, The Resistance. I enjoy the songs but I do get where some might have been let down, what with their big media push months before the release by leaking the title track on You Tube, implying some sort of high concept, which it isn't at all. In fact, the title track Unsustainable feels tacked on, and its sister track Isolated System sounds like something Alan Parsons Project might have released in the '80s (I guess if you're going to make a career out of hummingbirding the classics, may as well visit APP too). There still isn't enough distance between the Olympics and the song Survival for me either. I enjoy the bombast of their approach and there are some good songs here. Two songs were actually written and sung by the bassist and they hark back to their earlier works. Its a worthy successor to Resistance.

[Mr MidFi]

OK, I’ll play.

Getting significant spinnage:
Jack White – Blunderbuss
Andrew Bird – Break It Yourself
Andrew Bird – Hands of Glory
The Vaccines – Come of Age
Divine Fits – A Thing Called the Divine Fits
DIIV – Oshin
Cat Power – Sun
The Walkmen – Heaven
Green Day – Uno!

Each of these titles range from “pretty damn good” to “ok, better than a poke in the eye”. A few of them are continuing to grow on me, especially the DIIV, Vaccines and Cat Power discs.

2011 releases that would have figured very prominently in my list, but I didn’t get them till this year:
The Vaccines – What Did You Expect…
Bombay Bicycle Club – Different Kind of Fix
The War On Drugs – Slave Ambient

Of those, The Vaccines’ first album would be a very strong contender for my Album of the Year if it’d been released this year. I love that album. Their newer one has taken time to get used to.

Live albums (cuz those don’t really count):
The Decemberists – We All Raise Our Voices to the Air
Porcupine Tree – Octane Twisted
Led Zeppelin – Celebration Day
Wilco – Roadcase #2, Geneva, IL (07.08.12)

The first 3 above are excellent recordings and engaging listens. The Wilco thing is notable because a) the show happened just a few miles from my home, b) it was the best show I’ve seen from them, and c) Andrew Bird appears on a couple of tracks.

Album of the Year:
White Rabbits – Milk Famous

I’ve looked at a fair number of ‘best of’ and ‘year in review’ lists all over the inter-webs, and I haven’t seen these guys mentioned in anybody’s top 20. So clearly, this is just a case of my having atrocious taste. But I calls ‘em like I hears ‘em… and no 2012 release gave me more enjoyable listening minutes than this one did. It’s like a 50/50 mix of Spoon and Phoenix. Hey, it works for me.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

[Finch Platte]

Tried to send you a PM but got this: Hyfi has exceeded their stored private messages quota and cannot accept further messages until they clear some space.

[Mr MidFi]

Tried to send you a PM but got this: Hyfi has exceeded their stored private messages quota and cannot accept further messages until they clear some space.

Assuming you meant "MidFi" and not "Hyfi"... I've cleared off all my junk, Fyi. And thanks.

[Finch Platte]

Assuming you meant "MidFi" and not "Hyfi"... I've cleared off all my junk, Fyi. And thanks.

Whoops! Yeah, I meant that for Hifi. Didn't have my display mode set up in linear, so I couldnt' see who I was responding to.

But, hey, if it helped you out, that's what I'm here for.

[poppachubby]

[poppachubby]

[noddin0ff]

noddin's 5 Notables of 2012
Accelerando: Vijay Iyer Trio
I didn't buy much jazz this year, but this is by far the best of what I did.

Arrow: The Heartless Bastards
Every time I listen I think that they'll break big someday, and when that day comes I'll wish they hadn't. They sound like they push all they've got into every song until that you think it will all fall apart. Hearts on their sleeve honesty in the music. Straight ahead rock with heart and soul.

The Money Store: Death Grips
Sonic assault from every direction for the days when you want to hear everything turned up to 11. Delivers. I don't think it's possible to play it too loud.

Among the Leaves: Sun Kil Moon
I can just unplug and listen to them ramble and ramble.

Undersea : The Antlers
If only this were a full-length release. Wonderful.

Also:
Jack White, Fiona Apple, and Andrew Bird's Hands of Glory (I like it more than Break it)

Happy I bought 'em
WIXIW : Liars
Beams : Matthew Dear
Ekstasis: Julia Holter
Fear Fun : Father John Misty
Shields: Grizzley Bear
Sun : Cat Power
What we saw from the cheap seats : Regina Spektor
Django Django

Not sure why I bought 'em
Sweet Heart Sweet Light: Spiritualized
Port of Morrow: Shins
Nootropics: Lower Dens
Banga : Patti Smith (really should listen to this someday)
Bringing in the Darlings : Josh Ritter

I enjoy the previous lists. I'll have to seek some of those out!

[jonnyhambone]

a few elaborations and additions to my list (I know some people loathe the lists but I'm a sucker for them and tend to keep some funds for new year-end things that sound like their in my wheelhouse...)

Goat: World Music
this is the backstory to end all, even if its not for real. But amazing, cool, somehow not contrived, afro-beat psychedelia from a forgotten town in northern Sweden. Just a fun, rockin', unique album.

Getatchew Mekuria & The Ex & Friends: Y'Anbessaw Tezeta
another 'world music' album, for real on this one. Members of the Amsterdam anarcho-punk collective team up with 91 year old African saxophonist to create freewheelin' improv'ed takes on traditional folk compositions with a horn and punk-filled edge.

DIIV - Oshen is a fantastic album that I discovered from checking out some other's year-end lists...great reconciliation of 80's synth.-pop and clattering punk-y shoe-gaze.

The Andy Stott album is super high on my list, and the Godspeed has moved up to a 'frequent spin' level. Really strong year of new releases and some great reissues.

Just got the D'Angelo: Voodoo remaster and it's excellent. Light In the Attic has been doing a nice job with their reissues, good selections (esp. from a little label) and sq has been nice on the vinyl.
Also the David Kilgour: Here Come the Cars reissue on DeStil Records is great. His first solo album has the sound - guitar, vocal, and songwriting - that he brought to The Clean, but with a laid-back feel that a solo album might allude to but not always deliver on in this way. Some great Kilgour-esque guitar workouts, concise and lovely. This is a great album that is finally readily available on a nicely recorded and cleaned up vinyl pressing.

[Mr Peabody]

You all have a lot of albums/bands listed I need to check into.

A couple of albums this year I remember I really liked...... OK, I can't play, I discovered most of what I was going to say was actually released in 2011. There is from 2012:
Adrenaline Mob - Omerta (straight forward R&R with notable members Mike Portnoy and the singer from Symphony X)

I did buy Mystery but it wasn't a first spin grabber, still on the "spin again list"

I also picked up In This Moment - Blood, which at this point is alright, I didn't mind the bit of experimenting here with sound but the songs aren't as strong as Beautiful Tragedy but Blood is better than some of the former titles of theirs.

I'm always playing catch up buying music. I recently heard Alan Parson's, Valid Path, I think 2004, I thought it was really good, he got into a bit of Electronica, killer remix of The Raven, any way this title is low stock and new about $21.00, it must be now out of print. It's a shame I thought it was a strong album, I guess trying something new the album just didn't fit any where on radio and not much publicity though David Gilmour did a bit of guitar.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Not a lot of new stuff in 2012. but these 3 come to mind.

Gotten a lot of TT time.
Rush............Clockwork Angels

Played more than once and still enjoying.
Santana...............Shape Shifter

When jazz is on the agenda.
Najee...........The Smooth Side of Soul

[mitchellin]

I spent more time in the studio this year playing with my band than I did listening to the latest and greatest. If I had to list my picks I would say...

-Unkown Hinson "Reloaded"
-The Whigs "Enjoy the Company"
-Chevelle "Hats Off To The Bull"
-Rush "Clockwork Angels"

There were a couple of live comps that I enjoyed...

-Umphrey's Mcgee "Live at Red Rocks"
-Widespread Panic "Wood"

Otherwise, I really dug in and listened to older influences to help me define myself behind my drumkit. For sure, I see some good stuff listed in other submissions above and I will be checking out some of those.

[Rae]

I didn't keep very strict track of 2012 releases that came into my hands, so I don't feel qualified to put together a comprehensive list (maybe I will at some point), but that list would start with this one:



It's a collaboration between Neneh Cherry and Swedish free-jazz ensemble The Thing. Might seem like an odd proposition for those who only know Neneh for her 1987 club hit "Buffalo Stance" (and I do love that song dearly) but it's not as strange when you know that her father is avant-garde legend Don Cherry. I dunno; the record's great. I heard their cover of Madvillain's "Accordion" and was sufficiently wilded out enough to buy the record, and everything else is at least that good. The cover of Suicide's "Dream Baby Dream" included is incredible (making that at least 3 fairly different readings of this song that I unabashedly love, including the original and Bruce Springsteen's cover that was in his live set a few years ago). Probably my favorite thing of the year.

~Rae

[jonnyhambone]

Heard this is good ^ ...need to stop buying stuff but, ya know...
a few 2012 releases picked up in the past week or two...
I'm a big Tall Dwarfs fan so I was thrilled to see this come out of left field. Sounds suprisingly good - a soundboard recording with songs that have inklings of the later Tall Dwarfs fuzz punk/pop but much more of the punk. Really good. Toy Love, Live at The Glue Pot, 1980

Can 'Lost Tapes' is in the mail - 5 lps may be extreme but will be psyched to have this and it's already out-of-print.

Moss Icon / Complete Discography boxset - only know a couple songs from these guys from an old mix tape but sorta bridges the gap between 80's Dischord punk and Slint...

[Jim Clark]

I just cut and pasted off my FB page.

Running kinda late on my list of favorite records of 2012. My lack of motivation is primarily due to my lack of enthusiasm over most of what I picked up last year. I don’t think I’m alone. Looking at various year end lists, there is an obvious lack of consensus over what the top records are. I don’t think it’s because there were tons of amazing albums. Everybody scrambled all year to find solid records and the fracturing is just folks trying to find something-anything to listen to that was better than average. At any rate, these are mine, your results will most certainly vary:

Cloud Nothings – Attack On Memory. The only record on my list that really could be considered a consensus pick. To my mind, the best record by a mile. Punk rock with some diversity to keep it from ever getting monotonous. Even the nine minute “Wasted Days” is totally engaging throughout.

2. Frightened Rabbit- State Hospital EP. Never before has an EP made my top 10 list and this isn’t by default. There’s just something about Glasgow bands. Emotionally bleak but highly energetic indie rock. If these are the tracks that didn’t make the cut for the upcoming album then something special must be coming soon.

3. Sigur Rós-Valtari. Art Rock. The dude sings like a chick. The lyrics are primarily gibberish. Totally works and I’ve been a fan boy since their album ( ). Soaring guitars, crashing drums, towering synths. Magical musical soundscapes that no other band on the planet could pull off.

4. Alt J. – An Awesome Wave. Weird vocals in the vein of Clap your Hands Say Yeah combined with a sonic gimic a la’ Sleigh Bells. This band isn’t a one trick pony however. Amazing energy presented in a relatively original way.

5. Cat Power – Sun. Not super big on the singer song writer thing although I am a fan of both Moon Pix and You Are Free. This one is completely different. Very heavy on the electronica and much more heavily produced than an album with slow guitar based ballads. There was some backlash from some of her followers but the new direction was strong enough to land this album on a lot of top 10 lists.

6. DIIV- Oshin. They owe a lot to Joy Division as well as later post punk acts like Interpol. DIIV presents a totally enjoyable take on their version of darker Dream Pop.



7. Purity Ring –Shrines- Their label is 4AD so you know it’s electronica. Ambitious melding of dream pop, R&B, Hip Hop, and electronica into an enthusiastic album great for late night with a special person.



8. Django Django – S/T. Not related to the Quinton Tarrantino movie. Kind of like the Dodos with the infectious quirkiness but the music is less percussion fueled and more like Nintendo sounds on steroids played against the organics of guitars. At the very least it was fairly novel.



9. The Babies – Our House on the Hill – My last purchase of the year so inclusion here is pretty much a gift. Lo-Fi garage rock. Well crafted pop songs.



10. De/Vision – Rockets and Swords. I love it, you won’t. De/Vision is one of the better synthpop bands that I still follow. If you own more than one Depeche Mode album and can name more than one Soft Cell tune then you might enjoy them too.



Best local band/Album: Antennas Up - The Awkward Stage



Records I liked but weren't nearly as great as I had hoped: Beach House, Shins, Calexico, Silversun Pickups, Mark Langegan Band, Flaming Lips and Friends, Wild Nothings........



Worst Records Public Image Limited, Cursive, Clinic, Bloc Party, and way too many other to type.



Best Hope for the Future: New Junip Album coming Spring of 2013

[Mr Peabody]

I found another 2012 album in my collection I liked, Skrillex. Only 7 tracks but fun and it seems their sound has influenced a lot of Pop I hear on the radio today, not to mention a collaboration on a Korn song.

[mitchellin]

I found another 2012 album in my collection I liked, Skrillex. Only 7 tracks but fun and it seems their sound has influenced a lot of Pop I hear on the radio today, not to mention a collaboration on a Korn song.

I found myself listening to more of this type of music over the last 6 months. Besides Skrillex, I also enjoyed the offerings of Bassnectar. I can really pressurize our entertainment room with this kind of music...I just wonder what it sounds like in the homes to our left and right?

[Mr Peabody]

I'm back, Three Days Grace, Transit of Venus, another good R&R album I liked and just noticed from 2012.