My Ten Favourite Albums of 2012 So Far
After today, 2012 will be half done. Here are my picks for the best albums of the year (in no particular order) so far.
1. Grimes, Visions
Montreal’s Claire Boucher has turned in a fascinating third record that was immediately snatched up by Britain’s 4AD. I hear something new each time I put it on.
2. Ceremony, Zoo
Fourth album from San Francisco punk(ish) band. With songs like this, why isn’t commercial alternative radio all over these guys? (Wait: I know the answer to that…)
3. Killer Mike, R.A.P. Music
A hip hop recommendation from me? Yep. With its themes about African-American life, this could be the most powerful record you hear all year.
4. Japandroids, Celebration Rock
For a band that was going to call it quits after the last album, they’ve sure found their mojo with this one.
5. Jack White, Blunderbuss
It’s Jack White. Next.
6. Lana Del Rey, Born to Die
I like her. F**k you, hipster haters.
7. Sleigh Bells, Reign of Terror
I’ve also taken some stick for declaring my admiration for this record. “Two one-dimensional!” they say. Perhaps, but songs like this are only heard at high volumes in my car. And until My Bloody Valentine comes out with a new record, this will do just fine.
8. Beach House, Bloom
Every playlist should contain at least a little bit of modern dream pop.
9. El-P, Cancer 4 Cure
Another hip hop record? You bet. I dare you to listen to the domestic violence theme of “For My Upstairs Neighbour (Mums the Word)” and not be moved.
10. The Cult, Choice of Weapon
Okay, so maybe the sound is a throwback to the days of Sonic Temple. You got a problem with that?
Have you got a top ten list for the first half of the year? If so, please share. And as always, comments and criticisms of my taste are welcome.
No OLP – Curve?? Huge oversight imo. For Shame Alan.
In alphabetical order:
Band of Skulls – Sweet Sour
Dead Sara – S/T (Alan, if you haven't heard these girls/guys yet, you must. It'll take you back to the 90's)
Every Time I Die – Ex-Lives
Hot Water Music – Exister
Japandroids – Celebration Rock
The Mars Volta – Noctourniquet
Smashing Pumpkins – Oceania
Torche – Harmonicraft
Jack White – Blunderbuss
Wintersleep – Hello Hum
Super stoked for Baroness, Gaslight Anthem and QOTSA (if that one makes it out in '12).
Nada Surf – The Stars are Indifferent to Astrology
Sigur Ros – Valtari
Spiritualized – Sweet Heart Sweet Light
Richard Hawley – Standing At The Sky's Edge
Alabama Shakes – Boys & Girls
Shins – Port of Morrow
Father John Misty – Fear Fun
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Here
Japandroids – Celebration Rock
Bruce Springsteen – Wrecking Ball
I really want to love Blunderbuss….but there's just nothing doing there…
In Alphabetical order:
1)Chromatics – Kill For Love
sounds like quieter 60's/70's rock with a slight dash of synth peppered over the tracks.
2)Dirty Ghosts – Metal Moon
Most of my love for this album is due to the bass lines being amazing.
3)DZ Deathrays – Bloodstreams
Like your reasoning for Sleigh Bells. This album only inches ahead of that one because of it's more aggressive sound.
4)Foxy Shazam – The Church of Rock and Roll
Mixing their pop sensibilities from the last album and their bombastic delivery from earlier albums, it's the perfect combination.
5)Gotye – Making Mirrors
I'll start by saying, I hate "Somebody that I Used to Know", but the rest of the album in phenomenal, strange instrumentation and a lot of channeling pop hits from both the early sixties and the eighties.
6)Grimes – Visions
Same reasons as you had stated above.
7)HEALTH – Max Payne 3 Soundtrack
HEALTH seems to do better under this structuring of their music. The music rises and falls and has a much less chaotic end result, here's hoping they keep it up with the new album they've been hinting about.
8)Melvins Lite – Freak Puke
This album is much quieter than the usual Melvins affair, yet still manages to keep the intensity, it's an interesting experiment that really seems to pay off for the band.
9)Sam Sparro – Return to Paradise
Guilty Pleasure Choice. These songs makes you want to make a fool of yourself on the dance floor.
10)Smashing Pumpkins – Oceania
It's not Mellon Collie, Gish or Siamese Dream, nor is it necessarily trying to be. However, the overall feeling I take away from this album is much akin to how I felt after listening to Smashing Pumpkins for the first time.
John K Samson – Provincial
Norah Jones – Little Broken Hearts