Dearly Beloved
We are here today to celebrate the sonic pleasures of 2012. Oh I had toyed with the idea of only focusing on songs as the trend of full albums becomes "obsolete". Luckily, there are a few records that are fighting against the dying of the light. First I present the runners up for album of the year (in no particular order):
Divine Fits: "A Thing Called Divine Fits". So I first was a little wary that Brit Daniels of "Spoon" fame was focusing his time on a side project. Spoon's last album won my 2010 music in review post's album of the year so I wanted more of that. Luckily this side project had a few classics that would fit right in with Spoon's groove. Flaggin a Ride, Would That Not Be Nice and The Salton Sea are standout tracks.
POP ETC: So I discovered these guys on Soundcloud with "Halfway to Heaven". I loved the song but figured they wouldn't have anything else. When I got around to listening to their album, my ears were overjoyed and I grinned a lot during this and subsequent listenings. "YOYO" might be my guiltiest pleasure of the year. It really makes me smile... its so delightfully cheesy 80's pop with ridiculous studio quality and power hooks. I dare say it's my top song of 2012 just because it makes me so happy. BTW this album got TERRIBLE reviews... also, their previous band "The Morning Benders" have a lot of good stuff to check out too.
Django Django: "Django Django" So this one came out of nowhere. All of the sudden, "Default" started to take over my radio. I was totally ok with this. It was a bombastic, tight, perfectly crafted piece that is over the top catchy. Even the opener "Hail Bop" was fantastic and upbeat despite its reference to the famous comet. This is an album that will put a smile on your face.
Washed Out: Before you indie nerds call me out, yes I know I discovered these guys late, hence their inclusion in 2012's list. (I work in public accounting, its hard to keep up with the kids these days) But to not do so would be a great injustice to my 2012 musical experience. I might have gotten into Portlandia this year too, (again, late to the party) and "Feel it all around" is the opening theme. These guys are chill wave, and i'm ok with that. Its very interesting music, yet very relaxing. Check out "Eyes Be Closed" and "Echos" from their 2011 LP. In the same-out-2012 vain, Empire of The Sun's "Walking on a Dream" came out in 2009 and reached the top of the charts...in australia? Yup, its fantastic all the way through and is cheesy amazing powerpop!
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti: "Mature Themes". OK, no judging me ok, this album deals with mature themes indeed! I couldn't help thinking this was a spiritual successor to Of Montreal's Skeletal Lampings" in that effect. But here me out, "Only in My Dreams" and "Mature Themes" are some of the finest Kinks songs of this generation. For that alone, this album is a classic of 2012.
Chromatics: "Kill for Love". They had me with their cover of Neil Young's "Into the Black" and kept me with this album along with the song "I'm on Fire". Her voice is nice. Sometimes thats enough :)
Group Love: "Never Trust A Happy Song" So this is another 2012 classic from 2011. This was my summer album. They had me started with Itchin on a Photograph, but then the hits kept coming! Tongue Tied made it onto my sisters birthday mix, but that easily could have been "Lovely Cup" and "Naked Kids" I kind of liken this album as a spiritual successor to The Blue Album... yup, Weezer's masterpiece. Its just that fun! (For similar summer fun, check out Sleeper Agents "Love Blood")
Wild Nothing: "Nocturne" Another somewhat chill wave band, these guys kind of filled in the gap "Girls" left when they broke up this year. Kind of a soft, soothing rock that is very well musically written. Key tracks are "Midnight Song", "This Chain Won't Break" and "Paradise" (which is pretty 80's inspired)
Dum Dum Girls: "End Of Days" I call it here first, this would have been my album of the year if it was an Album! This lil EP has 5 songs, all amazing. I remember one night a couple of months ago when I listened to Trees and Flowers over and over again. I turned it up as loud as I could take it, so gorgeous I could hardly take it all in. Season in Hell and Lord Knows are other standouts. For old school Dum Dum Girls, check out Coming Down.
And the winner is: Beach House: "Bloom". Again, this be the year of chill wave. The reason Bloom stood above the rest is simple, the album is All Killer, No Filler. Like the Sum 41 reference suggests, every song is delightfully dreamy with not a one killing the mood. Its consistant fun, with seemingly simple but deceptively complex hooks. Although I've not fallen in love with all their older (and still very critically well received) albums, I do believe this one is a masterpiece. Wishes Lazuli Myth Wild
See my Spotify playlist "Cool Stuff I don't Have Yet" for all that goodness, or if you want to cut to the best, just see my starred playlist!
This was also a great year for concerts, but thats another story...
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