No fanfare, no to-do. Just lists.
These are my favorite new studio albums of 2012:
1.
Japandroids-Celebration
Rock (Polyvinyl). Every generation
gets the Replacements and Husker Du it deserves. This is life-affirming, soul-bolstering
stuff.
2.
Redd Kross-Researching
the Blues (Merge). 15 years after
the ho-hum Show World, Redd Kross
tears back with the power pop record of 2012.
Blasts of Cheap Trick and KISS tossed in with incredible melodies never
get old.
3.
Tame Impala-Lonerism
(Modular). In an alternate universe,
Lennon and Harrison teamed with Todd Rundgren and J. Spacemen. This record is their Rubber Soul.
4.
The Twilight Sad-No One Can Ever Know (FatCat).
These Scots shifted from folkish alt-rock to something weirder, heavier,
darker. Influenced by Cabaret Voltaire
and Public Image Ltd, among others, this is a nice change of pace.
5.
Spiritualized-Sweet Heart, Sweet Light (Fat Possum). Coming off of the “I almost died” record,
this is the “I want to live” record.
“Hey Jane” might be talking about the Jane from “Sweet Jane” (or the
Jane from “Jane Says”) or it might just be Jason Pierce throwing off pop
classics without effort, yet again.
6.
My Jerusalem-Preachers
(The End). Jeff Klein made some
pretty good solo records, and I first saw him open for the Twilight Singers
years ago. Since then, he’s formed a
band (with some guys from the Polyphonic Spree and Twilight Singers) and this
is the second record with that band, and it’s massively good. Dark, brooding, prickly, gloomy. Did I mention dark? You can hear the Greg Dulli influence, but
there’s also some of Nick Cave’s twisted rock-gothic, sans Cave’s histrionics.
7.
Frankie Rose-Interstellar
(Slumberland). Frankie Rose has been
in a bunch of great bands (Vivian Girls, Dum Dum Girls, Crystal Stilts) but her
first true solo record is her masterpiece.
A combo of power pop, jangle, and shoegaze that was nearly peerless in
2012.
8.
Gentleman Jesse-Leaving Atlanta (Douchemaster).
Jesse’s bad year became fodder for great 70’s influenced rockin’ power
pop.
9.
Richard Hawley-Staring At the Sky’s Edge (Mute). Richard Hawley cranks up the
volume and blasts a quasi-psychedelic set of ‘heavy’ songs.
10.
Crybaby-Crybaby
(Helium). Bristol-based songwriter,
a nice cross between Smiths-influences 80’s jangle and Richard Hawley’s
plaintive croon.
11.
DIIV-Oshin
(Captured Tracks). Captured Tracks continues to churn out great, 80’s
influenced, pop. This one, by Zachary
Cole Smith (of Beach Fossils), aches like vintage Cure, perfectly.
12.
King Tuff-King
Tuff (Sub Pop). This one passed me
by at first…I wasn’t aware that Kyle Thomas (King Tuff) was the same guy from
one of my 2010 faves, Happy Birthday. This fits nicely in with lo-fi rockers like
Ty Segall and Jay Reatard.
13.
Deacon Blue-The
Hipsters (Edsel). On the heels of a
spectacular reissue campaign, Deacon Blue’s first record of all new material in
over a decade, Deacon Blue come up with a record that sounds like
classic-period Deacon Blue. Ricky Ross’s
voice hasn’t aged a bit!
14. Titus
Andronicus-Local Business (XL
Recordings). This record starts off with
the line ““Okay I think by now we’ve established/ Everything is inherently
worthless/ And there’s nothing in the universe/ With any kind of objective
purpose.” What could collapse into some
kind of nihilism (there are songs about eating disorders and car crashes to
lighten the mood!) doesn’t, amazingly enough.
There’s a twisted optimism lurking.
15.
Bob Mould-The
Silver Age (Merge). After a tribute
concert celebrated his musical legacy (due to be released on DVD in 2013,
courtesy of Kickstarter!), one of indie-rock’s elder statesmen rediscovered his
love of RAWK with a tour playing this record and Copper Blue. This is a very
appropriate addition to his already legendary body of work.
16.
Wild Nothing-Nocturne
(Captured Tracks). “Dream-pop” is a
2012 musical trend, and it’s hard to really discern what, exactly, the current
edition is supposed to be. Wild Nothing
are slotted into this genre, fairly or unfairly, and they merge elements of
great bands like The Cure, the Go-Betweens, New Order, along with shoegaze’s
hollowness and echo, to make something lovely.
17.
Toy-Toy
(Heavenly). Horrors-associated UK buzz
band delivers an excellent debut, dabbling in shoegaze, psychedelia, motorik, and
Britpop in equal measures.
18.
Django Django-Django Django (Because Music).
Catchy and weird in equal measures, at times echoing the best of Super
Furry Animals (no Welsh, though) and Beta Band (drummer/producer David Maclean
is the brother of Beta Band’s John), there are ear-worms on this record that
you can’t easily forget.
19.
Hatcham Social-About Girls (Fierce Panda). A few years back, these guys were
tipped to be another Franz Ferdinand or Arctic Monkeys. That didn’t happen, but this record takes the
best of British indie pop, blends it together, and sings songs. About girls, duh.
20.
Kevin Tihista-On This Dark Street (Broken Horse).
Epic chamber folk with BRUTALLY dark lyrics. It’s a shame that nobody will hear this
record.
21.
Pond-Beards,
Wives, Denim (Modular) The second of
three Tame Impala-related records on my list (Melody’s Echo Chamber is the
last) is another blast of Aussie neo-psych rock.
22.
Terry Malts-Killing
Time (Slumberland). An interesting
mix of aggressive rock and laid-back, melodic 80’s influenced vocals
(Moz/Robert Smith).
23.
Tracy Thorn-Tinsel
and Lights (Merge) One of the best,
most consistent, and most unique holiday- themed records in recent years (along
with last year’s Smith and Burrows record)
24.
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti-Mature Themes (4AD). This shit is weird. Like, way weird. But the catchy stuff is so cotton-candy
sweet, it’s easy to overlook that Ariel
Pink should be in a mental hospital or some shit.
25.
Lightships-Lightships
(Geographic). Gerard Love, of Teenage
Fanclub, debuts a solo project that sounds like the Fannies, but more lush,
more reflective.
26.
The Vaccines-Come
of Age (Sony). I LOVED the massively
hyped debut. The critics crapped all
over this, a sequel less than a year on, but it shows a nice bit of growth from
the punky debut. Justin Young is clearly
drawing his songwriting lineage straight back to early Jam records, and there
are times when this feels like his version of The Gift.
27.
Cheap Girls-Giant
Orange (Rise Records). Melodic but
energetic power pop, ably produced by Tom Gabel of Against Me! Not as angry as Against Me!, but in that
mold.
28.
Maccabees-Given
to the Wild (Fiction). Three records
in, the Maccabees changed their game plan from staccato post punk (they were
one of MANY bands to make post-punk influenced stuff in the wake of the success
of Franz Ferdinand) to melodic, cinematic, post-Coldplay pop. They broke BIG in the UK this year for that
reason.
29.
Band of Horses-Mirage Rock (Columbia). Less
echo, less haunted. More melodic, more
Southern rock, more pop. A nice change
up, even if it’s not as emotionally affecting as the first two albums.
30.
Nada Surf-The
Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy (Barsuk). After an interesting covers record diversion,
Nada Surf are back to making the indie power pop that they do so well.
31.
Stars-The
North (ATO).
32.
Sun Kil Moon-Among
The Leaves (Caldo Verde)
33.
Mark Eitzel-Don’t
Be a Stranger (Merge)
34.
A.C. Newman-Shut
Down the Streets (Matador)
35.
A Silent Film-Sand and Snow (Creative Media)
36.
Violens-True
(Slumberland)
37.
Mark Lanegan-Blues
Funeral (4AD)
38.
Chuck Prophet-Temple Beautiful (Yep Roc)
39.
Lambchop-Mr.
M (Merge)
40.
Field Music-Plumb
(Memphis Industries)
41.
Lucero-Women
and Work (ATO)
42.
Paul Weller-Sonik
Kicks (Yep Roc)
43.
Beach House-Bloom
(Sub Pop)
44.
The Cribs-In
The Belly of the Brazen Bull (Wichita)
45.
Mystery Jets-Radlands
(Rough Trade)
46.
Wymond Miles-Under
the Pale Moon (Sacred Bones)
47.
The dB’s-Falling
Off the Sky (Bar/None)
48.
Maximo Park-The
National Health (V2)
49.
Ben Folds Five-The Sound of the Life of the Mind (Sony)
50.
Ice Choir-Afar
(Underwater Peoples)
51.
Metz-Metz
(Sub Pop)
52.
Melody’s Echo Chamber-Melody’s Echo Chamber (Fat Possum)
53.
Ty Segall-Twins
(Drag City)
54.
Allo Darlin-Europe
(Slumberland)
55.
Henry Clay People-25 For the Rest of Our Lives (TBD Records)
56.
The Men-Open
Your Heart(Sacred Bones)
57.
The Walkmen-Heaven
(Fat Possum/Bella Union)
58.
Dignan Porch-Nothing
Bad Will Ever Happen (Captured Tracks)
59.
Spector-Enjoy
it While It Lasts (Fiction UK)
60.
Kaiser Chiefs-Start The Revolution Without Me (Cooperative)/The Future Is Medieval (Fiction UK)
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