My Top 65 Albums Of 2012
This is just my opinion guysssss. I truly love all of these. Comments on my top 10, then favorite rrrsongs for the rest. |
| 65 |  | Wild Nothing
Nocturne
Nocturne |
| 64 |  | Father John Misty
Fear Fun
Nancy from Now On |
| 63 |  | Mariee Sioux
Gift for the End
Tule |
| 62 |  | Moonface
With Siinai: Heartbreaking Bravery
Heartbreaking Bravery |
| 61 |  | Heartless Bastards
Arrow
Only for You |
| 60 |  | Tamaryn
Tender New Signs
Heavenly Bodies |
| 59 |  | Liars
WIXIW
WIXIW |
| 58 |  | The Twilight Sad
No One Can Ever Know
Nil |
| 57 | | El Perro Del Mar
Pale Fire
Walk on By |
| 56 |  | Grouper
Violet Replacement
Sleep |
| 55 | | Niki & the Dove
Instinct
Tomorrow |
| 54 |  | Burial
Kindred
Kindred (I know this is an EP but it's just too good) |
| 53 |  | Laurel Halo
Quarantine
Thaw |
| 52 |  | Port St. Willow
Holiday
Amawalk |
| 51 |  | Loscil
Sketches from New Brighton
Hastings Special |
| 50 |  | Deerhoof
Breakup Song
There's that Grin |
| 49 |  | The xx
Coexist
Try |
| 48 |  | Lower Dens
Nootropics
Nova Anthem |
| 47 |  | How to Dress Well
Total Loss
Ocean Floor for Everything |
| 46 |  | Andrew Bird
Break it Yourself
Hole in the Ocean Floor |
| 45 |  | Metric
Synthetica
Clone |
| 44 |  | Angel Olsen
Half Way Home
Lonely Universe |
| 43 |  | Brian Eno
LUX
LUX 1 |
| 42 | | First Aid Kit
The Lion's Roar
Emmylou |
| 41 |  | Dan Deacon
America
USA: III. Rail |
| 40 |  | Ane Brun
It All Starts With One
Words |
| 39 |  | Santigold
Master of My Make-Believe
This Isn't Our Parade |
| 38 | | Larkin Grimm
Soul Retrieval
The Road is Paved Leaves |
| 37 |  | Lost in the Trees
A Church that Fits Our Needs
This Dead Bird is Beautiful |
| 36 |  | Mirel Wagner
Mirel Wagner
Red |
| 35 |  | Sigur Ros
Valtari
Flogur PIano |
| 34 | | Soap&Skin
Narrow
Vater |
| 33 |  | Beth Orton
Sugaring Season
Mystery |
| 32 |  | Jessica Pratt
Jessica Pratt
Half Twain the Jesse |
| 31 |  | Kira Kira
Feathermagnetik
Soothe |
| 30 |  | Grimes
Visions
Skin |
| 29 |  | Amanda Palmer
Theatre is Evil
The Bed Song |
| 28 |  | Jesca Hoop
The House That Jack Built
D.N.R. |
| 27 | | Crystal Castles
III
Violent Youth |
| 26 |  | Hot Chip
In Our Heads
Let Me Be Him |
| 25 | | The Luyas
Animator
Your Name's Mostly Water |
| 24 |  | Dirty Projectors
Swing Lo Magellan
About to Die |
| 23 |  | Lianne la Havas
Is Your Love Big Enough?
Gone |
| 22 |  | Susanne Sundfor
The Silicone Veil
White Foxes |
| 21 |  | Julia Holter
Ekstasis
Boy in the Moon |
| 20 |  | Cat Power
Sun
Human Being |
| 19 | | Windy & Carl
We Will Always Be
Fainting in the Presence of the Lord |
| 18 |  | Anna von Hausswolff
Ceremony
Liturgy of Light |
| 17 |  | Holly Herndon
Movement
Breathe |
| 16 |  | Sharon van Etten
Tramp
All I Can |
| 15 | | Jens Lekman
I Know What Love Isn't
The World Moves On |
| 14 |  | Stars
The North
Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It |
| 13 |  | Taken by Trees
Other Worlds
Your Place or Mine |
| 12 |  | Grizzly Bear
Shields
Sun in Your Eyes. |
| 11 |  | Light Asylum
Light Asylum
Shallow Tears. |
| 10 |  | Mirrorring
Foreign Body
I don't think I was more excited for any album more than Fiona Apple and this one
in 2012. Tiny Vipers (Jesy Fortino) and Grouper (Liz Harris) are two of my favorite
artists, and they have been quietly releasing exquisite albums over the past few
years. And, although still quite quietly released, their first collaborative release as
Mirrorring fits right in with their catalog. Very clearly a collaboration (although its
best song, "Silent from Above," is mostly a Fortino track with subtle harmonies
from Harris). This is one of my favorite listening experiences of the year, and
definitely better than it needed to be. These two women remain at the top of their
game. |
| 9 |  | School of Seven Bells
Ghostory
I will stick up for SVIIB for the long haul. I believe in them. They have made three
great records, each one slightly better than the last. As far as I am concerned, they
are on an upward trajectory. Ghostory is blissful, intricate, catchy, and varied.
"Lafaye" is their best song yet, and then there's the spacious, gauzy "Reappear."
Comparisons and influences aside, SVIIB have made a very, very good LP in
Ghostory, and it is one I will return to time and time again. |
| 8 |  | David Byrne & St. Vincent
Love This Giant
Both these people are so good, it would have been a shame if this sucked. It could
have, easily. But it doesn't. It could have used more of Annie Clark's insane
shredding abilities, but the horns are so funky and delicious. "Who", "The Forest
Awakes", and "I Should Watch TV" are just so freakin' good; they wiggle their ways
in your brain and stay firmly planted, all golden and scrumptious. This really does
apply to the whole album; it's full of brassy, surprising, lovely ear worms. A fine
record from two of the very finest musicians. |
| 7 |  | Chairlift
Something
When Chairlift came out with their debut, Does You Inspire You?, I was perplexed.
Some of it was great, some of it... not-so-great. I would never have thought they
could bounce back so strongly - especially after losing a member - but they do on
Something. A year ago I wouldn't have thought they'd ever be on my top 10 list,
but this album is just so damn good. "I Belong In Your Arms" is one of 2012's best
love songs, and "Amanaemonesia" and "Take it Out on Me" are catchy as hell. I
don't know what to say: this is hooky, well-crafted, slick pop music. Chairlift, keep
'em comin. |
| 6 | | The Tallest Man On Earth
There's No Leaving Now
Tallest Man on Earth is responsible for one of 2010's best records, The Wild Hunt,
and is now responsible for one of 2012's best. He finally got more people to play
with him (he must have been lonely!) and with the little augmentations - the
amazing lap steel on "Bright Lanterns," the extremely quiet thump in "Leading Me
Now" - really help to enhance his sound. His songwriting keeps getting better, and
this closes with his best song yet, the devastating "On Every Page." |
| 5 |  | Beach House
Bloom
Maybe it's just because they've been one of my favorite bands since their self-titled
came out (still my favorite record of theirs) but Beach House are, to me, one of the
most consistent bands in existence right now. Some say this is to a fault, that they
have stagnated. I disagree. They have fine-tuned their sound to an extent that
would have not seemed possible. This is still the same band that wrote tinny,
minuscule constructions like "House on the Hill" and "Apple Orchard," but this time
they give us beautes like "Lazuli" and "Other People." I honestly feel like I wouldn't
mind if they kept tuning their sound for a few more albums. They're one of the best
at what they do. |
| 4 |  | Scott Walker
Bish Bosch
Oh Scott Walker. I admit I have not heard his well-respected art-pop albums from
the 60s and 70s. I only started paying attention when The Drift came out. That was
a masterful album (as was Tilt before it) and now, finishing out the trilogy, is
another incredible work, Bish Bosch. Working again with the "blocks of sound"
approach, Walker uses very interesting instrumentation and well-timed, odd sound
effects to get his various points across (and there are probably half a million).
"SDSS14+13B (Zercon, A Flagpole Sitter)" is phenomenal, and "Epizootics!" has a
really insistent, infectious tubax riff. Ending the album with a brief, funereal snippet
of Jingle Bells on the xylophone, Walker might have made his best album yet. |
| 3 |  | Bat for Lashes
The Haunted Man
I think I am in the minority with this album, though I don't know why. Natasha
Khan is one of the finest female songwriters of the past few years, as exemplified
by her previous work, Two Suns. The Haunted Man is probably her best yet
(although only just) and works on a level that is subtle yet bombastic, poetic yes
accessible. "Laura," a terribly pretty ballad; "All Your Gold," her catchiest song yet;
and "Lilies," with her mountain-moving wail of "Thank God I'm aliiiive!" all combine
to prove how vital and wonderful this record is. I wish it got more recognition than
it seemed to get, but it sure got its share from me. |
| 2 |  | Perfume Genius
Put Your Back N 2 It
Mike Hadreas is sad, guys. Good thing he writes these beautiful albums and comes
out stronger for it. Put Your Back N 2 It takes everything that was great and lovely
about his debut, Learning, and betters it almost in every way. This is a very concise
record, about 32 minutes, but it says all it needs to say across its 12 emotional
songs. Some are very brief ("No Tear" is less than two minutes) but all of them are
moving, and yes, very very lovely. He is a true talent, and this is definitely one of
2012's best. |
| 1 |  | Fiona Apple
The Idler Wheel...
Fiona Apple made a hell of a comeback. (Although is this reeeeally a comeback?
She took three years between Tidal and When the Pawn, six years until
Extraordinary Machine, and now seven years before Idler Wheel). Long pauses are
in her DNA - just as longwinded titles are - but so is brilliant, impeccable, genius
songwriting. Apple is at the top of her game throughout Idler Wheel, and it is
definitely a career best. Songs like "Werewolf", "Daredevil", and "Left Alone" are
impossibly good, as is the intricate and mind-boggling "Hot Knife" that ends it. Idler
Wheel is Apple's best work yet, a truly perfect record. |
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