My Top Twelve Albums of 2012

These are my twelve favorites albums for 2012. Enjoy.

12. Death Grips- 'The Money Store'

Yikes. Hysterical. Fearless. These dudes don't give a fuck what you think of them. I don't know what he's rapping about but I like their deranged sensibilities and urgent flailings though sometimes the lead singer kinda scares me. 


11.  Killer Mike- 'Rap Music'

Intelligent. Resists the usual lyrical themes of rap music. This man knows how to spit fire and flow without breaking a sweat. Big sound from producer El-P(who honestly I don't know much about.) Best pure Rap album of the year.


10. Tame Impala- 'Lonerism'

Fuzzed out melodic Aussie Rock and Roll that keeps the groove-train rolling. Pretty John Lennon-y vocals that never feel too imitative. Sparkling. Wah-Wah'd. Big and Warm and Trippy in a good way.


9.  Dent May- 'Do Things'

Sugary dancey goodness from Mississippi. Innocent pop hooks all day long. Exuberant bass lines in a Beach Boys sand-box all shaken up. 



8.  Lee Fields- 'Faithful Man'

Holy Mother the real deal soul-saving heartbeat of soul music is beating again. Lee Fields is a soul singer. That's what he does. That's who he is. Cut him and he bleeds soul music. Nothing less.


7.   Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti- 'Mature Themes'

Playfully coloring the glam of bubble gum A.M. rock with darker shades of 70's and 80's nostalgia, wrapped in the wonderfully eccentric quirks and sexual deviance of one man's songwriting, personality, voice. I really like his old lo-fi bedroom albums too, but still.


6.  of Montreal-  'Paralytic Stalks'

Kevin Barnes can do no wrong in my book. This album feels and sounds different than 'False Priest' or even 'Skeletal Lamping' and as much as I like those two(and believe me I honestly do), this one feels like it will hold up over the years better than both those albums.


5.  Animal Collective- 'Centipede HZ'

I keep waiting to be let down by a new Animal Collective album. I don't know how they do it. I want to act like they have become too commercial or not challenging enough or something but I just keep finding myself really loving almost every song on this album. Sorry.


4.  Orca Team- 'Restraint'

Wonderfully ultra Surfy and sleek, this Northwest dance rock trio is simple, fun and bad ass.


3.  Kishi Bashi-  '151a'

Violin centered forces, poppy cool Japanese accented vocals, varied rhythms and detailed arrangements and happy chantings, oh yeah.

2.  Chris Cohen- 'Overgrown Path'

60's guitar tinged psychedelia with catchy grooves that hover over a dark lake as pretty vocals carry us home.

1.  Sean Nicholas Savage- 'Flamingo'

A future Pop star from Canada who writes really catchy and melodic pageants to counteract all the sad days in our lives with a voice like no one else in the landscape.

(Special Mention: Hot Chip-'In Our Heads', Beach House-'Bloom', Daughn Gibson-'All Hell' Tennis-'Young and Old')

(I saw each group listed here atleast once live in 2012 except Death Grips, Killer Mike, and Tame Impala.)