Albums of the Year 2012

**Al_4_State** · 11-16-2012, 10:18 AM

I realize there's still 1.5 months left, but it seems that most of the year's top albums have either been released or would have leaked by now. What new music tripped your trigger this year?

-Chuck Prophet "Temple Beautiful". If Tom Petty had grown up in a big city doing a lot of blow, instead of being a stoner from the swamp, it would sound like this.
Chuck Prophet - I Felt Like Jesus - YouTube

-Lucero "Women & Work". Probably the most commercially accessible offering from these guys. I love the punchy horns and bar-room rock and roll here. Some of these tracks have been picked up on ESPN's college football broadcasts.
Lucero - Like Lightning - YouTube

-Patterson Hood "Heat Lightning Rumbles in the Distance". Drive-By Trucker's frontman's second solo album. Quite a bit different than what you'd expect from him. Less loud guitars, more pianos and banjos. A great "fall" record.
"Better Off Without"- Patterson Hood - YouTube

-Doc Dailey & Magnolia Devil "Catch the Presidents". If there was any artistic justice, these guys would be superstars. Combining bluegrass revival with power pop, they write some stupid-catchy songs that will probably get covered by some Nashville approved d-bag with a more radio friendly voice. Isn't much of these guys on Youtube, but check out "She Has Her Moments" on Spotify.
Doc Dailey & Magnolia Devil - Alibis - CXCW 2012 - YouTube

-The Avett Brothers "The Carpenter". I'm guessing 105.1 plays the hell out of this, and for good reason. Insanely catchy. A perfect blend of bluegrass, piano-drenched rock and roll, and bouncy Beatle-esque harmonies. These guys are big for a reason. "I Never Knew You" is my favorite track here, but no studio versions on youtube surprisingly.
The Avett Brothers - Live And Die - YouTube

-Todd Snider "Stoner Hymns & Agnostic Fables". Classic Snider. Lyrically, exactly what you'd expect from him. Musically, he goes out in some different directions with a more lo-fi production style featuring some upright bass, electric hollow-body guitar work, and some creepy/awesome violin work from Amanda Shires (aka Mrs. Jason Isbell). His cover of Jimmy Buffett's "West Nashville Grand Ballroom Gown" is stunning.
Todd Snider - West Nashville Grand Ballroom Gown - YouTube

-Gaslight Anthem "Handwritten". Another step forward for these guys. Bringing in Brendan O'Brien to produce was genius. They move farther and farther from any shades of emo/punk and embrace a howling, driving hard-rock via Bruce sound. The outro of this song just makes you want to jam your fist through your steering wheel.
The Gaslight Anthem - Mulholland Drive Lyrics - YouTube

-Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires "There is a Bomb in Gilead". Charging southern rock crossed with just enough pop sheen and punk raggedness. Lee Bains III was a former member of the Dexateens, but this doesn't really sound like a Dexateens album.
LEE BAINS III & THE GLORY FIRES - "Ain't No Stranger" - YouTube

-Trampled By Turtles "Stars and Satellites". This was a great year for bluegrass inflected rock bands. I just started listening to these guys in the past couple weeks, but I ******* LOVE this album already. Just excellent stuff here.
Trampled By Turtles -- Walt Whitman - YouTube

-Jack White "Blunderbuss". Pushes himself in some new directions here and the results are great. Its still classic Jack White, but there's plenty of left turns that work very well.
Jack White - Love Interruption - YouTube

-Heartless Bastards "Arrow". Possibly my album of the year. It rocks, grooves, and restores your faith in quality music. And the singer is a chick. And she's great.
Heartless Bastards - "Skin and Bone" (Live at WFUV) - YouTube

-Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit "Live From Alabama". This is how a live album is supposed to sound. The recording is pristine, the mix of each instrument is perfect, and the band is absolutely smoking through a nice cross-section of Isbell's catalog both from his days with Drive-By Truckers and his solo career. Fantastic cover of Neil Young's "Like a Hurricane".
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit "Goddamn Lonely Love" live from WorkPlay August 17, 2012 - YouTube

-Japandroids "Celebration Rock". It is exactly what the title implies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqaEQTi3rew

**CLONECONES** · 11-16-2012, 10:21 AM

agree with the TbT and Jack White

also - Foster the People "Torches"... i've played both sides of the vinyl everyday since I've gotten it (still not sure why pumped up kicks got all the fame)

**DistrictCyclone** · 11-16-2012, 10:24 AM

The new Deftones album that came out on Tuesday is amazing.

And I completely agree about Lucero; everything the do is amazing.

**Doc** · 11-16-2012, 10:32 AM

Maybe I just haven't listened to the right albums, but I don't have many albums I even liked a whole lot, especially compared to 2011.

I did like Bloom by Beach House.

**ianoconnor** · 11-16-2012, 10:32 AM

Al, if you were to recommend one Avett Brothers album to get started on, which would you pick? I really like what little I've heard of their stuff, but don't know where to go first.

**DistrictCyclone** · 11-16-2012, 10:35 AM

Anyone else like Japandroids? I actually forgot that that was just this year.

**CLONECONES** · 11-16-2012, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by ianoconnor

Al, if you were to recommend one Avett Brothers album to get started on, which would you pick? I really like what little I've heard of their stuff, but don't know where to go first.

I and Love and You first, then The Carpenter

**Al_4_State** · 11-16-2012, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by DistrictCyclone

Anyone else like Japandroids? I actually forgot that that was just this year.

Crap. I knew I was leaving something out.

**Al_4_State** · 11-16-2012, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by ianoconnor

Al, if you were to recommend one Avett Brothers album to get started on, which would you pick? I really like what little I've heard of their stuff, but don't know where to go first.

The Carpenter is the only whole Avett Brothers album I have. I have a mix of some of their other stuff, but can't really comment further. Just started listening to them on a regular basis in the past 5 months or so.

**Pitt_Clone** · 11-16-2012, 10:41 AM

I was just thinking about starting a thread like this.

First Aid Kit "The Lion's Roar" - Two Swedish sisters singing Americana with amazing harmonies. Seems strange but it is outstanding. Probably my album of the year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC57z-oDPLs

Leonard Cohen "Old Ideas" - He's still got it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmObT8HhLS0

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros "Here" - Some may call it hippie music, but this is one of those albums that just gets better with every listen.
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Man On Fire [Official Video] - YouTube

Regina Spektor "What We Saw From The Cheap Seats" - She's just awesome.
Regina Spektor - "Don't Leave Me (Ne Me Quitte Pas)" Official Music Video - YouTube

David Byrne & St. Vincent "Love This Giant" - Some really creative work on this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpPYKJAnwUo

The Magnetic Fields "Love at the Bottom of the Sea" - Not his best work but still great. Plus I'm going to see them tonight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qEVXKWFmAI

Band of Horses "Mirage Rock" - another consistently good one from these guys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtky8SxLsOY

I've been meaning to check out the new Heartless Bastards but haven't got around to it. Thanks for the reminder. I love Stairs and Elevators.

**mfelske** · 11-16-2012, 10:45 AM

Usually I only find a couple albums each year that I get into. For some reason I have a decent number this year that I've liked.

1. Hot Chip - In Our Heads
2. Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits
3. Jimmy Cliff - Rebirth
4. Silversun Pickups - Neck of the Woods
5. Purity Ring - Shrines
6. Metric - Synthetica
7. How to Destroy Angels - An Omen

**Brentwood** · 11-16-2012, 11:02 AM

I have never heard 105.1 play The Avett Bros. I wish that there was a radio station in central Iowa that played Avett, Gaslight, Mumford, Lumineers, etc as the main programing not just every once in awhile. Oh well, thank goodness for Spotify.

As for what Avett Bros CDs to try, they have a great live album called "Live, Volume 3". It plays a lot of their popular songs. For a studio album get "I and Love and You", it is a great mix of all of the types of music they play.

**cyclones500** · 11-16-2012, 11:39 AM

Good work on the list. I've been woeful the last couple years for much new music, this could give me some starting points.

That's the most accurate description of Chuck Prophet's music I've read.

**resident** · 11-16-2012, 11:55 AM

Chromatics - Kill For Love is my number 1.

I liked Japandroids quite a bit but more as a party album than anything. I need to check out the Chuck Prophet album. I saw him at the M-Shop in 2007 or so and thought he was pretty great then.