TOP 10 ALBUMS 2012

DIVINE FITS, A THING CALLED DIVINE FITS

Slick, straight forward rock n' roll with a vaguely new wave vibe. This collaboration between Britt Daniel (Spoon) and Dan Boeckner (Handsome Furs) is too cool for school. Case in point, when delivering the lyrics, "She could really get me going" they can't be bothered to say "going". No, they're so cool they say "gone".

But what really sealed the deal was seeing an absolutely magnetic live performance. These fellas live and die by rock n' roll, that much is evident.




GARY CLARK JR., BLAK & BLUE

Heavy blues balanced with soulful R&B. He is my new Dan Auerbach. Somehow between the dirty blues riffs and the smooth vocals I get a vibe reminiscent for me of The Black Keys, Brothers.

I was smitten by the handful of gnarly guitar tracks that anchor the album. But the songs interspersed between them hit all the right notes, creating an incredibly well-rounded experience.




SANTIGOLD, MASTER OF MY MAKE BELIEVE

The sheer volume of great tracks makes Santigold's sophomore album one of my best of the year. She's right at home making melodic, high-energy dance tracks with tons of attitude (check out "Look At These Hoes"). Plus, it's got one of my personal favorite songs of the year, "Fame", a slow-jam of epic proportions.



EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROES, HERE

Again competing for best all around. With so many great tracks its hard to deny how complete this album feels, from start to finish. But right off the bat, three songs stand out amongst the rest, "That's What's Up", "Dear Believer", and "Fiya Wata".





FIONA APPLE, THE IDLER WHEEL

Can't say it any better than NPR DJ, Anne Power, who described this album as, "raw as a bite of garlic, sweet as honey dripped on flesh...". 

I hung onto every word of Apple's nuanced delivery on the first track, "Every Single Night" and the deal was done hearing her guttural plea mid-way through the second track, "Daredevil".  A musically sparse album, it comes across almost as spoken word.

JAPANDROIDS, CELEBRATION ROCK

First of all, Celebration Rock? Yes, please. Second, and I know this is a polarizing reference, but these guys almost sound like Blink 182 grew up. It's a more mature take on adolescent punk rock. If you're in need of a personal anthem (and who isn't), then "The House That Heaven Built" is a must-hear.





HOT CHIP, IN OUR HEADS

Striking a balance between meticulous and unrestrained, slightly absurd, yet totally serious. These guys do it right. Often dance-able and unpredictable, you can get lost in these tracks, which makes for a good time.




FIRST AID KIT, THE LION'S ROAR

Young folk duo, these sisters out of Sweden offer easy listening, nostalgic of simpler times. I've always got room for more of this in my repertoire.




DEADMAU5, >ALBUM TITLE GOES HERE<

Two words: "Fn Pig". Hands down one of the catchiest dance tracks of the year.




CODY CHESNUTT, LANDING ON A HUNDRED

In his own words: rock n' roll, gospel, soul, the truth. This is a beautifully modern record if you're seeking any of those classic intangibles.