Best of 2012

[timmay9]

As of the past few weeks I have been mulling over all that was music in 2012, and have been semi-formulating a year end best of list.

It's never quite gelled with me to do this sort of thing in late November/early December, as it seems rather hurried for my own tastes. I like letting everything sink in a bit and coming to my conclusions in a more drawn out manner. This is why I rather like Pazz and Jop's method of releasing their year end in January after the dust has settled.

I have been rather sparse around these parts so I was hoping for some meaningful discourse with some of my old friends and as well a few new ones. So go ahead and share your own thoughts, or feel free to comment on mine. Tear that sucker a new one.

ALBUMS
20. Twin Shadow - Confess
I'm not gonna lie, I was a tad disappointed at first; nothing was quite as shimmery as the summer vibes of Forget, but regardless it functions quite well as a lost soundtrack to a film John Hughes should have made. Key track: Run My Heart
19. Gucci Mane - Trap God
One of my favorite mixtapes of the past year, Gucci Mane slings verbal rocks as the bass knocks on 100. Key track: Sometimes ft. Future
18. Pallbearer - Sorrow and Extinction
The vocals are sparse, the riffs are molten, even the cymbals have the tink of the Grim Reaper. This would probably have been a little higher if I had ever gotten stoned to it. Key track: Foreigner
17. Dwele - Greater Than One
While everyone was hyping up Frank Ocean (who I like a lot), another R&B collaborator of Kanye West's went out and made his sexiest album yet. Key track: Obey
16. Metro Zu - Mink Rug
The guys who this year showed up every other swag rapper. Almost every beat is a chest bumping, lurid dreamscape. Key track: Preach
15. Alcest - Les Voyages De L'Âme
What can be said about these guys that hasn't been elsewhere on this forum? Neige needs to score a classic movie pronto. Key track: Les Voyages De L'Âme
14. How to Dress Well - Total Loss
I didn't quite have the right understanding for this album until I listened to it walking on a bitterly cold day. Right song right moment. Key tracks: Cold Nites, & It Was You
13. Zeroh - Tape
The weirdest rapper alive made one of the most fascinating mixtapes of the year. Indescribable. Key tracks: weoutchea, Eyes Ancient
12. iamamiwhoami - kin
One of the best pop records of 2012, Jonna Lee proves that she is worthy of all the attention that is bestowed upon others such as Gaga and Grimes. Key tracks: ;john. play
11. Wild Nothing - Nocturne
Wild Nothing embodies the best of Talk Talk, New Order, and Echo. Not a missed note. Key tracks: Paradise, Counting Days
10. Ab Soul - Control System
Ab-Soul made that this-is-for-my-flesh-and-blood record that so few rappers manage to pull off. On top of that it includes one of the most heartbreaking songs in a long while. He deftly switches between menacing and meaningful. Key Tracks - Book of Soul, Track Two
9. Chromatics - Kill for Love
At the rate a lot of bands are turning out music, a double album has all but seemed outdated. No one told Chromatics, who crafted nearly 80 minutes of grade A material. Key tracks: Kill for Love, These Streets Will Never Look the Same, Lady
8. Miguel - Kaleidoscope Dream
It seems like yesterday when "Quickie" came out, and I muttered to myself, "oh this cool, but he's probably just another uninspiring lethario." Glad to say I was was wrong about one of those words. Key tracks: Adorn, Kaleidoscope Dream, Where's the Fun in Forever
7. Neil Young - Psychedelic Pill
Most rock dinosaurs have one finite sound, some lucky enough to pull off one and a half. Neil's got like 3 in his back pocket. He's a master at hoodwinking me into thinking he's got something new on. He just happens to have a great wardrobe. Key tracks: Walk Like a Giant, Ramada Inn
6. Memory Tapes - Grace/Confusion
At times frustrating, I seemingly have found a new pathway with each new listen. If there was an Award for Comeback Player of the Year, Memory Tapes would have it in the bag. Key tracks: Thru the Field, Neighborhood Watch, Shelia
5. ScHoolboy Q - Habits & Contradictions
Released at the very beginning of the year, it was hard to remember that Q had succeeded in releasing a commercially viable party record on an independent label. 9 months later Q is the backbone of one of the preeminent hip-hop cliques around. Not to shabby for a fat boy. Key tracks: There He Go, My Hatin' Joint, Blessed ft. Kendrick Lamar, Sacrilegious
4. Future - Pluto
FREEBANDZ. #futurehendrix Key tracks: Turn on the Lights, Same Damn Time, My, Neva End
3. Hot Sugar - Moon Money
If arena rock tunes where fed through a Casio. Key tracks: Addictions, #Mindcontrol, Everybody's Parents Will Die
2. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city
Would've been #1 if it had had Cartoons and Cereal. Key tracks: Cartoons & Cereal (no but really ), Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst, m.A.A.d. city
1. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Mature Themes
Ariel Pink is like a musical Seth Rogen. Not sure why exactly he does his hair like that, has a rather stunted maturity level, and also are used idiot/genius arguments. Their work can be seen as puerile or lcd by some, and others see them as hysterical men who don't take life so effing seriously. There's even a third set that has them as a bit of both, manchildren who sometimes strike paydirt. All in all I'd say I quite like Seth Rogen. But I quite love Ariel Pink. And here he finally makes an adult statement, complete with earworms and ear infections. Key tracks: Only in My Dreams, Baby, Kinski Assassin

SINGLES
10. Hot Chip - "Flutes"
9. Jessie Ware - "Running"
8. Lil Reese - "Us"
7. Sky Ferreira - "Red Lips"
6. The xx - "Chained"
5. Chief Keef ft. Lil Reese - "I Don't Like"
4. Rihanna ft. Future - "Loveeeeeee Song"
3. Kendrick Lamar ft. Gunplay - "Cartoons and Cereal"
2. Future - "Turn on the Lights"
1. Frank Ocean - "Thinkin About You"


HONORABLE MENTIONS
Chief Keef - Finally Rich
Clams Casino - Instrumentals II
Com Truise - In Decay
Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
Groundislava - Feel Me
Jens Lekman - I Know What Love Isn't
Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music
Korea in Space - Mt. Pleasure
Shy Glizzy - F*ck Rap
Ty Segall & White Fence - Hair

tear away...

[Rocket2Russia]

really liked the frank ocean track, would probably make my own top 20 songs

mature themes was a big disappointment to me at first, and upon repeated listens it just became less of a disappointment as opposed to something that really revealed itself as great

kendrick lamar is quite possibly my least favorite rapper just by nature of the hype:quality ratio for me. i've never liked anything of his that much and to be constantly told he's a visionary peeved me. better hip hop this year was coming out of kitty pryde (that's equal parts derision of kendrick for being lesser and bolstering of kitty for being quite decently ok)

chromatics was good, but i went and overplayed it fun story, the first time i heard it was the drumless alternative version that GvB made available for download, and i continue to prefer that one.

i think i posted my tops of 2012 somewhere, so i won't repeat it here. excited to see the thread get underway a little more and sorry i couldn't contribute more positives (i didn't hear most of the stuff here)

[timmay9]

really liked the frank ocean track, would probably make my own top 20 songs

mature themes was a big disappointment to me at first, and upon repeated listens it just became less of a disappointment as opposed to something that really revealed itself as great

kendrick lamar is quite possibly my least favorite rapper just by nature of the hype:quality ratio for me. i've never liked anything of his that much and to be constantly told he's a visionary peeved me. better hip hop this year was coming out of kitty pryde (that's equal parts derision of kendrick for being lesser and bolstering of kitty for being quite decently ok)

chromatics was good, but i went and overplayed it fun story, the first time i heard it was the drumless alternative version that GvB made available for download, and i continue to prefer that one.

i think i posted my tops of 2012 somewhere, so i won't repeat it here. excited to see the thread get underway a little more and sorry i couldn't contribute more positives (i didn't hear most of the stuff here)

unfortunately this place seems to a bit dead. As for hip-hop there are six other hip-hop albums I listed that run the gamut of trap (Gucci, Future), conscious (Ab-Soul), party (ScHoolboy), cloud (Metro Zu), and avant garde (Zeroh). As for Kendrick, I wouldn't call him a visionary but he released an incredibly cohesive statement, and to deny his innate talent on the mic is shortsighted. I'd definitely check out the other 6 albums I listed, even if there style isn't usually your thing.

[afterstasis]

I was very surprised there wasn't more love the new Neil Young, but what do I know in a world that enjoys Kendrick Lamar?

[clashcityrocker10]

That new Neil Young was great. I also honestly don't think I've heard anything from Kendrick Lamar, though I do know who he is.

[timmay9]

I was very surprised there wasn't more love the new Neil Young, but what do I know in a world that enjoys Kendrick Lamar?

I think it's because at this point it's almost expected from the guy. He's released over 15 classic or near classic albums that span nearly every decade he's been around except for the 80's, and even then he was making highly interesting material. To be honest, 15 years from now I won't be surprised if I am playing Psychedelic Pill more than any other album on this list. And at the Kendrick thing. I realize most hip-hop isn't your thing butthis is phenomenal.

That new Neil Young was great. I also honestly don't think I've heard anything from Kendrick Lamar, though I do know who he is.

I'll be honest and say he's probably not for everyone. Really depends on your penchant for hip-hop.

[afterstasis]

Timmay, did you listen to Le Noise? I think it's the best thing Neil's done since the 70's by a wide margin.

[timmay9]

Timmay, did you listen to Le Noise? I think it's the best thing Neil's done since the 70's by a wide margin.

Yeah it was one of those I'd include in the 15 classic/near classic NY records. I can't think of another artist whose work I get more enjoyment from.

[Gowienczyk]

I don't think I even knew there was a new Neil coming out last year, so it seems I'm still playing catchup despite my own payload. Nice to see Tim poking his around again nonetheless and I really wish I had more to add to the discussion. What I can say though is Kendrick is honestly nothing special and there is so much mediocre sampling and lame beats all over the record with a "decent flow and dynamic" rapper over it. Just because it has a concept doesn't make it good in my eyes.

[timmay9]

I don't think I even knew there was a new Neil coming out last year, so it seems I'm still playing catchup despite my own payload. Nice to see Tim poking his around again nonetheless and I really wish I had more to add to the discussion. What I can say though is Kendrick is honestly nothing special and there is so much mediocre sampling and lame beats all over the record with a "decent flow and dynamic" rapper over it. Just because it has a concept doesn't make it good in my eyes.

if you are still going through some records I suggest maybe checking out the Zeroh album, also Blu & Exile's Give Me Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them.

I updated this to include some honorable mentions, even though I left off a couple I liked (Fiona Apple, Odd Future, Blu & Exile, El-P, and others). I honestly could have made this a top 50 if I had felt more up to it.