Best Albums of 2012
Clark Benson No stone classics this year on par with last year (Black Keys and Adele), but overall about 10 truly excellent releases, and many really good ones. In many cases I've added a video of a track to check out. Overall, a lot of good releases in the rock field (I don't like hip-hop or contemporary-sounding R&B and country for the most part).
While I listen to a lot of new music, I am also loyal to bands that I love and will typically pick up their new albums and give them a shot. On that front:
Surprises: Rush, ZZ Top, Smashing Pumpkins, Dr. John, Neil and the Horse.
Letdowns: DMB, Muse (just a slight letdown - "Madness" is at least a killer track), Heartless Bastards, Sigur Ros, Paul Weller, Soundgarden, and the 3 Green Day records, which combined maybe have 10 decent songs on them and very few great ones.
(I didn't include Aerosmith and Van Halen in either bucket because my expectations weren't very high to begin with, but at least each of their albums have a few solid songs).
If you want to really go deep, here's my top albums of the '90s and the '00s, as well as my Top 500 Bands Of All Time.
While I listen to a lot of new music, I am also loyal to bands that I love and will typically pick up their new albums and give them a shot. On that front:
Surprises: Rush, ZZ Top, Smashing Pumpkins, Dr. John, Neil and the Horse.
Letdowns: DMB, Muse (just a slight letdown - "Madness" is at least a killer track), Heartless Bastards, Sigur Ros, Paul Weller, Soundgarden, and the 3 Green Day records, which combined maybe have 10 decent songs on them and very few great ones.
(I didn't include Aerosmith and Van Halen in either bucket because my expectations weren't very high to begin with, but at least each of their albums have a few solid songs).
If you want to really go deep, here's my top albums of the '90s and the '00s, as well as my Top 500 Bands Of All Time.
List Criteria: As usual, I don't include live albums, compilations, or reissues
- 1
Psychedelic Pill
Neil Young & Crazy Horse“ Flawed (lyrically), but . . . wow. A totally unique 80 minute experience. Yes, I'm biased. „ - 2
Wrecking Ball
Bruce Springsteen“ Have to admit, while (like all of his comeback records) I liked this from the start, I didn't love it till I heard these songs live. What a tour. Check out "Death To My Hometown" with honorary E Streeter Tom Morello. „ - 3
Tempest
Bob Dylan“ Though consistently good, the last 2-3 songs are where this gets great, which puts it a notch above his last studio record. „ - 4
Blunderbuss
Jack White“ Most Valuable Rocker of 2012? „ - 5
Locked Down
Dr. John“ Producer Dan Auerbach is also a strong contender for MVP of the year. „ - 6
Boys & Girls
Alabama Shakes“ I have had a couple of these songs for a year and a half now and they still pump me up every time. „ - 7
Oceania
The Smashing Pumpkins“ Wow. Billy is back, full-on. If you don't believe me check out this song Quasar. „ - 8
Blak and Blu
Gary Clark Jr“ Docked this a few points for being too long and too diverse (I'm just not a fan of contemporary R&B sounds, and he goes that route on a couple of tracks), but man this m-fer can play guitar „ - 9
Centipede Hz
Animal Collective“ Doesn't blow me away the way Merriweather Post Pavillion did, but great stuff nonetheless. Check out the embedded track Today's Supernatural for a serious mind-meld. „ - 10
'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
Godspeed You! Black Emperor“ The two main (long) pieces on this album are songs they have been playing live these past two years, and that blew me away live as they blow me away on this record. „ - 11
Sweet Heart Sweet Light
Spiritualized - 12
Mirage Rock
Band of Horses“ Another strong BOH record - and it might grow on me more, like the last one did „ - 13
Clockwork Angels
Rush“ Even more shocking than how good the Pumpkins record is, this is the first Rush record I have kept going back to since . . . Power Windows 25+ years ago. Whouda thunk I'd be riveted watching Rush play almost an entire new album live in 2012. „ - 14
Silencing Machine
Nachtmystium“ At first I didn't like as much as their last few, but that has definitely changed. „ - 15
Noctourniquet
The Mars Volta“ This record was largely ignored, but while it may not be their best work it is still pretty great. „ - 16
Lonerism
Tame Impala“ Beatle-esque record that keeps growing on me and might end up way higher on this list „ - 17
Sun
Cat Power - 18
Grace and LIes
Family Band - 19
>Album Title Goes Here<
deadmau5“ Deadmau5 is the one new (tidal) wave of EDM artist who consistently blows me away „ - 20
Home Again
Michael Kiwanuka“ While the rest of the record (tho quite good) doesn't quite scale these heights, check out Tell Me A Tale, which might be my absolute favorite song of the last 2 years. „ - 21
Blues Funeral
Mark Lanegan Band“ Maybe his best „ - 22
The 2nd Law
Muse“ Bit of a letdown from the last two, though Madness may be their best song yet „ - 23
The Magic Door
Chris Robinson Brotherhood“ Very much beneath the radar, Chris Robinson's new jamband released 100+mins of quite strong material on two albums with DIY ethos and "cosmic, man" artwork. They are about equally good and remind me more than anything of that Mudcrutch album Petty put out about 5 years ago. They also did some great Garcia/Hunter songs on tour so I threw one up here. „ - 24
Big Moon Ritual
Chris Robinson Brotherhood - 25
Handwritten
The Gaslight Anthem
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