Something You Said’s Top 20 Albums of 2012
It’s been a really good year for music, don’t you reckon? So much so that, when we invited people to tell us their albums of 2012, we were blown away by just how many quality selections there were. So, here it is, our grand top 20 as voted for by our contributors and our readers. Stay tuned over the coming days for our top films, gigs, TV shows and songs:
SOMETHING YOU SAID’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR 2012: LONERISM – TAME IMPALA
How does a band follow up a hugely hyped first album? They’re almost doomed to fail. People want more of the greatness they heard on the first outing with evidence of growth and enough “new” elements to keep them interested. But if you go back to the idea that musicians make music because they love their art form rather than to please their fans or have commercial success, it should be a pretty natural process. Clearly it is for Tame Impala writer and producer Kevin Parker.
It’s not by chance that Lonerism offers the listener total escapism. Kevin Parker understands the way music affects our brains and takes us on a trip… It’s such a varied album with a greater pop sensibility than the first, but also the pounding, bluesy influence evident on Elephant and the introduction of the synth to their characteristic psych rock sound. It’s no surprise that Tame Impala are kicking goals at home and internationally, because who doesn’t like to float in the clouds once in a while? No doom here. Definitely no fail either. Harriet Cheney
2. SUN – CAT POWER
With this album, there’s a sense Cat Power has found some fire to fixate on – behind her, history burns, and while the music has grown more robust and found some complexity in exploring lighter spaces, there’s no mistaking the darker notions within her music; however, she does not dwell in the discomfort here.
This is a journey’s album, a gypsy’s whispers. An album that warms like morning light on cold skin but latent with nightmares and hard lessons from the road. Sun is for lying in a field and contemplating the moon, the algorithms in the stars or on your bedroom floor, contemplating how far you have come. It’s a companion album, one to grow old with and likewise, one that will grow on you. It is one that will introduce a new audience to the singer’s charms, hauntingly beautiful sounds, quirky storytelling, and the unflinchingly truthful lessons within each tale. It’s well worth the trip. Who knows what you too may find? Victoria Mietchen
3. VISIONS – GRIMES
This is the way quirky electro-pop should be done, filled with delicious melodies, pulsating basslines and atmospheric vocals which seem almost extraterrestrial. All the while producing a sense of hyperactive spontaneity.
Compiled entirely by herself, this homemade masterpiece took its influence from an array of genres; RnB, dance, synth-pop, and witch house just to name a few. It was even compared to the likes of The Knife, the Cocteau Twins, Salem, Aaliyah and Prince. Quite the mixed bag of reference points really, but it does allow for one heck of an interesting combination. Grimes has pinned the tail right on the donkey for this one. Visions is undoubtedly my favourite release of the year. High freakin five. Liana Gow-Killingbeck
4. SHIELDS – GRIZZLY BEAR
Grizzly Bear’s music gets under your skin at such a slow speed, it takes your brain a good few listens to unearth the magic. Whether you’re drawn to the record’s rich musical texture or the intriguing vocal melodies, this is a bewitching record that reaps patient rewards. Gary Page
5. THE LION’S ROAR – FIRST AID KIT
The Swedish sister duo didn’t disappoint when they released their second album earlier this year. Packing some serious folky-americana punch, it provides gorgeous lyrics, nostalgic storytelling and magnificent harmonies all in good measure. Harriet Cheney
6. CHANNEL ORANGE – FRANK OCEAN
Full of swooning melodies and provocative lyrics, Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange is an album to behold. All together optimistic and hopeful, yet still managing to traverse the ultra frightening world of religion, drugs, suicide and sexuality all whilst sounding like a modern day Stevie Wonder. JOY. Golden Lady
7. SOMETHING – CHAIRLIFT
Odd, woozy and gorgeous synth pop from local Brooklynites. Amanaemonesia is truly poptastic, whilst the moodier magic of Guilty as Charged is quite sublime. Altogether very enchanting indeed! Golden Lady
8. BORN TO DIE – LANA DEL RAY
I wanna believe, with artists like Lana Del Ray having made a grand impact with bold and interesting personalities/sounds, that mainstream music might shift ever so slightly in 2013, embrace a more independent spirit. As females have indeed ruled the pop airwaves in recent years, it’s refreshing to have been confronted with a more subtle and unique brand of femininity. Golden Lady
9. BLOOM – BEACH HOUSE
Despite being created over a period of time and in different locations, the most arresting thing about Bloom is that it sounds like a coherent body of work that needs to be consumed as a whole rather than in chunks, as is the norm in this era of diminished attention. It is also well-monikered in that feels like a natural development from Teen Dream. All of the elements which made that album great are here, yet are further developed. Bobby Townsend
10. TWO SEAS – SUI ZHEN
A beautiful album for those who like lyrics, awkward situations, a lilting voice and layering of sounds. Some songs are like secrets, whispered between sleepy heads on a pillow, and others are full of joy, suitable for singing loudly on bicycles. Jess O’Callaghan
11. ONE DAY I’M GOING TO SOAR – DEXYS
Kevin Rowland reconvenes the mighty Dexys for their first album in 25 years. One Day Im Going To Soar is a joyful concept album about commitment, growing old, growing up and staying true to your self. A brilliantly theatrical and typically soulful return to the limelight for the indomitable Mr Rowland. Neil Martin
12. COEXIST – THE XX
Coexist remains a far more focused and exciting record than most you’re gonna hear this year. Epic shifts are clearly not what these guys desire, or for that matter require. Honest, minimal and insular are all that we need from The xx for now. Golden Lady
13. GOOD KID M.A.A.D CITY – KENDRICK LAMAR
Although it’s singular tracks are incredible in their own right, this album makes more sense and earns ten times more merit as a whole. Lamar’s 16 tracks craft a uniquely vivid look into his the different stages of his life. Tracks like Backseat Freestyle could easily stand alone and depict him as yet another patron of the generations of hip hop artists whose mentalities are solely motivated to get bitches, drugs and money. But this is just an honest mimic of the rapper’s naive 16 year old self. So even though this track is out of character, he still manages to own it far better than any other of the rapper cliques out there who are, at this day and age, legit on the topic. Jemma Cole
14. THERE’S NO LEAVING NOW – THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH
The crooning of this Swedish heartthrob Kristian Matsson offers Dylan-esque folk of which it is hard to tire. His characteristic melancholic yearning and storytelling are at their best. Every song is gold. Harriet Cheney
15. PORT OF MORROW – THE SHINS
The Shins are essentially back to the original concept of James Mercer & his hired backing band. The album is a far more clean production with the fuzz and rough edges of Oh Inverted World/Chutes Too Narrow digitally polished. Good job then that Mercer can masterfully craft melodic gems like Simple Song & September. Gary Page
16. MIRAGE ROCK – BAND OF HORSES
This fourth offering is a little more urgent, insistent and less ethereal than what you’re used to, without being a massive departure. There are lots of nice country elements too. Bobby Townsend
17. THE MONEY STORE – DEATH GRIPS
Let’s get something straight, while this album has a slightly less harsh sound than before, it doesn’t represent Death Grips going soft after signing to a major. Rather, the band takes the a bunch of genres into the studio and beats the living shit out of them with a baseball bat, then smacks you around the head with their bleeding corpses. Bobby Townsend
18. WRECKING BALL – BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
The boss caps off his recent fine run of albums with his best in 30 years. While the stories of blue collar hardship are familiar themes, on this record they seem to ring with more resonance. Maybe it’s the times we live in, but Springsteen’s fire is raging with injustice for the people without a voice. Gary Page
19. RELEASE – STEVE SMYTH
There’s a fire inherent in Smyth that impacts on his songwriting and had an insurmountable effect on his first solo album. It’s a cohesive album, drawing on a wide range of musical styles and genres. Celeste Macdonald
20. TOTAL LOSS – HOW TO DRESS WELL
Brittle, reverb drenched digi-funk soul about sadness, death, depression and loneliness. A fragile masterpiece that takes the epic grandeur of Prince and strips it to its broken & decaying bare bones. Neil Martin
Annnnd, here are some albums that, for whatever reason (maybe it’s a hidden gem or maybe it didn’t get enough votes because it was released in 2011 in some parts of the world and 2012 in others), didn’t make our top 20, but that we highly recommend anyway:
OSHIN – DIIV
A melodic, hypnotic, dream inducing album filled to the brim with gorgeous guitaring and soft, distorted vocals which flow together effortlessly. When I listen to it I feel like I am lying on an inflatable raft in the Pacific, sipping fresh coconut milk as I float away into sensory bliss…. Liana Gow-Killingbeck
ARROW – HEARTLESS BASTARDS
I first saw the Heartless Bastards for 15 dollars in LA. They blew us all away. I’ve seen them three times since. While this is not my favorite Heartless Bastards album (that would be The Mountain), I still love them to bits and think they should be way bigger than they are. By the way, their live shows are some of the best around. Tenley Nordstrom
*ROYAL HEADACHE – ROYAL HEADACHE
In a year that saw the majority of my listening drifting towards droney electronics and the avant garde it seems somewhat ironic that my album of the year was made by a 4 piece punk band from Sydney. Royal Headache is garage rock with a big dollop of SOUL. Urgent, desperate, dripping with pop hooks and singalong moments this is ROCK N ROLL with its heart on its sleeve and I defy you not to be swept away by it’s ferocious, bristling energy. Neil Martin
PUT YOUR BACK N 2 IT – PERFUME GENIUS
When I was asked to review this for another gig it changed my whole preconceived notion of listening to albums. I could not get enough. Even after the review was done I still had it on repeat. Rarely can a musician convey so much raw emotion consistently throughout an entire album without it getting boring or turning into a pity party. Beautiful lyrics and freakishly talented music man with a back story that makes Mickey Avalon look like a Carebear. Kaya Strehler
A YEAR AT SEA – WINTER PEOPLE
This was a sensationally eclectic debut album with lots of twists, turns and beautiful sounds. The six piece band (pictured, right) takes you on a journey through the wilds of their talented minds. Kate Holcombe
TENDER OPPOSITES – TOPS
Made up of clean guitar lines, shadowy synths, and shoulder shaking bass lines, Tender Opposites packs a crisp smoky punch. I can’t really think as to what it sounds most like. That doesn’t mean it’s unique and ground breaking, rather it’s so blissfully perfect that nothing could quite execute a similar sound the way TOPS do. This Montreal quartet had a little light shone on them through best bud Grimes, but now seem to have slipped under her trendy shadow as potential contenders for album of the year. Just simple pop melodies all constructed under some strange song structures. I love this album. Marcus Thaine
KING TUFF – KING TUFF
Such a great record filled with great lo-fi, garage slacker ballads. Carol Bowditch
WHAT WE SAW FROM THE CHEAP SEATS – REGINA SPEKTOR
Regina Spektor’s album from earlier this year had it all for me. Previously unreleased stuff you could only get to on dodgy youtube clips of gigs (Ne me quitte pas). New stuff about growing up that makes me tear up (Small Town Moon). And a pretty ditty with my name as the title (Jessica). Yes, thankyou Regina, that was excellent. Jess O’Callaghan
HEAVEN – THE WALKMEN
While, on the whole, 2012 wasn’t a vintage year for guitar bands, the Walkmen bounced back out of their corner with the excellent Heaven – cementing their place as one of the best indie bands about. Andy James
VERSUS THE DRUNKEN MASTER – PRINCE FATTY
Prince Fatty’s latest album is a mix of hip hop fantasy and reggae reality and features some superb covers including Got Your Money by ODB and And The Beat Goes On by The Whispers. 25ThC
So there you have it… Agree? Disagree? Let us know in the comments section below and stay tuned over the coming days for our top films, gigs, TV shows and songs.
*The pedants amongst you may have noticed that Royal Headache is in amongst our recommendations even though it was largely a 2011 release. Well, Neil, who wrote the above words about it is UK based and it didn’t really impact over there till this year. Plus it’s an ace record and worth recommending again anyway.
