1. Charmer - Aimee Mann
Best Track - Labrador
Hands down Aimee Mann's best release since the brilliant Lost in Space - an album which should have been career defining, but unfortunately didn't launch her into whatever stratosphere she deserves to be in. This is the most infectious pop record of last year by far. Exceptionally catchy tunes. Heck, even something like Gamma Ray which threatens to be the next Superball turns into an amazing track. Nothing overstays its welcome. Just brilliant all round.
2. Neck of the Woods - Silversun Pickups
Best Track - Mean Spirits
I won't lie. I listened to this album more than any other album this year. For most of the time I kept thinking that 'damn, that girls got a good voice' and then someone kindly pointed out to me that no, that's a man. That fortunately didn't change my opinion of the album. This is one of the best albums ever in my opinion. The guitar work in this is fantastic and the way each song evolves is astounding.
3. Journey - Austin Wintory
Best Track - Threshold
It's not often I'll instantly buy a game soundtrack as soon as it's available, but sure enough, as soon as Journey's soundtrack was available I was there. Not only is this the best game of 2012, but it's also got the best soundtrack - film or game - of last year. There's a reason this is nominated for a Grammy. The music is half of what makes the game work and Austin Wintory's work is amazing, the beauty in Threshold is astounding.
4. The Plot Against Common Sense - The Future of the Left
Best Track - Robocop 4: Fuck Off Robocop
I was mourning the lack of a new McLusky album one day last year and that spurred me onto finding out what happened to the guys from McLusky. Well, good news, McLusky is alive and well, just flounting itself around as a different band. Future of the Left's album is nuts. It's just fucking nuts. It's 50 minutes of lyrical insanity. If you don't have a massive grin on your face after listening to Robocop 4: Fuck Off Robocop, then I'm not sure what I can for you.
'Pirates of the Caribbean 47,
Johnny Depp stars as the robot pirate,
Who loses his wife in a game of poker,
And tries to win her back with hilarious consequences,
At least Harry Potter has a proper story,
Where the characters at least craves an ending,
If only to release poor Billy Corgan,
From his role as the titular characters nemesis.'
5. I, Awake - Sarah Blasko
Best Track - I, Awake
Sarah Blasko's last album is in my top ten albums of all time. It's a massive album which constantly amazes me with its intricacies. I was slightly concerned to hear she'd gone solo on her latest release, but really, why should I have been worried? I, Awake is almost on par with As Day Follows Night. It's the perfect companion album. Blasko's ability to combine beautiful lyrics with orchestral music proves that she's not only the best female voice Australia has to offer, but alongside Gareth Liddiard and Paul Dempsey, she's one of the finest songwriters Australia has.
6. Gomez Live Volume 3 & 4 - Gomez
Best Track - Vol 3 - Options
Vol 4 - Other Plans
I'd say I'm cheating here, but I can't be. These two live releases from Gomez last year prove that Gomez are not only the finest band around, but hands down the best live band around. You can keep your Pearl Jam's and Foo Fighter's but the supreme intensity that Gomez deliver night after night is shown in these two live releases. Not only that but both of these releases show that even though Gomez can still play their old songs brilliantly, they do it with such style and lack of fear of changing things around a little bit to create even better music.
7. Beasts of the Southern Wild - Dan Romer & Behn Zeitlen
Best Track - Once There Was A Hushpuppy
Just like Journey above, half of the film of Beasts of the Southern Wild is made up of brilliant music. Take the music away and it could be one of the most depressing films of the year, but with the music you see the hope and spirit of Hushpuppy. It's a pity the score hasn't received more acclaim, but who really cares when your first time film scores a Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actress nomination?
8. An Awesome Wave - Alt-J
Best Track - Breezeblocks
I'm a little late to the game with this album. I honestly only picked it up a couple of weeks ago and it was simply because it was $10 that I grabbed it. I'm glad I did. Given how high it got in the Hottest 100 recently I was ready to pass it off as hokum, but this is a deep album. The mix of styles is truly jaw dropping. One second there's harmonising, the next there's deep bass, then there's a little electronica thrown in for good measure.
9. Locked Down - Dr John
Best Track - Locked Down
I wouldn't have even looked at this album if it weren't for Dan Auerbach's involvement. Which would have been a major disappointment because this is one heck of a blues album. Dr John's busy collecting pension cheques, but hopefully this album is a sign that with Auerbach's involvement he could be pumping out great albums like this for a few more years. Now to check out his 70's stuff...
10. Leave Your Soul to Science - Something for Kate
Best Track - Private Rain
This is a very difficult album. It hardly feels like a Something for Kate album. I'm still not sure if I should have it on this list, especially given it opens with quite possibly the worst Something for Kate song ever - Star Crossed Citizens (a song I hoped would sound better live, but no, it doesn't). But then you skip past that first track and hear the first single Survival Expert and realise that Something for Kate are still there, they've just changed a little bit. And then you hit the third song, Private Rain, and you realise that Private Rain is quite possibly one of the best Something for Kate songs ever produced. It's my song of the year and never gets old. It's the strength of Private Rain that puts this album on the list - and if it didn't have Star Crossed Citizens on it it'd be much higher. Private Rain, for the record, is a great motherfucker live too.
(For a reference, here's my top five Something for Kate songs:
1. Feeding the Birds and Hoping for Something in Return
2. Back to You
3. Private Rain
4. Deja Vu (iTunes version)
5. Captain (A Million Miles an Hour)
Honourable Mentions:
Smokey's Haunt - Urthboy
The Haunted Man - Bat for Lashes
This Was Tomorrow - Seth Sentry
The Rubens - The Rubens
Wrecking Ball - Bruce Springsteen
Top 20 Songs of 2012
1. Private Rain - Something for Kate - See above.
2. Karmageddon - Abbe May - No. 2 song of the year from 2013's album of the year.
3. Robocop 4 (Fuck Off Robocop) - Future of the Left - Lyrically brilliant.
4. Labrador - Aimee Mann - A beautiful pop song.
5. Mean Spirits - Silversun Pickups - The break at the end is what gets me.
6. Threshold - Austin Wintory - Stunning.
7. Laura - Bat for Lashes - Simplicity at its best.
8. Stories - Urthboy - The best hiphop track of 2012.
9. Not Giving In - Rudimental - These guys are going to be Gnarls Barkley big.
10. Jumpin' Jack Flash - Gomez - Best cover of 2012.
11. Youth Without Youth - Metric - Oddly enjoyable.
12. Locked Down - Dr John - Funkalicious.
13. Charmer - Aimee Mann - The best track lyrically on the album.
14. I, Awake - Sarah Blasko - Best opening track of 2012.
15. Survival Expert - Something for Kate - One of Something for Kate's better singles.
16. A Change is Gonna Come - The Herd (Feat. Radical Son, Nooky & Sky'High) - If Tony Abbott gets in as PM, you at least know there'll be a brilliant Herd album not far behind.
17. Breezeblocks - Alt-J - If this is the future of music, I'm interested.
18. Skin Graph - Silversun Pickups - A crescendo of brilliance.
19. Once There Was a Hushpuppy - Dan Romer & Behn Zeitlin - The best film theme of 2012.
20. God-Fearing - Sarah Blasko - Like a haunting carol.
Somebody buy me a fucking thesaurus, I've said the word brilliant/brilliance way too much.
No comments:
Post a Comment