Saturday, November 2, 2024

TCP’s top ten albums of 2012

We polled several staff members on their top albums released this year. There were all kinds of off-the-wall submissions, but after a little arguing and compromise, we composed a list that everyone seems to agree on —although Amanda still claims that Ke$ha was robbed.

 

10. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
By this time, it’s no secret that made-for-radio, pop-infused indie-folk is on the rise. But besides being wildly catchy, this album has some depth, with smart, evocative writing and warm, layered and whimsical instrumentation.

9. Lord Huron – Lonesome Dreams
Maybe the great surprise album of the year, these Michiganders take dreamy, stream-of -consciousness folk-rock to the next level. Saturated with poetic, vivid accounts of rivers, roads, deserts and dreams, this is Lord Huron’s first album and a brave and ambitious dive into what seems to be the start of a promising career.

8. Justin Townes Earle – Nothings Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now
The best songwriters sing about what they know in an unpretentious way, and, if Justin Townes Earle is an expert on one thing, it’s life on the road. In his fourth full-length — a mixture of his narrative country roots and melancholy Memphis soul — Stevie Earle’s 30-year-old son masterfully chronicles the wear and tear of the open highway.

7. Mountain Goats – Transcendental Youth
In a dim, dusty corner of folk, there remains a contemporary fellowship of hyper-literates, and Mountain Goats songwriter John Darnielle just might be the king. Two decades into his career, he is slinging as much poetic fire as ever; from denouncing conformity to deconstructing loneliness, his piercing poignancy never fades.

6. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
The title doesn’t lie: these two Vancouver natives are celebrating their dirty, relentless rock ‘n roll that the world fell in love with decades ago; and they’re proving it still has some room to charge forward. By splicing in dashes of punk hooks, clever lyrics and a handful of pop sensibilities, they round out the chaos to a controllable level — hitting the bulls-eye of where rock ‘n roll should be heading.

5. Grizzly Bear – Shields
Brooklyn’s favorite sons pick up the pace, get out the distortion pedals and harness their inner rock stars on their fourth album. The hipster folk-rock ambience is still there, but they are sounding a little more like My Morning Jacket than Radiohead these days.

4. First Aid Kit – Lion’s Roar
To say sisters Johanna and Klara Soderberg are beyond their years is a huge understatement. Everything — the lyrics, vocals, delivery, harmonies, hurt and angst — points to the Swedish teen duo not being on the fringe of their coming-of-age years, despite that fact that  they’re 21 and 19, respectively.  Their debut is consistently brilliant, no matter if they are singing about heartache or Gram Parsons.

3. Dan Deacon – America
The mad scientist of the electronic era, Deacon lyrically explores the state of the country, while his slick arrangements announce him as the sheriff of the new frontier of music. Holding a master’s degree in electro-acoustic and computer music, the 31-year-old Baltimore transplant/ New York City
native isn’t your standard button masher; this guy’s a true genius.

2. Jack White – Blunderbuss
Packed with grizzled rock anthems and introspective psych-folk, Jack White’s first solo record picks up right where the White Stripe’s left off: producing batches of hard-driven Midwestern grit with a steel backbone. It’s bigger and fuller than his work with Meg, but it has that same weird, distinct magic.

1. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel…
As eccentric, emotional and sharp as ever, Fiona’s firehorse vocals —with seem seemingly unlimited energy, passion and wit — shine over sporadic keys and primitive drums. She’s so delightfully odd, she’s almost unable to be categorized and that’s what makes her so special

We polled several staff members on their top albums released this year. There were all kinds of off-the-wall submissions, but after a little arguing and compromise, we composed a list that everyone seems to agree on —although Amanda still claims that Ke$ha was robbed.

 

10. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
By this time, it’s no secret that made-for-radio, pop-infused indie-folk is on the rise. But besides being wildly catchy, this album has some depth, with smart, evocative writing and warm, layered and whimsical instrumentation.

9. Lord Huron – Lonesome Dreams
Maybe the great surprise album of the year, these Michiganders take dreamy, stream-of -consciousness folk-rock to the next level. Saturated with poetic, vivid accounts of rivers, roads, deserts and dreams, this is Lord Huron’s first album and a brave and ambitious dive into what seems to be the start of a promising career.

8. Justin Townes Earle – Nothings Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now
The best songwriters sing about what they know in an unpretentious way, and, if Justin Townes Earle is an expert on one thing, it’s life on the road. In his fourth full-length — a mixture of his narrative country roots and melancholy Memphis soul — Stevie Earle’s 30-year-old son masterfully chronicles the wear and tear of the open highway.

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7. Mountain Goats – Transcendental Youth
In a dim, dusty corner of folk, there remains a contemporary fellowship of hyper-literates, and Mountain Goats songwriter John Darnielle just might be the king. Two decades into his career, he is slinging as much poetic fire as ever; from denouncing conformity to deconstructing loneliness, his piercing poignancy never fades.

6. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
The title doesn’t lie: these two Vancouver natives are celebrating their dirty, relentless rock ‘n roll that the world fell in love with decades ago; and they’re proving it still has some room to charge forward. By splicing in dashes of punk hooks, clever lyrics and a handful of pop sensibilities, they round out the chaos to a controllable level — hitting the bulls-eye of where rock ‘n roll should be heading.

5. Grizzly Bear – Shields
Brooklyn’s favorite sons pick up the pace, get out the distortion pedals and harness their inner rock stars on their fourth album. The hipster folk-rock ambience is still there, but they are sounding a little more like My Morning Jacket than Radiohead these days.

4. First Aid Kit – Lion’s Roar
To say sisters Johanna and Klara Soderberg are beyond their years is a huge understatement. Everything — the lyrics, vocals, delivery, harmonies, hurt and angst — points to the Swedish teen duo not being on the fringe of their coming-of-age years, despite that fact that  they’re 21 and 19, respectively.  Their debut is consistently brilliant, no matter if they are singing about heartache or Gram Parsons.

3. Dan Deacon – America
The mad scientist of the electronic era, Deacon lyrically explores the state of the country, while his slick arrangements announce him as the sheriff of the new frontier of music. Holding a master’s degree in electro-acoustic and computer music, the 31-year-old Baltimore transplant/ New York City
native isn’t your standard button masher; this guy’s a true genius.

2. Jack White – Blunderbuss
Packed with grizzled rock anthems and introspective psych-folk, Jack White’s first solo record picks up right where the White Stripe’s left off: producing batches of hard-driven Midwestern grit with a steel backbone. It’s bigger and fuller than his work with Meg, but it has that same weird, distinct magic.

1. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel…
As eccentric, emotional and sharp as ever, Fiona’s firehorse vocals —with seem seemingly unlimited energy, passion and wit — shine over sporadic keys and primitive drums. She’s so delightfully odd, she’s almost unable to be categorized and that’s what makes her so special

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