Songbird
Jan
17
Did you like how I made you wait for this number 1? I did. ;-)
I have noticed through the years that most of the albums from Stars have grown on me. It has always taken some time for me to fall in love, but I always do. I saw them live again this year at the Mayan Theater in downtown LA… I cried. Wait… Let me re-phrase, I flipped the fuck out when they played, ‘Your Ex-Lover Is Dead‘. So amazing and wonderful to hear and see your favorite song played live and loud.
I’ll be honest, there is no way for me to give you some mind shattering new review of their latest album, The North. I can’t because I am biased. I love their pop-tastic, dreamy, gooey, nostalgic rock. It soars into my soul and makes me dance up and down with joy. EVERY album. slixy.ch. However, The North takes me back to some of my favorite albums of theirs, Set Yourself on Fire and In Our Bedroom After The War. The North parallels these albums and flies right into my number 1 favorite album of 2012.
I know there were no surprises on this list of top five. But I am alright with that. This top 5 is my honest favorite(s) of 2012, they are albums I have enjoyed most over the past year. There will be one more post of some of the albums I have NOT mentioned at Untitled over the past year but feel they are certainly owed a nod.
“You are the bullet in the chamber of the gun…” – A Song Is A Weapon, Stars
The North 2012 (Ato Records)
Jan
10
Top Five of 2012: Number 2
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I sit here surfing the internet listening to the debut album from The Lumineers. The 2012 trio phenomenon that will get you up dancing and singing your heart out with their toe tapping, sing-a-long folk rock. I am belting out every lyric and I am literally dancing in my chair to their top Billboard hit, Ho Hey. I sing along to every song on this album.
And although my little indie hipster heart died a little the day they were nominated for a Grammy… I still love them. And when I suffered through a sold out venue in Orange County, CA with no AC while a bunch of drunken nit wits stumbled around, I didn’t care because when they got on stage, I no longer paid attention to anything else. I didn’t care that I was sweating through my clothes and I could barely move let alone breathe… I didn’t care. I could of listened and watch them perform all night like that. They are artists. THEY are about the music and I have found home in their lyrics. The melodies wrap me up in a warm blanket and take all the pain away. It is so very beautiful.
The Lumineers 2012 (Dualtone Music)
Jan
9
Top Five of 2012: Number 3
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Master of My Make-Believe hit me right from the start, upon first listen I was already hooked. Her range is so varied that you hear so many great influences you never imagined could be mixed together and work. Santi makes it work and makes it her own.
The album starts out with an aggressive stomping reggae beat mixed with a dirty indie rock influence by the one and only Karen O. Then one of my favorite tracks, Disparate Youth, a heavily influenced island beat blended with a little indie dream pop. The chorus sings, Oh-ah, Oh-ah/We know now we want more/Oh-ah, Oh-ah/A life worth fighting for. So good.
There really isn’t a song on the album that I don’t like or that I find myself skipping through. Santi White is inspiring. She has just the right amount of attitude, but also has this soft gentle aura about her which gives her the ability to blend her musical tastes and create her own distinct sound. Her sophomore album is in no way a disappointment for me as you can see it is number 3 on my top 5 of 2012… That is quite a nod.
Master of My Make-Believe 2012 (Atlantic)
Jan
4
Top Five of 2012: Number 4
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This was difficult… So, so difficult. It was between Dry The River and Andrew Bird and as you can see Andrew Bird won. Maybe because I have a history with Andrew Bird, I have almost all of his albums. He is number 3 on my most listened to musicians. His music really hits me deep in my gut and makes me feel so, so good. He has truly become on of my favorite musicians of all time. This album is his sixth full length studio album and however divided people are about this album I am on the side that says it is a beautiful piece of art. Bird is an amazing talented musician who cannot fail because he is just flat out that good at what he does. Listen to Lazy Projector, Fatal Shore or Desperation Breeds and tell me that it doesn’t charm you with its gentle guitar melodies and subtle whistles luring you in and spinning you around. That is what Bird does best. Is this album knock your socks off blow your mind upon first listen? No. But that is not Bird’s style, he lures you in like the smell of a good sweet bourbon. Slow and methodical, his music stands the test of time. He is just that good.
Break It Yourself 2012 (Mom & Pop Music)
Jan
3
Top Five of 2012: Number 5
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I thought this would be a different way to debut my top five picks of 2012. An album a day, counting down to number one. This year I made it a lot more difficult on myself and committed to a top 5 as a homage to High Fidelity (one of my favorite movies of all time).
Number 5 on the list: Beach House, Bloom
For me, Bloom was a fabulous follow up to, Teen Dream. The flow, the dreamy pop melodies and lyrics. Beach House have found their nitch, their voice… It is all music to my ears. I really loved it from start to finish. I know an album is a true favorite when it comes out at the beginning of the year and I am still listening to it at the end of the year. Bloom is one of those albums.
Bloom 2012 (Sub Pop)
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