2012 Playlist

Every year I make a playlist of the songs from the year that I really liked. This year's list reflects the following:

• An over exposure to BBC6 - The Maccabees, Of Monsters and Men, The Unthanks, Jack White
• Recommendations from Q Magazine - Emeli Sande, Bill Fay, Jessie Ware, Elton John vs Pnau
• Something new - The Vaccines, The Lumineers, Japandroids
• Something old -  Patti Smith, The Rolling Stones
• A song I heard on YouTube while watching a bike video, Sounds of Guns -Martyn Ashton - Road Bike Party

Here is the list on Spotify and Rdio.  Here are the links.

2012 Playlist - Rdio
2012 Playlist - Spotify

Here's the list.

Name - Artist - Album

1. Next to Me - Emeli Sande - Our Version of Events
2. Europe - Allo Darlin' - Europe
3. Headlong Into The Abyss - We Are Augustines - Rise Ye Sunken Ships
4. The Only Place - Best Coast - The Only Place
5. Teenage Icon - The Vaccines - Come Of Age
6. Went Away - The Maccabees - Given To The Wild
7. Laura - Bat For Lashes - The Haunted Man
8. Ho Hey - The Lumineers - The Lumineers
9. Hold on - Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls
10. I Never Knew You - The Avett Brothers - The Carpenter
11. Mountain Sound - Of Monsters And Men - My Head Is An Animal
12. Downtown (Intro)/On My Way Downtown - Lucero - Women & Work
13. Six Ways To Sunday - Blackberry Smoke - The Whippoorwill
14. There Is A Valley - Bill Fay - Life Is People
15. Running - Jessie Ware - Devotion
16. For Today I Am a Boy - The Unthanks - Diversions, Vol. 1: The Songs of Robert Wyatt and Antony & the Johnsons
17. My Blood - Ellie Goulding - Halcyon
18. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) - Joe Jackson - The Duke
19. Good Morning To The Night - Elton John vs Pnau - Good Morning To The Night
20. I'm Shakin' - Jack White - Blunderbuss
21. 45 - The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten
22. The House That Heaven Built - Japandroids - Celebration Rock
23. Amerigo - Patti Smith - Banga
24. Doom And Gloom - The Rolling Stones - Doom And Gloom
25. Sometimes - Sound Of Guns - Angels and Enemies

Top Ten Albums of 2012: 5 through 1

A couple of artists that I am very familiar with and three I had never heard of before the start of the year.

5. Elton John versus Pnau – Good Morning to the Night – When I first heard this, I couldn't believe I sat through the end of the album. It is bunch of Elton John songs mashed up with electronica from Pnau. I wanted to write it off, but it has a touch of nostalgia, it is interesting and most importantly it is fun.

 



4. Bob Mould – Silver Age – When you deal with Bob Mould, you have a rough idea what it is going to sound like and you know it is going to be an honest album that explores his thoughts and emotions. I purposely avoided paying close attention to the lyrics for this reason. His world can be a little dark and depressing. That said, this album roars like the best of Husker Du, Sugar and his solo work.

3. Emeli Sande – Our Version of Events – I saw reviews for this early in the year, and, I decided to give it a try. She is another British soul singer with powerful ballads and great hooks. There seem to be so many of them. I didn't think this album could measure up to all the great music from this genre over that past few years, but it does. At times it will remind you of Adele, at times Beyonce, at times Janelle Monae, yet she is her own person. This album is at the top of many critics' lists and it was at the top of mine for awhile, also. It is a great debut.

 
2. Japandroids – Post–Nothing – A friend told me the week before this came out that it would be my favorite album of the year and he was close. If Bob Mould roars, this album explodes. They have unpolished rawness that makes rock music exciting. Even though they are from Vancouver, BC, they have the classic American influences of Springsteen, Petty, Husker Du and The Replacements. At times, the album just overwhelms (in a good way).

1. The Unthanks – Diversions Vol.1, The Songs of Robert Wyatt and Antony & the Johnsons – I stumbled across this listening to a BBC interview with the band. It is simple, spare folk music with pure melodies and weird songs. I found myself drawn back to the album over and over again. It is odd, haunting and beautiful. It is my favorite album of the year.