5 Favorite/Best Albums of 2012

Posted on December 21, 2012 by bgibs122

Hello, and welcome to Day 6 of Listmas, where we’re still trucking strong! Today’s the most traditional day on the list: my favorite albums of the year. I’d call 2012 a great year for music, and if they aren’t strictly speaking the “best” albums of the year, here are the 5 albums that I listened to more than the rest. Don’t forget to check back tomorrow for the year’s odds and ends!

5. Amanda Palmer (and the Grand Theft Orchestra) – Theatre is Evil

I’ve gone up and down all year on what’s most likely going to be Amanda Palmer’s magnum opus, but either way, I’ve kept listening since it’s September release. And, well, it grew on me. Theatre is Evil is an exhilarating and exhausting tour de personality of an album that seldom stops to catch its breath. Palmer tries a bit of everything, and when Theatre is Evil is on, it has some of the most energetic, vibrant music of the year (“Smile”, “Want It Back”,  “Melody Dean”). Even slower moments like heartbreaking “The Bed Song” or everything-but-the-kitchen sink “Berlin” are engaging and stuffed to the gills. Like I said, it’s exhausting, but some of the best parties are.

4. Jack White – Blunderbuss

After over a decade in the music world, and five years after The White Stripes’ last album, Jack White finally released his solo debut. And, while Blunderbuss in ways sounds very much like you’d expect a Jack White album to sound, it’s also more vulnerable and less aloof than rock’s mystery man has shown before. You’ll have to give Blunderbuss a couple listens to fully catch that, though, as it’s easy to get swept up in the album’s bombast (“Sixteen Saltines”, “Weep Themselves to Sleep”) and craft (“Love Interruption”) on the first few spins. Jack White might be making music alone for the first time, but he’s having a blast while he’s at it.

3. Titus Andronicus – Local Business

Even before writing what would become Local Buisness, Titus Andronicus faced a tough question: how do you follow-up a record like The Monitor? That album, the band’s 2010 all-or-nothing breakout that married the Civil War to frontman Patrick Stickles’ recent break-up and its aftermath, was an instant high-concept classic. Local Buisness doesn’t up the ante, and is instead comfortable being a string of 10 really good songs (I think of it like this: in relation to Modest Mouse, if The Monitor is TA’s The Moon & Antarctica, then Local Buisness is their Good News For People Who Love Bad News). That’s not to say that Local Business is a lightweight by any means: half the songs clock in between 5 and 10 minutes, and the album’s centerpiece is an 8 minute epic called “My Eating Disorder”. TA’s formula of scrappy, stadium punk is still great here, and even if Local Business isn’t the life changer that The Monitor was, it’s more dependable.

2. Frank Ocean – Channel ORANGE

Smarter people than I have already written about how great 2012 was for Frank Ocean: the string of great TV performances, the history leading up to Channel ORANGE‘s release, his sexuality and what that means for hip-hop…the guy’s done a lot this year. As for me, I’m just content to revel in what a goddamn great album Channel ORANGE is. The album’s been routinely topping year-end lists for weeks, and for plenty of good reasons: the production values are rich, Ocean’s voice and range are phenomenal, and the lyrics are genuinely touching. There’s nary a misfire to be found, and the high points are some of the best music of the year, particularly the album’s heart, “Pyramids”. Channel ORANGE was the album this year that reached past genres, and made a fan out of just about everyone. It’s worth checking out, no matter what you like.

1. The Menzingers – On the Impossible Past

With On the Impossible Past, Pennsylvania punk band The Menzingers have crafted one of finest albums I’ve heard in awhile. It focuses on small town, Midwestern life, but reaches for universal themes: self-doubt, loneliness, and yearning are all over the album. Of course, there’s plenty more to it than that; few artists could write something as wryly sharp as “Burn After Reading”, or as miserable as “Gates”–go look up some of the lyrics, and you’ll find something that clicks with you. And the music, all powerful riffs, melodic leads, and gorgeous texture, only strengthens the album. Better yet, On the Impossible Past is infused with a wintery chill, so why not give it a listen in the coming months?

Listmas concludes tomorrow with my odds and ends (including favorite songs) of the year!

Ranting About Music Listmas Schedule
Dec. 16th: Worst Hits (10-6)
Dec. 17th: Worst Hits (5-1)
Dec. 18th: Best Hits (10-6)
Dec. 19th: Best Hits (5-1)
Dec. 20th: Best New Music
Dec. 21st: Best Albums
Dec. 22nd: Odds ‘n Ends

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Top “New Music” of 2012

Posted on December 20, 2012 by bgibs122

It’s Day 5 of Listmas here at Ranting About Music, and today, we’re breaking away from the pop world to look at some of the best up and coming music I’ve heard this year! 2012 was the year that the site’s “New Music” section really took off, and I wanted to highlight the groups that made some of my favorite records of the year.

3. I Used To Be a Sparrow – Luke
Reverb-friendly, tuneful indie rock isn’t revolutionary, but when it’s done as methodically and as well as Swedish/Italian duo I Used To Be a Sparrow do it on Luke, you remember why you loved it. From the “Oh oh whoa”s and soaring vocals of single “Life Is Good” to the lush “Lovers on the Moon” to the propulsive rush of “Alaska”, Luke‘s an end-to-end delight that never falters. The guitar/drum combo is layered and textured, the melodies are great, and the production is blissfully isolating. Give Luke a listen on the band’s bandcamp page, or click below to hear “Life Is Good”.

2. Pebaluna – Carny Life
I absolutely love artists who were clearly music fans before they became creators. Their work has a level of craft, care, and unfettered enthusiasm that you won’t find elsewhere, and when they’re good, they hit it out of the park. Indie collective Pebaluna is one such band, and their ten track debut Carny Life follows the acoustic band as they blend jazz, blues, and soul influences without any missteps along the way. Quieter moments like “Sister Sara” and “No, I Can’t” are tempered with explosive tunes like “Please Me” and the Motown bounce of “Hopeless”. There’s something for everyone here; check out opener “All Falling Down” below.

1. Stereo Crowd – The Urban Alternative
Before listening to The Urban Alternative, I was starting to think that mixing genres like hip-hop, punk, soul, and rock in a great way wasn’t doable. I’ve never been so happy to be wrong. Brooklyn based Stereo Crowd grabs the best of those genres: muscular and tight rock arrangements with strong beats, great soul hooks, frenzied punk rock energy, killer rapping from multiple MCs, and cut any fat off of The Urban Alternative. The band and a small army of collaborators play the hell out of every second of the record, and there’s never a dull moment to be found. 2012’s a year where opposing genres are melding together to create something new and fresh, and no one did it better than Stereo Crowd, making this the best New Music of 2012.

Ranting About Music Listmas Schedule
Dec. 16th: Worst Hits (10-6)
Dec. 17th: Worst Hits (5-1)
Dec. 18th: Best Hits (10-6)
Dec. 19th: Best Hits (5-1)
Dec. 20th: Best New Music
Dec. 21st: Best Albums
Dec. 22nd: Odds ‘n Ends

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The Top Ten Hits of 2012 (5-1)

Posted on December 19, 2012 by bgibs122

Welcome back for le creme de le creme of this past year’s hits. Well, no point in waiting, let’s get stated! Number five could be one song, and one song only…

5. Jay Z and Kanye West – Ni**as in Paris

Over a year past Watch the Throne, and I’m still a little surprised at how well that album went; normally big budget, big name collaborations goes down in flames. But yet, the combination of Kanye West and Jay-Z–two guys whose egos are so strong I’m surprised they have willed themselves into physical manifestations–produced some quality stuff, especially “Ni**as in Paris”.

Normally, rappers talking about how much wealthier they are than you gets kind of boring, but instead of the usual “What’s it like to have as much money as Kanye or Jay?”, the song’s premise is, “What’s it like to be Kanye or Jay?” And the answer is “Fucking awesome!” This is probably Jay-Z’s 1,245th time talking about how rich he is, but the guy brags about stuff so absurd, that you can’t help but fall for the escapism of it. Like, when Wiz Khalifa brags about getting good weed, or how his car is push to start, you know what he means, but it’s not really an entertaining concept. When Jay-Z talks about being so rich that he doesn’t give a shit how his NBA team does, you really understand not only how stupid rich that is, but how to have fun with it. Kanye’s verse is already the stuff of legend: the “Haaaaaah”s, “that shit cray”s, and “What she order, Fish Filet?” are so inane but so Kanye they can’t help but work. Add in some great production, a baffling but awesome Blades of Glory sample, and a kickass outro, and “Ni**as in Paris” knocks it out of the park. That shit cray.

4. B.o.B – So Good

2010 pop rap phenomenon B.o.B showed that you could be fun in rap without it being “authentic”. On the singles from his major label debut, the guy was seldom serious while making pop songs with rap verses, but he was damn likeable. The only complaint with those singles was that B.o.B sounded like he was the guest on his own material.

But he’s center-stage for the world traveling “So Good”. Strange Clouds mostly eschewed electronic music in favor of live instruments, and here B.o.B is only backed by a bouncing piano and drum combo. The music’s light and happy, and so is he; his verses sound like a guy who just got to see the world, and he’s even got some decent punchlines about it in there. The happiness in the verses is infectious, which makes the strong, bright chorus even better. The sheer joy and “anything’s possible” vibe carries over to the hands-in-the-air “Na na na”s, which smile from ear to ear. Whenever I wanted to feel happy or celebrate that things are good, “So Good” was the song I turned to.

3. Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe

Nope, not even sorry.

What do you even say about “Call Me Maybe” at this point? Everyone’s already talked about those “nothing on the radio like’em” strings, how it’s teen pop at age 26, and the sheer rush of it. And I mean everyone; “Call Me Maybe” might have been the second biggest song of the year, but it was easily the most inescapable. During the summer, it seemed like a day wouldn’t pass without some big-name group doing their own take on the song (this one, of Jepsen singing it with Jimmy Fallon and The Roots playing classroom instruments, is my favorite). It’s just a super happy, obscenely catchy pop song, what’s wrong with that? And, while I’m pissing away music snob credit, “Oblivion” blows.

2. Neon Trees – Everybody Talks

When I heard “Animal”, I couldn’t think of a band that had “One Hit Wonder” written on them more than Neon Trees. From what that song told us, Neon Trees were basically a hodgepodge of indie/alt. rock trends from the 00s warmed over a little; it wasn’t my least favorite song, but I had no desire to hear anything by them again.

Then, out of nowhere, came the power pop rush of “Everybody Talks”. It’s still coming from the same post-New Wave space that “Animal” did, but feels way less tied to the 80s than that song every did. There’s also an energy and sense of abandon on “Everybody Talks”; the verses are downright fun, and the full-throated chorus begs singing along. Neon Trees sounds a little more formed as a band, and the playing in “Everybody Talks” is more dynamic than the band’s old material. Check out the second verse, where the bass and drums do a slick breakdown with a synth slipping in and out of it; you wouldn’t hear that on “Animal”. And maybe it’s just the little dance that happens in the video, but I always want to get up and move to this one. Apparently, the album that had “Everybody Talks” on it didn’t do that well, but hey, two hits are better than one, right?

1. Gotye feat. Kimbra – Somebody That I Used To Know

I’m kinda surprised by this one, too.

I know it’s kind of predictable to put the number one song of the year in the number one spot, but shit, it fits. I love the production, the instrumentation, the lyrics, the singing…it all just works. But it wouldn’t have hit number one without Kimbra’s verse. Before her verse, “Somebody That I Used To Know” plays out like most overdramatic break-up songs: you cut me off, glad we’re over, I was miserable around you, the norm. But her verse gives the song a nice human element by calling Gotye’s bullshit out about being victimized, and that he was rough on her, too. It’d be ugly to watch in real life, but the song’s so well done that it’s compelling. The melody in the chorus is great, and the harmonies at the last one add even more. At least for me, “Somebody” wasn’t a song that I immediately fell in love with, but one I kept coming back to more and more. It’s a great song, the number one for the year, and in my opinion, the best hit of 2012. Here’s to great looking pop charts in 2013!

Ranting About Music Listmas Schedule
Dec. 16th: Worst Hits (10-6)
Dec. 17th: Worst Hits (5-1)
Dec. 18th: Best Hits (10-6)
Dec. 19th: Best Hits (5-1)
Dec. 20th: Best New Music
Dec. 21st: Best Albums
Dec. 22nd: Odds ‘n Ends

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The Top Ten Best Hits of 2012 (10-6)

Posted on December 18, 2012 by bgibs122

Welcome to Day 3 of Listmas here at Ranting About Music! Now that the worst hits of the year are behind us, let’s take a look at the best of the best. And, while 2012 had a lot of garbage in it, there were also plenty of great songs, to boot; whittling down the Hot 100 for the best songs was a little harder than doing the same for the worst. Well, let’s get started!

10. Eric Church – Springsteen

My top ten hits list is opening with a country song. I’m surprised, too. But I really like “Springsteen”. Unlike a lot of crossover country, the production isn’t polished, and is instead rustic, and unassuming. The chorus is big, but it’s all pretty, shimmering guitars that don’t overwhelm, but entice. There’s an effortlessness in the verses, too, “Springsteen” doesn’t sound like it’s trying to be anything but a decent tune, and the “Whoa-oh-oh-oh-whoa” outro goes for the big stadium sound of the song’s namesake. The lyrics, reliving a high school romance through a then favorite artist, are bittersweet, and paint a picture without becoming too silly or mawkish (even the idiocy in getting your lover’s name tattooed on you sound adorably adolescent). “Springsteen”‘s just an unassumingly good song.

9. Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa ft. Bruno Mars – Young, Wild, and Free

I’m surprised that Wiz Khalifa, who just barely avoided missing this year’s Worst list twice,  made it here. But none of the three artists on “Young, Wild, and Free” can take full credit for the song’s success; it truly is a group effort that works for everyone involved. Wiz and Snoop are known far and wide for smoking, but putting Bruno Mars on the chorus was a smart move–the guy’s a little grittier and more substance friendly than his early material suggests.

“Young, Wild, and Free” wasn’t the only stoner jam out there this year, but it accomplished  what few songs had before it: it makes it sound fun. For once, getting high doesn’t sound like a boast or a competition, but just something to do with your friends while drinking or watching TV. Snoop’s smooth and slow flow balances out Khalifa’s zippy lines to the benefit of both, and the catchy little piano riff is infectious. Roll on, guys.

8. Usher – Scream

Club/dance songs didn’t dominate the charts this year, but the good ones were great, and “Scream” is the best of the bunch. The top-notch production sounds like a party on its own, and never lets up over the song’s four minute runtime, and has a bit of texture, too (the intro could almost pass for hi-fi chiptune). And yeah, the song is “in your face” sexual, but the lyrics aren’t that skeevy. Instead of focusing solely on how much he wants you, “Scream” pitches the idea that hey, good sex is good sex. Does “Scream” do anything particularly different from other club pop? No, but it does it better than most, and that’s more than enough.

7. Miguel – Adorn

AND Usher (again) – Climax

If you’re attracted to men, and have a thing for sensual R&B, then goddamn was 2012 your year. Between these two songs and Frank Ocean’s “Thinking Bout You”, this year was loaded with audio erotica. Miguel’s “Adorn” mixes some throwback Prince and Marvin Gaye style R&B with a modern production heavy on fuzzy bass and smooth backing vocals. But Miguel’s vocal gymnastics are what make the song stand out; over “Adorn”‘s runtime, he sounds less concerned with keeping it firmly structured in verses and choruses, and more focused on performing the fuck out it.

“Climax”, meanwhile, trades past-meets-present production for a futuristic, chilly, glitchy sound that matches a mostly falsetto performance from Usher. If “Adorn” is about sexual build-up, “Climax” is about the blissful post-climax where the whole world slows down. For a song called “Climax”, it spends most of its time in build-up, but once the bridge comes in and Usher kicks into full gear and the electronics swirl around him, it’s a hell of a high point. If you’d have told me that either one of these songs would be on the year-end chart (ok, ok, “Adorn” barely made it, but still), I wouldn’t have believed it; neither one sounds like it was made for the radio. Then again, with jams this good, I’m not gonna complain.

6. Ellie Goulding – Lights

In a year of “anything can happen” hits, “Lights” was still the most unexpected. The song was released for American radio in May of 2011, but wasn’t a hit until nearly a year later. I know I mentioned that I generally discount songs that were released before November of the year before, but “Lights” took a long, slow climb up the chart over this year, and placed at number 5 for the year end.

I’m happy it got the recognition, though. “Lights” blends electronic and acoustic instruments with a deftness not seen elsewhere. It’s sleek and polished without being over produced, and Goulding’s throaty vocals always sound like she’s on the edge of breaking, but never does. More than just being well-crafted, “Lights” is the kind of song that makes you want to move; it’s catchy, and while it isn’t a full on romp like “Scream”, it’s got a hell of a groove, to boot. The song’s been around pretty much all year, and a lesser song would have worn out its welcome by now. But “Lights” still shines with every listen.

So, that’s the first half of the “Best hits” list, come back tomorrow for part 2!

Ranting About Music Listmas Schedule
Dec. 16th: Worst Hits (10-6)
Dec. 17th: Worst Hits (5-1)
Dec. 18th: Best Hits (10-6)
Dec. 19th: Best Hits (5-1)
Dec. 20th: Best New Music
Dec. 21st: Best Albums
Dec. 22nd: Odds ‘n Ends

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