My Musical Background - An Intro to Curtiss Grymala

As one of the newest members of this blog, I felt I should introduce myself by giving a little bit of my musical history.

When I was very young, my musical influences were rather scattered. My father spent most of the time listening to talk radio, so I didn't get to hear much music when I was with him. Occasionally, he would put something other than talk on the radio, and we'd listen mostly to classic country and bluegrass, with the occasional 60s folk tune thrown in for good measure. It wasn't until later in life that I learned he's also somewhat into "classic rock", and was even present at the final concert Janis Joplin performed before her death.

My mother, on the other hand, was very much into the Top 40 music of the 70s and 80s (the kind of stuff they play on "easy listening" stations now), spending much of her time listening to Elton John, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, etc. She also had roots in the psychedelia of the 60s, though, as I found out when I dug out her old Jefferson Airplane and Beatles records.

Curtiss' Top 26 of 2012

About 3 weeks before we put together the aggregate list of the HigherEd Music Critics top picks of 2012, I was asked to join the group. At that time, I had listened to a handful of albums that were released in 2012, but I needed to listen to a few more before I could put together a good list. All together, I listened to about 50 new albums, and picked out the following as my top 26 (I meant it to be a top 25, but my numbering was off somewhere along the way, and I ended up with 26).

1. Celldweller - Wish Upon a Blackstar
   
   This is one of three albums released in 2012 by an artist that, in various incarnations, has consistently ranked near the top of my favorite artist list since the early to mid-90s. When Klayton began working under the name Celldweller in 1999, he took four years to release that moniker's debut album. Over the next 5 years, he released two more full-length albums. Almost four years later (the first of this latest batch of albums was released in December 2011), he released four full-length recordings (a full-length collection of remixes and recreations of his previously released tracks [The Complete Cellout - 2011], a live album [Live Upon a Blackstar], a full-length "album" [Wish Upon a Blackstar] and a collection of songs he'd written and put together for various movie, TV and video game soundtracks and trailers [Soundtrack for the Voices in my Head Vol. 2]) in less than a year.
   This album, Wish Upon a Blackstar, ranks at the top of my list for a few simple reasons. First, the music on this album is unparallelled by any except possibly Celldweller's other efforts. Celldweller is the perfect mix of hard-edged industrial, dance-inducing electronica and trance-inducing ethereal. The range of music found on Celldweller's albums is only found in a handful of other electronic artists' efforts. Secondly, the anticipation of this album was overwhelming. Celldweller initially released this album in five distinct chapters, beginning in 2009, as he finished writing and recording each batch of four tracks. When this album was finally released as one full-length collection, I'd already been rocking out to many of the tracks (along with remixes and mash-ups of those tracks) for 3 years.
   This album is undoubtedly one that should be checked out by anyone that's even remotely into industrial or house music, and very well might appeal to a majority of metal heads, as well. In reality, I would have liked to rank all 3 of Celldweller's 2012 albums as 1-3 on my list, but I didn't think that would go over all that well, so I'll just mention that, if you like what you hear on this album, you should definitely pick up Live Upon a Blackstar and Soundtrack for the Voices in my Head Vol. 2 (SVH2), then start working your way through the rest of his back catalog.
2. Prong - Carved Into Stone
   
   Carved Into Stone is a return to what made metal so great in the 90s. Prong is a force to be reckoned with, and brings their unique, heavy, industrialized sound to new levels on this album. It's clear that, while Tommy Victor (the main force behind the band) has maintained his own individual sound across the years, he's picked up a few new tricks while working with Danzig and Ministry in the past few years. This album is solid metal from beginning to end, and will delight anyone that's enjoyed Prong's sound in the past. While the album doesn't include anything quite as catchy as their classic "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck", it does have a sound extremely similar to that found on Cleansing and Rude Awakening. The screeching guitars, driving bass lines and aggressive, modulated vocals are still a welcome sound in my ears.
3. Propagandhi - Failed States
   
   This album combines elements of Propagandhi's signature sound with bits and pieces of emo-core and classic metal, and results in yet another phenomenal effort from the band. Long gone are the imprecise, three-chord, ska/reggae-influenced elements of the band's first album; they've been replaced with precision solos, vocal breaks and hard and fast guitar riffs. While, musically, this album is probably the band's greatest effort to-date, it doesn't seem to include nearly as many of the overtly radical political statements that have come to define Propagandhi. It is, however, a fantastic example of musicianship, and an amazing example of what can be done by a group with such varying influences. I have no doubt that fans of the last few Propagandhi albums are happily slam-dancing and breaking things while listening to this album, but I also suspect this is the type of album that could pick up a number of new fans from other genres for the band.
4. deadmau5 - >album title goes here<
   
   Deadmau5 is never one to disappoint. With each album, his sound evolves slightly into something the world's never heard before. This time is no different. While it took me a few listens to really get into this album, because I had become such a huge fan of the sound on his previous album, it definitely comes in as a powerhouse in electronic music. This new album features a bit more pop sensibility than you'll find on some of his other efforts. The album flows nicely from driving, fast-paced funk-laced tunes to slower, reflective tracks with quasi-ethereal vocals and back again.
5. Everclear - Invisible Stars
   
   This is probably the biggest surprise on my list this year. While I've always casually enjoyed Everclear's radio hits, and I am a bit of a fan of frontman Art Alexakis' personality, I've never really paid much attention to the band. While you won't find any phenomenal guitar solos or drum fills on this album, it is a consistently solid rock album (which seems to be becoming rarer & rarer as time goes on) that I enjoy from start to finish.
6. Bleeding Through - The Great Fire
   
   Fantastically brutal. Great use of synth, amazing solos.
7. Adrenaline Mob - Omerta
   
   It took me a few tries to really get into this album. There was something about this album that took a while to sink in in my brain. The guitar work is fantastic, and the drum lines are phenomenal (I would expect nothing less from Mike Portnoy, one of the greatest rock drummers of all-time), but the music itself didn't quite gel the first few times I listened. As I've given the album more plays in my rotation, however, it's definitely grown on me. The combination of hard, fast and extremely heavy guitar & bass with Russell Allen's unique vocals and Mike Portnoy's lightning-fast, jazz-inspired drum lines is unique to Adrenaline Mob, and definitely points to great things coming down the pipeline.
8. Dinosaur, Jr. - I Bet On Sky
   
   Little has changed about Dinosaur Jr. in the past 20 years. While this is a good, solid album with many enjoyable moments, it's not really anything you couldn't find on the group's slew of albums from the 90s. While I normally get sick of bands releasing the same basic album over and over again (I gave up on Motorhead about 5 years ago for that very thing) and praise bands that are continuously evolving to bigger and better things (ala Ministry, Propagandhi, etc.), I can't help but feel a little bit of comfort in knowing what to expect every time I pick up a Dinosaur Jr. album, no matter when it was recorded. Listening to this latest effort from the group is kind of like hanging out with a great friend that you haven't seen in 15 years.
9. Shadows Fall - Fire From the Sky
   
   While this album is far from ground-breaking, it is yet another fantastic effort from the band. Anyone that is a fan of Shadows Fall, especially those that enjoyed the heck out of their 2007 album "Threads of Life", will absolutely enjoy this album. It has a very similar sound and feel. For those that aren't familiar with Shadows Fall, they have a similar vibe to Avenged Sevenfold, but the music focuses more on melodic guitar work and screaming guitar solos, and less on the bottom-end, heavy riffs and drum breaks that are found in Avenged Sevenfold's work. In this reviewer's humble opinion, Shadows Fall also features better vocals than anything you'll find from A7X.
10. Rush - Clockwork Angels
    
    Yet another truly solid effort from a band that's somehow managed to continuously evolve their sound without losing the elements that make them truly unique. This album brings it with it a slightly darker and heavier sound than we've heard from Rush in a while, while also harkening back to some of what made them so classic to begin with.
11. Ministry - Relapse
    
    This latest album from Ministry is an unrelenting assault of blistering speed, unnerving syncopation and angry humor. The slowest moments on this album are still heavier and more brutal than anything found on Psalm 69, their most popular album. Unfortunately, this album also suffers from more imprecision and disjointedness than the albums that preceded it. The songs seem to have no real connection to each other, and there is no solid message throughout the album. In addition, the vocals on this album seem much more repetitive than anything in the past, causing some of the hooks to become overplayed and boring. Coming off the heels of the Bush trilogy (Houses of the Mole, Rio Grande Blood and The Last Sucker), which was an amazing display of musicianship and songwriting, this album is a bit of a disappointment. There is one gem on this album, a song called "Git Up, Get Out 'n' Vote" that harkens back to the Bush trilogy for a moment, with political wit, classic Ministry sound and activism baked in. It ranks on my list for two basic reasons: 1) It is a new album from one of my favorite bands of all time, which is especially impressive considering their previous album was supposed to be their last. If history has taught me anything about this band, it's that these seeming missteps are actually a precursor of great new things to come; 2) The speed of the guitar work on the album is truly a marvel, faster and heavier than many of the speediest speed and thrash metal artists most of the time, and more brutal than many death metal and black metal albums you'll find.
12. Jamiroquai - Rock Dust Light Star
    Jamiroquai is the one-hit wonder that keeps on giving. In 1996, they released their third studio album, off of which they had their massive US hit "Virtual Insanity". After that, they had two more minor hits with their singles "Deeper Underground" (which was featured in the 1998 trainwreck of a movie Godzilla) and "Canned Heat", which receieved a decent amount of airplay and was featured in the cult hit "Napoleon Dynamite" a few years later.
    Other than that, however, the group hasn't had all that much commercial success in the US (they rank a bit higher and had quite a few more hit singles in the UK). That hasn't stopped them from releasing three solid albums over the next 10-12 years, though.
    The latest effort from Jamiroquai is titled "Rock Dust Light Star" and is another tour de force from the group. This album, released in the UK in November 2010, waited nearly 18 months (April 2012) before making its way across the pond to the US. The album is a bit of a departure from the group's earlier stuff, featuring a bit mellower, funkier groove than their previous efforts. This album from Jamiroquai is a great example in this day & age of what an "album" should be, flowing naturally from one track into another.
13. Soundgarden - King Animal
    
    This album came as a bit of a surprise to me (and probably quite a few others). To hear a brand new album from a group that split almost 15 years ago is nothing short of inspiring. For me, this album falls somewhere in between Badmotorfinger and Superunknown. All of the tracks have that classic, unique Soundgarden sound. Many are heavier than anything you'd find on Superunknown, but none have quite the edge that was found in most tracks of Badmotorfinger. All-in-all, it's an impressive effort and an enjoyable album, but I suspect a lot of my fondness for this album is a result of the band's long absence from the scene, rather than being impressed explicitly by the musical quality of the album.
14. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel...
    
    This album is an interesting release with a bit of a new sound from Fiona Apple. While it once again fails to capture the strong, soulful sound she found on Tidal, this latest release does include some odd combinations of bouncy rhythms and sad, melancholy melodies. There are moments on this album where Apple's voice almost returns to that deep, sultry, soulful sound she exhibited in her debut, but there are other times when it's almost tinny. Overall, it's pretty fantastic jazz-influenced album, with haunting melodies, though.
15. P.O.D. - Murdered Love
    
    P.O.D. is one of the very few bands classified as "nu metal" that you'll ever find in my album collection. For fans of P.O.D., this album is almost certain not to disappoint. This album is another great example of the band's signature latin-influenced metal/hardcore sound with hip-hop sensibilities and mostly positive messages. This album also brings with it more external influences than we've seen on previous P.O.D. albums. There are times when I feel like I'm listening to some wonderful combination of Fishbone, Cypress Hill and Sepultura all rolled into one.
16. Dark Tranquillity - Zero Distance EP
    
    This EP from Swedish death metal band Dark Tranquillity is just the latest in a consistent string of unique releases from the band. Dark Tranquillity is defined by their heavy, driving guitar riffs, mixed perfectly with keyboard fills and complex drum and basslines, along with a unique growl. Occasionally, the songs are broken up by melodic, almost relaxing guitar solos before breaking back into the brutal, driving force of their metal roots.
17. Anti-Flag - The General Strike
    
    Anti-Flag tends to go through cycles where they release an amazingly ground-breaking punk album with extremely politically-charged lyrics and concepts, then they release one or two albums that seem to rehash the sounds and ideas found on previous efforts. This album is more of the latter than the former, but it's still a great punk album. For those unfamiliar with Anti-Flag, it's difficult to describe their sound. They tend to mix equal parts influence from revolutionary punk bands like The Clash and Dead Kennedys with classic elements of Oi and their own unique musical elements. This album, like many of their previous efforts, is heavily reliant on driving basslines and catchy, aggressive hooks.
18. Fear Factory - The Industrialist
    
    I'm not sure what to say about this album, other than "if you're a fan of Fear Factory, you'll more than likely enjoy it." It's essentially more of the same from Fear Factory, but that doesn't mean it's not good.
19. Therapy? - A Brief Crack of Light
    
    With Therapy?'s "Nurse", "Troublegum" and "Infernal Love" all being so classic in my eyes, I wanted to love this album so badly. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite reclaim that unique sound that they had in the early-to-mid 90s. It's still a pretty good, solid rock album, but just doesn't have that politely aggressive, hard-rock Irish sound that made Therapy? so intriguing in the first place.
20. Tourniquet - Antiseptic Bloodbath
    
    Tourniquet is one of my favorite metal bands of all time, and has impressed me with far more albums than it's disappointed me. Unfortunately, this particular album falls closer on the disappointment side than it does on the impressive side. While it's still an extremely solid metal album with out-of-this-world drumming and a few spots of phenomenal guitar work, it's nothing really new or groundbreaking. This album feels like the group is falling into the comfort of riffs and concepts they've used in the past, rather than moving forward with new ideas. If you are a Tourniquet fan, you'll probably enjoy this album; but if you've never heard the group before, I'd highly recommend you pick up their previous effort "Microscopic View of a Telescopic Realm" rather than grabbing this one.
21. All That Remains - A War You Cannot Win
    
    This latest effort from All That Remains fails to capture the unique, driving, drum-driven sound that they unleashed upon the world with their 2006 album "The Fall of Ideals". The vocals are a little more melodic than they've been in the past, while the whole album feels like someone's taken their previous efforts and slowed them down to more of a rock pace than a metal pace. All-in-all, it's still a decent album, but it is far from the masterpiece that was "The Fall of Ideals".
22. Maroon 5 - Overexposed
    
    I honestly can't say how much my love for Adam Levine's personality (as showcased on The Voice) influenced my decision to include this album on my list, but I did find this release to be an enjoyable pop experience. Levine's vocals are sometimes haunting, but always fun to listen to, and the music complements his voice extremely well. At times, this release even reminds me a tiny bit of some of the songs I love most from Erasure, which can only be considered a good thing in my mind.
23. Lamb of God - Resolution
    
    See note for "Fear Factory"
24. Soulfly - Enslaved
    
    This album actually came as a bit of a surprise to me. I loved Max Cavalera when he was in Sepultura, but I've always thought Soulfly's music came up short. This time around, though, he seems to be moving in the direction I'd like to hear. It's still far from amazing, but much better than anything I've heard from Soulfly in the past.
25. Testament - Dark Roots of Earth
    
    This is another one of those albums that I enjoy just as much for the nostalgia value as for the actual musical value. This album does very little to depart from that classic sound that Testament put together in the 90s, but it's still an enjoyable, inoffensive power ballad metal album to put on.
26. Corrosion of Conformity - Corrosion of Conformity
    
    This album might have been doomed to fail from the moment it was conceived. While I do enjoy CoC's older work as a 3-piece, they really didn't come into their own until they picked up Pepper Keenan. This album marks the band's return to a 3-piece group without Keenan's unique vocals or guitar work. While this album is a decent effort, it feels too much like an attempt to re-hash what was done on the band's first few releases, without anything really new. The members of the band have grown considerably older than they were when they released Animosity or Technocracy (which was recorded as a 4-piece, but had an extremely similar sound to Animosity), but their sound, sans-Keenan, seems to be stuck in a bit of a timewarp. While this album isn't nearly as sad as hearing the guys from Skid Row try to relive their glory days by continuing to perform rebel anthems of their youth (like Youth Gone Wild), it is still a bit depressing to hear how far the group backslid when they lost their defining member.

Courtney's Top 12 of 2012

I joined the team relatively late (read: about two weeks before our album reviews), so I was only able to pull together a smaller list ... this time 'round. After having submitted my list, there were a few albums that popped up that I'd have loved to included, but I'll stick to my original guns and will most definitely have a more in-depth list for the next batch.

Without any further ado - my favourite 12 of 2012:

1. The Joel Plaskett Emergency - Scrappy Happiness
   The finished product of Rock & Roll in Record Time—a songwriting experiment documented by the CBC (ten songs in ten weeks!)—Scrappy Happiness is a warm, good-natured album. Each track showcases Plaskett's chops as a songwriter - each song on the album has a completely different personality than the one before it; nothing recycled here. There's a sense of hometown-Canada back-in-the-day nostalgia threaded through the album, too, that resonates deeply with me.
   
   
2. Me'shell Ndegeocello - Pour une Âme Souveraine
   I like that she's infused her own style and artistic vision into each song; Ndegeocello has evoked the velvety soul of Simone's music without mimicking it. Whether through collaborations with a wide variety of artists, including Sinead O'Connor (Don't Take All Night), Toshi Reagon (House of the Rising Sun), or Lizz Wright (Nobodys Fault But Mine), no song is exactly what you expected it to be - and that's just fine with me. 
   
   
3. Anti-flag - The General StrikeNo list of mine would be complete without a little bit of punk; with that, I'm throwing The General Strike into my Best-of 2012 List. The album, claims vocalist/guitarist Justin Sane, "celebrates [...] people who stand for workers' rights, human rights, a just representative political system, and a new mode of doing business where sustainability is the norm not the exception.” With the album run-time totaling just under 30 minutes, their message stays clear, gritty, and to-the-point (us vs them! down with capitalism!) without being too American Idiot about it. Kudos, guys. A solid album.
   
   
4. Bahamas - Barchords 
   Fellow Torontonian Afie Jurvanen's sophomore release, Barchords, is one of my most favourite new albums of the year. Exactly what you'd expect from a dude named Bahamas, the album features laid-back, breezy melodies (Lost in the Light); stripped-down vocals and guitar (Never Again, Montreal, Overjoyed); intimate, honest songwriting (Any Other Way), and interesting, sometimes blues-inspired guitar (Time and Time Again, Be My Witness).
   
   
5. Cold Specks - I Predict A Graceful Expulsion
   A quietly intense British-based Canadian artist named Al Spx, Cold Specks' voice is compellingly rich, deep, and emotional. She's somehow reminiscent of Adele, minus the post-breakup angst and with much, much more creative variation in her songwriting. While she describes her sound as "doom soul" (how ominous!), I'd characterize her style instead as one of dramatic, understated restraint. Her songs ebb and flow in all the right places.
   
   
6. Japandroids - Celebration Rock
   Vancouver-based Japandroid's sophomore album is nothing if not aptly named; its guitar fuzz and raw vocals ooze of the best late-night summertime parties. They've got awesomely rowdy energy that's carried throughout the entirety of the album, which is youthful and optimistic without being juvenile or, worse, cliché. I enjoy the fact that they're true to their sound and personality; one website claims that "instead of making the typical pitfall of hiring a renowned producer to “refine” their sophomore record, they brought in original engineer Jesse Gander, who coaxed them to “make this one a little more cruising down the highway, and a little less doing crystal meth on New Year’s.” And that's totally cool with me - there's too many indie bands who go for the New Year's Meth sound anyways.
   
   
7. Propagandhi - Failed States
   After three long years, Canadian punk band Propagandhi has released, IMHO, one of their best albums to date (which is no surprise whatsoever, given that they've always been a consistently solid band). The quality of meticulous drumming and speedy guitarwork are miles beyond many of the other albums that I've come across this year; they've clearly made great use of the time since their last album to leave no remnants of their melodic punk roots.
   
   
8. Gaslight Anthem - HandwrittenOne of my biggest personal draws to Gaslight's previous releases is the stories and characters influenced by all things Americana; while this album is (apparently) a bit of a departure from this approach, the sentiment is most definitely still very present. Or maybe it's the fact that they've been touted as 'heirs to Springsteen's crown'. Either way, I'm interested to see the ways in which their sound continues to grow.
   
   
9. DJ Vadim - Don't Be Scared
   Don't be fooled by DJ Vadim's moniker - there's no house music anywhere to be found around here. Born in St. Peterburg, Russia (then-USSR), Vadim's music combines hip hop, soul, reggae and electronica into a sound that I can only describe as broken beat soul. Over the course of his 17-year career, he's worked with a wide variety of artists including DJ Krush, The Roots, Public Enemy, Stevie Wonder, and a wide variety of lesser-known artists. On this album, Vadim continues to reimagine his focus, mixing in a wider array of samples from world music, spoken word, and even a little bit of dancehall.
   
   
10. The Lumineers - self-titledThe Lumineers evoke simplicity, charm, and soulfulness, with lead vocalist Wesley Schultz' stylings sometimes reminiscent of Bob Dylan (Classy Girls, Flowers in Your Hair). With a good mix of upbeat songs (Big Parade, Stubborn Love), slower, earnest ones (Dead Sea, Slow It Down and Morning Song), and just plain simple, sweet ones (Flapper Girl), their album is an inspired breath of fresh air among the myriad of lesser folk-inspired indie releases of 2012.
    
    
11. Mumford & Sons - BabelI never had the chance to fully check out Mumford & Sons' previous album, so listening to this one in its entirety was a pleasure. While it received lukewarm reviews from critics, I'm still cool with them - likely because I've always been The One Who Appreciates The Person Busting Out The Acoustic Guitar At Parties And Cottages By The Lake. I like their sound, and I love their cover of Simon & Garfunkel's The Boxer.
    
    
12. Keston Cobblers' Club - One, For Words
    Really, I can't help but enjoy this British band's little folksy ukelele and oom-pah sound. I'm normally not one for the overuse of the word delightful, but KCC's music certainly fits the bill. Their sound is innocent, wholesome, and simple without trying too hard. Favourite songs thus far: One, for words (check out their video on Youtube), and You-go. Listening to them is like having a tasty light dessert after a good meal.
    

Want to hear more? Check out my favourite songs from each album on Rdio.

Joel's Favourite Music of 2012

This year I managed to pull together 20 records I liked enough to endorse for our annual countdown. This is impressive for me because I usually sit around five records in these sorts of things. This is for a variety of reasons, but primarily because I just don't tend to listen to a lot of new music during the year. Maybe Austin is changing that. Maybe it's just that I work for myself now and feel like I have the time to seek out new music. I think it may also have something to do with decided not to buy physical media unless it's in the form of a vinyl record... and most of the time that means new releases.
Whatever the cause, 2012 had some good records... not a lot of *great* records, but lots of good. These are my favourites, in reverse order.

20. Japandroids // Celebration Rock

Did you hear this band? All shoe-gazy and post-emo and noise-rock? It reminds me of everything I loved about late-90s emo and early-90s shoe-gaze. It's like Slowdive as a punk rock band. I was so pleasantly filled with joy by this record and was not expecting to be.

19. Bloc Party // Four

It took me a long time to pick up this record at Waterloo. But I finally did. I would consider myself a Bloc Party fan, overall, but have lapsed in the past couple of records they've released. Four is interesting. Some tracks are quintessential Bloc Party and everything we love about the band. Others, however are just weird. Ridiculously huge and distorted electronic bass drums, strange meter changes, and crazy punk-like guitar riffs. These tracks break up the rest of the record, almost to usher in a new act. It's an experience to listen to, for sure, and just a bit of a sign that the boys take their art seriously.

18. Ellie Goulding // Halcyon

Tracks from Halcyon continue to pop up in movie trailers, remix compilations, soundtracks... Ellie Goulding has a haunting voice that feels more like instrumentation than anything else. The lyrical content of the album is smartly written with hooks that are striking, but not out of place, in a mostly electronic record. Moody and fun, put this record on while you're working or driving around in the rain.

17. 2:54 // 2:54

I found this record because of my buddy Ron Bronson. 2:54's self-titled offering is moody and level, serving as a great soundtrack to work to. The instrumental and electronic layering on this album provides a nice ebb and flow, propelling the record forward without boring the listener. That said, I found it best suited as a background track. It lacks any real melodic hooks and most likely will not stick in your head.

16. Stars // The North

I walked past this record for months at the store, never picking it up because I thought the cover art looked too trendy. Later, I found out these Canadians had a ton of work under their belts and upon listening to the record, found it to be catchy, fun, and interesting. The North covers a wide range of styles and feels, at times, disjointed. But the overall effect is a collection of engaging sing-alongs.

15. The Lumineers // The Lumineers

I'll admit it. I didn't want to buy this record when we were at the record store. I was afraid it was going to be an over-hyped, "people-with-no-taste-like-it" record because, like others have said, "Ho Hey" was everywhere on the radio (Austin kind of does that). But my wife wanted it, so we picked it up. The first listen through, I wasn't that impressed. It was better than I had thought. But then we kept listening to the album. And it kept growing on me. The intricacies of making a perfect, yet simple record like this began to show through. For the most part the songwriting is solid – few phrases come across as trite, and many are downright clever. And the musicality is great. Definitely a record worth more than its single.

14. Great Lake Swimmers // New Wild Everywhere

I saw this record on a list someplace and decided to give it a try. I was surprised to have heard a few of the tracks, including the title track. It's a great, chill, acoustic-y record with traces of Celtic folk. It's a solid record with great instrumentation, catchy choruses, and great vibe. Some tracks can be a little grating, and in my head I connect it with Reel Big Fish... but overall this is a solid record.

13. Jack White // Blunderbuss

I heard from a few amateur critics that this record was basically a White Stripes album. They must have never listened to the White Stripes because Blunderbuss doesn't sound anything like a White Stripes record. To start, Jack put together two different bands to play on this record and to alternate on tour with the sole purpose of having the tracks sound different all the time. The album – specifically on tracks like "Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy" – is far more piano-driven than anything the Stripes ever put out. The melodies are much pop-ier in melodic sensibility. Many tracks less saturated in guitar fuzz that you'd come to expect from Jack White. With his past three projects being extremely guitar heavy bands, Blunderbuss feels as though Jack has been set free creatively and do the record he's always wanted to do for himself. There are huge country overtones to the music, impeccable production, and all-over, scatter-shot tracks. I think the issue with those confused critics is a case of mistaken identity. The band (The White Stripes) didn't make the man (Jack White). Jack's style is all over The White Stripes because he specifically created it that way. It stands to reason that his other projects would sound like a logical progression of the Jack White sound.

12. Radical Face // Always Gold EP

My good friend Mallory recommended Radical Face to me after I heard it playing in her coffee shop. I lucked out in being able to put this EP on my 2012 list as it's the only thing he released this year. Radical Face, in general, has a great neo-folk sound with impeccable lyrical writing and great instrumental layering. This EP is engaging and leaves you ready for a new full release.

11. fun. // Some Nights

The first single choice of "We Are Young" is one of the worst travesties of this year. It's a horrible song with an annoyingly catchy but off-putting melody and pales to almost any other track on the record. That being said, the title track is a nearly perfect blend of what fun. should be and be writing. The one major criticism of the recording that I have is the nonsensical use of vocoders/autotune. Some Nights is no Aim and Ignite but I think fun. deserves all of the award nominations they have received.

10. Justin Townes Earle // Nothing's Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now

Harlem River Blues is brilliant and amazing whileNothing's Gonna... is great and nice to listen to. The songs, in general, are less compelling melody-wise... a bit more tame for this genre and JTE himself. One good point is that the songs on this record sound a lot less like Ryan Adams copies than those on Harlem River Blues, which may be part of my reason for feeling it didn't live up to the previous effort. I still love Justin Townes Earle and his voice, and I'll keep listening to this record into the new year.

9. The Wallflowers // Glad All Over

I picked up Rebel, Sweetheart, The Wallflowers' last effort, back when it released and thought it was just okay. I'm a fairly big fan of Jakob Dylan as a singer and songwriter, however and was très impressed with his solo records. Glad All Over sounds and feels like Dylan smashed up his solo recordings' sensitivity and new-classic folk melodic nature with the rock and strong hooks of Breach or Bringing Down the Horse. In a lot of ways, I feel Glad All Over is better crafted as a full album than their seminal work. The being said, the two tracks co-written with Mick Jones should have been left to another – and different – full-length record not under the Wallflowers label. They feel somewhat out of place with the rest of the record. Or, in other words, I could tell when those songs came up without any help... and for me, that's an issue.

8. Kathleen Edwards // Voyageur

What can be said about Kathleen Edwards? She consistently crafts solid songs that stick in you head and get to your heart. I consider myself an Edwards fan, but didn't pick up the Voyageur record until the second half of this year. I was really glad that I did. It's as solid as ever and extremely enjoyable.

7. Passion Pit // Gossamer

I was primed to not like this record. Why? First off, Passion Pit's label only released a vinyl + audio CD version of this album with no digital download included. That audio CD drove the price up by almost $10 and immediately made me not want to purchase the album. Instead, I listened on Spotify and found it to be a much more enjoyable record overall than Passion Pit's debut. The songs are much more melodious and there is far less reliance on odd and jarring synth sounds throughout the record. It's a solid effort despite the sales misstep.

6. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals // The Lion The Beast The Beat

If Grace Potter's last records can be considered alt.country, The Lion The Beast The Beat shows that she has a heart pumping blood of rock n roll. This record is downright rowdy and incredibly fun to listen to. Each track rocks harder than the last and Grace shows what she's really made of: grit, noise, and catchy hooks.

5. RAC // Chapter One

RAC (Remix Artist Collective) released their first original single this year and followed it up with an official collection of their best remixes from the past few years. Chapter One is a great progression of remixes from a group of guys who eschew the stereotypical guise of club anthems and craft new musical arrangements for some of the best songs out there. This collection features remixes of songs by Foster the People, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Lana Del Rey, The Shins, and tons more. Check it out for reals.

4. A Boy & His Kite // A Boy & His Kite

I found A Boy & His Kite late this year, again, through Ron Bronson. Listening through the record it's hard to believe that all of the instrumentation, vocals and production were done by one guy in Colorado. It's remarkable, really. The quality of the recording alone sounds mildy gritty in a refined, "he knows what he's doing" sort of way. Then there are the songs. Lyrically intelligent and beautiful with hooks that don't annoy you. Hints of Sunny Day Real Estate and Fionn Regan come through in the vocal treatments while the music goes from stripped down synths to full-on orchestral instrumentation incorporating moving guitar lines reminiscent of a prettier Death Cab for Cutie in their earlier days... or perhaps closer to Saxon Shore. This is an album that gets me excited for music in ways I rarely get. It's a certain feeling I used to get when finding a new great album in college. This record has that something in spades.

3. Further Seems Forever // Penny Black

FSF is back. With Chris Carrabba fronting the band again after an 11-year gap (and two other front men), Further's Penny Black returns to form bringing intelligence and sophistication that only comes from life experience. Carrabba brings his decade of touring and writing for Dashboard Confessional back to the always-engaging quirkiness of the old band with explosive results. Penny Black has a great single in "So Cold" and benefits from hard-hitting tracks progressing the record along. My only quibble is that the record seems full-bore until the last track which drops so drastically and suddenly that it seems nearly out-of-place. I longed for variance in song dynamics in the ways The Moon is Down captured with tracks like "Snowbirds and Townies" and "Monachetti" ... but I didn't get it. Still, I'm happy to have FSF back in my life.

2. Paper Route // The Peace of Wild Things

This year's release from Paper Route is an honest, brutal, and brilliant piece of writing. JT Daly is at the top of his form, bringing his signature pop stylings and impeccable vocals to songs that come from the dark parts of recent experiences. Though some few lyrics come across as trite on their own, when combined with the musicality and narrative flow of each track, this record becomes a near-perfect pop album with crazy cool anthems and stick-in-your-head for days hooks.

1. Of Monsters and Men // My Head is an Animal

Another band and record my wife liked and got me into. And what an astounding piece of music it is. Every song tells a story and every story is weird. At times Nanna Bryndis Hilmarsdóttir's vocals get on my nerves (and she's gonna ruin her voice, man...), but it's so crucial to the overall sound of the band. The album is near-perfect, in my opinion and deserves the recognition it has been receiving this year.

Addendum

Every year it seems like I find a few records after the cutoff. So here are a couple of late-finds for me that I also love.

• Fort Atlantic
• Lord Huron // Lonesome Dreams

Andy's favorite albums of 2012 (plus playlist)

I share the sentiments of many of my fellow higher ed music bloggers who say that 2012 wasn't a banner year for music. It wasn't a great year for pop and rock albums, either. Maybe that's why so many long-lost rock-and-rollers -- from the likes of Bonnie Raitt and Joe Walsh to the Beach Boys, Sinead O'Connor and Neil Young and Crazy Horse -- decided to put out albums this year. (Neil Young and his band, Crazy Horse, went so far as to release two albums in 2012, something unheard of these days. And then Green Day came along and phoned in three albums in short order.) Maybe these geezers thought the could fill a void. Or maybe, in a year when "Call Me Maybe" and "Gangnam Style" ruled pop culture, older artists, and a few newer ones, saw an opportunity to sneak in over a very low bar.

The year wasn't entirely a musical wasteland. There were some decent albums released -- just not a lot of great ones. I listened to a variety of albums in 2012, but I found none I would categorize as stellar. And with the reprise of so many old geezers, I found myself enjoying the familiarity of those artists, most of whom seemed perfectly happy producing songs and albums that were in keeping with the personas they developed over the years. (The exception was Neil Young, whose Americana did attempt something different. But it, too, was rooted in the familiarity of cover tunes.)

So if you find a bit of nostalgia in my picks, don't be surprised. 2012 was a year that found me looking backward more than forward.

Below is my selection of the top 50 albums of 2012. As you read, keep in mind that these were selected in early December, in time to be considered for our annual collaborative countdown on this blog. Since that time, my colleagues here have shared some albums I missed this year, and if I had it to do all over again, the rankings might be just a bit different. The top 20 would probably stay intact, but a few of the lower-ranked works could have been supplanted by new (to me) discoveries.

A Spotify playlist of selections from these albums accompanies this list and is embedded at the end of this post. But if you just can't wait, listen now as you read.

1. Bob Dylan - Tempest

Bob Dylan is no stranger to the long-form ballad (“Desolation Row,” “Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands”), but even he outdoes himself with the title and penultimate track of this masterpiece. Clocking in at just under 14 minutes, “Tempest” tells the tale of the RMS Titanic, fittingly to the tune of a sea shanty.

Aided by a terrific backing band that includes Los Lobos’ David Hildalgo on accordion and guitarist Charlie Sexton, Dylan gruffly plows through old-timey tunes ranging from swing (the opening track “Duquesne Whistle”) to country to Delta blues in a way only Bob Dylan can. The old folkie can still out-folk the newbies like Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe, Alabama Shakes, et. al. Even after countless listenings to this album, it remains a mystery to me why I love Dylan’s lion-in-winter vocals but am still not much of a Tom Waits fan.

2. Ben Kweller - Go Fly A Kite

 Ben Kweller has been kicking around the alt-rock/indie scene for a while now. And while he’s come up with a few clever, catchy pop tunes, he’s never hit the big time. He probably never will.

But with Go Fly A Kite, Kweller hits all the right notes, in my opinion. This is a rollicking, fun dose of bombastic, rockabilly-tinged power pop. Kweller and his band deliver plenty of catchy guitar hooks, too. There isn’t a weak track on the album.

It seems that by creating Go Fly A Kite, Kweller has finally broken away from his past attempts to fit some alt-indie mold. The very title seems to be saying to the world, and to the recording industry: “Screw you, I’m making the music I want to make.” The result is a tremendous pop album that will likely be ignored by most end-of-year reviewers, on this list and others..

3. The Lumineers - The Lumineers

As 2012 began, I was looking forward to the crop of autumn offerings from folk-pop bands Mumford & Sons and the Avett Brothers -- so much so that I almost overlooked this gem. Fortunately, several of our group referenced this band and album in their mid-year review, and their comments convinced me to pick up this album.

I’m glad I paid attention. The Lumineers pump a fresh, distinctive sound into the banjo-and-mandolin movement. You’ve probably heard “Ho Hey,” the earworm single that garnered quite a bit of air time on satellite radio and indie-pop stations during the summer and fall, and it’s a great tune. But don’t stop there. Nearly every song on this album is a self-contained short story set to clean, simple production values. My personal favorites: “Dead Sea” and “Big Parade.”

4. Best Coast - The Only Place

While the Beach Boys mounted an admirable comeback to reclaim their title as summer’s finest minstrels, Best Coast cranked out the definitive summer album. But I still catch myself listening to it in these bare-tree days of autumn, in a wistful, California Dreamin’ kind of way.

Bethany Cosentino’s strong vocals carries consistently through the entire album, from the surf-and-sun opening track to the longing finale “Up All Night.” Endless Summer, indeed.

5. Dr. John - Locked Down

The man who once sang about being in the right place at the wrong time got his timing right this time around. Collaborating with the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, who produced the album, Dr. John created a masterpiece that celebrates the good doctor’s New Orleans blues and jazz roots in a fresh way, with a fresh look at the world. The voodoo vibe never sounded better.

6. Jack White - Blunderbuss

Is this really a solo project, or is it just another side project for the wunderkind behind the Dead Weather and Raconteurs, the producer/collaborator of Wanda Jackson's great 2011 comeback album (The Party Ain't Over), etc.?  Blunderbuss meanders beautifully from guitar-saturated rock to ballads to a fun cover of the '50s R&B classic "Shakin'." In other words, it's a lot like a White Stripes album. Only somehow freer and more daring.

7. Cat Power - Sun

Chan Marshall (Cat Power) cut her hair and went in an entirely different direction with this album. From the first notes of the opening track, “Cherokee,” you’ll recognize the departure from her past efforts. But the sultry, seductive, graceful vocals are still there.

8. Melody’s Echo Chamber - Melody’s Echo Chamber

Melody’s Echo Chamber is the best thing to come out of France since Plastic Bertrand (who is actually Belgian, but his big hit was written and sung in French, so that’s close enough, n’est c’est pas?) This album is drenched in dreamy, reverberating tunes, all wrapped around Melody Prochet’s lilting vocals and masterfully produced by Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker.

9. Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball

Big Man Clarence Clemons -- Bruce Springsteen’s soulful sidekick with the E Street Band -- passed away in 2011. But Clemons’ passing did not diminish Springsteen’s latest offering. Wrecking Ball is as big and anthemic as much of the great early work that featured Clemons’ wailing sax. Nearly 40 years since Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., The Boss continues to create music that matters in the prophetic sense. In this case, he takes on the Wall Street investment bankers and politicians who tossed a wrecking ball into the U.S. economy in the years leading up to 2008’s crash.

As he has with much of his work, Springsteen continues to examine the gap between American reality and the American dream. Wrecking Ball’s best tunes -- notably “Land of Hope and Dreams” and “Shackled and Drawn” -- echo the hardscrabble protest folk of Woody Guthrie, and despite a couple of weak tracks, this album is Bruce’s most significant since The Rising.

10. The Vaccines - Come of Age

What would a top 10 list from me be like without a nod to UK punk? “Oh I could bore you with the truth,” deadpans Vaccines lead singer Justin Young on “No Hope,” the opening track of this British quartet’s sophomore album. And then he goes on to entertain us with his jaded delivery of clever lyrics, underscored by jangly surf-rock power chords. Influenced by the likes of the Libertines and the Arctic Monkeys, the Vaccines’ sophomore effort proves they are no flash in the pan.

11-20

11. Metric - Synthetica

I like this album a lot. While their previous effort, Fantasies, contained bits of brilliance, Synthetica falls together nicely. From the get-go, lead singer Emily Haines tries to disarm us, attempting to lower our expectations with the declaration that she’s “just as f***ed up as they say.” But this album is anything but. A solid but of electropop in a lackluster year.

12. Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - Here

This one snuck up on me. This folk-pop ensemble’s haunting first track, “Man on Fire,” hooked me early. The rest of the album followed suit in the typical foot-stompin’, knee-slappin’ fashion this band has made its trademark.

13. Scars on 45 - Scars on 45

Terrific, melodic Britpop that’s been in heavy rotation since spring. This year’s guilty pleasure.

14. Of Monsters and Men - My Head Is An Animal

The latest sensation from Iceland is sensational. Beautiful, melodic, warm.

15. George Harrison - Early Takes

A nostalgic album for fans of Harrison’s work, or the Beatles. It’s nice to get an unvarnished, behind-the-scenes listen to the work of a musical genius.

16. Joe Walsh - Analog Man

From the James Gang to a solo career to the Eagles and now back to flying solo after burning his wings with too much of the high life, Joe Walsh has been one of rock’s most underrated guitarists and songwriters. With the same acerbic, self-effacing humor that worked so well in ‘70s pop-rock tunes like “Life’s Been Good,” Walsh opens with a screed -- suitably accompanied by Walshian power chords -- about living life as “an analog man in a digital world.” The second track, “Wrecking Ball,” continues that thought, condemning the multitasking trap that ensnares so many of us, but it’s also a condemnation of the rock’n’roll burn-the-candle-at-both-ends lifestyle that became his trademark decades ago. He quickly turns sentimental and sweet, even grateful for life’s blessings, with later tracks, like "One Day At A Time," which could serve as a 12-step program theme song. He even throws in a fun guitar jam, “Funk 50,” that Walsh fans will recognize as a long-awaited sequel to his James Gang riff “Funk 49.”

17. The Beach Boys - That’s Why God Made the Radio

An unexpected pleasure. Who knew the Beach Boys could still harmonize and hit those high pitches after all these years, and after all of Brian Wilson's tribulations? With this release, they sound almost as sun-kissed as  they did in 1966.

18. The Darkness - Hot Cakes

Lord, forgive me for loving this album as much as I do. I can’t help it. Hot Cakes rocks. Equal parts early Queen (think “Brighton Rock” and you get the idea) and Eric Carmen’s “Go All the Way” Raspberries, with a dash of theatrical KISS thrown in, this album is a fun throwback to the Stone Ages of rock’n’roll.

19. Patti Smith - Banga

The poet-prophet of New York’s proto-punk scene in the mid-1970s proves she can still create vivid word-pictures with her lyrics, all carried along by a distinctive raspy vocal style. I think a lot of people missed out on this wonderful offering.

20. M. Ward - A Wasteland Companion

Another tremendous offering from one of the best singer-songwriters of the past decade. Now if he could just ditch that Zoeey Deschanel.

21-30

Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill
Rodriguez - Searching for Sugar Man
Justin Townes Earle - Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now
Nick Waterhouse - Time’s All Gone
Norah Jones - Little Broken Hearts
Alabama Shakes - Boys and Girls
Parquet Courts - Light Up Gold
Sinead O’Connor - How About I Be Me (And You Be You)
Bonnie Raitt - Slipstream
Allo Darlin` - Europe

31-40

The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten
Mumford and Sons - Babel
The Detroit Cobras - Mink Rat or Rabbit
Green Day - !Uno!
Old Crow Medicine Show - Carry Me Back

Smashing Pumpkins - Oceania
Japandroids - Celebration Rock
Wild Nothing - Nocturne
The Shins - Port of Morrow
Beach House - Bloom

41-50

Neil Young - Americana
Heartless Bastards - Arrow
Dum Dum Girls - End of Daze (EP)
Regina Spektor - What We Saw From the Cheap Seats
fun. - Some Nights

The Avett Brothers - The Carpenter
Wanda Jackson - Unfinished Business
Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
Carina Round - Tiger Mending
Jimmy Cliff - Rebirth

Best albums of 2012: 10 to 1

Cue Europe, somebody. This is the final countdown. Well, of the collective, anyway. For 2012, anyway. But many of us will soon post our individual picks for best or favorite albums of 2012.

In the meantime, here are our top 10 picks for 2012. (Here are the previous lists from this year: 50-41, 40-31, 30-21, 20-11.) As per custom, there's a Spotify playlist of selections from the top 10 at the end -- plus the epic playlist of our top 50, courtesy of Ron Bronson.

10. Father John Misty - Fear Fun

So this album showed up on my scene thanks to fellow .edu music critical Dylan Wilbanks. It's quality singer-songwriter tunes. - RB

Father John Misty and First Aid Kit owe me something for getting them in Ron's and Georgy's ears (respectively). - DW

9. Metric - Synthetica

I enjoyed this album a lot. The songs are full of a nervous kind of energy that gets me pumped. While Metric's previous effort, Fantasies, contained bits of brilliance, Synthetica holds together more cohesively. From the get-go, lead singer Emily Haines tries to disarm us, attempting to lower our expectations with the declaration that she’s “just as fucked up as they say.” But this album is anything but. A solid but of electropop in a lackluster year. - AC

Emily Haines' sultry voice is a fine starting point for any project, even if this isn't be best collection from the Canadian alt-electronica outfit. Standout track: "Breathing Underwater" shows what happens when Haines' voice, heavy hooks and the musical might of this band hit the right notes. - TN

You have to love an album that begins with the lyric, “I’m just as fucked up as they say.” That’s Emily Haines and Metric for you, just putting it out there like they’ve always done. The Metric brand of rock (again, Canadian!) is wreathed in a swirl of synthy melodies, but never lost in it. And Haines’ deceptively sweet vocals always pack a lyrical punch. - GC

I'm sad I missed out on Synthetica because I love Metric. It just fell through the cracks in my listening this year. I'm going to pick it up at the record store next time I'm there. - JG

Ultimately, as much as I wanted to like this album, it just never made it on my ballot. I kept wondering what Broken Social Scene, as a collective, could do with "Speed The Collapse" or "Artificial Nocturne." Metric as a band, sadly, has limits, as much as I like Emily Haines. - DW

8. Mumford & Sons - Babel

Gotta admit, I was sick and tired of hearing "I Will Wait" weeks before this album came out. So I was pre-prejudiced against it. Still, I was expecting more from these guys. It was just more banjo and bluster. Best track: "Lover of the Light." Mainly because it had a Dave Matthews Band sort of vibe. That's probably not a good reason for liking an alt-bluegrass band. - AC

Meh. I'm just kind of annoyed with these guys at this point. - GR

Any Mumford and Sons album will bring more than its share of musical prowess, powerful vocals and lyrical skill, but for whatever reason this effort never came all the way together for me. Your mileage may vary. Standout track: "I Will Wait" showcases the blue-sky possibilities with this band: plaintive words, powerful vocals, perfect playing in the fast-slow-fast structure. - TN

Much as the Avett Brothers did, the Mumford & Sons struck some previously untapped vein of appreciation of rollicking, foot-stomping, UK-infused Americana with their debut, Sigh No More. The sophomore follow-up, “Babel,” is not quite a slump, but it does feel somewhat shrugged at points, with fewer of the barbs and edges that made “Sigh No More” stand out. That said, the album is still a delight, at turns feverish and mournful, bitter and beautiful. - GC

I never had the chance to fully check out Mumford & Sons' previous album, so listening to this one in its entirety was a pleasure. While it received lukewarm reviews from some critics, I'm still cool with them - likely because I've always been That Girl Who Appreciates The Person Busting Out The Acoustic Guitar At Parties And Cottages By The Lake. I like their sound, and I love their cover of Simon & Garfunkel's The Boxer. - CM

I echo GR's sentiments. "Little Lion Man" will always be a great song, but...I'm over them. - RB

On Twitter in October I said there was a new album that bored me to death, but I was afraid to admit it as I'd be chastised by the rabble for not loving it. Yep, Babel. - DW

Bored to death. I'm glad Dylan didn't say which album he was talking about, because that meant I agreed wholeheartedly on my own standing. Except, I would've said it anyway (and I think I did to some of my friends). First off, M&S are a fad. Their musical style is not new or different. Babel does not progress or show they have grown as musicians. Rather, it comes across as "we have the formula to sell albums among the hipsters and wannabe-hipsters". But, as someone with hipster tendencies, I found the album somewhat insulting to me as a listener. I didn't think their first record, Sigh No More, was anything special (in fact, I don't think I bought it) either, but that's just me. - JG

[Hipster tendencies? - DW]

7. fun. - Some Nights

This settled my fix for Glee-style show choir music for this year, and probably beyond. - AC

Beyond the title track, "We Are Young" and some other good moments, there's too much filler here for me to put this higher than I did. Standout track: "We Are Young" is more than a catchy song, it's an anthem people may still be listening to decades from now. - TN

This album didn't actually make my list, but it's still an enjoyable album to listen to. While some of the songs on this album are purely modern pop, a lot of them (including the current smash title-track from the album) have me reminiscing about classic stadium rock. - CG

I had Some Nights on my list but had a hard time keeping it on. While I love(d) the singles, I'm not 100% yet on the rest of the album, despite my appreciate for Nate Ruess' lead vocals, his sense of musical adventure, and his channeling of Freddie Mercury on certain tracks. - CM

I wanted to like this, but...it didn't do much for me. - RB

I agree that there's filler here, but "Some Nights" and "We Are Young" alone are enough to make this a classic. - CD

The first single choice of "We Are Young" is one of the worst travesties of this year. It's a horrible song with an annoyingly catchy but off-putting melody and pales to almost any other track on the record. That being said, the title track is a nearly perfect blend of what fun. should be and be writing. The one major criticism of the recording that I have is the overuse of autotune that just doesn't make sense. Some Nights is no Aim and Ignite but I think fun. deserves all of the award nominations they have received. - JG

6. Beach House - Bloom

I could listen to this album all day. Just really, really fantastic song writing. Their show in Boston was easily one of, if not the, best live acts I caught this year. - GR

I did enjoy their last album more, but I have to say that Bloom grew on me. In contrast to say, Best Coast, these guys took a huge step forward with their 2012 release. - RB

There was a lot of criticism of Beach House for not doing something radically different on this release. I disagree -- instead of standing pat like Best Coast did, Beach House evolved and refined their sound, made themselves bigger and louder while improving their songwriting and musical craft. "Zebra" on Teen Dream is the sort of song that makes you want to cry from how beautiful it is. "Myth" makes you cry. It's that much better. And so are Beach House. - DW

5. Jack White - Blunderbuss

Is this really a solo project, or is it just another side project for the wunderkind behind the Dead Weather and Raconteurs, the producer/collaborator of Wanda Jackson's great 2011 comeback album (The Party Ain't Over), etc.?  Blunderbuss meanders beautifully from guitar-saturated rock to ballads to a fun cover of the '50s R&B classic "Shakin'." In other words, it's a lot like a White Stripes album. Only somehow freer and more daring. - AC

Dear The White Stripes: Thank you for breaking up and allowing Jack to make The White Stripes music again. - GR

Ditto to the comments above - I gave it a listen, but really felt like White is just (still) making White Stripes music. Which is cool and all, but didn't wow me as much as I'd have wanted it to. Some development or risk-taking on dear old Jack's behalf would be awesome to hear. - CM

So, apparently the other critics on this blog have never listened to the White Stripes because Blunderbuss doesn't sound anything like a White Stripes record. To start, Jack put together two different bands to play on this record and to alternate on tour with the sole purpose of having the tracks sound different all the time. The album – specifically on tracks like "Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy" – is far more piano-driven than anything the Stripes ever put out. The melodies are much pop-ier in melodic sensibility. Many tracks less saturated in guitar fuzz that you'd come to expect from Jack White. With his past three projects being extremely guitar heavy bands, Blunderbuss feels as though Jack has been set free creatively and do the record he's always wanted to do for himself. There are huge country overtones to the music, impeccable production, and all-over, scatter-shot tracks. This is not The White Stripes in any way, shape, or form. - JG

4. The Avett Brothers - The Carpenter

As with the Mumford & Sons offering, I had high hopes for this album. They were not realized. It's a mediocre offering from a talented troupe. Maybe expectations were too high. - AC

Sometimes, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes, you just need to take the same wheel and roll it down a few new roads - and some familiar roads, too, just for old time’s sake. That’s what the Avett Brothers have done with The Carpenter - there’s not much changed from the formula that captured the nation’s attention with I and Love and You but that they had been developing since Emotionalism, The Gleam and beyond. But that’s just fine. Rocking chairs, heartache, starry-eyed reflection, foot-stomping on wooden porches, and some rye - that’s the Avett Brothers, now and likely forever. - GC

After the breakout success of I And Love And You, "The Carpenter" feels more like a typical Avetts record (complete with a "Pretty Little Girl from …" entry). Which, to me, means it's a great album but not as transcendently beautiful as their previous. Standout track: "I Never Knew You" is the quintessential Avett Brothers track, sounding sunny and funny despite sad subject matter, with a kilt full of killer wordplay, hooks and harmonies. - TN

While many of the songs are typical of the band—sad slow banjo that makes you cry, rollicking country jam that's surprisingly dark, sweet poppy radio track, etc.—I was still happy with this album. They've been on a roll since Emotionalism (still my favorite album of theirs), and The Carpenter is a respectable release, if not one that moves them forward. - GR

3. Japandroids - Celebration Rock

Beautiful noise. - AC

Vancouver-based Japandroid's sophomore album is nothing if not aptly named; its guitar fuzz and raw vocals ooze of the best late-night summertime parties. They've got awesomely rowdy energy that's carried throughout the entirety of the album, which is youthful and optimistic without being juvenile or, worse, cliché. I enjoy the fact that they're true to their sound and personality; one website claims that "instead of making the typical pitfall of hiring a renowned producer to “refine” their sophomore record, they brought in original engineer Jesse Gander, who coaxed them to “make this one a little more cruising down the highway, and a little less doing crystal meth on New Year’s.” And that's totally cool with me - there's too many indie bands who go for the New Year's Meth sound anyways.  - CM

I can't think of anything to say about this album other than I spent a good time of listening to it when it came out, that it served well as background noise to whatever I was working on. - RB

An album that's nostalgic in many ways -- nostalgic for DIY and punk, nostalgic for being 22 and invincible, nostalgic for the days when arena-filling bangers weren't seen as crass and over-the-top. The tightest, most focused 35 minutes of post-punk since Bad Religion's early days. I can't say enough good about this album because, seriously, this is the best rock album in years. - DW

Did you hear this band? All shoe-gazy and post-emo and noise-rock? It reminds me of everything I loved about late-90s emo and early-90s shoe-gaze. It's like Slowdive as a punk rock band. I was so pleasantly filled with joy by this record and was not expecting to be. - JG

2. The Lumineers - The Lumineers

Oh my my, oh hey hey. Here it comes. The big surprise album of the year for me. As 2012 began, I was looking forward to the crop of autumn offerings from folk-pop bands Mumford & Sons and the Avett Brothers -- so much so that I almost overlooked this gem. Fortunately, several of our group referenced this band and album in their mid-year review, and their comments convinced me to pick up this album. I’m glad I did. The Lumineers pump a fresh, distinctive sound into the banjo-and-mandolin movement. You’ve probably heard “Ho Hey,” the earworm single that garnered quite a bit of air time on satellite radio and indie-pop stations during the summer and fall, and it’s a great tune. But don’t stop there. Nearly every song on this album is a self-contained short story set to clean, simple production values. My personal favorites: “Dead Sea” and “Big Parade.” - AC

More folk fun. “Ho Hey” took over the airwaves much as Edward Sharpe did a couple years back with a simple but universally appreciated and delightfully expressed refrain - “I belong with you / You belong with me / You’re my sweetheart.” The rest of the album lives up the promise of that song. - GC

The Lumineers evoke simplicity, charm, and soulfulness, with lead vocalist Wesley Schultz' stylings sometimes reminiscent of Bob Dylan (Classy Girls, Flowers in Your Hair). With a good mix of upbeat songs (Big Parade, Stubborn Love), slower, earnest ones (Dead Sea, Slow It Down and Morning Song), and just plain simple, sweet ones (Flapper Girl), their album is an inspired breath of fresh air among the myriad of lesser folk-inspired indie releases of 2012. - CM

The crucial difference between the Lumineers and all the other members of this Americana invasion is Neyla Pekarek. She's the one who actually keeps them grounded musically. And she's a hell of a cellist. - DW

I'll admit it. I didn't want to buy this record when we were at the record store. I was afraid it was going to be an over-hyped, "people-with-no-taste-like-it" record because, like others have said, "Ho Hey" was everywhere on the radio (Austin kind of does that). But my wife wanted it, so we picked it up. The first listen through, I wasn't that impressed. It was better than I had thought. But then we kept listening to the album. And it kept growing on me. The intricacies of making a perfect, yet simple record like this began to show through. For the most part the songwriting is solid – few phrases come across as trite, and many are downright clever. And the musicality is great. Definitely a record worth more than its single. - JG

1. Of Monsters and Men - My Head Is An Animal

These Icelandic musicians made beautiful music in 2012. This was not my personal pick for No. 1, but certainly a contender for most of the year. I'm OK with where it landed. - AC

I’m echoing many of my colleagues when I profess my love for this album, but enough good things really can’t be said about it. This Icleandic band’s folk-tinged pop is uplifting, lush, thoughtful and thoroughly enjoyable. Must be the geothermic heat - just the right level of warmth. - GC

This beats out the likes of the xx and Stars for Best Pop/Rock Album Featuring Alternating Quavering Male/Female Vocals. Standout track: "Little Talks" shows this formula in all its glory, with the bonus of a rousing horn section. - TN

Goodness, gracious. This was one of those albums where I didn't know what I was getting myself into and then I couldn't stop playing it. "Slow and Steady" is my anthem of 2012. Just an enjoyable debut release in every possible way. - RB

Another band and record my wife liked and got me into. And what an astounding piece of music it is. Every song tells a story and every story is weird. At times Nanna Bryndis Hilmarsdóttir's vocals get on my nerves (and she's gonna ruin her voice, man...), but it's so crucial to the overall sound of the band. The album is near-perfect, in my opinion. -JG

KEXP does a live broadcast from Iceland once a year, and in 2011 they had Of Monsters And Men play a killer set during Seattle drive time (midnight in Reykjavik!) And yet, I still almost overlooked them because I confused them with The Head And The Heart (the Seattle band I'm most embarrassed to have represent my city). I'm happy I eventually came around. It is a very strange album lyrically, but musically it's a fine pop record. - DW

Selections from the top 10 of 2012:



The omnibus playlist of selections from the top 50 of 2012: