Top 10 Albums of 2012

Alright people, the time has come once again for end-of-the-year lists.  Like last year, my brother and I are compiling lists of the top albums of the year.  And like last year, this is merely my opinion.  Some of them are fairly mainstream and well known, others not as much.  But maybe you can find something you like.  First, here are some notable EPs:

The Wild Youth (Daughter)

I came across Daughter this year; they are an English band gaining a lot of traction, especially in recent months.  The lead singer is a girl, and there are two guys who play backing instruments.  The music is very minimalist, but the lyrics are really dark and brooding.  Some of the songs are immensely powerful, especially considering how relatively simple they are.  I highly recommend listening to some of their stuff if you appreciate good lyrics.

In the Open EP (Benjamin Francis Leftwich)

Ben Leftwich came out with this four-song EP in mid November.  The musical style is very consistent with his previous work; all the songs are pretty simple and quiet guitar songs.  The lyrics are very engaging, and somewhat nostalgia-inducing.  His voice works so well with the guitar.

Put Your Sad Down (School of Seven Bells)

I have been listening to stuff from the School of Seven Bells for a few years; they have several albums out.  It's hard to describe their musical style; I guess it's ethereal electropop.  It's generally pretty beat-heavy, with some creative rhythms.  This EP came out in mid November, and I think it's a really good direction for the band.  The rhythms are very catchy and driving, with some elements of techno.  As always the girl's voice works really well with the drums (sort of a softer version of Sleigh Bells).

State Hospital EP (Frightened Rabbit)

Frightened Rabbit were pretty busy this year, with numerous shows in the UK, a US tour, this EP, and preparations for their next album to be released in February.  This EP is extremely good.  The style is not radically different from their previous work, but the melodies seem more cohesive and beautiful.  The lyrics are very well-written, and every song tells a story.  I'm excited about the February album, but this EP is definitely worth listening to in the meantime.

And now, the top ten albums:

10. Moms (Menomena)

Menomena are a rock group from Portland, Oregon.  Their music takes a bit of getting used to; it's very "experimental" and unpredictable.  Normally I don't go for that sort of thing, but after my sister got me their 2007 "Friend and Foe" album for my birthday a few years ago and I listened to it several times, it started to grow on me.  They make use of a huge variety of instruments, especially the saxophone and piano, in addition to more traditional guitar and drums.  Their most recent album, "Moms", is consistent with their previous work.  It is harder rock than I usually enjoy, but if you're in the right mood it can be great.

9. Away From the World (The Dave Matthews Band)

Dave Matthews can be a pretty polarising force...people either love him or hate him.  It seems to me that most people who hate him just have negative associations with his music (from people they knew in high school).  I have to admit I don't like all of his stuff, but his last two albums have been incredibly good in my opinion.  "Away from the World" came out in September, and it very much follows in the vein of "Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King".  It almost seems like a sequel to that album.  All the songs are beautifully arranged; they are generally fairly rocky, but with enough of the jazz/jam-band feel to still sound like DMB.  And despite what other people say, I think Dave Matthew's voice still sounds pretty good.

8. Night Visions (Imagine Dragons)

Imagine Dragons are an up and coming rock band from Las Vegas; they are quickly getting a pretty huge following.  This year they released their debut album (previously they had only put out a few EPs).  For people who were familiar with their previous work, the album contained disappointingly little new music, but taken as a whole it is undeniably excellent.  The band has a unique sound, and it's very hard to describe.  Most of the songs have some catchy riff that is repeated.  The songs generally have some pretty strong and deep percussion, and are held together by the lead singer's powerful voice.  I saw them live in Fort Collins at the end of April, and couldn't believe the energy of their performance.  Despite the fact that it was a Monday night and there was hardly anyone there.

7. Fallen Empires (Snow Patrol)

I've always liked Snow Patrol, but I think this new album takes the group in a bold new direction.  It's much louder, and much more drum-heavy.  Listened to in its entirety, the album is really gripping, even from the first few seconds of the first song.  Their traditionally strong songwriting is still on display, too.  Some of the tracks are purely instrumental, which I nearly always enjoy in a rock album.  There is a lot of emotional variability too in the songs; some are pretty uplifting and some are really depressing.  I'd recommend giving it a listen even if you don't know Snow Patrol or haven't historically liked them.

6. Strangers in the First Place (Robert Francis)

I had never heard of Robert Francis before I stumbled in upon his live performance opening for Mat Kearney at the Ogden Theatre in February.  It was an incredible performance, and I remember him mentioning he had a new record coming out and playing a couple of songs from it.  This album came out in May.  I have to admit that for whatever reason it took me a few listens to start liking it, but now I think it's an awesome album.  The songwriting is excellent, and it's musically very engaging.  It feels more varied and creative than his earlier work.

5. Lonesome Dreams (Lord Huron)

Lord Huron's debut album came out this year.  I don't think many people had heard of them a year ago, but this album is being pretty widely acknowledged as one of the best of 2012.  They are going on a Europe tour in the new year.  The style of their music reminds me most of Band of Horses, but it's faster, more folky, and more percussive.  The lyrics are really good, and the harmonies between the vocalists work really well.  Every song is excellent.  I'm looking forward to what this band will do in the next few years.

4. Port of Morrow (The Shins)

If you like the Shins and you haven't yet heard this album, you should do it as soon as you can.  It's classic Shins, complete with really pleasing guitar riffs and mellow vocals.  I guess it seems slightly more rocky and faster than their previous work, but not in a bad way.  Some of the songs will get stuck in your head.  The band appears to have lost none of their touch.

3. An Awesome Wave (Alt-J)

This is the debut album from this English rock group, and I thought it was pretty groundbreaking.  The style of music is impossible to characterise.  At first listen, it reminded me of reggae-type jam bands that are becoming popular these days (like Rebelution and Slightly Stoopid), but it's a lot more varied and interesting than that.  The album feels very cohesive and is best listened to all the way through in one sitting.  Some of the tracks are entitled "interludes" and have a mellower feel, but the most striking songs are very beat-driven and danceable, with catchy melodies.  There is a definite jam-band influence.  The layering of instruments is extraordinarily well done, and the vocals are also excellent.  The lead singer has an interesting voice; he sounds a bit like the lead singer for the Temper Trap.

2. Some Nights (fun.)

This release met with a lot of critical acclaim, and for good reason; it's an incredible collection of music.  The musical style is much like their first album "Aim and Ignite", with a lot of snare-heavy drums and a variety of background instruments, but the songs are more catchy and varied.  The lead singer's unique voice features prominently in every song.  The basic tunes are remarkably simple, but somehow still feel ground-breakingly new; I think it takes real talent to create music like that.

1. Babel (Mumford and Sons)

Mumford and Sons' new release (after a two-year break since "Sigh No More") comes into a completely different environment than their first album; they have gone from being a totally unknown English folk group to being some of the best-known artists on the contemporary music scene. Their spectacular and massive rise in popularity during that time has led to some people disliking them for being too mainstream; I've heard them referred to as "Mumford & Bums".  However, the very fact that they are so well-known is a testament to the power of their music.  I had reservations when I heard they were coming out with a new album this year; I thought there was no way it could live up to the genius of "Sigh No More".  But it does.  The musical style is exactly the same, but the new songs don't feel like revisiting the same territory.  I had the privilege of seeing them play at Red Rocks at the end of August, and it was one of the best concerts I've ever been too.  They played some of their new songs there, and they all sounded flawless.  This was the best new album I heard all year.

The Epilogues

The Epilogues are, in my opinion, about the best thing on the Denver music scene at the moment.  They are a four-piece rock band with a really dark sound.  Here's a music video for their best-known song, Hunting Season.  This song came out in 2009 on their EP, and also has a spot on their recently-released "Cinematics" album.  The group also has a prior album "The Beautiful, The Terrifying" (2008).  I saw them play live at the Taste of Fort Collins in June, and I was impressed.  They have a unique sound and a lot of energy; many of the chord progressions are pretty simple, but they work quite well.  Here's another song worth checking out.  If you are okay with darker rock, you might really like them.

A Silent Film

A Silent Film is an English group I first heard on the radio in Colorado about a month ago; here's the first song of theirs that I heard.  They are an indie rock group who make use of a huge variety of instruments (including a lot of piano).  There are a lot of background vocals too.  The end result reminds me of early Coldplay, although the lead singer has a very different voice.  The lead singer is a bit theatrical too; here is a live version of one of my favourite of their songs.  They appear to all be pretty young, but I believe they already have two albums out.  Their most recent one, "Sand and Snow", is definitely worth a listen on grooveshark.

Roman Candle

Roman Candle is a slightly folky/country rock band from North Carolina.  My brother introduced me to them about a year ago, showing me their phenomenally good Christmas song.  This may actually be the best contemporary original Christmas song I have ever heard (with the possible exception of some of Sufjan Stevens' work).  The lead singer has an incredible voice which works really well with the backing instrumentation and percussion.  The lyrics are thoughtful and amusing.  If you like the sound of this particular song, you are likely to enjoy the rest of their work; they have a few EPs and couple of full length albums ("Tall Tree in the Ear" and "The Wee Hours Revue") on grooveshark and their bandcamp site.

Benjamin Francis Leftwich

Ben Leftwich is another English singer-songwriter.  I actually came across his music quite a while ago (I think it was about 18 months ago).  My first exposure was to this video; I was pretty mesmerised with the song.  I really loved the contemplative and melancholy tone, and his voice seemed to mesh perfectly with the minimal instrumentation.  Most of his songs are similarly quiet and downbeat.  The melodies, while really simple, are pretty powerful.  The dude is good live, too: here is proof.  He just went on tour in the UK, and was going to be doing a US tour this month, but he ended up calling it off because of his father's health.  Apparently he is rescheduling shows for February.  He has a couple of EPs and a full-length album "Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm" on grooveshark.

The Narrative

It blows my mind that this band is not better known.  They seem to have an ear for really pleasing melodies: check out this song.  I guess they just don't have a critical mass of fans yet, although the small fanbase they have built up is extremely enthusiastic.  They are a guy/girl pair from Long Island (with a couple of peripheral members every now and then); they have very few resources and do everything themselves.  Pretty much all their publicity is by word of mouth.  When I ordered their albums, they sent me a hand-written note!  Their music style is hard to describe, but I guess it's very mellow alternative rock.  Some of their songs are louder and more rocky (like this one), but their best ones are quieter and decidedly minor.  They have two EPs and one LP out at the moment, and apparently they are working on a new one currently.  Check out their website if you're interested.  Also listen to their excellent cover of Radiohead's Karma Police.

Phantogram

I mentioned an EP by Phantogram as one of the best of 2011.  The group (from New York) consists of a guy and a girl, and they make pretty compelling music with very few instruments thanks to electronics and layering effects.  I would describe it as very beat-driven electronic music.  A lot of their songs are highly syncopated, and many are infectiously catchy.  They have a full album that came out in 2010: Eyelid Movies; it contains many of their best-known songs, including "Mouthful of Diamonds".  It's worth checking out; here's a live version of one of my favourite songs from that album.  The dude is really good on the guitar.  They recently released a music video for one of the great songs from the EP, "Don't Move".  The layering and rhythm on this song is unbelievable; I really like it.  I'm eagerly awaiting new music from them.

Muchuu

Muchuu is a brother/sister duo from England.  They seem to have some connection with Japan.  I would describe their music as whimsical electronic pop...you either have the stomach for it or not.  But you have to admit it's pretty unique.  I've never heard anything quite like it.  Here's the video to their best-known song; this is actually their second version of a music video for this song.  The original one was pretty low budget.  Here's my favourite of their songs.  They did release a second album earlier this year, but I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet because it isn't on grooveshark.  I definitely intend to check it out at some point.

Broken Anchor

I came across this band from California a few weeks ago, and I really like them.  Listen to this song.  If you don't like it, there might be something wrong with you.  It's pretty straightforward, relatively mellow rock, with really nice harmonies and lots of instruments.  The lead singer has an awesome voice...it's interesting and hard to describe, but works really well.  And he has a sweet tattoo all down his right arm.  The group recently released a cover of that old school 90's song that everyone remembers, Flagpole Sitta.  For the love of music, listen to it as soon as you can.  It's incredible how the tone of the song is so vastly different from the original...the Broken Anchor version is extremely dark and brooding.  Pure genius, in my opinion.  I must have watched the video at least a dozen times in the last couple of weeks.  The group doesn't have any music on grooveshark, but you can download their EPs (entitled Broken Anchor Vols. 1, 2, and 3) for free on their website.  I recommend doing that.  I think Volume 3 just came out.

Sam Amidon

I came across this American folk singer-songwriter only a few weeks ago.  His music is extremely folky, and his voice sounds very simple and almost child-like (even though the dude is 31).  A lot of the music is fairly lighthearted (which is normally not my thing, and I'm still hesitant about the balance of his work).  He does have wide-ranging orchestral arrangements on a lot of his songs, which are occasionally very powerful.  His lyrics are hard to interpret.  Sometimes it seems like he's trying too hard to be deeply philosophical.  It's hard to describe how his voice combined with the retro-sounding folk guitar creates a unique atmosphere; if you want to see what I mean, check out this video.  You can almost believe he was born 100+ years ago!  He has quite a few albums on grooveshark.  I just realised I haven't listened to all of them yet.

Marika Hackman

I have another English musician to introduce today: Marika Hackman.  She just went on tour with Ben Leftwich in the UK.  I haven't heard that many of her songs, but the ones I have heard are really good.  Her guitar work is very intricate, with a lot of interesting chord progressions, but she delivers it effortlessly.  The song lyrics are really dark.  Have a listen to this live video.  And here's another one, of a different song.  I hope she comes to the US soon; not sure if she was planning to open for Ben Leftwich on his tour next month (which has been postponed till next year).  She recently released an EP of covers, which had some good songs on it (I think the only cover I recognised was a Nirvana song).

King Charles

Greetings everyone.  I recently came across this London-based singer/songwriter King Charles...he's yet another example of the recent UK folk-rock resurgence, and has ties to Mumford and Sons as well as Laura Marling.  The music is quite a bit more playful and lighter than either Mumford or Marling (in general), and in some ways reminds me of a more folky Vampire Weekend.  Some of it is a bit too ridiculous for my taste, but there are a few really good songs.  Check out this music video for my favourite, "The Brightest Lights".  Here's another song that's pretty typical of his stuff: "Mississippi Isabel".  If you want to hear more, his album "LoveBlood" came out in May of this year, and is on grooveshark.

Top 10 Albums of 2011

I am obsessed with music.  Most of my friends and even acquaintances know this.  These days I find myself spending nearly all my free time listening to music.  I'm open to pretty much any type of music, although I have leanings towards alternative rock, electronic, and increasingly folk.  The idea behind this blog is pretty simple...I want to help other people discover great music.  It won't be limited to new releases, although there will be quite a few of these.  Rather, anything that's new to me and seems noteworthily good will probably get a mention on here.  I make no promises about how frequently I'll post.  Check back as frequently as you want.

For now, here's a list of my top 10 albums from 2011 which I compiled last Christmas.  Some of the information is out of date, but whatever.  If you don't like the list, get out.

First, EPs:

Ghost City USA (Ms Mr): If you haven't heard this, go and listen to it right now.  This is the best music I heard this year by a long shot.  Ms Mr is a guy/girl duo from Brooklyn...nobody really knows anything about them, and they popped onto the music scene really suddenly this summer.  I guess the music is electronic pop, but not typical techno.  The four songs on the EP (including one cover of a Patrick Wolf song) are all extremely epic with huge orchestral themes accompanied by the girl singing. The vocals are ridiculously impressive: very tuneful and powerful.  It's best listened to on a really good sound system, at high volume.

A Frightened Rabbit EP (Frightened Rabbit): I was introduced to Frightened Rabbit by Patch Pollitt (a friend of a friend) in the middle of October, on a church retreat.  They are a Scottish rock band, decently big in the UK and the US.  Their sound is pretty folky, but they have some pretty loud songs with a larger variety of instruments.  The lyrics are really thoughtful and interesting.  In some ways they sound a bit like Snow Patrol.  Some of the songs are pretty haunting.

Kickstarter EP (The Narrative): I came across the Narrative through thesixtyone.com (a great resource for finding new music, although you won't like everything on there)...I was immediately shocked by how melodic and polished the music sounded for a band I had never even heard of.  They are from Long Island.  They've been around for a few years but haven't gotten really big for some reason.  When I ordered their albums they sent me a hand-written note!  It's another guy/girl duo (with another dude occasionally playing some backing instruments), and they both have incredible voices.  They make a lot of use of very melodic piano riffs.  The style of some of the songs might be a bit poppy for some people's tastes.  But I defy anyone to listen to this EP and not be impressed with their style and musical talent.  The Radiohead cover is particularly good.

Nightlife (Phantogram): Phantogram's yet another guy/girl duo (popular thing these days, evidently).  Most of their music is quite electronic, with driving beats and lots of synthesizer sounds, and ethereal female vocals.  To me, this EP sounds more melodic and slightly easier to listen to than their other stuff, although the percussion is still prominent and the cool beats are still what makes the songs.  I really like these songs.  They will get stuck in your head.

Now on to the top ten full-length albums of the year.  After much consideration, this is what I've come up with:

10. Junk of the Heart (The Kooks): Jessica Batson introduced me to this English rock band a couple of months ago.  I started out listening to all their older albums, which I didn't like initially because they are all pretty unpolished.  But their most recent album is a huge step forward in terms of the simplicity and cleanliness of the melodies.  The vocals are also much more tuneful.  They sound a lot like the Beatles on some songs, with very catchy riffs and good drum lines.  Again, it's best listened to loudly on good speakers.

9. Megalithic Symphony (AWOLNATION): I had heard one single from this album, "Sail", on the radio in Colorado for months...it didn't really grab me, although the rhythm was intriguing.  Then I heard another single from the album, "Not Your Fault", and was immediately much more interested.  I think this is their first full-length album.  The group is from southern California.  The musical style is a bit hard to describe.  It's quite hard rock, with some significant electronic influence.  The vocals are pretty loud and "shouty", although melodic and tuneful for the most part.  The beats are extremely catchy and good.

8. Gold in the Shadow (William Fitzsimmons): Greg Bailey introduced me to William Fitzsimmons last summer during the Wild West Relay.  He is from Illinois.  The musical style is somewhat electronic, but he uses a variety of instruments, and all his songs have prominent percussion.  All the songs are fairly quiet.  The subject matter is always pretty dark...he is generally contemplating ruined relationships, loss, and loneliness.  Apparently his material is all about his parents' divorce, and then his more recent divorce.  It's depressing, but musically very engaging.  It's perfect for listening to on your own.

7. The Family Tree: The Roots (Radical Face): I've been into Radical Face for about a year now...it's one of the many musical projects of Ben Cooper, a singer/songwriter from Jacksonville.  He is an insomniac, and records all his own stuff, mostly in a shed behind his house.  The style is very similar to the previous Radical Face albums, "Ghosts" and "Junkyard Chandelier", in that the music is very atmospheric, consisting mostly of piano and vocals.  A lot of other instruments make appearances as well...he records tracks over themselves.  The melodies are fairly grand and anthemic.  It took a few listens for the style to grow on me, but I was pretty obsessed after 2 or 3 times.

6. Mylo Xyloto (Coldplay): Each new Coldplay album is so hugely anticipated that sometimes I have doubts about whether it can live up to the hype.  Mylo Xyloto came out in October, and it is really good.  They released a couple of singles before this: "Paradise" and "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall"...I was really impressed with these songs and they got stuck in my head.  The album itself is pretty similar to their previous stuff, although a bit more poppy and electronic-influenced.  I really like their mixture of quieter, slower, and mostly instrumental songs as well as huge anthemic songs.  A lot of their songs build to a climax in a cool way, too.  This album is really easy to listen to, and intrinsically pleasant.

5. Neighborhoods (Blink-182): I never really liked blink-182 growing up...their stuff was too rocky, and their material too immature.  There were a few exceptional songs, like "Miss You" and "Stay Together for the Kids".  But the balance of their music didn't appeal to me.  Then I heard a couple of songs from their new album, Neighborhoods, released this autumn, on the radio.  They were incredibly good, so I checked out the entire album, which is also excellent.  I developed a greater appreciation for the lead singer's voice (which is incredible).  The musical style is very similar to their old stuff, with fast drum hooks and cool chord progressions.  The lyrics, though, are significantly more meaningful, dealing with family and relationship issues (for the most part).  The songs are still somewhat profanity-laden, but it feels more appropriate and less gratuitous than in some of their earlier work.  Whatever everyone else thinks about blink-182, I really like this album and think it was one of the best of the year.  It's incredible to listen to on a loud, good sound system.

4. Young Love (Mat Kearney): My older brother introduced me to Mat Kearney when he was first becoming big...it must have been about 7 or 8 years ago now.  His earlier albums were excellent, and really highlighted his skill and diversity in songwriting.  Before "Young Love", he hadn't released a new album in a few years, and this one sort of took me by surprise.  For some reason I didn't check it out immediately, perhaps because the one single from it that I had heard on the radio is about the least interesting song on the album.  But the entire album is amazingly good, considered as a whole.  The style is similar to his previous work, although it has evolved slightly and become perhaps more poppy.  The melodies and harmonies are extremely pleasant.  I have a hard time believing anyone who likes music could not like this album, if they are honest with themselves.

3. Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm (Benjamin Francis Leftwich): This guitar player and songwriter from England is exceptionally talented.  He had previously released a couple of EPs, which were very good.  This album has some of his earlier work on it, but also includes a lot of new songs.  His style is very acoustic and folky, but it doesn't feel like there is anything lacking.  The tunes are really good, and there are some good backing vocals as well.  He has an interesting, introspective-sounding voice which works well with the guitar.  I think it's only a matter of time before his stuff takes off in the US and becomes really popular.  His live recordings (some of which are on YouTube) are really good and show that he's not just good in the studio.

2. Never Trust a Happy Song (GROUPLOVE): GROUPLOVE is a group of American musicians who met in Greece a few years ago.  They have a really unique, energetic sound, and it's demonstrated in a great way on this album.  The lead guy and girl singer have amazing voices, and the background guitar and drum riffs are incredible.  They show a lot of diversity in the style of the songs they play.  Some of them are faster and very rocky, and others are slower and quieter.  The songs get stuck in your head in an amazing way.  Again, I recommend listening to it on a really good sound system, very loudly.  I am really excited to see them live next spring in SLC (they are opening for Young the Giant).

1. Love and War and the Sea in Between (Josh Garrels): I'm convinced this man is a genius.  He is a Christian singer-songwriter from Portland, Oregon, and has been putting out music for several years.  It only came to my attention a few months ago.  Since that happened, I've been telling as many people as I can about him.  This, his most recent album, is more than an hour long with over 20 songs, and the diversity of music on it is remarkable.  Nearly every instrument imaginable is heard on the album, in a very tuneful way.  On some songs, his vocals sound very folky, almost like Johnny Cash.  Other songs sound gospel, and other songs are straight rap.  The drum beats are very simple, but highly syncopated.  The lyrics are very well thought out and interesting.  I cannot recommend this album highly enough.  Another huge bonus is that it is available on his bandcamp site for free.  I think it was the best album of the year.