Best Music of 2012 (Updated)

This is kind of a lame way to get things started, but it is a start nonetheless. Making this list showed me that I discover a lot of “new” music about a year or two after it has actually been released (further proof, if any was needed, that I never was, and never will be cool)  Still, it wouldn’t be much of a “2012” list if I just told you my favorite stuff to listen to regardless of when it came out, so I’ve tried to keep in all 2012, although some late 2011 stuff snuck in because, gimme a break, it was late 2011….

Best Albums 2012

1) Scott Lucas and the Married Men – “Blood Half Moon” – this took a while to grow on me for some reason, but after I saw them perform most of this CD in concert, I fell in love with the whole record. Highlights = “There You Are”, “Steady Gaze”, and “Blood Half Moon”

2) Best Coast – “The Only Place” – There’s nothing complicated about Bethany Cosentino’s songs, they’re mostly 3 chord pop vehicles for her gorgeous voice and reverb-y guitars, and I fucking love it.

3) Local H – “Hallelujah, I’m a Bum” – If it seems kind of biased that 2 of my top 5 are from essentially the same dude (Scott Lucas)  and a  fellow Chicagoan, well tough shit.

4) Stars – "The North" 

5) Richard Hawley - "Standing at the Sky’s Edge"

6) Kathleen Edwards – "Voyageur"

Best Songs of 2012

1) “The North” – Stars – Aside from Pete Yorn’s “On Your Side”, I listened to this song more than any other this year. I loved it so much that I incorporated it into my own sets in the latter part of the year, and I’m still not sick of it.

2) “Up All Night” – Best Coast – When she gets to the chorus, her voice just breaks my heart.

3) “Big Machine” - Ryan Miller – very cool tune from the film “Safety Not Guaranteed”, it was also my gateway drug to Guster.

4) “Spiral” and “(Title Unknown)”  (Tie) – Wye Oak – The former was released as part of the Adult Swim Singles series, and is a really cool departure for them,  very electronic and funky. The latter was the song they kicked their set off with at the 930 Club (The video of their performance can be streamed on NPR) and I have no idea what it’s called, but I love it, and listened to it obsessively for several weeks.

5) "There You Are" - Scott Lucas and the Married Men - This is the most beautiful, melodic thing that I've heard Scott Lucas do, and it really stuck with me throughout the year. From the harmonized vocals to the hooky, dirty, feedback laced guitar solo, this song is damn near perfect. My one disappointment in seeing The Married Men live was they didn't include this in their set. Boo!

6) "Wapusk" – Kathleen Edwards – The reverb drenched harmonies on this song give me shivers.

7) “Farther to Fall” – Chris Quigley – Is it egotistical to include one of my own songs? Probably! But it’s a fucking fantastic song, so why not?
8) "Steady Gaze" - Scott Lucas and the Married Men - When I first heard this, I thought it was a Stones cover, but apparently it isnt. The song grabs you right out of the gate and throttles you like a wolf throttling a rabbit in its jaws (How's that for ponce-ey douche music journospeak, Pitchfork?)
9) "Say The Word" - Local H - Sorry if this list is Scott Lucas heavy, but he simply put out the best music this year. Sorry to the other chumps I've overlooked with this list.
10) "Midnight City" – M83 (I know, I know! It’s from 2011, but it’s late 2011, and I shook my ass to this so much in 2012, it would be a crime not to include it)

As far as the year ahead, I am very excited about it. I am currently enrolled in Improv Classes at Second City and in a couple of weeks, will be once again participating in FAWM (February Album Writing Month), which, if you'll recall, involves writing and recording 14 songs in 24 days. Last year was my first time participating, and I was so inspired by the spirit and community that I ended up writing 16 songs for it. I have quite a few ideas bouncing around in my noggin, so I am confident that I can meet or exceed the 14 song goal again this year. Between the music, the improv, and the other delightful miscellanites of my life, 2013 should be a busy and fruitful year. 

The first five of shuffle mode today:

"Turning Japanese" - The Vapors

"Malibu Love Nest (Demo)" - Luna

"Manic Monday" - The Bangles

"Have You Forgotten?" - Red House Painters

"Life on a Chain" - Pete Yorn