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Feeling good to do this now that it's 2013 and thus nothing more can come out in 2012 and sneak up on us. I suppose the only way I can do it is to look at the albums I have listened to the most throughout the past 12 months; after all, there is a reason that we listen to albums more than others right? I listen to a wide range as well, so I'll split it into some different categories.
Metal
In my opinion, not the greatest year ever for metal bands in 2012, but there were, in my opinion, three albums that stood out particularly against a mediocre background as really quite outstanding and excellent.
Cancer Bats - Dead Set on Living
Probably one of the hardest working bands in the world (I mean they're Canadian and I saw them play six separate times in the UK throughout 2012), and constantly producing top class music over the last few years. This is, in my opinion, their best album since Hail Destroyer, and it's arguably, and probably, even better. Songs like Rats and Road Sick are just so energetic and exceptional. Not even the hardcore album of the year though, since it was beaten into a close second place by.....
Every Time I Die - Ex Lives
I'd have said that before this album, I was mildly a fan of ETID, having seen them a few times live, but I was never a major fanatic of theirs, until the first time I heard Mr Buckley scream "I WANT TO BE DEAD WITH MY FRIENDS" at the start of Underwater Bimbos from Outer Space. In terms of hardcore, there are a few decent bands around at the moment, such as Polar, Comeback Kid and maybe even Your Demise, but all should learn and take note from this album, absolutely fantastically technical and fast, full of energy and passion and so tight. Loved it from the first song to the last.
And giving a little bit of a nod to good old British metalcore, controversially;
Architects - Daybreaker
This was refreshing and special this year for passionate Architects fans such as myself. I have loved everything this band have ever done, and they are probably my favourite metal band, but there previous record, The Here and Now, while still great, was a far cry from their previous efforts. Thankfully, this new album returned to the sort of magic seen on the likes of Hollow Crown (which I would probably count as my favourite metal album), with songs like Devil's Island and The Bitter End even saw them bring a bit of a softer edge to their brutality, which was amazing, especially in the live setting. Then with tracks like These Colours Don't Run adding a bit of a political edge to their music, as cliched as it sounds, Daybreaker was definitely the album that saw Architects mature, and it was a fantastic record.
Indie/Rock
Of Monsters and Men - My Head Is an Animal
One of two albums in this section that Mckenzie- can take credit for guiding myself towards earlier in 2012. A really great little folky sounding indie album this one, and definitely the sort of thing that my ears needed towards the end of 2012. This is probably one of the feel-good albums of the year, with a real sort of accessible yet still alternative edge to it. I really enjoyed it from start to finish, and of course, it has that brilliant riff during Little Talks that no one could fail to be on their feet and dancing to. Really great record, and one that I shared with more than a few people after it had been recommended to me on here a few months back.
Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten
Can you go wrong with a bit of Gaslight? Abso-bloody-lutely not. One of the most honest and interesting bands on earth. Yes, we were all a little disappointed, if we are honest, with American Slang, after the '59 Sound, but this is certainly Gaslight back on track. Saw them live twice on this tour as well in Manchester and London, and they were fantastic on both nights. They're the sort of band who seem to have gotten a massive following with very little to no exposure in the mainstream; their following is now way above mainstream, which is great to see, and this album deserves it. I think what I like about them the most is that I have never seen a man happier to be doing what he is doing than Brian Fallon on stage. Even if he has put some weight on, that is an excellent man, and we have to applaud this effort from TGA.
Mark Tremonti - Tremonti
Far from the most innovative or original album in 2012, and probably actually the least innovative on my list, but still an absolute gem nonetheless. I think this makes it in here because I'm a huge Alter Bridge fan, and Tremonti has branched off from the rest of the band, and managed to make an album that sounds very Alter Bridge. I like that. It has a bit more of a cutting edge than Alter bridge, and a few more solos, but it still keeps that same song, and Tremonti's voice isn't all that far from Myles Kennedy's, even if he doesn't have the same range as the latter. You Waste Your Time as the lead single was probably also the highlight of the album for myself personally.
Japandroids - Celebration Rock
The second time Mckenzie- can take a bow in this list with another brilliant recommendation. This one is probably right near the top of my favourites list for this year, as it really is fantastic. Right from the off with The Nights of Wine and Roses, it just makes me smile inside and makes me think I want to party with my mates, not a crazy party, but one of those summer nights when you just sit in the garden and get slowly pissed in the sun. Energetic again and full of fun, hands down, the best indie album of 2012, really enjoyable for its entirety, and I must get my hands on their earlier work to hear more of what they do. The word essential was banded above, an I think that is definitely the best way to describe this. If you want to feel like you're having a little party in your head, buy this; it's just guitar induced fun, nothing overtly fancy or stylish, just good old fashioned guitar based rock, but with some awesome sing along choruses and will definitely make you want to be in a field enjoying a summer festival with a warm £5 beer.
Pop
I'll dive straight in and go with the "embarrassing" one, since it's about as mainstream as they come. I have to say though, I enjoy it every time I listen to it, and it is.....
Carly Rae Jepsen - Kiss
Yup. Honest cheesy pop. That's the best and only way to describe this. Forget Call me Maybe, because this is about so much more than just that one radio album. It has an almost 80s/disco feel to it, and an abundance of different songs which could all be singles in their own right. There's even time for a catchy and awesome little collaboration with Owl City in there to just spice things up. Another one that isn't going to be remembered as an album that broke barriers or started a new wave of all new pop music, but it's good honest pop music, and sometimes that's all you need. Album highlights throughout include More Than a Memory and Hurt So Good which is definitely where you need to go for a little dose of old school disco music. Like I say though, this is what it is from the start, a little bit of bubblegum pop; ideal listening for when doing something where you can space out a little. I like to listen to it when I'm doing sub-editing at working. It's just fun...yeah...
Rita Ora - Ora
Probably another that no one would really expect to see on this list, but it has definitely become an album that I have listened to a lot over the last few months. I think Rita is just someone who (although I doubt she writes her own songs) oozes a little bit of that party feeling that we all had in our late teens (or will have when you guys reach that age). I first heard of her when she did Hot Right Now with DJ Fresh, and I have to say any dance/pop crossover that can get a tent full of about 500 pissed-up metalheads at a festival in Donington dancing along at 3 in the morning has to be good. The singles make this album, and although I still don't know what "party and bullshit" refers to, nor do I think she gets it right when she promotes "drunk sex feeling" as a good thing, when it is among the worst sex anyone will ever have, nor why she wants to "shut down every bar" when trying to have a party, these songs are laden with a bit of party atmosphere, and I like when they get pumped out in the clubs I frequent after all the alternative stuff has finished. Good album overall.
Lana del Rey - Born To Die (Paradise Edition)
Without a shadow of a doubt, the best pop album of 2012. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I think her voice and her soul type sound is just absolutely phenomenal. Every song on this album, perhaps for maybe one or two of the tail-enders, is an absolute joy to listen to, and it'a all about Lana's amazing voice and range, as it should be. Songs like National Anthem and Summertime Sadness and Lolita were the highlights of the first version of the album, but I chose the Paradise re-release for this list, simply because I think Ride is by far the best song that she has recorded to date. Absolutely fantastic. Besides, who else has ever come out with a line...an opening line no less, of a song that suggests their vaginal secretions have a suggestion of soda (Pepsi no less, very specific) in their flavour.
But yes, all round, probably my favourite overall album of 2012, from a girl who oozes class and talent and has really one of the most fantastic voices I have ever heard. Love her and love everything that she does.
Folk/acoustic
Katie Melua - Secret Symphony
Less to say about the albums in this section than any others above, but I still love these albums as much as some of the others from the list above. I loved this one a lot though from my favourite little woman on earth. Never deviates from the sort of class and talent that she puts into her music, and while many might say that it is stylistically similar to everything she's ever done (some would argue that if you've heard The Closest Thing to Crazy, you've heard it all), I think it makes her an absolutely fantastic and consistent artist. I love her beautiful voice and the simplistic sort of nature behind her guitar work, which she never over-does or tries to get all flashy with. Highlight from this album was Better than a Dream which I could listen to over and over again. I absolutely love the song, the album, and her. The perfect little bit of ambience for any occasion is how I would describe this, and definitely my favourite Sunday listening throughout 2012. More of the same Ms Melua please.
Amy MacDonald - Life in a Beautiful Light
Kinda similar to what I said above; Amy is another that never seems to deviate from what she does, but never gets boring. She definitely gets a lot more exposure than the artist above, but I think she probably needs that push more than Katie since she falls a lot more between mainstream and niche than Ms Melua does. Nonetheless, this was a continuation of the fantastic work Amy has been doing ever since 2007, and another great album from her. Songs like Slow it Down and Pride brought the acoustic guitar into the summer, and she was really fantastic throughout this album. Great easy listening once again, and something that I had playing in my ears a lot over the course of the past months.
And finally.....
Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg
Saw this guy play in what was little more than a pub one time, and then largely forgot about him. The album helps to rectify that though. It's a little bit of Bob Dylan, it's a little bit of Alex Turner, it's a hell of a lot of Jake Bugg. Wonderful and inventive from the first note to the last, this is just one Nottingham lad and his guitar. Songs like Lightning Bolt and Two Fingers promise big things from the rest of the album. Both are very different in their styles, offering a folky edge on one hand, and a more poppy/indie feel on the other, but both are excellent, and the rest of the album also does not disappoint. In so far as debut albums go, and especially for a lad who is only in his late teens I think, this was really great, and although he appears to be a moody bastard on almost Van Morrison levels, he is really brilliant, and I am sure he and his guitar will be making many many appearances in the years to come.
Anyway, there you go; my review of 2012's albums or my favourites anyway. My apologies for this being a long winded bastard of a post, I've put the album titles in bold if you can't be arsed reading it all :) |
