There was a lot of great music in 2012. There were 38 records that I gave a 5 star review and 50 more that got 4 out of 5 stars. Winners this year?
Tooth and Nail. Tooth and Nail had a great year of releases and one of the labels best in a long time! Yeah, they had a couple records I wasn't completely into but their overall output in 2012 was solid.
The other big winner this year is Kickstarter. The OC Supertones, Project 86, Starflyer 59, and Joy Electric are just some of the bands that released records that were fully funded by their fans via Kickstarter. 2012 really was the beginning of a new era for music.
Honorable Mentions:
Tongue & Pen - The Likeness EP
The Modern Post - Grace Alone EP
Converge - All We Loved We Leave Behind
Sigur Ros - Valtari
Wolves At The Gate - Captors
Altars - Conclusions
Children 18:3 - On The Run
The Chariot - One Wing
And now... The Top 30!
30. Starflyer 59 - IAMACEO
Starflyer 59's thirteenth LP is indie rock perfection. The record fits in nicely and compliments the band's discography nicely!
29. Sixpence None The Richer - Lost In Transition
It had been ten
years since Sixpence's last full-length (although only four since their ep and Christmas albums) but the band hasn't lost a step.
28.
The Burial - Lights And Perfection
The Burial full-legnth follow-up to their stellar debut ep is a huge step forward. Tech metal goodness.
27. Sent By Ravens - Mean What You Say
Sent By Ravens second full-legnth and ultimately their swan song was a killer post-hardcore record. If you're going to go out, go out on a high note. And that's what Sent By Ravens did.
26. Letter To The Exiles - Make Amends
After a pretty unimpressive debut, Letters To the Exiles returned with an excellent melodic hardcore album.
25. Michael Know - Live This Love
Michael Knox's debut is an album full of heart-felt, well crafted pop songs. The best record you haven't heard yet!
24. To Speak Of Wolves - Find Your Worth, Come Home
With a new vocalist in tow, To Speak of Wolves ditched the post-hardcore stylings of their debut to deliver a brutal record! Heavy heavy stuff!
23. The Overseer - We Search, We Dig
The Overseer's Solid State debut was a raw, powerful record.
22. Owl City - The Midsummer Station
The Midsummer Station is Owl City's finest work to date. Adam Young adds some more diversity to his band's sound, creating more pop goodness.
21. Becoming The Archetype - I Am
Becoming The Archetype bounces back from their disappointing last album, Celestial Completion. With a new singer in tow, The Archetype boys delived a new brand of death metal with I Am.
20. Project 86 - Wait For The Siren
Wait For The Siren was a breathe of fresh air for Project 86. With a new band in tow, vocalist Andrew Schwab seems to have found a new passion, and it comes through on Wait For The Siren.
19. mewithoutYou - Ten Stories
Time heals all wounds. Including mewithoutYou's last album. Ten Stories takes the folk elements of It's All Crazy and adds some of their signature post-hardcore stylings, creating a great indie soundtrack.
18. As I Lay Dying - Awakened
Awakened is just a fantastic metal record! As I Lay Dying do what they do well.
17. Abandoned Pools - Sublime Currency
Sublime Currency is a delightful electro/indie pop record. Catchy melodies and great hooks. A top to bottom killer record.
16. Your Memorial - Redirect
Your Memorial's follow-up to Atonement builds off what the band did so well on their Facedown debut and makes it better! A melodic hardcore masterpiece. Great hooks, killer riffs, strong melodies.
15. Eisley - Deep Space
Eisley's Deep Space ep is more intimate musically than last year's stellar The Valley. The songs are rich and lush, providing a soundscape we haven't heard from Eisley until now.
14. The Wedding - No Direction
No Direction is straight up rock &roll! Turns out rock isn't dead after all.
13. MxPx - Plans Within Plan
The punk legends just don't make bad music! Plans Within Plans is another great pop punk record.
12. Lovedrug - Wild Blood
Instantly catchy. The riffs on Wild Blood are super infectious.
11. House of Heroes - Cold Hard Want
The great moments on Cold Hard Want are absolutely great. Catchy songs that feel more heartfelt than House of Heroes past albums.
10. Lecrae - Gravity
Gravity is special. There's something for all types of hip-hop fans. The songs are catchy, but more importantly, Lecrae has something to say and his lyrics hit hard.
9. Further Seems Forever - Penny Black
The return of Chris Carrabba to Further Seems Forever was everything I hoped for! Catchy, slightly off-tempoed emo/rock songs! It's the follow-up to The Moon Is Down that all FSF fans wanted.
8. Beautiful Eulogy - Satellite Kite
Hip-hop for the indie music fan. Some off kilter beats, some spoken word, some great melodies, and lyrics with a message. Satellite Kite isn't just for hip-hop fans.
7. States - Room To Run
Room To Run was actually released last year but Tooth and Nail gave it new life and re-released it this year. A great mix of Blondie and Denali. Female-fronted indie rock and it's best!
6. P.O.D. - Murdered Love
Murdered Love feels like the rebirth of P.O.D. A great blend of heavy rapcore, catchy radio songs, punk tracks, and ballads. Murdered Love hits hard from the time to press play to the time I Am finishes.
5. Britt Nicole - Gold
When I reviewed Gold, I said it was everything I didn't like about christian music but it was exactly what christian pop music needed. I didn't expect to completely fall in love with the album. A great pop record with a strong message. Not your everyday CCM record but a true modern pop record.
4. Sins - Sink Away
This album was literally just released but I've been waiting for this album for 2 years now. Sins is the punk rock side project of Anberlin guitarist
Joseph Milligan. Sink Away is super catchy, hard hitting punk rock in the vain of Face to Face! Great record!!!
3. Hammock - Departure Songs
Hammock makes the most beautiful music in the world! Departure Songs is a double record full of great ambient pieces, a handful of post-rock songs and killer shoegazer tracks. Music to meditate on and to.
2. Gideon Grove - Wildfires
Ok, Wildfires by Gideon Grove is the best record of the year that you haven't heard! Haunting melodies, wide, lush soundscapes create something special and unique.
1. Deftones - Koi No Yokan
Up until I heard Wildfires, Koi No Yokan was the only record that made me stop what I was doing and take time to truly listen. I knew the Deftones had delivered not only the record of the year, but the record of their career!
No comments:
Post a Comment