-Due to the various musical genres/backgrounds of these selections, the following are not ranked in any specific order-
Blunderbuss-Jack White
Genre: Rock
Regarded as one of the best guitarists in twenty-first
century music, Jack White delivers in Blunderbuss, his first solo-album since the official dissolving of The White Stripes in early
2011. Well known for his unique ability to craft songs of various styles and
thick lyrics, White displays a wide collection of sounds in Blunderbuss that range from garage rock,
to blues and folk. Recently divorced,
White’s songs are mostly about collapsing relationships, and his lyrics are
displayed in a direct and sometimes hysterical (see track “Trash Tonque Talker”)
manner. The album isn't repetitive or simple; Blunderbuss has a very distinct and special blend of complex
melodies and reflective lyrics. Overall, this is a monster start for what
should be a prominent solo career for Jack White.
Notable Tracks: “Love Interuption,” “Sixteen Saltines,” “Freedom
at 21,” “I’m Shakin’”
Other Notes:
-Rolling Stone
named Blunderbuss the third best
album of 2012
The Carpenter-The Avett Brothers
Genre: Folk Rock
In The Avett Brothers' first studio album release since 2009’s
I And Love And You, The Carpenter is not only one of the
year’s best albums, but sheer proof of why this band is one of the best Folk
Rock bands of the past decade. Tracks “The Once and Future Carpenter” and “Live
and Die” are both the first two songs, and the hits of The Carpenter, and they show the Avett’s tapping into the folk
roots of their earliest albums. Scott and Seth Avett’s lyrics are pleasant as
ever and provide substantial beef for the album’s theme of balancing life and
death. Brilliantly simple, The Carpenter
is a folky favorite and easily one of the most important records of the year.
Notable tracks: “The Once and Future Carpenter,” “Live
and Die,” “Winter in My Heart,” “Pretty Girl from Michigan,” “Through My
Prayers,” “Life”
Other Notes:
-The Carpenter was
listed at number forty-one on Rolling
Stones’s top 50 albums of 2012
good kid, m.A.A.d city-Kendrick
Lamar
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Arguably the best Hip-Hop/Rap album of the year, good kid…
shows raw precision by Kendrick Lamar in his third career (of three years)
studio record. Kendrick Lamar plays himself as a 17-year-old teenager in album
and writes thoughts on driving around Los Angeles in his mother’s caravan with
his gang-affiliated “homies.” This narrative is the mainstay throughout the record
and it accentuates a sense of excitement, shedding light on a personal side of
the talented wordsmith. Using this story-line for his album and then using vivid
lyricism to execute street-life themes is what makes Kendrick Lamar’s album a
standout in 2012.
Notable Tracks: “Poetic Justice,” “Backseat Freestyle,” “The
Art of Peer Pressure,” “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst,” “Real,” “Compton”
Other Notes:
-good kid… was
the best selling debut from a male artist in 2012
-good kid… was named the best album of the year by BBC, Complex, Fact, New York and Pitchfork Media
-good kid… was ranked
as the second best album of the year by Billboard,
the Chicago Tribune, MTV, Spin,
and Time
-good kid… is
listed at number six on Rolling Stone’s
top 50 albums of 2012
Rhythm and Repose- Glen Hansard
Genre: Folk
Hauntingly emotional. That’s what first came to mind upon listening to Glen Hansard’s newest album Rhythm and Repose. It’s a superb solo outing for the Irishman, where he explores serious melancholic rumination. But Rhythm and Repose does show resolve, most notably with the ending hollers in “High Hope” and desperate cries in “Bird of Sorrow.” Collectively, Rhythm and Repose is the most emotional album of the year, and a staple in Glen Hansards ever popular discography. Glen Hansard’s music is tormenting in the record, and his passionate pleas of love help him burst into the best of 2012 category.
Hauntingly emotional. That’s what first came to mind upon listening to Glen Hansard’s newest album Rhythm and Repose. It’s a superb solo outing for the Irishman, where he explores serious melancholic rumination. But Rhythm and Repose does show resolve, most notably with the ending hollers in “High Hope” and desperate cries in “Bird of Sorrow.” Collectively, Rhythm and Repose is the most emotional album of the year, and a staple in Glen Hansards ever popular discography. Glen Hansard’s music is tormenting in the record, and his passionate pleas of love help him burst into the best of 2012 category.
Notable Tracks: “You Will Become,” “Maybe Not Tonight,” “High
Hope,” “Bird of Sorrow,” “Song of Good Hope,” “Come Away to the Water”
Other Notes:
-Track 12, “Come Away to the Water” was covered by Maroon
5 and used in the Hunger Games movie
soundtrack
2012 Honorable Mention:
Europe- Allo
Darlin’
Celebration Rock-Japandroids
The Haunted Man-Bat
For Lashes
The Only Place-Best
Coast
Away From The World-Dave
Matthews Band
Blak And Blu-Gary
Clark Jr.
Shields-Grizzly
Bear
My Head Is An
Animal-Of Monsters And Men
Rebirth-Jimmy
Cliff
Old Ideas-Leonard
Cohen
Other Notable
Albums of 2012:
Allen Stone-Allen Stone
Allen Stone-Allen Stone
!Uno!-Green Day
Psychedelic Pill-Neil
Young
Life is Good-Nas
Nothing’s Gonna
Change the Way You Feel About Me Now-Justin Townes Earle
Some Nights-
Fun.
Night Visions-Imagine
Dragons
Gossamer-Passion
Pit
Attack on Memory-Cloud
Nothings
Boys And Girls-Alabama
Shakes
An Awesome Wave-alt-J
The Lion The Beast The Beat-Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
Signs and
Signifiers-JD Mcpherson
The Lion’s Roar-First
Aid Kit
Blown Away-Carrie
Underwood
Hard 2 Love-Lee
Brice
Punching Bag-Josh
Turner
Night Train-Jason
Aldean
Dustin Lynch-Dustin
Lynch
Welcome to the
Fishbowl-Kenny Chesney
Uncaged- Zac
Brown Band
Alive at the
Vanguard-Fred Hersch Trio
Hot House-Chick
Corea & Gary Burton
Blue Moon-Ahmad
Jamal
Unity Band-Pat
Metheny
Magic Triangle/Leap
of Faith-Dave Douglas
Comme Ci Comme Ca-Fred
Wesley
Locked Down-Dr.
John
R.A.P. Music-Killer Mike
Sun-Cat Power
Django Django-Django
Django
My Personal Favorite 12 Albums of 2012:
-The following are ranked in regards to what I liked best from 2012-
1. Babel-Mumford
& Sons
2. The Carpenter-The
Avett Brothers
3. There’s No
Leaving Now-The Tallest Man on Earth
4. The Lumineers-The
Lumineers
5. Boys & Girls-Alabama
Shakes
6. Break it
Yourself-Andrew Bird
7. Here-Edward
Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes
8. Wrecking Ball-Bruce
Springsteen
9. Young Love-Mat
Kearney
10. Away From the
World-Dave Matthews Band
11. Older Than My
Old Man Now-Loudon Wainwright III
12. The 2nd
Law-Muse
Favorites Honorable Mention:
The Sound Of the
Life of the Mind-Ben Folds Five
The Lion The Beast The Beat-Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
Early in the Morning-James Vincent McMorrow
Early in the Morning-James Vincent McMorrow
Born and Raised-John Mayer
Rhythm and Response-Glen Hansard
Spirit Family Reunion-Spirit Family Reunion
Port Of Morrow-The
Shins
The Lion’s Roar-First
Aid Kit
Home Again-
Michael Kiwanuka
The Burgh Island EP-Ben
Howard
In the Open EP-Benjamin
Francis Leftwich
Psychedelic Pill-Neil
Young & Crazy Horse
Blak And Blu-Gary Clark Jr.
Blak And Blu-Gary Clark Jr.
Dustin Lynch-Dustin
Lynch
Blue Moon-Ahmad
Jamal
Comme Ci Comme Ca-Fred
Wesley
Blunderbuss-Jack
White
