Plump
on too much turkey and tipsy with my own sense of self-importance, I sat down
at my Macbook and upon a freshly opened Pages
document began to note down the tracks and albums that had soundtracked my life
over the past 12 months.
However,
after the first couple of obvious stand-outs, I realised something was wrong...
Very
wrong indeed.
MY
FINGERS WEREN’T TYPING ANYTHING!
Yes,
rather predictably, I was struggling to think of the 10 albums that I had loved
this year.
The
tracks weren’t too hard to fathom, but my word, those pesky albums had me
dashing through my record collection, desperately thumbing through for anything
with © 2012 written on it. This was
frivolous... despite the plethora of 2012 LPs I owned, god knows only a sliver
of them were eligible for an End Of Year Best Of list.
So, I must apologise in advance; there are not 10 albums on my Top 10 Albums of 2012 list... there are
7. Don’t like it? There’s still another couple of days of 2012
left, so please feel free to write an album and send it to me so I can fill in
the gaps.
Top 10 Albums of 2012
1. O. Children - Apnea
The London based quartet’s second LP beautifully treads the
line between the early 80s dark/deathly post-punk and the more poppy post-punk
we came to enjoy in the early 2000s.
They have equal parts attitude & balls as they do catchy choruses
& instant hooks and there remains not a single cliché in sight. Tobias O’Kandi’s distinctive wolf-like snarl
soars between gut-wrenching verses and epic breakdowns; and even more tender
moments such as Oceanside
carry equal vigour and tenacity. Fans of
Joy Division/The Cure/Gary Numan/Marilyn Manson/Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds;
will dig this clever mix of Post-Punk/Goth/Garage/Psych/Indie.
Not “just another East London band”; O.Children have the
substance, the nostalgia, the intent and indeed, the tunes; unlike many other
bands from the same scene who simply ride the latest wave to sweep the
area. O.Children are doing things their
own way... I suggest you all comply.
2. Tame Impala - Lonerism
There’s no band quite
as sexy as Tame Impala, is there? Their
2010 debut Innerspeaker was equally 45 years
behind itself as it was lightyears ahead of its squalored surroundings. Their sensual psychedelia is indeed enough to
induce pseudo-lysergic acid trips and if it weren’t for the juggernaut that is
The Horrors, Tame Impala would surely being taking over the world right now.
But, Lonerism, has, quite rightly,
been internationally well-received. From
the haze-y cover, to the fuzzed out solos, the etherial vocals, to the ball
crushing bass; this surely is an album that will not only leave nostalgists
satisfied but cutting edge ‘trendies’ suitably thrilled.
3. TOY - TOY
The demise of Joe Lean
& The Jing Jang Jong may possibly have been the best thing to happen to
indie music. Not simply because it got
that ponce out of our faces for (what seems to be) good, but it also gave us,
TOY.
When a
Psych/Krautrock/Shoegaze band play their first gig at Rhys Webb’s prestigious
Cave Club you know they surely must be on to something big, and low and behold,
a few short months later they were opening up for The Horrors at Camden’s
Roundhouse - the same night they sold out their debut single (which has
subsequently been re-pressed 4 times.)
TOY has depth, it has
nostalgia, it has riffs, it has melodies, it has noise, it has beauty, it has
haze and best of all, after listening to this album in its entirety, loudly,
you feel you can once again believe in young British indie bands... not mention
the distinct feeling of a drug induced hippy orgy.
4. DIIV - Oshin
DIIV’s
unique brand of reverb soaked-tropical-big beat-pop lands them somewhere
between 2011’s hype band of the year; WU LYF and ‘chillwave’s’ finest; Washed
Out. Zachary Cole Smith’s vocals are so
distorted and reverb-drenched that his lyrics are almost indecipherable, but,
much like the aforementioned bands, this doesn’t detract from the overall
package and simply makes their music all the more intriguing.
Oshin is the
kind of record that is suitable for all occasions. Overdriven and ballsy enough to put on in the
car, but delicate enough to enjoy while indulging in the latest issue of VICE
and a cup of ginseng tea. It certainly
the most etherial, space-y, dream-like wash of noise I’ve heard all year.
5. Two Wounded Birds - Two Wounded Birds
Heartbreakingly,
in the 6 months since this record was released, Two Wounded Birds have
announced their break up. No one seems
to quite know the reason, but rumour has it that singer/guitarist/key
songwriter Johnny Danger has left to join Brooklyn Surf-poppers, The
Drums. Fair dos I suppose.
But,
sentiments aside, this is a fantastic surf record. Johnny’s obvious fetish for a strong melody
is evident in every second of every track as his memorable hooks provide not
only the filling but indeed the crust and condiment to this album. The reverb soaked, 60s style production
coupled with the band snappy leather jackets and basin haircuts makes for one
incredibly sexy overall package... it is indeed a great shame we won’t hear
anymore from them. However, album closer
Growing is perhaps the most moving and apt end to a record
I’ve heard since Joy Divison’s Closer.
6. Weird Dreams - Choreography
Upon my first listen
to Choreography, the first thing I
did once the LP had clicked off was text my friend “This Weird Dreams album is
good. Of the year good.”, and I stand by that.
No this album isn’t
anything radically new, nor is it anything particularly unique. What it is, is a solid LP. That’s what’s been
lacking in 2012... consistency. Choreography keeps a high standard
of craftsmanship throughout its 45 minute stay; with its fuzzed guitars, prog-y
riffs and melodies as catchy as chlamydia rendering this is as yet another gem
from Tough Love Records.
7. Moses - The Voids
Is it pop? Is it classical? Is it electronica? Is it experimental? Is it avant-garde? Is it dance?
Is it disco? Is it world?
It is pure, and
immense, ambition. The Voids is all of the
above... (and somehow, much more!)
The debut album from
Moses is certainly an eclectic one. The
classically trained multi-instrumentalist from London recorded the entire LP in
his shed; and while it’s a little rough round the edges it is certainly an interesting
listen. Only the very closed minded and
ignorant would dismiss this record. Its composition is simply divine,
encompassing many genres.
Please give this
artist your full and undivided attention.
The best approach with The
Voids is
to quote The Beatles: “Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream”... let
this album take you on its journey.
Top 10 Tracks of 2012
1. Tame
Impala - Elephant
It’s like
Josh Homme has had a meeting with Kevin Parker... and Kevin Parker was taking
notes.
2. Temples - Shelter Song
More 60s
than the 60s. The most exciting debut
track I’ve ever heard.
Shelter
Song (Heavenly Recordings) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs4i41cOv0s
3. Peace - Follow
Baby
Peace are
surely going to take over the world next year.
Their debut A-side was a brooding statement of intent.
4. Jacco
Gardner - Clear The Air
The love
child of every great 60s Psychedelic artist; Jacco Gardner is what I imagine a
collaboration between Nirvana (UK) and Syd Barrett would have sounded
like. Groovy.
5. Kate
Nash - Underestimate The Girl
Perhaps
one of the most controversial tracks of the year, just the sheer fallout from
this track is enough to put it at #5.
It’s also a great (and unexpected) punk/riot-grrrl track.
6. O.
Children - PT Cruiser
That bass
is throbbing. Tobias O’Kandi sounds like
he is King of the world. He may well
soon be.
7. TOY - Motoring
Tom
Dougall’s voice is fantastic. I feel
like Woodstock ‘69 had a dinner date with Sonic Youth.
8. LOOM - Bleed
On Me
I’m
fortunate enough to own cassette copy number 77/100 of LOOM’s debut
release. Nirvana, Sonic Youth, OFF!, My
Bloody Valentine... you get the picture.
Dirty.
9. Palma
Violets - Best Of Friends
You
couldn’t escape this track for much of the latter half of 2012. Fingers crossed this isn’t a flash in the
pan.
Best
Of Friends/Last Of The Summer Wine (Rough Trade Records) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poFXWUTEs1k
10.
Atoms
For Peace - Default
Thom
Yorke & Flea were never going to make a bad track. Classic Yorke electronica.
Default (XL
Recordings) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxWBd840E9g
So, 2012 has come to a close and, excepting the
remote possibility of some unexpected last minute releases, its musical output
has now been thoroughly processed, ranked, ruined, overplayed, enjoyed,
experienced, endured and filed away.
A
Few Predictions For 2013:
-
Peace will take over the world.
- Kilto
Take will release Resolute to critical acclaim.
-
Holy Fire will be loved by every baby-hipster in the country
and no-one will realise it’s 2008 again.
-
Joe Lean won’t release any new music...
Happy New Year
Au revoir.
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