2012 year-end list (top 25)

Instead of wasting your time watching the Grammy's, here are a few albums actually worthy of your attention. After another long hiatus, I finally posted to this useless blog again. It was a good year for music, and I reviewed over 200 albums this year. Here are 25 of my favorites:
 

	25) MONO - For My Parents. Temporary Residence. 2012-09-04. A gorgeous follow-up to their already impressive catalog. What stands out for me with For My Parents is their ability to step away from the genre, acknowledge their culture and create a piece of music that doesn't really fit into any classification. sample track: Dream Odyssey AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	24) Propagandhi - Failed States. Epitaph. 2012-09-04. Back with even more thrash, Propagandhi follow-up their 2009 masterpiece with another killer album. Though Failed States seems to lack the cohesion and flow that was present on Supporting Caste, the album features a collection of intense tracks that is sure to rip your face off. sample track: Status Update AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	23) Omar Rodríguez-López - Octopus Kool Aid. Rodríguez-López Productions. 2012-07-24. Let me set the stage: this is Omar's 22nd solo album, and that is only over the course of 8 years. In addition to his solo projects he is well known for his work with At the Drive-In and The Mars Volta, which tacks on another 15 or so albums. This doesn't even take into consideration all of the collaborations he has done, or the films he has worked on. Suffice it to say, the man is a creative machine. Within that enormous catalog of output, you can imagine the material varies quite a bit. I'm not a fan of all of his work, some of I adore, other pieces I can live without, but Octopus Kool Aid is a great addition to his resume. You'd never know that he was once the axe-man of a post-hardcore band. sample track: Where are the Angels? AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	22) Aussitôt Mort - Nagykanizsa. Destructure. 2012-02-??. French post-hardcore band Aussitôt Mort put together a more dynamic set of recordings than previous efforts. At over 35 minutes, these 5 songs show a more complex side that the bands previous output. stream online: FULL ALBUM AVAILABILITY: CD
	21) Dirty Three - Toward the Low Sun. Drag City. 2012-02-21. Another band that occasionally gets thrown in the post-rock category for absolutely no good reason. Toward the Low Sun is a delight that gets better with each listen. Dirty Three aren't afraid to try try new things, and their recent release shows off some of that experimentation while keeping their distinct sound. sample track: The Pier AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	20) Bosse-de-Nage - III. Profound Lore. 2012-06-26. This year's black metal album goes to Bosse-de-Nage! I discovered these guys on the split single with Deafheaven, and was highly impressed. For fans of Deafheaven, and Liturgy. sample track: The Arborist AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	19) Murder By Death - Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon. Bloodshot. 2012-09-25. On their seventh studio album, MBD releases their best work in years. The album is folky where it needs to be, but can kick up the energy that was present on previous releases like Who Will Survive, and In Boca Al Lupo. I was a bit disappointed with their last 2 albums, but Bitter Drink has rekindled my love for this band. sample track: Lost River AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	18) Regina Spektor - What We Saw From The Cheap Seats. Sire. 2012-05-29. If you can't enjoy Regina Spektor, there is something wrong with you. Her beautiful voice, whimsical song structures and catchy choruses make you want to turn the stereo up and dance. yes, I just wrote that. sample track: All the Rowboats AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	17) The Samuel Jackson 5 (self-titled). Denovali 2012-04-??. Samuel Jackson 5 is the fourth album from Norwegian post-rock vets. On this epic, the introduce vocals, which are surprising, yet fitting. sample track: Race to the Self-Destruct Button (live) AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	16) Pigs - You Ruin Everything. Solar Flare 2011-12-06. Unsane spin-off Pigs is one of those projects that is every bit as interesting as the members main project. You Ruin Everything was actually more enjoyable than this year's Unsane album, Wreck (which barely slipped off this year's top 25). sample track: Give It AVAILABILITY: Vinyl . Digital
	15) This Patch of Sky - Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine. self-released. 2012-03-15. TPOS is an instrumental rock band from Oregon. Though they tend to fall in with the lot of post-rock carbon-copies that are being churned out lately, Newly Risen is a beautiful effort worthy of a listen. sample track: Cities Beneath AVAILABILITY: Digital . CD
	14) The Saddest Landscape - After the Lights. Topshelf. 2012-02-14. I'll have one order of screamo, hold the emo please. sample track: The Urge for Permanence AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	13) Converge - All We Love We Leave Behind. Deathwish. 2012-10-09. Converge are definitely an acquired taste, but once you understand the music, you can't stop listening. All We Love is instantly addicting, and the brutality is so beautiful. sample track: Aimless Arrow AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	12) Metric and Howard Shore - Cosmopolis OST. Howe. 2012-07-10. Metric's second release this year. And while Synthetica was a great album (also narrowly escaping my top 25), the pairing with Howard Shore makes for some amazing music. I haven't even seen the movie... sample track: Long to Live AVAILABILITY: CD . Digital
	11) Old Man Gloom - NO. Hydra Head. 2012-06-26. NO is the poster child for the death of Hydra Head. Let's see: "an unwillingness to compromise our aesthetic standards, a tendency towards releasing challenging (i.e. unmarketable) artists." Check, and check. NO is an amazing work of experimental drone mixed with face-melting sludge. While it's sad to see labels like Hydra Head closing their doors, I hope that bands as creative as Old Man Gloom will have a home in the future. sample track: The Forking Path AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital . Cassette
	10) Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again. Interscope. 2012-03-12. And now for something completely different: Michael Kiwanuka steps into the music scene and becomes one of the most interesting artists of the year. Soul is cool again. sample track: Tell Me A Tale AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	9) Pelican - Ataraxia/Taraxis. Southern Lord. 2012-04-10. At just 17 minutes long, Pelican's 2012 EP lands a spot in this year's top-10. Opening the EP is a track entitled Lathe Biosas, a rock anthem if Pelican ever wrote one. AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	8) Chelsea Wolfe - Unknown Rooms: A Collection of Acoustic Songs. Sargent House. 2012-10-16. Chelsea Wolfe became one of my obsessions this year, and with good reason. Her self-described brand of doom-folk is phenomenal, and this collection of songs, mostly performed acoustically, shows a softer side to this queen of darkness. sample track: Flatlands (live Glassroom Sessions) AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	7) Torche - Harmonicraft. Volcolm Entertainment. 2012-04-14. Harmonicraft is the feel-good sludge album of the year! (if that makes sense to you, you've probably already spun Harmonicraft dozens of times). sample track: Sky Trials AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	6) Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel.... Epic. 2012-06-19. After a seven year hiatus, Ms. Apple returns to the scene with her best work to date. There is no other way to put it, The Idler Wheel... is a masterpiece. This album has continually crept up the ranks in my list of favorites, and I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes my favorite album of 2012. sample track: Every Single Night AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	5). If These Trees Could Talk - Red Forest. Science of Silence. 2012-03-20. I blogged earlier in 2012 with props to ITTCT, and I can't give them enough credit. They stand out amongst the sea of delay-driven post-rock bands, and Red Forest is an album worth spinning over and over. sample track: No, just listen to the whole album, dammit AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	4) Japandroids - Celebration Rock. Polyvinyl. 2012-06-05. I've been a fairweather fan of Japandroids, and while I always thought there music was generally enjoyable, they never really struck a deep chord with me. That all changed in 2013 for me, as it seems for other people as well. Celebration Rock is the aptly named sound of summer. sample track: Continuous Thunder AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	3) Sigur Rós - Valtari. XL Recordings. 2012-05-28. For every note that Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust was, Valtari is not. Valtari is their most cinematic work to date, and probably not immediately accessible for most people. With each listen though, Valtari opens itself up and is a truly magnificent piece of music. Don't get too comfortable though, because 2013 is going to show yet another completely different side of Sigur Rós. sample track: Ekki Múkk AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	2) Marriages - Kitsune. Sargent House. 2012-05-01. It seems like everything Emma Ruth Rundle touches, turns to gold (Red Sparowes, the Nocturnes). I immediately fell in love with Kitsune, and the charm hasn't yet worn off. I'm excited that this "side project" is continuing, and it looks like we'll get another Marriages album in 2013. sample track: Ten Tiny Fingers AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	1) Baroness - Yellow and Green. Relapse. 2012-07-17. I've always liked Baroness, and I am particularly fond of their early intense stuff. I wasn't expecting much with Yellow and Green but was instantly blown away. Catchy rock hooks? mellow acoustic tracks? yeah. LISTEN. They caught everyone's attention this year, and at the peak of their success suffered a tragic bus accident in Europe that cancelled the rest of the years plans. That isn't stopping Baroness though. After multiple reconstructive surgeries, the band is ready to get back to music. sample track: Psalms Alive AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital

Ohio!

seriously... you're stuck... -_- Anyway... Ohio has produced some great music over the years (umm, Bitch Magnet, anyone?), but I've been slow to explore the current music scene. It is a step up from West Virginia (but all that requires is a band without a fiddle or moonshine jug...) Here are a few Ohio treats I recently discovered... enjoy :)

The End of the Ocean. (Columbus, OH) Opened for O'Brother last month, and was a really nice surprise. Their latest full-length PACIFIC•ATANTIC is worth checking out. For fans of This Will Destroy You, A. Armada, and Beware of Safety. A lot of "post-rock" bands lately seem to be generic carbon copies, but there is something refreshing about The End of the Ocean. The song structures & keyboard presence create some memorable tunes. Visit their website, or stream their music here.

Romance of Young Tigers (Dayton, OH). OK, so a little late on this one... RoYT called it quits in 2009, but put an EP and a full-length prior to parting ways. I got a free copy of I Have Supped Full on Horrors in one of my recent Magic Bullet Records mailorder deliveries. If you like Rachel's, Godspeed You! Black Emperor or Christina Vantzou, check out Romance of Young Tigers.

If These Trees Could Talk (Akron, OH). Really don't know how I never ran across these guys before... Anyway, they have a new record coming out this month, and are playing a show with The End of the Ocean this Friday in Akron. The new album is already sold out on pre-order, and after listening to it, I can understand why. They will be repressing all their material soon, and I'm looking forward to picking up copies of all their releases. Stream their new full-length, Red Forest, here (and below). http://ifthesetreescouldtalk.com/

Addendums

More 2011 goodness... Inevitably, I have to post these "year-end" and "best-of" lists without listening to EVERYTHING I could quite possibly be interested in listening to. I listened to a lot of new music last year, but I'm not a music critic by trade (just an asshole with an internet connection...). It's always nice to find gems that I missed. Here are a couple.

Sainthood Reps - Monoculture. Really great album. Obvious throwbacks to bands like The Jesus Lizard and Unsane make it instantly addictive. The band definitely takes on a style of their own though. These guys opened for O'Brother in Columbus, and were surprisingly the highlight of the night. AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital

Monoculture at Audiotree Live:

The Nocturnes - Aokigahara. Quite different than A Year of Spring, but still very enjoyable (if you can enjoy being sad...) :) Emma continues to amaze me (Red Sparowes, The Nocturnes, and solo material) with her diverse stylings. Speaking of which, please check out her solo material. No 1 nearly made my top 25 list... AVAILABILITY: Vinyl . Digital (free!)

The Cradle:

2011 year-end list (top 25)

slow Matt is slow. Anyway...

	25) Small Brown Bike - Fell & Found. No Idea. 2011-04-26. A cool band that got lost in the late 90s shuffle of emo/punk/post-punk bands. Members eventually went on to form the short lived Able Baker Fox, but reunited SBB in 2009. One of the better reunions I've heard in a while (though, see #3). sample track: Onward and Overboard AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	24) Joey Cape's Bad Loud. self-released. 2011-06-09. OK, admittedly I'm a sucker for just about anything Joey Cape does. Though not as good as Bad Astronaut or early Lagwagon, Bad Loud is good enough to make me keep coming back to it. sample track: Canoe AVAILABILITY: Digital
	23) Joan of Arc - Life Like. Polyvinyl. 2011-05-10. The ever-changing composition of JOA makes for some interesting releases. Can't say I love them all, but often the elements combine to create something truly awesome. Life Like is full of win. sample track: Love Life (live at SXSW) AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital . Cassette
	22) Battles - Gloss Drop. Warp. 2011-06-07. Experimental math-prog Battles put together a solid second full length (following a series of awesome EPs). sample track: My Machines (feat. Gary Numan) AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	21) Grails - Deep Politics. Temporary Residence. 2011-03-08. It's easy to pin the post-rock label on Portland's Grails, which is a terrible mistake. Grails is able to create their own flavor of instrumental psychedelic prog with subtle exotic hints. If you're familiar with Grails, the opening track Future Primitive will welcome you to the album. But the nice thing about Grails, is where they go from there... sample track: All the Colors of the Dark AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	20) Christina Vantzou - No. 1. Kranky. 2011-10-25. I ran across this artist while checking out others 2011 year-end lists. IIRC, Ms. Vantzou appeared on Brian Cook's (Russian Circles) list. Beautiful experimental/ambient. I hope to see this pressed on vinyl. sample track: Homemade Mountains AVAILABILITY: CD . Digital
	19) Deafheaven - Roads to Judah. Deathwish. 2011-04-26. DFHVN opened for Russian Circles this fall, and sadly I missed their act when they hit Columbus. I'm kicking myself now, because upon listening to Roads to Judah I'm pretty impressed. Roads to Judah somehow manages to create a balance between beautiful ambience and caustic metal. Categorize them in whatever genre you want, Roads to Judah is just awesome. sample track: Violet AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	18) Cave In - White Silence. Hydra Head. 2011-05-24. I can't say this enough: I am so glad Cave In went back to metal. Antenna was a decent album, but these boys are best when they're thrashing. sample track: Sing My Loves AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	17) ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Tao of the Dead. Richter Scale 2011-02-04. To put it simply, AYWKUBTTOD is a rock band, and Tao of the Dead rocks. They haven't reached the same mark as they did with Source Tags and Codes, but Tao is a worthy addition to their discography. sample track: Pure Radio Cosplay AVAILABILITY: CD . Deluxe CD . Vinyl . Digital
	16) Jacaszek - Glimmer. Ghostly International. 2011-12-06. My wife stumbled across Treny a few years ago, and I was hooked. The stark simplicity of some of the tracks on Glimmer create a haunting atmosphere, and result in another amazing composition. sample track: Goldengrove AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	15) ††† (crosses) - EP† [EP]. self-released 2011-08-02. Members of Far and the Deftones. OK, sign me up. Crosses may be some of the best work to date from each member (which is an impressive collection of albums). EP †† drops in January, 2012. sample track: Bermuda Locke† AVAILABILITY: Digital . Vinyl Collector's Edition
	14) We Be The Echo - Return to Nations. Chuckbeat. 2011-08-25. These guys create an infectious blend of math rock, prog metal and funk that get your feet going. Return to Nations is a solid follow up to their previous work. sample track: Sketches of Sprain AVAILABILITY: Digital
	13) Static Radio NJ - We Are All Beasts. Kiss of Death. 2011-09-27. The sophomore release from Static Radio NJ (east coast FTW) is a huge one-up from their previous album, An Evening of Bad Decisions. Solid and catchy, We Are All Beasts won't disappoint. sample track: Geeks AVAILABILITY: Vinyl . Digital
	12) Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation. Fat Possum. 2011-09-27. This was another gem I found while sorting through a heap of year-end lists (full of shite, I might add...). sample track: Cannons AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital . Cassette
	11) This Will Destroy You - Tunnel Blanket. Suicide Squeeze. 2011-05-10. Tunnel Blanket finally sets TWDY apart from the "post-rock" crowd they are so-often lumped with. A more experimental soundscape, Tunnel Blanket plays out like a film score. sample track: Communal Blood (live) AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital . Cassette
	10) We Were Promised Jetpacks - In the Pit of the Stomach. Fat Cat. 2011-10-04. Very solid album from Scottish rockers, WWPJ. Fewer stand-out singles on this album, but overall better than These Four Walls. sample track: Human Error AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	9) Mogwai - Earth Division. Sub Pop. 2011-09-13. A quick follow-up to their full length, Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will, Earth Division takes a giant step in a different direction. The EP takes on a warmer "earthier" sound highlighted with piano, acoustic guitars and strings. sample track: Hound of Winter AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	8) The Get Up Kids - There Are Rules. Vagrant. 2011-01-25. The Kids proved with their 2 previous full-lengths (the last one 7 years prior) that they've grown up. There Are Rules defies any expectations. From 80s synth pop to dark grungy riffs, TGUK put out their most adventurous album to date. sample track: Regents Court AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	7) Jónsi - We Bought a Zoo [soundtrack]. Columbia. 2011-12-13. I was torn as whether or not to put this album on the list - it contains some reworked songs from Go and some Sigur Rós material as well. However, I think it is unique (and awesome) enough to warrant standing alongside everything else on this list. Go was one of my favorites from last year, and Jónsi is one of the most talented artists I have ever heard/seen. I have no idea whether or not the film stands up to the score, but the music alone makes it worth checking out. sample track: Gathering Stories AVAILABILITY: CD . Digital
	6) Explosions in the Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care. Temporary Residence. 2011-04-26. What's to say here? It's Explosions in the Sky... Everything they've released to date has been solid gold. Take Care is no exception. Another beautiful composition of music, with a few surprises (even a 3 and half minute song!). sample track: Last Known Surroundings AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	5). The Appleseed Cast - Middle States [EP]. Graveface. 2011-06-07. Though this is only an EP, this release deserves a lot of credit. The 4 songs flow as one masterfully composed piece of music. Their previous effort, Sagarmatha was a solid album. Lets hope they continue this flow and give us a great album in 2012. sample track: End Frigate Constellation AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	4) O'Brother - Garden Window. Favorite Gentlemen. 2011-11-15. I caught these guys when they opened for Thrice in the spring of 2010 and they totally stole the show. I've been following their every step since, and I don't think I have ever anticipated an album so much. They didn't disappoint. Garden Window is an impressive and complex effort for a debut full-length. sample track: Lay Down AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	3) Rival Schools - Pedals. Photo Finish. 2011-03-08. This is what a reunion should sound like! I actually forgot how much I liked this band, as it's been a while since I listened to them. When I heard the first single, Shot After Shot, I started to get really stoked. Though Ian left the band once again, it seems as though Rival Schools might push on. I really hope so, because they proved they have a lot of great music left to share. sample track: A Parts for B Actors AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	2) Russian Circles - Empros. Sargent House. 2011-10-25. If you haven't seen this band live, you're really missing out. They are masters at replicating the dense album sounds in a live format, which is pretty amazing for a three-piece. Empros was written to emphasize the live feel. It is a stripped-down dirtier album than Geneva (which has become one of my favorites), but it is no less impressive. Though many go on and on about Mike Sullivan's guitar mastery, I think Brian Cook's bass work is really the show stealer here, which is brutally punishing at times. sample track: Atackla AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital
	1) Thrice - Major/Minor. Vagrant. 2011-09-06. I've been a fan of Thrice throughout their career, particularly because they've been able to grow AND still make great music. I felt with Beggars they finally found "their sound," and this was the first album that truly bridged all of their work to date. Major/Minor is a continuation of that progression, and it just gets better and better with every spin. They released the album on 2xLP (45rpm), and it sounds beautiful. One of the records I own that really showcases the splendor of the format. Do yourself a favor and pick up this (possibly last) Thrice album. sample track: Words in the Water AVAILABILITY: CD . Vinyl . Digital

There were lots of other goodies this year too, which I'll try to post about, but these were my favorites.