2015 Top 25: my favorite albums of the year

This list comes with my standard year end disclaimer: this isn't a critical list of the best albums of the year. These are just the albums that I enjoyed, played, and/or that stuck with me the most throughout the year. Roughly in ranked order.

1. FFS - FFS
2. PUGWASH - Play This Intimately (As If Among Friends) 
3. WAVVES - V 
4. WIRE - Wire 
5. NOEL GALLAGHER'S HIGH FLYING BIRDS - Chasing Yesterday 
6. ROBIN GUTHRIE and MARK GARDENER - Universal Road 
7. MARITIME  - Magnetic Bodies / Maps of Bones 
8. GUY GARVEY - Courting the Squall 
9. MARTIN COURTNEY - Many Moons 
10. COURTNEY BARNETT - Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit 
11. SWERVEDRIVER - I Wasn't Born To Lose You 
12. BELLE and SEBASTIAN - Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance 
13. NEW ORDER - Music Complete 
14. the MAVERICKS - Mono 
15. BEST COAST - California Nights 
16. KITTY, DAISY & LEWIS - the Third 
17. DWIGHT YOAKAM - Second Hand Heart 
18. CHRIS STAMEY - Euphoria 
19. DISAPPEARS - Irreal 
20. the SONICS - This is the Sonics 
21. Le BUTCHERETTES - A Raw Youth 
22. MARRIAGES - Salome 
23. JEFF LYNE'S ELO - Alone in the Universe 
24. DUCKTAILS - St. Catherine 
25. GIRLS NAMES - Arms Around a Vision 

Alright, bring on the 2016 releases.

2014 Top 20: my favorite albums of 2014

Here are my favorite albums of 2014 in reverse order. Standard disclaimer I give every year: this isn't a critical list of the best albums of the year. These are just the records I enjoyed the most.and that spent the most time coming through my speakers.

Before I dig into the top 20, here are a few that came close:

BUBBLING UNDER: SLOAN and WELL WISHERS both put out solid power pop albums that I just didn't get a chance to give enough listens to to make the final cut, but I have the feeling would have. The latest from SEUN KUTI & EGYPT 80 is a treat, but it lacks the focus of 2008's Many Things or the transcendental grooves of 2011's From Africa With Fury: Rise. DAVE and PHIL ALVIN's collection of Big Bill Broonzy songs sounds so natural and timeless that I think I might be taking it for granted as if it's an album I've already loved for thirty years. BRIAN ENO and KARL HYDE (Underworld frontman)'s album of electronica experiments and noodling is interesting, and in its best moments sounds a bit like Before and After Science/Another Green World era Eno. Britt Daniel has eased into a comfort zone with SPOON and the new album fits in well with his post Girls Can Tell catalog, but it's not very distinctive as a whole (but everything sounds great when it comes up on shuffle!). Also close but not quite making final cut were albums from LA SERA, TELEMAN, HOWLER, and MORRISSEY.

20. DUM DUM GIRLS - Too True (Sub Pop) For album number three Dum Dum Girls shift from garagey jangle to dreamy goth pop. With the slick production the songs lose some of the spontaneous charm of their earlier releases, but they make up for that with a wonderfully rich batch of songs. I never thought that I'd compare Dee Dee Penny's vocals to Siouxsie Sioux, but on this record it sounds like a natural stylistic fit for her.

19. the RIFLES - None the Wiser (Cooking Vinyl) Hyper-fun no-brainer pop merging early 90's Britpop with punchy mod revival powerpop and a bit of Merseybat jangle. This is the London band's 4th album, but for maximum exposure it might be a bit late - it would have been more in step in the era of the first Kaiser Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand albums.

18. LYDIA LOVELESS - Somewhere Else (Bloodshot) Jangly guitar honky-tonk from the Ohio singer/songwriter with a great country voice and indie-rock aesthetic.

17. STIFF LITTLE FINGERS - No Going Back (Rigid Digits) - 2014's biggest musical surprise for me was how great and relevant the new SLF album is. This is politically charged, riff heavy punk rock that stands up to the band's glory days without being a retro retread. This is their most consistent album since their third, 1981's Go for It.

16. the NEW MENDICANTS - Into the Lime (Ashmont) Exactly what you'd expect from a collaboration between Joe Pernice (Pernice Brothers) and Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub) (with Sadies drummer Mike Belitsky): jangly guitars, pristine mid-tempo pop with an often melancholy feel, and relaxed harmonies.

15. POPSTRANGERS - Fortuna (Carpark) For their second album, Aukland's Popstrangers turned the guitars down for an album of hazy psychedelic pop heavy on moody atmospherics. As important as the overall vibe is to Fortuna's lure, this is by no means a case of style over substance. These are solid pop songs with catchy hooks and memorable melodies that just happen to be wrapped in fuzzy guitars and swirling rhythms. 

14. STURGILL SIMPSON - Metamodern Sounds in Country Music (Top Mountain) One of my music review pet-peeves are reviews that compare new country artists to Wylon and Mearle and call it authentic old-school country. It never is. Well, until now. Sturgill really does have the sound and feel of outlaw country's heyday without sounding contrived or calculated. He is definitely not part of the modern mainstream country scene, but he's out of step with rest of the traditional alt-country movement as well. There's a sincerity that says this is not a record he planned to make, it's the record he just naturally had to make.

13. ELBOW - the Takeoff and Landing of Everything (Concord) Gorgeously crafted Brit rock that occasionally sounds like Peter Gabriel fronting Coldplay. The songs are mostly moody slow burners that dig deeper with repeated listens and the arrangements are filled with subtle twists and surprises.

12. BOB MOULD - Beauty & Ruin (Merge) As with 2012's excellent Silver Age, Bob Mould touches on highlights of his entire catalog as a starting point for a ferocious and consistently strong new batch of big guitar rock with oversized hooks.

11. JAMES - La Petite Mort (Cooking Vinyl) 6 years since their last album (and over two decades since the last James album I've loved), Manchester's James return with a surprisingly strong and consistent album of rich, anthematic pop. The production is big and arena ready, but Tim Booth's passion and the warmth of his songs are what drives this album and make it feel intimate. 

10. EX-HEX - Rips (Merge) Mary Timony's new trio debuts with an album of bouncy power pop punk full of toe-tappers tailor made for Summer mixtapes. 

9. TEMPLES - Sun Structures (Fat Possum) UK's Temples have done their homework and mastered psychedelic pop technique and sound better than most revival bands of the past few decades. They're not shy about showcasing how authentic their swirling keyboards, fuzzed out guitars, and retro production chops are, but they're smart enough to know that only gets you so far. They also write fantastically lush melodies that are immediately likable and stick with you. Earlier this year I feared that the novelty might wear off, but I love this album as much 10 months later as I did when I first heard it.

8. NICOLE ATKINS - Slow Phaser (Oh'Mercy! Records) New Jersey singer/songwriter's third album is a widely diverse collection that confidently injects bits of barroom country, dance, music hall, art-rock, and classic Brill Building into her expertly written pop songs. As solid as the songwriting is, the showcase is her wonderful voice with equal parts sweetness and power. And unlike most vocalists with such a strong voice she has the restraint to pull back and the control to sing exactly what the songs call for.

7. CLOUD NOTHINGS - Here & Nowhere Else (Carpark) A full on assault of giant pop hooks propelled by big guitars and pounding rhythms with an almost hardcore energy. This album picks up where 2012's Attack On Memory (my #1 album of that year) left off. My only complaint may be that it's a bit too much of the same, but the songs are so strong and the performances are so compelling that this is only a small complaint.

6. the NEW PORNOGRAPHERS - Brill Bruisers (Matador) On their 6th album New Pornographers return with a joyous album of expertly crafted pop and an unbridled enthusiasm that was missing from the last few albums. Along with the endless hooks the album is packed with little vocal and instrumental flourishes that fill out the sound without ever sounding forced. This is the album I've been waiting for New Pornographers or AC Newman to make for years.

5. DROWNERS - Drowners (French Kiss) New York's Drowners (with a transplanted Welsh frontman) are a boatload of fun. Not very original. But fun as hell. They play slightly snotty guitar pop along the lines of the Libertines, Vaccines, Arctic Monkeys, and the Strokes. 12 high octane, pogo-ready pop songs in under thirty minutes and ready for the repeat button to do it all over again.

4. REAL ESTATE - Atlas (Domino) The third album from New Jersey indie soft rockers Real Estate has the same relaxed shimmer of the previous two albums, but they've added a subtle edge that gives the songs more weight. Atlas works best as a whole album - where the songs have space to stretch out and, thanks to perfect sequencing, build on each other. There's a bit more twang this round and the beautiful guitar interplay is spectacularly woven into Martin Courtney's soft vocals.

3. FIRST AID KIT - Stay Gold (Columbia) For the second time in three years my favorite Americana album comes from these Swedish sisters with the most gorgeous and haunting harmonies of anyone recording today. They fill out the sound with orchestration reminiscent of so many 60's country pop records without ever detracting from the songs' deceptively simple singer/songwriter base. They manage to make melancholy songs full of longing and loss without sounding hopeless. In fact, there's a yearning optimism that makes this such a pleasurable listen.

2. EAGULLS - Eagulls (Partisan) On their debut album Leeds quartet Eagulls deliver a relentless pummeling of manic post punk with hints of Joy Division and early Killing Joke. What the band lacks in diversity they more than make up for in energy, sound (Eagulls has some of the year's coolest sounding guitars) , and memorable melodies. Actually, it's sort of just one melody bent and twisted around different driving rhythms, but it works to great effect and builds with each song.

1. JOHNNY MARR - Playland (Warner Music Group) It is no secret that Johnny Marr is a great guitarist and songwriter, but I'm still a bit taken aback by what a strong frontman and accomplished solo artist he's recently come out as. Last year's Messenger topped my year end list, and this follow up might actually match that album's strengths. Marr sounds even more confident this time, making an album of timeless British pop that he effortlessly delivers with the youthful energy of artists half his age.

It was another good year for music - I heard a lot of good albums and there were a lot I just couldn't get to. I don'tknow if any of these will make my all-time favorite albums lists in the future, but I'm pretty sure most of the records in this Top 20 will still be in my playstack a decade from now. I'm anxious to see what 2015 has to offer.

2013 Top 30: My Favorite Albums of 2013

2013 was another really good year for new music. I listened to a lot of really good records this year, and there were loads of things on my "must hear" list that I just couldn't get to. An over-abundance of good albums is always a problem worth having. I'll still be catching up 2013 albums I didn;t get a chance to hear well into next year.

This isn't any kind of crictical analysis of what the best albums of the year were. These are my personal faves - the albums I played the most and thought about the most during the year. Two of them I even admit might not actually be very good, but they struck a chord with me. Your mileage may vary. 

Although it was a year of really good albums, I don’t think there were many great albums – the kind that end up on a list of all-time favorites down the road. The number rankings were a bit more fluid this year, with records shifting position up until the very last second. That said, I enjoyed so many albums this year that I’ll put 2013 in the win column.

1. JOHNNY MARR - the Messenger - After more than two decades of side projects and hired gun sessions Johnny Marr finally steps into the front-man role with a diverse collection of songs that wonderfully showcase his guitar and songwriting chops. Hearing how effortless his first official solo album feels, it seems odd to that it took him twenty five years after the Smiths break-up to get around to making it. It has a youthful energy, but is crafted in a way that only a skilled veteran could pull off. If you're looking for bright jangly Britpop loaded with infectious melodies, the Messenger is the place to start. This is the record that Smiths fans have been waiting for for many years. But it's so much more than that.

2. WAVVES - Afraid of Heights - The San Diego band's fourth album is an adrenaline rush of angsty guitar charged pop fun and hyper melodies. Their supercharged slacker punk pop sounds like a more reckless version of Weezer.

3. SUPERCHUNK - I Hate Music - Superchunk's 10th album is a fine follow-up to 2010's Majesty Shredding (my favorite album of that year). The band return again armed with the exuberant melodies and oversized hooks that have made them one of my favorite bands of the past 25 years, but with just enough maturity and growth to not make them sound like just another band trying to cling to past glories.

4. EDWYN COLLINS - Understated - Edwyn's eighth solo album is a joyous occasion, filled with bright melodies and toe-tapping rhythms. His sweet spot has always been the intersection of post-punk indie pop and Northern Soul, and that's exactly where Understated hits. The spirit and vintage sounds of Motown and Stax are deep in the grooves, but he never actually copies any specific reference point, so it sounds fresh and natural.

5. DAVID BOWIE - the Next Day - This is David Bowie playing to all of his strengths and ending up with one of his most urgent and consistent albums in decades. He's not so much innovating this go around as he is revisiting sonic elements and styles from his whole career and effortless combining them into something new that's right in his comfort zone. There's everything a Bowie fan could hope for: some arty weirdness, a bit of glam rocking, some slow burners, brilliant production (thanks Tony Visconti!), and a bunch of fantastic pop hooks.

6. NEKO CASE - The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You - One of my favorite things about Neko Case is how hard it is for me to describe her sound or why her records are so damn special. The last two Neko albums both came in at #1 on my year end lists (Fox Confessor has become one of my all-time favorite albums) that stuck with me the way a great book does. She creates a world that is curious and otherworldly, full of vague imagery that I don't always fully understand but find utterly captivating. Add to that her remarkable voice and arrangements and delivery that are so unique that they could only work on Neko Case records (in the same way only Tom Waits can make a Tom Waits sounding record). This record is wonderful, but just slightly misses the mark of the previous two.

7. BAD RELIGION - True North - On album number 16 Bad Religion proves to still be one of the most vital and engaging punk bands making records, with more power and relevance than band's half their age. True North is the strongest album from Bad Religion in almost 20 years (1994's Stranger than Fiction being the last Bad Religion album I've loved start-to-finish). Everything I love about the band is represented here in force: giant melodies, relentless energy, aggressive guitars, a pummeling rhythm section, hyper-intelligent lyrics, and those well placed backing "oooh-oh" vocals (Bad Religion are second only to Naked Raygun in harnessing the power of "whoah-oh" harmonies).

8. the DIRTBOMBS - Ooey Gooey Chewy Ka-Blooey! - This is straight out dumb fun that works against all odds. A bubble gum pop album from a Detroit garage band could easily have ended up being a kitschy one-joke affair, but Mick Collins took the task seriously and obviously has a genuine love for the genre. He incorporates just the right balance of bubblegum staples like handclaps, "oooh oooh oooh"s, deceptively simple hooks, and references to sugar and candy with garage rock sensibility, some killer guitar riffs, and great use of the band's duel drummers.

9. JACCO GARDNER - Cabinet of Curiosities - Baroque pop debut from a Dutch multi-instrumentalist and home studio wizard that conjures up spirit and sound of the Zombies, Left Banke, and Sagittarius. He has so perfectly captured the sounds and spirit of the era that it could easily be mistaken for the genuine article. Jacco deals in lush Baroque pop and pastoral psychedelia filled with Mellotrons, harpsichords, organs, and other gentle period embellishments throughout.

10. PALMA VIOLETS - 180 - On their debut album, London foursome Palma Violets tread where many bands have gone before, playing punchy rock with a little sleaze and a lot of laddish energy. They play a no-frills brand of garagey indie rock with a simple (and a bit sloppy) drum/bass/guitar attack. But what really separates them from the pack is the fuzzy psychedelic organ that fills out the sound and takes them from being just another Libertines to bringing in bits of Modern Lovers, Stranglers, and Caesars.

11. FRANZ FERDINAND - Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action - If there weren't already three other FF albums, this would have ranked higher. The main fault of RT,RW,RA is that it sounds so much like their previous albums. The rhythms are ramped up to an even more danceable level this round, but the individual songs aren't quite as distinctive as previous FF songs. The band pretty much sticks to their well proven template. It's a great template that still results in highly likable songs, but it feels a bit less urgent at this stage. Although seeing them live on this tour, the new songs fit in seamlessly with rest of their catalog.

12. TRAAMS - Grin - Armed with some twisted Krautrock grooves and distorted indie-pop melodies, this West Sussex trio combines Television influenced guitar, aggressive sonic experimentation, and Swervedriver's massive driving rhythms.

13. OMD - English Electric - For their second album since reuniting the classic line-up, OMD deliver a "give the fans what they want" album, featuring songs that highlight the strengths of their glory days while still sounding fresh. There's a nice balance of deceptively simple electropop, moodier downbeat melancholia, and big mainstream pop numbers with instantly catchy melodies. It's a very familiar sounding album with at least a few songs that would right at home on that first Best of OMD singles collection. Or on the soundtrack to an imaginary John Hughes movie.

14. the RESONARS - Crummy Desert Sound - Swinging Merseybeat influenced power pop with loads of harmonies, ringing guitars, pounding drums, and an abundance of infectious melodies. Matt Rendon (the driving force behind this Tucson band) expertly crafts 3 minute guitar pop songs with the energy of the first few Who albums.

15. the SADIES - Internal Sounds - My favorite Americana band actually comes from Toronto. The Sadies play psychedelic alt-country with bits of power pop, garage, and smatterings of surf guitar thrown in for good measure. They really don't sound like anyone else, although I hear elements of Gene Clark, the Meat Puppets, Roky Erickson, Wilco, Mike Nesmith, and Steve Wynn. This is a distinctly original band that's tight enough to take chances and make it sound effortless.

16. KARL BARTOS - Off the Record - Karl Bartos was one-fourth of the classic 1975-90 Kraftwerk lineup (Radio-Activity through Electric Cafe), contributing writing, electronic percussion, and the occasional vocal. This album, Bartos' second solo, started as a collection of unused ideas from the Kraftwerk days updated for 2013. The sound and feel of the entire album is Kraftwerk circa 1980, but there's just enough modern production to keep it from sounding like a collection of Kraftwerk outtakes. It’s probably more style over substance, but this is one of the architects of that style and it feels like a bit like having a few new Kraftwerk songs.

17. BLEACHED - Ride Your Heart - With a base of punk attitude and girl group melodies, LA's Bleached mix high energy fuzzed up rockers with jangly summer pop. Along with some surfy guitar lines and sugary choruses I hear bits of the Ramones, the Donnas, Tuscadaro, and a California take on the Shop Assistants.

18. HOUSE OF LOVE - She Paints Words In Red - House of Love deliver beautiful jangly psychedelia with rich pastoral melodies and their best album since the 1990 self-titled album (aka Fonatana/Butterfly). Middle aged House of Love are mellower. Acoustic guitars play a larger role now than ever before. But that only adds to the elegant pastoral sound that hits right in Guy Chadwick's sweet spot. There are still plenty of shimmering guitars, but they're more relaxed and organic. I hear bits of Rain Parade and the Church on much of the album, with a few songs dipping into the same terrain as Robyn Hitchcock or mid 80's REM.

19. TOMMY KEENE - Excitement at Your Feet - Tommy Keene is a power pop institution and one of the most reliable songwriters around. But he's also had impeccable taste in covers, so it shouldn't be a total surprise that he'd eventually release a covers album. And it should also be no surprise that his choice of covers would be eclectic - including lesser known Who and Stones songs, Guided by Voices, Television, Donovan, Mink DeVille, Roxy Music, and Randy Newman. Tommy pays loving tribute to his favorite songs, but he also takes ownership of them and makes just about everything sound like one of his own. My two personal faves are his versions of the Bee Gee's "I Laugh in Your Face" and a faithful version of Echo & the Bunnymen's "the Puppet".

20. WIRE - Change Becomes Us - Using unfinished 30 year old snippets as the starting point, the post-punk legends make a very current sounding album that seems to have recharged their batteries. As with the other post 2000 Wire releases, my early faves are the ones where they rock the fuck out. And they do that quite a bit this time round. But ultimately it's the slow burn of the more atmospheric pieces that showcase what Colin Newman, Robert Grey, and Graham Lewis (along with new guitarist Matt Simms) do better than anyone else.

21. DISAPPEARS - Era - The 4th album from Chicago's Disappears is stark and less immediate than last year's fabulous Pre Language, but the icy minimalistic textures they weave are captivating. This is an album that is sequenced perfectly for maximum effectiveness and works better as a whole rather than having any dominant single song. It's even better with headphones on, the volume cranked, and the lights out.

22. SAVAGES - Silence Yourself - London's Savages are an intense post-punk assault of Bauhaus-esque guitars and sonics, powerful Killing Joke-like rhythms, and vocals that sound like an edgier Siouxsie Sioux. Yet they don’t sound like a rehash of early 80's bands. Savages meld those influences into something totally new. The record sounds absolutely mammoth - a huge wall of sound built around dark atmospherics and relentless energy.

23. BEACH FOSSILS - Clash the Truth - For the second Beach Fossils album Dustin Payseur combines melancholy dream pop with jangly guitars and a generous amount of reverb. Heavy on mood and atmosphere, they take a hook and ride it into a groove that's almost shoe-gazer. The band is from Brooklyn, but they remind me of British bands of the late 80's and early 90's that put out records on Creation and Sarah Records. But with an American indie rock twist.

24. LEE RANALDO and the DUST - Last Night on Earth - Last year's Between The Times & The Tides might have been my most played album of the year and that continued into 2013, so I've become very comfortable with Lee's voice and approach. Enough so that I keep playing this follow-up, even though I'm pretty sure it's not really that great of an album. There's less focus this time and the songs are a bit trippier and go on longer (7 of 9 songs are over six minutes long). But I love Lee's relaxed, almost hippyish songs combined with his weird arrangements and sonic flourishes. I can't confidently recommend this album to others, but damn I really enjoy it.

25. PHOENIX - Bankrupt! - Like their 2009 album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, Bankrupt! is full of slickly produced synth pop. But rather than try to ramp up the accessibility of that surprise hit album, Phoenix have opted to ease up on the radio-friendly gas pedal and experiment a bit more They don't deviate that far in sound, and this record is just as likeable as the last, but there are more subtle pleasures to be discovered with multiple listens.

26. KINGSBURY MANX - Bronze Age - Album number six from the Chapel Hill folk pop group turns up the psychedelia as they evolve into a more upbeat version of their earlier records. At times Kingsbury Manx remind me an American take on Belle and Sebastian, exceling at folk rooted songs built up with intricate pop hooks and an eclectic palette of flourishes.

27. SUEDE - Bloodsports - Brett Anderson and company are stunningly strong on their first album in over a decade. I love a lot of Suede songs, but this is the first time I've loved an entire album from them.

28. WILD BILLY CHILDISH and CTMF -  All Our Forts Are With You - With well over a hundred albums released under various names over the past 35 years it's easy to lose track of Billy Childish and quit trying to keep up. But if you're looking for the right spot to jump back onto the Childish bus, this is it. As with most things Billy, the facts are a bit vague, but these songs were allegedly written in 1977 for one of his first bands, CTMF, and abandoned when that band broke up. He's reformed that group (I think?). This is classic Billy Childish - minimally produced one-take (my guess) primitive garage rockers with simple but solid stop-and-go riffs and the distinctive Childish vocals. I think it's fun as hell, but if you're not already comfortable with some of his previous work, it might give you a headache.

29. the WOGGLES - Big Beat - Supercharged party rock from one of the most reliable garage revival bands working today. The Woggles capture the spirit of the first garage bands playing frat parties and teen dances when the main objective was making the kids dance and to have a good time. Few bands seem as committed to keeping that spirit alive as the Woggles are.

30. CHELSEA LIGHT MOVING - Chelsea Light Moving - With his new band Thurston Moore delivers a sludgier and much looser back-to-basics take on the Sonic Youth template. My original complaint with the album was that there was too much dicking around, but I've warmed up to free-from casualness that makes it feel a bit like a noisy post-punk prog album. Occasionally they edge close to self-indulgent jamming, like one of Greg Ginn's many SST projects, but they never actually cross that line. Much of the album is heavier than anything Moore has tackled in the past, at times veering into the sludgy territory of Mudhoney or Melvins. Chelsea Light Moving isn't a great album, but it's solid enough to merit repeated listens and could be the start of a great new chapter in Moore's career.

My votes for Slicing Up Eyeballs' Best of the 80s poll: 1989

It's time for the tenth and final Slicing Up Eyeballs Best of the 80's poll. 1989 was my transition year from college radio to working in a record store and interning for a major label and is a year I musically remember fondly.

87 and 88 didn't have as many personal all-time faves as the previous polls, so I wasn't expecting 1989 to have so many tough choices of what to leave off. I had 20 solid candidates (not including the three 1989 faves not on the poll:  Dime Store Dream by Magnolias, Good Evening by Marshall Crenshaw, and Stolen Wishes by Shoes). Some of the previous polls had albums I voted for that I didn’t actually get into until a few years after they were released, but for 1989 I’m pretty sure these are the same albums I would picked back then. In 89 Elvis Costello’s Spike and Lenny Kravitz’s debut would have been represented, but I’ve drifted from those over the years (although half of Spike comprises some of my favorite Elvis songs - but the drop-off is pretty big).

3 of my most played albums ever are here (De La Soul, Beasties, and PWEI), and the Jesus and Mary Chain, Wonder Stuff, and Raygun albums aren’t that far behind. Hoodoo Gurus, Pixies, and Mighty Lemon Drops were the albums I struggled with not including in the final 10.

Here are my ten picks for 1989 in alpha order:

• Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
• De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising
• The Jesus and Mary Chain - Automatic
• Jesus Jones - Liquidizer
• Mega City Four - Tranzophobia
• Naked Raygun - Understand?
• Nirvana - Bleach
• Pop Will Eat Itself - This Is the Day...This Is the Hour...This Is This!
• XTC - Oranges & Lemons
• The Wonder Stuff – Hup

I'm sort of bummed to see the Slicing Up Eyeball Best of the 80's polls come to an end. This has been fun.

2013 Half Way Point - My Top 20 Albums So Far

We're six months into the year, which is officially start working on my ever evolving list of favorite albums of 2013. At this stage the numerical rankings are VERY fluid, but these are the records I've gone to the most so far during the year. There will be a lot jockeying for position over the next six months as I relisten to albums and reevaluate.

This has been a good year for music so far. Not great, but pretty darn good. In 2012 my Halfway Point list had twenty albums that I would have been happy to have in my Year End Top 20. This year the list isn't as strong, but there are still plenty of good releases.

1. JOHNNY MARR - the Messenger - My most played album of the year so far. After more than two decades of side projects and hired gun sessions Johnny Marr finally steps into the frontman role with a diverse collection of songs that showcase his guitar and songwriting chops.[ MY FULL REVIEW HERE ]
2. WAVVES - Afraid of Heights - The San Diego band's fourth album is an adrenaline rush of angsty guitar charged beach pop fun with hyper melodies. [ MY FULL REVIEW HERE ]
3. EDWYN COLLINS - Understated - A wonderfully strong British pop record filled with Northern Soul goodness from the former Orange Juice frontman’s eighth solo album. [ MY FULL REVIEW HERE ]
4. BLEACHED - Ride Your Heart - Bleached's punked up take on 60's girl group pop is loaded with sugary pop goodness, making it a perfect soundtrack for a Summer road trip. [ MY FULL REVIEW HERE ]
5. OMD - English Electric - For their second album since reuniting the classic line-up, OMD deliver a very likable collection of songs recalling some of their best work of the 80's. [ MY FULL REVIEW HERE ]
6. WIRE - Change Becomes Us - Using unfinished 30 year old snippets as the starting point, the post-punk legends make their most rewarding album since reforming. [ MY FULL REVIEW HERE ]
7. PALMA VIOLETS - 180 - Much buzzed debut album from a London four piece is a raucous blast of organ heavy garagey fun. [ MY FULL REVIEW HERE ]
8. JACCO GARDNER - Cabinet of Curiosities - Baroque pop debut from a Dutch multi-instrumentalist and home studio wizard that conjures up spirit and sound of the Zombies, Left Banke, and Sagittarius.[ MY FULL REVIEW HERE ]
9. SUEDE - Bloodsports - Brett Anderson and company are stunningly strong on their first album in over a decade. I love a lot of Suede songs, but this is the first time I've loved an entire album from them.
10. BAD RELIGION - True North - On album number 16 Bad Religion proves to still be one of the most vital and engaging punk bands making records, with more power and relevance than band's half their age. [ MY FULL REVIEW HERE ]
11. SMITH WESTERNS - Soft Will - I've only listened to this a few times, but it sounds really good and Dye It Blonde topped my 2011 list, so I wanted to make sure this got represented since I'm confident I'll be listening to it many times rest of the year.
12. HOUSE OF LOVE - She Paints Words In Red - House of Love deliver beautiful jangly psychedelia with rich pastoral melodies and their best album since the 1990 self titled album (aka Fonatana/Butterfly) [ MY FULL REVIEW HERE ]
13. DAVID BOWIE - the Next Day - David's not in innovator mode here, but he has made a solid album right in his comfort zone.
14. the WOGGLES - Big Beat - Supercharged party rock from one of the most reliable garage revival bands working today. [ MY FULL REVIEW HERE ]
15. SAVAGES - Silence Yourself - Exciting post-punk like an modern indie take on the Siouxsie sound.
16. the RESONARS - Crummy Desert Sound - Swigning power pop with loads of Merseybeat energy.
17. CHELSEA LIGHT MOVING - Chelsea Light Moving - With his new band Thurston Moore delivers a sludgier and much looser back-to-basics take on the Sonic Youth template. [ MY FULL REVIEW HERE ]
18. NOAH & the WHALE - Heart Of Nowhere - The Twickenham band continues in the same light-pop-meets-arena-sing-alongs of 2011's wonderful Last Night On Earth, choosing not to vary the sound much. [ MY FULL REVIEW HERE ]
19. the OBLIVIANS - Desperation - After 17 years the Memphis trash garage ne'er-do-wells pick up right where they left off. [ MY FULL REVIEW HERE ]
20. VERONICA FALLS - Waiting For Something To Happen - Spry pop goodness from the band's second album.

UPDATE: As happens with every Half Year update, as soon as I post mine I remember a release that I had forgotten about. Looking at a friend's list I realized I had forgotten Off the Record by Krafterk's KARL BARTOS. That would definitely be on this somewhere. Here's my full review of the Karl Bartos album.

As I said, the actual rankings are pretty loose at this stage, but this is at least a rough idea of where some of my preferences are so far. There are still a bunch of other albums in contention as well that aren't represented here because I haven't spent enough time with them yet. And there's a slew of good stuff on the horizon, so I'm looking forward to a fabulous top twenty at the end of the year.

HERE ARE SOME OTHER ALBUMS IN VARIOUS STAGES OF EVALUAATION THAT ARE CONTENDERS: !!! - Thr!!!er, BEACH FOSSILS - Clash the Truth, BOMBINO - Nomad, MIKAL CRONIN - McII, DUCKTAILS - Flower Lane, the DUCKWORTH LEWIS METHOD - Sticky Wickets, GIRLS NAMES - the New Life, EMMYLOU HARRIS and RODNEY CROWELL - Old Yellow Moon, ROBYN HITCHCOCK - Love From London, JAGWAR MA - Howlin, the LITTLE ONES - Dawn Sang Along, PRESTON LOVINGGOOD - Sun Songs, MY BLOODY VALENTINE - mbv, the NATIONAL - Trouble Will Find Me, PARQUET COURTS - Light Up Gold, PHOENIX - Bankrupt!, POPSTRANGERS - Antipodes, and RICHARD THOMPSON - Electric. Plus I haven't even gotten achance to check out these records that I'm aniticipating good things from: CHARLIE BOYER and the VOYEURS, BILLY BRAGG, CERAMIC DOG, PRIMAL SCREAM, QUEENS of the STONEAGE, and SPECTRALS.

ALBUM REVIEW: BOMBINO - Nomad

BOMBINO - Nomad (Nonesuch) 

Mesmerizing desert blues from the highly talented West African guitarist/singer's third album gets a little help from the Black Keys' Dan Auerbach.

Like many Westerners, I first became aware of Tuareg desert blues through the music of the genre's breakout group, Tinariwen. That band's 2007 album Aman Iman was a personal favorite and one of my most played albums for the next year or so. I picked up several other Tuareg albums, most notably the Tinariwen followups and albums by Etran Finatawa and Tartit. But they lacked the charm of Aman Iman, or sounded just a bit too similar. I've been looking for a new Tuareg record to get excited about ever since, and I finally found one in Nomad, the third album from Omara "Bombino" Moctar.

Bombino is a singer-songwriter and gifted guitarist from Agadez, Niger, who plays traditional Tuareg melodies. But the plays them with a few subtle differences than most of contemporaries that make his sound a bit more Western friendly. The layered guitar lines serpentine throughout the songs, playfully dancing with the hypnotic rhythms. Two percussionists and plenty of hand claps in various tempo African time signatures drive the songs, but it's the sinewy acoustic and electric guitars that really captivate. That and Bombino's relaxed vocals, occasionally chanted, but always sung in sung in his native Tamashe.

One of the thing that separates Nomad from other Tuareg recordings is the addition of Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys behind the producer's desk. Recorded in Nashville, he gives Bombino lots of freedom to do what he does best, capturing the loose and flowing vibe of the music. But he adds very subtle bits that fill out the sound. There's a little bit of pedal steel, some vibes, an occasional organ riff, and I'm sure he encouraged the use of a few extra guitar pedals. Much like he did so well with Dr John last year, Auerbach nudges Bombino more than directing him, allowing the artist's organic energy to ultimately decide where the journey ends. In this case, it ends with a very enjoyable and uplifting album that I'm sure I'll be playing for many years to come.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE OF MY ALBUM REVIEWS

2012 Top 20 - my favorite albums of the year (with reviews and links)

2012 was a stellar year for new music. By mid year I already had 20 albums that I'd have been more than happy to fill my year end list. Several of the titles that I couldn't fit into this year's Top 20 could have made it into my top 10 in previous years. My general rule for the albums that made the final cut was to focus on what I played the most and what albums seemed to always be on on my mind. This is by no means a critical evaluation of which albums "the best" - it's a list of what records I enjoyed the most. And this year, more than most, there were loads of most-likely great albums that I didn't even have the chance to get to.

#1 - the CLOUD NOTHINGS – Attack On Memory (Carpark) - Attack on Memory is a forceful big guitar indie rock album that expertly merges oversized pop hooks with punk rock intensity.

With 2 enjoyable albums of bouncy indie pop to his credit, Dylan Baldi could have easily settled into that style and make it work for another album. But instead he surprised everyone and upped the ante by significantly turning up the aggression and cranking the guitars. The change-up isn't entirely unprecedented. "Not Important" and "You're Not That Good At Anything" from last year's self titled album rocked, just not as intensely as anything on Attack On Memory. Comparisons can be made to Jawbreaker or Sunny Day Real Estate, but this most reminds me of Hope Is Important/100 Broken Windows era Idlewild (especially in Dylan Baldi's vocals) with it's high energy angst delivered via a tight batch of pushed-to-11 pop songs. And this isn't just a case of a band suddenly playing punkier, they are adventurousand  push conventions, and succeed  across the board. With 8 songs clocking in at just over 30 minutes they managed to get in a blistering instrumental and an almost 9 minute epic with a 5 minute Sonic Youth-like freakout that just keeps getting bigger. Cloud Nothings play with the power of a hardcore record, but the melodies are huge and despite the wall of noise (thanks in part to Steve Albini working the boards) they never lose sight of the rewards of a good hook.
Cloud Nothings site     
VIDEO: "Fall In"    
VIDEO: "Stay Useless"     
VIDEO: "Stay Useless" live at Pitchfork Music Festival 2012     
VIDEO: 4 songs live at KEXP     

#2 - NADA SURF - the Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy (Barsuk Records) For album number seven Nada Surf don't alter their pop formula - they just refine it and inject some extra energy. 
Everything I love about Nada Surf is here: ringing guitars, wonderfully catchy hooks, compelling lyrics, and Matthew Caws's charismatic vocals. But the band hit a bit of a rut on the last few albums and the songs sounded a bit too samey. This time the songwriting is a bit more distinctive and the songs sound fresh and more dynamic, which is enough to make this my favorite album by them and one of the records I've played the most this year.
Nada Surf site
VIDEO: "Waiting For Something"    
VIDEO: "Jules and Jim"    
VIDEO: "Teenage Dreams" live acoustic   

#3 SHOES - Ignition (Black Vinyl Records) - The power pop legends return with their first album in 18 years - loaded with the superior hooks and harmonies you'd expect. 
Ignition is instantly recognizable as a new Shoes album. Their signature harmonies, concise songwriting and tight, no-frills musicianship are all here. John Murphy, Jeff Murphy, and Gary Klebe have always been expert song craftsmen, and their ability to perfectly nail just the right performance song after song is unrivaled. But there's a spark in the band this time that makes the songs sound absolutely effortless. And this is probably the best sounding Shoes album ever. As always, the album has their traditional diplomatic songwriting/lead vocal splits, but one of the most dynamic songs on the album, the Stonesy "Hot Mess", is a rarity in that all 3 share writing credit. This isn't a great album because it's great that they're still doing it, it's a great album because the songs are top notch, the playing and production are fresh, and the band has an urgency they haven't had since the early 80's.
Shoes site    
VIDEO: "I'm On You"    
HEAR: "Hot Mess"    
HEAR: "Head vs Heart"     

#4 - CHUCK PROPHET - Temple Beautiful (Yep Roc) Chuck's 12th album features a wonderful collection of songs about San Francisco that reminds me of a roots-rock Ray Davies meets Alejandro Escovedo.
For over 20 years the former Green on Red guitarist has been making solid albums filled with slightly gritty barroom rock and twangy roots pop. He's a top-notch songwriter with a gift for lyrical imagery and the ability to create moods with seemingly little effort. For this album he turns the focus on his hometown and it's lesser known history and characters. Chuck tells his stories in talk-sing style reminiscent of Lou Reed (but with Lou's harsh edges toned down) or sung like a more relaxed Springsteen. He co-wrote and played on my favorite Alejandro Escovedo album, Real Animal, which is good reference point for the style that comes through on Temple Beautiful. I'd also compare the new record to 70's era Kinks or the straight out Tom Petty rockers. Along with being a standout songwriter and frontman, when he lets loose on the guitar he absolutely smokes. Chuck Prophett has been a reliable artist for so long it can be easy to take him for granted, but this album pushes on his strengths just enough to remind me of how special he is and how he deserves to be heard by a larger audience.
Chuck Prophett's site    
VIDEO: "Whate Night, Big City"    
VIDEO: tour San Francisco with Chuck    

#5 - LEE RANALDO - Between The Times & The Tides (Matador) - Ranaldo is more straight-ahead rock/pop focused on his first post Sonic Youth solo album, but there's still enough guitar experimentation and sonic twists that it's obvious where he came from.
Much has been made about how "conventional" this album is, especially since most of Lee's extra curricular projects have been more challenging boundary pushers. But the shift here doesn't seem so out-of-nowhere when compared to his contributions scattered throughout the Sonic Youth catalog. The new album is a natural progression of songs like "Eric's Trip" & "Hey Joni" from Daydream Nation, or even the music of "In the Kingdom #19" on 1986's EVOL. "Walkin Blue" from Sonic Youth's last album, 2009's the Eternal, could easily fit into this set without changing anything. Lee brought in a host of friends to help him out, including Wilco's Nels Cline, Sonic Youth drummers Steve Shelley and Bob Bert, free jazz guitarist Alan Licht, and John Medeski of Medeski Martin and Wood. He knows how to write great hooks and is smart enough to write within his limited vocal range. Between The Times & The Tides is an album full of riffs that keep popping into my head and it's an album that I keep coming back to.
Lee Ranaldo's page at Sonic Youth.com  
VIDEO: "Off the Wall"  
VIDEO: "Angels"    
VIDEO: "Xtina As I Knew Her" live  

#6 - DAVID MYHR - Soundshine (Strong Melody Productions) The solo debut from the former Merrymaker is filled with bright, summery power pop with ringing guitars and insanely catchy melodies.
This is pure, uncut power pop - rich with infectious choruses and gorgeous harmonies. David Myhr fronted Swedish pop greats the Merrymakers, and for his solo debut he doesn't deviate far from the sound that made his previous band so revered among pop nerds like myself. David's songs are confident and his delivery sounds effortless as he touches on many of the gold standard pop references: Paul McCartney, ELO, Jellyfish, 60's pop singles, bubblegum. He even brings in smatterings of handclaps, la-la-la's, and some very fun "Got to get You Into My Life" styled horns. The record is produced very cleanly, but not slick - there's a warmth to every song that's missing from many more recent power pop albums. While the style is retro in origin, David's upbeat performance makes the songs pop out with fresh and timeless energy that's made this one of my go-to records in 2012.
David Myhr's site    
VIDEO: "Got You Where He Wanted"    
VIDEO: "Looking For a Life"    

#7 - BOB MOULD - Silver Age (Merge) - Bob Mould is recharged and armed with an aggressively catchy batch of songs and ferocious playing, making this his best post Husker Du album since Copper Blue. 
New music from Bob Mould had become less essential to me over the past decade, so I've been cautious when approaching his new releases. I'm not sure if he's out to prove something, but he hasn't made a record this exciting in over 25 years. The album is a relentless attack of oversized hooks, fast tempos, and loud guitars. Mould returns to the trio format that's worked so well for him, this time with Jason Narducy on bass and Superchunk's Jon Wurster behind the drum kit. There's not much variety in style or sonics - the band rips through the 10 songs with everything pushed into the red resulting an almost punishing wall of sound. As with most of Bob's best songs, no matter how much noise you put on top, his incredible songwriting always shines though.
Bob Mould's site    
VIDEO: "the Descent"    
VIDEO: "Keep Believing" on Conan    

#8 - the dB's - Falling Off the Sky (Bar None) - My pop heroes return with the original lineup for the first time in 30 years and make a record tight enough to sound as if they've been together all along.
This is the fifth dB's album, coming 25 years after 1987's underrated the Sound of Music. And it's the first with the original Stamey/Holsapple/Rigby/Holder line-up since 1982's Repercussion. This is not a reunion of a band trying to pick up where they left off and recreate their glory days. It's a culmination of everything the individual members have done since they parted ways, yet it still sounds like a cohesive record. The jangley guitars are there and the hooks are plentiful. The songs are more straight forward this round, not as quirky the original Stamey era dB's, but far from sticking to any formula. They're more upbeat than Holsapple and Stamey's last venture together, 2009's Here and Now. Individually the dB's are great talents, but together they pull together their strengths for something truly special.
the dB's site
VIDEO: "That Time Is Gone" live at SXSW

#9 - FIRST AID KIT - The Lion's Roar (Wichita) - Country rock in the Gram Parsons tradition from 2 Swedish sisters with hauntingly beautiful harmonies.
This year's best Americana album comes from the suburbs of Stockholm. For their second album the Soderberg sisters went to Omaha to record with Bright Eyes' Mike Mogis, expanding the sparse folk of their debut to a full band without losing any of the intimacy. The economical instrumentation beautifully compliments the sisters' tight harmonies, adding little bits of pedal steel, accordion, and dulcimer in hust the right places without ever being gratuitous. There's a melancholia in their ethereal voices and lyrics thought could run the risk of being a downer, but the performances are stirring and there are enough upbeat flourishes in the arrangements to give the record and oddly uplifting feel.
First Aid Kite site 
VIDEO: "Emmylou" - this might be the song I played more than any other in 2012
VIDEO: "Emmylou" live on Conan 
VIDEO: "the Lion's Roar" 

#10 - JIMMY CLIFF - Rebirth (UMe) Jimmy Cliff sounds absolutely rejuvenated on this vibrant and highly enjoyable album of classic sounding rocksteady ska while still being vital for 2012.
The reggae legend returns after a 7 year absence reengaged with the help of Rancid's Tim Armstrong, who produces and plays guitar. The album features economical arrangements recorded using vintage equipment, which gives it the feel of a classic Studio One production. Most of the album is tailor made for skanking: upbeat reggae, ska, and rocksteady with crisp drumrolls, bouncing keyboards, and lively horns. Cliff's voice is in great form and the politically charged lyrics are as relevant as anything he's done. This latest Jimmy Cliff album is more than just another addition to the discography of a respected legacy act, it's a relevant statement and an essential piece to his catalog.
Jimmy Cliff's website
VIDEO: "One More" live on Letterman
VIDEO: the Rebirth album EPK

#11 - DWIGHT YOAKAM - 3 Pears (Warner Bros) Dwight tones down his Bakersfield side and stretches out even more than normal for his best album since 1993's This Time.
Dwight has never been one to stick with a formula, but on his first new album of original material in 7 years he is fearless in pulling references from 50 years of pop and country, resulting in the type of record that only he could pull off. He covers Merseybeat pop, 60's AM radio soul, soft ballads, bar-room rockers, and his trademark honky-tonk effortlessly and ends up with a diverse collection of songs that flows perfectly. And while Dwight reaches into the past for inspiration, he's made one of the most forward thinking country albums of the past few years.
Dwight's site
VIDEO: "Waterfall" live at the Live Room
VIDEO: "3 Pears" live on Jimmy Kimmel
VIDEO: "A Heart Like Mine" on Letterman

#12 - the WELL WISHERS – Dreaming of the West Coast (Well Wishers) - Rousing power pop from the Bay area that works the same territory as Velvet Crush, Material Issue, Sloan and the Posies.
Jeff Shelton is one of power pop's more reliable songwiters/frontmen, and on the 6th album from Well Wishers he's stepped up his game for an absolutely wonderful pop album. This is textbook powerpop with crunching guitars, big choruses, head bopping rhythms, and an embarrassment of riches in the melody department. Some times the best powerpop albums are the hardest to describe - they just work on every level and it's hard to call out exactly what pushes it to the front of the pack. This is one of those records. The songs work across the whole album and each one of them is my favorite until the next one starts.

the Well Wishers BandCamp page

VIDEO: "Here Comes Love"

#13 - the MARK LANEGAN BAND - Blues Funeral (4AD) - Blues Funeral is dingy, dark, and exactly what I want from the gravelly voiced former Screaming Trees frontman. 
Few artists can create a menacing mood as convincingly as Lanegan, but this time along with the brooding blues dirges he excels at he widens his palette with post-punk synths and electronic drums, which makes the album infinitely more interesting than anything's he done previously. Whether it's the slow burners, the pounding rockers, or the groove heavy electronic numbers there's a sinister tone throughout that pulls everything together. Individually the songs stand up, but the record definitely works better as a whole albums where it can slowly unfold and twist and turn. Lyrically the album can get a bit heavy handed, reaching for as many ways to describe death, sorrow, and pain as possible, But they work so well with the music I was able to set that aside the same way I still enjoy the Doors despite Morisson's often ridiculously over-the-top poetry. For me this album delivers on the feeling I always hope for in a Nick Cave record but never quite get.
Mark's site
VIDEO: "the Gravedigger's Song"
VIDEO: the 4AD Sessions - 4 songs from the album recorded

#14 - MICHAEL KIWANUKA - Home Again (Polydor UK/Interscope) - Stunningly strong debut from a British soul singer with a rootsy 70's soul and folk hybrid.
Michael Kiwanuka's debut sounds like a lost classic from 1972, rich in warm and relaxed grooves and wistful melodies. The album sounds like something from a veteran performer with a lifetime of experience to pull from, but the London based singer-songwriter is only 25 years old. As a soul singer he can be compared to Bill Withers and Otis Redding, but he's much more than just another talented neo-soul performer. His music also recalls the work of Tim Buckly, Van Morrison, Randy Newman, and James Taylor without ever directly referencing any of those artists. His songs are complimented by the vintage sounding organic production from Paul Butler of the Bees, who is no stranger to convincingly recreating sounds of days gone by.

Michael's site

VIDEO: "Home Again"

VIDEO: "I'm Getting Ready" on Letterman

#15 - DJANGO DJANGO - Django Django (Because UK) Debut album from a Scotish quartet armed with a diverse collection of innovative art pop songs big on catchy hooks and toe-tapping melodies.
The band is led by drummer David Maclean, which explains why the whole album is so percussive. The songs are driven by herky jerky rhythms and filled with sputtering synths, sharp guitar bursts and pristine harmonies. There's an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink element that brings in bits of surf, soul, prog, Bo Diddley, synthpop, Franz Ferdinand, Ennio Morricone, Eastern drones, Wendy Carlos, Krautrock, etc etc. Most of the time it works to great effect ("Default" was one of my favorite and most played songs of 2012), and even when they don't quite hit the mark they're always still interesting and worth hearing.
Django Django site
VIDEO: "Default"
VIDEO: "Hail Bop"

#16 - LA SERA - Sees the Light (Hardly Art) - The 2nd album from Vivian Girls bassist Katy Goodman is a rush of charming indie pop melodies pushed to the next level by her captivating honey sweet vocals.
Katy Goodman writes punchy verse/chorus/verse pop songs with the charm of classic 60's girl groups. Although the instrumentation is pretty basic, the record sounds full and has the feel of an indie-rock take on Phil Spector. The sugary melodies fall somewhere between 60's radio pop and the jangly guitar pop of the C86 bands. At times the record sounds like a stronger She & Him or an American take on the first Primitives album. Katy is a talented songwriter equally comfortable with punky toe-tappers as she is with the slow and mid-tempo numbers, and the record is perfectly balanced with each.
La Sera's page at Hardly Art
VIDEO: "Real Boy/Drive On"
VIDEO: "Please Be My Third Eye"

#17 - DISAPPEARS - Pre Language (Kranky) The Chicago band's third album features guitar heavy post-punk built around a Krautrock-like repetition punctuated with bursts of distorted freakouts.
The album is a moody dark affair loaded with hypnotic drones, icy guitars, and a vocal growl in the style of Mark E Smith. This is their first album with Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley sitting behind the drum kit. On each song the band locks in on a groove and rides it, layering on edgy guitar and the calm-cool intensity of Joy Division.
Disappears site
VIDEO: "Replicate"

#18 - CROCODILES - Endless Flowers (Frenchkiss) The San Diego band's third album is psychedelic shoegazer pop in the tradition of Jesus and Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine.
Crocodiles take somewhat sunny, upbeat pop songs and then bury them under loads of fuzzy guitars, droning organs, reverb, and a metronomic rhythm section. It's hard not to compare them to the Jesus and Mary Chain, but there are also traces of Spaceman 3, Echo & the Bunnymen, My Bloddy Valentine, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club in their songs. I can't claim that the band does much original, but it's been a while since I've heard a band do the wall-of-noise psychedelic pop as well as they do. In the hands of a lesser band these songs would have been mired in noise and not much fun. Crocodiles have the cool atmospherics down, but they also have a knack for a catchy hook which makes the whole thing quite enjoyable.
Crocodile's FaceBook page
VIDEO: "Sunday"
VIDEO: "Endless Flowers" - this video would have been right at home in the second hour of 120 Minutes in the late 80's

#19 - BAT FOR LASHES - the Haunted Man (Capitol) The haunted Man is a meticulously crafted album with just the right balance of dreamy Kate Bush-like pop and electronic experimentation.
For her third album, Natasha Khan is more focused and has stripped away some of the excesses of her previous two records. The album goes from sparse piano ballads and electronica to lavish arrangements with orchestration, held together by an ethereal atmosphere and the dramatic melancholia that has become one of her trademarks. Kate Bush is the obvious reference in both voice and style, but with electronic experimentation that recalls Radiohead's Kid A. At times the production is so clinical it takes away some of the intimacy of the songs, but overall this is Bat For Lashes most ambitious and rewarding album yet.
Bat for Lashes site
VIDEO: "All Your Gold" - one of my favorite songs of 2012
VIDEO: "Laura" on Later with Jools Holland

#20 - KELLY HOGAN - I Like To Keep Myself In Pain (Anti) On her first solo album in a decade, Kelly effortlessly shifts between traditional country, Americana pop, Adult Contemporary, and songs that sound like they could be standards from several generations earlier.
Kelly is a masterful interpreter of songs from top notch songwriters in the grand tradition of the country vocal greats of the 60's. She works in a wide palette of styles, all of which seem to be a natural fit for her stunning voice. For this album she gets songs from Robyn Hitchcock, John Wesley Harding, Robbie Fulks, Andrew Bird, Jon Langford, M. Ward, and more. The album is never flashy and flows quite smoothly for an album that genre jumps so freely - a mournful torch song one minute, a 60's girls group toe tapper the next. Kelly's voice is prominently up front where it belongs, but she's backed by an impressive band that includes Booker T. Jones, James Gadson (Bill Withers), and Gabe Roth. Kelly has backed up artists as diverse as Jakob Dylan, Mavis Staples, the Waco Brothers, The Minus 5, and Drive-By Truckers and might be best known as a member of Neko Case's band, but with this album it's going to be hard to think of her anything but a significant frontwoman.
Kelly's site
VIDEO: 3 songs from the album performed live as part of NPR's Tiny Desk Series

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CLOSE BUT NOT QUITE: favorite albums that just missed the Top 20 

  

RICHARD HAWLEY - Standing At the Sky's Edge - For his 7th album Hawley significantly steps out of his comfort zone with a more urgent batch of songs with the guitars up front and the most aggressive riffing he's ever done on his own records. The album is layered with atmospheric psychedelia, which adds a whole new dimension to Hawely's top notch songwriting and guitar playing. [ Richard's site ]

the SHINS - Port of Morrow - James Mercer refines his pop formula and widens the pop references just a smidge. This might be his strongest and most distinctive batch of songs yet. [ band site ]

REDD KROSS - Researching the Blues - Classic Neurotica Redd Kross lineup returns after 15 years away and picks up right where they left off. This is the comeback record any Redd Kross could hope for - energetic glammy power-pop songs with crazy catchy melodies, big harmonies, and a grand sense of fun. [ band site ]

BEST COAST – the Only Place - 2nd album from the California duo offers more summery ear candy with jangley guitars and Bethany Cosentino's gorgeous voice, which reminds me of Neko Case. This time the band's lo-fi edges are cleaned up by producer Jon Brion. [ band site ]

DIVINE FITS - A Thing Called Divine Fits - Spoon's Britt Daniel teams up with Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade) and Sam Brown (New Bomb Turks) for an album of solid new wave indie rock. [ band site ]

SAINT ETIENNE - Words and Music by Saint Etienne - The band's first album in 7 years is a Europop love letter to the enthusiasm of being a music fan [ band site ]

 CHICHA LIBRE – Canibalismo - This is one of most wonderfully weird records I've heard in the last few years. The Brooklyn band plays an updated version of Chicha (a dancable Peruvian hybrid of surf and psychedelia from the 60's and 70's), incorporating vintage synthesizers, looping mellotrons, twangy guitars, cumbia rhythms, and exotica atmospherics. You can hear bits of Martin Denny, Serge Gainsbourg, Mano Chau, Henry Mancini, and Messer Chups, yet they really sound like no one else. [ band site ]

JD McPHERSON - Signs & Signifiers - The Oklahoma native masters vintage rock and roll and R&B swing on his debut album. Although the sound is authentic in recreating a byegone era, the songs and performances are sincere enough to avoid feeling kitchy or forced. [ JD's site ]

JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD - Hypnotic Nights - Jeff the Brotherhood play a weird hybrid of big dumb stoner rock and infectious Weezer-like pop. The band locks in on an insanely catchy hook and bludgeons you with it with the help of plodding drums and fuzzy guitars. [ band site ]