Top Five Albums of 2013 (So Far)

2013 has been an exceptional year for music, as well as an odd one. Normally, it seems a new artist comes to rise and releases an album that takes people by storm, and while indie music certainly has released a fair share of pleasing records; to me 2013 is the year the heavyweights prove to us why they carry the belt. Many established artists have released some of their best work this year. Daft Punk, The National, Sigur Ros, Queens of The Stone Age, Vampire Weekend, Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, Black Sabbath and Phoenix to name a few have all released records with much critical acclaim that are just as good if not better than their previous work. I cannot think of another year where longtime bands have been knocking it out of the park as much as this year. With that in mind I present to you a taste of the best music of 2013 according to me.

  

1. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

 It has been eight years since the enigmatic Daft Punk have graced us with their presence and in that time dance music has changed a lot. Dubstep is everywhere, the EDM scene has exploded with major festivals everywhere and Vegas contracts for some DJs. The scene has come a long way since Daft Punk started in France playing small warehouse shows in the early 90s and they seem to be the only ones to see the writing on the wall. Daft Punk are regarded as the most important techno act around, they are trendsetters. Pretty much whatever they do within five years everyone else does. So what do they do this time around? Instead of looking forward they decide to take a trip back to the disco era and pay tribute to artists like Chic that inspired them. Random Access Memories is easily the most hyped album of the year with a unique marketing strategy and impressive list of collaborators. It's a huge risk for Daft Punk to take as this album has made some of their most loyal fans upset since it lacks any major techno elements. However this is exactly what the duo needed to do to stay vital in a scene that is quickly growing stale. Random Access Memories is a perfectly engineered triumph of an album that explores so many different styles of music. While there are plenty of songs that will get booties shaking ("Get Lucky,""Lose Yourself to Dance" "Giorgio by Morodor") The one song that really stands out to me is the centerpiece of the album "Touch." Written and sung by Paul Williams, “Touch” is an odyssey of a track reminiscent of The Beatles "A Day In The Life" in the massive scope of the track and the vast amount of landscapes it ventures into. This song is a perfect example of why Daft Punk are too good for the button pushing scene they helped create. They are true artists and they never want to do the expected, Daft Punk took a huge risk with RAM and it paid off in dividends.


2. Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience

 

It's strange to think that even though Justin Timberlake is arguably the most recognized male pop-star alive he only has three albums. It has been a long time since his now iconic FutureSex/LoveSounds and many people started to speculate whether Timberlake had another great album in him. The 20/20 Experience is easily his most ambitious work to date. It is a statement that pop songs don't have to all be three minutes long with the same hooks over and over again. For instance the second single "Mirrors" is over nine minutes long. Even though the majority of this album’s tracks are over eight minutes long it never feels tired. Each song is compartmentalized, leading from one movement to the next seamlessly. This is something that is probably not even close to being in any other pop star’s vocabulary. This album is all killer and no filler, ten solid songs that will stick in your mind for a long time. A month or so after this was released it was announced that this album is only part one of a two part album that is to be released later this year. I can only hope that Timberlake continues to challenge the conventional pop song structure further with part two.

3. Kanye West - Yeezus

 

Kanye West follows up his masterpiece My Beautiful Twisted Dark Fantasy with a stripped down explosive and jarring Yeezus. Many people are calling this a game changer, the album is a blend of jarring noise and Dubstep influence and a dash of old-school Kanye soul samples. People say this is one of the darkest and noisy rap albums, that's not true at all. Just pick up any Death Grips album and Yeezus will feel like a Simon & Garfunkel record. However Kanye is going to reach a lot more people than Death Grips, so Yeezus will ultimately receive a lot more credit. This album features some of West's harshest and politically charged lyrics to date. The first four tracks are the albums most intense, and the production is credited to Daft Punk. It's crazy to think that while they were making their crisp Random Access Memories they were also helping create the hellish beats for Kanye. Yeezy seems especially mad and charged up on this record, paired with the excellent production Yeezus is an immediately engaging record. While many critics are praising this album for its distorted sound, I commend executive producer Rick Rubin for keeping this album as simple as possible and only leaving in what is necessary.

4. Sigur Ros - Kveikur

 

Iceland's Sigur Ros have been through a transitional year. Their past few albums have felt like they lacked direction, and with the loss of one of their founding members the now trio decided to go back to the drawing board and regroup. Quite simply Kveikur is their best work since Takk, and maybe even ( ). As a trio the band focused on two instruments that have never really played an important role until now, drums and bass. The drums are thunderous and the bass is huge on this record. Kveikur is their most aggressive album to date, and singer Jonsi has found a way to re-tap into that soul excavating emotionalism that captured so many fans with their early work. For anyone who thought that Sigur Ros' artistic relevance has come and gone is in for a wake-up call. The band is alive and roaring on Kveikur. 

5. The National - Trouble Will Find Me

 If you enjoyed The National's previous three albums then you're going to love Trouble Will Find Me. The National know who they are and what is in their wheelhouse and that's why they have become one of the more secure bands in indie music along with Beach House and Yo La Tengo. Trouble Will Find Me is certainly a more playful than the morose Boxer and less anthemic than High Violet. However, this album explores an array of different sounds from the quiet acoustic picking of “I Need My Girl” to the crescendos of “Sea of Love” all while still maintaining that National-sound we have all grown accustom to. Matt Beringer’s voice has never sounded better and his lyrics are razor sharp making you cry one moment and laugh the next. “Pink Rabbits” contains some of the best songwriting the band has done to date. Trouble Will Find Me is an album for all occasions that will stick with the listener making them ponder life, love, death and everything in-between.

In honor of this post this month's Mischmash Playlist features a five-song sampler of each album. Please listen and subscribe HERE. 

 

 

Mischmash May

 In a better effort to integrate Spotify into ST&SP I present the new monthly series called Mischmasch. Mischmasch was the name of a periodical that Lewis Carroll once wrote where he introduced sketches and ideas that would later become Through The Looking Glass. It's also German for a disorderly mix of things. I thought it was an appropriate title because that is exactly what this playlist is going to be. A once a month post of everything I've been listening to that previous month. There won't be any rhyme or reason, but hopefully you'll discover something new that you enjoy. Please SUBSCRIBE to the playlist on Spotify that way every month you'll be alerted that the playlist has been updated.



Last month's Mischmash was a collection of introspective ambient and neo-classical music. For May, I decided to kick out the jams with some summer-time soul and funk music.

A Few Tracks of Note.

Marlena Shaw - "California Soul" This is such an AM Radio treasure. The hand-clapping and cinematic strings paired with Shaw's voice bring "California Soul" to life. Perfect way to kick off the summer here in LA.

Funkadelic  - "Sexy Ways" Hidden on the album Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On is "Sexy Ways" featuring a breezy unresolved guitar lick much like the one Niles Rodgers used on our next track...

Daft Punk - "Get Lucky" The one modern track I put in this playlist is the new Daft Punk. This is easily going to be the song of the summer. The techno giants have realized that the genre is in a stand-still of party-loving button pushers who just focus on builds and drops. Daft Punk want to make actual dance music that looks forward but also pays homage to the great dance music of the 70s and 80s that helped pave the way to today. Their album Random Access Memories is out in a few weeks and it could be a game changer.

Bo Dollis & The Wild Magnolias - "Ho Na Nae" A funk group from New Orleans that blends contemporary funk music with a tribal element to it. What results is infectious organic sounding soul.

James Booker - "Papa Was a Rascal" - Who says soul music means you have to dance or sing? James Booker shows us how it's done with the insane seven minutes of heavenly rick-rolling piano that is "Papa Was a Rascal"

The Valparaiso Men's Chorus - "Hanging Johnny" The Valparaiso Men's Chorus are a collective of scallywags that breathe new life into traditional music. To close out this month's playlist they perform the classic sea shanty "Hanging Johnny" Wait for that tuba. That god damned tuba.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO SPOTIFY PLAYLIST. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE

Mischmasch April

In a better effort to integrate Spotify into ST&SP I present the new monthly series called Mischmasch. Mischmasch was the name of a periodical that Lewis Carroll once wrote where he introduced sketches and ideas that would later become Through The Looking Glass. It's also German for a disorderly mix of things. I thought it was an appropriate title because that is exactly what this playlist is going to be. A once a month post of everything I've been listening to that previous month. There won't be any rhyme or reason, but hopefully you'll discover something new that you enjoy. Please SUBSCRIBE to the playlist on Spotify that way every month you'll be alerted that the playlist has been updated.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE MISCHMASH ON SPOTIFY


A Few Tracks of Note. 

Stars of the Lid - "Apreludes (in C Sharp Major)" - With much of April's playlist is centered around ambient music. It's a genre that is relatively small and hard to appreciate at times. It's also hard to tell good ambient music apart. I'll start with Stars of The Lid, the Austin TX group has been making ambient music for almost two decades now and could easily be seen as the most essential ambient group alive. Whereas most ambient artists tend to paint lush landscapes of sound Stars of the Lid play with silences and tones. Listening to their music I can't help but feel like I'm in an Arthur C. Clarke novel. It's futuristic and otherworldly.

Tim Hecker - "In The Fog II" - My discovery of Tim Hecker is what inspired me to seek out and research more ambient artists. You must let his music wash over you like a Monet scene scape. Here you will recognize familiar sounds, the ringing of a piano, the tones of synthesizers but Hecker presents them in such a unique way. It was because of him I was brought to Oneohtrix Point Never, Loscil, and Grouper.

Max Richter - "Infra 8" - I also have been wondering lately who is making the best neo-classical music right now? Up until now I had only heard of Kronos Quartet. I discovered the beautiful music of Max Richter and Johan Johannsson. Classical music isn't for the history books people, it's alive and people are still making it sound fresh and important.

Dirty Three - "Some Summers They Drop Like Flies" - I have been super into the gigantic larger than life post-rock of Godspeed! You Black Emperor as of late. I did some research and found the Dirty Three featuring violinist and longtime Nick Cave collaborator Warren Ellis. Their music is a mix of post-rock and the soft cry of a cowboy ballad. Ellis especially puts a ton of feeling into his music.

Minnie Riperton - "Les Fleurs" I didn't have the balls to make a playlist containing just ambient music so I scattered a few appropriate tracks that I have been digging as of late. "Les Fleus" by the late Minnie Riperton came to mind. This song is a fun summery swing of a song that reminds me of 60s French soul.

Bootleg Series: Radiohead @ Bonnaroo 2006

Sometime next week Bonnaroo will announce their 2013 lineup and I thought it was a perfect time to post another show in my ongoing bootleg series. If you recall in July I posted about the five year anniversary of The White Stripes at Madison Square Garden. This time around I want to talk about a truly legendary Radiohead concert. Many Radiohead bootleg completists argue that this is the best show they have ever done. The year was 2006, their classic in the making In Rainbows hadn't been released yet, in fact this was the debut for most of their new material. They were so excited to play the In Rainbows songs that they brought out a few rarely played songs to round out their setlist, making it truly special. Radiohead were about to turn the music industry on its head with the unique pay-what-you-want system for In Rainbows. What makes this bootleg even more special is it's a soundboard recording that was leaked by Radiohead's own sound-engineer making for a tremendous quality of recording. This is a new essential for any Radiohead fan. Listen to a sample track and if you're craving more I have uploaded both parts of the concert below.




Download via Megaupload
Radiohead live at Bonnaroo 2006 Part 1
Radiohead live at Bonnaroo 2006 Part 2

Magnetic Fields Selections

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, spend some time with your beau or alone and enjoy this now expanded playlist of Magnetic Fields songs I have complied. If you were ever thinking about giving The Magnetic Fields a try I must say this is a pretty good place to start. Love is an endless subject for Stephin Merritt and there is no better songwriter on the subject at the moment. Hell, he wrote a triple album of 69 Love Songs for crying-out-loud! Happy Valentine's Day.

Click here to open in Spotify or enjoy the embedded player.

Mischmasch: January 2013

 Drawing by Lewis Carroll

In a better effort to integrate Spotify into ST&SP I present the new monthly series called Mischmasch. Mischmasch was the name of a periodical that Lewis Carroll once wrote where he introduced sketches and ideas that would later become Through The Looking Glass. It's also German for a disorderly mix of things. I thought it was an appropriate title because that is exactly what this playlist is going to be. A once a month post of everything I've been listening to that previous month. There won't be any rhyme or reason, but hopefully you'll discover something new that you enjoy. Please SUBSCRIBE to the playlist on Spotify that way every month you'll be alerted that the playlist has been updated.

A Few Tracks of Note. 

The Clash - Overpowered by Funk

I made a promise to myself this year that I would finally get around to listening to some classic bands and albums that I never have given a listen to. The Clash were on top of my list. I'm still getting used to them but I really was taken by this song off of Combat Rock. I love it when punk meets new-wave. This song has a very Talking Heads 80s feel to it, a very infectious groove. 

The Smiths - Shakespeare's Sister

For the longest time I hated Morrissey. I hadn't even listened to much of The Smiths but I just remembered growing up reading about his tantrums and always thinking he was an asshole. I have really been digging The Smiths discography, mainly for Johnny Marr. That guy can skate through a guitar riff like he's an Olympic skater. I still think Morrissey is a prick but at least I now know how well The Smiths could groove. 

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Up Jumped The Devil

Never really gave Nick Cave a listen though I have always respected the idea of him. He is one of the last sort of mythic figures in rock music. These days the only way to make it is to be constantly engaging your fanbase through social media or what not. Cave appears through the ether once and awhile and drops murder ballads and other sort of sinister acts. He's like Tom Waits meets the wild west. Some of his stuff can be schmaltzy but for the most part I think he's brilliant. Expect more Nick Cave posts as the year goes on. 

Yo La Tengo - Ohm

The first great new record of the new year has to be Yo La Tengo's Fade. It's one of their shortest records but it's very well put together and sounds like a culmination of everything they have done for the past decade. Yo La Tengo has been the most surefooted band in indie rock for a long time now and here's hoping that will stay for a long time to come. 

The Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant

I always find that I listen to harsher sounding music during the winter season. This winter has been dominated by classic punk hence The Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks, Misfits and Iggy Pop. I have never listened to Nevermind The Bullocks before this and I can easily see why it's regarded as a classic. For the time I'm sure it seemed like such a punk anarchistic statement. 

Cheap Trick - Dream Police 

Why this was the first song I listened to in 2013 is beyond me. I feel bad for Cheap Trick I feel like they get lumped in with all the other bands who made their heyday in the 70s and are still trucking today. I always saw them as a punk-ELO. Most people know them for "I Want You To Want Me" or "Surrender" but I always felt like there was a lot more to Cheap Trick than what is generally perceived. I hope the general public rediscovers them one of these days. 

Donald Fagen - Out of the Ghetto

One of my many overlooked records of 2012 was the new solo record from Steely Dan's own Donald Fagen. "Out of the Ghetto" is the album highlight for me. It shows Fagen still is making the same jazzy-funk that has made Steely Dan a success. 

Justin Timberlake & Jay-Z - Suit & Tie

Yeah, I'm talking about the new Justin Timberlake. If you don't like it, eat a dick hipsters. There are a lot of pop stars out there but only a few pop titans. Timberlake is one of them. He takes his time with his music. He's only released two records and in 2013 he'll drop number three. I'm sure it'll be a great and it'll get a ton of radioplay and deservedly so. The man knows how to make catchy music. "Suit & Tie" has multiple sections and layers to it which I think shows his growth and maturity as an artist. Can't wait to hear the rest of the album. 

Enjoy the Mischmasch and please subscribe!

ST&SP Best of 2012: Top 25+ Albums

I have been making lists of things as long as I can remember. I used to write lists in my grade school yearbook of whatever I liked that particular year, and when I created this blog four years ago I continued that tradition. Partially I do it for myself so I can keep record of the music that I value but mainly I do it in hopes that a reader might discover a new artist they enjoy. This year there were some incredible records put out some that I believe will be remembered down the line as classics of their time. I created a Spotify Playlist for this list with songs from each of these artists. You can listen to it here or scroll to the bottom of this post for the embedded player. Ok. Here we go. 


1. Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, m.A.A.d City

If you read the writing on the Polaroid cover of Kendrick Lamar's Good Kid, m.A.A.d City it says "A Short Film." That's because this record is a cinematic experience peering into Kendrick's life growing up in Compton. This album tells a story of a good kid who is tempted resists and ultimately succumbs to the terrors of gang life. This record has songs that both glorify the lifestyle ("m.A.A.d City," "Swimming Pools")  " and songs that skewer the gangster's life ("Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst," "Money Trees"). I have never been a fan of rap 'skits' but this album uses transitional dialogue better than any hip-hop record has ever done before. He uses these skits to forward the story of this troubled teen. Good Kid, m.A.A.d City is a highly personal album with a strong message that many rappers dream of creating.

2. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel...

The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do or to those with shortness of breath The Idler Wheel... is the fourth studio album by the eccentric indie darling Fiona Apple. It took her seven years to write a new record mainly because she says she can't write songs when she's happy. After ending a relationship recently she returned to the studio and came out with a stripped album that's drenched in heartbreak and raw emotion. Fiona is the kind of artist who pours everything into her music. Her lyrics, singing and piano playing are drenched in feeling. She may take her time when it comes to music, but her process seems to work. The Idler Wheel... is an essential album for 2012 or any year.

3. Chromatics - Kill For Love

The indie record label Italians Do It Better has been putting out some of the best chill-pop around. They manage to mold some newer electronic vibes with a very vintage Italian discopop feel to them. They may have released their magnum-opus with Chromatics' sophomore LP Kill For Love. You might recognize this sound because frontman Johnny Jewel contributed to the Drive soundtrack. Some albums are great collections of songs, others take you on a sonic journey. Kill For Love is of the latter category. This moody monster of a record moves at a laid back pace through crafty pop songs and ambient noise. This might be up there with Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon in terms of  perfect nighttime music. It's an incredibly confident record for a relatively young band.

4. Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music 

One of OutKast's longtime compatriots, Killer Mike finally steps into the limelight thanks to stellar production by El-P. I have complained for the longest time that hip-hop has unfortunately drifted away from making important political and social observations and instead throwing focus on personal wealth and gain. Well, today I can rest in peace that my favorite kind of hip-hop is still thriving. R.A.P. Music tackles politics, religion, and social injustice with a poet's wit. He takes aim at everyone: blacks, whites, cops, thug life, the uneducated and spousal abuse to name a few. While every song is strong two really stick out in my mind. "Reagan" is the bluntest anti-politics song I have heard in years where Mike praises the death of Ronald Reagan and laments over the current state of government and America's slave-like affair with big oil. "Willie Burke Sherwood" is a song where he talks about being insecure for being into literature and enjoying school. He does all this while twisting the plot of Lord of the Flies to fit his own childhood. Yeah. That is amazing.

5. Beach House - Bloom

If you loved Beach House's previous three records then you're going to adore Bloom. If not, move along. Beach House are one of those bands that have decided what they wanted to be a long time ago and have stuck to being exactly that. They are one of the most solid groups in the indie world. Their steadfastness has paid off, this record debuted really well on the charts. They are now even a favorite among hip-hop artists when it comes to sampling. What I love about this group is though their sound is pretty much uniform, they are able to make each song unique and catchy. "Lazuli" is the centerpiece to Bloom and is quite frankly the best song the band has recorded to date. I took a drive along the PCH here in Los Angeles the other day with the windows down and this record playing. It was quite heavenly. 

6. All The Shit Ty Segall Did This Year

If you read my blog regularly you're aware that Ty Segall is my 2012 Artist of the Year. He is the most exciting thing to happen to basement fuzz punk in years. He made a splash with 2010's Melted and this year he grew immensely as an artist with not one but three albums. Hair the collaboration between he and White Fence showed Ty that adding layers added to a song's overall power. Slaughterhouse is a straightforward punk deathmobile that allowed him to bring the energy of his live shows into the studio. Twins I feel is the result of bringing these two records together to create the next chapter of the Ty Segall story. It really has been exciting to follow this guy, I cannot wait for what he does next. 

7. Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellan

2009's Bitte Orca was the album of the year for most people. It was an absolute headrush of a record. They recieved much praise for slamming contradictory beats together that somehow magically worked. With this year's Swing Lo Magellan they have toned down their erratic behavior and instead focused on their songwriting. This resulted in one of the prettiest sounding psychedelic folk records in recent memory. This record features singer songwriter David Longstreth's best lyrics to date. I'm pretty sure "Impregnable Question" will be played at my wedding. It's a simple amorous record that would warm even the coldest of hearts. 

8. Death Grips - The Money Store

 Death Grips make terrifying music. That's the best way to describe this guerrilla punk hip-hop group. They make Odd Future look like The Everly Brothers in terms of being hardcore. I'm not going to like this is a tough record to get into it's very harsh on the ears for a casual listener and it has no club hits for typical hip-hop fans. However, I cannot name another group that sounds anything close to Death Grips. If this group is not the anthem that the disgruntled skater youth are flying their freak flag to then I don't know what to think anymore.

9. Frank Ocean - channel ORANGE

 When Frank Ocean breaks into falsetto thirty-five seconds into the opening track "Thinkin About You" you know channel ORANGE is going to be a classic. I can only imagine how many high-schoolers are going to be slowdancing at prom to this. Ocean has cemented himself as the best thing to happen to R&B since D'Angelo with this record. Ocean has an uncanny ability of taking R&B to new territory while still paying homage to those who came before him. channel ORANGE has several instant classic tracks on it including my #1 song of the year "Pyramids." He is the most deserving breakout artist of 2012. 

10. Animal Collective - Centipede Hz

Centipede Hz is a great record with terrible album artwork. The followup to their gigantic Merriweather Post Pavilion that brought them a whole new fanbase has created much controversy because, well, it sounds like an Animal Collective record. Whereas Merriweather was accessible Centipede is a dense challenging record that is more similar to 2007's Strawberry Jam. This record works on many levels for me. One, it's a return to having drums being what drives their songs rather than synths. This is the first Animal Collective record in a long time where it feels like they are actually a band playing together rather than putting bits and pieces together with Pro-Tools. It's still a dizzying record and I will admit that and it can be hard to grasp what makes this record important to the untrained ear. However, I applaud Animal Collective for shedding their skin of Merriweather Post Pavillion and continue to make challenging psych-pop. It's what made me a fan to begin with. 

11. Tame Impala - Lonerism

 Australia's Tame Impala return with another collection of Beatles meets Pink Floyd psychedelic rock. While keeping the hazy dreamlike state of their breakout LP Innerspeaker, Tame Impala aren't afraid to turn up the rock riffs on Lonerism. "Elephant" is a fitting title for the pounding guitar riffs while "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" remains high up in the clouds. Tame Impala are the perfect band for someone who wants to find a new band while staying true to their classic rock roots. 

12. Japandroids - Celebration Rock

 Anthemic straight-forward rock and roll. You don't have to reinvent the wheel as long as you pour your heart and soul into your music and that's what Japandroids did with Celebration Rock. This record is the perfect soundtrack to that moment where you turn your back on everything you've ever known and head into a new frontier. That excitement, that fear is all wrapped into "The House That Heaven Built." 

13. Godspeed! You Black Emperor - Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!

The indie world was overjoyed in 2011 when Godspeed! You Black Emperor emerged from their ten year hibernation. The elusive Canadian post-rock group played Coachella and a number of other shows around the globe reminding us all of why they are the most formidable instrumental post-rock band alive. These guys take the genre and give it a cinematic force. With very little warning they released Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! a record that is at times as minimal as it can get ("The Helicopters Sing") and other moments roar with a force of nature ("Mladic") I'm so happy these guys are back and continue to make exemplary music. Hopefully they stick around a lot longer this time. 

14. Jack White - Blunderbuss

  My Lord and Savior Jack White steps out for the first time in his already legendary career as a solo artist. While at first it seemed like Blunderbuss lacked direction, over the year it really grew on me. I've discovered this about Jack, whenever he starts a band it seems like the first album he puts out is a template for him to feel out what he wants the project's sound to ultimately be. With The Raconteurs he ultimately settled on being a bunch of good ol' boys from Tennessee whereas The Dead Weather are a much darker heavier band. With Blunderbuss we are subjected to literally every style of music he's ever done. Whether it be the simplistic approach of The White Stripes on "Love Interruption" to his love of Wanda Jackson style  rockabilly on "I'm Shakin" Blunderbuss has something for everyone. As always I can't wait to see where he goes next with this. 

15. Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits

What do you get when you cross Spoon with Wolf Parade and Handsome Furs? One funky-ass new wave band. Comprised of members of those bands Divine Fits are a bona fide indie supergroup that have made one crisp sounding party record. I would have never thought that Britt Daniel and Dave Boeckner would have worked well together but I was totally wrong. I hope this doesn't end up being a one time thing because this is one of the few instances where a supergroup actually works.

16. Cat Power - Sun 

 The ever erratic Chan Marshall aka Cat Power returns with one of her most consistent records to date. This record has a tremendous beginning and while it suffers a little bit in the middle the second half more than makes up for it. "Manhattan" is a perfect song for nighttime on an empty street and "Nothin But Time" features an exemplary performance by Iggy Pop. She's still depressed as ever but at least some of these songs you can dance to. 

17. Dr. Dog - Be The Void

Be The Void came out in early 2012 and while many critics seem to have forgotten it as the year went by I still find myself going back to it. Dr. Dog have already proven themselves to be great McCartney-esque songsmiths. Be The Void is slightly more varied and harder rocking than their previous record the masterpiece Shame, Shame. Some songs like "Big Girl" and "Warrior Man" are straight up T.Rex fuzz rockers.

18. The Walkmen - Heaven

 Many bands try to hide their age and escape the fact that they're getting older. The Walkmen embrace being dedicated family men and have created their most mature sounding record yet. Many of these themes are featured in the songs on Heaven. 

19. Thee Oh Sees - Putrifiers II

Slime rockers Thee Oh Sees record their most accessible and consistant record to date. "Flood's New Light" is the standout track that seems like a psych song straight from the 70s. If you enjoy Ty Segall but want something with a little more variety and harmony I highly recommend Thee Oh Sees. 

20. Titus Andronicus - Local Business

 Titus Andronicus go full punk Springsteen with Local Business. While this record isn't so much of a grandiose statement as their previous record The Monitor was, Local Business still is crisp collection of the kind of Jersey-punk that only Titus Andronicus can pull off. Standout tracks include "My Eating Disorder" and "In A Big City."

21. Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory

Attack on Memory is one ambitious record for the young punk artist Dylan Baldi. It features a pounding eight minute jam called "Wasted Days" as their lead single. The other track that really impressed me is the straight up sinister sounding slow build of "No Future/No Past." This album carries a certain weight that makes it very appealing.

22. The Magnetic Fields - Love At The Bottom Of The Sea

Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields challenged himself to record three albums that featured absolutely no synths. With that trilogy now complete The Magnetic Fields go crazy with synths on Love At The Bottom Of The Sea. This record seems to be a collection of songs that Merritt had in mind that didn't work with the no-synth trilogy. While this isn't their best record by a mile, even The Magnetic Fields' most mediocre is better than most other artists best. No one writes songs like Merritt does. He's a national treasure.

23. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill

Neil Young does whatever the fuck he wants. That's what makes him so god damn amazing. This year he and Crazy Horse released an album that features American classics including "She'll Be Coming Round The Mountain," he released a stellar autobiography, and another Crazy Horse record that has an opening track that clocks in over a half hour long. While some of the tracks on Psychedelic Pill are easy to skip over, a few of the jams are some of the best he has done in a decade. The gargantuan "Walk Like a Giant" and "Ramada Inn" anchor this beast of a record. Long live Crazy Horse.

24. Daniel Rossen - Silent Hour/Golden Mile EP

When Daniel Rossen's stellar five song EP came out a few months before his main outfit Grizzly Bear released their record Shields I thought this would be a taste of what was to come. Nope. While many people adore the new Grizzly Bear I felt it didn't even come close to being as original as Veckatimist or Yellow House was. This EP on the other hand is a beautiful lush pastoral album that leaves the listener begging for more.

25. Reggie Watts - A Live at Central Park

I've said it time and time again, Reggie Watts is the most creative artist alive today. The comedian/singer/poet/beatboxer released a live album recorded in New York's Central Park. What amazes me the most about Watts is it's all improvised. You will never hear him do this material again. He makes beats and pieces together better pop hooks than most people and it's all off the top of his head. If you ever have the opportunity to see him, do it. You will never see another show like it.

Next are five albums that didn't quite make Top 25 but still good enough to mention.  The runner-ups.

26. The xx - Coexist

The xx return with a hotly anticipated sophomore LP. If you enjoyed their quite minimalistic love songs before you're going to love this one as well. More of the same and there isn't anything wrong with that. 

27. Father John Misty - Fear Fun

  Ex-Fleet Fox J. Tillman has released many solo albums before this. All filled with songs of sorrow. However last year he had an epiphany: he's not a sad guy. He released a record under the name Father John Misty filled with fun-loving characters and has now become a much more acclaimed artist. Sometimes to be yourself is to be happy. Fear Fun is a classic California folk-rock album in the making. 

28. Nick Waterhouse - Time's All Gone

Nick Waterhouse is a newcomer to the new-soul movement, although he has been a Echo Park staple in Los Angeles for years. This is the kind of old-school soul music your parents listened to back when vinyl parties were a thing. Time's All Gone can really groove.

29. Liars - WIXIW

Liars have pulled a Radiohead by completely changed their sound for the electronic WIXIW. While it features literally no guitar it's still a fascinating record that gets better with each listen. If I had stumbled upon this earlier in the year it would have probably been higher on this list.

30. BEST REISSUE: Donnie & Joe Emerson - Dreamin' Wild

 One of my favorite record labels Light In The Attic reissued 1979's Dreamin' Wild a yacht rock album filled with sexy slowjams by farmboys Donnie & Joe Emerson. This is the epitome of a lost record. The album's highlight "Baby" has been floating around the indie mixtape ether for years. Even Ariel Pink covered it for his new album. If you like lost relics add this to your Christmas list. 

Well there you have it! I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store. Feel free to comment and share with friends as well as subscribe to me on Spotify. We'll see you in the new year. 

Click here to listen to playlist on Spotify.