#8 - David Byrne and St. Vincent – Love This Giant

#8 - David Byrne and St. Vincent – Love This Giant

Every now and then this feels like a David Byrne record. Other times it feels like a St. Vincent album. More than anything, it feels like a proper collaboration with two great artists. Annie Clark and David Byrne pass the lead back and forth so well, it never feels like one is outshining the other. It works so well, that it seems like a no-brainer they would choose to make this record.  

That’s the odd thing too. When Love This Giant was announced, it seemed a bit like a gimmick. After listening though, that skepticism melted away with each song. 

Not that it should have come as much of a surprise. 

St. Vincent albums are usually a pretty fun mix of different tempos and styles. The same could be said for almost everything David Byrne has done in his long career. Shame on me for batting a lash when this record crossed my path.

 

Top Tracks: Lazarus, Who,Weekend in the Dust, I am an Ape

#9 – Real Estate – Days

#9 – Real Estate – Days

Yup, an album from 2011 is on my top records of 2012 list. So sue me. Here’s the deal; I don’t work for Rolling Stone, I think the people at Pitchfork would actually respect a choice this pretentious, and Consequence of Sound? Well, they’re still waiting by the phone waiting for Frank Ocean to call.

Days is one of my favourite surf-rock records since the Beach Boys stopped delivering. It has everything you need; long dreamy riffs, daydream-inducing lyrics, and more. Seriously, take this to the beach with you and stare at waves. It just sounds like what summer should.

OK, no more cheating. The rest are all from 2012. I promise. 

Top Tracks: Easy , Out of Tune , Wonder Years  , All the Same

#10 – Sharon Van Etten – Tramp

#10 – Sharon Van Etten – Tramp

One of those records where you find yourself searching why you love it so much. There’s always that one little thing you can’t quite put your finger on. It’s not incredibly unique, if anything it has a bit of a familiarity to it. But that’s not to say it isn’t original or even half-assed. 

At the core of Tramp, is Van Etten’s ability to write a strong song.  Some begin in the throes of heavy layers, others are bare and build up to it. Then there’s Joke or a Lie which drifts by dreamily with Van Etten’s soft voice guiding it along. She has one of those charming abilities to belt out lyrics or simply let them escape her lungs. One of my favourite lyrics of the entire year is found on the second track: “You’re the reason why I’ll move to the city, or why I’ll need to leave.”   

Then there’s the back-up. Featuring the likes of Beirut, the National, and Walkmen – quite possibly the reason Tramp feels so familiar. But in such a good way. 

Top Tracks: Serpents http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYgyQ20TJAs , Give Out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exJ3AG0JIeo , In Line http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRSD3l6ie1M  , We Are Fine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0B33EX5R5Y 

The Top Albums of 2012 

I get it, I really do. I do not spend nearly enough time on here actually posting anything. If I have one excuse, it's that I now write for a living. Finishing that only to add more on here, just feels...well, like more work!

But that is not to say I haven't been listening. In almost every waking minute, I have perked up my ears and enjoyed what 2012 had to offer. Hell, I even went back to 2011 and found far too many records I missed that year.

As always, this list is of course my preferences. You may not agree with them all. In fact, I almost guarantee that you will not. But my biggest goal, like in year's past, is to help you find something you may not have listened to this year. And even more so, find out what I missed so I can enjoy it in the new one.

If those wacky Mayan's were right, we're going to have one hell of a soundtrack when all that fire and brimstone starts raining down from the sky!

- MWB

Top Albums #1 - Destroyer – Kaputt

When I played this record at my cottage this summer, both of my parents said it sounded like the eighties. Another description I’ve heard is “sad disco music.” I think both of them work quite well at summing up what Kaputt is all about. 

The strength behind this album is in its mysterious familiarity. Like other albums this year, the charm comes from the melody - but also that one thing you can't quite figure out.

The fun really comes into play when you begin to catch some of the themes in the subtext. At first I thought I was listening to the same song twice – but when I realized what Dan Bejar had actually done, it just made me smile. The songs aren’t repetitive, they’re fluid. 

Kaputt is one of those records that will really stand the test of time. It could be because of its drawing on the past to do so, but it does it so well that it's hard to believe it took this long for it to be written.

Favourite Tracks -Chinatown http://tinyurl.com/4rl23wn , Kaputt http://tinyurl.com/7drrq7d , Savage Night the the Opera http://tinyurl.com/6s8eee4

Top Albums # 2 - Bon Iver – S/T

One of the things I love most about new music is seeing where musicians decide to take the genre. In this record's case, it’s like there was a fork in the road. In many ways Bon Iver is going forward, but I also heard a huge nod to the past.

For the longest time I would listen to it and try and put my finger on what I found so familiar. Finally it dawned on me that it was everything. I heard sprinkles of Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, and even a little Peter Gabriel-era Genesis. That sounds like a ridiculous concoction – but it works because it’s Bon Iver.

While I loved For Emma Forever Ago, I actually find this follow-up far more accessible. The falsetto is still there, but Justin Vernon reminds us that he actually has quite a deep singing voice too. Because of that change in tone, it breaks up the album a lot more, helping your ear follow along. Both the lyrics and instruments, while still wistful and melancholic are more upbeat this time around as well.

It’s a no-brainer that being happy and mono-free should make your music sound lofty. Thankfully Vernon's good health does a huge credit to Bon Iver’s music.

Favourite Tracks: Calgary http://tinyurl.com/7cb62sm , Perth http://tinyurl.com/4ynjjye , Wash. http://tinyurl.com/3m6rl6z