Finally, it’s time for the annual playlist that caps off my countdown. Rather than do a ranking of favorite songs, I choose to compile what I think is a good representation for the year in music, all on an 80 minute CD-R. This year, many of my favorite songs were just too long to fit on this mix, (“Pyramids”, “Wasted Days”, “Hey Jane”, “Nothin’ But Time”, etc…) and of course I always have to leave off some of my favorites because of dead time in the track due to production techniques of its respective album.
Other notes: I managed to squeeze 20 tracks onto this years mix, up one from 2011. The lowest ranked album that has a song appear on the mix comes from an album I didn’t really care for, Port of Morrow by The Shins which was my #63 album of the year. In addition to that track, there are 3 other songs coming from albums outside my top 25. There are nine tracks representing my #11-#25 albums, and 7 tracks from my top 10 albums. As usual, the order of the Mixtape is not a ranking, but rather an order based on how the song appears on its respective album.
Below, you’ll see the tracklist, and after the jump you can listen to every track if you so choose. If you happen to be a Spotify user, I’ve also created a Spotify playlist of my Mixtape (not including “Wildest Moments” and “Tallulah” due to them not being available on Spotify), which you can link to below. Also included is a link to my Amazon.com list which has my entire top 25 albums of the year, nice and neat in a one page form (as well as access to my all my lists since 2001). And finally, for the 5th straight year I give thanks to Amy Boyd for providing me with the album art for my Mixtape. She’s now a Pentagram employee, making this album art the most legit thing on my blog right now.
So, there you have it for 2012. I’m already 3 albums into my 2013 releases, so if you’ll excuse me I’ve got some listening to do.
#5) Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory [Carpark Records; released 1/24/2012]
“I thought I would be more than this.”
“Wasted Days”
Remember emo? And I mean early 90’s emo, when it was an abrasive almost post-punk genre and before the likes of Dashboard Confessional co-opted it into their own brand of ooey gooey breakup songs. No? Well, considering Dylan Baldi, lead singer of the Cleveland Ohio four-piece Cloud Nothings, is only 20 years old, chances are he doesn’t either. But with Attack on Memory, his sophomore album, he could’ve fooled me. In a year when indie-rock got a nice kick in the ass from noisy, guitar drenched rock, Cloud Nothings started it all off in January when Attack On Memory was released to jaw dropping acclaim with its raw, youthful exuberance and intense darkness. But Attack On Memory isn’t just noisy, it’s damn catchy too, filled to the brim with hooks and melodies that channel some of those early 90’s emo/indie-rock acts like Fugazi, Braid, and Sunny Day Real Estate just to name a few. 90’s revivalism is something we’ve seen a good bit of in the last couple years, and whether intentional or not, Cloud Nothings have created an album that might be the flag bearer for that movement.
[“Wasted Days” – Attack on Memory]
#4) Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel…[Epic; released 6/19/2012]
“How can I ask anyone to love me when all I do is beg to be alone?”
“Left Alone”
Seven years in the making, Apple’s fourth album, The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do (so yeah, let’s just go with The Idler Wheel…) might be her most striking album yet. The completely acoustic album is full of stripped down tension filled songs which serve her well by conveying a feeling of intimacy almost like she’s playing them just for you. These 10 tracks are a cathartic release for Apple, delving into her psyche in ways that has always characterized her music to this point, but on The Idler Wheel… she’s managed to expose herself in an even greater light by crafting such personal and poetic songs enhanced by idiosyncratic production techniques but certainly not devoid of melody. Apple’s albums are such an emotional release for her that you can understand the amount of time that lapses between releases and while it would be nice to get more Fiona Apple songs on a regular basis, we are all better off by waiting for what her catharsis dictates.
[“Werewolf” – The Idler Wheel]
#3) Japandroids – Celebration Rock [Polyvinyl; released 6/5/2012]
“When they love you (and they will), tell them all they’ll love in my shadow. And if they try to slow you down, tell them all to go to hell.”
“The House That Heaven Built”
The power of rock ‘n roll, man, that’s what this album is about. In a year searching for music that reaffirms the saving grace of rock music, Celebration Rock is it. And to think, this album almost didn’t even happen. In 2008, after a couple EP releases, Japandroids had just about given up and decided to release their debut LP Post Nothing and call it quits. What they didn’t expect was the amount of critical acclaim that album would garner (including a spot in my top 25 in 2009) which in turn lead to a renewed enthusiasm which is evident all throughout Celebration Rock. The Canadian duo produces in your face rock anthems with a celebratory spirit so palpable, you’d be hard pressed not to fistpump and sing-along to every “whoa ohhh ohhhh!” even at your most mundane moments. This is such a powerful and affecting listen with lyrics that in other hands might come across cheesy (“We don’t cry for those nights to arrive / We yell like hell to the heavens!”), but with these guys come across as inspirational. Celebration Rock, indeed.
[“The House That Heaven Built” – Celebration Rock]
#2) Grizzly Bear – Shields [Warp; released 9/18/2012]
“But I can’t help myself.”
“Sleeping Ute”
A few months ago a friend of mine asked me for some music recommendations and I told her about the new Grizzly Bear album. She made the point that she gets nervous when a great band releases a new album because she’s worried of a let down. I reassured her that in this case, she had nothing to worry about. With Shields, not only has Grizzly Bear wonderfully followed up their magnificent album Veckatimest (my 2009 album of the year), but they have one-upped it by crafting the best album of their career. There’s just something to be said for a band on top of their game, and right now I don’t know if there is another band on the level of this Brooklyn four-piece. Every single member contributes in ways we haven’t really seen before, and it’s in that synergy that Shields excels in its cohesiveness and sheer compositional beauty. Songwriters Ed Droste and Daniel Rossen seem to have peaked in a way that compliments each other perfectly, and at times Christopher Bear absolutely steals the show with his percussion (See “Sleeping Ute” and “Yet Again”), but at no time does any of this sound like it’s all thrown together, a testament to producer (and bassist) Chris Taylor. This is exquisite chamber pop produced in meticulous detail but completely natural, a remarkable album that shows Grizzly Bear has become the kind of band where you shouldn’t be nervous about a let down, but rather anxious for what they can accomplish next.
[“Yet Again” – Shields]
#1) Frank Ocean – Channel Orange [Def Jam; released 7/17/2012]
“Do you not think so far ahead? Cause I been thinkin bout forever.”
“Thinkin Bout You”
A few weeks prior to the release of his first proper album, Frank Ocean posted the liner notes of Channel Orange on his tumlbr, including a letter detailing his first love, which just happened to be an unrequited relationship with a man. This was a way to get out in front of all the questions that would undoubtedly surface once Channel Orange dropped and the lyrical analysis would begin. (Most specifically on emotional juggernaut “Bad Religion”, which details the aforementioned unrequited love in stunning fashion.) Keeping in mind Frank Ocean is part of a hip-hop community unfortunately known for its homophobia, his declaration of sexual preference was as significant as any moment that happened in the music industry in 2012. It’s in this intimacy and bravery that takes Channel Orange from a very good R&B album to a timeless classic.
The personal nature of Ocean’s songwriting is seen throughout all of Channel Orange in songs that capture his honesty, but are also some of the finest examples of alternative R&B, with their smooth yet unconventional structures. One of my favorite moments on any album this year comes not during a song, but during the transition between tracks. After a surprisingly bearable John Mayer solo that closes out my song of the year “Pyramids”, we’ve just been put through the ringer by the album’s 10-minute centerpiece, but not to be left off the hook, we’re directly led into the catchy beats of “Lost” and immediately re-immersed in this world Ocean has created. The wittiness and pure talent is in no short supply on Channel Orange (his voice on “Thinkin Bout You” is an absolute revelation), and while for the most part these are complex tunes not really built for radio play, their heart and power is something that can’t be ignored. Channel Orange feels like more than just an album, it feels like a groundbreaking moment in music history, not only a career defining masterpiece for Frank Ocean, but a genre defining work of art.
#10) Passion Pit – Gossamer [Columbia; released 7/24/2012]
“I won’t let you go unless I’ll be alright.”
“I’ll Be Alright”
What sets Passion Pit apart from their electro-pop peers is their ability to create seemingly superficial songs that when unpacked reveal so much more about its authors. This is no more evident than on Gossamer, the Massachusetts band’s sophomore album, which is chock full of songs that can be easily enjoyed on the surface, but when delved deeper into become the revelations of a man battling his own personal demons. Once you get past opener “Take A Walk” which is a pretty straightforward radio pop song with some pretty weak lyrics, the journey inside lead singer Michael Angelakos’s mind begins and the true soul of Gossamer comes to the forefront. Angelakos is currently battling a severe bipolar disorder, something he has been struggling with since the age of 18, and his interview with Pitchfork is an eye opening look into his depression which puts this album in a new light. It’s a wonder Gossamer was even made at all, but when listened to in the context of what a painstaking process it must’ve been, we can enjoy this album (and band) for the elegance of its voice and not just music.
[“I’ll Be Alright” – Gossamer]
#9) Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan[Domino; released 7/10/2012]
“I haven’t found it, but I will keep dancing until I do.”
“Dance For You”
Here’s a fun fact: Ferdinand Magellan himself never actually circumnavigated the Earth, yet he is still given credit for being the first to accomplish the feat. (His expedition made it, but he was killed prior to making it back to Spain.) It’s still an important moment in our world’s history and one that deserves accolades, but also something that we can only fully appreciate once we dig deeper into finding the whole story. With Swing Lo Magellan, Dave Longstreth’s brand of avant-garde rock is getting credit for being his most accessible album to date, which is probably true, but I’m here to tell you, this is still a very complex and weird album, one that doesn’t require deeper listening to enjoy, but can be appreciated all the more when doing so.
[“Gun Has No Trigger” – Swing Lo Magellan]
#8) Tame Impala – Lonerism [Modular; released 10/9/2012]
“I just don’t know where the hell I belong.”
“Mind Mischief”
You know Australia, all tucked away down there? That’s where Tame Impala, the psych-rock project of Kevin Parker, calls home – Perth, more specifically. And judging by the themes of loneliness seen throughout his fantastic sophomore release, the aptly titled Lonerism, Australia’s isolation to the rest of the world is wearing a bit on Parker as his introspective thoughts serve as a perfect backdrop to an album that so perfectly captures a sense of alienation and what it really entails. Appropriately enough, Lonerism is a headphones album, one to be enjoyed in the joy of your own solitude and not really in the car with windows down and hair blowing in the wind. However, this is still an accessible album, full of rich melodies channeling 70’s pop with too many influences to name, best exemplified in “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” and “Elephant”. Whereas a song like “Mind Mischief” creates an almost atmospheric listen thanks to the hypnotic grooves that close out the track. Introversion has never been more mesmerizing.
[“Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” – Lonerism]
#7) The Men – Open Your Heart [Sacred Bones; released 3/6/2012]
“I wanna see you write a love song. I wanna see you going down. I wanna see you when you try so hard. I wanna see you when you turn it around.”
“Turn It Around”
The Men are a quartet out of Brooklyn, which is part of what makes Open Your Heart so refreshing, because it absolutely rocks – a quality that’s been missing from the Brooklyn music scene, which churns out band after band of innovative indie-rock groups. These songs are loud, heavy, full of hooks, and completely lacking pretention, something that can’t be said of many of The Men’s Brooklyn counterparts. In a year where I found myself bored by much of the same, Open Your Heart was an album necessary to reinvigorate a genre in need of a jolt.
[“Open Your Heart” – Open Your Heart]
#6) Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d. city [Aftermath; released 10/22/2012]
“I am a sinner who’s probably gonna sin again.”
“Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe”
This is the highest I’ve ever had a rap album place on my albums of the year list, which should give you an idea of the quality of good kid, m.A.A.d. city, Kendrick Lamar’s sophomore album and major label debut on Dr Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment. Lamar subtitled this album “A Short Film By Kendrick Lamar” and it’s in that narrative where it really gains its power, not just the subtle, down-tempo beats and restrained production. This is a semi-autobiographical story of Lamar’s upbringing in Compton, CA and it offers a fascinating look at how family, religion, gangs, drugs, and even hip-hop can all tug a kid in different directions growing up in the streets. This album is a tour de force in creating a concept album and having it remain grounded in its own reality. It’s an album best appreciated as a true album, as the songs lose some of their power when not listened within the context of the story Lamar is developing. Case in point is “Backseat Freestyle” which taken on its own falls into the typical hip-hop tropes of money, power and misogyny, but in the context of the narrative, it becomes a satirical look at hip-hop and the dreams it promises young kids hoping to break into the industry. Kendrick Lamar has created as remarkable of an achievement I can ever recall hearing out of a concept album and one whose significance in the rap community really shouldn’t be understated, ya bish?
The Countdown can now begin with my 15 albums that make up #11 through #25. There’s really no logic governing which albums I chose to do a write up for here. I didn’t want to write something about all of them, but felt like a few deserved a little blurb.
#25) Titus Andronicus – Local Business
Titus Andronicus’s previous album was my 2010 album of the year and quite possibly my favorite album of the last half-decade, so a let down was to be expected on their follow up release. Local Business certainly doesn’t reach the heights of The Monitor but there’s no shame in that, especially when Patrick Sickles and crew continue to pump out punk-rock anthems few bands can match. With a smaller cast of musicians, Titus has tightened up a good bit musically leading to maybe the most radio friendly track they’ve produced in “In A Big City” and a focused set of songs without sacrificing their spontaneity. The album opens with the line “I think by now we’ve established everything is inherently worthless / and there’s nothing in the universe with any kind of objective purpose”, so their nihilistic world view remains in full force, but there probably isn’t a better example of a band today who believes rock ‘n roll might just be powerful enough to reverse that thinking.
[“In A Big City” – Local Business]
#24) Animal Collective – Centipede HZ
#23) Chairlift – Something
The second album from the Brooklyn duo is a polished set of synth laden indie-pop songs which could be used as a shining example of how to create such music. This is just plain an enjoyable album full of exquisite pop songs carried by the voice of Caroline Polacheck but built around catchy melodies and an 80’s nostalgic vibe. In no song is this more evident than in the glorious “I Belong In Your Arms” which feels ripped directly from a John Hughes teen flick. Something is accessible enough to get immediately immersed in, but complex enough to not come across superficial. It’s a confident and elegant release that announces Chairlift as a pop band not to be forgotten.
[“I Belong In Your Arms” – Something]
#22) Alabama Shakes – Boys & Girls
#21) Jessie Ware – Devotion
#20) Allo Darlin’ – Europe
London-based Allo Darlin’s second album of sophisticated indie-pop is a step forward for the Elizabeth Morris fronted group. On Europe, Morris has penned songs more maudlin than twee which serves her well as it gives these songs a depth that puts Allo Darlin’ in the same breadth as Belle & Sebastian or better yet, Camera Obscura. The songs are instantly memorable but have a heartfelt sensibility allowing for a stunning ukulele soliloquy “Tallulah” to stop the listener dead in his or her tracks. “Tallulah” is the kind of song that can completely overshadow an album, and as one of the best songs of the year, it does that to an extent. But that’s more a testament to its greatness and not the quality of the other songs on Europe. Start to finish, this is an album of infectious brit-pop overflowing with warmth and richness.
[“Tallulah” – Europe]
#19) The Mountain Goats – Transcendental Youth
#18) Twin Shadow – Confess
Another notch in the bedpost of 80’s pop revivalism, Brooklyn’s Twin Shadow has created another nostalgic album channeling 80’s pop mainstays from The Police to Prince. The brainchild behind Twin Shadow is Dominican born George Lewis Jr, and for Confess, Lewis fully embraced his 80’s persona churning out song after song of new wave synth-pop that instantly conjures images an era he clearly reveres. Whether it’s the power ballad of “Be Mine Tonight” or the driving rhythm and guitar hooks of “Five Seconds”, Lewis unabashed esteem for 80’s pop is clearly on display, but in no way ironic. Sure, the stylization may be a little on the nose and contrived (I mean, just look at that album cover), but who cares when the music is crafted so masterfully.
[“Five Seconds” – Confess]
#17) Father John Misty – Fear Fun
#16) Grimes – Visions
The eccentricities of Claire Boucher really can’t be discussed without first mentioning her failed attempt to house-boat down the Mississippi River, an example of her ambitious confidence that is scattered all throughout her breakthrough album Visions. Listening to this hodgepodge of an album, it’s hard to nail down a specific genre Grimes is conveying as the tunes are an eclectic mix of influences yet somehow incredibly cohesive. But when she’s writing more straightforward electro-pop songs, the results are breathtaking, as seen on “Genesis” and “Oblivion”, a couple early album stunners that showcase her knack for melody and sweetness with an underlying darkness, intensity, and well, feminism. Visions is one of the most original albums of the year from an artist allowing us a peek inside the workings of her idiosyncratic mind.
[“Genesis” – Visions]
#15) Beach House – Bloom
#14) The Walkmen – Heaven
#13) Spiritualized – Sweet Heart Sweet Light
#12) Swans – The Seer
Adjectives that can be used to Swans monumental, career defining album: Dark. Heavy. Intense. Powerful. Terrifying. Progressive. Experimental. Challenging. Demanding. Exhausting. Ambitious. Beautiful. Atmospheric. Brutal. Bleak. Immense. Bold. Epic. Triumphant. Brilliant. I could go on…
[“Lunacy” – The Seer]
#11) Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
The third album from Van Etten is her best work yet featuring guest spots from Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner, Beirut’s Zach Condon, and The Walkmen’s Matt Barrick, to name a few, but the smartest move she made was in recruiting The National’s Aaron Dessner to produce these 12 tracks. (Dessner’s brother, Bryce, also appears on lead single “Serpents”.) Dessner takes Van Etten’s folk tunes to new levels of significance fully realizing her songwriting potential as well as emphasizing her voice and emotional depth of her music.
Let’s get things started with my Honorable Mentions for 2012. These are not necessarily albums 26-30, but rather just some albums that I think deserve extra attention to for one reason or another.
———-
Purity Ring – Shrines
The highly anticipated debut from Purity Ring is a form of synth-pop that is hard to find equal comparisons to in the electronic world. It’s dark, yet remains undeniably sweet thanks to the vocals of Megan James. The beats of Corin Roddick tend toward hip-hop club jams yet create a dreamy ambiance leading to a rather mesmerizing listen. The Montreal duo could use a little more variation in their tunes as the songs are quite samey and run together when listened as an album, but as interesting as these songs are, it’s quite forgivable on such an arresting debut.
[“Fineshrine” – Shrines]
———-
The Menzingers – On The Impossible Past
The third album from the Pennsylvania punk band was not even close to being on my radar when I decided to give it a go based on its Metacritic score of 93 (!), and even though I had my reservations, I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the songs that this group features throughout On The Impossible Past. There’s no denying the catchiness of the songs, but lyrically this is some heavy, introspective stuff that truly sets The Menzingers apart from their pop-punk peers. The substance behind these songs is very refreshing to see in this genre. Normally hearing a line such as “I will fuck this up / I fucking know it” rings hollow, but with these guys, in this context, it meaningful and earnest.
[“The Obituaries” – On The Impossible Past]
———-
Jens Lekman – I Know What Love Isn’t
I Know What Love Isn’t is the long awaited follow up LP to the excellent Night Falls Over Kortedala (one of my favorite albums of 2007), and while it lacks the immediacy of it’s predecessor, this is still a testament to Lekman’s honest and literate songwriting. Known for the personal and humorous essence of his lyrics, Lekman doesn’t hold back on these tunes crafting a break-up album full of his precious charm that has always characterized his music to this point in his career. The heart put into his tunes has never been more evident than on the title track, a song about a sham marriage that Lekman couldn’t go through because he knew he wouldn’t be able to help himself from writing about it. It that kind of the auto-biographical inspiration that makes his music such a rewarding listen.
[“I Know What Love Isn’t” – I Know What Love Isn’t]
———-
David Byrne & St. Vincent – Love This Giant
The collaboration between David Byrne and St Vincent is a partnership that just makes sense. The two share eccentric song writing techniques but do enough different to be able to compliment each other in a way that the songs will sound natural in their production while still feeling like something new. Love This Giant succeeds in doing just that. The poppy funkiness of Byrne meshes quite well with St Vincent’s patented anxiousness creating an album of weird but inviting songs that while predictable in their execution are no less inspired and enjoyable.
[“Who” – Love This Giant]
———-
Cat Power – Sun
Chan Marshall’s first album since 2006’s fantastic The Greatest sees the artist infuse electronic influences in some of the most confident music of her career. Self-recorded, Sun may be best remembered more for bankrupting Marshall, rather than the 11 pop gems strewn throughout. It’s a beautifully produced album showcasing just enough of Marshall’s quirks (the squawk of an eagle on “Cherokee” is one of the highlights) while remaining fully in control of her craft. It all comes together in the 10 minute track “Nothin’ But time”, an epic, uplifting, David Bowie tinged (and Iggy Pop featuring) masterpiece which will go down as one of the finest songs of her career.
[“Nothin’ But Time” – Sun]
Dishonorable Mentions:
The past few years, I’ve struggled calling the albums I place here dishonorable mentions, as calling them bad was kind of harsh. This year, however, I have no qualms calling these three albums Dishonorable mentions with a capital D.
Best Coast – The Only Place
In 2010, Best Coast released their debut album featuring lo-fi beach pop, filled with catchy melodies which helped it garner an honorable mention from me. The issue with Best Coast has always been Bethany Cosentino’s juvenile lyrics but the music had just enough charm that it was easy to give them a pass. However, on The Only Place, Cosentino has decided to polish her sound and change gears into a more alt-country vibe in the vein of Neko Case or Jenny Lewis. Problem is, she has no where near the songwriting chops of her peers (or the pipes) to make this type of music interesting at all. And with that, her horrid lyrics come to the forefront, no longer shielded by good tunes. The Only Place is a rather large miscalculation and one that I don’t really even care if she recovers from.
[“The Only Place” – The Only Place]
———-
Band of Horses – Mirage Rock
When Band of Horses first broke onto the scene in 2006 with their stunning debut Everything All The Time, Ben Bridwell and company were a Seattle based band with southern roots. This allowed for an intriguing sound which fused northwest indie-rock with southern rock all the while transcending both genres. Prior to recording the band’s second album, the very good Cease to Begin, Bridwell relocated the group to South Carolina and the southern rock influences started to take over. The band’s lineup changed (Bridwell is the only remaining original member), and in 2010 the group released Infinite Arms which signaled a shift to easy listening southern rock. Its follow up, Mirage Rock, is the culmination of the post-Everything All The time efforts. It does not work. At. All. This music is so bland, inconsequential and unmemorable that it leaves absolutely no lasting mark on the listener, unless you count “Dumpster World” which is one of the worst songs I heard all year. The quality of music has diminished with every release of Band of Horses, and now that this is essentially Bridwell’s middling southern rock band, I don’t see it getting any better. For the record, of the 71 albums I got this year, this one ranked dead last on my list.
[“Knock Knock” – Mirage Rock]
———-
Mumford & Sons – Babel
When Mumford & Sons released their debut album Sigh No More in 2010, I voiced concerns over songs that I felt were formulaic and inauthentic. It wasn’t enough to completely turn me off to the group, but it was enough to raise some red flags. However, on their follow up album Babel, the band doubled down on everything that made Sigh No More worrisome, thus validating all of my concerns. The songs remain generic in their structure, and there is a faux-earnesty that I just can’t shake when listening to the tunes. Strumming harder and singing louder in the midst of a hoedown isn’t the only way to convey passion and when you do it on practically EVERY SINGLE SONG it loses all meaning and displays a forced emotion that comes across fake and insincere.
One of my least favorite parts of Sigh No More comes in “Little Lion Man” when Mumford self-righteously moans “I really fucked it up this time” as if admitting what an asshole he is deserves a pat on the back and admonishes him of all guilt. So when we come to “Broken Crown” on Babel, and Mumford declares “I took the road and I fucked it all away”, I can’t help but let out an eye roll Liz Lemon would be proud of. It’s disingenuous and just plain pandering to a fanbase he knows will eat this shit up. And pandering is possibly the best way to describe Babel. The band tested many of these songs in their shows, all coming on the heels of stating they were going a different direction with their music on this follow up album. But, of course, the success of Sigh No More wouldn’t allow such a thing, and so we’re left with an album full of the same indulgent drivel that not only fails on its own merits, but also retroactively makes their debut an increasingly grating listen.
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2012 has come and gone, and as I look back on the year in music my main thought is “meh”. That’s not to say there weren’t some good albums, there were quite a few actually. There just weren’t a high number of albums I could call great. All in all, I consider it a solid, but not spectacular year in music. Part of this thinking may come from my own personal preferences, as I found myself just plain bored by many releases this year. That’s the reason you may find this list a bit more eclectic than usual, which in the long run is probably a good thing for my musical evolution.
This past year I purchased, in some form, 77 albums…71 of which are eligible. I do not include EPs, Reissues, Soundtracks, Live Albums, Holiday Albums, or B-Side/Rarity type releases as albums eligible for my list. As always, there’s plenty of albums that I never got around to procuring, so yes, there’s going to be very worthy albums that don’t make my list. So if you have a question as to why your favorite album isn’t on my list, well it’s because I either didn’t get it, or just plain didn’t like it as much as you…simple as that. After the jump, you can see the list of all albums I purchased, in order of release date. Also, over to the right, you can see the schedule over the next few days as I continue the countdown.
Posted by Hawkins 
A Round of Sound 
