Best Music of 2012 - Halftime Report

[troutman]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/turnitup/chi-20120626-top-music-albums-pictures,0,3540139.photogallery

http://arts.nationalpost.com/2012/06/25/the-best-albums-of-2012-so-far-part-1-grimes-jack-white-santigold-and-more/

http://arts.nationalpost.com/2012/06/26/the-best-albums-of-2012-so-far-part-2-cadence-weapon-japandroids-and-more/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/jun/14/best-albums-2012-so-far

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/06/20/top-cds-of-the-year-so-far

http://www.metacritic.com/browse/albums/release-date/new-releases/metascore?view=condensed

[GreenLantern]

I didn't even know the Japandroids put out a new album... Jack White has the best album this year for me so far.

I might have to check out this Killer Mike character as well.

[East Coast Flame]

Grimes - Visions has been my favorite album so far this year.

Jack White, Santigold, Usher, The Temper Trap and Joel Plaskett Emergency also released albums that I really like.

[Tinordi]

Japandroids, Metric, Spiritualized, Sleigh Bells, Maps and Atlases, Tallest Man on Earth are my favourites.

[troutman]

Bidiniband, Bahamas, Plants And Animals, Grimes, Springsteen, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Japandroids, Dexys, Rush, Walkmen, Beach House, Pat Metheny, Aaron Freeman, Lee Ranaldo

[Tinordi]

House that Heaven Built by Japandroids is a great track.

[The Goon]

Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy...

[iLoveLamp]

Japandroids, Cloud Nothings, Beach House, Death Grips, Simian Mobile Disco, Purity Ring, Grimes, Lotus Plaza, Pond, Sleigh Bells, Father John Misty, Die Antwoord, Burial

[macker]

Cloud Nothings, Shearwater, Twin Atlantic, The Maccabees, Dry the River, Beach House.

Concert that would be worth checking out : We are the Augustines opening up for Band of Skulls.

Nothing really stands out too much this year..... I guess that Chill Bump band is kinda neat...

[macker]

House that Heaven Built by Japandroids is a great track.



They should have walked away after No Singles and Post Nothing. Still a good band though......just didn't have much to say after those albums.....

[troutman]

The 25 Best Songs of 2012 (So Far)
www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2012/04/best-songs-of-2012-so-far.html (http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2012/04/best-songs-of-2012-so-far.html)

Stereogum’s Top 25 Music Videos Of 2012 So Far (http://stereogum.com/1042672/stereogums-top-25-music-videos-of-2012-so-far/franchises/listomania/)
http://stereogum.com/1042672/stereogums-top-25-music-videos-of-2012-so-far/franchises/listomania/

The 40 Best Albums of 2012... So Far
http://www.spin.com/gallery/40-best-albums-2012-so-far

[macker]

The 25 Best Songs of 2012 (So Far)
www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2012/04/best-songs-of-2012-so-far.html (http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2012/04/best-songs-of-2012-so-far.html)

Stereogum’s Top 25 Music Videos Of 2012 So Far (http://stereogum.com/1042672/stereogums-top-25-music-videos-of-2012-so-far/franchises/listomania/)
http://stereogum.com/1042672/stereogums-top-25-music-videos-of-2012-so-far/franchises/listomania/

The 40 Best Albums of 2012... So Far
http://www.spin.com/gallery/40-best-albums-2012-so-far



I saw that Paste list earlier this year and I don't think it is updated as most of the comments are from April. The comments usually have more good musical suggestions vs the artual articles. Going to check out the other two links though. Good time of year to search for some new music!!

[macker]

Best Coast : Rhiannon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqdoJOwchqM

Chairlift : I belong in your arms
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_aTOyFRwJ0

Frank Ocean : Pyramids
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqEq28LaNlQ

Chromatics : Lady
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbx8qRg6tPE

Jessie Ware : Running
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvlFWmvgeVI

River Giant : I permute this marriage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls3vSIFxnjM

The Weeknd : The Fall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8m41ujjQ4k

Nichoas Jaar : And I say
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYa4V3a7K2k

Corb Lund : Gettin down on the mountain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uASQgLwaIs

Cedric Watson : Ke Sikeuk Est Leve
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TfaejlIDpQ

[troutman]

Patti Smith, Banga [83]:

http://www.metacritic.com/music/banga

Dexys, One Day I'm Going To Soar [85]:

http://www.metacritic.com/music/one-day-im-going-to-soar

Sugar, Copper Blue, Deluxe Edition [93]:

http://www.metacritic.com/music/copper-blue-deluxe-edition

The debut release of Bob Mould's next band after the end of Hüsker Dü is remastered and reissued. It includes a disc of b-sides, radio sessions, and a 1992 live concert recording from Chicago, as well as a DVD of music videos and interviews.

[woob]

Lovin the Dr. John album.

[Tinordi]

They should have walked away after No Singles and Post Nothing. Still a good band though......just didn't have much to say after those albums.....
Have you listened to the new album? Plenty of new things to say.

[macker]

Have you listened to the new album? Plenty of new things to say.


Considering that it is more of an EP than an album sure I have listened to it and have songs off of it that I have been listening to since September 21, 2010. Not sure if you realize it but Younger Us is a very very old song. Much of the album comes off as old compared to the fresh music they put out 3-4 years ago. Album....er EP is too short imo. Continuous Thunder is about the only song that has made it from from i-Tunes over to my i-Pod. If you like the ablum....great.....it will be short lived.....less than 45 minutes in fact....

[MickMcGeough]

I have nothing of value to add but just wanted the thank the posters here. I've found more good music from this thread than any other source lately.

[Lobotroth]

Has anyone heard the new Smashing Pumpkins album? Any good?

[troutman]

The 25 best-reviewed albums of 2012 so far (min. 15 reviews)

http://www.metacritic.com/feature/best-albums-of-2012-at-midyear

20 Best Songs Of 2012 So Far (http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=147&title=tracks_of_2012&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1)

http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=147&title=tracks_of_2012&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

NPR MUSIC'S 50 FAVORITE SONGS OF 2012 (SO FAR)
http://www.npr.org/2012/06/11/154785665/npr-musics-50-favorite-songs-of-2012-so-far

St. Vincent, "Grot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIL6dN1GR8Y)"
A seething Annie Clark shines a light on her dark side, eschewing sweetly orchestrated pop for ghostly echoes, teeth-gnashing guitar distortion and a powerful growl that will scare your nightmares away.

NPR Music's 25 Favorite Albums Of 2012 (So Far) (http://www.npr.org/2012/06/08/154600951/npr-musics-25-favorite-albums-of-2012-so-far)
http://www.npr.org/series/154926824/2012-our-favorite-music-of-the-year-so-far

[troutman]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/mid-year-report-the-best-albums-of-2012-so-far-20120709

Here's an unranked list of 40 of the year's best albums so far, as selected by Rolling Stone editors

[troutman]

Feist's Metals wins the 2012 Polaris Music Prize


http://music.cbc.ca/#/Radio3/blogs/2012/9/Feists-Metals-wins-the-2012-Polaris-Music-Prize

Grimes should have won the prize IMO.

[Tinordi]

Agreed feist? One of the great things about Polaris was that it wasn't the Grammys.

[macker]

FEIST picked a good year to take advantage of a weak offering for CDN Indie music. Some of the other contenders sounded too dark by the time the summer arrived and didn't have staying power. A few good songs here and there but no solid albums to challenge.


This is the short list : http://www.polarismusicprize.ca/2012/

Cold Specks is an artist to watch but again her album as a whole is not great. Just good.

[East Coast Flame]

I would have gone with Grimes or Japandroids, but Feist is still a good choice. Metals is a pretty fantastic album. I thought this years short list was mostly excellent, and I totally disagree that is has been a week year for Canadian indie.

[troutman]

http://music.cbc.ca/#/blogs/2012/9/Kathleen-Edwardss-stirring-Polaris-Music-Prize-speech

Last night at the Polaris Music Prize gala, Kathleen Edwards delivered a poignant speech on the importance of the Prize to emerging Canadian artists. It was one of the gala's most talked-about moments.

Here's a transcript:

OK, can I say this? The last time I was nominated, I f--king lost. The last time I was nominated they called out all of the nominees and the person who won was the person that I least expected to hear as the winner. And six months later I was sitting in a bar with a friend having a beer and this song came on in the bar that was beautiful and arresting, and I went over to the DJ and asked him what he was playing and he said to me "Caribou."

And I am grateful to the Polaris for creating a conversation about music. And I am grateful to Caribou for making me think about how I hear things. And I am so grateful to Jim Bryson and my band, who are my brothers. And to Patrick, who fights for my records every day. And you know music is like this big commitment that we make in our life because it comes from our heart. And we sacrifice things good and bad to do what we do. And I’m very humbled. And thank you Steve Jordan for creating a vehicle for those of us who don’t want to march in the sh@t parade. And I love my poster! So thanks a lot.

[macker]

Maybe this year Mercury Prize is where it is at?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/9538835/Barclaycard-Mercury-Prize-2012-nominees-in-pictures.html#?frame=2337347

Couple decent albums on the list.