Best Albums of 2012

2012 wasn't a great year for music. Weak years come along every once in a while. But if the year will be remembered for anything, musically, it'll be a transition year. In 2011, The White Stripes, Sonic Youth, and R.E.M. all broke up, among others. 2012 was when newbies came in and tried to take their place, hopping out of the garage or off the mix tape and into the musical circuit. The result was often confusing and lacking in confidence but always surprising.

1. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange. I wasn’t quite sure what album to give the top spot to, but after seeing how this was the consensus choice, there was really no other album deserving. Frank Ocean packs enormous skill and creativity into his second (!) album. His surprisingly unified sound manages to reach everywhere from thick, low funk to light electronic pop to drawn-out ‘80s soul numbers. It will surely be remembered for years to come.

2. Kendrick Lamar, good kid, m.A.A.d. city. Lamar’s a well-known rapper with popular appeal to spare. He compiled his album with producers at the top of their game, giving us great hits like “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” and “Swimming Pools.” But it’s songs like “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst”, a ten-minute freeform track touching on existential dread, societal criticism, and an elaborate baptismal metaphor that show that Lamar is something truly special.

3. Grimes, Visions. Electronic musician Grimes screeches her latest record from a cave of humming bass lines and twitching beats. She milks this contrast like nobody’s business on this repertoire of songs that blend earworm-pop and freeform experimentation flawlessly.

4. Death Grips, The Money Store. I was skeptical about giving rap collective Death Grips a listen- they can be less than eloquent sometimes- but this record blew me away. Their drum beats are some of the most fascinating I’ve ever heard, and their panicked, paranoid performances top it off unbelievably.

5. Jessie Ware, Devotion. I’ve mentioned before that it’s unfortunate that a) Jessie Ware never made it big overseas and b) her music is very hard to find even if you have heard of her. But do take some time to at least find her on YouTube. She’s a real versatile neo-soul treasure. Just give a listen to the three singles off Devotion: “Wildest Moments”, “110%” and “Running”. Each of them could be from a completely different artist, but they all work spectacularly.

6. Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel. Critics had a lot to say about pop eccentric Fiona Apple’s latest album, and I’m not sure that I have much to add, so I’ll just say this: Simple, sparse, and bare make beautiful bedfellows.

7. Anaïs Mitchell, Young Man in America. Singer-songwriter Mitchell has composed a record of truly fascinating ballads and soft, careful love songs all wrapped together by their prayer-like quality. She looks, repeatedly, at the destruction of traditional life in a calm and mournful manner.

8. Punch Brothers, Who’s Feeling Young Now? The Punch Brothers, an experimental bluegrass (yes, that’s a thing) collective, burst out of the monotony of modern country with songs that sound a bit like Philip Glass picked up a banjo. One of the most interesting songs on the record is a bluegrass interpretation of Radiohead’s electronic instrumental “Kid A” made with no electronics at all.

9. Dirty Projectors, Swing Lo Magellan. Okay, it’s not as fun as Dirty Projectors’ 2009 masterpiece Bitte Orca. It lacks the all-out insanity that makes it fun to listen to. But even a stripped-down version of the band and their trademark off-center art-rock is worth a good listen.

10. Shovels & Rope, O’ Be Joyful. Listening to South Carolina folk-rock duo Shovels & Rope is a bit like watching a home video of the White Stripes as children. They don’t have the rock, or expansiveness of sound, but they’ve got all the charisma and country-fried attitude to make a fascinating acoustic record.

Future Greatness Award: Alt-J, An Awesome Wave. The Future Greatness award goes to an album that I can best see topping this chart in a few years. Alt-J’s debut record was messy and uncertain, but even considering that, their talent shone through.  Their odd time structures, quirky instrumentation, and hook-based vocals could one day coalesce into a psychedelic masterpiece.