The year isn’t half over yet. We know that. But since everyone starts unveiling their year-end lists in November, we figured we wouldn’t be too far out of pocket if we unveiled our favorites of the 2012 calendar year the week before Memorial Day.
Our favorite album of the year (so far) is the one on which a talented young band teamed up with a production hero of the ’90s and immersed themselves in the decade’s hard, chunky, scraping, anthemic rock music. There’s no drift at all in Cloud Nothings’ Attack On Memory — just forward drive, rendered with style and conviction. That same Clinton-era ferocity is on display in a bunch of the other albums that appear on this list. Japandroids, Screaming Females both ran with it, and so, in their own ways, did Torche and Ceremony. Other albums don’t necessarily draw on that decade’s style, but they do sprint into chaotic combat in refreshingly concrete ways: El-P, Sleigh Bells, Killer Mike, Death Grips.
But it doesn’t make too much sense to impose a narrative on this list. There’s plenty of druggy float in the albums from Beach House and Future and the Chromatics, and plenty of glamorous sheen in the records from Chairlift and Rick Ross and Kindness. The albums that appear on our list don’t really share too much in common, except this: They’re all deeply personal, idiosyncratic visions. That, and we like all of them. Check out our list below.
STEREOGUM’S TOP 25 ALBUMS OF 2012 SO FAR
25 Heems – Nehru Jackets (Greedhead)
24 Ceremony – Zoo (Matador)
23 Willis Earl Beal – Acousmatic Sorcery (Hot Charity/XL)
22 Grimes – Visions (4AD/Arbutus)
21 Kindness – World You Need A Change Of Mind (Polydor/Female Energy)
20 Spiritualized – Sweet Heart Sweet Light (Fat Possum)
19 Chromatics – Kill For Love (Italians Do It Better)
18 Death Grips – The Money Store (Epic)
17 Frankie Rose – Interstellar (Slumberland)
16 Tanlines – Mixed Emotions (True Panther)
15 Torche – Harmonicraft (Volcom)
14 Lotus Plaza – Spooky Action At A Distance (Kranky)
13 Julia Holter – Ekstasis (Rvng Intl.)
12 Action Bronson & Party Supplies – Blue Chips (self-released)
11 Killer Mike – R.A.P. Music (Williams Street)
10 Future – Pluto (Epic/A1/Free Bandz)
09 Sleigh Bells – Reign Of Terror (Mom + Pop)
08 Rick Ross – Rich Forever (Maybach Music)
07 Screaming Females – Ugly (Don Giovanni)
06 El-P – Cancer For Cure (Fat Possum)
05 Beach House – Bloom (Sub Pop)
04 Japandroids – Celebration Rock (Polyvinyl)
03 Chairlift – Something (Columbia)
02 The Walkmen – Heaven (Fat Possum)
01 Cloud Nothings – Attack On Memory (Carpark)
//
Here’s that list in a more scannable format:
25 Heems – Nehru Jackets
24 Ceremony – Zoo
23 Willis Earl Beal – Acousmatic Sorcery
22 Grimes – Visions
21 Kindness – World You Need A Change Of Mind
20 Spiritualized – Sweet Heart Sweet Light
19 Chromatics – Kill For Love
18 Death Grips – The Money Store
17 Frankie Rose – Interstellar
16 Tanlines – Mixed Emotions
15 Torche – Harmonicraft
14 Lotus Plaza – Spooky Action At A Distance
13 Julia Holter – Ekstasis
12 Action Bronson & Party Supplies – Blue Chips
11 Killer Mike – R.A.P. Music
10 Future – Pluto
09 Sleigh Bells – Reign Of Terror
08 Rick Ross – Rich Forever
07 Screaming Females – Ugly
06 El-P – Cancer For Cure
05 Beach House – Bloom
04 Japandroids – Celebration Rock
03 Chairlift – Something
02 The Walkmen – Heaven
01 Cloud Nothings – Attack On Memory
//
As always, coming up with the master countdown meant leaving out some personal favorites of our four staff members. Here are those…
HONORABLE MENTIONS
SCOTT
01 Sun Kil Moon – Among The Leaves
02 Wymond Miles – Under The Pale Moon
03 Field Music – Plumb
04 Moonface With Sinai – Bravery
05 Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
AMRIT
01 Mount Eerie – Clear Moon
02 Vijay Iyer – Accelerando
03 PO PO – Dope Boy Magick
04 John Talabot – ƒIN
05 The Men – Open Your Heart
TOM
01 Jack White – Blunderbuss
02 Schoolboy Q – Habits & Consequences
03 Tragedy – Darker Days Ahead
04 Killa Kyleon & Mouse – Welcome To The Fish Fry
05 Split Cranium – Split Cranium
CORBAN
01 Lil B – God’s Father
02 THEESatisfaction – awE naturalE
03 Chief Keef – Back From The Dead
04 Best Coast – The Only Place
05 Rye Rye – Go! Pop! Bang!
//
That’s a solid chunk of the year’s most notable releases to date, though obviously not all of them. Feel free to nominate those that we missed.
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That moment when you start to reconsider when you say Pitchfork doesn’t have criteria…
First Aid Kit’s album The Lion’s Roar is still my number one so far.
No love for Polica?
i mean, it’s not technically out for 5 more days, but since it’s already streaming on NPR, and it’s also an incredibly piece of work: What We Saw from the Cheap Seats by Regina Spektor!
incredible*
Easily my top thus far…
Zeus- Busting Visions
Plants and Animals – The End of That
Yukon Blonde – Tiger Talk
grimes and death grips should def be up there- i don’t agree with a 20 slot for either of those- just sayin’ those albums are killer.
death grips is at 18 so im off there- but still id have it above the 15 mark- yeaaaaaa
I think the Magnetic Fields record got an undeservedly bad rap. I know it’s not on the same level as Merritt’s best work, but that’s only in terms of emotional effect. It’s easy to hear how he can probably write these songs in his sleep, and people tend to forget that that in itself is commendable. Every song on that album is catchy and memorable, just lacking the depth that we’d want from Merritt.
Oh, and it’s insane that no one on staff thought to mention Burial, Perfume Genius, Here We Go Magic, Royal Headache, or Lower Dens. The Shins’ album also has a lot of staying power for me, and I was in no way prepared to enjoy that one.
Thank God school ends this week for me. I’ve missed not being able to be up to speed with the year’s music. Have yet to check several of these out.
I’m still listening to Suckers – Candy Salad. Where’s the love?
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Not a bad round-up at all. I have to say for myself that (of the ones I’ve heard, obviously) 2012 has had a nearly endless supply of records I like and yet very few that I’m convinced I’ll come back to once the year’s out. Beach House, Chromatics, Chairlift, and Grimes are the exceptions. I am looking forward to Walkmen and Japandroids but based on the early singles I’m not expecting to be floored by either one.
I agree this year is underwhelming so far. However, 2010 was my favorite recent year, and most of the bands responsible for a lot of that year’s best music are coming around the cycle for new releases later this year, so I’m holding my breath for 2012.
Also, Bloom should be higher. Like, number two.
JAPANDROIDS >>>>>>>>> CHAIRLIFT
Wow, only record on this list I’ve hear in full is the Beach House album, and I’ve just tried listening to the number 1 on this list and found it to be not to my taste at all.
I must be lame huh?
Alabama Shakes put out an absolutely amazing record! And they had so much buzz going too, I can’t believe there is no mention of them!
Has anyone said anything about Foxy Shazam yet? That band is unbelievable and they never get any recognition from blogs like this. . .
I think you’re right. I’ve never been a huge Foxy Shazam fan, but The Church of Rock n Rool is filled with some really catchy glam rock. They’re one of those bands that’s really popular but doesn’t get love from any of my fav sites, like Cage the Elephant or Portugal the Man.
Djanga Django
Dr. John
Allo Darlin’
Andrew Bird
Anaïs Mitchell
Jack White
…All deserving of top 25, in my opinion. And Burial’s Kindred EP deserves mention for being better than at least 85% of the rest of these albums.
Django* Django
Wow, no Dr Dog- Be The Void, def one of the best bands out there today! Lower Dens- Nootropics should be on there too
Wondering how Dry the River “Shallow Bed” slipped through the cracks on this one.
Is this a hip hop site???? fuckin’ hell! you are boring anyway… enough already!!!
Anyone else fall more in love with Of Montreal this year than ever before?
Yep. This year’s release is actually the first to really click with me, and now going back through their discog things make more sense for some reason.
I think I know what you mean. Such has been the case for me, with the lyrical content especially
What about Galaxy Garden by Lone? I listen to that and Sorrow and Extinction more often than anything else
I don’t understand why Action Bronson’s boring ass substitute for a ghostface release is 12. Schoolboy Q should definitely be up there, and I would even put Ab-soul over Bronson.
weird.
Death Grips and Japandroids need to switch positions. Wasn’t too keen on the recording aesthetics of Celebration Rock.
Always fun putting things in order:
Father John Misty – Fear Fun
Damien Jurado – Maraqopa
Spiritualized – Sweet Heart Sweet Light
The Flaming Lips – The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends
Jack White – Blunderbuss
Beach House – Bloom
Chromatics – Kill for Love
Django Django – Django Django
John Talabot – ƒIN
Dr. John – Locked Down
Lambchop – Mr. M
Andrew Bird – Break It Yourself
M. Ward – A Wasteland Companion
The 2 Bears – Be Strong
VCMG – Ssss
Simian Mobile Disco – Unpatterns
Caetano Veloso and David Byrne – Live at Carnegie Hall
Tindersticks – The Something Rain
Brendan Benson – What Kind of World
Miike Snow – Happy to You
The Dandy Warhols – This Machine
The Magnetic Fields – Love at the Bottom of the Sea
Delta Spirit – Delta Spirit
fun. – Some Nights
Lana Del Rey – Born to Die
Missed out Perfume Genius – Put Your Back N 2 It @ #5m between Lips & Jack. Bye Lana!
My favorite so far is An Awesome Wave by alt-J Have a listen here: http://soundcloud.com/alt-j/sets/an-awesome-wave/
I think john talobt must be in the top 10 list. it`s very chill sound. and where is perfume genius?? put your back n 2 it is his best album ever. But gum`s choice is good, i agree the cloud nothings, walkmen are best album on their career
Zero Garage Rock records :-\
Big fan of most of these albums… but am I the only one listening to Sebastien Tellier’s new album “My God is Blue”? Top 5 material for sure…
It’s all about Sara Bareilles’ new EP “Once Upon Another Time”! loving the song STAY. http://www.sarabmusic.com
Lotus Plaza should be #1. Some seriously well-written pop songs.
Am I the only one who thinks that Cloud Nothings are way over rated?
No. It’s a decent record but I don’t find it particularly memorable.
yes, yes you are. Cloud Nothings kick ass and you know it.
Bloom is definitely my number one!
People still listen to hip hop?
I really liked Trust – TRST and Santigold’s albums
Killer Mike should be way higher. Way better than the Rick Ross mixtape.
OH, and by the way
Father John Misty – Fear Fun
Damien Jurado – Maraqopa !!!!!!
Dr. John – Locked Down.
Santigold.
What about Jr Dave Mathews wannabe with the kidney stone sympathy votes on american idol?! COME ON NOWWW, that kids an open-mic semi-GENIUS!
No list is complete without Joseph Arthur’s “Redemption City” double disc. It’s genius. http://www.josepharthur.com/2012/?page_id=400
Almost made my list – but 2cds worth… Would’ve been stronger pared to one.
A Place To Bury Strangers- Onwards To The Wall
Broken Water- Tempest
Every time I Die- Ex Lives
Silversun Pickups- Neck Of The Woods
A Place To Bury Strangers- Onwards To The Wall
Broken Water- Tempest
Every time I Die- Ex Lives
Silversun Pickups- Neck Of The Woods
John Frusciante will be releasing an EP and an LP this year which will mostly likely be brilliant and go unnoticed by the majority of these sorts of indie music sites.
Bear in Heaven, Here We Go Magic.
No @Among_Wolves “This Is A Wave Goodbye”? This list is completely null and void. The best band out of Baltimore are these gents, not Best Coast.
If only you’d waited a week you could have added Alt-J to this list.
Kill for love should def be top 5.
Also include….
Earth – angels of darkness, demons of light 2
Andrew Bird – break it yourself
How in the world did Of Monsters and Men’s “My Head Is An Animal” not make this list? It’s certainly one of the best albums out right now.
Well….I guess isn’t going to get any attention at this point. But I wanna put in my cents:
15) Bear in Heaven: “I Love You, It’s Cool”
14) Pseudo Kids: “Stay Calm” EP
13) Spiritualized: “Sweet Heart Sweet Light”
12) Earth: “Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II”
11) Schoolboy Q: “Habits & Contradictions”
10) Frankie Rose: “Interstellar”
9) Lotus Plaza: “Spooky Action at a Distance”
8) Loma Prieta: “IV”
7) Andrew Bird: “Break It Yourself”
6) Burial: “Kindred” EP
5) Conan: “Monnos”
4) Beach House: “Bloom”
3) Drudkh “Eternal Turn of the Wheel”
2) John Talabot: “fin”
1) Cloud Nothings: “Attack on Memory”
lol 8)
I thought I’d have some measure of complaint, but I honestly agree. Attack on Nothing really is the best album of the year so far. And I’m a HUGE Beach House fan.
The year started out a little slow for me, but so many good albums came out in May.
The lack of Perfume Genius is disappointing… my top album of the year so far
dEUS: Following Sea is missing.
+1 Grimes, Cloud Nothings and Japandroids
Maybe King Tuff now too?
Alt-J’s An Awesome Wave really is awesome. Prepare for this tidal wave that started in the UK to arrive on US shores soon! Listen on soundcloud for now. http://soundcloud.com/alt-j/sets/an-awesome-wave/
I can’t believe people are still falling for Sleigh Bells as anything other than people who use a ton of compression in the studio and then can’t come close to reproducing the sound correctly live. The only reason anyone even heard them is that they sampled “Can you get to that?” so seamlessly that people thought it was their own guitar part…
alt-j and DIIV’s releases are killer. Also, that new album by The Antlers is shaping up to be really awesome considering the two tracks already released.
In the Belly of the Brazen Bull.
I’m sorry, but y’all forgot about Metric….
Metric’s Synthetica is a brilliant light in an otherwise dark, uninspiring sea of BORING.
Y’all just don’t get it.
Burial-Kindred
Liars-WIXIW
Port St. Willow-Holiday
Well well. No signs of “Sweet Sour” from “Band of Skulls”, which is absolutely breath taking nor Django Django and its ambitious first album.
Must have missed something or what ?
;)
I like my list a lot…some of these were left out on yours: http://audiofuzz.tumblr.com/post/26846881946/top-albums-of-2012-so-far
Much as I love the Walkmen, Heaven isn’t really worth writing home about. A friend of mine compared it to the Stereophonics. Nuff said!
TRUST – TRST (2012)
synthpop community choice
I always check these lists to see if I have missed out on any records, but it seems like you are the one who have overlooked some.
Simian Ghost – Youth
Kishi Bashi – 151a
Silver Firs – Silver Firs
Wowser Bowser – Wowser Bowser
Damien Jurado – Maraqopa
AU – Both Lights
Highasakite – All thats floats will rain
Oscar and the wolf – Summer skin
A Classic Education – Call it blazing
The Mars Volta!?
Billy Woods – History Will Absolve Me
Now that Gossamer is out it definitely need to be thrown into the mix..I’ve really enjoyed seeing a darker side of Passion Pit. Here’s a link to one of their new vids: http://pitchfork.com/news/47291-video-passion-pit-constant-conversations/
Now that Gossamer is out it definitely needs to be thrown into the mix..I’ve really enjoyed seeing a darker side of Passion Pit. Here’s a link to one of their new vids: http://pitchfork.com/news/47291-video-passion-pit-constant-conversations/