Even though tali has a sweet record collection she is probably listening to ke$ha on spotify right now
Girlseeker – 1-800-Greed (Release the Bats)
how can you compare 1 record to another in this weird numerical way? i don’t know and i can’t do it really other than to make this my Number One Record for the year. i got this record as soon as Underwater Peoples released the US version in February and it hasn’t left my listening pile since. i have also spent the better part of this year trying to convince everyone I know to buy this record via DJing when i would have rather been doing something else. anyway these danes are poppy and grimey and synthy in a way that is fresh and nu and 2012 but that’s also a throwback to the 80s when this was the main haps. think whatever goth bands you like meeting sarah records while traveling forward in time to meet up with the guitarist from iceage who plays with this band.
Pop Singles – All Gone (Vacant Valley)
i first heard this in my friend’s car and even through the crackling iphone connection could tell i wanted to own this one guy’s vocals on vinyl immediately. thus began the voyage of spending way too much money to order 5 copies for myself and friends from australia, paying a load of shipping money in the process. but it was well worth it. my favorite lyric on the record is “it’s getting harder to relate to anyone but you” and he sounds kind of like stevie jackson if stevie jackson was very sad.
Hygiene – Christmas Do (Static Shock)
i don’t care about christmas and i don’t like christmas music. neither of these facts have anything to do with this single, which features one of my favorite songs of the year and that song just ~~~***happens to be about christmas. these are the rudest boys and they sing the rudest tunes. merry crassmas.
Personal Space (Chocolate Industries)
i got this record because i read something about it on angela weirdo’s facebook and she probably has smarter things to say about it. also, please tell me everything you know about music like this.
The Garlands – s/t (Shelflife)
Yay, sugary indiepop is alive and well even though its resurgence is now kind of past news. sweet poppy vocals, sweet songs, skip in some fields and stuff. twee. twee twee.
Deep Time – s/t (Hardly Art)
I really thought long n hard about putting this record on my end-of-the-year list. as a full record, it has its weak spots. but the songs that are good (a lot of those are on the A side) are so good, and this record has gotten a lot of plays this year, filler stuff and all. that could be because the marine girls are one of my favorite bands ever, and deep time are definitely going for that here. they do it well and i’m definitely eagerly anticipating a future release to see if they can clean up the messy bits.
Blank Realm – Go Easy (Siltbreeze)
Like I have to talk up any Siltbreeze release at all…but here goes. I got this record recently and records you get at the end of the year don’t always wind up on lists. you gotta listen a bunch and feel it out…this record took two listens and i swear it is so good i can’t even believe it. internet reviews call this “acid rock” which I suppose is fair enough, but doesn’t give enough credit to the record’s poppier elements. I hope I get to see this band one day.
Archaia – s/t reissue (Papaaver)
This record falls happily into the category of “one of the weirdest records i have ever heard that also manages to be incredibly listenable and amazing.” this is rereleased french “””prog””” “””rock”””” from the late 70s. some songs are more standard, some feature only some bloops and samples, on some the guy yells and moans and on some he regular-sings. this record is an experience~~~record~~~~ so you should get existential on yrself, try to understand life some, and then listen here for answers.
The Great Unwashed – Clean Out of Our Minds reissue (Exiled)
This is the other record that is probably my Number One Favorite Record Of The Year. The Great Unwashed feature 2/3 members of the Clean so I don’t even have to use my favorite new term for music, CLEANCORE. anyway, this is bedroom pop at its absolute most beautiful, soulful, and brilliant. I could listen to this record another hundred times.
Grass Widow – Internal Logic (HLR)
This is making all of the year-end lists so I don’t need to go into too much depth here. But this is definitely far and away my favorite grass widow release, they have gotten away from those proggy elements that I wasn’t always such a fan of…and where they use them, they use them well. seriously, ladies who are a real jamband = so awesome.
Terry Malts – Killing Time (Slumberland)
Slumberland 4 lyfe. This record is so good even though joeb said it sounds like christian rock.
Nu Sensae – Sundowning (Suicide Squeeze)
This record holds a very special 2012 place in my <3. seeing them live was life changing pretty much, and after that show i decided to actually use my practice space instead of just pay for it. this lady shreds so hard i can't even believe it. I LOVE THIS BAND. everyone asks me if my totebag that i carry around is a captured tracks totebag. IT IS NOT A CAPTURED TRACKS TOTEBAG, it is a nu sensae totebag.