Monday 31 December 2012

Albums of 2012

Another year is drawing to a close and 2012 has definitely been a good year for music. On that note I thought I would share with you Top 10 albums of the year.

10 - Beth Jeans Houghton & The Hooves Of Destiny - Yours Truely, Cellophane Nose
Beth Jeans Houghton has a such a beautiful voice which is so different to other singers at the moment which really does make this album. Her lyrics are unusual and the songs are upbeat which makes the record put you in such a good mood. The perfect Spring time album.

9 - M. Ward - A Wasteland Companion 
I fell in love with M. Ward whilst listening to She & Him (his band with Zooey Deschanel) and had to include this album in my top 10. First off I love the title and the artwork for this album. The album itself is very relaxing which makes you pay attention to all the layers that are going on. There's a good mix of slow songs and upbeat ones with a true stand out for me being the song Me and My Shadow.

8 - Calvin Harris - 18 Months
Onto an album which is pretty different to everything else in this list due to it being a Dance record. Although i'm not a huge fan of Dance music I love putting this album on when doing boring jobs such as cleaning. It's full of hits featuring the likes of Rihanna, Example, Ellie Goulding to name a few. The true stand out has to be Sweet Nothing feat Florence Welch, that song is probably one of my favourite songs of the year.

7 - The Mars Volta - Noctourniquet 
The Mars Volta are definitely not a band for everyone, it took me a while to fully get into them and I think this album is definitely their most approachable yet. It still has that complex feeling too it like all The Mars Volta records but a lot more audience friendly. Cedric lyrics are definitely some of his best on this record and although it seems some people love this record and some people hate it; I personally love it and it's definitely one of my favourites by them.

6 - First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar 
I had never heard of First Aid Kit until I saw them supporting Jack White in the Summer and they blew me away. One of my favourite things about this record is that is sounds just like they do live. The songs are both uplifting and touching and it is one that I can keep listening to over and over again without getting sick of it which to me is a sign of a great album.

5 -  Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
  This album was definitely a surprise for me, I honestly didn't expect to love it as much as I do. It's not the album I would normally listening to but there's something about Frank's voice and lyrics that I just so different to anything else. I love the guitar work on this album do and the fact that it doesn't sound like other rappers albums. I album worth giving a listen because I think it will surprise you like it did for me.

4 - Fiona Apple - Idler Wheel...
Fiona Apple is known for being a bit out there and this album is a great follow on from her other offerings, in fact it's one of my favourites by her. The lyrics on this album feel so honest and the way she sings you can tell she really means what she is saying. Anything We Want is a great example of this and is a stand out on the record for sure. I have listened to this album a lot and certain songs still get me the way they did on the first listen.

3 - Jack White - Blunderbuss  
Jack White offered up his first solo album this year and oh it did not disappoint. There's a good mix of classic rock songs and more mellow ones here and I love that there's a also a good amount of piano on this record as well as lots of guitar which is one Jack is known for. These songs sound timeless to me and were performed amazingly live. 

2 - The Shins - Port Of Morrow
This album sounds a little different to previous The Shins albums, this could be due to line up changes but also some influences from Broken Bells. Whatever it is I love the direction they have gone in. The lyrics have that moody feel to them like before but uplifting at the same time. The song It's Only Life is a stand out to me and definitely one of my favourite songs of the year.

1 - Dot Hacker - Inhibition
As soon as I heard this record I knew it was going to be my favourite of the year. Josh' voice is really is a stand out on this record and the way he slurs his words makes you really listen to the lyrics which are in some places dark and really touching. The bass playing on this song is also incredible and it definitely feels like each members is getting their chance to shine on this record where as they may have not been able to in their other bands. This album was a long time in the waiting and it has definitely excited me to see where they go with this band next.

So those are my albums of 2012. I can already tell that 2013 is going to be a great year for music and I can't wait! What was your favourite album of 2012?
 

 





 

3 comments:

  1. Great idea for a post darling. Some album here I need to check out :D

    http://outsidebeautyinsidehealth.blogspot.co.uk/

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think I have quite a different taste in music to you, but I can definitely agree on the Shins :)

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