Albums of the Year - 2012

I haven't posted much during 2012 as I took the year off music writing to concentrate on other things, but I couldn't resist working out my albums of the year list. This has always been my favourite column to write (and again, thanks to F. for allowing me to put this up here as well as in his fine publication).

My overall take on this year is that there have been a number of hugely strong albums, but not a great deal of depth. That is to say that the albums at the top of my list are ones that I really love and that have stayed with me since their release, but also that those at the lower end of the Top 10 aren't perhaps as strong as the records that have held similar positions in previous years. All of which being said, the top 6 records in particular have been real standouts, which each bringing passion and energy and huge musicality. I found it very difficult to order them, and to decide between The Menzingers and Hot Water Music for number one - my two favourite songs of the year ("Casey" and "Drag My Body") were on those two records, making the choice almost impossible. In the end, like the people who have combined many other lists, I just thought that there was something wonderfully desperate and bruised but hopeful about The Menzingers record which made it my ultimate choice!

Happy Christmas everyone, and much love to all.

Rock Albums Of The Year:

1.      On The Impossible Past by The Menzingers (Epitaph)

2.      Exister by Hot Water Music (Rise)

3.      Go by Motion City Soundtrack (Epitaph / Boombox Generation)

4.      Handwritten by The Gaslight Anthem (Mercury)

5.      A Flash Flood of Colour by Enter Shikari (Ambush Reality)

6.      The Afterman: Ascension by Coheed and Cambria (V2)

7.      The Lack Long After (late 2011 release) by Pianos Become The Teeth (Topshelf)

8.      Synthetica by Metric (Metric Music)

9.      Violent Waves by Circa Survive (Self-released)

10.   Waking Season by Caspian (Triple Crown)

Honourable Mention: Ex-Lives by Every Time I Die (Epitaph)

Honourable Mention: Babylon by Matt Skiba and the Sekrets (Superball)

Honourable Mention: Anthology by Thrice (Saddlebag)

EPs and 7”s:

1.      Making Moves 7” by Motion City Soundtrack (Boombox Generation / Mad Dragon)

2.      Split EP by Touché Amore / The Casket Lottery (Deathwish Inc.)

3.      EP Series by Dave Hause (Various)

4.      Running Out Of Places To Go by The Swellers (Snowbird)

5.      Hold You Down EP by The Gaslight Anthem (Mercury)Honourable Mention: Making Moves 7” by The Company We Keep (Boombox Generation / Mad Dragon)

- Honourable Mention: Anthology (New Songs) by UnderOath (Tooth and Nail)

Rap Albums Of The Year:

1.      We Don’t Even Live Here by P.O.S. (Doomtree / Rhymesayers Entertainment)

2.      Channel Orange by Frank Ocean (Mercury)

3.      Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City by Kendrick Lamar (Interscope / Aftermath)

4.      Trilogy by The Weeknd (OVO/XO)

5.      Cruel Summer by Kanye West and GOOD Music (Mercury)

Live Shows:

Alexisonfire at the Brixton Academy

At The Drive In at the Brixton Academy

Brand New at the Roundhouse

Refused at The Forum

Touché Amore and Pianos Become The Teeth at XOYO