Top40: The Best of 2012

10. fun. - Some Nights
Iggy Pop was wrong. There is, in fact, fun.
Fun is what happens when three extraordinarily talented musicians come together to create something altogether new and wonderful. Nate Ruess, late of The Format, has teamed up with ex-Anathallo multi-instrumentalist Andrew Dost and Steel Train's Jack Antonoff, resulting in their ingenious debut, 'AIM AND IGNITE.' The trio melds a stunning array of diverse inspirations - spanning Broadway to The Beach Boys, 'NILSSON SCHMILSSON' to 'PINKERTON' - into an irresistible collection of freewheeling pop songcraft. Songs like 'Benson Hedges' and 'All The Pretty Girls' are fit to burst with richly prolix lyricism and intricate melodic twists and turns, which provide plenty of room for Ruess' distinctive vocals to soar. With 'AIM AND IGNITE,' Fun have crafted something special indeed, a contemporary rethinking of classic 70s pop, where ornate arrangements and inspired orchestrations meet present-day rock 'n' roll.
For many, "We Are Young," with its massive, anthemic chorus used in a Chevy commercial and episode of Fox's Glee, is the track that exposed them to Fun. For the rest of us that have been with Nate since his days in The Format, this record is the sophomore record with Fun., following the phenomenal "Aim and Ignite." There is no "sophomore slump" here where a good indie band becomes a bit more popular and a bit more commercialized. Rather Fun. has partly moved away from the sound of "Aim and Ignite" developed their own sound out of an effective blending of different styles and genres.
Musically, the songs are filled with masterful instrumentations and compositional techniques that keep the listening experience interesting. For example, stark tempo changes, as in "We Are Young," and modulations to minor key as in the end of "One Foot" aren't just clever insertions. Rather, they compliment the already memorable melodies.

9. Grimes - Visions
Grimes is the moniker of Canadian producer, singer and artist Claire Boucher. She approaches music in a way that is both sensually pleasurable and exploratory; sonic experimentalism run through a 'pop' filter. The music is youthfully schizophrenic and searching, a voyage into the yet undefined territory of post-internet, re-spiritualized sound. Grimes strongly values a physical and communal experience of music (it's danceability), experimental vocalization, and psychedelia. Grimes is self-indulgence, devastation and ecstasy. humanity, spirituality, escapism, identity, reality.
Grimes' Visions is like audio dark choclate: At times bitter, sort of sweet, but on the whole you can't deny that this is satisfying stuff. The electronic & spacey sound isn't necessarily unique, but pair it with the odd vocals and you have something quite special. Like other musicians with "odd" voices (Joanna Newsom, Ian Curtis, Billy Corgan), either you get used to it or it'll never do it for you. At times the sound scapes sound very Japanese music influenced, alien, or ambient. Really something special in a world of familiarity. Repeated listens are rewarding. Great music for long drives. One of the best of 2012, for sure.

8. Taylor Swift - Red
Taylor's songwriting is still in fine form here. The thing that always amazes me about her writing is that she's able to tell stories in her songs, she keeps it simple and more often than not finds one heck of a hook in the chorus. There is passion, there's energy and there is joy. Sure, there are so sad songs, but it seems to my that Taylor takes so much joy in making music that it's hard as a listener not to get caught up in that with her.
After listening to the 16 tracks and the 6 bonus tracks available on some packages I have to say that Taylor's bonus tracks alone are better than what most artists are putting out as albums these days. The "demo" recordings of "Treacherous," "Red" and "State of Grace" are excellent and polished works that are just a bit more stripped down than the versions that appear on the album. It's not really fair to call them demos, as when I hear that word I'm expecting below-par sound and performance. I think it's the mark of a good song if it can be done solo-acoustic (or at least very stripped down) and these three songs certainly hold up well.
For me the whole album is very solid, there are no songs on this disc that I'd skip when listening to it. There is a nice mix of slower ballads and hard hitting rock numbers. Make no mistake about it, Taylor Swift is a rock and roll star. She's setting the bar for what pop music is and doing a fine job of it. It's funny, while listening to "Red" and the big anthmatic numbers I couldn't help but think this is the modern day version of Phil Spector's wall of sound. Sure, there are a lot of synthesizers here, but Taylor has an uncanny ability to create a big sound that just envelops you, especially if you like to play your music as loud as I do.
I think it's the fact that Taylor is such a good songwriter and maybe more importantly storyteller that makes her so accessible across so many different lines. It doesn't matter how old you are or what gender you are, Taylor's songs resonate. Even a song like "22" which is an anthem for the young "let's go out and party" crowd it still hits home with me at 42, because believe it or not kids I was 22 at one point. And, I'm guessing the 10 year olds that hear the song will relate to it because they know it's exactly what they're going to want to do when they're 22.
Red is a little bit country, a lot of pop and a heavy dose of rock and roll. Like some big artists before her, Taylor Swift is not a follower, but instead she is creating the standard for what is popular music. And maybe this is the old man in me coming out, but where most of popular music is fairly brainless and devoid of substance that's the opposite of what Taylor Swift brings to the table. She brings some great story songs, most of which (if not all) I'm pretty sure are very auto-biographical. Taylor is simply telling us her story, she's just making it rhyme and adding some killer hooks and melodies for good measure.

7. Mumford & Sons - Babel
No worries - the classic Mumford & Sons sound is totally here - if anything, it sort of FLOURISHES on "Babel". There are the great, clever lyrics ("press my nose up to the glass around your heart"), the layered building of each song into a sort of soaring crescendo, all that good stuff. Just even better. Their sound is richer without being too polished or manufactured in any way. They are all just doing more of what they are so good at.
I love that this album is designed as a whole- there was clearly a lot of thought put in the way the songs were ordered. In this age of MP3s and individual tracks, arranging tracks for an album seems to be something some artists don't too much thought to, but there's a nice structure to "Babel", as a whole. I have enjoyed listening to it as a complete album, which is sort of rare these days. When it's over I just start it up at the beginning and play it all again. Even the more spare songs (which I don't love as much as I love when the band goes all out) appeal to me when the album is played as a whole.
My favorite thing about Mumford & Sons is that when they play, whether live or on their albums, you can almost *hear* the circle they might be standing in, hear the connection between the musicians, hear the music reverberating off the walls, hear that they are playing together as opposed to facing in one direction and playing off into the distance. There's an energy in their music that seems to be formed from the way the songs sound like true collaborations rather than "there's the drums, there's the vocals, here comes the guitar, here's some banjo..." And this sort of "connection" that they seem to have, musically, is even more apparent on this album.
As far as their cover of "The Boxer"- I have to admit, I'm a huge fan of Simon and Garfunkel and I was both super excited and super nervous to hear Mumford's take on the classic song- it's sort of one of those "holy grail" songs to me. But it's lovely version of the song- of course, it's not as epic as the original, but it has found a place on my latest playlist and if it helps expose S&G to a new generation, that would be amazing.
Bottom line- I can't stop listening to "Babel" and I don't *want* to. It's a lovely album, very moving, very clever, very sweet, all at the same time. I highly recommend it.

6. Grizzly Bear - Shields
Grizzly Bear's second studio album is as finely crafted and poured over as anything available on the indie-rock market. Maybe it's the album's attention to detail; maybe it's the sincerity the band expressed through the lyrics; maybe it's the melodies and soaring harmonies; whatever it is, VECKATIMEST is undoubtedly a hard album to follow up. If you haven't heard the album yet, you really owe it to yourself to stop reading now and check out this previous album. Aside from it being a completely refreshing listen, this album will inform much of the band's fourth full-length album SHIELDS.
Grizzly Bear took a 3-year hiatus from making music together to explore their own divergent musical tastes. While SHIELDS is definitely a Grizzly Bear record, it uses a much more varied and scattered approach than the intricate VECKATIMEST. There are moments on SHIELDS that reach out into unexplored territory for the band: psychedelic rock, atmospheric minimalism, and synthesizers. If their previous album was a meticulous exercise in tightly-wound control, this album is a more instinctual and gritty affair.
Make no mistake, SHIELDS is a great record, but it doesn't have the same "mainstream appeal" that VECKATIMEST had - there's no potential crossover hits like "While You Wait for the Others" or "Two Weeks." Instead, this album is chock full of great songs that work best in the cohesion of the album's entirety. For this reason, this record might be a little less friendly to new listeners (not that that is necessarily a bad thing). I would recommend listeners who have not listened to Grizzly Bear to start with their third album before moving onto this one: VECKATIMEST is a much more accessible and immediate album than SHIELDS, thanks to the support of the aforementioned singles and less scattered direction.
This album is a must-listen for fans of Grizzly Bear, and it's a more-than-worthy addition to a band with an extraordinary (but young) catalog. Essential tracks to sample/download: "Sleeping Ute," "A Simple Answer," and "gun-shy."

5. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar's debut effort Good Kid: M.A.A.D City [Deluxe Edition] materializes just at the right time to give West Coast rap some renewed notability. Kendrick Lamar is one today's most unique rappers. Left of center, he joins the likes of Drake and KiD CuDi, paving his own pathway. Good Kid m.A.A.d City is not only one of 2012's best rap albums but also one of the year's 'crowning achievements.' Conceptually structured around its title - Kendrick is ultimately a good kid trapped in Compton, which is chucked full of vices within the sins/demons of a bad, rough city - Lamar details his early life experience.
"good Kid" is produced by Pharrell Williams and features Chad Hugo (The Neptunes) on the hook. Soulful yet mysterious, as always, Kendrick continues to compel and lure in the audience. Companion track "m.A.A.d City" contrasts "good kid's" soulfulness in favor of harder production. Kendrick's rhymes are incredibly emotional while fellow Compton rapper MC Eiht delivers a compelling verse. Both "good Kid" and "m.A.A.d City" are 'A' cuts, like the majority of good Kid m.A.A.d. City.
Breakthrough single "Swimming Pools (Drank)" finally appears, featuring exceptional production work from standout T-Minus. Kendrick Lamar manages to tie swimming pools and alcohol together incredibly, most notably on one of 2012's most memorable rap hooks: "...why you babysittin' only two or three shots? I'mma show you how to turn it up a notch/first you get a swimming pool full of liquor, then you dive in it/pool full of liquor, then you dive in it..." Despite its reprised greatness on the album, "Swimming Pools" may not even be the album's best song!
Good Kid: M.A.A.D City [Deluxe Edition] as it is one of the year's very best albums, easily. Lamar ultimately conceives the next great concept album, which is no easy task. With no misses of note, good Kid m.A.A.d City is even better than advertised.

4. John Mayer - Born and Raised
Born and Raised, the latest album from Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and musician John Mayer. The first single, "Shadow Days," Billboard calls "a gentle and shimmering confluence of mellow Southern rock".
Mayer produced Born and Raised with Don Was, who worked on albums for acts such as the Rolling Stones, B.B. King and Bonnie Raitt. Rock legends David Crosby and Graham Nash provide vocals on the title song, "Born and Raised." Musicians joining Mayer on the album and on the road include highly-regarded keyboardist/pianist Chuck Leavell who has worked with the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and The Allman Brothers Band as well as previous collaborators Sean Hurley on bass and Aaron Sterling on drums.
Mayer's previous albums Room for Squares, Heavier Things, Continuum and Battle Studies have sold more than 12 million copies combined. He has been honored with seven Grammy Awards and an additional 11 nominations. He has also been included in Time Magazine's annual Time 100 list of the most influential contemporary thinkers, leaders, artists and entertainers, and twice been featured on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine s annual "Guitar" issue.

3. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel...
Fiona Apple made her debut at age 19 with 1996's Tidal, which is certified triple Platinum. Rolling Stone named her Artist of the Year in 1997 and in 1998 she won a GRAMMY for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for one of the album's singles, Criminal. When the Pawn...followed in 1999, and was hailed by Entertainment Weekly as the work of an original. In early 2005, fans organized a massive Free Fiona letter-writing campaign, insisting that her label release the long-delayed follow-up album, Extraordinary Machine. Released in the fall of 2005, Extraordinary Machine was named the top album of the year by The New York Times, which called it magnificent, and was awarded four stars by Rolling Stone, which praised it as her strongest and most detailed batch of songs yet. Five years later, Extraordinary Machine earned a spot on Rolling Stone's 100 Best Albums of the 00s list, underscoring how her work continues to resonate powerfully.
Fiona's first album since 2005, The Idler Wheel, is a 2012 Grammy Nominee for Alternative Album of the year. She has received countless accolades taking over Top 10 album lists from such credible sources as Time Magazine, New York Times, Pitchfork, Top40 Charts, Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, Stereogum and more.
Her skill as pianist is formidable and she finally steps into her own as a competent musical rival to all of her contemporaries. She bends her piano to her will and holds it spellbound. Fiona's strong Jazz roots give this album a distinguished flair you won't find anywhere else in the last or the next decade. She is heart-broken, yet absolutely her own, a complete, and fulfilled human being who can't help but keep rockin' on. Taking the road less traveled has left Fiona to fine tune and craft a passion that her contemporaries traded in for settled stability - This album is riddled with bipolar angst that refuses rest or regret and therefore stays vital, restless and alive.
Her trademarked confessional passion is here, but it is no longer a young woman's passion; honest and inspired, Fiona's talent has ripened, and it is so bitter-sweet it will leave you salivating and craving more with spit dripping down your chin.
Pure Excellence - Highly recommended!

2. Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball
Wrecking Ball is an angry album dealing with hard and desperate times: unemployment, economic discrepancies, and personal displacement are just a few of the underlying themes addressed. It is also an album where many of the musical styles Bruce Springsteen has engaged in come together, along with new elements such as loops and a more pronounced use of female singers.
It opens with We Take Care of Our Own, a song that musically sounds like vintage E Street Band; it is, in its own way, as powerful an opening track as Badlands or Born in the U.S.A. Like that latter song, it could receive a mistaken interpretation by the casual listener drawn in to the catchy chorus. But, where the chorus declares "We take care of our own," the lyrics examine an America where needed help never appears.
Shackled and Drawn and Death to My Hometown both bear strong resemblances to the tracks Springsteen performed during his Seeger Sessions time. With their Irish feel, they sound like songs that Shane MacGowan could sink his crooked teeth into with joy. Easy Money, a song about a man going out with his lover to commit crimes to make some cash, has a ramshackle, country feel that perfectly matches Springsteen's grizzled snarl.
The title track presents Springsteen reminiscing about coming up in the "swamps of Jersey," referencing his classic track Rosalita. It is a defiant song in which Bruce dares all comers to "take your best shot/let me see what you got." It is an exhilarating song; at 62, The Boss is still willing to throw down the gauntlet.
Marking his 17th studio album, 'Wrecking Ball' features 11 new Springsteen recordings and was produced by Ron Aniello with Bruce Springsteen and executive producer Jon Landau. Members of the E Street Band play on the album, along with a variety of outside musicians, including Tom Morello. "Bruce and Ron used a wide variety of players to create something that both rocks and is very fresh."

1. Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
First and foremost, for those not in-the-know, Frank Ocean is 24, he's an R&B singer, and yes, he is a member of the infamous Los Angeles-based hip-hop collective/crew/group/club (what-have-you) Odd Future Wolfgang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA). And when we listen to the record, we think R. Kelly and Kid Cudi and Kanye West, largely because Channel Orange sounds like all of the good things from all of those artists, (the singing from R. Kelly, the synth-laden soundscapes and beats from Kid Cudi and the charisma, coolness and confidence of Kanye West, albeit a little more low-key) all packaged into one neat little box, or I guess, CD case (or MP3 download or Vinyl).
People are probably going to be talking about Channel Orange for a little while. Probably, because of the letter, and also, because of how damn good it is. The most talked-about/hyped album right now, for sure. So again, you may want to know, is Channel Orange any good? In short, yes, it's damn good.
This is a solid and cohesive album, 17 tracks in all, complete with intros, instrumental interludes and outros (yeah, we definitely called those skits back in the 90s and early 00s) but everything on Channel Orange sounds focused and with purpose. As a whole, Channel Orange is, quite honestly, probably the definitive R&B album this side of 2012. And this is what 2012 R&B sounds like! So, Channel Orange is probably what we mean when we write things like "timeless music," "really good," and "this means something."

The best of the best for 2012:
40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1