Obama got reelected. While I was not 100% happy with his first term? It was still better then what could be a disaster? Romney/Ryan. We dodged a bullet. Best Ten of 2012 (No Particular Order) Led Zeppelin Celebration Day Scott Walker Bisch Bosch Leonard Cohen Old Ideas Fiona Apple The Idler Wheel… Lana Del Rey Born to Die Mumford and Sons Babel The Lumineers The Lumineers Alabama Shakes Boys and Girls Soundgarden King Animal   Beach Boys That’s Why God Made the Radio   Honourable Mention Grimes – Visions Neil Young – Psychdelic Pill / Americana Frank Ocean – Channel…

ALBUMS OF NOTE   Buy New or Used via Amazon #1 JAPANDROIDS – CELEBRATION ROCK – the kind of album I’ve waited to be written since I was old enough to love music and really, really, really like girls.   Buy New or Used via Amazon #2 KENDRICK LAMAR – good kid, m.A.A.d city – fact: suburban white kids from the east coast are infatuated with California and gangsta rap almost as much as they are with guitars and heartbreak. Almost.   Buy New or Used via Amazon #3 FANG ISLAND – MAJOR – have you ever wondered what it would sound like…

Fab Four St. Etienne – Words and Music by St. Etienne* Loudon Wainwright II – Older than My old man now * Tedeschi Trucks Band – Everybody’s Talkin’ * Goat – World Music Kylie Minogue would kill for I’ve Got Your Music and DJ on St. Etienne’s latest with both its infectious beats and Sarah Cracknell’s feathery vocals somehow adding a nostalgic and emotional depth. Loudon Wainwright reminisces about mortality and generations past with a twinkle in his eye as he Remembers Sex (with Dame Edna Everage) and along with youngster Ramblin’ Jack Elliot Loudon demands a second go-around on…

2012: Another Year PoOPing MUSIC 1. Japandroids – Celebration Rock 2. Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory 3. Polica – Give You The Ghost 4. Bob Mould – Silver Age 5. High on Fire – De Vermis Mysterii 7. Shearwater – Animal Joy 8. Schoolboy Q – Habits and Consequences 9. Grimes – Visions 10. Tame Impala – Lonerism MOVIES 1. Looper 2. We Need to Talk About Kevin 3. Django Unchained 4. Silver Linings Playbook 5. The Raid: Redemption 6. Moonrise Kingdom 7. The Cabin In The Woods 8. The Kid With a Bike 9. Life of Pi 10….

Twelve for 2012 Dan Wilmer, Brooklyn, NY    Buy New or Used via Amazon 1. Japandroids – Celebration Rock It’s been a long time since such a pure, primal guitar rock album connected with me on this level. The song titles tell the story here: “Adrenaline Nightshift,” “Continuous Thunder,” “The Nights of Wine and Roses,” and so on. In the park, in the gym, in the subway – these 8 songs followed me everywhere in 2012. Infectious single: “The House That Heaven Built.”    Buy New or Used via Amazon 2. The Lumineers – The Lumineers The Lumineers are a twee band…

         1. GIANT GIANT SAND – TUCSON 2. tindersticks – the something rain 3. Lambchop – Mr. M …that’s about it. plenty of great music elsewhere (Ceu, Benjamin Biolay, Jeb Loy, Laetitia Sadier, Blundetto) but as far as new music this year that holds up through an entire listening, the above 3 stand alone. Guilty pleasure…The Allah-Las! and…if you had told me that Neil Young would release new tracks that would be nearly 20 minutes long (or longer) i would have scoffed at the idea. Those 3 tracks on Psychedelic Pill are killer. Self indulgent wanking to be sure but…

 Buy New or Used via amazon 1. JUNIP – Fields [Mute] Jose Gonzales reforms his old band of Swedes who have a thing for 70s keys and synths that John Paul Jones must have leant them.  Buy New or Used via amazon 2. THE BESNARD LAKES – The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night [Jagjaguwar] Blissed-out, droney heaven that Kevin Shields would thoroughly approve. The album Low should have made right after “The Great Destroyer”.  Buy New or Used via amazon 3. BOB DYLAN – The Witmark Demos [Columbia] Spare, nuts & bolts versions of songs we all know, but…

  Buy New or Used via Amazon Gaslamp Killer – Breakthrough Wacky LA Low End Theory DJ makes record. Samples include the requisite “Global” influences and bottomless sub-bass. The addition of California psych and Gonjasufi’s voice are nice bonuses and so the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.   Buy New or Used via Amazon Various Artists – Subway Salsa: The Montuno Records Story I remember the first time I ventured down into the Time Square subway station and visited Record Mart. I think it was the second record store I ever visited in the city. I went back…

BeCk PoOp 2012   Buy New or Used via Amazon Tame Impala – Lonerism [Modular] I get a contact high virtually everytime I put this on. Hoping that Todd Rundgren will produce their next record. Then again TI’s Kevin Parker and mixer Fridmann did a great job, so why fix what ain’t broke?   Buy New or Used via Amazon Spiritualized – Sweet Heart, Sweet Light [Fat Possum] Pierce returns with what I felt was his most inspired recording since 2001 Let It Come Down. Heartbreakingly gorgeous symphonies mixed with driving psych rock. My spirits are high.   Buy New or Used via…

21 for 12   Buy New or Used via Amazon 1. Dr John – Locked Down   Buy New or Used via Amazon 2. Rolling Stones – Charlie Is My Darling (DVD)   Buy New or Used via Amazon 3. The Hives – Lex Hives   Buy New or Used via Amazon 4. Bill Fay – Life Is People   Buy New or Used via Amazon 5. Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas   Buy New or Used via Amazon 6. Lee Fields – Faithful Man   Buy New or Used via Amazon 7. Dexys – One Day I’m Going To Soar   Buy via Amazon 9. Searching For…