7/29/2019 McQ's Best Of 2012 Vol 1- Album Summary

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McQs Best Of 2012 - Volume 1: Best Of The Best

First, lets talk about the singles.

Take A Walk- the lead single from Boston-based Passion Pits sophomore effort Gossamer, with its sad

depiction of Americas disappearing middle class as told through the eyes of desperate, once prospering

immigrant businessman trying to hold it together while his life and financial fortunes crumble, captured thetenor of this moment in American history better than any other song I heard in 2012. That its also the

most infectious electro-pop earworm since MGMTsKids just adds to its greatness.

Bait And Switch - from The Shins latest releasePort Of Morrow, is much lighter fare, a simple, fun song

about a simple, earnest man contending with a spirited love for which he is no match. Loved the bounce to

this song.

Spanish house producer John TalabotsDestiny, with its killer vocal from featured guest Pional, is one of

my favorite electronic tracks of the year.

Default, from quirky young British pop act Django Django, is another buoyant number, a goofy mix of 60-

garage and Devo-like sensibilities.

Finally, Uglier, from local veteran Los Angeles punk-pop act Redd Kross is one of the funniest tracks ofthe year, a hysterical, tongue-in-check take on the joys of aging, not to mention one of the best straight up

rockers of the year.

With regards to the albums listed here, lets work back to front.

Avatar, represents Swans The Seer(Highest Recommend), which to me was without question the best

album of the year, an at times punishing, at times gorgeous, but always mesmerizing roller-coaster descent

into pure madness. Its my least accessible album of the year choice ever, the thirty year culmination of abands life-long exploration of rocks extremesbut twenty years from now, long after Frank Ocean has

been forgotten, theyll still be talking about this art-rock masterpiece with the reverence afforded The

Velvet Underground And Nico, Pink FloydsDark Side Of The Moon, Radioheads OK Computer, My

Bloody ValentinesLoveless, and Godspeed You! Black EmporersLift Your Skinny Fists today. Avatar,

just one of many phenomenal tracks, is the most concise demonstration of the albums slowly evolving

style.

English jangle-poppers Allo Darlins Tallulah is the softest and most wistful number from their uniformly

excellent second releaseEurope (Strong Recommend), my favorite indie-pop record of the year.

Sweet Life is my favorite and the most spirited track from young neo-soul artist Frank Oceans Channel

Orange (Strong Recommend), the critical consensus number one album of 2012, made even more notable

by the bi-sexual Ocean coming-out on this record in a notoriously homophobic genre. Youll find a number

of wonderfully personal and idiosyncratic brooders, on this, the best soul album of the year.

Smoke And Mirrors is a surprise representative from GotyesMaking Mirrors (Strong Recommend), given

that album also holds monster 2011 hit Someone That I Used To Know. But I feltSmoke And Mirrors

better represented the broad, out-of-left-field eclecticism that defines this decidedly AM-toned butwonderfully solid electro-pop album. one of the best and lightest front-to-back listens of 2012.

You Are Forgiven is just one of many gorgeous, idiosyncratic, immaculately produced numbers from

Anias Mitchells Young Man In America (Strong Recommend), my favorite Folk album of 2012, and the

second time in three years Mitchell has claimed that title following 2010s much differentHadestown.

How the world is still sleeping on this artist is beyond me, shes been one of the very best on record in any

genre in recent years.

7/29/2019 McQ's Best Of 2012 Vol 1- Album Summary

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Stay Useless comes from young Cleveland grunge-pop act Cloud Nothings breakthrough third album

Attack On Memory (Solid Recommend) one of the three excellent straight-up rock releases of 2012.

Reagan, the centerpiece to Atlanta veteran rapper Killer Mikes El-P producedR.A.P. Music (Solid

Recommend) and the best rap song of the year, is, like the album as a whole, a strong push for rap to returnto its higher-minded speak unwelcome truths to power political formative years.

Turn It Aroundcomes from Brooklyn noise/slop-rockers The Mens Open Your Heart(Strong

Recommend), another of my three favorite rock releases of 2012.

With its soaring final 90 seconds, First Aid Kits To A Poetmay be my favorite folk song of the year,

though it receives strong challenges from several other tracks on the album from which it came, The Lions

Roar(Solid Recommend), which though uneven, might have the best Best Tracks of any album in 2012outside ofThe Seer.

The Liars WIXIW(Strong Recommend) was my second favorite album of the year, a creepy electronic turn

for a previously more guitar driven experimental act that invites immediate comparisons to Radioheads

Kid A, though still feels entirely like its own beast. No. 1 Against The Rush, my favorite track from the

album, boasts one of the best glitch beats of the year.

Japandroids The Nights Of Wine And Roses just edges The House That Heaven Built(also byJapandroids) for best rock anthem of the year. Both songs come from the groups breakout fourth LP

Celebration Rock(Strong Recommend), the party-rock album of 2012.

And finally theresIve Seen Footage, the most accessible but still nightmarish cut from Sacramento

ratchet-industrial-rap act Death Grips major label debut The Money Store, which was the most difficult

listen of 2012, but also possibly the most forward-looking album of the year.