Year in review: Favorite Music of 2012

I did this a year ago and it ended up pretty popular, so I brought it back. Here is the issue, though.  I didn’t end up listening to as much music as I did last year. Technical issues and less free time kept me from really exploring what was out there like I did last year. Last year, I went through dozens of lists and various new release columns throughout the year and attempted to be as prolific as possible. I ended up with almost a top 200 last year, whittled it to 100, then down to the 35 that was published. It was a ton of fun, and a lot of work.

One big thing really got in my way, though, and it turns out it was all of you, my readers. I started my own blog this year with an idea to not only talk about Iowa, but the rest of the world and what I was listening to. As it turned out, most of you didn’t really care all that much what I thought about the rest of the world, but you really cared what I thought about Iowa. So, I turned my attention almost entirely to my home state. While, there were a lot of albums I listened to this year, the ones I listened to over and over again were almost all Iowa. So here is my favorite music of 2012, all Iowa edition.

My 20 Favorite Albums of 2012

(Again, this is all Iowa. No EPs, just LPs. For people who are interested in what I thought about other albums, it is unfortunately a lot like so many other lists out there. Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar, Japandroids, Chairlift, Grimes and Sharon Van Etten were big hits for me. I also really liked the new albums from The Mynabirds and Bowerbirds, which I don’t think are getting the press they should. The reality though, is I feel like I like all 20 of these more than pretty much any of these. I know it seems odd, but I just found myself listening to them more than Ocean’s masterpiece or the slightly indecipherable genius of Grimes.

Also, this is my as of now finalized list, but it may change depending on my mood, I guess. Really the point is, here are 20 albums I really liked and you should go listen to them if you haven’t. I haven’t reviewed all of them, so yeah, that should happen soon enough. Did I miss something? Were there metal albums you really liked? Disagree with me on something? Post them in the comments.)

1. Animal – Diatoms
2. Viva Montesa – Everybody’s Got Something Good to Say
3. Trouble Lights – The Endless Prom
4. Christopher the Conquered and His Black Gold Brass Band Decide The Fate of a Good Man 
5. Little Ruckus – Tank Girl vs Cape Girl Vol 1
6. North of Grand – Farewell to Rockets
7. Samuel Locke Ward – Double Nightmare
8. Maxilla Blue – Vol. 3
9. Dolfish – Id Rather Disappear Than Stay The Same (Author’s Note: Yes, this counts as Iowa)
10. Olsen Twinns – Found Things
11. Parlours – All is Here
12. Seedlings – Why We Grow Old
13. D.O.P.E. Clique – Blunt Force Trauma
14. Diamonds For Eyes – Catacomb Fires
15. Pennyhawk – Sisterbones
16. Roxi Copland – Pretty Lies
17. Unknown Component – Blood v Electricity
18. Lesbian Poetry – Lo-Fi Country For The Whole Family
19. Alexis Stevens – Alexis Stevens
20. Dustin Smith and the Sunday Silos – Northerner

 

Top 20 Favorite Local Tracks

1. Trouble Lights – Ready
2. Little Ruckus – Truth Boyz
3. North of Grand – Hey Man
4. Tires – 05
5. Animal – Biggest One
6. Seedlings – Between Us
7. Ramona and the Swimsuits – Come On Man
8. Dustin Smith and the Sunday Silos – Orphans
9. Maxilla Blue – Perfect Mal-F
10. Viva Montesa – Come Clean
11. Olsen Twinns – window and wall
12. Parlours – Slowly From The Earth
13. D.O.P.E. Clique – Wax On Wax Off
14. Hanwell – Fictions, Pt.1
15. Christopher the Conquered – The Truth Is On Its Way
16. Pennyhawk – Change Your Garden Change Your Life
17. Dolfish – Id Rather Disappear Than Stay The Same
18. Lesbian Poetry – Smoke Without Fire
19. Sam Knutson and Milk & Eggs – Up the Street From You
20. Jaw Harp Potential – Amuse Me

 

Top 5 Favorite Non-80/35 Live Sets (Okay, so now we can talk some national stuff. Also, this was just stuff I got to see personally. I missed a lot of stuff because I am poor and lame, in that order.)

1. Jeff Mangum (Sept. 22 Ames City Auditorium/Maximum Ames Fest) ()
2. Tires (April 14 Hotel Fort Des Moines/Gross Domestic Product)
3. He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister (Jan 13 Vaudeville Mews) ()
4. Trouble Lights (April 13 Vaudeville Mews)
5. Utopia Park (March 24 Bombay Bicycle Club) ()

 

Top 5 Favorite 80/35 Sets

1. Little Ruckus
2. Fucked Up
3. Dan Deacon
4. Mumford’s
5. Avett Brothers

 

Top Five Bands Who Hopefully Have Releases In 2012

1. Love Songs For Lonely Monsters
2. HD Harmsen
3. Gloom Balloon
4. Mumford’s
5. The White Elephant

 

Try Not To Miss Shows – 12/20 – 12/26

Films of John C Reilly, French Dials, Pussy Willow, PURE GUT, Ramona and the Swimsuits – Vaudeville Mews  12/21 8pm

Lots of fun mixed in on one show. A lot of these are local supergroups and side projects and such, so its performers many are familiar with, only doing different material. Should be a lot of fun.

Euforquestra w/ Bright Giant and Mr Baber’s Neighbors – Wooly’s 12/21 8pm

The annual holiday show benefiting the Food Bank of Iowa. Rock bluegrass, jam all by some of Iowa’s best.

Little Ruckus, Is Home Is, Doctor Murdock, Stewardesses, Surgery – DG’s Taphouse (Ames) 12/22 830pm

If we aren’t buried in a foot of snow and is we survive the impending Mayan apocalypse, head to Ames collection of Iowa electronic artists. Is Home Is is the former Olsen Twinns, incidentally.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! If you’re looking for something to do, there is a whole host of options. I will be at The Bash, but there are just a plethora of other options. Be safe.