The Best Music of 2012 - So Says Me

I debated how many songs to include and finally settled on 25, simply because I could not get rid of one of these songs.  My qualifications:  MUST be released in 2012 and I must still like to listen to it even after hearing it over and over again.  I am not burning CDs this year, so if you are interested shoot me an email and I will DB you the songs.

In no particular order, my top 25 songs of 2012 and why:

• Stubborn Love by The Lumineers - this little band hit mainstream really quickly with their Ho Hey song.  I'm sure you've heard it, almost everyone has.  And don't get me wrong, I really like that song.  But I like this one much better.  It's got the sweetness and simplicity that Ho Hey has, and it keeps my toes tapping.
• Wild by Royal Teeth- this group from New Orleans has been around for a mere two years so are still a sweet baby band to me.  I love this song and I love this line: Just because we’re growing up, it doesn’t mean we’ve had enough - When times are hard we’ll smile and say we’re not afraid of anything- (cause we feel young and wild).  This makes me think of my friend Shelia and if I could assign a motto to her, this would be it.
• Payphone by Maroon 5 (featuring Wiz Khalifa) - I blame this song's inclusion on a business trip where I was stuck in a hotel room and settled on The Voice as "background"  TV.  I couldn't stop watching that night and still haven't, watching seasons 2 and 3 and in the process have developed a little girl crush on Adam Levine. Cute tattoo boy aside, this song came out early on after Joe and I split up and for that reason the following lines really made me love this : If happy ever after did exist, I would still be holding you like this, All those fairy tales are full of shit One more fuckin' love song I'll be sick.  There is more, really I could paste the whole song...I like it all...But even the sun sets in paradise.
• Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen - Fact: I love this song. Fact: It's undeniably catchy. Fact: You know the words too.  Fact: the many, many parodies are hilarious.  Make sure you check out Obama's version. Fact: You must admit it: This is a great song.  Let me know if you want me to teach you Miller and my car dance. It's as fantastic as this song.
• Locked Out of Heaven by Bruno Mars - I knew Bruno was talented and he has been featured on previous Amy Audible Best Of mixes.  But two things solidified it this year and only one has to do with this song, both are from Saturday Night Live.  First is the Pandora skit which is hilarious for so many reasons but show you how great he is. Then watch his performance of this song.  Sure he's great, but look at his back up band and the crazy cardio workout they are getting. They just look like they are having a great time and that makes me smile.
• One Day/Reckoning Song - The Wankelmut Remix by Asaf Avidan & The Mojos - I'm not sure what it says about me that I love Israeli folk music, but I do. And who cannot love a song that is produced by someone named Wankelmut?  This song became number one in a ton of countries this year, of course not US. 
• Madness by Muse - I've been a big fan of Muse for a number of years and over a number of their styles. There were two Muse songs that were contenders this year, Madness and Survival, which was the official song of the Olympics. Survival is a great song, but I chose Madness because it reminded me of Queen in parts, and the last rousing bit is just great to turn up in the car and sing loudly (out of tune).
• All of Me by Tanlines - My subconscious really likes this song.  I can't count how many times I have gotten up in the middle of the night with the refrain of this song stuck in my head, and I still like it. And while some songs make it on this list because of lyrics, this is NOT one of those songs.  I have no idea what is happening here...I just like the all of me is asking and thinking part.
• No Tell by Smoke and Jackal - it's no surprise that I like Smoke and Jackal seeing that the band is comprised of Kings of Leon bassist and the lead singer from Mona (check out their song Lean into the Fall, a 2011 best of contender). I think this song is pretty and has gotten stuck in my head many a day.
• Gimme Twice by The Royal Concept - this is a little Swedish band and I mean little.  These kids can't weigh more than 90 pounds between them. I saw them at The Visualite and was surprised how techno they are live, but you can't help pop around when this song comes on. They are touring right now with Imagine Dragons (It's Time was a 2012 Best Of  contender) so that gives them some street cred in my book.
• Global Concepts by Robert DeLong - I LOVE this song.  Yes, it is techno, but the line "Did I leave my life to chance or did I make you F**CKIN Dance".  I just love it.  Checkout this picture - kid doesn't look ANYTHING like I thought he would.
• Away Frm U by Oberhofer - Another techno song, and even though I despise when people don't spell things correctly (hello, you aren't Prince), I like this song.  I especially like the line "I can't fight all of your battles for you."  Truth.
• Sweater Weather by The Neighborhood - Just another in a long list of bands from Oklahoma...Wait, Oklahoma? Exactly.   I think they sound dark and I like it. If I was doing music for a movie about a druggie going down hill, I'd want their music behind it. The other song of theirs that I really like is Female Robbery, which is actually more dark and druggy.  
• Headlights by The Morning Parade - I love this band. I love the music, the guys are so sweet and I am positively rooting for their success.  The lead singer, My Best Friend Steve, is smart and polite and wore a sports coat to a station interview.  Love that. This is the song that started them out, but my favorite is a slower song, but honestly, I love it all.  I am really hoping that this will be one of those bands that are headlining one day and I can say Steve bought me drinks one night while we hung out together talking about everything from politics to music to sales people.
• Geraldine by The Avett Brothers - OK honestly I could not decide between Pelican by The Maccabees or Dark Again by Gold Fields so I decided to scrap them both and include (for the first time ever) The Avett Brothers. Yes, they grew up about 30 minutes from here and are the hometown boys gone big, but I have never really been a fan. I don't know if it is the Rick Rubin influence (thank you Charlie Gaddy), but there are a few songs on this latest album that I really like.  This one is just a silly good time.
• Carry On by Fun. - This band is getting some crazy recognition, recently getting 6 Grammy nominations.  Their big hit, We are Young, is absolutely anthemic (again, thanks Charlie Gaddy) but I interpret it about spousal abuse and settling for whatever is around late at night, so I tend to say "I really like the song, but have you listened to the lyrics?"  And really, I swear I am not a lyrics person, but I can't get over that. But no denying, the band makes some great music.  Some Nights has the hook "What do I stand for? Most nights I don't know".  And this track, Carry On, has this to say, which I LOVE (again, I am so not a lyrics person). So I met up with some friends at the edge of the night At a bar off 75 And we talked and talked about how our parents will die All our neighbours and wives But I like to think I can cheat it all To make up for the times I've been cheated on.
• This Head I Hold by Electric Guest - There are so many great bands that do one or two really good songs, but that is really it. So when I come across a band that I like absolutely everything they do, I am floored.  Enter Electric Guest's 2012 ep Mondo, produced by Danger Mouse, and containing 10 songs I love. Buy their stuff.  They are awesome.
• At Home by The Crystal Fighters - It's pretty.  Apparently there is a music genre called "folktronica".  This it it.  I like it.
• True Romance by Citizens! - I think Citizens! might be one of the worst band names, but I like their stuff.  Little British boys, good lyrics and they have a pretty decent range of sounds.  I like the lead singer's voice.  True Romance got them to the US, but Let's Go All the Way is actually my favorite.
• Champion by The Chevin - Another British band, not quite as anthemic as Muse, but gotta love a hook that let's you belt out "I'm a champion". 
• Come Home by Chappo - In 2002 there was a movie called Laurel Canyon.  I don't really remember much about it other than it had a GREAT song that I loved...one of those epic songs that no matter how many times you listen to it, you love it. It was In a Funny Way by Mercury Rev.  Of course Mercury Rev broke up, but I still love that song and the ethereal quality about it.  For some reason, Come Home by Chappo makes me think of that old Mercury Rev song.   They are in no way related, and really don't even sound alike, but that is my brain for you.  They are both good songs though.
• Safe and Sound by Capital Cities - Another ear worm type song, I have gotten up in the middle of the night many times with this song.  
• Forest Whitaker by Bad Books - One of my favorites of the year, Bad Books is a band with one of the guys from Manchester Orchestra, which generally I do not like. But I like books and I like Forest Whitaker a lot. And again, I am not a lyrics person, but this one has some great ones.
• Scream by Usher - There are certain songs that as soon as I hear, I am instantly transported to a specific memory.  This song will forever take me to the security line of the airport at 5am with a still drunk Shelia, on our way to Jamaica. This got stuck in our heads and since we didn't know more than the refrain, we just kept singing Ooh Baby Baby over and over again.  It makes me smile.
• Fitzpleasure by Alt-J - Winner of the 2012 Mercury Prize if that matters to you, this band has a wide range of sounds, from Mumford and Sons folk to Fitzpleasure, which is just a really odd song, that I have grown to love.  The video is even weirder.

So there ya have it - my favorite songs of 2012. It was much harder this year to narrow down and I had to leave off some greats including Django Django, A Silent Film, Imagine Dragons, The Vaccines, The Mowgli's, Alabama Shakes and Narrow Plains. 2012 was a great year musically, I hope 2013 continues the trend.

 

 

September Music

Teenage Icon by The Vaccines
Something Good by Alt-J
Ayla by The Maccabees
Bom Bom by Sam and The Womp
Read All About It by Emeli Sande
Flaws by Bastille
Talk Through The Night by Dog is Dead
Madness by Muse
Two Fingers by Jake Bugg

Music Notes this Month:
I have been very fortunate this month to see a lot of  concerts and with each one I was reminded how much I love music and how important it is in my life. I am constantly amazed with peoples' talent, especially since I myself have none. Sitting in a room listening to a great singer still gives me chills and I vividly remember some performances that have brought me to tears. So even though many of these really messed up my sleep schedule, here are some highlights from my month of music:

A Silent Film - This band has long been on my radar, included in best of lists since April of 2009.  So I was really excited when they were announced to play a work event.  Their songs are pretty and the lyrics are mostly sad, which is a trait that for some reason I really like.  Like most music I really like, hardly anyone was familiar with the band which is a shame. In person they were humble, sweet and very appreciative of people actually singing their lyrics.  Two of my favorites: You Will Leave a Mark and Driven By Their Beating Hearts.

Metric: This band has been around for a bit and their songs are played pretty consistently on the station that I listen to the most, Atl Nation.  I've never really loved them, never hated them.  Then I saw them in an acoustic performance and I was amazed. The lead singer's voice is pure and beautiful and it has forever changed how I think of their music. You will probably recognize Youth Without Youth.

The Wombats: This band peaked my interest a few years ago with their song "Let's Dance to Joy Division" because it is a good song and I love that they get the irony of that line. It made me laugh.  So I have been following them, purchasing all of their stuff and would consider myself a fan. Their newest single Jump Into the Fog addresses a woman as "love" (which I LOVE and want) and also has a great lines: "I'm only here because I want to twist the structure of my average day" and "life tastes sweeter when its wrapped in debauchery". So I was more than a little excited to see they were coming to Charlotte and that they would be coming to work. I was the only one that I work with that even knew who they were!  Now I see a lot of bands come through work, some big and some small.  Some do a great job interacting with the crowd and then there are bands like The Wombats.  They walked onto the platform, hardly said hello, unceremoniously sang two songs (the usual is three) and walked off stage.  That's it. I was very disappointed.  For a band with such a sense of humor in their lyrics, to have no personality whatsoever was not what I expected. I went to the show that night and they were better, but still they have lost a bit of their appeal.   I still like the music, but I will never again skip down the hall at work exclaiming "The Wombats are here!"  Check out one of my favorites, Tokyo.

Morning Parade: I liked this band's first major hit and since they were opening for the Wombats, they also came by work. They were the first band in the 16 years I have worked here that wore a sports coat.  They also smelled good, a rarity.  They did the normal introduction, sang a song and then said they wanted to play a game with the audience members.  It was hilarious!  They sang another song and when it came to the next break they chose me. Steve, the lead singer introduced himself to me and asked the question, then played their hit song.  We took pictures and that was it.  That night at the concert I bought a cd and went up to get it autographed. He looked at me and right away said 'Hi Amy, so glad to see you again!".  How awesome is that?!  We chatted, he said he'd be around afterwards and asked if I'd stay for a drink.  I was there with Shelia, so we both stayed and she bought the band a round of drinks.  I hung out and talked with Steve while The Wombats were playing.  He had been touring with them for a few weeks and said that they are funny and nice.  He also said he was so  impressed that the Wombats were playing in a small venue here when just two weeks ago they were playing to a sold out 50,000 crowd in the UK.  I asked him if that was disheartening and he said quite the opposite...that it was inspiring to be with a band that loved performing and loved the music so much.  So Steve bought me two drinks, we hung out talking for about an hour.  I am pretty sure we are best friends now.  :)  But seriously, they will be back in Charlotte in November.  Go see them; they are a group of nice guys with a lot of talent.   Headlights is great, but this Us & Ourselves is my favorite.