Best albums of 2012

[Macca]

It may be a little early for this. Maybe would've been better waiting til next month, but fuck it. Let's do it now. Everyone post your top 5 albums of the year. If there's enough participation I may run some kind of poll or something, but I don't see that being likely with the activity here these days.

Mine:

1. Dry The River - Shallow Bed
I don't see anyone being massively shocked at this, this quickly became one of my favourite albums of all time. I'm looking forward to the acoustic version of the album next month.

2. Alcest - Les Voyages De L'ame
Came out very early this year, but very little else has managed to top it for me, but I'm an Alcest fanboy, it's just so pretty <3

3. Ne Obliviscaris - Portal of I
I'm not massively into metal these days, but something about these guys just clicks with me. There's some parts of this album that remind me of early 00's Opeth. Technically gifted musicians who can actually write good songs too.

4. Keaton Henson - Dear
This guy is a pretty recent discovery, but his debut album is just heartbreakingly beautiful. A lot of, if not all of the songs on the album deal with a bad break-up, pretty cliche subject matter but he handles it beautifully. Kinda reminds me of Bon Iver's "For Emma" album, but darker and more depressing.

5. Sigur Ros - Valtari
Standard Sigur Ros, just very pretty music. A lot more stripped back and minimal than their last couple of albums, pretty similar to the ( ) album in that respect. The minimalistic qualities probably aren't for everyone, but there's something about this album that I really love.

Honourable mentions:

Alberta Cross - Songs of Patience
Of Monsters and Men - My Head Is an Animal
The Tallest Man On Earth - There's No Leaving Now
Anathema - Weather Systems
Two Gallants - The Bloom and the Blight
Stone Sour - HOGAB pt. 1


You don't need to provide the cheesy mini-reviews like I did..

[Macca]

This was an awesome music year, I found it difficult to even keep my honourable mentions limited to 6

[AliceMudgarden]

Another great year for music.

1. Ne Obliviscaris - Portal of I
2. Anathema - Weather Systems
3. Swans - The Seer
4. Enslaved - RIITIIR
5. Deftones - Koi No Yokan

Honorable Mentions:

Twelve Foot Ninja - Silent Machine
Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music
Coheed and Cambria - The Afterman: Ascension
Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d. city
Soundgarden - King Animal
Frank Ocean - channel ORANGE
The Tallest Man on Earth - There's No Leaving Now
Converge - All We Love We Leave Behind
Beach House - Bloom
John Talabot - ƒIN
etc.

[BSC]

I agree it's an awesome year for music

Big Wreck - Albatross (didn't expect to like this album as much as I did)
Slash - Apocalyptic Love
Testament - Dark Roots of The Earth
Soundgarden - King Animal
The Darkness - Hot Cakes

Honourable mentions
Tremonti - All I Was
Gojira - L'enfant Sauvage
Newton Faulkner - Write It On Your Skin
Aerosmith - Music From Another Dimension
Brad - United We Stand
Van Halen - A Different Kind Of Truth

It's also been a big year for bands making a comeback, Soundgarden, Van Halen, Aerosmith, The Darkness and Big Wreck.

[Circles]

Another great year for music.

1. Ne Obliviscaris - Portal of I
2. Anathema - Weather Systems
3. Swans - The Seer
4. Enslaved - RIITIIR
5. Deftones - Koi No Yokan

Honorable Mentions:

Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music
Coheed and Cambria - The Afterman: Ascension
Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d. city
Soundgarden - King Animal
Frank Ocean - channel ORANGE
The Tallest Man on Earth - There's No Leaving Now
Converge - All We Love We Leave Behind
Beach House - Bloom
Aesop Rock - Skelethon
John Talabot - ƒIN
etc.

kendrick and frank were mad good

[Timotheus]

Big Wreck - Albatross
Slash - Apocalyptic Love
The Pineapple Thief - All the Wars
Muse - The 2nd Law
John Mayer - Born & Raised

Honorable mention:

Anathema - Weather Systems (had to edit John Mayer into the list, so this one has to go to the 6th place )

[NytestrykerZ]

Thank god for http://www.albumoftheyear.org/2012/rele ... ary-01.php because god knows I'm too scatterbrained to remember all of them. Anyways here's my list (cheesy mini-reviews intact)

1) Big Wreck - Albatross
No big surprise here. Ian Thornley had been on Chad Kroeger's 604 Records label for years which saw an album shelfed for almost two years and pressure to conform to modern rock radio format. This album is Ian Thornley unleashed. Classic rock song structures with extended jams, blazing guitar solos, and vocally he's never sounded better. This album rewards multiple listens as well and is a heaven for music/guitar geeks with amazing tones and sounds. Standout track: Glass Room

2) John Mayer - Born & Raised
Could surprise some but Mayer rocks. I wasn't the biggest fan of 'Battle Studies' but I'd say all the hanging out John did with Keith Urban on that tour had an effect. Country is a noticeable addition but the Laurel Canyon folk sound really shines through here with some tunes even recalled the Allman Brothers Band. This made for a terrific summer driving CD and transitioned just fine from The Band (Who I've been listening to a ridiculous extent this year). Standout track: Walt Grace's Submarine Test, January 1967

3) Glen Hansard - Rhythm & Repose
Been a big Hansard fan since a musician friend introduced me to 'Falling Slowly'. This album is a bit of a slow burner and is overall much more chill than his Frames albums or even some of the Swell Season work. Glen's got a lot of tension and a raw emotive voice that can kick you like a mule when he reaches his crescendos at the end of a song. Luckily this album has two such instances in 'High Hope' and 'Bird Of Sorrow'. Not my favorite of his work but still a top five album for this year. Standout track: Bird of Sorrow

4) Mumford & Sons - Babel
This would probably be higher if I hadn't heard 7 of the songs last autumn. Great album overall.. Like Sigh No More I rarely skip a track. A little more electric than the past album. I don't really know what else to say. Standout track: Below My Feet

5) Tremonti - All I Was
Been a fan of Mark's songwriting, vocals and playing since I was 12 so a solo album was something I always wanted to see. Mark didn't dissapoint. Mark's voice is well suited to the alt-metal style and I'll argue he pulls off the heavier songs better than both Myles and Stapp. The riffage, double bass and surgical stops and starts are all the things I love about metal. I recall when I first listening to it I thought it was 'just okay' but then when I tried to list off my favorite tunes to a buddy I realized I gave him 9 of the 12 tracks. Standout track: Wish You Well

Honourable mentions:
Slash - Apocalyptic Love
Not a top 5 album but there are a few stellar tracks. Saw Slash back in July too so I feel like I have to list this, hahaha.
Gary Clark Jr. - Blak & Blu
The R&B songs on this album are incredible but there's a lot of filler. I'll argue the b-sides are better than a lot of album tracks.

[Timotheus]

Fuuck, I forgot John Mayer! I'm going to edit mine

[Violent Corpse]

Soen - Cognitive

[Josiah]

1. Stone Sour - HOGAB pt. 1
2. Soundgarden - King Animal
3. Tremonti - All I Was
4. Slash - Apocalyptic Love
5. Green Day - Dos!

[RuRo]

1. Stone Sour - House Of Gold And Bones Part 1
2. Tremonti - All I Was

3. Kamelot - Silverthorn
4. Shinedown - Amaryllis
5. Circus Maximus - Nine

Didn't really find 2012 to be a particularly amazing year for music, but the top 2 were both very good surprises. 2013 could be shaping up to be an incredible year though.

[anguyen92]

Well, I only listened to four albums in a deeply manner, but hey, I'll give my voice in anyway.

1. Tremonti - All I Was
2. Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators - Apocalyptic Love
3. Shinedown - Amaryllis
4. Fozzy - Sin and Bones

Pretty good year for my favorite musicians. Hopefully 2013 could be better.

[Dolo]

Tremonti - All I Was
Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators - Apocalyptic Love
Shinedown - Amaryllis
Europe - Bag of Bones
Stone Sour - House of Gold & Bones Part I
Periphery - Periphery II
Billy Talent - Dead Silence
Van Halen - A Different Kind of Truth

Not in particular order.

And Projected is one of the biggest disappointments btw.

[Nick]

It's been a great year. I only picked a top four to describe, but there's been some great stuff. I included some albums I still need to listen to at the bottom.

Swans - The Seer (Post punk)
In a sense, every album changes what you listen to, but only a select few change how you listen. I doubt I'll ever see music in quite the same way after this one. It's my favorite album of the year and a possible competitor for my favorite album ever. This album sounds like nothing I've ever heard. It's like a cathartic release of some deep, dark, animalistic part of me that I didn't even know existed. This is the first double album I've listened to that I've considered fully successful. The entire journey is often too much for me to weather in one go, mostly because of its sheer heavy darkness, but the experience is one that is made more by the sum of each part. I couldn't pick best tracks, but I could pick some that might introduce a new listener to the sound, which is, let's face it, really hard to listen to.
For those interested: Lunacy, The Seer Returns, Avatar

Dry The River - Shallow Bed (Folk rock, pop)
A fantastic folk rock debut. The singer is incredible and the harmonies supporting him make it that much more beautiful. The songs are catchy but fairly complex and layered. I think they rely on electric guitars a little too much to make their sweeping points, but this is pretty incredible for a debut album. I'm excited for their acoustic version and even more excited for the music they'll make in the future.
Highlights: New Ceremony, History Book, Bible Belt

David Byrne and St. Vincent - Love This Giant (Indie pop, jazz funk)
The infamously weird David Byrne teams up with St. Vincent to create an awesomely catchy, fun, and experimental album stuffed full with horns, jazz, and soul. There's a lot of weird musical contradictions set to play against each other, but they somehow make it work. Their voices are great together, and the songs are varied and interesting.
Highlights: I Should Watch TV, Who, The One Who Broke Your Heart

Rush - Clockwork Angels
The best album Rush has made in quite a while. It doesn't quite stack up to some of their classic progressive rock era albums, but that's a pretty tough series of albums to try to beat. Clockwork Angels is less of a next step and more of a mastery of the sound Rush have been creating for a few years in their modern era. They're finally performing this sound at a similar quality to what they did years ago. The concept is pretty ambitious, but I've grown out of these kind of silly lyric directions I used to love from them. There are still some pretty great meanings and turns of phrase though. This won't convert a non Rush fan but it's a happy addition to the discography.
Highlights: The Anarchist, Halo Effect, BU2B

Mumford and Sons - Babel (Folk rock)
I still can't decide if it's stronger than Sigh No More, but they're both great. There's a touch more electric on this album and they use it as a crutch sometimes, but hey, what can I say, it works. They keep up a pretty decent variety while ensuring a well flowing listening experience. They play to their own strengths, those being Marcus's voice, their sweeping choruses, and their often frenetic banjo playing, and they do it well.
Highlights: Babel, Lover of the Light, Below My Feet

Honorable mentions:
Storm Corrosion - Storm Corrosion (Acid folk)
Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson - Thick As A Brick 2 (Progressive rock, folk rock)

Still need to listen to:
The Mountain Goats - Transcendental Youth (Folk rock, indie)
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! (Post rock)
Scott Walker - Bish Bosch (I don't even know)

[zazisaspaz]

Little Big Town: Tornado
Jason Aldean: Night Train
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals: The Lion the Beast and the Beat
Casey James: Casey James
Joey + Rory: His and Hers or Josh Turner: Punching Bag

and just cause he's the boss, i think Bruce's Wrecking Ball ought to be mentioned

[Decay]

Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators - Apocalyptic Love
Stone Sour - House Of Gold & Bones: Part 1
Tremonti - All I Was
Halestorm - The Strange Case Of...
Aaron Lewis - The Road

Honorable mentions:
Projected - Human
Papa Roach - The Connection
Soundgarden - King Animal
Shinedown - Amaryllis

[BennyWhatever]

3) Glen Hansard - Rhythm & Repose
Been a big Hansard fan since a musician friend introduced me to 'Falling Slowly'. This album is a bit of a slow burner and is overall much more chill than his Frames albums or even some of the Swell Season work. Glen's got a lot of tension and a raw emotive voice that can kick you like a mule when he reaches his crescendos at the end of a song. Luckily this album has two such instances in 'High Hope' and 'Bird Of Sorrow'. Not my favorite of his work but still a top five album for this year. Standout track: Bird of Sorrow

This was a great album! I can see where you're coming from though when you described it as a "slow burner." Since it's a solo album, it's a bit more soft and emotive than his earlier stuff. I really liked High Hope and Love Leave Me Waiting.

I didn't get nearly as many albums as usual this year due to money constraints. I did really like the Slash and Tremonti albums. Shinedown was okay - better than SoM, not as good as U&T and LaW.

[Heretic]

here's all that I've heard this year and how I think they stack up. I'll provide reviews for my top 5 once I've decided on them.

Absolutely outstanding:
Anathema - Weather Systems
Between the Buried and Me - The Parallax Part 2: Future Sequence
Coheed and Cambria - The Afterman: Ascension
Twelve Foot Ninja - Silent Machine
Leech - If We Get There One Day, Would You Please Open the Gates?

Superb:
Wintersun - Time I
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - ' Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
August Burns Red - Sleddin' Hill
From Indian Lakes - Able Bodies
Periphery - Periphery II
The Tallest Man on Earth - There's No Leaving Now
Right Away, Great Captain! - The Church of the Good Thief
Ne Obliviscaris - Portal of I
Thrice - Anthology

Excellent:
Converge - All We Love We Leave Behind
If These Trees Could Talk - Red Forest
sleepmakeswaves - sleepmakeswaves (US release)
Deftones - Koi No Yokan
Imagine Dragons - Night Visions
Ancestors - In Dream and Time
Atoma - Skylight
In Mourning - The Weight of Oceans
Soundgarden - King Animal

Good:
The Contortionist - Intrinsic
Sent by Ravens - Mean What You Say
Susanne Sundfor - The Silicone Veil
BATS - The Sleep of Reason
Caspian - Waking Season
Mumford & Sons - Babel
fun. - Some Nights
The Avett Brothers - The Carpenter
Dry the River - Shallow Bed
mewithoutYou - Ten Stories
Tenacious D - Rize of the Fenix
North Atlantic Oscillation - Fog Electric
Sigur Ros - Valtari
Agalloch - Faustian Echoes
Tigers on Trains - Foundry
Cloudkicker - Fade
Baroness - Yellow and Green
Mono - For My Parents
Crippled Black Phoenix - (Mankind) The Crafty Ape
Alcest - Les Voyages De l Ame
Enslaved - RIITIIR
Trampled by Turtles - Stars and Satellites
The Smashing Pumpkins - Oceania
As I Lay Dying - Awakened
Flying Colors - Flying Colors
Shadows Fall - Fire From the Sky
Foxy Shazam - The Church of Rock and Roll
The Shins - Port of Morrow
Linkin Park - Living Things
Icarus the Owl - Love Always, Leviathan
Stone Sour - House of Gold and Bones pt. 1
Dragonforce - The Power Within

Bland and Uninteresting:
The Mars Volta - Noctorniquet
Gojira - L'Enfant Sauvage
Meshuggah - Koloss
Rush - Clockwork Angels
Circus Maximus - Nine

Below Average:
Storm Corrosion - Storm Corrosion
Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellan
Muse - The 2nd Law
Swans - The Seer
Adrenaline Mob - Omerta

I also think the really really late release by The Mayan Factor is going to shake things up a bit too so nothing will be final till after 2013 most likely.

[facepollution]

I'm not sure even Soundgarden can shift Mark Lanegan's Blues Funeral from the top spot for me, that album is AMAZING. That's not to say I don't love King Animal though, great record.

Other than those two I really enjoyed The Gaslight Anthem's Handwritten, and I'm currently on my first spin of the new Deftones record and I'm seriously impressed.

[devv88]

I'll get back to you, but glad to see some love for The Gaslight Anthem and Imagine Dragons. There's still a bunch of albums I haven't listened to that I plan on checking out before the end of the year.