The music that meant the most to me in 2012

Doing my radio show at CFYT in Dawson City (photo by John Lund)

I couldn’t do it. There was so much fabulous music this year that I just couldn’t narrow it down to a Top 10. So here—alphabetically because there was no way I could rank them—are the twenty-five albums I listened to, and enjoyed, the most this year. Yeah, twenty-five (and it was hard enough getting it down to that).

• Europe – Allo Darlin’
All Music Guide calls this “twee pop,” which doesn’t sound like something I would want to listen to. But I love this album. Why it isn’t on more lists is beyond me. Here’s “The Letter”

• The Carpenter – The Avett Brothers
True, there’s nothing as infectious as “I and Love and You” on it, but this is another great album from these guys. Here’s “Winter in My Heart”

• Barchords – Bahamas
Laid back and lovely. Here’s “Lost in the Light”

• Break It Yourself – Andrew Bird
If I had to pick one album as the best of the year, this gorgeous one might just be it. Here’s “Orpheo Looks Back”

• The Marble Downs – Bonnie “Prince” Billy
Another gem from Will Oldham, this one a collaboration with Trembling Bells. Here’s “Love is a Velvet Noose”

• Sun – Cat Power
Almost left this one off the list because I made the mistake of going to see Cat Power instead of The Mountain Goats, but then I listened to “Nothin But Time” again

• Old Ideas – Leonard Cohen
When I saw Cohen a few weeks ago, he played all his old classics and the songs from this album were still among my favourites of the night (though I was bummed he played “Show Me the Place”  his second night in Toronto, not his first)

• Swing Lo Magellan – Dirty Projectors
Thought this might take me several listens so I was surprised I liked it so much so quickly. Here’s “Impregnable Question”

• End of Daze – Dum Dum Girls
Good thing this is only an EP because if a whole album was this great, my head might explode from joy. Proud to say I am a Dum Dum boy. Here’s “I Got Nothing”

• Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now – Justin Townes Earle
How many brilliant albums does this guy have to put out before we forget he has a famous father? (And I ask that even though I love his father.) Can’t find the album version of “Am I that Lonely Tonight?” so here’s “Memphis in the Rain”

• Fear Fun – Father John Misty
Lots of fun live, too (especially when he did a Canned Heat cover to end the show). Here’s “Only Son of a Ladiesman”

• The Lion’s Roar – First Aid Kit
Two Swedish sisters put out the best folk album of the year? Works for me. Here’s “In the Hearts of Men”

• Celebration Rock – Japandroids
One of the few albums on my list that is on most of the year-end lists I’ve seen. And deservedly so. Great fun. Here’s “The House that Heaven Built”

• Blues Funeral – Mark Lanegan
“If tears were liquor, I’d have drunk myself sick.” Here’s “St. Louis Elegy”

• I Can See the Future – Eleni Mandell
Another lovely album from Eleni. And while I am not really a fan of videos, I can watch “Magic Summertime” again and again and again

• Transcendental Youth – The Mountain Goats
Why did I go to Cat Power instead of seeing John Darnielle again? Here’s “Transcendental Youth”

• My Head is an Animal – Of Monsters and Men
I really need to get to Iceland. Here’s “Little Talks”

• Strange Weekend – Porcelain Raft
I listened to this a lot during my three months in Dawson City and it brought me a lot of joy. Here’s “Put Me to Sleep”

• Between the Times and the Tides – Lee Ranaldo
Why didn’t more of you people listen to this fabulous solo album from the Sonic Youth guitarist? Here’s the album version of “Xtina as I Knew Her” and a great live version of it

• Interstellar – Frankie Rose
Synth pop done right. Dreamy. Here’s “Know Me”

• Provincial – John K. Samson
Maybe not as consistent as the work he’s done with the Weakerthans, but some great stuff here, including “When I Write My Master’s Thesis”

• Sweet Heart Sweet Light – Spiritualized
“Hey Jane” is one of the best songs of the year

• Tramp – Sharon Van Etten
Talented singer-songwriter. Here’s “I’m Wrong”

• The Something Rain – Tindersticks
Haunting. Here’s “Frozen”

• Local Business – Titus Andronicus
It’s not The Monitor, but I got over that and just enjoyed it. Here’s “In a Big City”

Honourable Mention:
Beach House, Best Coast, David Byrne & Saint Vincent, DIIV, Kathleen Edwards, Grizzly Bear, The Heavy, the list goes on…