So here is a somewhat expanded version of my "Best of 2012" music list from the previous blog entry.
Albums:
1. Wrecking Ball -
Bruce Springsteen
2. My Head is an
Animal - Of Monsters and Men
3. Milk Famous -
White Rabbits
4. A Thing Called
Divine Fits - Divine Fits
5. Be the Void -
Dr. Dog
6. Port of Morrow
- The Shins
7. Slipstream -
Bonnie Raitt
8. The Lumineers -
The Lumineers
9. El Camino - The
Black Keys
10. Babel -
Mumford and Sons
11. Big Station -
Alejandro Escovedo
12. Boys and Girls
- Alabama Shakes
13. Bloom - Beach House
14. Clear Heart, Full
Eyes - Craig Finn
15. Fragrant World -
Yeasayer
16. Chimes of Freedom:
Songs of Bob Dylan - Various Artists
17. Little Broken
Hearts - Norah Jones
18. Anastasis -
Dead Can Dance
19. Gossamer -
Passion Pit
20. Algiers -
Calexico
Songs:
1. Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men
2. Little Black Submarines - The Black Keys
3. Land of Hope and Dreams - Bruce Springsteen
4. Default - Django Django
5. I Will Wait - Mumford and Sons
6. Would That Not Be Nice - Divine Fits
7. Stubborn Love - The Lumineers
8. No Way Down - The Shins
9. Take a Walk - Passion Pit
10. Danny Come Inside - White Rabbits
11. Lonesome - Dr. Dog
12. Doom and Gloom - The Rolling Stones
13. Dirty Money - Antibalas
14. Used to Rule the World - Bonnie Raitt
15. Hold On - Alabama Shakes
16. Bottom of the World - Alejandro Escovedo
17. Bottom of the River - Delta Rae
18. 45 - The Gaslight Anthem
19. Reagan's Skeleton - Yeasayer
20. Happy Pills - Norah Jones
I should also put in a good word for Days by Real Estate, a fine alt-jangle pop band out of North Jersey whom I discovered this year, but they weren't eligible for the list since their album was released last October.
Also, if you'd like to score some good holiday music, check out Tracey Thorn's Tinsel and Lights. Tracey is formerly of the British group Everything But the Girl, and her album of self-described "secular carols" is a warm, mellow affair, with great covers of Joni Mitchell's "River" and Ron Sexsmith's "Maybe This Christmas", and her own gorgeous song, "Joy", among other fine tunes. I've also heard bits and pieces of Sufjan Stevens' new Christmas EP collection Silver and Gold. As with his previous collection Songs for Christmas, it's a mixed bag of religious and secular songs, veering from the reverent to the whimsical and silly. If you like Sufie (and I do), you won't be disappointed.
