Year-End Critics' Polls 2012

http://my2ndheartbeat.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/icare.jpg

thx some dude, xo

There's always some dude that cares, Johnny. Just remember that.

No one gives a shit about mine so I didn't bother.

lol can i post it for you

Sure! Not enough Pinkish Black love on this thread.

my albums list, sans blurbs (although i'd like to write some for at least the top 10):

http://grannykart.com/2012/11/05/jodys-top-30-of-2012/

http://lightbulbhead.tumblr.com/post/38479597599/2012-favorites (xp)

i keep forgetting about that new neneh cherry album.

That Moon Duo record was one of my last cuts, but I dropped it once I realized “Sleepwalkers” sounds like Zooropa-era U2 taking lots of acid and trying to play Adam Ant’s “Vive Le Rock” from memory without having heard it since 1985.

you say that like it's a bad thing.

Not at all! But I docked them slightly because when I saw Adam Ant this fall his current version of "Vive Le Rock" sort of sounded the same way.

In other words, those last few cuts were some arbitrary bullshit.

Ok that Moon Duo description makes me wish you wrote blurbs

Am deeply saddened the Black Bananas album fell of your list, get bent

i'm saddened too. i like that record. i'm so close to restoring it to the list.

black bananas is back.

So okay, maybe they're looking to shift to Decibel territory to extreme music, which works with bands like Swans.

no this stuff has been within their remit since literally their first issue

Yay! xp

my albums list:

http://humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/for-the-last-time/

i kind of want to have an extended discussion of cloud nothings vs. the men but i'm probably the only one

xpost

Does this mean you had a change of heart on the Mountain Goats record?

I don't think I outright disliked it -- it merely wasn't the keeper that last year's was.

Singles: http://humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/best-songs-2012/

i would participate in a cloud nothings vs. the men discussion

open your heart was a nice punch to the gut the first several times i heard it, but it really faded for me. a few great songs on there, but overall it's a little bit tuneless in parts, and there's something about the production that leaves me cold. didn't end up cracking my top 50 or so.

attack on memory, on the other hand, has gotten good press since its release, and done well on these lists, but i still feel that it's underrated. just a terrific rock record that sounds as good (or better) every time i revisit it and scratches my Nirvana-fan itch (as did that Metz album). it's a top 15 of the year album, i say.

that's 4xp, obvs

http://www.tropicalbass.com/2012/12/top-of-the-trops-best-of-tropical-bass-2012/

ANDRÉS:
Top Albums/EPs:
MKC – Caribbean Swagga
Sonodo Desconocido – Trópico Quasar
Maga Bo – Quilombo de Futuro
Cumba Mela – Remix Ep 1

Sonikgroove ft. Prince Osito – Better dan dem Remix EP
Kumbia Queers – Pecados Tropicales
So Shifty ft. Madera Limpia – Rumba EP
Sonido Guay Neñe – Copla Colectiva Digital
Suelta la voz – Copia Doble Systema
Chico Trujillo – Gran Pecador
Palenke Soultribe – Makako EP
Tropikore – Guarapo EP
Frikstailers – Guacha EP
Subatomic Soundsystem ft. Anthony B – Dem Cant stop we from Talkin EP

xp having listened to both in the past two days (first time in a while for cloud nothings but i've been listening to open yr heart regularly since it came out) i find that the men scratch my 90s rock itch most effectively (metz do too to a lesser extent). i like the cloud nothings record, it's good, but there is such an audible joy in the performances on open yr heart and it's really wide open and un-self conscious about making a great record of guitar rock. attack on memory seems a little sullen and studied by comparison.

saw'em both at Pitchfork but The Men won me when they turned "Candy" into a Meat Puppets cowpunk jam.

xpost i swear, i would write the exact opposite of this:

but there is such an audible joy in the performances on open yr heart and it's really wide open and un-self conscious about making a great record of guitar rock. attack on memory seems a little sullen and studied by comparison.

to me, it's Cloud Nothings that sounds joyous, or at least authentically cathartic. more feeling, whatever that means. more un-self conscious. more free. and open yr heart sounds like a very clinical, calculated "we are a good guitar band with our best (read: most accessible) batch of songs and we'd better make a great guitar record" effort, but in overthinking it, they sucked much of the life out of it.

different strokes, eh

indeed--i don't think there's anything on open your heart that's particularly accessible outside of turn it around, the title track, and candy. i do think the record is conscious in nodding at a variety of genres but nothing about the performances themselves comes off that way.

Angry Metal Guy weighs in with his Top 10(ish) of 2012.

#Ish: Vindicator // United We Fall
#10: Wildernessking // The Writing of Gods in the Sand
#9: Borknagar // Urd
#8: Be’lakor // Of Breath and Bone
#7: Ofermod // Thaumiel
#6: Dodecahedron // Dodecahedron
#5: Anathema // Weather Systems
#4: The 11th Hour // Lacrima Mortis
#3: Diablo Swing Orchestra // Pandora’s Piñata
#2: Sophicide // Perdition of the Sublime
#1: Sabaton // Carolus Rex

Honorable Mentions:

Sigh // In Somniphobia
Arjen Anthony Lucassen // Lost in the New Real
Vintersorg // Orkan
Blood Mortized // Keys to a Black Heart
King of Asgard // …To North
Hail Spirit Noir // Pneuma
Sylosis // Monolith

http://www.datpiff.com/top2012

DatPiff.com's top 50 mixtapes of the year. not ordered by popularity, although download stats are shown so it's a good indicator of what was big.

my lists: http://alexmacpherson.tumblr.com/post/38945575458/end-of-year-list-dump-2012

aw lex adopted my "bonus bile" addendum

I did like the Pinkish Black. All the enthusiasm had me revisiting it and it moved up to my top 40 and #6 in heavy rock. My copy was tagged as "grave wave," which many won't like but it's kind of a catchy tag. I could see them getting a lot more attention this year.

xp is it yours? i didn't know! that was a last-min addition thanks to alfred trolling me on twitter, "bonus bile" just popped into my head

Alright! Glad you dug the Pinkish Black. The just finished recording the next album and with Century Media on board it should get them more attention. They also plan to tour the hell out of it and have really rounded into a solid live act.

xpost to fastnbulbous

yeah it was the phrase i came up with for the "worst" lists at the bottom of my genre lists this year xp

haha i only read those y'day, after i'd put mine up, and managed not to clock the same phrase at all

i have been very hungover and vacant this week admittedly

lol well it's all good, no copyright on it or anything

2012 TOP TEN CD's
(From Latin Beat Magazine Online Contributors)
By Vicki Solá
1. Eddie Montalvo / Desde Nueva York a Puerto Rico / Marcha
2. Luis Mangual y su Conjunto Mangual / Sabor y Swing / Lujoso
3. Ray Castro's Conjunto Clasico / Este Es Mi Conjunto / RC Enter.
4. Bobby Sanabria Big Band / Multiverse / Jazzheads
5 Ralph Irizarry & Los Viejos De La Salsa / Viejos Pero Sabrosos / BKS
6. CharanSalsa / Pa' Mi Pueblo / CharanSalsa
7. Ralphy Santi / Homenaje Al Bailador / Muziq
8. Don Sonero / La Verdadera Escena / Don Sonero Music
9. Chico Álvarez & Palomonte Afro-Cuban Big Band / El Montunero / Mafimba
10. La Guatekera Orquesta / Going Back to the Old School Salsa / Old School Salsa

By Nelson Rodriguez
1. Eddie Montalvo / Desde Nueva York A Puerto Rico / Marcha
2. Dorance Lorza y Sexteto Café / Rumbero De Corazon / DLR
3. Ralph Irizarry y Los Viejos de la Salsa / Viejos Pero Sabrosos / BKS
4. Chico Alvarez & Palomonte Afro Cuban Big Band / El Montunero / Mafimba
5. La Excelencia / Ecos Del Barrio / Handle With Care
6. Pacific Mambo Orchestra / PMO / PMO
7. Tromboranga- Tromboranga Salsa Dura / Bloque 53
8. Marlow Rosado Y La Riqueña / Retro / Pink Chaos
9. Wilson 'Chembo' Corniel / Afro Blue Monk / American Showplace Music
10. Ralphy Santi / Homenaje A Los Bailadores / Muzik

By Elmer Gonzalez
1. Various Artists /La Música De Puerto Rico: Raíces Y Evolución (Box Set) - Casabe Records
2. Andy Montañez /Sueño / Morocho Records
3. Cheo Feliciano & Rubén Blades / Eba Say Ajá / Ariel Rivas Music
4. Sonora Latina / Con Clave Para Bailar / Sedajazz Records
5. Septeto Santiaguero / Vamos Pa' La Fiesta / Picap Records
6. Ralph Irizarry y Los Viejos de la Salsa / Viejos Pero Sabrosos / BKS
7. Eddie Montalvo / Desde Nueva York A Puerto Rico / Marcha
8. Tromboranga Orquesta / Tromboranga Salsa Dura / Bloque 53
9. Tito García / Pa' Gozar / T&T Productions
10. Wilson Chembo Corniel / Afro Blue Monk / American Showplace Music

By Luis Tamargo
1. Manuel Galbán / Blue Cha Cha / Concord Picante
2. Carlos Varela / No es el Fin / Graffiti
3. Various Artists / Chico y Rita Soundtrack / Calle 54
4. Ninety Miles / Live at Cubadisc / Concord Picante
5. Elio Villafranca & Arturo Stable / Dos y Mas / Montéma
6. Alfredo Rodríguez / Sounds of Space / Mack Avenue
7. Clarise Assad / Home / Adventure
8. Ricardo Alvarez & Cubanísimo / Marketing / Alvarez Music
9. Waldemar Bastos / Classics of My Soul / Enja
10. José Lugo & Guasábara Combo / Poetic Justice / GC Music

By Guido Herrera
1. Eddie Montalvo / Desde Nueva York a Puerto Rico / Marcha
2. Cheo Feliciano / Ruben Blades / Eba Say Aja / Ariel Rivas Music
3. Bobby Sanabria / Multiverse / Jazzheads
4. Septeto Santiaguero / Vamos Pa' La Fiesta / Picap
5. Jose Lugo & Guasabara Combo / Poetic Justice / En Grande Music
6. Varios Artistas / Homenaje a Tite Curet: Sono Sono / Banco Popular
7. Ralph Irizarry y Los Viejos de la Salsa / Viejos Pero Sabrosos / BKS
8. Papo Vazques & Mighty Pirates Troubadors / Oasis / Picaro Records
9. Wilson "Chembo" Corniel / Afro Blue Monk / American Showplace Music
10. Candi Sosa & Victor Cegarra / Boleros Meets Jazz / Candi Sosa Music

By Rudy Mangual
1. Eddie Montalvo / Desde Nueva York a Puerto Rico / Marcha
2. Jose Lugo & Guasabara Combo / Poetic Justice / En Grande Music
3. Septeto Santiaguero / Vamos Pa' La Fiesta / Picap Records
4. Papo Vazques & Mighty Pirates Troubadors / Oasis / Picaro Records
5. Ralph Irizarry y Los Viejos de la Salsa / Viejos Pero Sabrosos / BKS Records
6. Henry Cole & The Afrobeat Collective / Roots Before Branches / Henry Cole
7. Jaime Dubberly and Orquesta Dharma / Road Warrior / Higher Truth
8. Bloque 53 / Tumba Pachunga / Bloque 53
9. Chembo Corniel Quintet / Afro Blue Monk / American Showplace Music
10.Chico Alvarez & Palomonte Afro Cuban Big Band / El Montunero / Mafimba

Links to my lists on spotify:
Best World Music 2012
Best Metal 2012
Top 50 Albums 2012

My top 100: http://1000timesyes.tumblr.com/post/39482969118/cleaning-out-my-closet-the-top-100-records-of-2012

Mine: XHUXK'S TOP 100+ ALBUMS OF 2010!

if we've decided the dev album counts as 2012 i might have to rearrange my entire list, it'd be top 10 easy

ludicrous that "breathe" and "kiss my lips" were not ubiquitous chart-topping singles (or indeed singles at all)

well if it was only released in yugoslavia or wherever before this year then it counts

wiki lists Australia, Germany, UK, Poland and Australia as having Sep 2011 release dates (w/ a UK re-release at the time of the US release). i didn't even have any idea a year ago that the album had been released anywhere, though, so it's all new to me.

as far as i can tell the track listing to the 2012 release is completely different (and much worse, with like flo rida verses and enrique iglesias collabs and no "take her from you")

in a way that strengthens my conviction that the version i'm listening to (which has no Flo Rida on it btw) is a 2012 album