top in pops 2012

The days of priding myself for punctuality have long passed me. In part, I blame this on the seven years of punishing humility I have suffered as a consequence of Interstate 35. I learned a year into moving to Aus-Vegas that I would be late, or either uncomfortably early, forever anon as am Austinite.

Of course, I cannot blame the lateness of my annual best-of-pop list on the traffic. There is nothing to blame but my own sense of distraction and what has moved up in importance as I try to reduce my so-called screened life. Still, I'm taking the opportunity of "watching" Lance Armstrong admit to his core assholism as I really bang out, as best I can, what has "juiced" me over the past year for my five RoseChron readers (haaaayyyyyyyyy!).

Now, one of the albums I have played the most this year is Blood Orange's Coastal Grooves, a Prince-tinged, 80s-drenched throwback of pop funk deliciousity. To my chagrin, however, I learned this album debuted in 2011, which I wished I had discovered that year. So, it didn't make the list (but I still figured out a way to sneak it in, 'cause it's a good jam).

Unlike in the years past (look here and here for more good albums), this year I thought I would try something a bit different: instead of featuring album covers I would try to find YouTube videos that provided a song from the album. There's always a risk the video will be pulled, but you know, I tried my best. Here we go!

1. Chairlift,Something: While none of the albums that follow are ordered on this year's list, Chairlift's sophomore effort is my favorite album of 2012. Aside from the undeniable fact I would have singer Caroline Polachek's children, I adore her cryptic (often funny) lyrics and yodel-prone voice. The album embraces (surprise!) 80s-era songcraft, especially the bass-lines. It's quirky, you can dance to some of it, and at least one song will be used in a commercial for Volkswagen or a romantic comedy (but don't let the latter distract you; it's only one song, and it's sweet). Delicious ear-candy and I've played it over and over and over. Check it:

2. The Invisible: Rispah: These Brits describe their sound as "space pop," but I think it's more subdued than that, verging on ambient. I would describe the sound as something like TV on the Radio meets post-Kid A Radiohead; Rispah sustains a gentle, soulful mood throughout with (another surprise!) a continuously rumbling bass-line. Thankfully, people still make albums designed to be listened to as albums:

3. Meshell Ndegeocello: Pour une ame souveraine: I've loved Ndegeocello since her debut (thanks to Madonna's praise) and followed her ever since. Her sophomore effort (a rumination on religion) will always be my favorite because of its smooth, thoughtful funk groove; subsequent albums were hit or miss---from the stoner album Comfort Woman to the "mix tape"---are deliberately unpredictable and all of them are different. But then she decided to do an album dedicated to Nina Simone (one of my favorite soul singers, and I will admit I love her way more than Aretha) . . . another politically outspoken and passionate woman who did not do what she was told. Admittedly, I cannot sometimes hear past the idea of this album, which had me giddy. Barring one or two arrangements, however, it holds up fantastically:

4. Wild Nothing, Nocturne: Always the sucker for the shoe-gaze sound, the one-man bedroom band "Wild Nothing" strikes a perfect note for me (filling in the void left by Frausdots, for those of you who remember the one-album gazing-wonder). Woozy, trippy (in the Cure sort of way), somber, a touch goth, and ambling along. This is my late-night joy:

5. Crystal Castles,III: I praised their sophomore album as delightfully strange electronica a couple of years ago, and this album follows down a similar trajectory: it's different from the last in unpredictable ways. Now part witch-house, part dance, part glitch, C.C. change it up with enough different and unpredictable choices that the first-time listen-through was a delight. Melodic and spooky in spots, the album strikes a perfect curve, ending out with a sweet, melodic ambientness:

6. Gypsy and the Cat, The Late Blue: The Australians have apparently taken over the well-crafted synch-pop song. I loved the debut, but this one is even better. There's no sense in describing it (harmonies, addictive riffs, etc.). If you like what you hear below---the unapologetic late-Yes style noodling and overproduction---the album is fantastic (currently not available in the U.S. in hard copy, but you can get the MP3 from iTunes):

7. Ray Wylie Hubbard, Grifter's Hymnal: I've always liked some forms of country and some forms of blues, but it wasn't until I moved to Austin that I learned to appreciate the Texas country blues tradition, and this dude does it best. It's the closet Texas gets to gothic music, and while Hubbard's Snake Farm will probably remain my favorite (I think I pass the actual inspiration for his biggest hit when I drive to San Antonio), this is the most "rockin'" and personal album I think Hubbard has made: it's gritty, it's mean, it's repentant. And if you like the bend string sort of groove (good for drankin'), check this out:

8. Swans: Seer: Most of you will not like the Swans. This album is probably not for the uninitiated, as it seems to rely on the listener knowing a bit of their back catalog. I've been following Gira since high school and this band's various incarnations. His least favorite album of their catalog, The Burning World, is my favorite (I am a huge fan of Hal Wilner's productions), but it's also their most "radio friendly" and poppy. Last year's Seer marks Gira's return to melody and hooks after what seems almost like a decade of ambient noise experiments. I saw the almost three-hour show of this album (they played a total of four songs), and it was painfully loud even with earplugs. Even so: here is a tribal, psychedelic, drone-ish double-album full of dramatic turns and chant-like choruses. I think it's among the Swans finest, frankly (listen to it on a road trip, you can concentrate more on what Gira's doing with the/his unconscious). Here's the Floyd-esque title track (warning: it's over a half-hour long):

9. Various Artists: Spirit of Talk Talk: Talk Talk was---well, is---one of my favorite bands. Most folks think of their early synth-pop hits ("It's My Life," for example) and their touring with Duran Duran, however, after they secured an EMI deal Hollis and company started making the albums they wanted to, increasingly subtle, often sad, jazz-infused and experimental and modal and all those anticipatory and hypnotic jams that encourage relaxing. In general, I am no fan of covers or tribute albums, but this double-album got my attention: while most of the arrangements go unaltered, most of the interpretations are pretty good, bringing out parts of the songs I didn't realize were there and enriching my experience of the originals. This past year, like the Chairlift album, I've almost played this one out:

10. Indian Wells: Wimbleton 1980: A digital only release, Indian Wells debut is built around the found sounds of tennis (as well as other sounds), skirting the edges of Burial-style dub-step and rhythmic ambient music. The album sneaks-up on you and grows; I've found myself listening to it at night while writing (um, like while writing this). Fans of ambient and down-tempo electronica will like this. So, too, will fans of Marconi Union (whose release this year was, um, just ok). You can get this on the cheap at Bad Panda records.