[vc_row padding_top=”350px” padding_bottom=”20px” border=”none” bg_image=”2641″ parallax=”true” no_margin=”true”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none” bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.9)” inner_container=”true”][vc_column_inner width=”1/1″][custom_headline type=”left” level=”h1″ looks_like=”h1″]Year in Music 2012[/custom_headline][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column width=”1/1″][text_output]Now that I finally have my blog up and running, I can finally do my music of the year in review. Strangely, 2012 saw a huge decrease in my music catalogue. Normally, I get a good half dozen albums by way of the UK, plus a few new albums, plus some new discoveries. But this past year didn’t see a whole lot. Part of it may have been my reliance to stick to some familiar stuff I already had (a bunch of Blues for instance), but much was just a lack of new albums.

Nonetheless, here’s a summary of the past year in music. Keep in mind this is the review of what I listened to for the past year, not my review of what was new to the world. So, if I acquired a Count Basie album that was released in 1953, but I did not pick up whatever repetitious wailing shit U2 put out this year, guess what? I’m talking about Count Basie and not U2.[/text_output][custom_headline type=”left” level=”h1″ looks_like=”h1″]Album of the Year[/custom_headline][custom_headline type=”left” level=”h3″ looks_like=”h3″]Norah Jones – Little Broken Hearts[/custom_headline][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none” inner_container=”true”][vc_column width=”1/2″][image type=”none” float=”right” info=”popover” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” src=”1901″ style=”width:100%;” alt=”Norah Jones– Little Broken Hearts” link=”true” title=”Norah Jones– Little Broken Hearts” lightbox_caption=”Norah Jones– Little Broken Hearts”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][text_output]What a great album. Not one bad song, they all fit very well together, but it never sounds the same. Most importantly, Norah Jones is really evolving very well. This is not the Norah Jones of Come Away With Me notoriety. This is a great musician who’s not only coming into her own, but constantly finding new ways of creating.

“Say Goodbye” has gotten a lot of deserved play (I’ve seen her perform it live on several shows), but there are other tracks, like “Take It Back”, that really stand out.[/text_output][x_video_embed type=”16:9″ no_container=”true”][/x_video_embed][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column width=”1/1″][custom_headline type=”left” level=”h1″ looks_like=”h1″]Best Compilation[/custom_headline][custom_headline type=”left” level=”h3″ looks_like=”h3″]Ben Folds – The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective[/custom_headline][image type=”none” float=”right” link=”true” info=”popover” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” src=”1897″ alt=”Ben Folds – The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective” title=”Ben Folds – The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective” lightbox_caption=”Ben Folds – The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective”][text_output]There’s tons of shit on this album (a 3 CD set). Considering I have all of the Ben Folds major albums, this doesn’t get too redundant. What’s the same on here tends to be a refreshing alternative to songs I already have, and what’s unique is worth owning it. It’s a great pick up for someone new to Ben Folds, and definitely worth owning for the serious fan of his work.[/text_output][custom_headline type=”left” level=”h1″ looks_like=”h1″]Honorable Mentions[/custom_headline][custom_headline type=”left” level=”h3″ looks_like=”h3″]Various Artists – Across the Universe Soundtrack[/custom_headline][image type=”none” float=”right” link=”true” info=”popover” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” src=”1895″ alt=”Across the Universe Soundtrack” title=”Across the Universe Soundtrack” lightbox_caption=”Across the Universe Soundtrack”][text_output]It took me ages to find it, but man, am I glad I did. I should mention that, as a rule, I fucking despise Beatles’ covers. And musicals make me sick. That said, this is still a very noble, and at sometimes impressive, collection of covers. I’m not really a fan of the stuff Dana Fuchs does, less because of some talent issue I have with her, but more because she was cast to represent some kind of Janis Joplin / Grace Slick caricature in the film, and I just don’t like that style, especially for Beatles songs.[/text_output][custom_headline type=”left” level=”h3″ looks_like=”h3″]Paul McCartney – Kisses on the Bottom[/custom_headline][image type=”none” float=”left” link=”true” info=”popover” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” src=”1899″ alt=”McCartney and Krall recording for Kisses on the Bottom” title=”Watch It” href=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/PGkAdhXz_uI” info_content=”Jump to 10:00 for a great track.” lightbox_video=”true” style=”width:300px;”][text_output]Granted, any year McCartney releases something new, I’m going to mention it. Still, this is a significant release by McCartney, and like it or not, everyone should give it a listen. The recording quality is fucking top notch, and backed by Diana Krall and her band, McCartney is both surprisingly and not surprisingly in his vocal jazz element. It’s a great listen.[/text_output][clear][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row no_margin=”true” padding_top=”200px” padding_bottom=”20px” border=”none” bg_image=”1900″][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner no_margin=”true” border=”horizontal” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.95)” inner_container=”true”][vc_column_inner width=”1/1″][custom_headline type=”left” level=”h1″ looks_like=”h1″]Rediscovered Artist[/custom_headline][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row inner_container=”true” no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column width=”1/1″][custom_headline type=”left” level=”h3″ looks_like=”h3″]Sting[/custom_headline][vc_row_inner no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][text_output]Yeah, weird I know. I think it started in the car one day, when I was listening to a Police song, and I realized I only knew Dream of the Blue Turtles peripherally. Then I realized I never owned The Soul Cages either. Next thing I knew, I figured fuck it, may as well download a bunch of Sting and give it a fair shake. I played Ten Summoner’s Tales to death when it came out, but he’s a hell of a musician. So he has this obsessive relationship with his abs, and fuck him for that, the pretentious European rich fuck. He’s still really talented, and I don’t feel like I’m being condescended to, like that pretentious European rich fuck Bono.[/text_output][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][x_video_embed type=”16:9″ no_container=”true”][/x_video_embed][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][custom_headline type=”left” level=”h1″ looks_like=”h1″]Worth Mentioning[/custom_headline][custom_headline type=”left” level=”h3″ looks_like=”h3″]Tina Dico – In The Red[/custom_headline][image type=”none” float=”left” link=”true” info=”popover” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” src=”1896″ alt=”Tina Dico – In the Red” title=”Tina Dico – In the Red” lightbox_caption=”Tina Dico – In the Red”][text_output]I didn’t discover Tina Dico this year, but I did add a ton to my collection (which was originally just In The Red.) I’m not convinced (yet) that you should own anything but In The Red; there’s some repetition in there. But I don’t think she gets the coverage in the US that she deserves. She’s one album away from really breaking out into a great artist.[/text_output][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][text_output]

The Like – Release Me

Mark Ronson produces a fun retro-meets-Tarantino girl band. I really should listen to this album more than I have. It’s a lot of fun. Below is some fanboy’s YouTube scrapbook for “Narcissus in a Red Dress”.
[/text_output][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][x_video_embed type=”4:3″ no_container=”true”][/x_video_embed][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][custom_headline type=”left” level=”h1″ looks_like=”h2″]Let Downs & Disappointments[/custom_headline][custom_headline type=”left” level=”h3″ looks_like=”h3″]Goldfrapp – Head First[/custom_headline][image type=”none” float=”right” link=”true” info=”popover” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” src=”1898″ alt=”Goldfrapp – Head First” title=”Goldfrapp – Head First” lightbox_caption=”If this doesn’t look like something you’d want on your shelf, you’re probably right.”][text_output]Meh. Goldfrapp does bubblegum disco. One or two dance songs? Totally cool. But Goldfrapp’s way too talented to turn out a whole album of this.

Feist – Metals

It’s not that I don’t like the album. I think there’s a lot going on for both the performances and production. She’s certainly found a unique sound; I just don’t know if it’s a sound I’m ever in the mood for, per se. I’ve listened to the album about eight times over the year. It’s not bad, but try as I might, I just don’t like it as much as I want to.

Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials

Got a copy of Lungs? Listen to the songs “I’m Not Calling You a Liar” and “Drumming” about 10 times in a row. You’ve just heard this album. Not that those are bad songs, but after Lungs, I know I’m not the only one to expect more from a second LP.[/text_output][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][text_output]

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