Top Albums of 2012

1. Alt-J - An Awesome Wave
Just pleasing all around. Nothing really stood out as number one, the top 6 are all about par for me.

2. Japandroids - Celebration Rock
Pleasing in a different, less fancy way.

3. Miike Snow - Happy To You
Two of the best songs of the year, Paddling Out and Bavarian, the rest of the album was solid as well.

4. Hot Chip - In Our Heads
I like the love theme on this one.

5. Sleigh Bells - Reign of Terror
Pretty awesome.

6. Purity Ring - Shrines
Lived up to the hype for me, some mesmerizing songs. Sounded like what female-voxed pop music would have been imagined as twenty years ago by David Bowie.

7. Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music
El-P's mental beats, Killer Mikes angry passion, good guests. A few average tracks but a really solid Hip-Hop album in most ways that you can use the word "solid".

8. The Big Pink - Future This
I reckon this one went a bit overlooked, some glammy, electro-rock tunes. Many were very catchy.

9. Grimes - Visions
Did not blow me away, but I never disliked having it on in the background.

10. fun. - Some Nights
I really liked The Format, and this obviously reminds me of them.

11. El-P - Cancer 4 Cure
I liked Sleep When You're Dead a lot more, but this was good stuff from El-P, but he sounds a bit more jaded now, rather than idealistic.

12. Bloc Party - Four
Was loud and catchy enough to be good.

13. Plug 1 & Plug 2 - First Serve
Two Thirds of De La Soul delivering their high quality, super-fun Hip Hop story.

14. Passion Pit - Gossamer
A little bit too squeaky clean, but fun nonetheless.

15. Grizzly Bear - Shields
Created a nice ambience.

16. Matt & Kim - Lightning
A strong, power-pop punch but aside from the first few tracks this one got old real quick.

17. Django Django - Django Django
Some funky stuff.

18. Ramona Falls - Prophet
This was better than the Menomena album by far.

19. Santigold - Master of My Make-Believe
Santigold tried a few new things, most of it worked. She has a great voice.

20. Beach House - Bloom
More good ambience with some nice shoegazey pedal work.

21. Aesop Rock - Skelethon
Liked the lyrics but most of the beats felt flat.

22. Plaster - Let It All Out
This was fun! And from Montreal. I don't know why this is listed as House/Techno/Trance.

23. Quakers - Quakers
No doubt there is some filler on this 41 track album, but some excellent morsels in between.

24. Yeasayer - Fragrant World
A more introspective, slower follow up to Odd Blood, but had its moments.

25. Mumford & Sons - Babel
Mumford does a really good job of making rocking banjo-folk.

26. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - The Heist
27. Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits
28. TNGHT - TNGHT
29. The Tallest Man On Earth - There's No Leaving Now
30. The xx - Coexist
31. DIIV - Oshin