tu(n)esday!

Long awaited single from CEO

LeMarquis repaints "Fences"

2 Billion Beats makes over "John & Mary"

LUXXURY freshens up The Clash

Diplo makes "Will Calls" to Grizzly Bear

Funk LeBlanc D.A.R.E.s to remix "A Fleur De Vous"

Cyclist makes "Tough Love" tougher

Wookie Wookstar kicks "Voices" into a higher gear

Bixel Boys takes it back (free mixtape with lots of 90s goodies)

top 10 albums of 2012

Hi people.  Here are my Top 10 Albums of 2012.

What albums from the year did you dig?

And here's a look back at '11.

10. WhoMadeWho - Brighter

A haunting disco-rock album from the Danish band.

9. Tame Impala - Lonerism

Groovy, psych-pop album.

8. Twin Shadow - Confess

Twin Shadow's 80s electropop throwback is a nice blend of tunes including my pick for single of the year, "Five Seconds."  Check out my review of the album on Frontier Psychiatrist.

7. Grizzly Bear - Shields

Another stellar record from the band--a little rougher-edged than past efforts but not without some gorgeous tracks.

6. Beach House - Bloom

Not innovative or anything but still a luxurious, dreamy listen to get lost in.

5. Jack White - Blunderbuss

White's album is a great solo outing of punchy, prickly heartache.

4. Jessie Ware - Devotion

With shades of Sade Adu, English singer Ware offers up a smooth, sophisticated debut.

3. The 2 Bears - Be Strong

So many irrelevant and cheeky house tunes.

2. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do

Fresh and frustrated and raw, The Idler Wheel... is another dynamic album from Apple both lyrically and musically.

1. Frank Ocean - channel ORANGE

I wonder if Ocean is a bit mystified about his success.  His mixtape (Nostalgia, Ultra) was an interesting mesh of tunes, but his latest is much more sophisticated: sorrowful and deep, sometimes humorously L.A.-tinged, featuring Ocean's strong songwriting skills and sultry vocals.

top 10 singles of 2012

It's that end-list time of year again!

Here are the tunes that helped me endure '12.  What songs did you love?




10.
Alabama Shakes - "Hold On"

Fronted by Brittany Howard's gravelly voice, somehow they made the sentiment of the cliched song title fresh and emotionally resonant.




9.
Breakbot - "1 Out of 2"
A mix of French nu-disco and the Doobie Brothers "What A Fool Believes."




8.
Danny Brown - "Grown Up"
Whistful rap about getting old.




7.
Bruce Springsteen - "We Take Care of Our Own"
Another moving anthem from The Boss that became a memorable campaign song for Obama's reelection.




6.
Solange - "Losing You"
With a lush mix of "Twin Peaks" synths and snappy percussion, Solange proves she's not her sister's beat biter.




5.
M.I.A. - "Bad Girls"
The singer / rapper infuses worldbeat and her savvy lyrics into another relentlessly addictive track.




4.
Jack White - "Love Interruption"
Mixing woodwinds (bass clarinets yo) with an agonized, desperate vocal (Ruby Amanfu did the backups), White created a song that seethes within its minimalist design.




3.
Grizzly Bear - "Yet Again"
A rambling tune of relationship woes and glimmering guitars.






2.

Frank Ocean - "Pyramids" & "Thinkin Bout You"
Ocean's "Pyramids" is a 9 minute epic that mixes story, soul and mesmerizing electro.  "Thinkin Bout You" is definitely the prettiest, most aching single of the year.  When he hits those falsettos... lord.





1.
Twin Shadow - "Five Seconds"
I played this track out: new wavy and relentless.

My Spotify playlist of the best music of 2012.