The end of the year insanity continues today with Part 1 of the world famous Big Rock Candy Mountain Top 50 Records of the Year!
One of our favorite quotes this year is by Gyp Rosetti on Boardwalk Empire. We're gonna paraphrase it a tad..."What's that? A list? I got a list. He got a list. He got a list...Everybody got lists!". And so do we, of course.
As ever, we stress that this is our favorite records of the year. We think they're pretty swell, but making a qualitative decision in regards to what is "best", even in this accelerated culture, seems premature. Which of these records will we still be listening to 5 years from now? Who can tell? Most of these records don't appear on the majority of the "major" lists out there, both in print media and in the more widely-read cognoscenti of the interwebs. That's ok. We're not beholden to advertising dollars or bottom lines. We'd like to believe we do whatever small part we can to help push bands and records that folks might like, if given the opportunity. For what it's worth.
Usually we write some annoying, long-assed assessment of the music industry, or whatnot, at this point. Eh. What's the point? Some great records came out this year, and some annoying ones did, as well. While the music industry might be suffering, and justifiably so, music itself is doing just fine, thank you very much. Bands are finding new and innovative ways to market themselves and get their tunes out there into the hands of fans, without the help of suits who view records as commodity rather than art and self-expression. That's a good thing, and a trend to watch, one which can only improve with time and experimentation. And vinyl continues to thrive, and has returned from the realm of hipster snobbery to a medium that folks across all spectrums can enjoy. So, we're generally pretty positive these days. That's enough said, we think.
We've narrowed our records down to 50, which was actually pretty tough (we listen to a shit-ton of music, and are generally grouchily enthusiastic.). If we missed anything, which is inevitable, let us know what yr favorites were!
Without further rambling, then:
The Big Rock Candy Mountain Top 50 Records of 2012, Part 1
50. Bailter Space: Strobosphere
New Zealand space fuzz glory, burn the milky way in rusted tanker, god drunk in slow fire void.
Bailter Space: Blue Star (mp3)
49. Mean Jeans: Mean Jeans On Mars
Super Rawk, burn down the AC/DC crown, lowest common denominator accelerated to the ends of the earth and yr mom thinks this is the best band ever.
Mean Jeans: Don't Stop Partying (mp3)
48. Spider Bags: Shake My Head
Fuzzy fizz, snot flying loose into teenage rebellion, with 60's garage doors shut down and shakin'!
Spider Bags: Friday Night (mp3)
47. The Men: Open Your Heart
Rawk rangers on speed dial, angular buzzsaw ripping wooden toy soldiers raw, tribal rhythm bursting heart attack shout, psych-groove-adelic!
The Men: Candy (mp3)
46. Tindersticks: The Something Rain
Ultimate Autumnal soul, deep rain washed-out forest spouting orange and red, muted by last trumpet keening slow sudden peace.
Tindersticks: This Fire of Autumn (mp3)
45. Bill Fay: Life is People
Startled sparrow in spring, a legend returned with piano plinked in cosmic groove and stillness with all the universe circling now.
Bill Fay: Cosmic Concerto (Life Is People) (mp3)
44. Mind Spiders: Meltdown
Urgent geetar pop showdown, throbbed and organ drenched, a time-elapsed alternate earth top of the pops throwdown, stand on yr stacks cocks out superstar spangle.
Mind Spiders: On The Radio (mp3)
43. Chicken Snake: Trouble on my Doorstep
Scuzzy cowboy corn-shucking, back porch on fire sleazing backroads harmonica and slide, hollerin' the holler 'til the cows come callin' all hot and bothered.
Chicken Snake: I Am A Lonesome Hobo (mp3)
42. Rayon Beach: This Looks Serious
Psych-pop sludge'n' shimmy, dirty spangled revival, surfing oil spilled waves of sound and broiled muddy water.
Rayon Beach: Sister Fever (mp3)
41. Walter Daniels and the Giblets: 10" S/T
Harmonica-dreched trashcountryblues, a living legend, big-footed and stompin', teaching them thar youngun's how god made music, crusted and black bottomed, primordial torn from dinosaur bones and tarpit sludge.
Walter Daniels and the Giblets: The Big Break (mp3)
Part 2 tomorrow! Support the artists!
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