Well, I honestly didn’t think it would take me this long to get to this. It seems that when you work in healthcare, that you are so drained when you are home from work, that you just want to vegetate; well, at least, that seems to be my norm at least. Needless to say, I have been working all the darn time, and have far less time to blog and enjoy music than I would like. That being said, I do want to highlight the amazing albums that I fell in love with in 2012, and continue to enjoy now. Here are my favorite albums of 2012:
1. Mumford and Sons – Babel
No other album captured my attention in 2012 like Babel. This album builds on their previous album, Sigh No More, and brings a more well seasoned and polished, but somehow more raw and richer sound to the band. They are making the music that I love listening to most right now, and it is fair to say that I cannot get enough of Mumford and Sons. I was very happy to see them win a Grammy for the album of the year for Babel, because it is very, very well deserved. This is definitely the album I listened to the most in 2012, far and above all the rest. There isn’t a bad track on this disc, and it firmly cemented these guys as one of my favorite groups. Highlights: I Will Wait, Babel, Holland Road, Lover of the Light.
2. P!nk – The Truth About Love
I have loved P!nk for years, and like a fine wine, she seems to only be getting better with age. I had some high hopes for this album due to a very strong lead single with Blow Me (One Last Kiss), and my hopes and expectations were not only met, but completely blown away. I was fortunate enough to see P!nk live recently, and she is certainly growing stronger as an artist; and this album proves it. She has found her niche, honed her sound to her sensibilities, and she is making amazing music. She’s not only a great singer, but a clever song writer, and outstanding artist who has earned the respect that she so rightfully deserves. Definitely my favorite P!nk album so far. Highlights: Try, All We All We Are, Blow Me (One Last Kiss), Walk Of Shame.
3. Marina and the Diamonds – Electra Heart
Much like I Am Not A Robot generated overwhelming excitement for her debut, when I heard Radioactive, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the sophomore album from the fabulous Marina and the Diamonds. While I did have to wait a little while (Radioactive was quietly released late in 2011), what I got was sheer delight. Marina is one of those artists that has such talent that it cannot be masked. This album only builds on her debut; she continues to make very strong, very well written and produced pop. It felt like she was growing and spreading her branches, looked out into what other areas she’d like to explore with her sound; and the result is spectacular. I was fortunate enough to see her live (finally!), and she was magnificent, as expected. As I have been doing for a while now, I will continue to keep my eyes and ears glued to the happenings and music of this fabulous pop chanteuse. Highlights: Primadonna, Radioactive, Lies, Power and Control, How To Be A Heartbreaker.
4. Of Monsters and Men – My Head is an Animal
You may have heard the kinda overplayed (not really, though, it’s a magnificent song that I am still firmly in love with) hit Little Talks, and thought, this is a lot like songs from Mumford and Sons and the Lumineers! And while it is in the same vein of folk driven rock, these guys have a quirk that begs for their own bit of the spotlight. After falling in love with Little Talks, I had to check out the rest of their album, My Head is an Animal, and I am glad I did; the entire album is full of well spun tapestries of folk rock with haunting Icelandic vocals from the band’s leads. The entire album is a delightful folk rock adventure that finds itself very welcome in this days popular music canon (It’s a folkspolsion!); and very prominent and in heavy rotation on my iPod as well. I love when a lead single takes you on a journey of fantastic musical discovery, which is exactly what happened here. Highlights: Little Talks, Dirty Paws, Love Love Love, King and Lionheart.
5. Benjamin Gibbard – Former Lives
What can I say, I am a sucker for this nerd-do-well’s swoon-inducing voice, and while it is a (slight, everso) bit tamer than a Death Cab for Cutie record, it is a fantastic mini-departure that sounds like something Benjamin has been waiting to get out for some time. It’s always a risk when a very well known band’s lead takes a step out from the front of the band to make a solo record, but in this case, it is a welcome and fanatic effort that is down right wonderful from beginning to end. Obviously, it isn’t TOO different from a Death Cab for Cutie album, seeing as he writes the songs and is the singer for the band, but it has a bit of a more country vibe that the band doesn’t really showcase. When I heard he was doing this album, I knew I would love it, and you know what, I do! Highlights: Bigger Than Love, Lady Adelaide, Lily, Dream Song.
6. Ke$ha – Warrior
This album was a giant surprise to me; both in how much I liked it, and in how good it turned out to be. I have continually tried to frown on Ke$ha as a one hit wonder, or a flash in the pan, but when Die Young refused to leave the airways, or my head, and I found myself tapping my toes in time with the downbeat each time I heard it, I knew that Ke$ha was more than growing on me; she’d already done it. When Warrior was released I figured I’d at least give it a listen, considering how much I like Die Young, and honestly, I couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed it; and kept enjoying it. It is fair to say that I couldn’t stop listening to this album, and I am glad that I gave in to “guilty” pleasure, and just enjoyed it for what it is; pure fun, trashy, never-taking-itself-seriously pop. However, speaking of guilty pleasures, as Dave Grohl said, “I don’t believe in guilty pleasures, I believe you should be able to like what you like. If you a like a fucking Ke$ha song, listen to fucking Ke$ha.”… it appears now, that he couldn’t be more right, and listen to Ke$ha I will. Highlights: C’mon, Die Young, Thinking of You, Last Goodbye.
7. Adam Lambert – Trespassing
I loved him on Idol, and unfortunately, I was a little bit disappointed by his debut album. That being said, when I heard the lead single, Better Than I Know Myself, I knew he had come into his own, and that this album would be the album that he wanted to make; and I was right. He clearly had a lot more input this time, and the result is a more mature record that really feels like a comfortable fit for him. His voice has never sounded better, and they highlight his incredible range a lot more on this album. This is the album I wish he would have made first, but I am glad he got the opportunity to follow up his debut with something this strong. He should be on the radio a LOT more than he is; this album is full of singles. Highlights: Better Than I Know Myself, Never Close Our Eyes, Broken English, Underneath.
8. Trampled by Turtles – Stars and Satellites
Yes, this is the third folk-rock/Americana album on my year end list, so you should have a sense of what kind of music I have fallen head over heels in love with, as of late. Someone was talking about Trampled By Turtles on one of the many social media sites I frequent, and I thought, what an interesting name for a band. Then, I saw them mentioned by several other people as being fantastic, so I figured I’d check them out; boy I am glad I did. When I first heard Alone, I was swooning so hard I knew I had to have more. The haunting vocals over banjo picking and soaring violins builds into an all out hoedown, one that I wish I could go to each and every night. I ended up listening to the entire album and loving it; although it is definitely routed in more southern, bluegrass driven folk than the previous two folk bands that are on this list. This was an excellent discovery that I am glad to have found thanks to the many friends that were talking about this awesome band. Thanks!! Highlights: Alone, Beautiful, High Water, Widower’s Heart.
9. Brandi Carlile – Bear Creek
If you are a fan of bands like the Indigo Girls, then Brandi Carlile is a no-brainer. I’ve loved this lady since her debut, The Story, which made my best of list waaay back in 2007, and followed her through her sophomore effort, Give Up The Ghost, which made my best of list in 2009. Needless to say, I was very excited to see a new album from her in 2012, and with the lead single That Wasn’t Me being one of her best efforts to date, I knew almost instantly that there would be another best of list Brandi would be a part of; and look a here, I was right. Her voice is so sharp that it could cut glass, and so delicate that it would pick up the pieces. Brandi’s songs tug at your heartstrings, and fill you with delight while inducing chills with her ability to take country folk down to the local church for a choir backed performance. This album is another shining example of a great artist making consistently great music, and it was one that I was glad to pick up in 2012. Highlights: That Wasn’t Me, A Promise To Keep, Hard Way Home, Save Part of Yourself.
And of course, other GREAT albums that I discovered in 2012 (some of which, just missed my best of list by a hair):
- Casey Abrams – Casey Abrams – Great solo album from one of my favorite Idol contestants that was clearly too talented to win the show. And he’s a cute ginger-bear!
- A Fine Frenzy – Pines – An album I was very excited to see released, only to sadly, not get into it. Maybe it will get it’s chance later on.
- Agnes – Veritas – Different, more mature record than her saccharine debut, but some great stuff on here, nonetheless.
- Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel… – I adore Fiona, but I really didn’t get into this album. I was excited for it, but it never made it to the top of my list.
- Bat For Lashes – Haunted Man – The INCREDIBLE Laura made me long for this album, and when it finally came out, it was meh. What happened??
- fun. – Some Nights – The overplayed radio singles were great at first, but now I am bored; totally victims of too much airplay. Congrats on best new artist though!
- Gossip – A Joyful Noise – It would have been impossible to top their phenomenal major label debut, and well, it was. I still love Gossip, and want to actually see them live at some point.
- Carly Rae Jepsen – Kiss – Let’s all agree that Call Me Maybe was a phenomenon; one that she will probably never be able to acheive again. Hey, if you are going to be a one hit wonder, might as well make it a doozy! At least there are a few more pop treats to be had here, however.
- Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again – Great album full of sleepy, gorgeous folk. Great surprise.
- Macklemore and Ryan Lewis – The Heist – Not usually a fan of rap, they hooked me with the gay-friendly Same Love, and I came back for more with Thrift Shop. Also, could Macklemore be any cuter? Uh, no.
- Madonna – MDNA – There were a couple of good songs, and a bunch of terrible ones. I know it’s an unpopular opinion, especially amongst the blindly following gay boy fanatics, but Madonna is a pretty terrible writer; these songs have never been more trite.
- Maroon 5 – Overexposed – As usual, some great, but overplayed radio-ready hits, and some surprisingly even better ignored album tracks.
- Jon McLaughlin – Promising Promises – Promising, but didn’t resonate with me too strongly for some reason. Has a few songs from a previous album, and I just didn’t get to listen as much as I wanted, unfortunately.
- One Direction – Take Me Home – So NOW America wants to get on board with the British boyband craze? I love these guys, but they’ve got nothing on Westlife.
- Phillip Phillips – The World From The Side of The Moon – This is the season I decide to stop watching Idol. Nice. Great pick, and I love that he seems to be a very strong artist. Can’t get enough of his hit Home, either!!
- Joshua Radin – Underwater – I love this guy, and he makes the sweetest music.
- Emeli Sande – Our Version Of Events – Good thing she decided medical school wasn’t the way to go; she’s not only an incredible singer, but a great pop artist now!
- Scissor Sisters – Magic Hour – There is some good stuff here, however, and that’s a big however, they kinda lost me on this one; if they keep changing too much, nothing of the band that I fell in love with will remain.
- The Script – #3 – Their last album was so amazing, that I figured they wouldn’t be able to top it so soon; I was sadly right. Perhaps I will get more into it, but I didn’t love it as much as I did Science and Faith.
- The Shins – Port of Morrow – Good Shins album, solid; just not life changing.
- Silversun Pickups – Neck of the Woods – I feel like they lost A LOT of their oomph. This album is much more subdued, and honestly, lacks the fire they had before.
- Sleigh Bells – Reign of Terror – Great sophomore album, just not as edgy and fresh as their first.
- Taylor Swift – RED – Surprise! I like a Taylor Swift album. I am sort of, but not totally ashamed.
- The Ting Tings – Sounds From Nowheresville – Big changes, almost abandoning their quirk, but still fun nonetheless.
- Usher – Looking 4 Myself – It looks like he found himself on a dance floor, and I love to dance.
Well, here it is… finally. My favorite albums of 2012. What did I miss? I know I missed out on Mika, as I have been told, but what other albums did I forget to mention, or haven’t heard of yet? What do you think? What were your favorites of 2012? Can you think back that far? Sorry it took me so long to get this out, but it is better late than never… right? Alright, perhaps I should go ahead and start my 2013 best of list so that I could try and get it done on time…
Using jangly guitars, banging beats, and sounding like a well-made mash-up of Chrissie Hynde and the White Stripes, Band of Skulls take heavy influences from classic rock and completely rock out on this fantastic album. Perhaps it is the pairing of the male and female vocals that really draws me in, because I never got into the White Stripes, as the musical formula is very similar; at least, the distortion effect on their guitars is really close to the one Jack White uses, and they also use heavy drumming to back up the whole shebang. That being said, while they do stick to a similar musical formula as the White Stripes, I think that Band of Skulls have made their own consistently amazing album with Baby Darling Doll Face Honey, as there really isn’t a bad track on it; and when I say, “not a bad track”, I really mean, “they’re all quite brilliant, actually”. After one listen, I went back time and time again to rock out to this fantastic ode to classic rock (as well as clear hat tip to the White Stripes), and I am glad I discovered them through their amazingly catchy lead off single, I Know Where I Am; which is definitely one of their best. Looking back, I am really glad that I went and listened to the whole album, because like the lead single, it too, is down right great. Standout Tracks: 
On her follow up the to the amazing album, The Story, Brandi does right by not deviating from the folk-country rock that she creates oh so well. However, this time around, she ups the ante, and instead of sputtering out after the half-way mark (as I felt her last album kind of did), she stays strong throughout the entire album. On Give Up The Ghost, Brandi’s vocals are more raw and real, and the yodel of her voice is more pronounced and peppered throughout. Overall, this album is a solid one, and Brandi has proven to be quite the talented musician; she is certainly building something more and more beautiful on that foundation she laid with her previous two albums. This time around, she distances herself from those that she could be so directly to in the past (namely, the Indigo Girls); showing growth and attention to a nuanced detail that really signals that she is coming into her own. With this distancing, she highlights her own strength and individuality as an artist, and the result is a wonderful album that should definitely win her many, many new fans; and die hard fans of her previous work should certainly be more than pleased with this direction and growth. Standout Tracks: That Year, Dying Day, 
As a long time fan of Westlife, all I can say, is that if this album doesn’t make you a fan, then you probably never will be. However, for those of us that love beautiful songs about love, I can definitely say that these boys have done it again. Following what was (in my opinion) their best album, Back Home (well, other than their Greatest Hits Vol. 1), I had high hopes for another near-flawless Westlife album. However, worry set in when it was announced that the first single would be a cover of Daughtry’s What About Now (which is the ONLY reason that this album didn’t place higher, and receives four stars from me). While it is a great cover (probably better than the original, which isn’t surprising seeing as the do covers VERY well), their cover of the song, the inclusion of it on this album, and especially the decision to make it the lead off single from the album, are all just extremely unnecessary in my opinion. Westlife has relied on covers so much in the past, and I rarely understand why after listening to the rest of the album. The same holds true with Where We Are; after listening to the rest of the album, it is clear that it stands firmly on its own as a solid album, full of great songs (most, if not all, soaring over What About Now in their quality). Basically, the only thing left to say here, is what’s been said already; it’s a great album of love songs, and if you are a fan of Westlife, you certainly know what to expect, and you will NOT be disappointed. Even working with the predictable Ryan Tedder doesn’t ruin the Westlife formula, and that’s really saying something right there; if it works, it just works. Standout Tracks: Sound of a Broken Heart, How to Break a Heart, 
The first time I heard Angel Taylor’s Chai Tea Latte, I was blown away. This song is perfect. The juxtaposition of saccharine sweet lyrics (chock full of coffee and personality themed double entendres) with an incredibly beautiful melody and achingly tender vocals had me buckling after one listen. After falling for that song, I was clamoring for more material from Angel, and when she subsequently released Love Travels shortly after, I was not disappointed. The rest of the album is full of her piano driven pop that is just a pleasure from the beginning through to the end (with her strongest tracks opening and closing the album; smart move on her part). My only complaint, is that there are moments where she bears a very strong similarity to one of my favorite female singer-song writers, Sara Bareilles, and that striking similarity (especially the track Not Even Human, which is undoubtedly, one of Taylor’s best) takes something just a little something away from her originality. However, that being said, if you love Sara Bareilles, you will probably then love Angel Taylor as well; so really, it’s a win/win if you think about it. Overall, Love Travels is a beautifully orchestrated piano-pop album, filled to the brim with delightful melodies about love and longing. Standout Tracks: 
This album came out of complete left field for me. I first heard of the Eulogies back in August, when I saw the super cute video for the great first single Two Can Play from their sophomore album Here Anonymous (which is actually a sweet duet featuring Nikki Monniger of the Silversun Pickups). After I fell in love with that delightful song, I wanted to hear more, and I am glad I did; Here Anonymous is a fabulous alternative rock album, driven by sweet melodies, slick arrangements, and delightful vocals. They really remind me a lot of Peter Bjorn and John, with the added sweetness and delight of bands like The Weepies and She & Him, in the way that they layer each track, and how they weave in such catchy choruses to carry almost every song on the album. This album was a great random find for me in 2009, and I’m surprised I’m not seeing it on more year end lists; this band deserves a lot more attention, especially when you consider the overall greatness of Here Anonymous. Standout Tracks: 
This song was offered as the free track on iTunes last week, and I found myself really liking the chorus, so I downloaded it. Then, I listened a few times, and I find myself liking the whole song as well. I love Kate’s sweet voice, and I can tell there is some power in there waiting to be belted out. This was a great offering from iTunes, and one I am happy to share. I do have to say, that I hope that Kate doesn’t turn into a Colbie Callait for me though; I liked her at first too, and now I can’t stand her. Here’s hoping that doesn’t happen.
This is one of the best songs of all time, in my honest opinion. The rich melody, the entrancing beat, the backing sound effects, and MOST OF ALL, Tracey Thorn’s amazing vocal all come together to make this a masterpiece of drum and bass. I fell in love with Everything But the Girl when they decided to go down the electronic route with Missing, and I loved most of their work that came after it. Walking Wounded was a massive record for me near the end of High School, and it really made me into a lover of electro music. I especially love really, really well done drum and bass, and this is a shining example of when it is done right, it can be amazing. Everything about this song is fantastic, including the great writing, and the imagery that is conjured by it. To me, this song is just perfect, and when recently stumbled back onto it, I decided that I wanted to throw some well deserved attention at it, and get it on a 5SF. 
When I first heard this song, I didn’t like it. In fact, the first time I heard of the Sounds, I didn’t like them either. While I am still not really feeling the rest of the new album, Crossing the Rubicon, I have fallen head over heels in love with this upbeat pop-rock track. The backing melody, and the way in which they harmonize her screeching vocal with the distortion of the guitar is just brilliant. While I may never have the love that so many do for the Sounds, don’t worry, we can both relish the fact that at least we will have this song to share. 
I’ll be the first to state that I wasn’t at all interested in Scarlett Johansson’s first foray into music; in fact, I the only thing I got from it was a laugh, because of so many people saying it as the worst record they’d ever heard. However, my interest has been significantly risen with her most recent musical adventure; her new collaboration with Pete Yorn is AMAZING. This song is a brilliant duet, and highlights the fact that she does indeed have a brilliant singing voice. Pete Yorn did her a major favor by teaming up with her, and gives her real street cred as a singer this time around (not saying she didn’t have it before, but as I said, I didn’t even pay attention before now). I have given their new album Breakup a listen, and it has a lot of the same alt-country, pop rock feel of She and Him’s Volume One. Overall, it’s a pretty decent record, and I suspect that they will make some new fans by releasing it. I’m glad she didn’t let the “haters” stop her from singing, because she has found her niche with the help of Yorn. Good for your Scarlett (and you too Pete!)!
Propelled by a powerful, rock infused cover that identifies the record’s namesake, 
by Brandi Carlile, represents itself as what it truly is: a magnificently orchestrated album. Comparison to the Indigo Girls is unavoidable, so it’s best to get it out of the way right away. That similarity is even present on the record, where Brandi teams up with them on the song Canonball. However, despite the strong similarities, The Story is a great indication that Brandi definitely can carry herself nicely as a solo artist. Brandi brings an impassioned performance on The Story, that reverberates right through you every time her voice cracks at the height of her song’s emotion. There is no doubt, after listening to Brandi perform on this record, that she is passionate about the music she is making; it is clear and refreshing to hear in her performance.