My Top 10 Albums of 2012

These are the albums that got played from start to finish once they started.  I'd sit in the car for an extra 5 minutes or stay at the gym for one more rep just to hear it in it's entirety.  It's the way that they flow, how the songs transition, the journey the artist takes you on that sets these albums apart from others for me.

• 10 - America by Dan Deacon
• 9 - Reservoir by Fanfarlo
• 8 - Attack On Memory by Cloud Nothings
• 7 - Something by Chairlift
• 6 - Give You The Ghost by Polica
• 5 - Nocturne by Wild Nothing
• 4 - Mixed Emotions by Tanlines
• 3 - Bloom by Beach House
• 2 - Celebration Rock by Japandroids
• 1 - Lonerism by Tame Impala

Favorite Performances of 2012

Throughout 2012 I probably attended close to 20 concerts in 5 different states.  Here are a few of the most memorable performances that I saw.

1. Phish - Atlantic City, NJ 6/16/12
• My first Phish experience was not a let-down.  The middle set of their 3 night stint in AC was a stellar live introduction to the band for me.
2. The Killers - Firefly Music Festival: Dover, DE 7/??/12
• They headlined night 2 of the inaugural year for the festival.  We waited about an hour and a half to get within 25-30' of the stage among a crowd of about 30,000.
3. Alabama Shakes - Baltimore, MD 4/7/12
• All the good things you've heard about seeing them live are true.
4. Girls - Philadelphia, PA 1/12/12
• Glad I got to see them before they broke up a few months later.
5. M83 - Philadelphia, PA 8/1/12
• An energetic and blistering set with a top notch lighting display. 

Boot: The Killers - Baden, Germany 8/9/12

A nice set from The Killers with great sound quality.  I got to see them just a couple weeks before this performance at the Firefly Music Festival.  It was definitely one of the best performances I saw all year.


Setlist:
1 - Runaways
2 - Somebody Told Me
3 - Smile Like You Mean It
4 - Spaceman
5 - Flesh And Bone
6 - For Reasons Unknown
7 - Bling (Confessions Of A King)
8 - Miss Atomic Bomb
9 - Human
10 - A Dustland Fairytale
11 - Forever Young (cover)
12 - Read My Mind
13 - Mr. Brightside
14 - All These Things That I've Done
15 - Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine
16 - When You Were Young
Download: The Killers - Baden 8/9/12

New To Me: Lord Huron

Designated as WXPN's Artist to Watch for October, Lord Huron came across my radar just following the release of their debut full-length album "Lonesome Dreams".  The group's name is taken from time Ben Schneider spent at Lake Huron in his native Michigan.  In addition to the inspiration for the name, nature and the outdoors are a reoccurring theme throughout the album.  Lord Huron is bound for success amongst fans of Fleet Foxes, The Lumineers, and My Morning Jacket.

'Girls' Fans Rejoice

Last week former Girls front man Christopher Owens announced he'll be releasing a solo album in January.  Many fans were distraught earlier this year to hear that Owens was leaving his band Girls, who appeared to be at the height of their game.  His solo debut "Lysandre" is said to be inspired by the event's on his 2011 tour and a girl he fell in love with during that time.  Check out the first two songs of the album below!
Christopher Owens - Lysandre's Theme/Here We Go - Soundcloud

New to me: Tame Impala and Wild Nothing

I recently got turned onto these two bands.  Both have new albums out this year that are pretty darn good.

• A comment on Youtbe for a Tame Impala video claimed 'If Pink Floyd and the Beatles fucked and had a love child it would be Tame Impala'.  Hailing from Australia, their classic psychedelic sound shines on their sophomore album "Lonerism". 
•  Channeling the 80's and drenched in reverb, Wild Nothing struck a smart and simplistic chord with me.  Their sophomore album "Nocturne" is also out now. 

Back at it

Sorry for the hiatus over the past few months, I'm hoping to post regularly again.  Stay tuned!