It's that time of year again for the Top 10 Best Albums! Despite everything that "This Christmas" by John Travolta/Olivia Newton-John stands for, the world did not -- in fact -- end as predicted by the Mayan calendar. So, we forge ahead.
And in that spirit: 2012's best albums.
TEN
THE LION'S ROAR - FIRST AID KIT
You know by now that I'm a sucker for the Swedes. But they're not on the list because I'm a Swedophile; they're here because their music is as delicious as an Ikea meatball. Think of the Fleet Foxes, then make them Swedish women and - boom! - you have First Aid Kit. What else do you really need?
NINE
BARCHORDS - BAHAMAS
Don't feel badly if you haven't heard of Toronto guitarist/singer/songwriter Afie Jurvanen, known as Bahamas. You may have seen him traveling with Feist or Wilco, but this is actually his second solo effort. On Barchords, his voice has a smooth sandpaper quality, and each song packs a slightly different punch.
EIGHT
HERE - EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS
Was this recorded in 1968? This album is a trip, in more ways than one. This group -- totaling two shy of a dozen, by the way -- manages to conjure up dreamy images reminiscent of the Woodstock era. Be sure to enjoy... but don't eat the brown acid!
SEVEN
BABEL - MUMFORD AND SONS
These guys kicked the door down with their 2009 album, Sigh No More, making a hard one to top. Babel sounds more mature; it may not contain many anthem songs or Top 40 hits, but it's a clearer picture of the band's talents and roots.
SIX
LOCKED DOWN - DR. JOHN
What happens when you put together the scorching-hot Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys together with an older New Orleans rock legend? Magic! It's akin to when Jack White and Loretta Lynn teamed up in 2004 on Van Lear Rose. On Locked Down, you feel like you're strolling along Bourbon Street in New Orleans -- unsure whether to grab a mint julep or run for your life. The only slow song ("My Children, My Angels") is almost at the end of the album, and even then, it's got a groovy undercurrent. These guys have a voodoo witch doctor working in their favor.
FIVE
BOYS AND GIRLS - ALABAMA SHAKES
It's hard to believe this is a debut album. I think they're a shoo-in for the Grammy for Best New Artist -- with good reason. I expect them to be on many more of these lists in the future.
FOUR
THE IDLER WHEEL IS WISER THAN THE DRIVER OF THE SCREW AND WHIPPING CORDS WILL SERVE YOU MORE THAN ROPES WILL EVER DO - FIONA APPLE
How about that for a title? And it's perfect -- because it's hard to know what to expect here: A fight, a nervous breakdown, a parade? But it's that kind of anticipation and discord that makes it such a great album.
THREE
SOME NIGHTS - FUN.
Any top 40 radio station in the past three months could be described as: "'Some Nights' and probably some other stuff." But there's a lot more to this album, which is filled to the brim with bitterness, angst, and hopefulness. And, as a side note, the keyboardist is an avid fan of Weird Al Yankovic -- so what's not to love here? It's the rare combo of talent, smarts, and catchiness that helps this album transcend most other pop music this year.TWO
WRECKING BALL - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Is there anyone more American than Bruce Springsteen? Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, The Boss encourages us to roll up our sleeves and get through this recession together. And what better example of "We Take Care Of Our Own" than his support of New Jersey and New York during Hurricane Sandy? Someone like Springsteen could have checked out a long time ago, but it's clear just how much he loves what he does and where he does it. It's hard to judge each album as something new; it's too tempting to compare it to the rest of his works, to see where he's been and where he's headed. But in that vein, this will stand alone as one of his great albums and a snapshot of a moment in time when we needed someone like him to pull us all together.
ONE
ONE
There's a documentary called "It Might Get Loud" -- and if you haven't seen it yet, then you should. It begins with Jack White hastily making a crude guitar out of basic household objects on the porch of a home. He does so swiftly and in full concentration, wearing a vest, bow tie and a hat. Cows graze in the grass behind him.
Once built, he briefly plays the one-string guitar, picks up a cigarette and asks the camera guy "Who says you need to buy a guitar?"
It's classic Jack White on so many levels. He is, all in one living being, the history and the future of rock and roll. So it should be with no surprise that his debut solo album post-White Stripes is my pick for the best album of the year.
Blunderbuss is full of the kind of innovation that we've all come to expect from him. "Love Interruption" is one of the album's best songs, with White dueling on vocals with Ruby Amanfu. Title track "Blunderbuss" seems to have an influence from White's current surroundings in Nashville, "Sixteen Saltines" is straight-up rock and roll, and "Take Me With You When You Go" is a blend between the two styles.
It's no wonder why Jack White was picked to join two rock legends in "It Might Get Loud": He's already achieved so much, but he has so much left to explore.
OTHER RECOMMENDED READINGS:
-Rolling Stone's 50 Best Albums of 2012
-Paste Magazine's 50 Best Albums of 2012
-American Songwriter's 20 Albums We Can't Wait To Hear in 2013
