Kendrick Lamar's “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City” was one of this year's popular favorites.
In 2012, the onslaught continued.
Long gone are the years in which tastemakers and gatekeepers of new music releases would reach at least an ambiguous consensus.
In fact, an informal, unofficial count of this year’s local releases topped 190. If you listened to nothing but those albums straight through, it would take you more than 10 full days to hear them all.
And that’s just local bands. Tens of thousands of albums are released into the world each year, whether through one of the last-standing brick-and-mortar stores or the digital ether.
The Star surveyed several dozen women and men involved in Kansas City’s music world — musicians, radio programmers, radio-show hosts, writers/critics — asking for their top 10 albums of the year (for concerts, shows and moments, see next week’s Preview).
From their lists, only a few names and records got more than a smattering of votes: Tame Impala’s “Lonerism” received the most mentions, followed by Kendrick Lamar’s “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City” and Frank Ocean’s “Channel Orange.”
So peruse the following lists for affirmations of what you listened to in 2012 or for recommendations to be tested or tried from amid the avalanche of new music released this year.
BEST ALBUMS OF 2012
The 10 albums mentioned the most in our panel’s best-of-2012 lists (number of mentions in parentheses).
• Tame Impala, “Lonerism” (8)
• Kendrick Lamar, “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City” (7)
• Frank Ocean, “Channel Orange” (7)
• Ghosty, “Ghosty” (6)
• Iris DeMent, “Sing the Delta” (6)
• Bob Dylan, “Tempest” (4)
• Cloud Nothings, “Attack on Memory” (4)
• Japandroids, “Celebration Rock” (4)
• Santigold, “Master of My Make-Believe” (4)
• The Caves, “Duplexiaville” (4)
Timothy Finn, music writer, The Kansas City Star
20 albums released in 2012 that I’ve enjoyed
• Beachwood Sparks, “The Tarnished Gold”
• Cory Branan, “Mutt”
• Sera Cahoone, “Deer Creek Canyon”
• Calexico, “Algiers”
• Clinic, “Free Reign”
• Dr. Dog, “Be the Void”
• Hospitality, “Hospitality”
• Iris DeMent, “Sing the Delta”
• DIIV, “Oshin”
• Father John Misty, “Fear Fun”
• Fidlar, “Don’t Try” (EP)
• First Aid Kit, “The Lion’s Roar”
• Lord Huron, “Lonesome Dreams”
• Moon Duo, “Circles”
• Of Monsters and Men, “My Head Is an Animal”
• Cat Power, “Sun”
• Sigur Ros, “Valtari”
• Tame Impala, “Lonerism”
• Wintersleep, “Hello Hum”
• The XX, “Coexist”
Local albums
• Antennas Up, “The Awkward Phase”
• The Architects, “Live in Los Angeles”
• David Burchfield and the Great Stop, “The Beginning”
• Cadillac Flambe, “Cadillac Flambe”
• Capybara, “Dave Drusky”
• The Caves, “Duplexiaville”
• Deco Auto, “Past Mistakes and Hauntings”
• Dollar Fox, “Little Mother’s Things I Am Keeping”
• Dreamwolf, “Dreamwolf”
• Amy Farrand, “Amy Farrand Loves You” (EP)
• David George, “Going Underground” (EP)
• Ghosty, “Ghosty”
• The Grisly Hand, “Western Ave.” (EP)
• The Hearts of Darkness, “Shelf Life”
• Hidden Pictures, “Rainbow Records”
• The Latenight Callers, “Easy Virtues” (EP)
• Danny McGaw, “Eccles Road”
• Schwervon, “Courage”
• Thee Water Moccasins, “From the Rivers of Missouri and the Banks of Fear”
• John Velghe and the Prodigal Sons, “Don’t Let Me Stay”
• Erik Voeks, “Free Range” (EP)
STAR CONTRIBUTORS
Bill Brownlee Contributing reviewer, Plastic Sax jazz blog
• Frank Ocean, “Channel Orange”
• Christian Scott, “Christian aTunde Adjuah”
• Meshuggah, “Koloss”
• Killer Mike, “R.A.P. Music”
• Hilary Hahn & Hauschka, “Silfra”
• Pat Metheny, “Unity Band”
• Kendrick Lamar, “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City”
• Iris DeMent, “Sing the Delta”
• Krizz Kaliko, “Kickin’ & Screamin’ ”
• Lionel Loueke, “Heritage”
Joel Francis
Contributing reviewer
• Christian Scott, “Christian aTunde Adjuah”
• Miguel, “Kaleidoscope Dream”
• Japandroids, “Celebration Rock”
• Jack White, “Blunderbuss”
• Santigold, “Master of My Make-Believe”
• Lupe Fiasco, “Food and Liquor II”
• Jimmy Cliff, “Rebirth”
• Corin Tucker Band, “Kill My Blues”
• Robert Glasper Experiment, “Black Radio”
• Bob Dylan, “Tempest”
Jeneé Osterheldt
Columnist, The Kansas City Star
• Nas, “Life Is Good"
• Karriem Riggins, “Alone Together”
• Esthero, “Everything Is Expensive”
• Frank Ocean, “Channel Orange”
• Esperanza Spalding, “Radio Music Society”
• Elle Varner, “Perfectly Imperfect”
• Fiona Apple, “The Idler Wheel Is Wiser”
• Miguel, “Kaleidoscope Dream”
Steve Wilson
Contributing reviewer, editor-in-chief of the blog Reverberations
• Land Observations, “Roman Roads IV”
• Spiritualized, “Sweet Heart, Sweet Light”
• Cat Power, “Sun”
• Camera, “Radiate”
• Cate Le Bon, “Cyrk”
• Redd Kross, “Researching the Blues”
• King Tuff, “King Tuff”
• JD McPherson, “Signs and Signifiers”
• First Aid Kit, “The Lion’s Roar”
• Liminanas, “Crystal Anis”
Chris Haghirian
Ink magazine, Middle of the Map Fest
• Purity Ring, “Shrines”
• Bat for Lashes, “The Haunted Man”
• P.O.S., “We Don’t Even Live Here”
• Lord Huron, “Lonesome Dreams”
• Santigold, “Master of My Make-Believe”
• Japandroids, “Celebration Rock”
• Beach House, “Bloom”
• Grimes, “Visions”
• Antennas Up, “The Awkward Phase”
• Sigur Ros, “Valtari”
Michelle Bacon
Deco Auto (and others); editor-in-chief of the Deli KC, contributing writer
• Thee Water Moccasins, “From the Rivers of Missouri and the Banks of Fear”
• The Grisly Hand, “Western Ave.” (EP)
• Hidden Pictures, “Rainbow Records”
• Antennas Up, “The Awkward Phase”
• Schwervon, “Courage”
• Molly Picture Club, “Molly Picture Club”
• The Caves, “Duplexiaville”
• The Empty Spaces, “Party Line” (EP)
• Ghosty, “Ghosty”
• The Latenight Callers, “Easy Virtues” (EP)
MUSICIANS
Thomas Becker
Guitarist, Beautiful Bodies
• Billy Bragg & Wilco, “Mermaid Avenue: The Complete Sessions”
• Taylor Swift, “Red”
• Sigur Ros, “Valtari”
• Gossip, “A Joyful Noise”
• We Are Voices, “Tread Lightly”
• The Coup, “Sorry to Bother You”
• Ke$ha, “Warrior”
• Metric, “Synthetica”
• Hospitality, “Hospitality”
• Santigold, “Master of My Make-Believe”
William Smith
Thee Water Moccasins, Artist Arena
• Melody’s Echo Chamber, “Melody’s Echo Chamber”
• Father John Misty, “Fear Fun”
• Thee Oh Sees, “Putrifiers II”
• Moon Duo, “Circles”
• Death Grips, “Money Store”
• Lower Dens, “Nootropics”
• Godspeed You Black Emperor, “Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!”
• Swans, “The Seer”
• Goat, “World Music”
• Jesse Ware, “Devotion”
Enrique Chi
Singer/guitarist, Making Movies
• Kendrick Lamar, “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City”
• Delta Spirit, “Delta Spirt”
• Dr. John, “Locked Down”
• Bahamas, “Barchords”
• Babies, “Our House on the Hill”
DJ Joc Max
• Dwele, “Dark Side of the Mic”
• Karriem Riggins, “Alone Together”
• Georgia Anne Muldrow, “Seeds”
• Robert Glasper, “Black Radio”
• Quartermaine, “Quarter Life Crisis”
• Miles Bonny & Brenk Sinatra, “Supa Soul …”
Kenn Jankowski
Republic Tigers
• Hot Chip, “In Our Heads”
• Diamond Rings, “Free Dimensional”
• Trust, “TRST”
• Cloud Nothings, “Attack on Memory”
• Lost in the Trees, “A Church That Fits Our Needs”
• Purity Ring, “Shrines”
• 22-20s, “Got It If You Want It”
• Air, “Le Voyage Dans La Lune”
• Grizzly Bear, “Shields”
• Islands, “A Sleep & a Forgetting”
Joe Miquelon
The Elders
• Frank Ocean, “Orange Channel”
• Esparanza Spalding, “Radio Music Society”
• Jimmy Cliff, “Rebirth”
• Kurt Elling, “Brill Building Project”
• Bonnie Raitt, “Slipstream”
Keenan Nichols
Guitarist, the Architects
• Turbonegro, “Sexual Harassment”
• Bouncing Souls, “Comet”
• The Biters, “It’s All Chewed Up, OK?”
• Lucero, “Women & Work”
• Riverboat Gamblers, “The Wolf You Feed”
• Missile, “City Animals”
• P.O.S., “We Don’t Even Live Here”
• Holy Grail, “Crisis in Utopia”
• The Architects, “Live in Los Angeles”
• The Hives, “Lex Hives”
R.L. Brooks
Maps for Travelers, owner Seen Merch
• Casket Lottery, “Real Fear”
• The Caves, “Duplexiaville”
• In the Grove, “Afterlife”
• The Life and Times, “No One Loves You Like I Do”
• Deftones, “Koi No Yokan”
• Constants, “Pasiflora”
• Caspian, “Waking Season”
• Making Movies, “A La Deriva”
Matt Richey
Drummer, the Grisly Hand
• Bob Dylan, “Tempest”
• Fiona Apple, “The Idler Wheel”
• Lambchop, “Mr. M”
• Calexico, “Algiers”
• The Rolling Stones, “Some Girls: Live in Texas ’78”
• Iris DeMent, “Sing the Delta”
Terry Taylor
Hammerlord, Mammoth Productions
• “Devil’s Carnival” (soundtrack)
• Troglodyte, “Don’t Go Into the Woods”
• Gaslight Anthem, “Handwritten”
• Gojira, “L’Enfant Sauvage”
• Tori Amos, “Gold Dust”
• Green Day, “Uno!”
• The Devil’s Blood, “The Thousandfold Epicentre”
• Antony & the Johnsons, “Cut the World”
• Off! “Off!”
• Six Percent, “The Years EP”
Bree Plaster
Drummer, the Brian Ruskin Quartet
• The Bad Plus, “Made Possible”
• The Brian Ruskin Quartet, “11=11”
Gregg Todt
Federation of Horsepower; “The Johnny Dare Show” on KQRC (98.9 FM)
• Whitey Kirst, “All Rise!”
• Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, “Soul Time!”
• Turbonegro, “Sexual Harassment”
• The Who, “Live at Hull 1970”
• Biters, “It’s All Chewed Up, OK?”
• Danko Jones, “Rock & Roll Is Black & Blue”
• ZZ Top, “La Futura”
• Kevin Hart, “Laugh at My Pain”
• Gary Clark Jr., “Numb” (single)
• Murder City Devils, “Every Day I Rise” (single)
Kliph Scurlock
Drummer, Flaming Lips
• Deerhoof, “Breakup Song”
• Cousins, “First Cousins”
• Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, “Mature Themes”
• Cate Le Bon, “Cyrk”
• Cian Ciaran, “Outside In”
• Euros Childs, “Summer Special”
• Tame Impala, “Lonerism”
• Richard James, “Pictures in the Morning”
• Neil Young and Crazy Horse, “Psychedelic Pill”
• H. Hawkline, “Black Domino Box”
Mike Dillon
The Mike Dillon Band, Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle
• Deerhoof, “Breakup Song”
• Death Grips, “The Money Store”
• Bad Brains, “Into the Future”
• Matt Chamberlain, “Project 23”
• ZZ Top, “La Futura”
• Tame Impala, “Lonerism”
• The Mike Dillon Band, “Urn”
Chuck Mead
Chuck Mead & His Grassy Knoll Boys
• Bob Dylan, “The Tempest”
• Old Crow Medicine Show, “Carry Me Back”
• Jack White, “Blunderbuss”
• JD McPherson, “Signs and Signifiers”
Radkey
Rock band
• Redd Kross, “Researching the Blues”
• Freshkills, “Raise Up the Sheets”
Les Izmore
Hearts of Darkness, Heartfelt Anarchy
• Antibalas, “Dirty Money”
• Homeboy Sandman, “First of a Living Breed”
• Kendrick Lamar, “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City”
Amy Farrand
Songwriter, host of Weirdo Wednesday Supper Club
• Dr, John, “Locked Down”
• David Byrne & St. Vincent, “Love This Giant”
• Tame Impala, “Lonerism”
• Leonard Cohen, “Old Ideas”
• Swans, “The Seer”
• Punch Brothers, “Who’s Feeling Young Now?”
• Godspeed You! Black Emperor, “Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!”
• Todd Snider, “Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables”
• Lord Huron, “Lonesome Dreams”
• The Walkmen, “Heaven”
Richard Gintowt
Hidden Pictures
• Jen Lekman, “I Know What Love Isn’t”
• Field Music, “Plumb” and “Play”
• Mac Demarco, “2”
• Jaill, “Traps”
• Bahamas, “Bar Chords”
• Birds and Batteries, “Stray Light” and “UNFOLD” (EP)
• Sam Billen, “Places”
• The Spring Standards, “Yellow//Gold”
• Ghosty, “Ghosty”
• Poor Moon, “Poor Moon”
Hermon Mehari
Jazz trumpeter, Diverse
• Frank Ocean, “Channel Orange”
• Kendrick Lamar, “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City”
• Heartfelt Anarchy, “Heartfelt Anarchy”
James Trotter
DJ (Superwolf)
• Danny Brown, “XXX”
• “Secret Handshakes: A Collaboration for Record Store Day”
• Gary Wilson, “Forgotten Lovers”
Mike Alexander
Guitarist, Hipshot Killer, John Velghe & the Prodigal Sons
• The Swan, “The Seer”
• Gateway District, “Perfect’s Gonna Fail”
• Bob Mould, “Silver Age”
• Alejandro Escovedo, “Big Station”
• Aesop Rock, “Skelethon”
• ZZ Top, “La Futura”
• El-P, “Cancer for Cure”
• Nas, “Life Is Good”
• Neil Young and Crazy Horse, “Psychedelic Pill”
• Chromatics, “Kill for Love”
Denzel Williams
Producer/MC D/Will
• Kendrick Lamar, “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City”
• Brother Ali, “Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color”
• Murs and 9th Wonder, “The Final Adventure”
• Heartfelt Anarchy, “Heartfelt Anarchy”
• Karriem Riggins, “Alone Together”
• Lecrae, “Gravity”
• Blu & Exile, “Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them”
• Outasight, “Nights Like These”
• Nas, “Life Is Good”
• Miles Bonny & Brenk Sinatra, “Supa Soul …”
John Evans
John Velghe & the Prodigal Sons
• Alejandro Escovedo, “Big Station”
• M. Ward, “A Wasteland Companion”
• Nude Beach, “II”
• Tommy Stinson, “One Man Mutiny”
• Erik Voeks, “Free Range”
• Red Kross “Researching the Blues”
Nate Hofer
Pedal-steel guitarist, Phantoms of the Opry
• Lana Del Ray, “Born to Die”
• Iris DeMent, “Sing the Delta”
• Jack White, “Blunderbuss”
• Victor & Penny, “Antique Pop”
• Diana Krall, “Glad Rag Doll”
• Santigold, “Master of My Make-Believe”
• The Shins, “Port of Morrow”
Jake Cardwell
Drummer for the Caves, C&C Drums
• Ghosty, “Ghosty”
• Matthew E. White, “Bigg Inner”
• Cat Power, “Sun”
• Tame Impala, “Lonerism”
• Damien Jurardo, “Maraqopa”
Katy Guillen
The Katy Guillen Trio
• Heartless Bastards, “Arrow”
• Dirty Projectors, “Swing Lo Magellan”
• Alabama Shakes, “Boys & Girls”
• Father John Misty, “Fear Fun”
• Dr. John, “Locked Down”
• Helen Gillet, “Helen Gillet”
• Bonnie Raitt, “Slipstream”
• Dr. Dog, “Be the Void”
Brent Tactic
DJ, owner Think 2wice Records
• Kendrick Lamar, “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City”
• Frank Ocean, “Channel Orange”
• Four Tet, “Pink”
• El-P, “Cancer for Cure”
• Starkey, “Orbits”
DJ Ray Velasquez
• Brian Eno, "Lux"
• Ringo Deathstarr, "Mauve"
• Toy, "Toy"
• Deepchord, "Sommer"
• Monolake, "Ghosts"
• Carter Tutti Void, "Transverse"
• Lone, "Galaxy Garden"
• Loops of Your Heart, "And Never Ending Nights"
• Simian Mobile Disco, "Unpatterns"
• Spiritualized, "Sweet Heart Sweet Light"
Mike Myers
Drummer, Biarchy, Olivetti, the String and Return
• Neil Young and Crazy Horse, “Psychedelic Pill”
• Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, “Pamyu Pamyu Revolution”
• Melody’s Echo Chamber, “Melody’s Echo Chamber”
• Tame Impala, “Lonerism”
• Flying Lotus, “Until the Quiet Comes”
• Mohn, “Mohn”
• Earth, “Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II”
• Beach House, “Bloom”
• The Life and Times, “No One Loves You Like I Do”
• Wild Nothing, “Nocturne”
RADIO HOSTS AND PRODUCERS
Robert Moore
Host of “Sonic Spectrum,” podcast and on KRBZ (96.5 FM)
• The Sea and Cake, “Runner”
• 2:54, “2:54”
• Masha Qrella, “Analogies”
• Spoek Mathambo, “Father Creeper”
• Royal Headache, “Royal Headache”
• The Soft Pack, “Strapped”
• Shearwater, “Animal Joy”
• Moonface, “With Siinai: Heartbreaking Bravery”
• DIIV, “Oshin”
• Hospitality, “Hospitality”
Jon Hart
Program director, KTBG (90.9 FM)
• Tallest Man on Earth, “There’s No Leaving Now”
• Michael Kiwanuka, “Home Again”
• Alt-J, “An Awesome Wave”
• First Aid Kit, “The Lion’s Roar”
• Gary Clark Jr., “Blak and Blu”
• Making Movies, “A La Deriva”
• Alabama Shakes, “Boys & Girls”
• The Front Bottoms, “The Front Bottoms”
• Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra, “Theatre Is Evil”
• Bob Dylan, “Tempest”
Laura Lorson
Kansas Public Radio
• Godspeed You! Black Emperor, “Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!”
• Japandroids, “Celebration Rock”
• Schoolboy Q, “Habits & Contradictions”
• Cloud Nothings, “Attack on Memory”
• El-P, “Cancer for Cure”
• Fiona Apple, “The Idler Wheel”
• Dirty Projectors, “Swing Lo Magellan”
• Beach House, “Bloom”
• Django Django, “Django Django”
• Flying Lotus, “Until the Quiet Comes”
Chuck Haddix
Host, “The Fish Fry” on KCUR (89.3 FM)
• The Tedeschi/Trucks Band, “Revelator”
• Muddy Waters and the Rolling Stones, “Checkerboard Lounge, Live, Chicago 1981”
• “Music From the HBO Original Series Treme, Season 2”
• Lee Fields, “Faithful Man”
• Bonnie Raitt, “Slipstream”
• Joss Stone, “Soul Sessions, Vol. 2”
• Curtis Salgado, “Soul Shot”
• Jon Cleary, “Occapella!”
• Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, “Rattle Them Bones”
• Scottyboy Daniels Blues Band, “Mercy: A Tribute to William Clarke”
Mark Manning
Host, “Midday Medley” on KKFI (90.1 FM)
• Iris DeMent, “Sing the Delta”
• Ghosty, “Ghosty”
• Schwervon, “Courage”
• The Hearts of Darkness, “Shelf Life”
• John Velghe & the Prodigal Sons, “Don’t Let Me Stay”
• Hidden Pictures, “Rainbow Records”
• The Caves, “Duplexiaville”
• Molly Picture Club, “Molly Picture Club”
• The Latenight Callers, “Easy Virtues”
• Thee Water Moccasins, “From the Rivers of Missouri and the Banks of Fear”
Barry Lee
Host, “Signal to Noise” on KKFI (90.1 FM)
• JD McPherson, “Signs & Signifyers”
• Dollar Fox, “Little Mother’s Things I Am Keeping”
• Calexico, “Algiers”
• Woody Guthrie, “Woody at 100”
• The Time Jumpers, “The Time Jumpers”
• The Pines, “Dark So Gold”
• Various Artists, “Country Funk”
• Ray Wylie Hubbard, “Grifter’s Hymnal”
• Farrar, Johnson, Parker, Yames, “New Multitudes: Lyrics by Woody Guthrie"
• Rodriguez, “Searching for Sugarman”
Bob McWilliams
Host, “Jazz in the Night” and “The Trail Mix” on Kansas Public Radio
• Jack DeJohnette, “Sound Travels”
• Chick Corea and Gary Burton, “Hot House”
• Pat Metheny, “Unity Band”
• Jazz Soul Seven, “Impressions of Curtis Mayfield”
• Gregory Porter, “Be Good”
• Rayna Gellert, “Old Light”
• Rose Cousins, “We Have Made a Spark”
• Mary Chapin Carpenter, “Ashes & Roses”
• Kathy Mattea, “Calling Me Home”
• The Fretless, “Waterbound”
Michael Byars
Music coordinator at KCUR (89.3 FM), co-host of “The Mailbox” at midwestmusicfound.org
• Antennas Up, “The Awkward Phase”
• The Caves, “Duplexiaville”
• Eat Lights Become Lights, “Heavy Electrics”
• Ghosty, “Ghosty”
• Hidden Pictures, “Rainbow Records”
• Kaki King, “Glow”
• Moon Duo, “Circles”
• Rodrigo y Gabriela with C.U.B.A., “Area 52”
• School of Seven Bells, “Ghostory”
• Thee Water Moccasins, “From the Rivers of Missouri and the Banks of Fear”
OTHER TASTEMAKERS
Andy Gershon
V2 Records
• Leonard Cohen, “Old Ideas”
• Fun, “Some Nights”
• Of Monsters and Men, “My Head Is an Animal”
• Jesse Ware “Devotion”
• Gary Clark Jr., “Blak and Blu”
Shannon Schlappi
Co-founder of Locker Partner, Rockdex
• Frank Ocean, “Channel Orange”
• Kendrick Lamar, “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City”
• Japandroids, “Celebration Rock”
• Alt-J, “An Awesome Wave”
• Twin Shadow, “Confess”
• P.O.S., “We Don’t Even Live Here”
• Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, “The Heist”
• Tame Impala, “Lonerism”
• Mac Demarco, “2”
• The Casket Lottery, “Real Fear”
Neill Smith
Co-owner Riot Room, Czar Bar
• Sharon Van Etten, “Tramp”
• Cloud Nothings, “Attack on Memory”
• In the Grove, “Afterlife”
Mark Davis
Sound engineer
• Rush, “Clockwork Angels”
• The Life and Times, “No One Loves You Like I Do”
• It Bites, “Map of the Past”
• Black Country Communion, “Afterglow”
• Between the Buried and Me, “The Parallax”
• The Fixx, “Beautiful Friction”
• Muse, “The 2nd Law”
• The Pineapple Thief, “All the Wars”
• Deftones, “Koi No Yokan”
• Grizzly Bear, “Shields”
Jacki Becker
Up to Eleven Productions
• Lower Dens, “Nootropics”
• Frank Ocean, “Channel Orange”
• Title Fight, “Floral Green”
• Between the Buried and Me, “The Parallaz II: Future Sequence”
• Tame Impala, “Lonerism”
• Twin Shadow, “Confess”
• Friends, “Manifest”
• DIIV, “Oshin”
• Thee Oh Sees, “Putrifiers II”
• Good Music, “Cruel Summer”
Tim Gutschenritter
Co-owner Riot Room and Czar Bar
• Cloud Nothings, “Attack on Memory”
• The Slowdown, “A”
• Sons of Great Dane, “You Can’t Lose It All, All at Once”
• Witchcraft, “Legend”
• Ben Kweller, “Go Fly a Kite”
SINGLES
Alicia Solombrino, lead singer, Beautiful Bodies
- Die Antwoord, “I Fink U Freeky”
- Brad Walsh, “Electric Symphony”
- Rihanna, “Where Have You Been”
- Lana Del Re, “Ride”
- Dethklok, “The Galaxy”
- The XX, “Chained”
- Jay Z, “No Church In The Wild”
- Katy Perry/Max Martin, “Wide Awake”
- We are Voices, “Fighting Fires”
- Not a Planet, “Black Dress”
Sheppa, DJ/Designer, Body2Body, Beauty Magic, Nomathmatics
- Alison Valentine, “Peanut Butter (Moon Boots Remix)”
- Miguel, “Adorn (Sammy Bananas Bootleg)”
- Cajoline, “Only Girl”
- Nadus, “Scratchin’ Me Up (Dj Sliink Edit)”
- The Gossip, “Move in the Right Direction (Classixx Remix)”
- Mariah Carey, “Touch My Body (Cyril Hahn Remix)”
- Kuhrye-oo, “Give In (For the Fame)(Dj Sliink Remix)”
- Deadmau5 ft. Kaskade, “Trap For Me (Van Toth Remix)”
- Major Lazer, “Get Free (Yellow Claw Get Free Money Remix)”
- Shlohmo x R Kelly, “Rained The Whole Time x Number One (Hemsworth Blend)”
Andy Gershon, V2 Records
- “Starships,” Nicki Minaj
- “Gangnam Style,” Psy
- “What Makes You Beautiful,” One Direction
- “Call Me Maybe,” Carly Rae Jepsen
- “Diamonds,” Rihanna
- “Home,” Phillip Phillips
- “Whistle,” Flo Rida
- “Too Close,” Alex Clare
- “Thrift Shop,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
- “Hey Ho,” The Lumineers
Hermon Mehari, jazz trumpeter, Diverse
- “Glory,” Jay-Z featuring Blue Ivy Carter
- “Black Wallstreet,” Logan Richardson
- “Sixteen,” Rick Ross featuring Andre 3000
Chris Haghirian, Ink magazine, Middle of the Map Fest
- "All Of Me" by Tanlines
- "Angels" by The XX
- "At Home" by Crystal Fighters
- "Black Coffee" by Grisly Hand
- "Cakelakers" by Indians
- "Change The Sheets" by Kathleen Edwards
- "Coca Cola Freestyle" by Heems
- "Coming On" by Antennas Up
- "Cuna De Vida" by Making Movies
- "Dark Star" by Polica
- "Emmylou" by First Aid Kit
- "Fineshrine" by Purity Ring
- "Forever" by Haim
- "Genesis" by Grimes
- "Get Free" by Major Lazer featuring Amber from Dirty Projectors
- "Headless King" by She's A Keeper
- "Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings" by Father John Misty
- "I Belong In Your Arms Tonight" by Chairlift
- "I Love It" by Icona Pop
- "Lilies" by Bat For Lashes
- "Lord Knows" by Dum Dum Girls
- "Open" by Rhye
- "Other People" by Beach House
- "Proceed To Memory" by Pinback
- "The House That Heaven Built" by Japandroids
- "The Mother We Share" by Chvrches
- "This Isn't Our Parade" by Santigold
- "Time To Run" by Lord Huron
- "Watch The Corner" by Dinosaur Jr
- "Where We Land" by P.O.S. featuring Justin Vernon
OTHER LISTS
Nathan Reusch, The Record Machine, Middle of the Map Fest
10 best new bands in 2012
- Hundred Waters
- Diiv
- Rhye
- Fidlar
- Palace
- Haim
- Beacon
- James & Evander
- Matthew E. White
- Southern Shores
Nate Hofer, pedal-steel guitarist, Phantoms of the Opry
- Lana Del Ray, "Born to Die"
- Iris DeMent, "The Night I Learned Not to Pray"
- Carolina Chocolate Drops, "Country Girl"
Laura Lorson, Kansas Public Radio
Top music moments of the year
- “The Flaming Lips at the Liberty Hall Centennial celebration. The closest I will ever be to actually living my life inside a kaleidoscope. I really felt sorry for the people who were watching through the screens of their iPhones and such because they were determined to capture the whole thing. It was huge, and grand, and completely overwhelming, and it was about the best thing I’ve ever gotten to do. That colossal set and stage show, designed to feel kind of big in a stadium, inside Liberty Hall? Chaos. Color. Light. Pandemonium. Wonder. The world went supernova Technicolor and dazzle and for a little while, nothing else on Earth could compare.”
- “The closing ceremonies of the London Olympics. From Annie Lennox swooping in like a bird of doom to sing ‘Little Bird’ to the Spice Girls doing their darnedest to rewind time with “Spice Up Your Life,” it was a capital “S” Spectacle in the way that people don’t do Spectacle any more. High point: Taio Cruz cheerfully singing that omnipresent ‘Dynamite’ song from the summer. Low point: Beady Eye proving they are the fifth-best Oasis cover band I have personally ever seen.”
- “The video for ‘Thrift Shop’ from Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, because it is dippy and trippy and hilarious and I don’t think I’ve seen any video executed with more joy and snideness since the Beastie Boys’ ‘Sabotage.’”
Mike Kennedy, program director, morning host KBRQ (104. FM)
- Eli Young Band
- Florida Georgia Line
- Eric Church
- Josh Abbott Band
- Colt Ford
- Kip Moore
- Keith Urban in concert: "Still one of my all time faves.”
Not seen anywhere above, so i'll throw them out there... all wonderful face-melting goodness.
The White Wires - "WWIII"
Mean Jeans - "On Mars"
The Menzingers - "On the Impossible Past"
Posted by: CER | December 20, 2012 at 11:20 AM
No Chuck Prophet - Temple Beautiful on anyone's list? Wow.
Posted by: JG | December 20, 2012 at 11:22 AM
Yeah, that's a great one JG.
Posted by: CER | December 20, 2012 at 11:40 AM
Agreed! Chuck Prophet has been criminally under-rated for far too long.
Posted by: Bob L. | December 20, 2012 at 12:57 PM
Yep, JG, even in a year where some of my absolute favorite all-time artists (Neil, Bruce, Dylan, Knopfler and Hiatt) put out good to very good albums, Temple Beautiful was my favorite.
Most of my other faves of 2012 have already been mentioned somewhere in the above lists...Todd Snider, Alejandro Escovedo, Bonnie Raitt and Dr.John so I'll stick to the few I didn't see...
Patterson Hood - Heat Lightning Rumbles In The Distance
Chuck Mead - Back At The Quonset Hut
Norah Jones - Little Broken Hearts
Royal Southern Brotherhood - self-titled
Pat Travers - Blues On Fire
Posted by: pellboy | December 20, 2012 at 01:28 PM
With all of those lists I'm surprised that nobody mentioned KC's own Run Little Rabbit. Their ep is my favorite official release in years. I usually only buy cd's to support bands when I go to their shows, but I still listen to that ep at least once a week.
Posted by: LiveMusicFan | December 20, 2012 at 01:49 PM
^^^ got the chance to see them at the KC Museum earlier in the year (Aug?) and it was a very good set. I guess they are broken up now?
I can't believe more people don't like that Jack White album. I think it's absolutely fantastic.
Nice to see Tame Impala get some due. "Inner Speaker" is completely awesome and this is a worthy follow-up.
I've never been a Fiona Apple fan, but that album is stellar. I've listened to it a number of times.
Posted by: KC Jones | December 20, 2012 at 02:02 PM
Ghosty. Yeah.
Posted by: Joe | December 20, 2012 at 04:40 PM
Bring back the Bleach Bloodz!!
Sorry, the Bleach Bloodz didn't put out an album this year, instead they apparenlty split up. My post is my form of social rebellion for the week.
Posted by: hamster | December 20, 2012 at 07:37 PM
great music in 2012
Posted by: Larry Luper | December 20, 2012 at 10:24 PM
Chuck Prophet is on my list along with John Hiatt.
Posted by: Musicgal | December 21, 2012 at 08:25 AM
Black Country Communion-Afterglow Tommy Bolin & friends-Great Gypsy Soul Arjen Anthony Lucassen-Lost In The New Real Neil Young-Psychedelic Pill Golden Earring-Tits And Ass Electric Swan-Swirl In Gravity Craig Erickson-Galactic Roadhouse UFO-Seven Deadly
Posted by: Stormin' Norman | December 21, 2012 at 06:05 PM
Here's a link to another vid I took of Brian Setzer at the Uptown on 12.12.12
Happy Holidays!!!
http://youtu.be/JcSK6IXFX7A
Posted by: Kev | December 23, 2012 at 12:31 AM
Thank you for the list. I need some new good music for my demos, this list will get me there!
Posted by: Geluidstechniek | January 02, 2013 at 10:12 AM