2012 albums, your faves so far

[Oh my god, it's Robby!]

believe it or not, the year is almost half over and rather than getting behind the curve here like we did in 2011, 2010, 2009 etc, etc
why not talk about the new stuff from this year here?
& while I know for many it remains 0 new albums you have really liked for quite some time
for me this year, two already stand out:

she is someone I think people either love or and for me, its love
&

[Worm]

Killer Bs:

"Bloom" Beach House
"The Belbury Tales" Belbury Poly
"The Only Place" Best Coast

And

"Visions" Grimes
"Something" Chairlift
Singles, The Heartbreaks

[mcrickson]

And the previously mentioned Lana Del Rey.

[Qvist]

My favorite so far this year is an EP: Anthony Reynolds' Kingdom of Me. 4 of its 5 songs approaches the gold standard of Jack's very best work, in my opinion (He used to be their front man, and his solo stuff is very much in the same vein).



Others:

Hospitality: Hospitality (Evokes Belle and Sebastian, and unlike 99% of those you can say that about, they are actually good.)



Belbury Poly: Belbury Tales (A bit of a mix of disparate elements, but qurkily charming in a mostly folksy way)



Wymond Miles: Earth has Doors (Not sure how to categorise this really. Vaguely alternative, I suspect different people will get different association. But the point is there is distinctiveness and talent there.)



Ceremony: Zoo (Well, it may not be subtle, but I like it nonetheless)



Beth Jeans Houghton: Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose (Pop music with a bit of inventiveness and freshness)

[Oh my god, it's Robby!]

thanks for the swift response boys, let me run through the stuff you listed:
Beach House
Victoria Legrand, ahh yes, I have been meaning to get more of her stuff

Belbury Poly
don't know them, but two of you mentioned them so I will check out later*

Best Coast
know one of their songs, I liked it

Grimes & Chairlift
never heard of them, but I don't know a lot of bands

The Heartbreaks
listened to them on youtube, like them, going to listen to more later*

Fozy Shazam, just read their wiki, sounds interesting, will look for later*

PIL, love them, been meaning to listen to their new stuff

Anthony Reynolds
never heard of him, but I will listen to the youtube link later*

Hospitality
you say they sound like B&S but good, so I will listen to later*

Wymond Miles, Ceremnony & Beth Jeans Houghton
never heard of any of them, but I will listen to at least one of these youtube links later*

*=on low speed connection right now, can only read & write things til get paid

[mozzalini999]

Human Don't Be Angry - Human Don't Be Angry
The Maccabees - Given To The Wild
The Wedding Present - Valentina

[Giselle]

[wildly]

I agree, Beach House and Best Coast. Also within the best of 2012 so far, Jack White's Blunderbuss for me.

[Oh my god, it's Robby!]

listened to a bunch of a stuff others listed above(though not all of it )
so far, I like the Heartbreaks best
& planning on listening to more Foxy Shazam today

[Librarian On Fire]

Nothing will beat the band Elephant and the ep "Assembly". The lead singer is French and she's all melancholic. Listening to the single restores my faith in music. Heavenly. Pure and simple. Perhaps some kind soul could put up the YouTube box thingee.

I thought Hospitality sounded more like a New York Camera Obscura. The Primitives cover album "Echoes and Rhymes" is very good too. As is the Saint Etienne. Female singers. They break my heart everytime.

[MozAngeles818]

Grimes - Visions
Such a great release and relaxing album to chill to.

Also this one, I'm sure almost all of you don't know who this is, but...


Daytrader - Twelve Years

[alek2702]

This.

[Qvist]

Nothing will beat the band Elephant and the ep "Assembly". The lead singer is French and she's all melancholic. Listening to the single restores my faith in music. Heavenly. Pure and simple. Perhaps some kind soul could put up the YouTube box thingee.

I thought Hospitality sounded more like a New York Camera Obscura. The Primitives cover album "Echoes and Rhymes" is very good too. As is the Saint Etienne. Female singers. They break my heart everytime.

Oh that was a good tip, a wonderful record!



Fair enough reg. Hospitality. The chosen song doesn't really bear out my comparison to b&s, although other tracks do. Here they sound a bit like The Breeders, almost.

[Qvist]

It is with a certain reluctance I ask What happened to american guitar pop and the good people who listen to it?! I listened to Best Coast, the Heartbreaks and Daytrader and they all sound to me as if they might have been asked to write the theme song to Friends. They're fucking horrible.

[Emil]

Without a doubt this one:

omfrida.jpg

The last song of the album, Gold, is just sublime. One of the most beautiful songs ever recorded. Unfortunately I couldn't find it on Youtube; but here is the lead single from the album:

[Librarian On Fire]

Oh that was a good tip, a wonderful record!



Fair enough reg. Hospitality. The chosen song doesn't really bear out my comparison to b&s, although other tracks do. Here they sound a bit like The Breeders, almost.

Thank very much for putting up the link. Told you they were good!

[Oh my god, it's Robby!]

It is with a certain reluctance I ask What happened to american guitar pop and the good people who listen to it?! I listened to Best Coast, the Heartbreaks and Daytrader and they all sound to me as if they might have been asked to write the theme song to Friends. They're fucking horrible.

1. The Heartbreaks are British.
2. I use to know the guy who produced the "Friends" theme song, and gosh darn it, its good!
3. Daytrader, have not listened to them yet, but seeing as you don't like them, I am ever so slightly encouraged to so now

[Worm]

It is with a certain reluctance I ask What happened to american guitar pop and the good people who listen to it?! I listened to Best Coast, the Heartbreaks and Daytrader and they all sound to me as if they might have been asked to write the theme song to Friends. They're fucking horrible.

Best Coast might make more sense if you listen to it as a riff on the California "endless summer" vibe, with more than a hint of irony.

The Heartbreaks owe a lot to Orange Juice but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I don't know about Daytrader.

Guitar pop, American or otherwise, vanished into a cul-de-sac years ago, Qvist. Maybe even decades ago. I'm surprised you think there's been a falling-off now.

[123xyz]

After reading about Best Coast, decided to snaffle their first album. It really is great surf-pop, with reverb-ed guitars and rising harmonies ... thanks for the tip-off !

[Worm]

After reading about Best Coast, decided to snaffle their first album. It really is great surf-pop, with reverb-ed guitars and rising harmonies ... thanks for the tip-off !

Good, right? I like her new album a lot.

You mention surf-pop, reverb-ed guitars, and rising harmonies...not that Bethany sounds like this band, but I happened to play "Darklands" right after "The Only Place" and to me Best Coast sounds like a counterpart to The Jesus and Mary Chain. I don't mean there's a strong direct influence-- if anything, she is influenced by the same bands Jim and William Reid listened to-- just that I hear a few shared reference points and there's a similar spirit in the music. I know this seems impossible, given how sunny her sound is, but if you've spent any time in southern California you know how people can absorb a strange streak of darkness lurking beneath the Technicolor beaches. Not Goth, exactly, but certainly angsty and at times morbidly self-absorbed. She's like Joan Didion crossed with Gidget.