Tapes on the Floor's Favorite Albums of 2012

I'm a bit late on the delivery of my list of favorite albums this year, but the list itself was one of the easiest I've ever made. That's not to say that 2012 was so devoid of quality music that only a select few records made themselves worthy of inclusion. Rather, it felt as if there were loads of great records released over the past year, but only a few of them truly amazed and inspired me. So, roll up your sleeves, pour yourself a beverage of your choosing and join me as I attempt to explain to you why I liked these albums more than all those other albums. For variety's sake, they're in reserve alphabetical order this time around.

Tapes on the Floor's Favorite Tracks of 2012 (Pt. II)

The year is almost over, so there's no point in wasting any more of your precious time. Here is the second half of my 40 favorite tracks of 2012:

Tapes on the Floor's Favorite Tracks of 2010 (Part II)

Not content to merely list off my favorite records of 2010 and risk overlooking some really great music that didn't quite make the cut, I'm once again running through my favorite tracks of the year. You're about to embark into part two of my 36-song list—if you missed part one, you can find it right here. So, let's wrap this up—here's the second half of my list of my favorite tracks released this year, arranged alphabetically by artist.

Kings Go Forth - "Now We're Gone"
This Milwaukee-based neo-soul band was one of my favorite musical discoveries of 2010, cemented by their killer live show at the Double Door this past summer. Lead singer Black Wolf howls his way through this joyfully forlorn track, backed by a formidably tight horn section. Record store owner and band leader Andy Noble has undoubtedly done his crate-digging homework, arranging one of the most stirring nods to the classic soul sound without a Daptone logo on the spine.
Buy: The Outsiders Are Back

Maps & Atlases - "Living Decorations"
The topography-obsessed group's latest record strips away some of the overtly technical finger-tapping fret-play of their earlier work in favor of a more rootsy, percussion-based sound. "Living Decorations" is the most rousing demonstration of this new direction, replete with ample rapid-fire rhythms and melodies. It's a reminder of the unique musical territory this band occupies—bringing a heaping dose of musicianship to the realm of pop-rock.
Buy: Perch Patchwork

Marco Benevento - "Greenpoint"
Keyboard extraordinaire Marco Benevento showcases all his toys on this track from his latest release, seamlessly shifting from piano to organ to circuit-bent electronics over the course of six minutes. It's not a showy piece, but rather a calculated, atmospheric arrangement—a veritable symphony created by way of fingertips on keys. It can be difficult to take in all at once, but it makes for an immensely rewarding list from an artist clearly testing his own limits.
Buy: Between the Needles and Nightfall

Mimicking Birds - "Pixels"
I'm still not exactly sure if lead singer Nate Lacy is trying to sound exactly like Issac Brock, but if his intention is to provide the antidote to Modest Mouse's current overtly-pop tendencies, he's succeeding. This track in particular evokes the headier, less hook-ridden days of Brock's de facto outfit—that the trio still manages to find a voice of their own is an even greater accomplishment. It'll take some serious effort to come out from under their mentor's shadow, but a song like this proves they just might have the chops to pull it off.
Buy: Mimicking Birds

The Mynabirds - "Numbers Don't Lie"
Over the course of this track—as well as the record from which it originates—frontwoman Laura Burhenn joins the likes of Neko Case and Lætitia Sadier on my list of favorite female vocalists. Beginning with its wavering organ intro, the song quickly settles into a Motown-tinged groove, anchored by a jangling piano and some great back-up singers. To cap it off, production work from the amazing Richard Swift makes it all leap from the tape straight to your ears in the most pleasing way possible.
Buy: What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood

The National - "Bloodbuzz Ohio"
If you ask me, "Bloodbuzz Ohio" is a song about growing up and coming back to its titular state—something I've been doing quite a bit of myself as of late. As usual, Matt Berninger's wonderful baritone is carried on top of the Dessner brothers' atmospheric instrumentation, creating the moody sound for which this group is known. It's a track with an epic tone derived from sweeping moments of grandeur and a relentless sense of purpose.
Buy: High Violet

The Nels Cline Singers - "Red Line to Greenland"
The Singers have always been an outlet for Cline's incessant noodling, and as such, I can forgive the three minutes of effervescent noise that preface this track. When the main riff kicks in, Cline quickly proves why he's one of the best guitarists around, building a shifting post-rock melody with help from his able-bodied rhythm section of Devin Hoff and Scott Amendola. No one can do a six-string freakout quite the way Cline does, and as a showcase of that talent, "Red Line to Greenland" is a rousing success.
Buy: Initiate

Percolator - "Deduction"
Discounting the fact that I'm friends with the good folks of Percolator and even helped with the creation of the music video for this track, my love of this song transcends my association with it. The band's polyrhythmic, math-rock riffage is in full effect here, presided over by an oblique set of lyrics that would make Stephen Malkmus proud. It's something I would be listening to even if I didn't have a personal connection to it—is that high enough praise?
Buy: None of These Are Words

Pomegranates - "Anywhere You Go"
If there's one thing that really brightened the end of my year, it was the Pomegranates' particular brand of psychedelic space-rock, as exemplified on this track. "I like you / I really like you" screams Issac Karns, vocalizing a yearning which permeates this song, informing its ever-shifting dynamics and moods. It's the kind of finessed angst and hopeless romanticism that actually serves a purpose, coalescing in a song that is at once weird and beautiful.
Buy: One of Us

Quasi - "Repulsion"
Between Sam Coomes' gut-punching guitar-line and Janet Weiss' pummeling turn on the skins, fuzzed-out Portland rock and roll from a pair of former lovers doesn't get much better than this. Top that off with one of the best choruses to grace a song this year and you get an album-opening track that doesn't make any effort to hold back out of the gate. Vehemence, thy name is Quasi.
Buy: American Gong

Retribution Gospel Choir - "White Wolf"
You might never suspect it, given Alan Sparhawk's better-known day job as frontman of slowcore superstars Low, but the man can pen one hell of a rocker. Such is the case here, on the pick of the litter from Retribution Gospel Choir's second LP—a track dominated by '80s-style drums, a pulsating banjo line and beefy guitar chords. It's a rollicking good time that is as genuinely enjoyable as it is out of character.
Buy: 2

Santah - "Chips of Paint"
"How am I gonna be normal?" exclaims Stanton McConnell over this track's earnest opening strains—a question answered only by a song that transcends mere normalcy. With it's serpentine guitar leads and an exceptionally harmonious solo, the Illinois quintet create a phenomenally varied sonic composition with palpable emotional heft. Even its subdued last minute makes perfect sense, providing a sensible cool down after three-and-a-half minutes of meticulous intensity.
Buy: White Noise Bed

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - "I Learned the Hard Way"
When a voice with the commanding presence of Sharon Jones' talks to you about love and loss, you listen up. Backed by the indomitable Dap-Kings, Jones' message is all the more powerful, riding atop the big brass sound of one of the most seasoned groups of players around. By the track's end, its abundantly clear that Sharon learned the hard way so we don't have to—she puts the 'soul' in resolution.
Buy: I Learned the Hard Way

Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin - "All Hail Dracula"
Over the summer a colleague of mine proposed that this track was about the record industry's blood-sucking tendencies. Singer Jonathan James shrugged that theory off and said the song was merely based off of a cool-sounding headline he read. That's an indicator of the fun-loving attitude that permeates the group's latest, Chris Walla-helmed effort. SSLYBY don't take themselves too seriously—the perfect attitude for a pop-rock treasure such as this.
Buy: Let It Sway

Stornoway - "Zorbing"
There's something about Brian Briggs' voice and the minimalist arrangement present on this track that evokes the pastoral English landscape that undoubtedly served as inspiration. Fleshed out with rumbling baritone harmonies and a jubilant horn section, "Zorbing" quickly takes on all the trappings of a left-of-center pop hit. It's no small feat for such a young group, but on a record full of similarly wonderful songsmanship, it's almost assuredly not a flash in the pan.
Buy: Beachcomber's Windowsill

Superchunk - "Digging For Something"
As the punk rock riffs and Mac McCaughan's nasally drawl come into sharp focus on this track, it's refreshing to hear just how little Superchunk has changed in the nine years since their last record. Age hasn't slowed down these pop-punksters—they sound as raucous and raw as ever, with years of experience to back it all up. It may have taken a bit of digging, but this track proves that these guys can still muster that magical sound.
Buy: Majesty Shredding

The Walkmen - "Angela Surf City"
It takes about a minute for this track to hit its stride, transitioning abruptly from a cursory ballad to a boisterous rocker. "Life goes on all around you" belts frontman Hamilton Leithauser, propelling this song forward with some of the most powerful pipes in the biz. For a group that have quickly become regarded as elder statesmen of indie rock, the Walkmen firing on all cylinders are still a beautiful sound to behold.
Buy: Libson

White Mystery - "Take A Walk"
The latest project from Alex White (who formerly headed up the Detroit-based Red Orchestra) finds the red-headed guitar-slinger teaming up with her similarly coiffed brother Francis to create heavy-hitting garage rock. On this track, White takes some simple lyrics about walking around Chicago and turns them into a blistering two-and-a-half minute showcase of joyous musical energy.
Buy: White Mystery

Keep an eye out for my Favorite Albums of 2010 list—guaranteed to be up before year's end!

Live Review: Friday @ Lollapalooza 2010

So, I survived the three-day ordeal that is Lollapalooza, managing to see a whole bunch of music, meet up with folks and fulfill my intern duties. I had a way better time than I expected to have, partially because the organizers at this festival make things pretty cushy for members of the press. We got put in a shady, fenced-off area that overlooked the main stage on the south side of the grounds, complete with plenty of gratis food and drink. Compared to the stuffy little tent crammed into a corner that Pitchfork supplied, this place was heavenly.

My Friday started out with a brush with Ohio rock-royalty: our first interview of the day was with the legendary Devo. Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob Mothersbaugh (Bob 1) and Bob Casale (Bob 2) sat down with my fearless leader John Dugan for a really insightful conversation on the origins of the group and their continued relevance almost 40 years later. As you can see, Mark did more of the talking for the group, proving himself to be both eloquent and brutally self-aware. I don't count myself as a huge Devo fan, but as a fellow Ohio-native with musical aspirations and someone who is at the very least familiar with their catalog, it was a humbling experience.

The rest of my day went a little like this: I caught a set from garage-rock quartet the Ettes, who did a fine job of translating their crunchy, bluesy tunes into a gripping live show, complete with some great vocal work from front-woman Lindsay “Coco” Hames. On my way back through the grounds, I managed to see about half of the Walkmen's set, which was extremely impressive. They debuted a good amount of material from their upcoming record Libson, which I've heard and can vouch for as being my favorite thing they've done to date. We did an interview with them a little later in the day and it was really interesting to hear how much material they recorded before culling it down to the tracks that ultimately made the record. I also caught up with Pat Carney backstage who assured me that his Audio Eagle Records imprint wasn't dead, but merely on hiatus. Royal Bangs, the label's most successful group, is on the verge of signing a deal with a bigger indie label, so Carney made it sound like his next step will to be bring some new talent to Audio Eagle (I'm still pulling for the next Brainbow record to come out via the label).

On my next run through the park, I caught a little bit of Peanut Butter Wolf's DJ set as I walked by the all-day rave that is Perry's stage. Appropriately enough, he was spinning Madvillians's "All Caps" before quickly segueing into some J Dilla. Unfortunately, I had to hurry off to cover Cymbals Eat Guitars for TOC, a set in which the group debuted a fair amount of newer material while still hitting all the highlights from their debut LP Why There Are Mountains. As much fun as the morning was, the day really got started as I got into position for The New Pornographers—a band I've seen before, but not with Dan Bejar in tow, as was the case on this particular occasion. I couldn't have asked for a better set, just two songs in they played "Myriad Harbor," one of my favorite Bejar-voiced tunes. Neko Case, decked out in a sun-hat, was an imposing vocal presence as usual, turning in a pitch-perfect version of "Challengers" that sent shivers down my spine (she was the one person I was extremely disappointed I didn't get the chance to meet). The handful of songs that they played from their latest record—"Moves," "Crash Years," "Your Hands (Together)"—also sounded great, but honestly, it was nice to hear such a varied set.

The Black Keys erected a gigantic banner for their set on the north side's main stage, depicting two clasped hands framed by a tire—reminiscent of the gigantic inflatable tire I saw them employ at a festival a couple of years back. The duo started out with some back catalog tracks—"Thickfreakness," "Girl is on My Mind," "Stack Shot Billy"—before bringing a bassist and keyboardist on-stage to delve into some track of their latest LP Brothers. Black Keys purists, say what you will, the expanded line-up lets these guys do so much more and really helps drive home tunes like "Everlasting Light" and "Next Girl." I didn't get to catch their entire set, but I left thoroughly impressed.

Over on the other side of the festival—recall that the press area over-looks the south side's main stage—everyone was getting into a tizzy about Lady Gaga's headlining set. The stage was covered in a gigantic black curtain, which eventually dropped away to reveal a translucent screen, on which—surprise, surprise—Lady Gaga's silhouette was projected on. The screams that went through the crowd were piercing... people were really eating this stuff up. I have no idea what songs were played, but the first 15 minutes or so of the set seemed like pretty standard pop-fare, with intermittent, extremely cheesy attempts at adding a 'narrative' to the proceedings. As the set wore on, Gaga kept stopping between songs to complain about how the kids made fun of her at school, and how no one ever thought she would be headlining Lollapalooza. I'm sure she could afford a great therapist—the ego-trip was just far to much to handle, so I made my way north for the Strokes. (If you would have told me six months ago that I'd halfheartedly write a Lady Gaga review this summer, I would have told you to get out of town)

What can I say about the Strokes? It was pretty cool to see them live, but they were exactly what I expected they'd be—which isn't a bad thing. They sounded great, and they played the songs that everyone came to hear, it was a crowd-pleasing set. Casablancas is still enthralling to listen to as he casually snarls his way through songs like "Reptillia" and "Last Nite." The group wasn't particularly animated, but they had some excellent visuals in back of them, including a really awesome videogame montage (Pong, Tetris, Pac-Man, Space Invaders) during "Juicebox." My favorite track of the evening was the set-closer "Take It or Leave It," which was a not-so-subtle retort to whatever criticism they may get for reuniting to play a few festivals. They're still the Strokes, so I'll take it.