So, after long last, the final 30 reviews/descriptions/it’s-difficult-to-write-your-feelings-in-five-words summations for the Top 50 Albums of 2012 from Consequence of Sound. Enjoy this quick run through while I sleep in preparation for what lies ahead in 2013.
30. Scott Walker — Bish Bosch
Flatulence as music? Pointless crap.
29. How to Dress Well — Total Loss
How to Do White R&B.
28. Purity Ring — Shrines
Crystal Castles for lyric lovers.
27. METZ — METZ
KICKZ YOU IN THE BALLZ.
26. Liars — WIXIW
Keyboard lasers from every side.
25. El-P — Cancer for Cure
Buzzy, pugnacious, grinding, hard-hitting.
24. Godspeed You! Black Emperor — Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
Theme music to your rebellion.
23. Ty Segall Band — Slaughterhouse
Flurry of swift guitar triumphs.
22. Spiritualized — Sweet Heart Sweet Light
Druggy chamber pop in space.
21. Chromatics — Kill for Love
Subdued synth rock for pleasure.
20. Divine Fits — A Thing Called Divine Fits
Ice Cream, For Your Heart.
19. Bat for Lashes — The Haunted Man
She took all my gold.
18. Miguel — Kaleidoscope Dream
Brooding, guilty, sensuous club R&B.
17. Grimes — Visions
Digital Age electro pop pixie.
16. Death Grips —The Money Store
Spitfire anger — try keeping up.
15. Matthew E. White — Big Inner
Jack Johnson for city dwelling.
14. John Talabot — fIN
Pulsating layers of refined dub.
13. Angel Haze — Reservation EP
Mighty rhymes — equally mighty beats.
12. Sharon Van Etten — Tramp
Simple, spacious, soulful, powerful. Rock.
11. Lambchop — Mr. M
Unnerving-yet-calm folk musings.
10. Action Bronson — Blue Chips
Rap + food = Bronson’s your guy.
9. Converge — All We Love We Leave Behind
…didn’t really suit my liking.
8. Japandroids — Celebration Rock
Burn-anything-mosh-anywhere punk.
7. Beach House — Bloom
Surf pop for lucid dreams.
6. Killer Mike — R.A.P. Music
How to rap about Reagan.
5. Swans — The Seer
Feature-length action-adventure…album.
4. Cloud Nothings — Attack on Memory
Angsty, mighty, rocking – but melodic.
3. Kendrick Lamar — good kid, m.A.A.d. city
Rap album of the year.
2. Fiona Apple — The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do
Piano and emotions roller coaster.
1. Frank Ocean — channel ORANGE
That falsetto will save you.
—AB
intriguing