Best of 2012 (So Far): In Brief
Japandroids
Celebration Rock
(Polyvinyl)
Saving rock `n’ roll might be a bit of a stretch, but Canadian duo at least keeps its pulse up. – JT
Stream: The House That Heaven Built”
Full Review
Killer Mike
R.A.P. Music
(Williams Street)
Solid (anti-)backpack rap that hopscotches back and forth between third-eye politicking (“Reagan”) and smart street boasts (“Big Beast”). – AB
Video: “Big Beast (NSFW)”
Full Review
King Tuff
King Tuff
(Sub Pop)
If Marc Bolan and Alex Chilton were still alive, they’d probably get together and try to figure out how Kyle Thomas took custody of their songwriting abilities. – JS
Stream: “Bad Thing”
Full Review
Lambchop
Mr. M
(Merge)
Gentle chamber-folk country ballads, empty cans of beer, abstract artistry and just a little bit of profanity. – JT
Video: “Gone Tomorrow”
Full Review
Liars
WIXIW
(Mute)
Continuing in their longstanding tradition of confounding expectations, the band purchases synths and makes some of the most inviting music of their career. – CK
Video: “No. 1 Against the Rush”
Full Review
Lotus Plaza
Spooky Action at a Distance
(Kranky)
Deerhunter’s Pundt steps out of the psych shadow of his other band, steps into some shoegazing sunlight. – JT
Stream: “Strangers”
Full Review
Lower Dens
Nootropics
(Ribbon Music)
Brain-tweaking transmissions from a chemical planet, set to a groovy krautrock beat. – JT
Video: “Brains”
Full Review
The Men
Open Your Heart
(Sacred Bones)
When drunken, aggressive chaos finds its match in old-fashioned heart-on-sleeve tear-in-beer songwriting. – JT
Stream: “Open Your Heart”
Full Review
Mirrorring
Foreign Body
(Kranky)
Achieving trranscendence thrrough heavy doses of atmospherre and melodic serrenity. – JT
Stream: “Fell Sound”
Full Review
Pallbearer
Sorrow & Extinction
(Profound Lore)
The tipping point at which doom metal’s electric funeral can seemingly raise the dead. – JT
Stream: “An Offering Of Grief”
Full Review
