Bradley’s Almanac

[Nac Faves] My Favorite Music of 2012

Posted on December 31, 2012 at 7:06 pm | 2 Comments

At this very moment I’m in Cincinnati, of all places, getting ready to welcome in 2013 by catching the (supposedly) final show of The Afghan Whigs reunion tour/victory lap, here in their hometown, with the amazing Scrawl opening up. And yes, I fully expect Scrawl to play 11:59 (It’s January). I mean, how could they not? One guarantee is Marcy Mays singing her awe-inspiring guest vocal on the Whig’s “My Curse”. Can’t imagine a more perfect way to kick-off what can only be a much-improved year. Right? Right.

Remember last year when I gratefully stated how above-average my 2011 was? Well, 2012 sure did even up the scales. Good riddance to this particular stretch of 365 days, I say. Sure, there were a few standout personal moments, a bunch of great shows, and a fair amount of very good music released. But overall? A big ball o’ blah.

To help put this year in the rearview, here’s my annual alphabetical list of my favorite full-length albums released in 2012, along with whatever artist/label-approved audio I could share. Listen up, click through, and check out anything you missed. This is the stuff that helped get me through.

Time permitting, I’ll be doing a quick follow-up post with a ZIP file of all the MP3s below, maybe some commentary on my faves, and a quick list of EPs and reissues. But right now, I’m heading over to Bogarts. Bring on a brand new year…


My favorite full-length albums of 2012



Allo Darlin’ – “Europe”
[on Slumberland]

stream full “Europe” LP via Soundcloud




Arc In Round – “Arc In Round” (self-titled debut)
[on La Société Expéditionnaire]

[MP3] Arc In Round – “Hallowed

stream more songs at Bandcamp




Beachwood Sparks – “The Tarnished Gold”
[on Sub Pop]

[MP3] Beachwood Sparks – “Sparks Fly Again




Chris Brokaw – “Gambler’s Ecstacy”
[on 12XU]

[MP3] Chris Brokaw – “Danny Borracho

stream another track at Soundcloud




DIIV – “Oshin”
[on Captured Tracks]

[MP3] DIIV – “Sometime




Rebecca Gates & the Consortium – “The Float”
[on Parcematone]

Stream two songs at Soundcloud




Hallelujah the Hills – “No One Knows What Happens Next”
[on Discrete Pageantry Records]

[MP3] Hallelujah the Hills – “Get Me In A Room

stream full LP at Bandcamp




Neil Halstead – “Palindrome Hunches”
[on Brushfire Records]

stream the full LP at Soundcloud
download a free tour EP at Noisetrade




The Karl Hendricks Trio – “The Adult Section”
[on Comedy Minus One]

[MP3] The Karl Hendricks Trio – “The Men’s Room At The Airport




The James Rocket – “Launch”
[via Bandcamp]

[MP3] The James Rocket – “Paper Valentines

stream the entire LP at Bandcamp




Metz – “Metz” (self-titled debut)
[on Sub Pop]

[MP3] Metz – “Wet Blanket

stream earlier tracks at Bandcamp, including a Sparklehorse cover




Bob Mould – “Silver Age”
[on Merge Records]

stream the entire LP at Merge




Nada Surf – “The Stars Are Indifferent To Astrology”
[on Barsuk Records]

[MP3] Nada Surf – “When I Was Young

stream more Nada Surf songs at Soundcloud




AC Newman – “Shut Down The Streets”
[on Matador Records]

[MP3] AC Newman – “I’m Not Talking

stream another track at Soundcloud




Now, Now – “Threads”
[on Trans Records]

[MP3] Now, Now – “Thread

stream more tracks at Soundcloud




Pile – “Dripping”
[on Exploding In Sound]

[MP3] Pile – “Prom Song

stream the full LP at Bandcamp




Pinback – “Information Retrieved”
[on Temporary Residence]

stream another track at Soundcloud




School of Seven Bells – “Ghostory”
[on Vagrant Records]

[MP3] School of Seven Bells – “The Night




Sharon Van Etten – “Tramp”
[on Jagjaguwar]

[MP3] Sharon Van Etten – “Serpents




Wild Nothing – “Nocturne”
[on Captured Tracks]

stream another track at Soundcloud

Comments

2 Responses to “[Nac Faves] My Favorite Music of 2012”

  1. Brian Ferrin
    January 5th, 2013 @ 4:05 am

    Not to be picky, but 2012 was actually 366 days, not 365. Leap year and all… 🙂

  2. Brad Searles
    January 5th, 2013 @ 4:13 am

    Ha! Duly noted. I guess my year sucked one day less than I thought it did.

Leave a Reply





  • BOSTON-AREA LIVE SHOW ACTION
    Tuesday, December 5th
    Pussy Riot
    Thick
    @ the Paradise

    Tuesday, December 5th
    Eric Andre
    @ the House of Blues

    Tuesday, December 5th
    Bar Italia
    Gobby
    DJ Carbo
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Thursday, December 7th
    Wesley Stace
    @ the Charles River Museum

    Saturday, December 9th
    Hilken & Winston (of Fuzzy)
    Chris Colbourn (of Buffalo Tom)
    Kayde Hazel
    @ Streetcar in JP

    Saturday, December 9th
    Will Dailey & his band
    Hayley Reardon
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Saturday, December 9th
    Scream
    Soulside
    Urian Hackney
    @ Deep Cuts

    Tuesday, December 12th
    Dogstar
    (Keanu Reeves' band)
    @ the Paradise

    Wednesday, December 13th
    A 40th Anniversary Tribute
    to the music from "Valley Girl"
    with Josie Cotton,
    the Plimsouls &
    Kurt Baker of the Leftovers
    @ the Middle East Downstairs

    Thursday, December 14th
    Piebald
    Weakened Friends
    Radio Compass
    @ the Middle East Downstairs

    Friday, December 15th
    Hallelujah the Hills
    Eldridge Rodriguez
    Aaron & the Lord
    @ the Sinclair

    Saturday, December 16th
    Bird Streets
    @ the Village Social Club

    Saturday, December 16th
    Fiddlehead
    Downtalker
    @ Gallery X, New Bedford

    Saturday, December 16th
    Rosecomb
    Evelyn Pope
    @ the Haven in JP

    Saturday, December 16th
    A John Waters Christmas
    @ Berklee Performance Center

    Thursday, December 21st
    NOISE FOR TOYS, presented by
    The Ash Gray Proclamation
    bring a toy, hear some noise
    with Dyr Faser, Andy Cohen,
    and Strange Pains
    @ O'Brien's

    Thursday, December 28th
    The Felice Brothers
    @ the Sinclair

    Saturday, December 30th
    Spirit Ghost
    Black Beach
    Regal Seagull
    @ O'Brien's

    Thursday, January 11th
    Rick Maguire (from Pile)
    @ the Rockwell

    Saturday, January 13th
    Dark Spring Boston presents...
    The Veldt
    Dead Leaf Echo
    Iceblynk
    The Spearmint Sea
    @ O'Brien's

    Sunday, January 14th
    Lupo Citta
    Hidden Fountain
    Killer Motorcycle
    Pledge Pins
    @ O'Brien's

    Friday, January 19th
    O Positive (O+)
    "With A Little Help
    From My Friends" Benefit show
    @ the Paradise

    Monday, January 22nd
    The Salt Collective
    featuring Stéphane Schück &
    Fred Quentin (of Salt), with
    Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), Mitch
    Easter (Let's Active), Chris
    Stamey & Gene Holder (the dB's)
    Lynn Blakey (Tres Chicas), and
    Rob Ladd (The Connells)
    with openers Sneakers (!)
    featuring Chris & Mitch
    @ City Winery Boston

    Saturday, January 27th
    Torres
    @ the Sinclair

    Monday, January 29th
    Juliana Hatfield
    @ City Winery

    Tuesday, February 13th
    Michael Shannon, Jason Narducy,
    Jon Wurster & friends perform
    R.E.M.'s "Murmur" and more
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday & Friday
    February 15th & 16th
    Mitski
    Tamino
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Friday, February 16th
    Militarie Gun
    Pool Kids
    Spiritual Cramp
    Spaced
    @ the Sinclair

    Saturday, February 17th
    Cat Power sings Dylan
    @ the Chevalier Theatre

    Wednesday, February 21st
    Thursday
    Rival Schools
    Many Eyes
    @ the Paradise

    Thursday, February 22nd
    Portugal. The Man.
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, February 23rd
    Matt Pond PA
    Alexa Rose
    @ Club Passim

    Friday, February 23rd
    The Kills
    @ the Royale

    Tuesday, February 27th
    Two Door Cinema Club
    Joywave
    @ Roadrunner

    Wednesday, February 28th
    Mike Viola
    @ Club Passim

    Saturday, March 2nd
    Mary Timony
    Birthday Girl DC
    @ Crystal Ballroom

    Tuesday, March 5th
    Porno For Pyros
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Friday, March 8th
    Mclusky
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, March 8th
    The Beaches
    @ Roadrunner

    Tuesday, March 12th
    KMFDM
    Morlocks
    @ the Royale

    Wednesday, March 13th
    Cherry Glazerr
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, March 15th
    Chelsea Wolfe
    Divide and Dissolve
    @ Roadrunner

    Sunday, March 17th
    Sleater-Kinney
    @ the Paradise

    Sunday, March 17th
    Sleepytime Gorilla Museum
    Singer Mali
    Rong
    @ the Sinclair

    Monday, March 18th
    Ministry
    Gary Numan
    Front Line Assembly
    @ Roadrunner

    Thursday, March 21st
    Laetitia Sadier
    (of Stereolab)
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Friday, March 22nd
    Fog Lake
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Monday, March 25th
    Unwound (!)
    Cherubs
    @ the Paradise

    Monday, March 25th
    Andy Shauf (solo)
    @ First Church Cambridge

    Thursday, March 28th
    Arlo Parks
    Chloe George
    @ the Royale

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    Grouplove
    Bully
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, March 29th
    The Rolling Stones
    @ Gillette

    Saturday, April 6th
    Destroyer (solo)
    Lightning Dust
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Saturday, April 6th
    Colin Hay (Men at Work)
    @ the Wilbur

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    DARK SPRING BOSTON FEST
    with Korine, House of Harm,
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    @ the Middle East

    Wednesday, April 17th
    Real Estate
    Marina Allen
    @ the Royale

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    Drop Nineteens
    Greg Mendez
    @ the Paradise

    Friday & Saturday
    April 26th & 27th
    The Town & the City Festival
    @ various venues in Lowell, MA

    Saturday, April 27th
    Belle and Sebastian
    The Weather Station
    @ the Orpheum

    Wednesday, May 1st
    Ty Segall
    @ the Royale

    Wednesday, May 8th
    Chastity Belt
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, May 10th
    Quicksand
    @ the Royale

    Monday & Tuesday
    May 13th & May 14th
    Mannequin Pussy
    Soul Glo
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, Friday, & Saturday
    May 16th, 17th, & 18th
    Jukebox the Ghost
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, May 17th
    Buck Meek (of Big Thief)
    @ Crystal Ballroom

    Monday, May 20th
    Echo & the Bunnymen
    @ the House of Blues

    Tuesday, June 4th
    Joe Jackson
    @ the Wilbur

    Monday, June 10th
    Bleachers
    Samia
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, July 16th
    Los Campesinos!
    @ the Paradise

    Tuesday, July 9th
    Alanis Morissette
    Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
    Morgan Wade
    @ the Xfinity Center

    Sunday, July 21st
    Foo Fighters
    The Hives
    Amyl and the Sniffers
    @ Fenway Park

    Friday, August 2nd
    Foreigner
    Styx
    John Waite
    @ Xfinity Center

    Wednesday, August 7th
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    Smashing Pumpkins
    Rancid
    The Linda Lindas
    @ Fenway Park

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    Peter Hook & the Light
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    Hoodoo Gurus
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    Tuesday, September 24th
    Idles
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    OSEES
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