In June each year we usually whet your appetite for the plethora of end of year album lists with a look at our favourites of the year so far. Usually this involves 10 albums, but with such a stellar year for releases so far we’ve decided to double the size. We take pride in promoting new and interesting acts and we’ve got those in abundance this year as well as some old stagers who continue to roll back the years. This year also sees the emergence of a number of exciting UK acts, a group that has been sadly under represented in previous years. Sit back, pull up a bus ticket to your nearest independent record shop and delve into our Top 20 Albums of 2012…So Far.
20. Two Wounded Birds – Two Wounded Birds
Riding the waves off of the back of their 2010 EP, Keep Dreaming Baby, these Margate surf punks have remained stalwart patriots to delivering vintage pop diamonds. Consisting of twelve progressively sentimental odes to the ‘rebel with a heart,’ Two Wounded Birds focus their attention on emanating throwback rock’n’roll jingles, so authentic they could almost be mistaken for the real thing. (TW) More
19. The Wedding Present – Valentina
After four years of relentless touring The Wedding Present have returned to the studio to release their eighth album and first since 2008’s El Rey. These years of touring certainly show on their new album Valentina. Its tracks are tight, punchy and pop savvy; exactly the sort of album a band well versed in how to please an audience would make. Like a well-rehearsed gig its ten tracks whizz by. (JL) More
18. Wild Dreams – Choreography
What London band Weird Dreams have achieved with Choreography goes beyond mere nostalgia and hustles its plumage as a timeless pop record, wise beyond its years. It’s a record which could have been written any time over the past three decades, yet manages to sound current and lively. (DN) More
17. Lindsey Fuller – You Anniversary
It is rare to discover a record so unlike anything else you are currently listening to, a record you know will be with you for years after a first listen. Lindsay Fuller’s third album You, Anniversary, is such an album, it seduces and rattles your bones like a poltergeist at playtime. Each song an eulogy to the ghosts of Americana, which honours its southern roots yet refuses to be haunted by genre expectations. (DN) More
16. Oddfellows Casino – The Raven’s Empire
This third album by Oddfellow’s Casino really is a masterclass in recording, and comparisons that have been made to Sufjan Stevens are certainly accurate in this respect. The horns during the codas of ‘We Will Be Here’ and ‘Bluebirds’ or the drums in ‘When The Comet Came’ sound brilliant and you can imagine how good these songs would sound played by the full compliment of musicians live on stage. (DR) More
15. Lightships – Electric Cables
Debut from Teenage Fanclub bassist Gerrard Love’s solo project, is pitch perfect summer pop full of gorgeous melodies and harmonies. What also marks this album out as such an ear-catching release is the way it unashamedly mirrors so much of what made the Teenage Fanclub of old such a great band. (JL) More
14. Shearwater – Animal Joy
Many other reviewers have dismissed this album from Austin’s Shearwater as a transitional phase. We disagree, with Fleet Foxes’ producer Phil Ek behind the mixing desk, the band have evolved into a potentially powerful force in rock music while still sticking to their alternative and environmental roots. (JL) More
13. Jack White – Blunderbuss
We are proud to admit that foppish indie bands who struggle to shift a few thousand CDs are our usual review fodder. It is unheard of for us to review an album that is top of the UK and US albums charts at the time of writing. But for Blunderbuss, the stunning solo debut of former White Stripes man Jack White, we will make an exception. (JL) More
12. Lambchop – Mr M
As Lambchop albums go Mr M lurks somewhere between the soulful sound of Nixon and the intimacy of Is A Woman. Its tender subject matter and strings give the impression that Lambchop leader Kurt Wagner is drifting up to heaven with Vic Chesnutt, the late singer- songwriter and friend to Wagner who the album is dedicated to. One of the most beautiful albums of the year. (JL) More
11. Twilight Sad – No One Can Ever Know
The My Bloody Valentine-esque guitars may have been discarded on this their third album but Scottish band The Twilight Sad have lost none of their intensity. With Andrew Weatherall as producer and a bunch of vintage synths from Ben Hillier the sound is more controlled. Now lead singer James Graham’s voice is complimented by deep, burring 1980s synths, reminiscent of Depeche Mode at their most sombre or early New Order. (JL) More
10. First Aid Kit – Lion’s Roar
The road to Nebraska is littered with the ghosts of Americana and getting there demands a humble homage to the stoic wraiths of bearded plaid shirts to navigate its precise route. It’s rare for outsiders to succeed and unknown for the path to start from suburban Sweden, yet First Aid Kit have majestically transposed their whimsical folk deep into the mid-west, repairing the genres often passive conservatism, to redefine the contours of alt-country. (DN) More
9. Guided by Voices – Let’s Go Eat The Factory
This get together of the classic Guided By Voices line up has left us impressed. It doesn’t sound like Boston Spaceships or solo Robert Pollard it sounds like Guided By Voices. There are some developments in the 15 years since this line-up played together, most notably cleaner production and more keyboards, but from the ragged guitar intro of ‘Laundry and Lasers’ you know exactly where you are. These are songs from the garages of Dayton Ohio, played by a group of old colleagues who never grew out of wanting to play noisy poppy rock music. (DR) More
8. The Shins – Port of Morrow
James Mercer’s Shins are back and getting regular play on alternative and mainstream radio stations alike. There aren’t many acts that can appeal to such a large demographic, but then not all acts are able to expertly serve up one of the best summer pop music albums of the year. Mainstream music with an alternative edge doesn’t get better than this. (DR) More
7. Hospitality – Hospitality
Central to the success of this Brooklyn indie-pop trio’s self titled debut album is the singing and songwriting of lead singer Amber Papini. Her turn of phrase, effortless vocals and keenest of ears for a catchy single are only hinted at on opener Eighth Avenue, a kind of Belle and Sebastian rip. But as the album progresses track after track of hook laden, memorable, potential singles follow. (JL) More
6. Beach House – Bloom
Beach House’s fourth album is called Bloom for good reason, as it emerges spring like from the icy cold wintery pop of 2010’s breakthrough album Teen Dream. As with Teen Dream, Bloom is still full of wonderful dreamy synth and guitar pop but the duo, of singer and keyboardist Victoria Legrand and guitarist Alex Scally, are no longer walking with snow crunching under foot. They are now in a sunlit meadow somewhere gazing at the dandelions and marvelling at the world. (JL) More
5. Django Django – Django Django
Good old-fashioned pop with some modern art rock sensibility is key to Django Django’s appeal. Storm and the insane Duane Eddy-meets-astronaut-meets-Cairo market trader single Wor are included and are immediate standouts. But there’s plenty more pop up the sleeves of this London based band that topped our Bands to Watch Out for in 2011 list and met while studying art in Edinburgh. (JL) More
4. The Walkmen Heaven
To use an REM comparison, The Walkmen’s latest album Heaven is their Lifes Rich Pageant moment. Just like that fourth album by REM, Heaven is an album by a band on top of their game in life and career and enjoying every moment. Some fine work behind the production desk by Fleet Foxes, Modest Mouse and Built To Spill producer Phil Ek has helped create this joyous sound. He’s not only added some pastoral Fleet Foxes moments, but has also roped in the Foxes’ Robin Pecknold for backing vocal duties. Think Fleet Foxes with balls. (JL) More
3. Field Music – Plumb
If you haven’t been sold on Field Music by any of their previous releases you are unlikely to be converted here, but you are clearly a lost cause. If you love their previous work you may find Plumb takes some time to reveal its brilliance, but once it does you’ll be hooked by their XTC and King Crimson-style riffs and quick fire pop. (DR) More
2. Frankie Rose – Intersteller
Well this was a surprise. There we were bracing ourselves for another standard indie-pop release from former Crystal Stilts, Dum Dum Girls and Vivian Girls member Frankie Rose when this pops into our in box . Turns out she has created not just one of the best indie-pop release of the year, but one of 2012′s best pop albums. More
1. Tigercats Isle of Dogs
Our only 10/10 score for a new album this year and our only ever top mark from our co-editor for a new album. As an indie-pop album goes this is as good as it gets. It’s teaming with radio friendly, infectious hooks, especially on Full Moon Reggae Party, Easter Island and Banned at the Troxy. It also has a sense of completeness as the band take you on an indiepop road tour across the east end of London. More
Reviews by Joe Lepper, Dorian Rogers, David Newbury and Tom Watson
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