2012

• Jozef Van Wissem & Jim Jarmusch – Concerning The Entrance Into Eternity (Important)
• Shintaro Sakamoto – How To Live With A Phanthom (Other Music)
• CAN – The Lost Tapes (Mute)
• Action Bronson – Blue Chips (Fool’s Gold Records)
• Bat for Lashes – The Haunted Man (Parlophone)
• John Zorn – The Gnostic Preludes (Tzadik)
• Dum Dum Girls – End of Daze (Sub Pop)
• Frank Ocean – channel ORANGE (Island Def Jam)
• Expo 70 – Soft Wave Continuum (Sonic Meditations)
• Troy Ave. – Bricks In My Backpack 3: The Harry Powder Trilogy (S/R)
• Sympathy Nervous – Plastic Love (Minimal Wave)
• Sun Araw – Formatting Formants: Live from Adelaide 2012    (Sun Ark Records)
• Frankie Rose – Interstellar (Slumberland Records)
• Hundred Waters – S/T (Elestial Sound)
• The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico 45th Anniversary [Super Deluxe Box Set] (Polydor)
• Peaking Lights – Lucifer (Mexican Summer)
• Guided by Voices – The Bears For Lunch (GBV, Inc)
• Joey Bada$$ – 1999 (Cinematic / Creative Control)
• Philip Sanderson – Hollow Gravity (Puer Gravy)
• Tame Impala – Lonerism (Modular Recordings)
• WYLD WYZRDZ – Acceptance (Inner Islands)
• Trouble Books – Concatenating Fields (Bark and Hiss)

• Alt-J – An Awesome Wave (Infectious Music)
• Theo Bleckmann – Hello Earth! (The Music Of Kate Bush) (Winter & Winter)
• Bowerbirds – The Clearing (Dead Oceans)
• Brooklyn Rider – Seven Steps (S/R)
• Carolina Chocolate Drops – Leaving Eden (Nonesuch)
• Mary Chapin Carpenter – Ashes And Roses (Zoe)
• Chairlift – Something (Columbia)
• Neneh Cherry and The Thing – The Cherry Thing (Smalltown Supersound)
• Clocked Out and Topology – From Small Things Grow (S/R)
• Kelan Philip Cohran And The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – S/T (Honest Jon’s)
• Ravi Coltrane – Spirit Fiction (Blue Note)
• The Coup – Sorry To Bother You (Anti-)
• The dB’s – Falling Off The Sky (Bar/None)
• Debo Band – Debo Band (Next Ambiance/Sub Pop)
• Iris Dement – Sing The Delta (Flariella)
• Exitmusic – Passage (Secretly Canadian)
• Michael Harrison & Maya Beiser – Time Loops (Cantaloupe)
• Billy Hart Quartet – All Our Reasons (ECM)
• Julia Holter – Ekstasis (RVNG Int’l)
• Charlie Hunter and Scott Amendola – Not Getting Behind Is The New Getting Ahead  (S/R)
• Icebreaker; BJ Cole – Apollo (Cantaloupe)
• Vijay Iyer Trio – Accelerando (ACT)
• Japandroids – Celebration Rock (Polyvinyl)
• Kishi Bashi – 151a (Joyful Noise)
• Luce Trio – Pieces Vol. 1 (Musæum Clausum)
• Miguel – Kaleidoscope Dream (RCA)
• Anais Mitchell – Young Man In America (Wilderland)
• Frank Ocean – Channel ORANGE (Def Jam)
• Sinead O’Connor – How About I Be Me (And You Be You)? (One Little Indian)
• Pallbearer – Sorrow and Extinction (Profound Lore)
• Acid Pauli – Mst (Clown And Sunset)
• Jenny Scheinman – Mischief & Mayhem (S/R)
• Sigur Rós – Valtari (XL)
• So Percussion; Grey McMurray – Where (We) Live (Cantaloupe)
• Ebo Taylor – Appia Kwa Bridge (Strut)
• Ryan Teague – Field Drawings (Village Green)
• THEESatisfaction – Awe Natural (Sub  Pop)
• Ryan Truesdell – Centennial: Newly Discovered Works of Gil Evans (artistShare)
• Matt Ulery – By A Little Light (Greenleaf)
• Sharon Van Etten – Tramp (Jagjaguwar)

Top 12 Films for 2012

• Michael Haneke’s AMOUR
• Nicholas Jarecki’s ARBITRAGE
• Benh Zeitlin’s BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
• Jennifer Lynch’s CHAINED
• Craig Zobel’s COMPLIANCE
• David Cronenberg’s COSMOPOLIS
• Terence Davies’ THE DEEP BLUE SEA
• Leos Carax’ HOLY MOTORS
• Ang Lee’s THE LIFE OF PI
• Colin Trevorrow’s SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED
• Ron Fricke & Mark Magidson’s SAMSARA
• Malik Bendjelloul’s SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN

• Barn Burning
• Charito & FunkCH3N
• Chonk
• Ensemble Mik Nawooj
• It Thing
• Los Boleros Havana Dance Party (remote from The Ashkenaz)
• The Phenomenauts
• The She’s
• Victory & Associates
• Waterstrider
• Whoosie What’s It’s

Fave Compilations

• Brave New Surf (Double Crown)
• Future Sounds of Buenos Aires (ZZK)
• Tallinn Music Week Compilation Vol 4 (TMW)

Some of the Songs That Really Hit Me

• Congo Sanchez – “T.E.T.O. (Strut)” – Congo Sanchez Vol. 1 (ESL)
• Cumbia Machin – “Indika” – Esuper Cumbia (Esuper)
• Diego’s Umbrella – “Thrash Mexican Budapest” – Proper Cowboy (Ninth Street Opus)
• Edem – “Over Again” – Volta Regime (Last 2)
• El Rey – “Cherry Cheeks” – BRAVE NEW SURF (Double Crown)
• Ewert and the Two Dragons – Good Man Down – Good Man Down (I Love You)
• Fog Digging Sessions – “Cambodian Cat” – Post-Hummus (S/R)
• Funk Ark – “419” – High Noon (ESL)
• Diego Garcia – “You Were Never There” – Laura (Nacional)
• Grimes – “Oblivion” – Visions (4AD)
• Guru – “Lapaz Toyota” – Democracy 2 (Empire Entertainment)
• The Imagineers – “Mariana” – See As I Say (S/R)
• The Lions – “Roll It Round” – A Sampler (Stones Throw)
• Rene Lopez – “Shing-a-Ling Is What I Bring” – E.L.S. (Nat Geo)
• Malcolm Lincoln – “Loaded With Zoul” – Loaded With Zoul (Universal)
• The New Kinetics – “Polly Pocket” – Contact (Aural Gravy)
• Melvin Jones – “Funkytown Shuffle” – Pivot  (Turnaround)
• 2 Bears – “Warm and Easy” – Be Strong (S/R)
• Mati Zundel – “Señor Montecostez” – Amazonico Gravitante (Waxploitation)

All Good List

• All Good Funk Alliance – Jacks of All Trades (Fort Knox)
• The Imagineers – See As I Say (S/R)
• Melvin Jones – Pivot (Turnaround)
• Limiñanas – Crystal Anis (Hozac)
• Los Straitjackets – Jet Set (Yep Roc)
• Mariel Vandersteel – Hickory (Hearth)

Fave Why Baby Why Picks

• Matias Cena y Los Fictions – “Arnhem” – Arauco Cajun (Algorecords)
• Eastbound Jesus – “Corn Whiskey” – Holy Smokes (S/R)
• 8 Ball Aitken – “Nobody Looks Ugly After Midnight” – The Tamworth Tapes (Phoenix Movement)
• Gitla – “The Brambling” – Single (S/R)
• Orbo and the Longshots – “Highway Tears” – Prairie Sun (Blue Mood)
• Ramblin’ Ambassadors – “Dallas B. Goode” – Ramble On (Mint)
• Stig – “Puumaa Ma Metsastan” – single – (Warner Finland)
• Mariel Vandersteel – “Hickory” – Hickory (Hearth)
• The Wood Brothers – “Stumbled In” – Smoke Ring Halo (Southern Ground)
• The Yawpers – “Runner” – S/T (Adventure)

• Lana Del Rey – Born To Die (S/R)
• Diego Garcia – Laura (Nacional)
• The Helio Sequence – Negotiations (Sub Pop)
• Korallreven – An Album By Korallreven (Acephale)
• The Mallard – Yes On Blood (Castle Face)
• JD McPherson – Signs & Signifiers (Rounder)
• Nada Surf – The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy (Barsuk)
• The People’s Temple – More For The Masses (Hozac)
• Shawn Lee’s Ping Pong Orchestra – Reel To Reel (Ubiquity)
• Slug Guts – Playin’ In Time With The Deadbeat (Sacred Bones)
• Tennis – Young & Old (Fat Possum)
• The Walkmen – Heaven (Fat Possum)
• Wild Nothing – Nocturne (Captured Tracks)
• Yppah – Eighty One (Ninja Tune)

• Actress – R.I.P. (Honest Jon’s)
• Andy Stott – Luxury Problems (Modern Love)
• Blawan – Long Distance Open Water Worker (Black Sun)
• Boys Noize – Out of the Black (Boysnoize)
• Burial – Kindred (Hyperdub)
• Clark – Fantasm Planes (Warp)
• Death Grips – No Love Deep Web (Third Worlds)
• Four Tet – Pink (Text)
• Golden Retriever – Occupied with the Unspoken (Thrill Jockey)
• J. Soliday – Nonagon Knives (C.I.P.)
• John Bischoff – Audio Combine (New World)
• John Talabot – ƒIN (Permanent Vacation)
• Lorn – Ask The Dust (Ninja Tune)
• Maggi Payne – Ahh-Ahh – Music For Ed Tannenbaum’s Technological Feets, 1984-1987 (Root Strata)
• Mark Fell – Sentielle Objectif Actualité (Editions Mego)
• Mouse On Mars – Parastrophics (Monkeytown)
• Mr. Oizo – STADE 3 (S/R)
• Oneohtrix Point Never / Rene Hell – Oneohtrix Point Never / Rene Hell Split LP (NNA Tapes)
• Otto Von Schirach – Supermeng (Monkeytown)
• Percussions – Birds Songs / Rabbit Songs (Text)
• Peter Seligman – FDD (S/R)
• Peter Seligman – Swing Freeze (S/R)
• Peter Seligman – Whale (Immigrant Breast Nest)
• Richard Devine – Risp LP (Detroit Underground)
• RL Grime – GRAPES EP (Wedidit Collective)
• Robert Hood – Motor: Nighttime World 3 (Music Man)
• Rrose – Wedge of Chastity (Eaux)
• Salo – Is This Jazz? (Immigrant Breast Nest)
• Sepalcure – Eternally Yrs (Hotflush)
• Shawn Lee – Synthesizers in Space (Eighteenth Street Lounge Music)
• Simian Mobile Disco – Unpatterns (Wichita)
• Skeleton Lipstick – Glows Then Melts (Airlines Tapes)
• SpaceGhostPurrp – Mysterious Phonk: The Chronicles Of SpaceGhostPurrp (4AD)
• Squarepusher – Ufabulum (Warp)
• Suicide Booth – How You Get Ants (S/R)
• Various Artists – The Sine Wave Vol. 1 (Sine Field)
• Various Artists – Beat Stew Vol. 4 (Proximal)
• Various Artists – Universus Vol. IV (Circuitree)
• Wake – Oakland Blackouts (Proximal)
• Wake – The Fifth Finger (Proximal)

Best Ofs are a tricky lot, as they are like ideas, coming and going, fulfilling but never quite lasting. So, I offer to you, dearest listener, an extremely whittled down version of the albums that I discovered and rescued last year, discarded, unwanted, and stranded in thrift stores (with the exception of Golden Retriever, my one 2012 release endorsement to you) that I offer to you as a lasting legacy of petroleum gone good (mileage may vary).

• Phil Harris – “Some Little Bug Is Gonna Find You” – Southern Comfort (Mega)
• Audience – “The House on the Hill” – The House on the Hill (Elektra)
• Richard Linhas – “Rhizosphere” – Rhizosphere (Aural Experience)
• Darrell De Vore – “?” – Gravikords, Whirlies and Pyrophones (Ellipsis)
• Various Artists – “Side 1” – Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle (Scholastic)
• Christine Price – “Momotaro” – Japanese Folk and Fairy Tales (CMS)
• Narrators – “Side 2” – Crystal Odyssey (CBS)
• Golden Retriever – “Serene Velocity” – Occupies With The Unspoken (Thrill Jockey)
• Henry Mancini – “Charlie’s Angel’s” – Mancini’s Angels (RCA)
• Johnny Western – “Cowpoke” – Have Gun, Will Travel (Columbia)
• The Couriers – “There’s No One” – S/T (Hymntone)
• The Lamplighters – “Salty Dog” – Gabe’s Dirty Blues (Gabe’s)
• Rosemary Clooney – “Why Don’t Ya Haul Off and Kiss Me” – Rosie’s Greatest Hits (Columbia)
• Harry Nilsson – “Joy” – Son of Schmilsson (Victor)
• Wendy Carlos – “1. Allegro” – Switched On Brandenbergs (CBS)
• Ween – “Stroker Ace” – White Pepper (Elektra)
• Mel Torme – “Superstition” – Live at the Maisonette (Atlantic)
• Box of Chocolates – “Good Side” – Fearful Symmetry (High Beem)
• Prefab Sprout – “Faron” – Two Wheels Good (Epic)
• Comateens – “Cinnamon” – Pictures on a String (Mercury)
• Sparks – “Wonder Girl” – Collection (Rhino)
• Nina Hagen Band – “White Punks on Dope” – Nina Hagen Band (CBS)
• Jamie Linders – “The Great Pretender” – Menopause the Musical (S/R)
• Bugs and Yosemite Sam – “Heartbreak Hotel” – Bugs and Friends Sing Elvis (WB)
• Andre Previn – “Toccata in D Minor” – Rollerball (UA)
• Narrator – “Side 2” – Hear How to Handle Your Boat (Hear Now)
• Don Buchla – “Thunder and Lightening” – Gravikords, Whirlies and Pyrophones (Ellipsis Arts)
• Narrator – “Side 1” – Crystal Odyssey (CBS)
• Narrator – “Side A” – Exploring the New World (Standard School Broadcast)
• Golden Retriever – “Serene Velocity” – Occupies With The Unspoken (Thrill Jockey)
• George Benson – “Come Together” – Shape of Things to Come (A&M)
• Ray Charles – “Sinner’s Prayer” – Hallelujah (Atlantic Recording Corp)
• Ike and Tina Turner – “Find a Substitute” – It’s Gonna Work Out Fine (Sue)
• Chambers Brothers – “To Love Somebody” – Love, Peace and Happiness (Columbia)
• Janice Joplin – “Work Me, Lord” – Kozmic Blues (CBS)
• Henry Mancini – “What’s Happening!!! Theme” – Mancini’s Angels (RCA)
• Jimmy Cliff – “Look at the Mountain” – Follow My Mind (Reprise)
• Poogy Tales – “Track 5, Side 2” – S/T (Hed-Arzi)
• Norman Connors – “Jump Street” – Slewfoot (Buddah)
• Yellow – “The Race” – Flag (Polygram)
• Spike Jones – “Frantic Freeway” – Spiked (BMG)
• Frankie Goes to Hollywood – “Scrapped and Trapped” – S/T (ZTT)