Quantcast
Channel: Frontier Psychiatrist » Best of 2012
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 16

The Albums We Missed, 2012 Edition: Part 2

0
0

patrick-watson-adventures-in-your-own-backyard Four-Tet-Pink the-evens-the-odds-cover mellowhype-numbers-cover pontiak-echo-ono-cover jonwayne-oodles-of-doodles-cover parquet-courts-light-up-gold-cover philip-glass-rework-cover justin-townes-earle-nothings-gonna-change flume-flume-cover

BY PETER LILLIS

Today, we continue to spotlight some of our favorite albums of 2012 that we didn’t get a chance to cover through the year. Read Part 1.

Patrick Watson – Adventures In Your Own Backyard

Adventures In Your Own Backyard is one of the finest composed and performed pieces of chamber folk since Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois. Released in the first half of 2012, Adventures In Your Own Backyard is a record we found ourselves turning back to time and time again. Filled with moments of sweet exploration and moody wonder, Adventures In Your Own Backyard will be one of the few under-appreciated albums of 2012 that will prevail into 2013 and beyond.

Four Tet – Pink

It’s important to remember the veterans of electronic music and IDM as public interest in the genre reaches fever pitch. With at least 10 full-lengths over several monikers since the late-90s, Four Tet’s Kieran Hebden deserves a spot on the contemporary electronic Mount Rushmore, just between Burial and Jamie XX. Pink—a full-length comprised of a series of 12-inch singles released in 2011 and 2012—is one of the smoothest and most satisfying records of the year.

The Evens – The Odds

The return of Ian MacKeye. That’s all you really need to know.

MellowHype – Numbers

With the obvious exception of Frank Ocean, interest in OFWGKTA has certainly waned, likely due to their self-imposed overexposure. That said, Odd Future continues to produce some of the most exciting hip hop around, and 2012 was no exception. Numbers is the follow-up to 2010s excellent BlackenedWhite, and the closest the collective comes to traditional, commercial hip hop. The star of this record is without a doubt Left Brain’s infectious, warped production, but Hodgy Beats certainly pulls his weight.

Pontiak – Echo Ono

Pontiak are one of the hundreds of bands today that are completely comfortable to prosper in the background. Chances are, Pontiak will never be a buzz band, although they could easily be the poster brothers for the creeping psychedelia found across the American riff landscape. Echo Ono is likely the most “radio friendly” of their releases, and would fit comfortably in a record collection between My Morning Jacket, The Black Keys and Pink Floyd.

Jonwayne – Oodles of Doodles

Jonwayne is yet another progressive hip hop producer with his head in the clouds and his fingers on the keys. His Stones Throw Records debut mixtape Oodles of Doodles is stuffed with more than 40 golden synth bangers. His spacey 8-bit inspired beats showcase the power of digital synth programming, and are done almost entirely without the crutch of samples. Keep his name in your back pocket, 2013 will see the release of his debut album on Madlib’s aforementioned label. As a bonus, download his great 2011 mixtape, I Don’t Care.

Parquet Courts – Light Up Gold

With Parquet Courts’ jittery Americana, loose songwriting and poorly tuned guitars, Light Up Gold is 2012’s answer to 1976’s self-titled debut from The Modern Lovers. As you know, the rising trend in American punk is one we can get behind, and Parquet Courts are a band to keep in mind as we continue into 2013.

REWORK – Philip Glass Remixed

The king of American minimalist compositions gets reimagined, remastered and remixed by veterans such as Beck, Tyondai Braxton, Dan Deacon and Amon Tobin, among others. While not all remixes bring something new to the table, this tasteful repackaging of one of the finest composers of the last half-century for the next generation is commendable and, at times, breathtaking.

Justin Townes Earle – Nothing’s Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now

Chances are, Justin Townes Earle will continue to fall into undeserved obscurity not unlike the career of The Wallflowers and fellow famous folk son Jakob Dylan. This is a shame, as 2012 found JTE settling into his own identity on Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now. Just because a record is unassuming, doesn’t mean it deserves to be looked over.

Flume – Flume

Flume is a teenage Australian electronic savant with a penchant for big grooves and watery textures. His debut record is one of the few of the year that will equally power a dance party and a smoky solo night at home.

Peter Lillis is Managing Editor of Frontier Psychiatrist. He’s got plenty more where these came from.


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 16

Latest Images

Trending Articles





Latest Images