Artists’ Choice: Favorite Albums of 2012

This month we surveyed a breadth of artist friends — bands and musicians who we interviewed or featured this year and some local favorites — to gauge their favorite albums of 2012. Below is a look at the perfectly eclectic results we received.

Coming tomorrow are the Jonk Music staff/contributors’ favorite albums, and on Friday our Madison page will feature favorites from some local business friends.

Next week, suddenly the final week of 2012, we’ll come at you with the annual single list of year-in-review songs.

Bryan John Appleby
Seattle, WA

Deep Sea Diver History Speaks
Father John Misty Fear Fun
Flying Childers Magick
Damien Jurado Maraqopa
Prism Tats Prism Tats
Pure Bathing Culture Pure Bathing Culture

Bleeding Rainbow
Philadelphia, PA

Grass Widow
“Goldilocks Zone”

Cloud Nothings Attack on Memory
Crocodiles Endless Flowers
Eternal Summers Correct Behavior
FNU Ronnies Saddle Up
Chris Forsyth Kenzo Deluxe
Grass Widow Internal Logic
Nu Sensae Sun Downing
Spacin’ Deep Thuds
Swans The Seer
US Girls Gem

Blonds
Treasure Coast, FL / New York, NY

5. Fiona Apple The Idler Wheel…
4. Spiritualized Sweet Heart Sweet Light
3. El-P Cancer 4 Cure
2. Tame Impala Lonerism
1. Frank Ocean Channel Orange

Justin Bricco of Blueheels
Madison, WI

5. Darn It Junior Jr.
4. Cribshitter Mint Car
3. Paul Otteson Robin Red
2. Count This Penny Pitchman
1. PHOX Friendship
“I don’t remember the last time I listened to song after song with such an attentive, anticipatory fervor. I don’t believe it’s happened since I first heard Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. An absolute aural grand slam. It does everything a record should. There’s a beast around every corner, and kitten hiding in every hedge. The bed is filled with oddities that rearrange one’s synaptic pathways. It’s unhinged, yet concurrently unfolds with graceful cohesion. The stylistic production nuances are placed with Reznor-esque confidence. Eeeeeeegads!!!, and I haven’t yet mentioned the vocal performance!!! Operatic, seductive, playful, an inspired ornithological choir housed in one distinctively pop yet soulfully believable voice.”

Richard Wouters of Civil Twilight
Cape Town, South Africa

Here We Go Magic
“Make Up Your Mind”

Beach House Bloom
Chairlift Something
Leonard Cohen Old Ideas
Daughter The Wild Youth
Grizzly Bear Shields
Here We Go Magic A Different Ship
Frank Ocean Channel Orange
Spiritualized Sweet Heart Sweet Light
Tame Impala Lonerism
The xx Coexist

Amanda Rigell, Allen Rigell,
and John Ray of Count This Penny
Madison, WI

“We spent a lot of time this year working on our own record, listening to friends’ records, and listening to compilations from bloggers and buddies while on the road. The albums in our top five are the ones we’ve listened to top to bottom, over and over and over.”

5. First Aid Kit The Lion’s Roar
“Yeah. It might be pathetically obvious, but a song called ‘Emmylou’ is gonna reel us right in.”
4. Of Monsters and Men My Head is an Animal
“As it turns out, we are pretty into Icelandic pop.”
3. Field Report Field Report
“We saw Field Report twice this year, both times in barns. They play great shows, and they made a great record.”
2. Shovels and Rope O’ Be Joyful
“KICKASS!”
1. John Fullbright From the Ground Up
“Thanks to our friend Evan Murdock for recommending this album. John Fullbright is a genius.”

Field Report
Milwaukee, WI

Damien Jurado
“Nothing in the News”

Bro. Stephen Baptist Girls
Kate Bush 50 Words for Snow
(Director’s Cut)
S. Carey Hoyas
Kathleen Edwards Voyageur
Damien Jurado Maraqopa
Kalispell Westbound
Aimee Mann Charmer
Anais Mitchell Young Man in America
Old Earth Low Place in the Old Place
The Weather Station All of It Was Mine

Freelance Whales
Queens, NY

Perfume Genius
“All Waters”

Bear in Heaven I Love You, It’s Cool
Django Django Django Django
Father John Misty Fear Fun
Flying Lotus Unite the Quiet Comes
Here We Go Magic A Different Ship
Hundred Waters Hundred Waters
Perfume Genius Put Your Back N 2 It
Purity Ring Shrines
Tame Impala Lonerism
TNIGHT TNIGHT

Daniel Brunelle of Gemini Club
Chicago, IL

10. Grizzly Bear Shields
9. Japandroids Celebration Rock
8. Dirty Projectors Swing Lo Magellan
7. Com Truise In Decay
“A doctoral thesis on good synth sound design.”
6. Twin Shadow Confess
“George Lewis Jr.’s sophomore record doesn’t quite compete with his debut but nonetheless solidifies his place as one of the most exciting talents in indie rock today.”
5. Passion Pit Gossamer
“A transition record moving Passion Pit from a hype band to a great band. Passion Pit is going to be around longer than anyone would’ve guessed after Manners.”
4. Chromatics Kill for Love
“Despondent electronics and shoegaze malaise: a perfect combination, beautifully realized.”
3. Frank Ocean Channel Orange
“This record is one people will remember for while. It will likely be the most salient example of this decade’s ongoing R&B revival.”
2. Tame Impala Lonerism
“Updated ’60s psychedelia with some of the best bass playing in recent memory.”
1. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Trouble
“With ‘EDM’ flame wars burning up everyone’s feed, electronic music fans have had to deal with a bit of an identity crisis this year. Trouble is the antithesis to the 15-year-old neon-army pledging allegiance to big skrill and the like. Their compulsive fist-pumping and ODing at every summer fest has disheartened true fans of form. They’ve left us leaderless and turning against ourselves. TEED’s full-length debut expunges those demons with a heartfelt dance record that is at once classic and fresh. Trouble is that perfect confluence of tradition and idiosyncrasy that makes good records last forever.”

Mike Deni of Geographer
San Francisco, CA

Tame Impala
“Apocalypse Dreams”

10. Animal Collective Centipede Hz
“The sonic landscape they created here is almost too intense. This is a challenging, fascinating album from the forerunners of avant pop.”
9. “Holy Motors” [film]
“This dark and twisted delight puts a 21st century spin on the oft-quoted Shakespeare line, ‘All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.’ To discuss the movie more would ruin it. Let’s just say that for a guy who enjoys delving into the fluidity of meaning and importance, this movie was like candy. It’s also utterly bizarre.”
8. “Beats of the Southern Wild” [film]
“2012 was a strange year in music. Production has taken a turn for the cryptic and songs are being passed over for vibe-pieces that make me turn to my records from the ’60s and ’70s for musical inspiration. It was, however, an amazing year for movies. So my 8th favorite album is a movie, Beasts of the Southern Wild, which left me weeping from its sheer force, and its ability to yank the animal and the raw out of an almost talmudic technical medium. To live is to struggle, to leave one’s home because of that struggle is anathema, we are animals. I loved it.”
7. Grimes Visions
“It took me a long time to get into it, but after hearing her in restaurants and saying ‘what’s that?’ enough times I decided to go beyond the singles, and that’s where the album really shines. I always admire when an artist does a lot with the bare minimum of elements. There’s a great tendency to put layer after layer on a song; it’s a hard thing to keep yourself from doing, but songs like Idioteque are better for it. Making sure to find the perfect version of each sound.”
6. Grizzly Bear Shields
“I went back and forth on this one. Sometimes the production vexed me, sometimes I was dazzled. In the end, I landed on a number of songs that I loved to listen to.”
5. Swans The Seer
“Nightmare music, powerful and proficient.”
4. J Dilla Rebirth of Detroit
“Super mixed bag, but some unbelievable jems. J Dilla made such interesting music to listen to. Like a Tarantino movie, it’s so unique it doesn’t matter if it’s perfect, I’ll listen to anything he’s done and be happy to give my consciousness over to him.”
3. Flying Lotus Until the Quiet Comes
“A surprisingly moving album from the computer virtuoso. I didn’t expect to be so taken with it. I’ve always respected him chiefly as a master of his tools, but this release seems to come from a place of true magic and deep power. He has truly hit his stride as a juggler of vintage musical sensibilities and cutting edge technology. The videos associated with the prerelease are almost as exciting as the album itself — particularly the short film, ‘Until the Quiet Comes,’ by Kahlil Joseph, an ingenious complement to the sounds.”
2. Frank Ocean Channel Orange
“A perplexing and undeniably wonderful album, with very impressive vocals, bizarre lyrics (sometimes too mumbled for my taste), infectious hooks, and DIY sensibilities in a genre that rarely utilizes an artist’s full potential to create. You gotta respect the man.”
1. Tame Impala Lonerism
“The best sounding album I’ve heard in years. Like butter cream in your ears. The mix really shines here, with fascinating and unexpected techniques that are not only adventurous but also musical. It’s relatively easy to make wacky sounds but to make them beautiful is another story. Having Dave Fridmann mix never hurts, but without the joyfully crafted source material it’s like a painter with bad paint. That’s the sauce. The meat is the impressive and strong songwriting. Can’t have one without the other, and together, they make the best album of the year.”

Grant Widmer of Generationals
New Orleans, LA

5. Grimes Visions
4. Tame Impala Lonerism
3. Chromatics Kill for Love
2. King Tuff King Tuff
1. Floating Action Fake Blood

Giuliano Pizzulo of Incan Abraham
Los Angeles, CA

Daniel Avery Need Electric
DIIV Oshin
Father John Misty Fear Fun
Marriages Kitsune
Frank Ocean Channel Orange
Races Year of the Witch
Scuba Personality
Tame Impala Lonerism
Thee Oh Sees Putrifiers II
Torche Harmonicraft

Nick Whetro, Karl Christenson,
and Brad Kolberg of Icarus Himself
Madison, WI

Father John Misty
“Nancy From
Now On”

10. Beach House Bloom
“I saw them today play live three ties in two months and never got bored with it.”
9. InBoil The Hippest Kid in School
“Phil Mahlstadt’s (of Sleeping with the Aviary, R.I.P.) — druggy/psych/country project is touching, kind, and bonkerz.”
8. Tame Impala Lonerism
“Really tight throwback psych-pop. And the dude sounds a ton like John Lennon.”
7. Sat. Nite Duets Summer of Punishment
“Remember how music can be really fun? Our fave Wisconsin band. Roll a pinner and listen to ‘Black Moriah’.”
6. The Walkmen Heaven
“Another solid album by Brad’s favorite band.”
5. Woods Bend Beyond
“They do their Woods thing really well. They played a great show this fall to 40 people at the Rathskellar.”
4. Grizzly Bear Shields
“They finally made an album of pop songs that don’t test my patience and put me to sleep.”
3. Damien Jurado Maracopa
“Beautiful and simple. Late to the party on this guy. Never got into this guy until I heard this one. He’s the indie Roy Orbison or something.”
2. Lampchop Mr. M
“Stunning string arrangements, woodwinds, knocking bass thumps, beautifully delicate prodction; all provide a warm bed for the cryptically hushed crooning of a man who sounds like a drunk/drugged out Cat Stevens on a deserted island listening to too much The Soft Bulletin.”
1. Father John Misty Fear Fun
“Really great. Cool ’70s California vibe. The lyrics are funny, and his voice is honest. No fakey falsetto or constricted indie whining. He just belts it out. And a total hunk to boot!”

Additional comments from Karl:
“I’m usually fairly late to the party when it comes to new music. So this statement may not be very accurate but none of these albums are as good as my two favorite albums of 2011: Future Islands On The Water and Girls Father, Son, Holy Ghost. But maybe by next year I’ll feel the same way about 2012 vs. 2013. Assuming there is a next year. (Mayan Cliff!!!)”

Joe Copeland of Little Legend
Madison, WI

Delta Spirit
“Tear It Up”

10. Thee Oh Sees Putrifiers II
9. The Tallest Man on Earth There’s No Leaving Now
8. Surgeons in Heat Surgeons in Heat
7. J.D. McPherson Signs and Signifiers
6. Cloud Nothings Attack on Memory
5. Tame Impala Lonerism
4. Father John Misty Fear Fun
3. Bahamas Barchords
2. Dr. Dog Be the Void
1. Delta Spirit Delta Spirit

Whitney Mann
Madison, WI

5. Justin Townes Earle Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now
4. Joshua James From the Top of the Williamette Mountain
3. Father John Misty Fear Fun
2. Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale Buddy and Jim
1. Brandi Carlile Bear Creek

Robbie Arnett of Milo Greene
Los Angeles, CA

Nick Waterhouse
“Some Place”

Beach House Bloom
“Victoria Legrand can sing anything and I’ll listen.”
Flying Lotus Until the Quiet Comes
“The sounds, the production, the entire concept of this record continue to inspire me.”
Grizzly Bear Shields
“Learn something new with every listen thanks in large part to producer Chris Taylor”
Kendrick Lamar Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City
“Good hip-hop will prevail.”
Frank Ocean Channel Orange
“The obvious choice on everyone’s list. Although I’m still a bigger fan of his mixtape, this record has more than a handful of tracks that don’t ever leave your dome.”
Tame Impala Lonerism
“The drum sounds and the use of the synths along with the songwriting all make this record a must listen; just get stoned and forget that it sounds like Lennon.”
Twin Shadow Confess
“The songwriting on this record is radical, simple yet tasteful arrangements, plus the dewd can shred!”
The Walkmen Heaven
“One of the hardest working touring bands makes one of the best records of their career. Can’t stop listening to this record.”
Jessie Ware Devotion
“Pop hasn’t sounded this good since Amy Grant’s Heart in Motion.”
Nick Waterhouse Time’s All Gone
“New school meets old school rhythm and blues. I’m a sucker for solid art direction and brass section.”

Night Moves
Minneapolis, MN

5. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti
Mature Themes
4. Pond Beard Wives Denim
3. Mac DeMarco Rock n Roll Night Club
2. Frank Ocean Channel Orange
1. Tame Impala Lonerism

Best Reissues of 2012:
Can The Lost Tapes
Alex Chilton The 1970 Sessions
Karen Daulton 1966
Lee Hazelwood The LHI Years: Singles, Nudes & Backsides
Dan Penn The Fame Recordings

PHOX
Baraboo, WI / Madison, WI

“In order of guilt..”

Gotye Making Mirrors
Alt-J An Awesome Wave
Sonntag In Paths
Foreign Fields Anywhere But Where I Am
Cuddle Magic Info Nympho
Dirty Projectors Swing Lo Magellan
The Daredevil Christopher Wright Nature of Things
Patrick Watson Adventures in Your Own Backyard
Efterklang Pyramida
Punch Brothers Who’s Feeling Young Now?

Kenny Monroe of Pioneer
Madison, WI

10. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti
Mature Themes
9. Golden Donna Shifter
8. Ab-Soul Control System
7. Frank Ocean Channel Orange
6. Lampchop Mr. M
5. Schoolboy Q Habits & Contradictions
4. Samantha Glass Mysteries from the Palomino Skyline
3. Kendrick Lamar Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City
2. Ryan Power I Don’t Want to Die
1. Kalispell Westbound

Isaac Flynn of Quiet Corral
Lawrence, KS

Lord Huron
“Brother”

Alt-J An Awesome Wave
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros Here
Grizzly Bear Shields
Kopecky Family Band Kid
Lord Huron Lonesome Dreams
Frank Ocean Channel Orange
Punch Brothers Who’s Feeling Young Now?
Jack White Blunderbuss

Stephen Strupp of Sat. Nite Duets
Milwaukee, WI

5. Surgeons in Heat Surgeons in Heat
4. Ty Segall Twins
3. Jaill Traps
2. Various Artists Hasabe
1. Mac DeMarco 2

Turbo Fruits
Nashville, TN

10. Thee Oh Sees Putrifier II
9. Ty Segall Twins
8. Ty Segall & White Fence Hair
7. The Walkmen Heaven
6. Guided By Voices The Bears for Lunch
5. The Black Keys El Camino
4. PUJOL United States of Being
3. JEFF the Brotherhood Hypnotic Nights
2. Diamond Rugs Diamond Rugs
1. Tame Impala Lonerism