Abby’s Top 25 Albums of 2012

Making a best-of list at the end of every year is both a fun and frustrating endeavor. Fun because it’s my one last swing at promoting some of my favorite music, music many people may not even have heard of.  Frustrating because I know there’s a lot I haven’t heard that could very well belong on my list. My wish lists are full of albums I just simply haven’t had the opportunity to buy yet; as it is, I already spend more money on music than I should. And what I buy at any given time relies simply on that moment’s whims.

So some things that may be just as deserving of a place on this list end up left off, and as someone with great passion for music, it does hurt me a little that I don’t have the opportunity to represent everything great, or even just good, because, like my wallet, year-end lists have limits. One thing I can say for sure, however, is that everything I have managed to include on this list I hold in the highest regard and hope you can take a chance to hear. They are the albums from which I derived the most enjoyment this year. It won’t be like what you see in the major publications. For the most part, these are releases that you probably haven’t heard, so this list is an opportunity to discover a lot of new music that you won’t be able to find on other lists. And that’s precisely why I keep doing this year after year. (P.S. These are only loosely in order.)

1. Mia Pharaoh by Miniature Tigers
Nothing has delighted me quite as thoroughly this year as Miniature Tigers’ third full-length album, Mia Pharaoh. The band’s pop sensibilities have always been strong but they’ve taken a significantly synthy turn on their latest, with sexually suggestive overtones in the lyrics (“Flower Door”) and special appearances by some slow jam beats (“Cleopatra”). Jeremy Malvin, aka Chrome Sparks, contributed some of his expertise on this album, which turns out to be a very smart pairing with Charlie Brand’s style of musical preciousness.

2. Blonde Album by Lightning Love
After a few years of waiting, we finally got our wish of a sophomore release from Michigan’s golden-tressed trio and, boy, did they ever deliver. It’s always seemed like bandleader Leah Diehl can do no wrong in her music; every song she creates is just as perfect as can be, with melodies that are impossible not to sing along with and lyrics that are as self-aware as they are sassy. There’s much pain and much surrender in Diehl’s words, and whether she pairs them with punchy beats (“Awkward”) or sparse minor chords (“I’ll Never Love No One Else”), they resonate on a level so deep, you’ll think you’re feeling it all yourself.

June Mix: Late Night With Abby: 2

As you may recall, back in April, I presented a mix made in the style of the incredibly awesome Late Night Tales compilation series (highly recommended if you haven’t heard them). At the time, I was pretty sure it was one of the best mixes I’d ever made. I usually think that about all my mixes when they’re brand new. But I’ve completed the second in my series of copycat compilations, and I don’t think I’m at all wrong in saying that I’ve completely outdone myself with this one. That last Late Night With Abby mix seems amateur compared to this masterpiece.

I do feel like putting these mixes together is an art. This isn’t a typical car mix I’d make of songs I want to hear and that make me excited. No, Late Night Tales is about expressing and creating a mood. Though many songs in the compilation you may not always have occasion to listen to independently, your mind develops a new appreciation for them when presented in this context. You’re glad to hear the songs; you want to hear them. They complement each other in the order they’re given. Maybe that’s why I enjoy making these so much. It’s a creative challenge that allows me to hear music in a way I hadn’t before, and I learn to appreciate it all over again.

Late Night With Abby: 2

Nosaj Thing – Caves

General Elektriks – La Nuit Des Ephemeres

Jean-Jacques Perrey – E.V.A. (Fatboy Slim Mix)

Diamond Doves – Club Night

Just a few albums to get stoked for in 2012

As we embark upon a new year (the last year ever, as some may say!), we already have some anticipation of what’s ahead. Maybe we’ve already planned some vacations, and bought tickets to concerts and events that are coming up. One thing I always have in my mind is which of my favorite bands have announced they’ll be releasing a new album, or new bands who will be releasing debuts (which are sometimes the most exciting). Without further ado, here’s a small list of stuff that’s caught in my radar.

Dillon Warnek – A Stranger Here, Jan. 1 (that’s today, homies! Expect a review this week.)

Rivulets – Yearlings (digital EP), Jan. 3

Lost Lander – DRRT, Jan. 24

Nada Surf – The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy, Jan. 24

Lightning Love – Girls Who Look Like Me (EP), Jan. 31; full-length in the spring

Harriet – Tell the Right Story (EP), Jan. 31

Sleigh Bells – Reign of Terror, Jan. 31