Joshua Lory’s Top 20 Albums of 2012
- Forgetters – S/T. Ex-Jawbreaker/Jets To Brazil singer/songwriter and lyricist extraordinaire Blake Schwartzenbach really made the right album for me this year, dark, brooding, and beautiful. Having J.Robbins produce and play bass doesn’t hurt either.
- Gasoline Heart – Thanks for Everything. I wrote a longer review for this Raw and emotional, great lyrics.
- Bill Mallonee – Amber Waves. It’s a Mallonee album, it’s perfect, nuff said!
- The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Aufheben! – A return to the sound that made me fall for this band with still some of the newer vibe going on. Garage/Folk/Psychedelic/Pop. Matt Hollywood rejoins the fold and it’s obvious. This is one of my all time favorite bands.
- Jack White – Blunderbuss. First solo release, as good as any White Stripes album, but with more layers.
- The Choir – The Loudest Sound Ever Heard. Is it me or does this band get better with time? The past 3 albums (not counting De-plumed) are my favorites from the band.
- Hot Water Music – Exister. Great comeback album! Chuck Ragan’s voice sounds better than ever. They are the best at what they do!
- The Menzingers – On the Impossible Past. Great melodies, catchy hooks, excellent lyrics. All the songs go together to tell a story of loss, love, friendship, and memories, car crashes and Rock n’ Roll.
- Green Day – (tie) !Uno!, !Dos!, !Tre! Three new great albums, all with their own vibe. Out of all 3 albums only a couple of songs didn’t do it for me. I’ve been a fan since 1991! Oh, and my old buddy Chris Dugan recorded these.
- Corin Tucker Band – Kill My Blues. Ex- Sleater-Kinney Corin Tucker came out of nowhere with this amazing album! If you liked S-K you’ll love this!
- Joyce Manor – Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired. This band is the future of awesome Punk Rock. I’m keeping my eye on this band, they’ve got the lyrics and the chords, total package.
- Say Anything – Anarchy, My Dear. One has to listen to Say Anything to get it, it can’t be describes. Mad genius, frantic, desperate, irate, a whirlwind of passion.
- The Gaslight Anthem – Handwritten. Mix Social Distortion, Springsteen, and the Cure, that’s sort of the vibe of Gaslight Anthem. One great album after another. Something about them reminds me of a modern non-Christian version of the Altar Boys.
- The Wedding Present – Valentina. If you haven’t heard the Wedding Present, maybe it’s time, you won’t regret it!
- Chris Wollard and the Ship Thieves – Canyons. Great Americana/ Folk Rock album from Hot Water Music’s lead guitarist/singer. I still like Chuck’s solo outings better, but Wollard kicked it up a notch on this one.
- Tenacious D – Rize of the Fenix! A return to glory!
- Smashing Pumpkins – Oceana. Best release since Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness. Jeff Schroder from Cush/Violet Burning fame plays on it.
- Jimmy Cliff – Rebirth. Rancid’s Tim Armstrong produced this perfect roots reggae album from the legend himself, Jimmy Cliff! This is one of the best Ska/Reggae albums you will ever hear!
- The Cult – Choice of Weapon. This band is great at reinventing itself, album after album. A reminder of how great guitarist’s used to be, Billy Duffy is still one of the best, a master at his craft!
- The Wallflowers – Glad All Over. Sounds nothing like they used to, but incredible none the less! Think when the Clash went Sandinista and Combat Rock. Jack Irons (Pearl Jam/Red Hot Chili Peppers/Joe Strummer) joins on drums. Mick Jones of Clash/Big Audio Dynamite fame plays on a couple tracks.
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