Green Day arrive at September’s iHeart Radio Festival in Las Vegas. Photo: Steven Lawton, Getty Images
KELLI SKYE FADROSKI
1. Green Day, ¡Uno! / ¡Dos! / ¡Tré! – It’s fast, it’s hard and it’s so very bratty. Cuts like “Kill the DJ” and “Let Yourself Go” are made to be played at high volume and roared along to. It’s Green Day à la Dookie, played by better musicians than they were two decades ago. ¡Dos! and ¡Tré! are strong, but the first is most fun.
2. Dead Sara – This L.A. quartet isn’t messing around. Heavier tracks like “Weatherman,” “Monumental Holiday” and “Lemon Scent” showcase Emily Armstrong’s powerhouse vocals (like a harder-edged Grace Slick or Stevie Nicks) plus Siouxsie Medley crushing it on guitar. Driving home the point that they’re no one-trick-pony, “Sorry for It All” and “Whispers & Ashes” highlight Armstrong’s softer, soulful side and range, while “Timed Blues” nods to Medley’s deep appreciation for blues-rock.
3. Garbage, Not Your Kind of People – The first new music from the ’90s rock staple since 2005’s Bleed Like Me, and it was well worth the wait. The allure of Shirley Manson is still so strong, her vocals dark, soft and sexy, then bold and commanding in others. And she’s backed by stellar, seasoned musicians – Steve Marker, Butch Vig and Duke Erikson – with industrial-strength chemistry that’s all their own.
4. Little Big Town, Tornado – The laid-back “Pontoon,” which spawned dozens of “motorboating” jokes, was an inescapable country hit this summer. But all of the accolades that have come with its success – including two CMA awards plus an ACA trophy, and now a Grammy nomination for best country duo/group performance – proved well-earned by the full-length album. A breakthrough that’s been a long time coming for this quartet.
5. Stone Sour, House of Gold & Bones – Part 1 – The first half (the second is expected early next year) is a more aggressive effort from Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor’s other, supposedly more “mellow” metal band. A concept project about a man at a crossroads in his life and the challenges he encounters along the way, the set is a full multimedia experience, with various videos available online, a tour and an accompanying graphic novel from Dark Horse Comics due in April. Let’s hope the second disc maintains the adrenaline-infused pace of its predecessor.
6. Cherri Bomb, This Is the End of Control – This all-female L.A. rock band from won me over with snarky cut “Paper Doll” and the defiant “Shake the Ground.” Recipe: one part ’90s alt-rockers Veruca Salt, a dash of Evanescence, a sprinkle of the Runaways and stir in some metal from Kittie. Only in their teens, they’re already cranking out solid (and LOUD) material. Curious to see how they’ll sound when they mature.
7. Mumford & Sons, Babel – I’m not over aggressive banjo playing, and the single “I Will Wait” boasts some extreme picking! The second helping from these Brits still has me stomping and singing along.
8. Muse, The 2nd Law – “Madness” is sexy and dark and breathed new life into the mundane lineup of KROQ-mandated radio rock. The more this trio experiments, the more I like it – which is rarely the case with other bands. It took a while to digest, but “Panic Station,” “Follow Me” and “Animals” soon became favorites.
9. Kip Moore, Up All Night – So what if the initial reason I checked out this guy was because he’s easy on the eyes? His vocals remind of a younger hick-version of Bruce Springsteen (who I also still think is hot). “Beer Money” and “Somethin’ ’Bout a Truck” rightly and quickly became country staples, and the ladies at Honda Center in Anaheim justifiably went wild last month when Moore did “Hey Pretty Girl” live.
10. The Ultimate Bearhug, Just South of Los Angeles – A sweet release from local duo Doll Knight and Barrett Johnson. Knight’s cooing, playful, believably pleading vocals on “Foolish Things” and “I’ll Be Your Woman,” accompanied by Johnson’s mellow guitars and a handful of equally strong O.C. players – producer Dallas Kruse, bassist Mikey Hachey, drummer Jorgen Ingmar – make this one an easily enjoyable listen, perfect for humming along on a lazy Sunday.
Honorable mentions: Blaqk Audio, Bright Black Heaven; Lit, The View from the Bottom; Family of the Year, Loma Vista; fun., Some Nights; the Offspring, Days Go By; Reel Big Fish, Candy Coated Fury
Jack White wails away at Night 2 of KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas. Photo: David Hall, for the Register
DAVID HALL
1. Jack White, Blunderbuss
2. Tame Impala, Lonerism
3. Green Day, ¡Uno! / ¡Dos! / ¡Tré!
4. Gary Clark Jr., Blak and Blu
5. Alt-J (∆), An Awesome Wave
6. Dirty Projectors, Swing Lo Magellan
7. Two Door Cinema Club, Beacon
8. The Shins, Port of Morrow
9. Delta Spirit
10. Blood Red Shoes, In Time to Voices
Honorable mentions: Silversun Pickups, Neck of the Woods; the Hives, Lex Hives; Ben Kweller, Go Fly a Kite; Divine Fits, A Thing Called Divine Fits; Mumford & Sons, Babel; Nas, Life Is Good; Ben Folds Five, The Sound of the Life of the Mind; Grizzly Bear, Shields; Soundgarden, King Animal; Dinosaur Jr., I Bet on the Sky; Geographer, Myth
Neil Young and Crazy Horse at Madison Square Garden last month. Photo: Jason Kempin, Getty Images
ROBERT KINSLER
1. Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Psychedelic Pill – Their thunder returned big time in 2012, first via the heavily reworked folk songs of Americana in June. But it was the subsequent October release of this nine-song, 85-minute, two-disc sprawl, Young’s 35th album and first set of new material with Crazy Horse in almost a decade, that resounded with ambitious lyrical depth and sonic heft to equal their inspired classics.
2. Aimee Mann, Charmer – On her eighth album, the reliably great singer-songwriter offers up literate observations amid haunting songs that go down like vintage power-pop, boasting richly melodious colors and lyrical insights that artfully reveal themselves a bit more with each listen.
3. Rush, Clockwork Angels – While fans of other classic rock bands have to be content watching their heroes tour on nostalgia alone, those who still love Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart have seen them continue to challenge themselves and their audience with sharp, searing prog-rock. This disc’s detailed, dream-chasing concept is supported some of trio’s most accessible and compelling work since the brilliant days of Signals (1982) and Moving Pictures (1981).
4. Dead Can Dance, Anastasis – It’s been a year of remarkable, noteworthy comebacks, with the return of this atmospheric duo perhaps the rarest of all. Back with their first full-length effort since 1996, Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard continued their bold odyssey without missing a beat, blending goth-rock, Celtic and global folk with an expert artistic touch.
5. Gary Clark Jr., Blak and Blu – On his highly buzzed-about debut, the Austin-based singer-songwriter and guitar virtuoso fuses the energetic rock of Hendrix with the soulful singing of Al Green. The dozen far-flung originals explore more corners of the music universe than most bands will see in a lifetime. A challenging and rewarding disc.
6. Susanna Hoffs, Someday – The latest album from the Bangles vocalist may mine the ’60s territory of Petula Clark and Jackie DeShannon, but at heart it’s a personal recording both timeless and joyful. Hoffs joined forces with acclaimed producer Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Ron Sexsmith) to craft something far more compelling than, say, her enjoyable experiments in retro music-making with Matthew Sweet.
7. First Aid Kit, The Lion’s Roar – Who knew a couple of young sisters from Sweden would tap into the burgeoning Americana music movement like no one else in 2012? Johanna and Klara Söderberg harmonize angelically while conjuring the ghosts of Gram Parsons, June Carter and Johnny Cash amid beautiful songs that fully reawaken a spirit mostly missing from modern country music.
8. Otis Taylor, Contraband – The blues’ most innovative artist issued another stunning effort, one in which his hypnotic baritone and so-called “trance blues” style fused the feel of early Robert Johnson with African music. Few living artists bring the weight of history and power of music together like Taylor does on “Romans Had Their Way” and “Contraband Blues.
9. Shoes, Ignition – Another epic comeback, their first since 1994’s Propeller and a sonic blast from start to finish. Power-pop has sadly been relegated to the commercial sidelines, but listening to this set is to rediscover the joys of undeniable melodies and rousing vocal harmonies powered by ringing guitars.
10. Dwight Yoakam, 3 Pears – Yet another striking return, the honky tonk icon’s first new disc in seven years, with plenty to love whether he’s singing ballads (“It’s Never Alright”) or kicking through uptempo stuff (“Dim Lights, Thick Smoke”).
Honorable Mentions: Bruce Springsteen, Wrecking Ball; Sigur Rós, Valtari; The Fixx, Beautiful Friction; Muse, The 2nd Law; Field Report; Jason Aldean, Night Train; Zac Brown Band, Uncaged; Kenny Howes, Tornadoes Here and Past; Joan Osborne, Bring It on Home; Van Morrison, Born to Sing: No Plan B; Lee Rocker, Night Train to Memphis
Missy Higgins celebrates winning the ARIA Award for best female artist last month. Photo: Getty Images
GEORGE A. PAUL
1. Missy Higgins, The ’Ol Razzle Dazzle
2. Bruce Springsteen, Wrecking Ball
3. Delta Spirit
4. Dwight Yoakam, 3 Pears
5. Kaiser Chiefs, Start the Revolution Without Me
6. Mika, The Origin of Love
7. The Dunwells, Blind Sighted Faith
8. Divine Fits, A Thing Called Divine Fits
9. Green Day, ¡Uno! / ¡Dos! / ¡Tré!
10. Everclear, Invisible Stars
Honorable Mentions: Rick Springfield, Songs for the End of the World; Eric Hutchinson, Moving Up Living Down; Field Report; the Cult, Choice of Weapon; the Fixx, Beautiful Friction
More: Ben Wener’s Top 20 (or so) Best Albums of 2012
Goodbye 2012: Soundcheck staff Top 10s is a post from: Soundcheck