It’s the middle of the week in the cold bleak winter. If you’re anything like me the only thing that gets you through is a hot cup of tea, a warm blanket and some good music. I can’t provide you with the first two, but I have just the song from you. This is the first release from a folk band called “The Gospel Whiskey Runners” off of the west coast. Their style is very similar to The Head and the Heart which can only be a good thing. I hope this helps you get through the week.
2012 is drawing to a close and all I can think about is how strange and amazing it all was. This was a year where Obama got re-elected, weed was legalized in Washington and “Gangnam Style” hit 1 BILLION views on Youtube. It’s no surprise then, that the music was just as surprising and fantastic. Rappers stood up against homophobia, west coast hip hop made a comeback, DJs became rockstars, festivals spread like wildfire and the lines between independent and mainstream music became blurry to even the hippest hipster.
It wasn’t easy picking the top 25 tracks. I had to choose whether I picked songs based on industry importance or artistic integrity or just pure catchiness. It would have been easy to simply copy choices off of other popular blog’s lists but that wouldn’t have been nearly as meaningful. In the end, I chose the tracks that stuck with me whether through a catchy hook or lyrics that inspired me. So without further ado, here are my Top 25 Tracks of 2012:
25. The Griswolds – Mississipi
This is one of those tracks that brings you back to the carefree summer mindset. Dreamy harmonies, pounding drums and an ample amount of pop sensibility make this a track that I can listen to time and time again.
24. Team Spirit – Teenage Love
This track is probably the catchiest garage rock I’ve heard in a long long time. It’s fast, perfectly poppy and makes the perfect soundtrack for starting an indie dance party or driving to the beach. God bless distortion.
23. Vacationer – Everyone Knows
Vacationer was THE summer band of the year. Every track brings to mind sunshine, sand and poolside lounging. This is no exception. It’s cold outside, let this warm you up.
22. Two Door Cinema Club – Sun
While much of Two Door Cinema Club’s sophomore album “Beacon” was more of the same, their second single “Sun” showed a more mature and refined band. Gone is the disco beat and instead we get a bouncy bass groove and punchy horn section. I definitely approve.
21. Said the Whale – Loveless
Their sophomore album Little Mountain wasn’t the stellar follow-up to Islands Disappear but BC rockers Said the Whale crafted one hell of a catchy pop-rock tune with “Loveless.” The perfect harmonies that we expect from them are all there and it just gets better after every listen. How could I love this song less, now that I know it more?
20. Zedd – Spectrum (ft. Matthew Koma)
2012 is the biggest year that electronic music has ever had and Anton Zaslavski aka Zedd, is the poster child for the revolution. Having crafted the best electronic album in recent memory and landing production credits with the likes of Justin Beiber, Zedd has shown himself to be a force of nature at only 23. Spectrum, his breakthrough hit, showcases his unique classical twist on the genre with spectacular vocals from Matthew Koma, intricate synth runs and a constantly changing style that keeps you guessing all the way until the end.
19. No Doubt – Push and Shove (ft. Busy Signal & Major Lazer)
First of all No Doubt is back. That should be enough to make this list but the dancehall vibes from Busy Signal, Diplo and friends give this radio hit a unique twist.
18. Deportees ft Lykke Li – A New Name to Go By
I don’t know what it is about this track but it’s become my go to track whenever I need to relax. During exams this was my best friend. Lykke Li’s whispy voice combined with the tropical flair of Deportees bring me into a state of mind where my only worry is when the song will end.
17. Branches – In the Morning
Branches are this year’s Head and the Heart with rousing vocal harmonies and folk instrumentation. This small treat of a song has everything you’d want from a folk piece. Stomping percussion, harmonicas, acoustic guitar and both male and female vocals. It baffles me how these guys aren’t more popular.
16. Jack White – Sixteen Saltines
I’ve always been a huge Jack White fan. Everything from The White Stripes to The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather is amazing but this is the first time that Jack White has had the spotlight all to himself. On Blunderbuss he had complete creative control and his musical genius was unasbashedly unleashed. I approve.
15. Carlie Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe (Ben Howard Cover)
There’s no doubt that Carlie Rae Jepsen’s Call Me Maybe is the catchiest song of the year. I was almost about to make the original part of this list but Ben Howard’s cover improves on the original in just about every way. It’s more brooding, real, and epic than the radio smash and the addition of cello makes pretty much song better. It’s a scientific fact (that’s a lie).
14. Japandroids – The House That Heaven Built
Epic is simply not enough to describe this song. Canadian duo Japandroids released one of my favorite records this year with Celebration Rock and this is the obvious highlight of the album. Thousands of Canadians everywhere chant to this everytime it plays on The Edge (which is all the time) and it’s hard for me not to feel a little bit patriotic whenever I hear the anthemic chorus.
13. The Royal Concept – Gimme Twice
Most people I show this song criticize it for being a complete Phoenix rip-off. Yes everything from the voice, to the synths, guitars and overal composition feel straight off of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix but that’s one of my very favorite albums and I’ll take whatever I can get! The song is catchy, danceable and brings me back to the time when I first fell in love with indie music.
12. The Neighbourhood – Sweater Weather
At first listen, Sweater Weather, is just another west coast love ballad but give it a couple more and you find more and more to love about it. From the crooning vocals dripping with raw emotion to the incredibly simple but powerful instrumentation the song showcases its brilliance. Oh, and the video’s not bad either.
11. Passion Pit – Love is Greed
Love is Greed is the summation of everything that makes their album Gossamer so damn brilliant. It’s bubbly and poppy at surface level but if you a little digging you find some seriously thought-provoking lyrics. The dark and pessimistic lyrics are contrasted by the “fairy-synths” and peppy background vocals. That’s the point. The irony is what makes the song what it is and why I love it so much.
10. The Shins – Simple Song
Hipsters everywhere rejoiced at the return of their beloved Shins. James Mercer and his new band definitely didn’t disappoint. I really don’t have much to say about this song. It’s pure indie-rock bliss with an uplifting refrain that gets me singing along every single time. The music video also compliments the song brilliantly and is the best one I’ve seen all year.
9. Kids These Days – Bud Biliken
Picking a single song off of my current favorite band Kids These Day‘s album was incredibly difficult. It was between this song, Talk 2 You, Doo-Wah and Who Do U Luv? but this song ultimately captured why I love this band so much. Vic Mensa murders every verse, the bass is loud and grungy, the band shots are right on point (Nico Segal’s trumpet is definitely a stand-out), and it features one of the most epic guitar solos I’ve heard this year. Plus it pays homage to Radiohead and that’s just badass. If you haven’t already download the album, you really have no excuse. It’s 100% free.
8. Martin Solveig – The Night Out (Madeon Remix)
There wasn’t a single song that made me ready to party this year more than Madeon’s remix of The Night Out. He took the already great original and reimagined it into an absolute masterpiece. It’s capable of being so many things at one time and Madeon pulls out all the stops with his mix of complextro and French House. Did I mention he’s only 18? Badass.
7. Spector – Chevy Thunder
Where the hell did this band come from? Seriously, a band can’t just come out of nowhere and release a song as awesome as this. It’s almost as if they sat down and said let’s come up with the best driving song we can. Listening to this song makes me want to jump in my car and ride 200 km/h down the countryside with the windows down. Yes, even in Winter.
6. Kendrick Lamar – Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe
Like Kids These Days, Frank Ocean and Macklemore it was really hard to pick just one song from the rap genius Kendrick Lamar. It was this song that stuck with me most though. This song is a shining example of his unparalleled lyricism, unorthodox flow and masterful production.
5. Nico Segal – Music Found Me
This track is the reason why I chose the name “Top 25 Tracks of 2012” and not “Top 25 Song of 2012.” Nico Segal is the trumpet player of Kids These Days and showcases his lyrical prowess in this moving spoken word piece from his EP illasoul: shades of blue. As a self-diagnosed music addict I can relate to every single word that Nico spits out in this piece that says everything I’ve always wanted to say. When people ask me why I can’t stop tapping along to songs are humming through the silence I just want them to hear this piece.
“Don’t ask me why I can’t stop singing to myself. Don’t ask me why my fingers never stop moving. Don’t ask me why sometimes I hear you but can’t listen.”
4. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Same Love (ft. Mary Lambert)
I can think of no single song from 2012 that had as much of an impact on me as Same Love. Macklemore made the move that no other hip hop musician ever thought to do: he challenged homophobia. He used his power as an artist to make a difference and I can’t respect him enough for it. On a side note: please share this video and spread the message that homophobia is not okay. Every little bit counts.
3. Frank Ocean – Forrest Gump
This was by far the hardest choice. If I didn’t make myself choose only 1 song per artist I would’ve had the top 5 be all Frank Ocean. Forrest Gump just hits me in all the right place. Frank Ocean’s beautiful voice and songwriting takes the forefront in my favorite song off of the masterpiece Channel Orange. Similar to Same Love, Frank Ocean’s admittance to bisexuality through this album raised the profile of the battle against homophobia. In this song among others, he refers to his first love who was a man he met at camp. Rarely do we hear someone sing this passionately about a same-sex partner. It doesn’t get much more real than that.
2. Arctic Monkeys – R U Mine?
This song has quickly turned into my favorite Arctic Monkeys song. That’s really saying something. They’re one of my all-time favorite bands and just as a I thought they may have peaked, they released this killer track. It takes all the best bits of each of their albums and combines them to create the definitive sound of the band. The boys from Sheffield have never sounded better.
1. Hoodie Allen – No Interruption
I know what you’re thinking. “How the HELL did Hoodie Allen beat out Frank Ocean, Kendrick and Macklemore?” I see where you’re coming from but when I looked at my iTunes this song had a whopping 80 plays. That’s a lot of plays. I almost needed an intervention that’s how addicted to this song I was. The hook is just too damn catchy and you’d be hard pressed to find more clever pop-culture references in one song. You can hate on me for this choice but I don’t regret it one bit.
It’s that time of year again. The time when you know Summer is coming but it’s not quite here. The sky is getting brighter, the grass is getting greener and life seems to be picking up after the dark winter. This is the time when we fall back in love with nature. We start to remember how much we love biking around town or tanning on the grass. The daily grind seems to fade away and time just starts to fly. This mixtape provides the perfect soundtrack for this time of year. This mixtape is for wearing flip flops and shorts for the first time in 4 months. It’s for blazing down the highway and blasting your favorite tunes with the windows down. It’s for having a cold beer with some friends in your backyard. It’s for looking up at the blue sky and realizing that everything will be alright. Enjoy.
I’m officially in love with this band. Bands like Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharp & The Magnetic Zeroes, Of Monsters and Men, The Head and the Heart and now Branches are really getting me into folk music. Call it hipster or whatever you want but there’s no denying a certain organic quality to their sound. In this age where everything is becoming more and more digital it’s refreshing to hear some good old guitars, harmonicas, and beautifully layered vocals. Unfortunately I couldn’t get a link for the actual recording of “In the Morning”. Instead I have this incredible live performance from the whole band. I really don’t think I have to write anything more about this, this is just fantastic music. Definitely support these guys, they deserve it.
Ben
camerondickey
Sean
Of Reckless Abandon 