90's ska and decades of dopey cliches ruined reggae for me. But I fell hard for the artform in 2012, thanks to actual people I respected reminding me what I was missing: its history rooted in doo-wop and R&B, plus the depth of songwriting within the rhythms. Produced free of modern nonsense by Tim Armstrong (of Rancid), this album is warm and authentic. Jimmy Cliff is a legend of Jamaican music, the star of The Harder They Come, and responsible for the classics "Many Rivers to Cross" and "You Can Get It If You Really Want." Fuck what ya heard: Believe.
Favorite track: "Reggae Music"
Oakland's Boots Riley hasn't released a Coup LP in 6 years, but the space between has lead to one hell of an album. Forward-thinking and weird compared to traditional hip-hop (whatever that means), this thing is a politically-charged mindfuck. Occupy!
Favorite track: "WAVIP (ft. Killer Mike & Das Racist)"
Kaoru Ishibashi has an angelic voice, a head for pop jams, and violinists' fingers. Goddammit I love pop when it's done well. Kishi Bashi has toured as a member of Of Montreal and Sondre Lerche's band, but I love this album more than any of those dudes. Comparisons to Andrew Bird are apt, but maybe miss the point; replace Bird's rootsiness with uncloying twee and you're closer to the mark. "I haven't felt this alive in a long time."
Favorite track: "Manchester"
Grandaddy was one of the great indie-rock bands of the millennial era, and I adore(d) their first two albums. Lytle dismantled the project when the pressure became too great, and he lit out for Montana's pristine wilderness. His 2nd solo LP is awash in progged-out synths and familiar explorations of the collision between nature and technology. However there are more emotionally direct lyrics than we've heard from him before, a change which reveals a man who is perhaps more at ease with himself. It sounds great.
Favorite track: "Somewhere There's a Someone"
Ferociously heavy noise punk from Toronto that appears to borrow from Chicago's (and yeah, Seattle's) 90s output. I always feel tough listening this totally fucking brutal uncomplicated record. Nuthin more to say.
Favorite track: "Knife in the Water"
A man with nothing to lose anymore, Nas is free to drop his best album years. His flow is greasy, the images he calls up are vivid, and above all his massive heart shines through. The sounds and samples are basic, classic, unfettered by modern R&B excess. "Trapped in 90s," indeed.. This album almost -- maybe should have -- made my Top 10.
Favorite track: "The Don"
For me this is Pinback's most realized album in a decade. The circular chord progressions and smoothly blended vocals are familiar, yet the execution feels strong, with great dynamics and subtle grooves. Plus, they win the award for best album art of 2012. Pinback gives me hope that if I wanted to move to San Diego, maybe it wouldn't be so bad.
Favorite track: "Glide"
On their 4th LP, the quartet is a trio again, and the change has brought greater focus to a band whose members are loaded with chops from years in the game. Simultaneously punchy, pissed, and catchy as hell, this is their best album thus far, with biting, witty lyrics and tons o' riffage! Hopefully they can forgive me for missing their last stopover in Chicago, their favorite city.
Favorite track: "(My Baby's Got the) Black Lung"
Yeah they're being inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame, yeah Flavor Flav is a reality tv embarrassment, and yeah their 2nd LP literally changed my life. But since these guys are regarded as relics, their bulldozing latest work got slept on. Still musically unorthodox, the bone-dry rumbling sonic foundations sound as fresh as ever, while the world is possibly more fucked up than ever, helping Chuck D sound more fierce and wise than ever. Don't fuck this up.
Favorite track: "I Shall Not Be Moved"
I may actually be more a fan of Third Man Records than the seventh son himself, but his skill on the guitar is unfuckwithable. A craftsman of his roots influences, the main surprise on his solo debut is that he's got such a deep songwriting well after quite a few years in the public eye. It is his mastery of aesthetics that truly knocks me over. Tiny teeth.
Favorite track: "Take Me With You When You Go"
