The Popblerd Halftime Show: Greg’s Best of 2012 So Far

When 2012 commenced, I was unemployed, living with my parents and wondering how I was going to salvage anything out of this modern cesspit. Two jobs, three-hundred Netflix hours and sixty albums later, I’m more or less wondering the exact same thing. For the recent college graduates in attendance, who have stumbled onto this piece via the murkiest regions of the internet, let me be the first to say: congratulations on your hard work and achievements—I’ll see you in the breadline.

Well, I guess it hasn’t been all bad. There’s a new Batman movie on the way, the revised ending(s) to Mass Effect 3 didn’t completely suck, and more often than not, the music’s been pretty awesome. I try to approach music the same way Anthony Bourdain approaches food and outside cultures—with a restless desire to try everything. Or least every other thing. Like John Peel with ten percent more dick jokes. I thought about doing a small write-up for each album, but decided against it. Several of these choices will be making repeat appearances on the inevitable “End of the Year” list, and it’s not like anybody really gives a shit about the album descriptions, especially at this time of the year. That’s why Spin can get away with small atrocities like this—ugh, it’s like watching mediocrity choke on its own vomit.

Honestly, I’m already second-guessing some of these choices: Burial should’ve been several spots higher, Torche and Burning Love should’ve been here period—but fuck it. It’s done for now.

Anyway, these are my favorite releases of 2012 thus far:

• 25.) Burial – Kindred
• 24.) The Tallest Man on Earth – There’s No Leaving Now
• 23.) Mount Eerie – Clear Moon
• 22.) Glen Hansard – Rhythm and Repose
• 21.) Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory
• 20.) Black Breath – Sentenced to Life
• 19.) Loma Prieta – I.V.
• 18.) Heems – Nehru Jackets
• 17.) Sigur Rós – Valtari
• 16.) BADBADNOTGOOD – BBNG2
• 15.) Richard Hawley – Standing at the Sky’s Edge
• 14.) Future of the Left – The Plot Against Common Sense
• 13.) THEESatisfaction – awE naturalE
• 12.) The Mark Lanegan Band – Blues Funeral
• 11.) Death Grips – The Money Store
• 10.) Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do
• 9.) O.C. & Apollo Brown – Trophies
• 8.) Sonnymoon – Sonnymoon
• 7.) The Twilight Sad – No One Can Ever Know
• 6.) Oddisee – People Hear What They See
• 5.) Killer Mike – R.A.P. Music
• 4.) High On Fire – De Vermis Mysteriis
• 3.) Lambchop – Mr. M
• 2.) El-P – Cancer 4 Cure
• 1.) Ghost Mice – All We Got Is Each Other

Top five “classic” albums I listened to for the first time this year:

• 1.) Can – Tago Mago (1971)
• 2.) Scott Walker – Scott 4 (1969)
• 3.) Minutemen – Double Nickels on the Dime (1984)
• 4.) The Microphones – The Glow Pt. 2 (2001)
• 5.) Hüsker Dü – Zen Arcade (1984)

Stuff I’m looking forward to in the coming months:

• Brother Ali – Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color (8/21)
• Converge – All We Love We Leave Behind (9/11)
• Frank Ocean – Channel Orange (7/17)
• Aesop Rock – Skelethon (7/10)
• Baroness – Yellow & Green (7/17)
• P.O.S. – We Don’t Even Live Here (9/18)
• Nas – Life is Good (7/17)
• Bloc Party – Four (8/21)
• Dark Time Sunshine – ANX (7/24)
• Bat for Lashes – The Haunted Man (10/15)