My Favorite Albums from 2012- Top 5!

#5- Masked Intruder- Masked Intruder

The Music-

Back when I first picked up the Dan Vapid and the Cheats record, a good friend and I were discussing the finer points of that outstanding album, and agreed that the best song on it was “Girl Group.” We both thought that Vapid’s combining of a doo-wop song with pop-punk (although definitely not the first time it was done) was genius, and talked about how rad it would be if he had recorded a whole album with that idea in mind. A couple of months later I got an incredibly infectious album crammed full of exactly what we had been discussing. What was weird about it was that it didn’t come from any of the pop-punk mainstays that we were familiar with. Instead, this amazing record came from 4 unknown guys dressed up in ski masks pretending to be criminals. Its gimmicky as hell, for sure, but somehow they manage to pull it off simply because the songs are just that good. Lyrically, the band writes witty and humorous love songs about how difficult it can be to pursue the lady of your dreams when she is completely creeped out by your chosen profession. They take that admittedly bizarre-sounding concept and put it to a soundtrack of sugary pop-punk, rounding out the sound with some incredibly catchy doo-wop style backing harmonies. In fact, the thing that makes the record really stand apart for me are the vocals. The main vocalist, Intruder Blue, keeps on-key with a voice almost too pretty for punk, and the backing vocals are not only plentiful, but placed perfectly as well. All in all, Masked Intruder have made a record that is as cheesy as it is original, and my only fear is that I hope the gimmick won’t go stale on the albums that follow this fun and addictive first attempt.

The Vinyl-

Shortly after this album was released on CD and digital copy by Red Scare, the band was scooped up by Fat Wreck Chords, who have rightly decided that this album needs the vinyl treatment. I preordered this thing back in November, but apparently pressing plant delays are holding it up. It’s supposed to finally arrive somewhere around February 5^th. All I can say at this point is that Fat generally do a good job of releasing decent sounding, no-frills records for right around $12, making it really easy to want to buy a ton of albums in their impressive catalogue.

#4- Gallows- Gallows

The Music-

I was really bummed out when I found out that Alexisonfire were breaking up. It seemed to me that they were just getting really interesting, and I was excited to see where they might go next. Just before that occurred, I found out that Gallows infamous and outstanding frontman, Frank Carter, was leaving the band because of what he cited as a difference between him and the band as far as the musical direction each wanted to pursue. At the time, I assumed that Carter must have wanted to keep Gallows as vicious sounding as possible while the band wanted a more marketable direction. Soon after the Alexisonfire announcement it was made public that Gallows’ new singer was going to be Wade MacNeil, the sometimes singer and guitar player for Alexis. The idea intrigued me, but I thought there was no way that Wade could compete with Frank in terms of sheer intensity and showmanship, especially with this change in sound I was expecting. Frank was the face of Gallows, after all.

Eventually Gallows released an EP with Wade that made it quite clear that the difference in opinion over sound between Frank and the rest of the band played out exactly the opposite way from what I had imagined. Death is Birth is stripped down, dirty, and angry as hell. If anything, it was actually more intense than anything Gallows had done previously, but still didn’t quite measure up to their previous output.

Enter Gallows, the aptly named self-titled record from a band seeking to reinvent themselves while still maintaining the sound that they are known for. Its damn hard for people to think of your band as being the same when you change singers, and especially difficult when its someone as well-known as Frank. Gallows response to that was to write their most intense and focused work to date. Wade’s full hardcore growl sounds nothing like the British-accented guttural screams of Frank, but his voice works incredibly well with the style that Gallows are going for. The songs are denser than anything on Grey Britain, with a more universal outlook than on the England-centric concept album preceding it. The lyrics are as smart as they are vicious, and songs like “Outsider Art” and “Last June” make one think that Wade wrote these words as a challenge to anyone questioning his ability to front this band.

At the same time, everything that you have come to expect from Gallows musically is still present. One of the things I have always appreciated about Gallows’ sound was that even though they are a modern band to the core, they haven’t forgotten where hardcore came from. Their songs have an early ‘80s punk swagger to them that is sometimes lacking in newer hardcore bands, keeping it simple when it suits the song and lashing out with technical guitar and drum flourishes sparingly. As with other Gallows releases, I get the impression that we are only seeing brief flashes of the technical ability that lead guitar player Lags is actually capable of, but he uses that ability brilliantly to fit each song.

Gallows is a confident and furious statement from a band more than willing to rise to the occasion. Although the Carter era was certainly memorable in its own right, I can’t see any fan in their right mind being able to write off this refocused and rejuvenated triumph of an album.

The Vinyl-

I preordered this record with Verse’s newest album. The Gallows vinyl was delayed, so Bridge Nine sent me the Verse record by itself so that I wouldn’t have to wait to get it. Eventually I got an email from them stating that the Gallows album was ready to ship, but that unfortunately they had run out of the color that I wanted for the Verse record. I sent them an email back explaining that I had already received the Verse record, so all they had to send me was Gallows. Rather than sending me the color I had preordered, they sent me the most limited “Cross” variant (limited to 100 copies) of the album along with a handwritten note thanking me for my honesty regarding the Verse album. Sometimes being honest can really pay off. The record sounds pretty good. I wouldn’t say its fantastic, but Bridge Nine is definitely consistent as far as getting good quality vinyl at a pretty decent price. $13 for most LPs. They have also always treated me extremely fairly, so if you want to pick this up I would encourage buying directly from them.

#3- The Gaslight Anthem- Handwritten

The Music-

Gaslight have done it again. Their first three albums have always been in my top 5 records for the years they have come out, and this one is no exception. There aren’t any huge leaps in experimentation or changes in sound as far as this album goes. It’s extremely well-produced, and that can probably be attributed to the fact that this is their first album to be released on a major label. Luckily Mercury saw no reason to mess with a good thing, and so we get the same old Gaslight with all the production value you could possibly want. A good thing to know for those intending to buy this album is that there are several versions of this available digitally. There is an itunes exclusive bonus track, and also an expanded edition available through Amazon. I would highly recommend getting the extra songs from both. The deluxe edition contains two covers (one of a Tom Petty song and the other by Nirvana) and an original song called “Blue Dahlia.” Much like the bonus track “She Loves You” from the expanded edition of American Slang, “Blue Dahlia” is one of the best songs written during this recording session, making it well worth the additional cost. The itunes version contains an acoustic original entitled “Teenage Rebellion.”

If you haven’t heard The Gaslight Anthem, this album is probably a good introduction to their Springsteen and Petty-influenced style of accessible punk rock. For those who already know, chances are you will not be disappointed with this outstanding addition to the Gaslight Anthem canon.

The Vinyl-

I’m always leery of major label vinyl releases. They are often cheaply made, terrible sounding, and way overpriced. I can recall reading an interview with Brian Fallon, Gaslight’s frontman, where he stated that they had brought up the importance of continuing to release quality vinyl for all future albums with Mercury as part of their contract negotiations with the label. I’m glad they did, because this album sounds excellent. Its $15, and is pressed on 180 gram blue vinyl with a gatefold jacket. Nice package and well worth picking up.

#2- The Menzingers- On The Impossible Past

The Music-

This album is getting a whole lot of attention, and as far as I’m concerned, it is definitely well deserved. The Menzingers have had an evolution as a band that has been amazing to watch, putting out three outstanding records in the last 5 years, with each release being better than the one that came before. I honestly have no idea how they will ever top On the Impossible Past, but then again, I said the same thing about Chamberlain Waits.

Although this album has some fantastic songs that can easily stand on their own (“Gates,” “The Obituaries,”), I would say that the true brilliance of On the Impossible Past lies in the fact that it is so much more than the sum of its parts. As such, it’s a record that vinyl nerds will probably covet for years since the vinyl format is particularly geared toward the listening of a whole album. The lyrics on every song seem to follow a loose association with the theme of growing older and realizing that the past is gone, and some of the lines in this album are right up there with the most memorable lyrics from any band I’ve ever heard. As time goes on, I fully expect it to be one of those albums that inspires someone I know to get the lyrics tattooed on them.

When asked, I find it really difficult to describe The Menzingers sound. I wouldn’t necessarily say they are a pop-punk band, although those elements are certainly there. In fact, even though they are branded as a punk band, I’m not sure that they even really fit into that genre. As with most truly great bands, they have a sound that is instantly recognizable as theirs, but that is really hard to attach definitive labels to. So, I’ll just leave it like this: The Menzingers are one of the best rock bands to emerge in the last ten years, and if you haven’t done so already, you should rush to make their acquaintance.

The Vinyl-

As I mentioned in the music review, I think this album is a vinyl lover’s dream come true, which is why its incredibly frustrating to me that this is one of the worst sounding pieces of vinyl I own. The volume is incredibly low on this record, with a limited range and excessive pops and clicks. I kind of expect that with well-used records I have bought that came out 30 years ago, but this one was brand new when I got it. I should note, however, that I did get this on the blue variant limited to 500 that Epitaph was selling as a preorder in their webstore, so I can’t really speak from personal experience on how the black version or subsequent pressings may sound. I will say that it doesn’t require much searching on nerdy vinyl message boards to discover that lots of other people aren’t happy with their copies either though. Maybe try picking this up when it gets repressed.

#1- Propagandhi- Failed States

The Music-

While compiling this list, there were several really excellent albums that I was sure would make it into the Top 10 that didn’t even end up on the list at all. Albums like Baroness’ Yellow and Green and Teenage Bottlerocket’s Freak Out! seemed like no-brainers at the time that I heard them, and the fact that they didn’t make the Top 20 still kind of bugs me. (Those are both praiseworthy albums you should make an effort to hear, by the way.) Some others, like Converge and Gojira, continued to sound better with each listen, prompting me to move them up the list. Through all of these adjustments, Failed States remained firmly planted as my absolute favorite album of the year.

Propagandhi are a band who have always gotten considerable praise for their releases. Even when making fairly large stylistic jumps (the biggest being between Less Talk, More Rock and Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes) they have always managed to impress and to continue to expand their fanbase. They never write the same album twice, and the sound they have been tweaking for the last three albums has only gotten tighter and more focused with each release.

With Failed States, Propagandhi have continued this evolution to a place even farther on the outskirts of punk rock than their sound had been before. The thrash metal and progressive rock influences that were always present have been pushed more to the forefront, making this album their most technical and diverse work to date. Every musician in this band seems to have stepped it up on this release, which is kind of an amazing feat for a band that has been around for more than twenty years. Each song seems to have been pain-stakingly constructed to ensure that just the proper amount of face-melting and jaw-dropping technicality is achieved, all while being insanely melodic and thought-provoking. There is not one song on this whole album I would consider skipping, and that goes for Todd’s denser and heavier numbers as well as Chris’ melodically brighter and more technical arrangements.

I knew after the first couple of listens that this record was definitely a contender, but it wasn’t until I was urged by a friend to sit down and read the lyrics while listening that I knew it was going to be one of my favorite records ever. This band writes some of the most scathing and intellectually savvy lyrics out there, taking aim at social conventions and taking stands on political issues in nearly every song. That has always been something that Propagandhi has been known for. On this record many of the songs sound more mature and reflective than in the past though, and when this is combined with their trademark intellectualism it can make for songs that are some of the most beautifully descriptive and highly enlightening that I have ever heard.

With Failed States, Propagandhi has released the crown jewel of their already impressive career. It’s the best they have ever been, and that’s something a band that’s been around this long should be incredibly proud of. Also, if you combine Failed States with the output of the two impressive albums preceding it, it becomes easy to make the argument that Propagandhi are THE best punk band currently operating.

The Vinyl-

Like the Menzingers and John K. Samson, this is another Epitaph release that made this list, but luckily this pressing has none of the issues that the Menzingers has. There were several pressing delays associated with this album, and the emails that I got from Epitaph apologizing for the delays stated that the label and the band kept rejecting test presses because they didn’t sound good enough. Maybe Epitaph learned their lesson from the Menzingers release earlier in the year? No way to know for sure, but I am extremely glad they took the time to get it right for this one. The version I got is on standard weight blue vinyl, which was the limited color for American shoppers (orange for Canadians.) It’s got a standard jacket with really rad artwork and a full-color inner sleeve with the lyrics printed on it. Overall, an excellent sounding and solid vinyl release for $15.

My Favorite Albums from 2012- #10 to #6

#10- Converge- All We Love We Leave Behind

The Music-

This album has continued to climb this list right up to the last day of 2012. In fact, I have to wonder where it would have ended up had I allowed myself to do any more revisions past the end of the year. It’s just that damn good. Converge have always been a band that I have struggled to understand, especially when it comes to the material from Jane Doe on. I’ve always thought they were creative and innovative in their sound, but I had more or less come to the conclusion that I needed a musician’s ability to count measures and discern what I heard as audio chaos to really “get” them. It was with that frame of mind that I was told a couple of years ago to listen to Axe to Fall. The recommendation came from a good friend whose taste I tend to agree with, and so I grudgingly told him I would give it a shot. I played the album 3 times over a couple of days, and pretty soon it was absolutely dominating my iPod. Why had the other albums not clicked for me like this? Certainly the sound had been tweaked a bit, but the same elements I had heard on albums like No Heroes and Jane Doe were still in play. The sound had changed just enough to enter the realm of accessibility for me.

So, Axe to Fall was just accessible enough for my ears to catch on, and All We Love We Leave Behind continues on that same path to an even greater degree. One of the things that impresses me so much about the album is the level of diversity displayed in the sound. The super fast, technical intensity that has become Converge’s trademark is still there in spades, but they have managed to balance the record out with slower, more experimental moments like on “Coral Blue” and “Glacial Pace,” showcasing that their musical literacy goes well beyond metallic hardcore. Another tactic that works incredibly well on AWLWLB is the diversity in vocal patterns used by Bannon, alternating between his usual abrasive growling (or wounded pterodactyl screeching- thanks Matt!) and something more akin to actual singing. The dynamic is wonderful, and he knows just when to use them to the fullest effect (“Aimless Arrow”). Lyrically, this record stands head and shoulders above most hardcore records in its ability to be as literate as it is heartfelt. Although the individual songs on this record can stand easily on their own, I truly believe that this album was meant to be heard as a whole. The alternating intensity and brilliant songwriting shine through best that way. Converge fans already know how good this is, but believe me when I say that those that were not fans prior to this need to give it a shot. This record just might surprise you.

The Vinyl-

If you love this album and have a turntable, there is really no excuse for not picking this up. It sounds excellent, is a fairly priced double LP through Deathwish or Epitaph at $20, and the vinyl has three extra tracks from the On My Shield Ep that the CD does not have. I ordered from Deathwish and ended up with a red copy, which I’m assuming is the least rare variant since I preordered so late. It has a gatefold jacket, printed lyric insert, and heavier than standard weight vinyl. The preorder was delayed for FOR-EV-ER because of pressing plant delays associated with the Beatles vinyl boxset released last year, but it should be readily available for retail sale by now. Get this, and be stoked you did.

#9- Hot Water Music- Exister

The Music-

Those of you who know me well know that I’m kind of a fanatic for this band. I’m willing to fly wherever I need to in the western United States to see them, and they are one of only a handful of bands whose entire discography I own on vinyl. So, needless to say, I was a bit excited and nervous for this release. Hot Water hadn’t released a proper album in 8 years when Exister came out, but every band member had certainly been prolific on their own during that timeframe. Chuck had managed to build an amazing career in a short time as a solo acoustic artist. Chris had released several albums, including The Draft with the rest of the Hot Water guys minus Chuck, and more recently Chris Wollard and the Ship Thieves. Jason has been playing in Senses Fail and George played in Against Me! for an album. So, with all of these different influences coalescing in what would be a new Hot Water Music album, I wondered what it would sound like.

The resulting album is by far the most polished and diverse sounding record of Hot Water Music’s career. Some may take that statement as a very negative appraisal, but I mean it in the most praiseworthy way possible. The influences of the Ship Thieves 90’s-era alt rock are present, and so is the bluegrass and country-tinged songwriting of Chuck’s recent work. Yet, beyond these new influences, the album still sounds like Hot Water Music. It’s rollicking, heartfelt, and full of big choruses meant to be screamed along to. There are a couple of duds on this album, but for the most part the band have lost none of the intensity that makes them special while still growing as songwriters. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the old albums, but I don’t want to hear them rewritten. Hot Water Music are moving forward, and we should all do the same. Oh yeah, and they have a new video out. If this song doesn’t make you a convert, you are lost forever.-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPVNKIqy_cw

The Vinyl-

This album sounds pretty good. The packaging is really nice, but I don’t feel that the vinyl sounds as good as the digital copy I have of this. It’s not terrible by any means, it’s just not as loud or with the range that I feel like it should have. Rise Records released this, and in my experience they do a good job with their vinyl packages, but are sometimes a little overpriced. I got the milky clear with swamp green limited to 500, and I believe that was the Interpunk exclusive color. I can’t speak for what the other colors may sound like, but I have heard from others that they didn’t feel the record sounded as good as it should either.

#8- Stick To Your Guns- Diamond

The Music-

I’m a sucker for positive hardcore. There’s something about the intensity and heaviness of hardcore combined with uplifting lyrical themes that really does it for me, and this album perfectly exemplifies what I love about that style of music. The last time that I saw the band live, the opening band made the statement that Stick To Your Guns were “the real deal…a fully-functioning intellectual hardcore band.” I think that description describes the band, and this album, perfectly. Diamond takes the listener on a journey through sometimes painful, but always enlightening self-actualization. The lyrics drive home the realization that one’s actions and feelings are solely under their own control (“my only enemy is me…” from ‘Such Pain’) and they encourage the recognition of one’s own self-worth (“I am forever more than just surviving, this is my life and this life is my diamond…” from ‘D (I AM) OND’). In all honesty, this was the hardcore album I needed at the age of 16 when I was struggling to understand the weight of my own actions and just learning to trust my own judgment. Musically, there are a couple of slight shifts in sound that may turn off some fans of hardcore. Stick To Your Guns have always have a certain melodic element that they have weaved into some of their songs. Clean vocal melodies and catchy pop nuances creep to the forefront even more on this album, but I think that helps to keep their sound fresh. Sometimes after 3 or 4 albums, a hardcore band can begin to sound stale doing the same old thing. There is one song that is absolutely a straight-up pop punk tune in the vein of New Found Glory or Four Year Strong, but they execute it so well that it is hard to find any fault with it’s inclusion on the album. It such a weird thing to say about a hardcore album, but I think if I was a parent I would buy this album for my teenager (but maybe not let them know I approved of it!). It’s a worthwhile and empowering exercise in existentialism.

The Vinyl-

This record was not cheap. I think I paid somewhere near $22 dollars for it. That’s kind of absurd when considering that it is a single LP. I loved the album, so to me it was worth owning on vinyl. The vinyl itself sounds good, but there are no extra packaging flourishes or special touches that would drive the price up. It’s a gatefold package with a lyric sheet inside. Clear vinyl. Nice package, but spendy.

#7- Gojira- L’Enfant Sauvage

The Music-

This French metal band has been around for a bit, but for some reason hasn’t really caught on in the U.S. the way they have in the rest of the world. The United States ignores good music from other countries??!! What the hell??! Shocker, I know. Anyway, this is another one of those bands that has more or less gotten better with each release, and although I’m not quite sure this one quite lives up to the monster that is From Mars to Sirius, it is definitely my favorite metal album of the year overall. Gojira play a style of metal akin to bands like Lamb of God, Meshuggah or Mastodon in their heavier moments, utilizing insanely fast double bass drums and death metal influenced riffing. What makes Gojira stand out among extreme metal bands is their ability to craft songs that are heavy yet insanely melodic, with experimental moments sprinkled throughout. Lyrically they stand apart as well, choosing to focus on subjects such as ecology and self-improvement. The result is something truly beautiful and original. Although they will probably never be played on the radio, they have ensured with this album that they will continue to have a loyal fanbase. Who knows, they may even gain some more American notoriety in the process.

The Vinyl-

Another import record. I paid about $32 to get this, and it was worth it because I love the album so much. Its got a gatefold jacket, lyrics on 2 full-color inner sleeves, and 2 gorgeous-sounding 180 gram slabs of wax. Awesome package.

#6- Joyce Manor- Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired

The Music-

I have read reviews where people refuse to include this on their end of the year lists because they claim it is not a full-length LP. Quite honestly, those nerds are absolutely right. This “album” is 13 minutes long. Granted, there are 9 songs, but most of them don’t even come close to hitting 2 minutes. Despite this obvious flaw, I’ve found a way to look past that and include it as my 6^th favorite album of the year. How do I accomplish this? I listen to this extremely short, incredibly catchy and inventive pop-punk album twice each time I put it on the turntable. Yeah, it’s pretty much cheating, but well-worth listening to twice. These guys sound like the descendants of Jawbreaker, with a little Pavement and 90’s Sub-Pop thrown in the mix. The recording is rough and the songs are as catchy as it gets. It’s an album well worth cheating for.

The Vinyl-

Asian Man records had a good year. This is another quality release by them, priced cheaply and sounding as it should. I ended up with blue vinyl, which was limited to 500 copies. Not by far the rarest variant, but I dig it. Pick this up and support a fantastic label.

My Favorite Albums from 2012- #15 to #11

#15- The Sword- Apocryphon

The Music-

Let’s be honest, any new album by The Sword was probably in the running to make this list. I love every one of their albums, and the fact that Apocryphon is probably their most focused and cohesive offering yet should have sealed the deal easily. As you can see, they’re right in there at #15, but the choice was far from easy. The fact that this record ended up being included over a lot of other excellent albums is a testament to how good Apocryphon is. They have taken their riff-heavy Black Sabbath style metal to new and epic levels on this one. The formula really hasn’t changed much since their debut album (Age of Winters), but they have perfected their execution of it. The band sounds tighter, the vocal melodies and riffs are at their most catchy, and the subject matter is as epic as the end of the world. All of the things that made me love The Sword are present, but to a greater degree. What more could you possibly want?

The Vinyl-
 

This might be the nicest overall vinyl package I bought this year. Being a fan of punk rock sometimes means that the vinyl releases I get, although often on rad colors, are pretty much no-frills packages designed to appeal to punkers on a budget. I’m a big fan of paying less for records, but sometimes its nice to be able to splurge, and a big, epic sounding rock album like Apocryphon deserves an epic presentation. I opted for the more standard “Orange Lava” vinyl over the glow-in-the-dark, mostly because I’ve heard how terrible those things sound. Orange Lava sounds great though, and the album comes with a beautifully printed gatefold jacket and full color inner sleeve with more artwork. The record itself is over standard weight at 135 grams. Really nice package, but it’s going to cost you a bit more. I think I paid something like $23 for it. An album this epic requires an epic presentation. Feel free to splurge.

#14- Hotel Chelsea- El Pee

The Music-

Hotel Chelsea holds a special place in my heart. Since they’re a local band, I’ve gotten the chance to watch this thing they are doing evolve and change over the last couple of years. In fact, El Pee serves as a kind of musical chronicle of this evolution. As with a lot of band’s debut albums, the songs on El Pee were written over a long period of time, through line-up changes and semi-break-ups and every other damn thing a band could possibly go through. This mix of old and new songs actually serves to give the album a good amount of diversity, something that is sometimes hard to achieve in the pop-punk genre. The older tunes tend to be straight-forward, snotty affairs with instantly memorable choruses. These are the ones you will see fans drunkenly singing along to at any given Chelsea show. If the album just consisted of those, I would be pretty satisfied. Where things really start getting interesting though is on the newer songs where the band are beginning to branch out into a sound all their own. Newer songs like “Milo Goes to Hawaii,” “Getting’ Schizophrenic,” and especially “I Wouldn’t Give You the Steam From My Piss” feature more complex guitar leads and dual vocals that have me really stoked to see where they go with their next release. Hotel Chelsea especially shine in their ability to write witty, quotable lyrics that can be as funny as they are inflammatory, something that should serve to differentiate them from the rest of the pop-punkers out there.

The Vinyl-

This is actually the only album on this list that was never pressed on vinyl. It’s a bummer, but understandable since they are a band just starting out. Vinyl ain’t cheap to press.

#13- Dan Vapid and the Cheats- Dan Vapid and the Cheats

The Music-

I didn’t see this album show up on one “Best Of” list this year. I’m completely floored by this, but at the same time I suppose it is to be expected. For whatever reason, Dan Vapid’s projects are always criminally underrated. From The Riverdales to The Methadones, the guy just never seems to get the credit he really deserves for writing insanely catchy power pop songs. Oh well, at least some of us know what’s up, and it certainly doesn’t seem to be getting the guy down considering that this album is absolutely packed with fun and punky sing-alongs. He even delves into a little doo-wop on “Girl Group,” with pretty outstanding results. Pick this thing up and find yourself belting out “Devo on Speed” while cruising down the freeway. You deserve to have this much fun.

The Vinyl-

I was really fortunate to be able to score one of the “splatter” editions of this album when the vinyl went up for preorder on The Cheats bandcamp page. It’s a rad color, and the vinyl production sounds pretty good too. Not out of this world good, but its enjoyable to listen to. It was $13 bucks with the digital download, making it well worth your money.

#12- Classics of Love- Classics of Love

The Music 

Imagine for a second what it would sound like if Operation Ivy had really loved Discharge and Black Flag while still digging that ska sound that made them legendary. Sounds like an outstanding combination, doesn’t it? Luckily, you don’t have to imagine it, because Jesse Michaels and the dudes from Hard Girls got together and wrote an album that seemed to have just that in mind. The results are an in-your-face, politically conscious, and rollicking record worthy of the legendary status of its front man. Jesse hasn’t sounded this good since Op Ivy, and although its nice to see such a rad album from a rad frontman, the record doesn’t really need that pedigree to stand on its own two feet. Now I just need to see them live…

The Vinyl-

The fantastic Asian Man records released this one, and true to form, I feel like I got a great deal on a great record. $11 on limited red vinyl (I tried to find the pressing numbers for the red, but couldn’t seem to locate them.) The record sounds pretty damn good. Good volume, good presentation. Support this band and support this label. They’re some of the good ones.

#11- Jack White- Blunderbuss

The Music-

Remember when I said that Japandroids was an album that SPIN and I could agree on? Well, I guess this is the one Rolling Stone and I agree on. I’m a big White Stripes fan, and so anything that Jack White has released has pretty much been gold to me. The Raconteurs had always served me pretty well for getting that whole “What would Jack sound like with more instrumentation available beyond the somewhat limiting format of White Stripes?” thing covered. That being said, this record is better than anything else he’s ever done. I feel like that question of what he could do with any musical resource at his disposal and the ability to follow whatever whim took his fancy has been fully realized with this album. It’s still Jack and that blues guitar sound, but he delves into a greater range of styles and with greater focused instrumentation than ever before. I absolutely love the piano parts on this album. There’s soul, gospel, and rhythm and blues for days on this record. Believe the hype and pick this thing up.

The Vinyl-

Third Man records, Jack White’s label released this thing. It’s got a big, thick gatefold jacket, heavy 180 gram vinyl, and absolutely fantastic vinyl mastering. It sounds so good. As with other Third Man releases, expect to pay at least $20 for this. Sometimes that quality is worth it though. Personally, I appreciate what I get from them for the added cost.