[MorbidToaster]

Making Mirrors was the most disappointing album I bought all year. I just couldn't get into it at all. Most of the songs reminded me of Panic! at the Disco... 

 

[JackeShan]

I would have to say [size=12.222222328186035px]Beyond the Bridge - The Old Man and the Spirit[/size]

 

[moriez]

Ego - must - eat..
..so here's my list of clear standouts this year:
 
 
Blondes - Blondes
d'Eon - LP
Discoverer - Tunnels
Wild Nothing - Nocturne (#1!!!)
Matthew Halsall - Fletcher Moss Park
 
 
Must mention:
 
Bonobo - Black Sands Remixed
Carter Tutti Void - Transverse
cv313 - Beyond The Clouds [Reprised]
Jimmy Edgar - Majenta
Isnaj Dui - Abstracts On Solitude
 

 

[loganro]

For those saying Frank Ocean.  Have you guys listened to the Weeknd? IMHO, the Weeknd is much better.

 

[wrathzombie]

Krallice - Years Past Matter

 

[thehogester]

For those saying Frank Ocean.  Have you guys listened to the Weeknd? IMHO, the Weeknd is much better.

Trilogy is a great album! Definitely a contender!

 

[metalsonata]

I like the Weeknd, but it's so one-note. Sex, drugs, cruelty, depression. It's well-done, but I find listening to the entire Trilogy in one setting to be an exhausting and somewhat depressing experience. I'd take Frank Ocean almost any day over it. 
Quote:

For those saying Frank Ocean.  Have you guys listened to the Weeknd? IMHO, the Weeknd is much better.

 

[Curly21029]

...done!  This limiting to 50 thing just feels right. 

 
*For any albums that were released in multiple versions, assume that I'm citing the standard edition. (i.e. no bonus track/remix nonsense)*
 
 
50. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel...
49. Dark Time Sunshine - ANX
48. Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas
47. Terry Malts - Killing Time
46. Why? - Mumps, Etc.
45. Jherek Bischoff - Composed
44. Death Grips - The Money Store
43. Anoice - The Black Rain
42. BADBADNOTGOOD - BBNG2
41. Andrzej Korzyński - Possession (*recorded in 1980, full release in 2012*)
40. Hot Chip - In Our Heads
39. Murder by Death - Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon
38. Hidden Orchestra - Archipelago
37. Pig Destroyer - Book Burner
36. Radiation City - Cool Nightmare
35. Motorpsycho and Ståle Storløkken - The Death Defying Unicorn
34. Shugo Tokumaru - In Focus? (*Japan-exclusive until January*)
33. Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music
32. My Education - A Drink for All My Friends
31. Liars - WIXIW
30. A Place to Bury Strangers - Onwards to the Wall
29. JJ DOOM - Key to the Kuffs
28. Valgeir Sigurðsson - Architecture of Loss
27. Caspian - Waking Season
26. Ty Segall - Twins
25. A Taut Line - 2776 Digital Hi-Vision
24. té - ゆえに、密度の幻想は綻び、蹌踉めく世界は明日を『忘却』す。(*I could never find a completely reliable translation...*)
23. The Raveonettes - Into the Night
22. Swans - The Seer
21. Monster Rally & RUMTUM - MR&RT
20. Memotone - I Sleep. At Waking
19. Pepe Deluxé - Queen of the Wave
18. Balmorhea - Stranger
17. Chairlift - Something
16. AU - Both Lights
15. P.O.S - We Don't Even Live Here
14. Sigur Rós - Valtari
13. Grizzly Bear - Shields
12. Hilary Hahn & Hauschka - Silfra
11. Clark - Iradelphic
 
10. Ty Segall Band - Slaughterhouse
 9. Lilacs & Champagne - Lilacs & Champagne
 8. Kishi Bashi - 151a
 7. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
 6. Matthew Dear - Beams
 5. Efterklang - Piramida
 4. Susanne Sundfør - The Silicone Veil
 3. Jonathan Boulet - We Keep the Beat, Found the Sound, See the Need, Start the Heart
 2. Last Holidays (Последние Каникулы) - Camomile (Ромашка)
 1. Hanne Hukkelberg - Featherbrain

 

[Carlsan]

Quote:

Number 50 to 1 : http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/9015-the-top-100-tracks-of-2012/6/
 
Sorry, those are tracks not albums.

Full list:
1. Grimes, "Oblivion"
2. Frank Ocean, "Pyramids"
3. Usher, "Climax"
4. Kendrick Lamar, "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe"
5. Japandroids, "The House That Heaven Built"
6. Bat For Lashes, "Laura"
7. Tame Impala, "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards"
8. Beach House, "Myth"
9. Fiona Apple, "Werewolf"
10. Jai Paul, "Jasmine"
11. Frank Ocean, "Thinking Bout You"
12. Miguel, "Adorn"
13. Chromatics, "Kill for Love"
14. M.I.A., "Bad Girls"
15. Andy Stott, "Numb"
16. Solange, "Losing You"
17. Chairlift, "I Belong in Your Arms"
18. Nicki Minaj, "Beez in the Trap" [ft. 2 Chainz]
19. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, "Only in My Dreams"
20. Kendrick Lamar, "Swimming Pools (Drank)"
21. Jessie Ware, "Wildest Moments"
22. Death Grips, "I've Seen Footage"
23. Dirty Projectors, "Dance for You"
24. Chief Keef, "I Don't Like"[ft. Lil Reese]
25. Grimes, "Genesis"
26. TNGHT, "Higher Ground"
27. Grizzly Bear, "Yet Again"
28. Cat Power, "Nothin But Time"
29. Carly Rae Jepsen, "Call Me Maybe"
30. Kanye West, "Mercy" [ft. Big Sean, Pusha T, and 2 Chainz]
31. Frank Ocean, "Bad Religion"
32. Sky Ferreira, "Everything Is Embarrassing"
33. Danny Brown, "Grown Up"
34. Cloud Nothings, "Stay Useless"
35. Fiona Apple, "Every Single Night"
36. Todd Terje, "Inspector Norse"
37. Killer Mike, "Reagan"
38. Hot Chip, "Flutes"
39. Schoolboy Q, "Hands on the Wheel" [ft. A$AP Rocky]
40. The Men, "Open Your Heart"
41. El-P, "The Full Retard"
42. Gunplay, "Jump Out"
43. Dum Dum Girls, "Lord Knows"
44. AlunaGeorge, "You Know You Like It"
45. Spiritualized, "Hey Jane"
46. Ty Segall Band, "I Bought My Eyes"
47. Grizzly Bear, "Sleeping Ute"
48. Burial/Four Tet, "Nova"
49. Future, "Turn on the Lights"
50. Icona Pop, "I Love It"
51. Kendrick Lamar, "Backstreet Freestyle"
52. Sharon Van Etten, "Serpents"
53. Rhye, "The Fall"
54. Savages, "Husbands"
55. Miguel, "Do You..."
56. Peaking Lights, "Beautiful Son"
57. Killer Mike, "Big Beast" [ft. Bun B, T.I., and Trouble]
58. Purity Ring, "Fineshrine"
59. Mac DeMarco, "Ode to Viceroy"
60. Anna Meredith, "Nautilus"
61. Jessie Ware, "110%"
62. Philip Glass, "73-78 (Beck Remix)"
63. Passion Pit, "Constant Conversations"
64. Julia Holter, "In the Same Room"
65. Metz, "Wet Blanket"
66. Rick Ross, "Stay Schemin'" [ft. Drake and French Montana]
67. DIIV, "How Long Have You Known"
68. TNGHT, "Goooo"
69. Le1f, "Wut"
70. Four Tet, "Pyramids"
71. Thee Oh Sees, "Lupine Dominus"
72. John Talabot, "Destiny" [ft. Pional]
73. Juicy J, "Bands A Make Her Dance (Remix)" [ft. Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz]
74. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, "Baby"
75. Angel Haze, "Werkin' Girls"
76. Blawan, "Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage"
77. The xx, "Angels"
78. King Tuff, "Bad Thing"
79. Rich Kidz, "My Life" [ft. Waka Flocka Flame]
80. Baauer, "Harlem Shake"
81. Liars, "No 1 Against the Rush"
82. Schoolboy Q, "There He Go"
83. How to Dress Well, "Cold Nites"
84. Lower Dens, "Brains"
85. Major Lazer, "Get Free"
86. Chief Keef, "Love Sosa"
87. Lotus Plaza, "Monoliths"
88. A$AP Rocky, "Goldie"
89. Jeremih, "773 Love"
90. Daphni, "Yes I Know"
91. Antony & the Johnsons, "Cut the World"
92. King Louie, "Val Venis"
93. Cassie, "King of Hearts (Richard X Remix Edit)"
94. Saint Etienne, "Tonight"
95. R. Kelly, "Share My Love"
96. Merchandise, "Time"
97. Twin Shadow, "Golden Light"
98. Odd Future, "Oldie"
99. Blur, "Under the Westway"
100. Swearin', "Just"

 

[Carlsan]

There are some real gems on that list, but also some dogs, imho.
 
I do like that Grimes track but not for best or the year. Beach House  "Myth", on the other hand...

 

[Curly21029]

Quote:

There are some real gems on that list, but also some dogs, imho.

 
When it comes to P4k, it's always "hip to be square."
 
Attempting to appreciate individual songs/singles is something that I made a genuine effort to do earlier this year.  I made a return to Pandora after a several year hiatus, checked out recommended stuff on YouTube/Vimeo, and even engaged shuffle options on my digital players.  After about a month of finding the experience "blah" with nothing to show for it but a few moments of previously lost nostalgia, I declared the experiment a failure.  Conclusion: I'm an album listener through-and-through.  There are very few "collage-style" releases (i.e. ones in which the track arrangement as presented carries no discernible significance; alt. absent of overarching theming) that I can appreciate at present and firmly believe that the act of rating an album -- be it LP or EP -- on a track-by-track basis is to discount the value of the format completely. (doesn't exactly apply here, but take a look at sites like rateyourmusic.com and some "professional opinion" outlets)

 

[Carlsan]

I find that the individual track can often send me back to an album for the "complete" listen. I too have given up on Pandora and ignore most reviewers unless they also tend to like music that I do.
By the way, I checked out Godspeed You! Black Emperor from seeing it on your list. Quite a wild ride!
 
Always enjoy these lists. Makes me revisit releases that I haven't given enough time throughout the year, and try out new things that I may have missed.
 
Cheers.

 

[Curly21029]

Quote:

Always enjoy these lists. Makes me revisit releases that I haven't given enough time throughout the year, and try out new things that I may have missed.

 
Same here! 

 
...well, that and it always warms my heart to see the arts celebrated.

 

[Carlsan]

Another site that has best album of the year lists:
http://www.albumoftheyear.org/
 
That site combines lists from other critics and user sites to come up with their list.

 

[MorbidToaster]

Nice to see Swans up there. I almost bought Lonerism sight unheard when I found a new copy at Half Price the other day. Figured I should sample first though.
 
Really didn't get into Grimes or Grizzly Bear though. 
 
Quote:

Another site that has best album of the year lists:
http://www.albumoftheyear.org/
 
That site combines lists from other critics and user sites to come up with their list.