Best Albums Of 2012: #20 - 11

The Soundtrack Of My Life's "Best Of 2012" list is finally here!  2012 was full of so many amazing albums, so this list was a challenging task.  I know I say that every year, but I really mean it this time.  I've decided to cut the list to twenty albums instead of my usual overflow.  Due to that limiting factor, quite a few albums that I adored will not be featured here.  Survival of the fittest!  Another new element is that instead of a top five, I've actually ranked each individual album on the list.  With all of this said, let's get started!  Here's the first part of the "Best Albums Of 2012" list...

20. Marina And The Diamonds - Electra Heart

Marina And The Diamonds suffers from the same symptoms as Robyn in the United States.  They're both amazing pop artists, (Let's be honest, though. Robyn is to Beyoncé as Marina is to Kelly Rowland.)  but they can't seem to achieve a superstar level of success in the mainstream market.  As far as alter egos and musical characters go, Marina is dedicated to Electra Heart.  With tracks such as "Teen Idle", "Radioactive", and "The State Of Dreaming", Electra Heart is solid pop polished to its finest form.

19. Paloma Faith - Fall To Grace

Paloma Faith could and should be the next Adele sensation of America.  She has the voice and the style, and as an added bonus, "Picking Up The Pieces" is a "Rolling In The Deep" sized anthem.  Fall To Grace is powered by Paloma's powerhouse vocals and some wise production choices.  "Let Me Down Easy" might be under three minutes, but with its thundering bass and smokey vocals, it stands out as a shining highlight.

18. Trust - TRST

Right around the mark of 1:07 during "Shoom", the first track on TRST, there's a moment that hits me so hard every single time I hear it.  It's ridiculously haunting, and at that very instant Robert Alfons, the man behind Trust, has claimed you to himself for the entirety of the record.  TRST is a dark electro album that sounds like something from the more mysterious side of 80's new wave music.  Just look at that album cover and tell me you're not already hooked.  This album is such a magnificent debut for Trust.

17. Scissor Sisters - Magic Hour

Let's have a kiki!  Scissor Sisters fourth album, Magic Hour, is the follow up to 2010's Night Work, aka "that album with the guy's butt on the cover".  Honestly, I wore out Magic Hour towards the first half of 2012.  It was on repeat so often that I had to take a break from it.  It was just recently while creating this list that I started playing it again.  From the classic Scissor Sisters vibes of "Baby Come Home" to the electro-rap sounds of "Fuck Yeah", I really do love Magic Hour.  But the real star of the show is "Let's Have A Kiki".  I can't even begin to tell you how many people in my Twitter stream were ranting about having a kiki.  It was the summer hit that never managed to break into the US charts, aside from the Hot Dance Club chart where it went number one.

16. Crystal Castles - (III)

(III) is actually the first Crystal Castles album that I've listened to.  I know, call me a bad blogger/hipster/listener of music.  I've traveled back since then and listened to their previous releases, so you can't say I don't try.  With that said, I absolutely fell in love with this album.  I so desperately want to experience this album in a live setting.  Everything is chaos and I never want it to stop.

15. The xx - Coexist

This album received some mixed feedback and critics claimed that it was too similar to their debut album, but I feel like Coexist is an ideal sophomore record for The xx.  The xx manage to execute minimalism brilliantly.  It's more of an atmospheric record rather than one you may pop on as a crowd pleaser.  Be advised that I don't know what kind of crowds you hang out with.  With some of the year's most sensual vocal work, Coexist is beautiful.

14. Zedd - Clarity

I'm calling it now, Zedd is the electronic producer to watch out for in 2013.  He's already worked on a song with Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj, which may not be such a great thing, and he's currently producing Lady Gaga's upcoming ARTPOP album.  His debut solo record may feature standout vocalists such as Ellie Goulding and Matthew Koma, but it's Zedd's solo tracks that glue the record together.  Clarity adds more to the genre than the other players in Zedd's realm of electronic production.  SHAVE IT UP!

13. fun. - Some Nights

The radio can really kill a song.  "We Are Young" and "Some Nights" have to be two of the most overplayed singles in every media format that existed during 2012.  With that unfortunate fact, fun.'s second album was a monumental step for the band.  They went from a group that found their home in the Fueled By Ramen crowd to one of the biggest pop acts in the country.  The album shows it, too.  Every track could be a hit and they made a few risky moves with songs like "One Foot" and "Stars".  Lucky for them, it paid off.

12. Bat For Lashes - The Haunted Man

While I'm not making a "best singles" list, "Laura" was definitely one of my favorite songs from 2012.  Natasha Khan's piano ballad is so beautiful that is almost overshadows the rest of the album, which is perfectly outstanding as well.  I could easily write paragraphs about that one song, but this is about The Haunted Man, an album that even further solidifies Bat For Lashes' discography.

11. The Killers - Battle Born

Ever since the release of Hot Fuss, The Killers have earned a spot as of one of my all time favorite bands.  That's not to say that they haven't had their ups and downs through the years.  I had a slip in faith when Day & Age came out.  But if it's one thing that I've learned, it's that every Killers album is a grower.  At the beginning of the year, I had projected that Battle Born would top this list.  While it instead sits at number eleven, Battle Born contains some soon to be Killers classics.  Just as I now love Day & Age, I'll probably love Battle Born even more a few years down the road.

Scissor Sisters - Shady Love

Scissor Sisters' 2010 album, Night Work, was a masterpiece made for the dancefloor.  One would never guess that the follow up single would be "Shady Love", a collaboration with Azealia Banks.  What's even stranger is that Jake Shears is doing all of the rapping.  The single premiered earlier today on BBC Radio 1 and the internet kind of went a crazy for it.

I really had no idea what to think of the track upon first listen, but now I'm addicted to it.  I love how it's a complete slap in the face to what listeners were expecting.  The music video is also quite the sight.  You can check it out on NME or stream the track below.  Remember to keep an eye out for Scissor Sisters' upcoming album later this year.
 

My Favorite Albums Of 2010: Part Two

Ima Robot - Another Man's Treasure
After Alex Ebert's massively successful year with Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes, the singer decided to return to his former dance-punk band, Ima Robot.  The band's third album, Another Man's Treasure, strays from their distinct and distorted high energy sound.  Instead, the album sounds like the halfway point between Ima Robot and Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes.  There are long stretches of instrumentals within the album, giving the band a more fleshed out sound.  At times, you may think you're listening to a Bowie album.  Another Man's Treasure somehow sounds fresh and classic at the same time.

Sufjan Stevens - The Age Of Adz
During the climax of "I Want To Be Well", Sufjan Stevens shouts "I'm not ****ing around".  He wasn't joking.  The Age Of Adz is a jumble of genres and noises that concludes with a massive 25 minute track.  It is in no way a casual album.  Through the mix of symphonic instrumentations and electronic bleeps, Sufjan's conceptual album leaves a lasting impression.  The final track, "Impossible Soul", attracts many listeners for its long duration, but in reality the track sounds like a handful of separate singles carefully sewn together.  It's a fascinating way to end the album.  The Age Of Adz is a modern electro-folk adventure.

Scissor Sisters - Night Work
The cover artwork on Night Work may have you wondering, "What were they thinking?".  After hearing the album, you'll know exactly what the Scissor Sisters were thinking.  Night Work sounds like a disco revival, but in a good way.  Every track on the record could fill the dance floor immediately.  While the lyrics are so obviously sexual that it's funny, the band manages to keep the party going.  The album ends with "Invisible Light", complete with a "Thriller-esque" voiceover by Sir Ian McKellen.  Night Work is easily one of my most loved pop albums of 2010.

The previous nine albums on this list have been in no particular order, but what fun is a "Best Of" list if I don't name the absolute best?  The next three albums on the list have managed to entertain me throughout the year and still continue to shine.  I present to you... my three favorite records of 2010.

3. Janelle Monáe - The ArchAndroid
It's impossible to define The ArchAndroid within one genre.  The debut album from Janelle Monáe touches on classical, folk, R&B, pop, funk, and countless other genres.  As you follow the journey of the android creation, Cindi Mayweather, you learn that Monáe's style is unlike any other.  The record is separated into two suites.  Each half of the album starts with a cinematic introduction.  The radio friendly singles "Cold War" and "Tightrope" only show one side the singer's style.  The epic "BaBopBye Ya" ends the album with a bang and leaves you wanting more.  I'm eagerly awaiting the next part of Janelle Monáe's Metropolis story, but until then, The ArchAndroid is my third favorite album of 2010.

2. Robyn - Body Talk
2010 was Robyn's year.  She released three albums as the Body Talk series and became one of the leading pop artists for both indie and mainstream critics alike.  Body Talk collects the best of her three part series, all in one record.  The album is packed with, what should have been, 15 hit singles.  It's electronic, it's dance, but most of all, it's pop music.  As my favorite pop album of the year, Body Talk never gets boring.  From the spunky "Fembot" to the robotic "We Dance To The Beat", Robyn rose above the ranks of Katy Perry and Ke$ha with her fun and sophisticated Body Talk.  I predict that we'll continue to hear Robyn's distinct sound through the new year.

1. Vampire Weekend - Contra
This album was released all the way back in January.  I haven't stopped listening to it on a daily basis since then.  Vampire Weekend have a signature sound so unique that they're instantly recognizable.  Contra manages to surpass the band's outstanding self-titled 2008 debut.  Since that debut album, the band expanded their musical horizons into various new genres.  They even do the unthinkable by slathering "California English" in a puddle of auto-tune.  What starts as an airy yet bouncy record, Contra closes on a sporadic pair of tracks with "Diplomat's Son" and "I Think Ur A Contra".  Contra set the bar unbelievably high for every album this year and still holds the number one spot in my book.

What were your favorite albums of 2010? Leave a comment and let me know!

Scissor Sisters - Fire With Fire

The song starts with a piano melody and a lonely synth.  Then, vocalist, Jake Shears sings the verse with a tune that's so memorable, that you'll wonder why it had never been written before.  The chorus repetition of "Fight fire with fire - desire, through your desire." has the perfect power ballad feeling.  The lead single from their new album, Night Work, is simply a great pop song.  You can sing and dance to it, yet it also has that big anthem sound.  Shears' vocals have incredible clarity and are delivered with emotion.  They actually have enough emotion to be the standout element of the song, especially during their live performances.

"Fire With Fire" is sure to be a club hit, but I would love to see it break into the Top 40 charts in the US.  It would be a fresh alternative to the staple artists of mainstream radio.  Sure, it may be a bit cheesy and overwhelming, but it's fun.  Their third album, Night Work, is out now.  I would check it out if you like pop music with a flair of 80's synth.  You can download "Fire With Fire" for free on iTunes (US) until next Tuesday.  I would, without a doubt, give it a listen.  Scissor Sisters have an addictive song in "Fire With Fire".