10. Nicki Minaj, "Pink Friday ... Roman Reloaded"
So, I know that most people have a love/hate relationship with Nicki Minaj. I am firmly in the love column. I was a huge fan of this CD. I thought it did a great job of showcasing all of Nicki's talents. The first half is pretty hard core rap, where she proves that she can spit rhymes and keep up with the big boys. She has some pretty big guests, Lil' Wayne, Cam'Ron, NaS, Rick Ross, 2Chainz, but they never steal the spotlight. This is Nicki's show and she is graciously letting them come along for the ride. The second half of the album are dance tracks in the vein of her biggest hit, up to the point that this was released, "Super Bass." A lot of people complained about these tracks, but there is no one who doesn't crank it up and bust a move when "Starships" comes on the radio. Nicki also released a second deluxe edition of "Roman Reloaded" called the "Re-Up", that included 7 new tracks, 8 if you didn't purchase the original deluxe edition. They are great tracks, but since they weren't released as a separate EP, it's hard for me to praise them. 2013 is shaping up to be another banner year for Roman as Nicki is shaping up to be American Idol's most polarizing new judge and she is set to release the last of her "Pink Friday" albums, subtitled "The Pinkprint."
9. (tie) Passion Pit, "Gossamer"
I was more of a casual Passion Pit fan, before I listened to this album. I owned "Chunk of Change," their first EP and "Manners," their full length debut. I like them. I appreciated the musicality and their artistry, but I didn't spend a whole lot of time with the albums. Big mistake on my part. Huge. It took "Gossamer" to get me to see the error of my ways. Lead singer, Michael Angelakos, has crafted a phenomenal sophomore album. Lead single, "Take a Walk," is an upbeat song, but the lyrics reflect our tough economic times. It pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the album, sunny melodies covering up the dark lyrical content. Shortly after "Gossamer" was released, Angelakos cancelled a number of tour dates so he could undergo treatment for his bipolar disorder, which he's suffered from since he was 17. It is awesome how he has been so candid about a mental illness that is so often vilified.
fun., "Some Nights"
I first heard the song "We Are Young" on Glee. I really enjoyed it and decided I needed to hear the original version. I fell in love. It was even better and featured Janelle Monae, who I love. The rest of the album is just as great. Every song is catchy and the songs soar. Nate Ruess has this awesome Freddie Mercury/Broadway style voice. There is this weird idea that a voice like that can't be successful on the radio, well I'm glad that Nate and the boys of fun. proved that wrong.
8. Santigold, Master of My Make-Believe
Santi White returned after a four year absence and proved that it was worth the wait. Her sophomore release builds on the foundation set up on her self-titled debut. Songs like "Disparate Youth" and "Big Mouth" reflect the M.I.A. style world flavors and there a couple harder hip-hop tracks like "Freak Like Me" and "Look at These Hoes."
7. Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra, "Theatre Is Evil"
2012 was the year Amanda Palmer went mainstream!! Well, not exactly. She did release her third full length LP, which debuted at number 10 on the Billboard charts. Not necessarily going mainstream, but an indication that more and more people are recognizing the genius of the Kickstarter Queen. Sadly, Amanda had to postpone her tour in order to stand by a friend who is battling cancer. Hopefully he recovers and she and her ukelele are back and rocking out before 2013 is over.
6. Scissor Sisters, "Magic Hour"
Jake Shears, Baby Daddy, Ana Matronic, and Del Marquis, collectively known as Scissor Sisters, returned in 2012 with their fourth album. The Sisters continued to do what they do best, update classic sounds from Disco to '80's synths for a modern audience. They also released the gayest song of the year (and I mean that in the best way) and at the same time, introduced the word "kiki" to the masses. Well done, indeed.
5. (tie) Sleigh Bells, "Reign of Terror"
Sleigh Bells, Derek Miller & Alexis Krauss, screamed onto the scene with their thrash metal debut album, "Treats." Sleigh Bells' sophomore effort kept the guitars turned up to 11, but also used more of Alexis Krauss. The duo was able to keep their hard rock edge with songs that stayed in your brain all day long.
Bat for Lashes, "The Haunted Man"
Natasha Khan keeps up her hot streak with her third album. If I had to describe her sound, I would say it is like a cross between Bjork and Annie Lennox. Majestic, well-written, songs like "All Your Gold" and "Laura" may not get played on the radio, but that doesn't mean they are anything less than stellar. Do yourselves a favor and find out for yourself.
4. Taylor Swift, "Red"
T. Swizzle released her highly anticipated fourth album in 2012. When you heard the first single, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," you knew that you were in for something different. Taylor went pop, recording three songs with Max Martin, including the album standout "I Knew You Were Trouble." The songs are well-written, which shouldn't come as a surprise if you've listened to a Taylor Swift album before. There is definite growth here and this is a more mature sound for Ms. Swift. It is definitely not country though.
3. Jessie Ware, "Devotion"
This album you may have to work hard to find, but it is completely worth it. Jessie Ware's debut album was released in the UK and it subsequently topped the charts and with one listen it's easy to see why. The British chanteuse has crafted the best R&B album of the year, hands down. Recently, smooth, old school, '90's R&B has been making a comeback. If you know me, and my musical tastes, you know how excited this makes me. The problem is that a lot of times the artists who are embracing this sound color inside the lines too much a lot of the time. Jessie's album is a throwback but modern at the same time. Keeping the basic tenets of the sound intact but updating them at as well.
2. 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
Fiona Apple is not your typical musical artist. She makes music on her own time. She is not beholden to her fans or her record label, only to herself and her own unusual muse. "The Idler Wheel..." is Fiona's first album since 2005's "Extraordinary Machine." You'd think that she maybe would have mellowed in the past 7 years, but you'd be wrong. She is still as neurotic as ever and lucky for us. A sane person could not produce such sublime, odd, lyrically intelligent songs. There is so much depth here that even if it takes another 7 years, you'll never tire of spinning this album.
1. Frank Ocean, channel, ORANGE
Frank Ocean has topped a lot of best of lists in music. I wish I could be different, but what can I say? His debut is just that good. He gained a lot of attention when he revealed that he had been in love with a man. He does talk about that on the album, but it's about more than that. Ocean creates these really vivid characters in his songs and you feel for them. I'm excited to watch him grow and evolve as an artist and for him to clean up at the Grammys this year.
So, there you have it. My picks. Let me know what you think. Do you agree? Are there ones that I missed? Let me know in the comments.
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