TOAST’S FAVORITE ALBUMS of 2012
10) JERRY DOUGLAS – Traveler
Always a great instrumentalist – with or without the
award-winning Alison Krauss and Union Station – Douglas calls on a few famous
friends (Eric Clapton, Sam Bush, Dr. John, Mumford & Sons) to put forth an
album which presents both great songs and great instrumentals.
HIGH POINTS: On a
Monday, American Tune / Spain
, Something You Got
09) LEFTOVER SALMON – Aquatic Hitchhiker
Well, it’s official: Andy Thorn is part of the band. Taking the place no one could seemingly take
the place of (that of the late Mark Vann on banjo), Thorn’s helped Salmon
reclaim some of the legendary jamband ground they lost and they’re poised to
take back the rest if they so desire.
HIGH POINTS: Sing Up
to the Moon, Stop All Your Worrying, Gulf of Mexico
08) ALABAMA
SHAKES – Boys & Girls
Easy to dismiss as another entry into the “if the White
Stripes can do it, why can’t we?” race, this solid foursome leans more into the
traditional blues vein with a warm undercurrent of soul. Lead singer Brittany Howard displays
incredible vocal prowess. They’re up for
a Best New Artist Grammy in 2013, and deservedly so.
HIGH POINTS: I Ain’t
the Same, Rise to the Sun, Be Mine
07) moe. – What Happened to the La Las
Like many great live bands before them, moe. are less known
for knocking it out of the park when it comes to studio recordings. This entry into their catalog, however, is
exceptional. Featuring just the right
blend of quirky hooks and meaty musicianship, these are songs I can’t wait to
hear live, but still enjoy them just as they are. The album is also available as a deluxe
edition with some tasty acoustic demos.
HIGH POINTS: The
Bones of Lazarus, Rainshine, Haze
06) CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD – the Magic Door
The second of 2 great albums CRB released in 2012, “the
Magic Door” isn’t quite the perfect entry into the King of Jamdom contest that
“Big Moon Ritual” was, but is still a groovy listen for the hippie
faithful. The artwork on the inner and
outer sleeve is a psychedelic throwback to the days of vinyl as is the music,
which alternates between rocking, spacey, and soulful (which is precisely what
I’d expect from Chris Robinson).
HIGH POINTS:
Vibration & Light Suite, Let’s Go Let’s Go Let’s Go, Wheel Don’t
Roll
05) INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS – Silver Sky
Following mando wiz Jesse Cobb’s exit, the Stringdusters
continue moving toward their goal of world string band supremacy. Leaning even more into “progressive
bluegrass” territory at times, they seem unconcerned with the traditionalists
they may lose in favor of the trippers and twirlers they gain. The deluxe edition, through new label
SciFidelity, is worth getting for the addition of the Dead’s “He’s Gone” as a
bonus track.
HIGH POINTS: Like I
Do, Don’t Mean Nothin’, the Hitchhiker, Walking on the Moon (yes, the Police
song)
04) the SHINS – Point of Morrow
James Mercer takes the plunge into territory most
alt-rockers fear to tread – melody – and comes up smelling like roses. This album just sounds good. Go ahead, play it next to any other alt-rock
album released this year. It’s
practically epic in comparison. Hats off
to his new collaborators; whether they’re simply doing his bidding or adding
their own spices to the mix, this freakin’ works.
HIGH POINTS: Simple
Song, No Way Down, the Rifle’s Spiral, Bait and Switch
03) GARY CLARK, JR. – Blak and Blu
Moving his way up the ladder from darling of the Austin music scene to
ubiquitous festival presence in 2012, guitar slinger (and I assign that label
rarely these days) Gary Clark, Jr. had a lot of momentum behind this, his first
major label full-length release. Unlike
some of his predecessors (the Vaughan
brothers, for example), he seems ill at ease playing in just the blues-rock
sandbox and likes to jump from genre to genre.
This could prove to be any other artists’ downfall, but Clark makes it work like it ain’t no thing.
HIGH POINTS: Glitter
Ain’t Gold [Jumpin’ for Nothin’], Third Stone from the Sun / If You Loved Me
Like You Say, When My Train Pulls In, Ain’t Messin ‘Round, Travis County
02) NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE – Psychedelic Pill
A classic entry into his catalog the likes of which I’ve not
heard in years, and grandiose in the way only Crazy Horse can be, Young’s
hitting on nearly all cylinders here.
Double albums are historically at least half filler. Not the case here. Using the CD format for all its worth, some
of these sprawling gems clock in between a quarter-to-a-half-an-hour, not
unusual for a live setting but almost unheard of out of the studio. It’s heartening to think that someone who’s
gone through as many ups and downs as Young has can still concoct something
this vital after 45 years on the job.
HIGH POINTS: Driftin’
Back, Born in Ontario,
Walk Like a Giant, Psychedelic Pill, Ramada Inn
01) CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD – Big Moon Ritual
This is such a perfect Toast-n-Jam album I almost can’t
believe my ears. Robinson’s band follows
his lead into uncharted psychedelic territory and maps out a retro-rock renaissance
they can milk for years to come. George
Sluppick’s drumming and Neal Casal’s guitar work are particularly tasty. This is a cohevise work of art which flows
from start to finish and I recommend listening to it that way. Not as “radio-friendly” as a Black Crowes
album, but more to my taste. A great
band to see live too, if you get the chance.
HIGH POINTS: Rosalee,
Tulsa
Yesterday, Reflections on a Broken Mirror, One Hundred Days of Rain, Beware Oh
Take Care
# # #
TOAST’S FAVORITE SINGLES of 2012
10) the LUMINEERS – Stubborn Love
How long can the neo-folk revival last? Who’da thought it woulda lasted THIS
long? Much less annoying than their 2012
radio staple “Ho Hey.” If these
Coloradoans can deliver the goods live, maybe they stand a chance of lasting
beyond the boundaries of the neo-folk revival bubble.
09) 7HORSE – Meth Lab Zoso Sticker
Almost impossible to find anything about these guys online,
but I’m led to believe they formed from the ashes of the 90s band “dada.” Reworking themselves as a lo-fi
White-Stripesy blooz-rock outfit (like the Black Keys and so many others since)
seems to suit them. This track just
rocks.
08) the SHINS – Simple Song
Re-staffing the band as he did after the Broken Bells
project with Danger Mouse, he could’ve just as well called it “the James Mercer
Project” instead of the Shins, but this is a real high point for the Shins’ brand at any
rate. This is old-fashioned
high-fidelity pop which begs to be heard through decent speakers rather than
earbuds.
07) BIG HEAD TODD & the MONSTERS – Sexy and I Know It
One of the dumbest songs of all time gets a bluesy makeover
courtesy of BHTM and, glory be, turns out to be a pretty good song after
all. I don’t think Todd’s ever displayed
this much silly swagger in his career.
For that matter, neither have the post-1981 Rolling Stones.
06) BARR BROTHERS – Lord, I Just Can’t Keep from Cryin’
Time will tell if this is what the Slip have become or if
the Barr Brothers is a mere side project, but their entry into the “hey we can
do the White Stripes / Black Keys thing too” derby is absolutely smokin’. The album was officially released in 2011,
but this was a radio song locally on KBAC in Santa Fe, NM
in 2012.
05) the HEAVY – What Makes a Good Man?
Retro-heavy rock with a hint of soul. I’m still kicking myself for not making it to
their Santa Fe performance this year (since
they’re from England
we probably won’t get them routed through here for another 16 years or
so). This one goes up to 11, regardless
of where your amplifier volume is set.
04) GRACE POTTER & the NOCTURNALS – Never Go Back
I never would’ve believed someone as down to earth as Grace
Potter could’ve produced something so slinky.
Touring with Sharon Jones seems to have really turned Grace on to the
strong and sexy side of things. This one
oozes out of the speakers like honey and nearly singes your ears in an
indescribably pleasant way.
03) HEARTLESS BASTARDS – Parted Ways
Another band whose shuffled personnel in 2012 did them well,
“Parted Ways”
is close to being a perfect pop song (in the Paul McCartney & Wings-era
definition of the term, not Katy Perry’s).
It absolutely soars melodically and features a nice little twin-guitar
riff play. Going onto a future mixtape
for sure.
02) the BLACK KEYS – Gold on the Ceiling
Thankfully the Auerbach / Carney braintrust have decided to
reinvent themselves from lo-fi blues minimalists to alt-rockers supreme. This single (from one of Toast’s Best
Albums of 2011) plants them firmly on the path to glam/disco-revivalism. They seem to be able to replicate all manner
of 70s flavors on the album, actually, but this one’ll stick to your neurons.
01) JOHN COURAGE and the GREAT PLAINS
– Heartbreak Man
The most perfect song I heard all year, from a total
left-field up-and-comer by most people’s reckoning, I’m sure. When people say, “They just don’t write ‘em
like that any more,” this could well be the song they are referring to, whether
they’re consciously aware of it or not.
This is archetypal rock song craft at its finest and showcases one of
the finest yowls ever recorded. Already
on 2 mixtapes.
# # #
TOAST’S BEST of 2012 – SPECIAL CATEGORIES
LIKED THESE – MORE, PLEASE!:
the BARR BROTHERS
the SHEEPDOGS
PAPADOSIO
EVEREST
BIG DADDY LOVE
LIVE BANDS WORTH a LOOK-SEE:
NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE
WILCO
JIMMY CLIFF
HEARTLESS BASTARDS
TRAMPLED by TURTLES
BEST LIVE ARCHIVAL RELEASE:
LED ZEPPELIN – Celebration Day
BEST STUDIO ARCHIVAL RELEASE:
RODRIGUEZ – Searching for Sugar Man OST
BEST COMEBACK:
LEFTOVER SALMON
# # #
FORMER CO-TOAST JEN [O’CONNOR] DODGE had these high points
to add:
BEST NEW BAND: Chris Robinson Brotherhood
BEST LIVE BAND: Mickey Hart Band (“Turned my crank so hard,
and not just because Dave
Schools was in the
lineup”), with Steve Kimock Band (featuring Bernie Worrell) coming in 2nd
BEST COVER SONG: “The Ballad of John and Yoko” by Widespread
Panic [originally the Beatles], available on “Wood.”
# # #
