When I heard these songs at Sam's show in April, I knew he was onto something fabulous that went way above and beyond his 2008 debut. I liked the songs I heard so much that I ordered this CD from Australia, which was a wise move considering that it wasn't released stateside until this month. I would have been kicking myself so hard if I hadn't been able to enjoy the glorious 80s synths and disco influences that are so deliciously pervasive throughout this album. Immensely listenable, this is one of those albums that produces a new favorite track with each spin.
There was a lot of lag time between when this album was released and when I actually got my hands on it to listen to it. During that time, I began to worry that this was one of those nostalgia-fueled purchases that I would have been better off foregoing. Happily, that proved to be the opposite of reality. I instantly fell in love with Push & Shove on my very first listen, with "Gravity," "One More Summer," and "Heaven" standing out as fast favorites. That signature No Doubt sound is here in full force without sounding dated. It's good to have these guys back spreading aural sunshine.
I had order this album from Denmark (exchange rates for the krone aren't too bad); I couldn't even get it from amazon.co.uk. This lack of international distribution is a major shame, because Alphabeat is Euro-pop at its very best, and they keep getting better which each new album. Like Return to Paradise, Express Non-Stop produces a new favorite track with every listen. This is a band that knows how to shamelessly work a powerful hook for maximum effect.
Upon first listen, there was no way I thought this album would make my Best of 2012 list, let alone crack the top five. However, as with most Scissor Sisters's albums, this one required a slow burn. It took a while to get used to Jake and Ana's rapping, and to understand the pure genius of the string of catch-phrases that is "Let's Have a Kiki." The fact that "Only the Horses" (produced by my boy Calvin Harris) and "Baby Come Home" were instantly infectious lead singles was the driving factor that kept me coming back to this album until I was putting nearly every song on my shuffle.
After the many powerhouse soundtracks of 2011, I was surprised that there was only one that became a must-purchase for me this year. Savages's eclectic blend of SoCal surf (original score, M. Ward's "Neptune's Net," Yuna's beautiful take on "Here Comes the Sun"), obligatory drug song (Peter Tosh's "Legalize It"), contemporary world dance (Cut Copy, Thievery Corporation, Massive Attack), Tarantino-esque noir (Bruce Lash's "Psycho Killer), and classic rock (Dylan and Jeff Lynne) come together in one pleasing expression of musical story telling. It doesn't hurt that this is all music I love in one way or another to begin with.
I had to throw Chris Botti on here because I have never included him on one of these lists before, despite the fact that I play one of his eleven albums at least once a week. At this point, I know the sound of Chris's trumpet so well that I can identify it in the background of other artists's tracks. While he hasn't released an album of mostly original compositions since 2001's Night Sessions, he knows how to reinvent standards and pop classics and make them work for him by putting them through his own unique filter and collaborating with other top artists in the business. Impressions covers Chopin, Michael Jackson, and everything in between -- in a way that only Botti can.
I like this album because it is like Poses reinterpreted by early Elton John and Something/Anything? era Todd Rundgren. The orchestrations throughout this album are so lush and inviting. And of course the lyrics are amazing as well. I hope middle-age will sound this good when it rolls around for me.
Sandé not only has a voice with amazing power and range, but she also has great songwriting skills. All of the above are on display for each and every track on this album. The press has sadly relegated her to Adele-also-ran status, but she deserves so much more. Unlike Adele, Sandé is willing to explore multiple style and genres, yet still holds everything together with one underlying personal aesthetic.
Oddly, I was not in a huge hurry to get this album, perhaps because I already owned half of the tracks due to the fact that they were released as singles over the past two years. However, I did find the collaborations with Ellie Goulding and Ayah Marar (the original Calvin Harris chanteuse) to be highly pleasing, fresh surprises. While 18 Months doesn't have the masterful coherency of Calvin's two previous albums, it is still a satisfying collection of dance tunes that showcase the unique production sensibility that Harris has been bringing to tracks for the past five years, while also demonstrating that he is capable of growth as both an artist and a producer.
I have placed this album at number 10 only because it's a bit of a cheat to include it on this list. You see, How Do You Do was released in 2011, but I was slow on the uptake (many thanks to a work client's playlist that I had to review for cluing me in to what I was missing). However, I had to include it on my 2012 list because Mayer Hawthorne is my new Calvin Harris (great to listen to at any time and in any mood, and easy on the eyes to boot). I am obsessed, and I don't know how I previously survived without his honeyed tones in my life. A more accurate reflection of my love for this album as it relates to those above it would secure it at number two. And in a just world, A Strange Arrangement would be right up there with it.
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