Best Album Covers of 2012

And the winners are…

Top Albums of 2012 (So Far…)

This year in music reminds me of the 2011 NBA Draft.  There hasn’t been any stand out stars in the releases thus far, but there are a lot of quality albums on the cusp of greatness. Last year, I had no doubt about what albums would make my top five for the mid-year list, but this time around, I moved albums up and down the list indecisively for days, finally settling on the order below.  My point: there could be a lot of shuffling when the real list comes out in December.  Before getting into 20 albums that you shouldn’t miss out on, here are six honorable mentions that could easily end up being this year’s Jeremy Lin.

SXSW 2012

This year, my SXSW experience felt a bit like a walk down memory lane with performances by such 80s and 90s legends as Jesus and the Mary Chain, Corrosion of Conformity, Built to Spill, and Pennywise.  All these bands, although aged and weathered, put on inspired performances that were highlights of my week.  Despite the daily rekindling of my youth, I also discovered more bands this year than I have in years past.  As with every year, below you will find some of my favorite performances, showcases, and the less than stellar experiences of the week.    

Pilgrim “Misery Wizard”

 

When I was eight years old, I tried to be a wrestler.  For several weeks, my dad took me to the local high school gym to take part in what was known as “Little Guy Wrestling” clinics.  I had no prior knowledge of the sport, and really didn’t have much interest in rolling around on a mat with another boy.  The only reason I joined was to hang out with a couple of my best friends at the time, Burrell and Moorman.  To no avail, I hated it.  It was too hot, too frantic, and I was miserable at it.  I just didn’t enjoy getting man-(boy?)-handled for two hours when I’d rather be at home playing “Contra.”  I finally had to give up on the sport, and as a result, would feel a tinge of guilt whenever around my two friends at school.  It would be the first and last time I ever quit something.

That is, until black metal came along.