The best albums of the first half of 2012

To recognize that this list weekly, monthly, etc. .. not my thing. But today I owed ​​it. It agglutinated which I think are the best albums that have been published between January and February 2012. They range from folk singer (Damien Jurado, Jack Savoretti, Matthew Perryman Jones) to alternative rock (Japandroids, Jack White, Blood Red Shoes), electrorock (Metric) or little quirks that will delight those with the most refined palate (Howth).
ALABAMA SHAKES - BOYS & GIRLS:
With a race unfit for a new group like this, Alabama Shakes have combined correctly soul and swamp rock emerged in the southern United States. The key to safe hits as 'Hold On', 'You Is not Alone' (beautiful theme) and 'Be Mine' lies in the purity and spirit of the quartet emerged from Athens to found his musical flag in the voice of a singer - Brittany Howard - that shines with personality. At times sin to be somewhat linear sound but its formula, which is why, I think that this "Boys & Girls" is just the tip of the iceberg of the greatness of what lies ahead.Read our review of "Boys & Girls"
BEACH HOUSE - BLOOM
Catatonic atmospheres that knocked out the meaning and insight. White chiffon dresses. Houses on the beach. The calm after the intense heat wave in the middle of the day. The quiet of the night waiting to get his smooth black sky and the air refreshing goodness. Ten songs to renew and extend a proposal that would dignify the stylistic of the hottest season. Where not all plastic flip flops and bathing suits with flowers. With another summer Beach House is possible.
Read our full review of "Bloom".
BLOOD RED SHOES - IN TIME TO VOICES:
With a clean production and millimeter Laura and Steven have managed to create a personality that has definitely moved away from the labeling that stood as a mere group of "guitar-drums." There is a crushing feeling, brutal and shocking in the single 'Cold', 'Stop Kicking' or 'Je Me Perds' (fireworks go cut!) That is capable of creating, by itself, true sandstorms.
Read our full review of "In Time To Voices"
Damien Jurado - MARAQOPA:
It is entirely laudable see every couple of years enjoyed a record that fully realized the expectations of what we expected of Mr. Jury. With "Caught By The Trees", for example, he did. And with "Saint Bartlett" also. I think that we could not was that "Maraqopa," the second album produced by Jury with Richard Swift, might become the beauty that is all folk bowed to wood and stone, howling, crying and stands as the best that Jurado has made in recent years.
Read our full review of "Maraqopa"
FATHER JOHN MISTY - FEAR FUN:
"Fear Fun" is a delight. That folk so meticulous and transparent Joshua Tillman has peaked over the past years has managed to merge with a rock vocation dirtier and brighter than of yore. Hypnotically "Funtimes in Babylon" get captivated from the start with a halo as "western" we just convincing - at least temporarily - the current and neglected look of the singer was born as a consequence and not as an end.
Read our full review of "Fear Fun".
FIRST AID KIT - LION'S ROAR:
It seems that the Söderberg sisters have managed to go a step further when a proposal to channel more personal and more proper to view "The Big Black and The Blue" or "Drunken Trees EP". Their voices are entangled in a natural and spontaneous. The sound of the dirty and dusty acoustic guitar weaves seamlessly with the raucous slide guitar line. Everything seems to occur seamlessly in the desert world of these girls who seem to be born in the heart of Arizona instead of his native Enskede.
FUN. - SOME NIGHTS:
The second LP from Nate Ruess (formerly of The Format) is acojonantemente monumental. The sound makes "Some Nights" makes it sound easy a very complex mixture pass through the blender of hip hop, pop and sparkle worthy of Queen indie pop art. The two most pretentious album hits - the mammoth 'Some Nights' or first single' We Are Young "in which collaborates Janelle Monáe - are the most obvious reflection of the" clash "style which is the latest entry in the protected Fueled By Ramen.
Read our full review of "Some Nights".
GOOD OLD WAR - COME BACK AS RAIN:
Something of this record I have, at least relatively, spellbound. Clearly this is an LP manners, yes. The Philadelphia have continued with the good folk and distilled in their previous two LPs - "Good Old War," "Only Way To Be Alone" - and that seems to find its total hatching time of the "Come Back As Rain" that have real pearls of less than four minutes. One is 'Amazing Eyes', the third song on the album which despite being very sencillito has a delicious aura that makes him a special court.
Read our full review of "Come Back As Rain"
HOWTH - Newkirk:
There are moments for everything. For a powerful indie rock reminiscent of Guster (that gay anthem entitled 'Only Right Turns "). For a pop of deep land bill that makes the feeling of Oliver Tank ('A Lie "). Or even for a piece that rescues the class and style that is festering in the melodies of the 60 ('Grand Marais'). Variety is what characterizes an album, with 'Snowbank' spearhead (whiplash go more addictive!) Reminds some of the great works of The Shins for a compositional credit as immaculate.
Read our full review of "Newkirk"
Jack Savoretti - BEFORE THE STORM:
The young composer now displays an impressive safety reaffirmed through a band loudly seconded and it keeps him warm, caring and mimándolo even the most intimate moments. If old Jack was lost in the harshness of his compositions now enjoy a treasured Savoretti sound more catchy and pop afrutadamente which finds its highest expression in pieces like 'Not Worthy', 'Vagabond', 'Knock Knock' and 'Take Me Home '.
Read our full review of "Before The Storm"
JACK WHITE - blunderbuss:
No doubt "blunderbuss" has been one of the releases of the year. The best part? Jack White has achieved with this solo album expectations that many fans of The White Stripes and The Dead Weather had placed in him. There are times for everything from the most frantically rock 'Sixteen Saltines' to the minutes of pure melodic delight ('Love Interruption'). All well-defined and framed in a remarkable LP will be playing over and over again in the alternative rock fans more neat and noble.
Japandroids - ROCK CELEBRATION:
My thing with this album was love at first sight. And you can not say anything an LP entitled "Celebration Rock" in which we are just exactly that: rock alternative high degree Richter scale. The guitarrazos sound so ubiquitous, soil and burns our shoes without stopping jump. This sounds 'Adrenaline Nightshift', 'Fire's Highway "or" Younger Us', where you can see more clearly the spirit that punkero the Canadian duo. "Celebration Rock" is pure, and effervescence, rock for the times.
Matthew Perryman Jones - LAND OF THE LIVING:
"Until The Dawn Appears" was not a bad album, but was far from the capacity that Matthew had shown in "Swallow The Sea", probably his best work to date. Fortunately this lovely singer in this 2012 released an LP - "Land Of The Living" - that resurfaced again this damaged soul that so many nights we had come to thrill. With 'O Theo' (head one of the best songs of the year) and "Poisoning The Well ', this latest album features a refined production, and instrumentation that entangles the core sound beautifully sung by Matthew.
METRIC - Synthetica:
The shift of sound that has come Metric "Synthetica" on "Fantasies" is not overwhelming, but if considerable. Of those cyclical melodies power bases we have moved to more powerful rhythm reminiscent of a hard and ripped version of beats explosive view of "Supernature" by Goldfrapp. Is it more curious about it? This stage we are enjoying the peak of maturity of a band and began to war with its rhythms more "upbeat" in early 2001. The first single 'Youth Without Youth' is a reflection of this new left hook that since the absolute experience is propinando electrorock the media training. Read our full review of "Synthetica"
The Neighbourhood - I'M SORRY ...:
The Cali quintet has found the right balance between hip hop and indie rock. Great merit of this is organic paragraph have both the instrumental and the work of frontman Jesse James Rutherford who can adapt like a chameleon to noticeable changes in perceived rate at various times, mainly from those exhibited at the future hit titled "Sweater Weather '. If you will touch the pop mainstream with a dressing to the hip hop you can not miss the opportunity to hear them. The idea that sticking strong to the end of 2012 is not far from an idea out of place. Talent these Americans have for a while.
NOW, NOW - THREADS:
Puberty lived with "Cars" topped the end of his time teen with "Neighbors" and now, with "Threads", we can say that Cacie, Bradley and Jess have reached absolute maturity. Continue flying an alternative rock emo cut (the similarities with Tegan & Sara are more than logical) but Now, Now more than ever yours. Maybe that's why they decided to shorten its name in the past, now the trio is more dynamic, more vibrant and more nostalgic than ever. It is these points combined, we do see in songs like 'School Friends' the most peak of the career of these cute guys in Minneapolis.
RYAN MONROE - A PAINTING OF A PAINTING IN FIRE:
I am surprised to see the ease with which this artist has been launched to try to compose an album as complex, cool and well defined like this. Try to hear and see the experience that is fun to listen to the melody of ever-changing cuts like 'Turning Leaves Over' or the part that names the compact. For no longer speak of the great vocal ability that is emerging in other songs like 'Blame The Daylight'. Not afraid to play the guitar, try using the keyboard, singing, tuning, acoustic pull ... This man does it all and well!.
Read our full review of "A Painting Of A Painting In Fire".
SHARON Van Etten - TRAMP:
I still remember the time when Sharon Van Etten looked up at the main stage at Primavera Sound 2012 and fearlessly said that this "was the ugliest landscape had ever seen." The singer and guitarist is one of those that are not going with nonsense, you either love or hate. There is no middle. And with "Tramp" of Brooklyn has managed to sign a record even more complete than that "Epic" which enjoyed a couple of years ago. There are many little hidden gems on this LP. 'Leonard', 'Ask' or 'Serpents' are good examples of that world in which Van Etten lyrics, melody and voice instrumental unity in a perfectly directed. Even so we are left with the most dark and dense album, like 'In Line', where Sharon discovered a sad and melancholy able to carve a few minutes gently eternal.
SLEIGH BELLS - REIGN OF TERROR:
With "Treats" Sleigh Bells free up the international independent sector. Through a highly electrifying tremor, the Brooklyn duo rose to fame by getting to perform a hybrid of indie rock and hard rock as sugarcane. "Reign of Terror" is nothing more and nothing less than the logical sequel to this great album of 2010. The return of leather jackets, the whips and furtive glances. And with great songs like 'Crush' or 'Demons' back to see us under the character and Alexis Krauss liderazo a year by year becomes more and more relentless.
ST. LUCIA - ST. LUCIA:
Just need to give some listening to 'We Got It Wrong' to understand the multi-instrumentalist from New York knows how to get to finger some of the most critical moments of one of the greatest of the genre: M83. Jean seems to have no limits: despite the riskiness of its proposal or 'Before The Dive' (born to be the greatest single of all EP) or 'Closer Than This "are imperfect moments. And mention should be 'All Eyes On You', an extremely addictive tribute to the 80 that have a conspicuously inesperadísimo - sweet! - Jazz solo in the end.
Read our full review of "St. Lucia ".
SUGAR & THE LOWS HI - HI SUGAR & THE LOWS:
The nine issues of "Sugar & The Hi Lows" have a special magic. And the really funny thing is that retro style so distinctive and so soul is born from the hearts of two artists who have always seemed to be unequivocally linked to the current pop scene. Good campion was the Trent and Amy we have stuck to that effect!. From the moment he starts to sound 'Show & Tell' the truth lies in that classic style which refers to large and Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Al Green and The Temptations, perhaps the most obvious reference this delightful album.