The time has come again when every music blogger will unleash what they think were the best releases of the year. In my opinion, 2012 was a fantastic year for music and I had trouble narrowing my choices down to just fourteen. Here they are in no particular order
The Vaccines – Come of Age (Columbia Records) – Hands down
my favorite album of the year. Guitar hooks and pure pop for now people that
would make Nick Lowe very proud. This album could hold up to be my favorite
album of the decade.
Converge (Epitaph Records) – All That We Love We Leave
Behind – Converge never seems to fail me. Pun intended of course. Sixteen years
since their landmark Petitioning the
Empty Sky they can still put out fresh-sounding albums in their math/metal
style while most of their contemporaries either became bland, changed styles or
gave up.
Diiv – Oshin (Captured Tracks) – On about a third of the
tracks on the late 80’s/early 90’s band Chapterhouse’s Whirlpool album they played music notes and riffs that were as
close to sonic perfection as any shoegazer has gotten The Brooklyn band Diiv
manages to hit perfect notes and riffs on all thirteen tracks of the Oshin
album.
Billy Raygun – s/t (LP People of the Woods, CD John Wilkes
Booth Records) – Chunky-sounding pop/punk band out of New Hampshire. Dual
vocals, which they just added to this album, add very much to this young band’s
already fast-maturing sound. Great stuff if you like early Jawbreaker,
Crimpshrine (if they had better vocals), or Dillinger Four.
The Men – Open Your Heart (Sacred Bones) – The Men sound
just like they were yanked out of the early 90’s New York Scene (think Unsane, Surgery,
Loudspeaker, etc) where bands straddled different underground genres like punk,
metal, and good old rock and roll. On “Open Your Heart”, The Men combined all of
them with a dose of the Ramones rearing its head from underneath. Check out
the Stiff Little Fingers “Suspect Device” “Influenced” riff on the album's opener.
Roomrunner – Super Vague (Fan Death Records) – The Baltimore
area’s Roomrunner plays 90’s influenced grunge better than many of those 90’s
bands who played grunge. I wish I still had a car because I bet these guys are
great to listen to while driving. 
Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory (Carpark Records) – A young
band that knows when to get poppy and knows when to get noisy. The Steve Albini
production totally enhances whichever way they choose to go. 
Ceremony – Zoo (Matador) – For the past 5 years Ceremony has
been my favorite hardcore band. On Zoo they change their sound to more of a
Wire/Joy Division-influenced sound and become my favorite post-punk band. But don’t
worry, they still play the hardcore ragers live.
Nada Surf – “The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy”
(Barsuk) – It’s hard to believe that when many people think about Nada Surf
they still think about their minor hit “Popular”. It’s unfortunate because
those people missing out on sixteen years of some great hook-filled power pop. “The
Stars…” is a fantastic addition to their five albums (and one covers record) post “Popular”
discography..jpg)
Pig Destroyer – Book Burner (Relapse) – These guys remain
the only grind/thrash/etc band that can hold my attention over an entire album.
Make sure to pick the two-disc version with awesome covers of Black Flag, Void,
Misfits, Angry Samoans, and more. No animals were harmed in the making of this
record.
Wild Moth – “Mourning Glow” Ep(Asian Man Records ) and S/T Ep (The Ghost is Cleat – digital, Suitors
Club – 10”) – San Francisco hardcore/punk band that is not afraid to add an
effects peddle and some feedback. Sometimes they verge into Iceage territory
but pull off that sound better than the Danish band has been able to. (Both Eps are also available on Bandcamp)
Jack White – Blunderbuss (Thirdman) – I disliked everything
the White Stripes ever released almost as much as I disliked everything Led
Zeppelin, the band the White Stripes tried to sound like, released. Let’s face
it, if the Raconteurs and Dead Weather did not have the names in the band that
they did, no one would really care about them. I was totally surprised to find
out I liked this album and ended up listening to it regularly over the rest of
the year. But then again I loved the Robert Plant solo album (with Alison
Krause) from a few years back too. 
Pop 1280 – The Horror (Sacred Bones) – Many a band has
attempted to raise the furious sound of The Birthday Party but have all fallen
flat on their face in the process. This Brooklyn band succeeds where almost
everyone has failed. I’m sure even Nick Cave himself would be impressed.
Forgetters – s/t (To Small To Fail) – Blake of Jawbreaker/Jets
To Brazil fame’s newish band (finally) released an album recorded by (Jawbox
frontman) J. Robbins. Did you really think this album would not be on this
list? 