I wasn't sure a sound could get more sparse than The xx's debut album and still be considered music.
Then, Coexist came out this year, and I found out I was wrong. There's so little energy here, that on many songs, you might wonder if the band went to sleep and just left a beat echoing. Which isn't to say it's bad, it's not; The xx make really great Sunday morning music, and make really great songs for someone else to come along and remix into something danceable.
That sparseness, that minimal instrumentation, though, is what makes "Angels" so heavy. These aren't just lyrics being sung, they're words pouring out of someone's heart. It's a song that, I can imagine, might be uncomfortable to actually see live. This isn't a sing-along, it's a confession.
Every year there are a few songs that I end up leaving off the top 10 list for one reason or another. Maybe it's the best song off of a great album, but it's just not quite my favorite. Maybe it's awesome, but didn't actually come out this year, so it would be cheating to add it. Maybe it's a song that I don't think is quite good enough to make the list, but I wanted to mention it for some personal or emotional reason. Or Maybe I'm just not discerning enough to really leave the song out of my list, so I use this as a cop out.
I've got five songs here that fit those reasons.
Regina Spektor - "All the Rowboats"
Regina Spektor's What We Saw From the Cheap Seats is really a great album. Loads of great piano-driven songs, often quite haunting.
"All the Rowboats" is the most haunting. It's a song superficially about the fine art in a museum, which shouldn't be the topic of a haunting song. But it is. Musically, it's got almost a horror movie feel to it, both with the piano and the drums (which I think are a combination of real drums and a drum machine and a voice).
I think "All the Rowboats" is probably also a precursor to a thread that winds through a lot of the music on this list in 2012: songs with interesting percussion. Keep that in mind as you listen to …
Fanfarlo - "Shiny Things"
Fanfarlo's sophomore album sounds very different on the surface from their first effort (which is an album that has only gotten better, I think). But it's really not that different. They're still singing these songs that are (mostly) about isolation and loneliness and none of those songs feel like they're about that.
Rooms Filled With Light replaced Reservoir's strings and woodwinds with more brass and synths and lots of really great little percussive touches. On "Shiny Things", it's the little wood block bits that punctuate the verses, followed by the build from this really quiet shimmery sound to when you hit the chorus, the big drum kicks that sort of drive the song home.
I was lucky enough to see Fanfarlo live a couple of times this year. You should do the same, if you get the chance.
The Lumineers - "Stubborn Love"
Every year, there's some folk-pop group that kind of blows up. Fleet Foxes. Mumford and Sons. Avett Brothers. The Lumineers.
I think their self-titled album had been out for a couple months when Amazon threw it up in a 99 cent album sale. I'd heard "Ho Hey" on an NPR or KEXP podcast, and figured "for 99 cents, what do I have to lose?"
It's a good album. It's got two great songs, "Ho Hey" and this one.
This reminds me a lot of Bon Iver from For Emma, Forever Ago. I'm not doing a great job of selling why this song made me so happy. I think it pushes all the little buttons that trigger the synapses in my brain to say "wow, I like this!" Strings, the call and response, sing-along chorus, it's just a fun song.
Nada Surf - "Teenage Dreams"
It wasn't until I'd seen this live a couple of times that it clicked. I don't think there's ever been a more upbeat, optimistic song, but you don't quite get that until you see Nada Surf play this, and they're happy and the crowd is happy, and you sort of go "Ok, I'm all in. You win."
Stephen Thompson of NPR put this album in his top 10 and I think he summarizes the band with the simple words that Nada Surf "may well be the world's least cynical band."
That pretty much sums it up.
This might be the world's least cynical song.
Tegan and Sara - "Closer"
The album doesn't come out for another month, which is why this is a cheat. Technically, this probably should be on the 2013 list, but whatever, it's my site.
This could easily have been a Robyn song, which I mean very much as a compliment. It's not a subtle song, at least lyrically. It's sort of a subtle song in that it sounds a bit like a song you would have heard in an '80s movie (when the nerds are restoring a rundown house, let's say).
This is the song that'll be pretty much running across all age groups and genres in the next few weeks. You'll hear it on the folky and alternative stations, due to Tegan and Sara's roots. You'll hear it right after Katy Perry. It'll be ubiquitous, and that'll be ok.
(I'm a few days late getting this going, so they'll probably be a couple of posts a day until I get caught up.)
Here we are, year six of my annual listing of my favorite songs of the year. Year S-I-X. I'm shocked I've made it this far, and shocked that anyone still reads it.
As with last year, both for my convenience (to not have to upload a bunch of music or find links to songs) and to make enough money to buy a postage stamp, I'm going to use Amazon's little MP3 clips player. If you like the song, click through, and a) listen to the song, or b) buy it.
The rules, as they are every year:
The song had to have been released on an album in 2012
One song per artist
That way, I don't end up with a list of three artists and it's boring for everyone.
Since I think it's a nice way for you to determine if you should bother to read the rest of my list, here are the links (and concise versions of) the previous year's lists.
Pig's Nose. Great name. It's a blended whisky (like the recently mention Johnnie Walker). It's got some weird flavors, and sort of a really heavy alcohol overtone. I may not have been in the right environment/mood to drink this, but I was very underwhelmed.
Still, who wouldn't want to say "Give me a Pig's Nose"?
A Bowmore 12 was the first Scotch I had where I "got" it. It's got a strong flavor, lots of peat and smoke and salt, and if you're not prepared, that might throw you off.
But, as you taste it, it's got all these other flavors. There's definitely some chocolate, and there's the fruitiness, and the medicinal flavors you get from a great Islay. This is one of my favorites from the whole calendar thus far. If you're looking to get my a Christmas (or New Year's, or December 28th) gift, this would be a winner.
It's a Highland whisky. The jury is out. I think I'd need to sip another few drams of this before I have any idea if I like it. It was not, on first drink, an easy Scotch to love.
As we near the last week of whiskies, we get a couple of you're more standard, accessible whiskies. We also get some more quick reviews, since I'm a few days behind.
Johnnie Walker is a blended whisky, and the Gold Label Reserve is sort of the midpoint of the Johnnie Walker offerings; it's more upscale than the Black Label, but not as high end as the Platinum or Blue Label. It's really very easy to drink. As Scotches go, this felt more like an Irish whiskey (really, it was almost as sweet as Jameson's).
Not something I'd drink regularly (I've really become a single-malt guy), but something I could see going to for a drink on a night out at a bar or something.
Ah, Wild Turkey. Reminds me of Saturday's and walking over to the stadium to watch some college football (where, coincidentally, our mascot was a turkey-esque bird).
There's some anise/liquorice flavor to this rye. I don't think I'm experienced enough drinking ryes to really tell them apart. I think I liked the Pikesville rye better. But this was good, and I'd love to have a bottle while tailgating.
Compass Box Hedonism. Seriously, that's the name. And it's a grain whiskey. Not sure what that is either. So this is brand new.
It is light, light, light in color. Incredibly light.
The Compass Box is also a light drink -- citrusy and not overwhelming. To be honest, I feel like I need another drink to really have a strong opinion. I liked it, but it was different enough that I'm not sure I can really pinpoint if it was just different, or if it was fantastic.
(Such is life when you're trying 24 whiskies in 24 days.)
Another Japanese whiskey, this time Hibiki 17. I've had the Hibiki 12 year. This version is certainly a good bit smoother and, I'd say, spicier.
It's a rich gold color, and has a great scent. It's not overpowering like some whiskies can be. It's fruity and maybe even a bit of cocoa? I don't know, I may be coming down with a cold, so I'm probably not the best judge.
The Hibiki 17 is wonderfully smooth. It's a blended whiskey, though I'm not sure you could tell. It tastes like a great, smooth single malt. This might be the least alcohol I've ever tasted in a whiskey. Really, it's that smooth. There's definitely some sort of spiciness to the taste.
The only downside might be that it seems to leave a bit of a bitter aftertaste.
Work and life don't mean we miss out on whisk(e)y, but means that we get much, much quicker snippets on the whiskies of the week.
Glenfarclas 105 is a Highland Scotch. It's a cask strength whisky, so it packs a bit of a punch. It's got the same sort of sherry flavor that Macallan brings, but it's really got a nice balance of flavors that I think I like a bit more than Macallan. And, as you can see, it brings a nice dark color.
Longmorn 16 is a Speyside Scotch and it's a great one. I think Speysides tend to be a lot of people's introduction to Scotch (with something like Glenlivet). This would be a great Scotch to have on hand when you've got folks around who might be new to Scotch or just want something smooth. Really fantastic, and something I'd love to get again.
Pikesville Straight Rye. I've never had a rye. I've had it in a drink, but never straight. I'm not quite sure how to describe it. It actually was reminiscent of drinking Irish whiskey when you first sip it, but with a lot more of a peppery aftertaste. I quite liked it, though rye definitely feels like it would be more of a base for another drink than something you'd sit and sip. But I think a good rye, like a good bourbon, would be a great drink to sit and sip on a winter evening.
Oban 14. Another Highland Scotch. It was tasty, but I was a bit underwhelmed. I also drank it at 1am after having just seen a concert, so maybe we should leave the jury out on this one.
Old Pulteney 21. And another Highland Scotch. But what a name.
This was really great, incredibly smooth and flavorful. Really flowery (I supposed floral would be a better word) and fruity, but so smooth when drinking. Would love to try this one again.
A Highland Scotch and an Irish Whiskey. Quick reviews.
Dalwhinnie is a Highland Scotch, so it runs less smokey and earthy than the Islays that have been more common over the past few days. The Dalwhinnie has a very sweet smell, not overwhelmingly saccharine, but pleasantly sweet. It has an incredibly smooth taste. It's not a complicated whisky; it's smooth and sweet and fruity, with a little bit of smoke in the background.
It would be a great first Scotch for someone who thinks that Scotch is all about burning your nostrils and making you burn all the way to your belly. This would be a great whisky to have around when you've got guests who don't love the Islays.
The old standard. Jameson Irish Whiskey.
I'm not really sure what to say about it. Irish whiskey runs much sweeter and there's no smokey flavor, due to the way Irish whiskey is created. Jameson is a standby because it's solid. Comparing ameson to a bourbon or Scotch, the big standout difference is how smooth it is. Jameson is a smooth, sweet drink that almost anyone, even a non-whiskey drinker, could sip after a meal or on a cold day.
As you can tell by the glass I'm drinking out of, 7 straight days of whisky has left be running low on proper glasses.
This is, by my count, the 4th Islay whisky in the 7 days of drinks thus far. As an Islay fan, this is certainly not a bad thing. I've never had Caol Ila before, so I was hoping I was in for a treat.
I was.
This is a mild Islay; you get the whiff of peat and smoke when you pour, but it's not overpowering. It's strong, but it doesn't make the whole room smell like the morning after a bonfire.
It's got a wonderful taste. You immediately get the smoke and peat, but as you continue (and as you let the whisky linger a bit), you pick up the salt and sea of a good Islay. Rounding it all out, there's just some nice sweetness there—I'm not experienced enough a drinker to pick up what it is, but it's a nice touch.
This is just a great, well rounded Islay. Probably a great one to start with if you're not sure the strongest of the whiskies is for you.
(And, it turns out, if you've ever had Johnnie Walker, you may have had some Caol Ila, as it's used in their blends.)
Three more days, three more Scotches. Two of these I've had before (the Laphroaig 18 and Lagavulin 16), but this was a great opportunity to pay them a bit more attention and thought.
I've got a bottle of Laphroaig 10 at home that is sort of a great go-to Islay Scotch. It's smokey and peaty and when you taste it, you get all of those tastes, plus you can taste the salty sea water that surrounds the island where the whisky is made. It's rough around the edges, which makes it a great, flavorful Scotch. It's great.
The Laphroaig 18 has all of those same flavors, plus some sweetness, as it's mellowed in its older age. And that's sort of its downfall. It's a smoother whisky. When you smell it, it's much subtler—still smokey and peaty, but with more sugar on top. When you drink it, you get the same flavors as the 10 year, but they're rounded.
Everything is toned down.
For many people, that would make this an amazing Scotch.
For me, it makes it a bit of a let down. It's still really good, and very, very drinkable. But it's a rare case of me liking the younger sibling over the mature version.
Macallan is sort of everyone's intro Scotch. It's sweet, with lots of wine flavor. It's very drinkable (as I can attest from one very bad night). It's a great way to get into Scotch.
But, I think over time, some of those aspects are what make it less desirable. It's not a terribly distinctive Scotch. It can sometimes be cloyingly sweet. It lacks some of the wonderful earthiness of some of the Islay Scotches.
Auchentoshan Three Wood is a similar whisky to a Macallan. It's aged in a bourbon cask, and then two Spanish wine casks, to give it it's darker red color and sweeter, sherry scent. I was excited to try it, as it is very well reviewed, and I wondered if this might be the whisky that would be the Macallan for people who like rougher whisky.
It might be. I'm not sure.
I wonder if I'd gotten my hopes up a bit too much. It smells a bit like a Macallan, but with some smoke behind all the sweet. That was a great sign.
But the taste, at least the dram I had, was sort of a mish-mash. It was sweet, but not overly sweet. It had some normal peat and earth in the background, but not in a way that melded well together. I don't feel like I can do this justice—I liked it, but was underwhelmed, but I feel like I missed something. I'd like to try it again.
Consider the jury out.
Any Scotch endorsed by Ron Swanson has to be good, right?
Yes. It does.
And it is.
This is a great Scotch. It's an Islay (which seems to be a theme so far in this advent calendar, one I very much approve of)! It has the same big scents of the Laphroaig, but they're in the right balance. It's wonderful.
The taste is what you want out of a more mature Islay. You get the big peat and smoke, but not in an overpowering way (like an Ardbeg 10). It's perfectly balanced. There's some of the salty sea taste, but just enough. And finally, you can taste some of the floral/citrus that is sitting there.
