Anyone out there who knows even a little bit about me knows I listen to a copious amount of music. I get super excited about it like a kid on Pop Rocks. I subject the band to record after record in the van. They try and escape, but I've engaged the child locks (safety first).
Here are some of the highlights of the roiling mass of music this year (according solely to me, of course). I am a junkie for music lists. I don’t know what it is about them, I’m just always excited at the end of ever year to read everyone’s lists. And then compare them to mine. And then discuss/argue/ostracize. Feel free to read my list, judge it harshly, and then engage me in good-spirited debate and discussion next time you see us on the road.
First off, let’s put the cards on the table. My list for 2012 (in no particular order):
Divine Fits- A Thing Called Divine Fits
Tame Impala- Lonerism
Heartless Bastards- Arrow
Flying Lotus- Until The Quiet Comes
Grizzly Bear- Shields
Aesop Rock- Skelethon
First Aid Kit- The Lion’s Roar
Kathleen Edwards- Voyageur
Nude Beach- II
Tragically Hip- Now For Plan A
The Highlights:
I can say with no reservations that Divine Fits “A Thing Called Divine Fits” was my favorite album of 2012. How could I possibly resist? It had members of Spoon, Wolf Parade, Handsome Furs and New Bomb Turks. It had that steady, four-on-the-floor, powerful drumming that was simple and direct and just the way I like it. It had unique synthesizers that were used so tastefully, never distracting, to add a different flavor to simple song structures and great hooks. It had Britt Daniel. Sold. The album’s songs were so simple in their writing that everything had a place, and everything that happened on the record happened for a reason. The filler and bullshit and overindulgence were not present, everything unnecessary had been removed to give you the very best and nothing else. It was straight ahead and sleek, like good graphic design or a perfectly crafted chef’s knife. And it’s one of the best driving records I’ve put on in quite some time.
Amidst my list, another stand-out was Aesop Rock’s “Skelethon”. If you’ve chatted with me before or after a show and shown any interest in hip-hop, than I’ve undoubtedly bent your ear about Aesop Rock. My apologies if it got a little too intense and long-winded. That said, he is a hip-hop artist that makes almost everyone else look like they’re fumbling blindly in the dark. His rhymes are profoundly intelligent, wrenchingly sincere and autobiographical, and full of twists and turns like an Escher painting. He is the only hip-hop artist of whom I own everything he’s ever released. He is one of the only hip-hop artist that inspires me and makes delve deeper into the material. As hip-hop becomes more and more flashy and surface-obsessed, I take solace in Aesop’s music. It lets me know that there are hyped names and faces, good for a few spins and some YouTube clicks, and then there are true artists.
Moving within that vein while also changing it up, Flying Lotus’ “Until The Quiet Comes” was a late-year surprise for me. I’ve been a fan of his for quite some time, always loving the layers of sonic excellence he puts forward. He’s been shoved in and out of just about every electronic sub-genre you can think of, he was originally introduced to me as a “dub step” artist, based on my love of Burial back in 2008. He defies genre, and defies classification. Despite that, his music is very accessible for mostly instrumental electronic music. This record showed me that I can be wowed by music that I have no idea how to make myself. His beats are ever-shifting, his sonic choices always pleasing, and I have no clue how he does it. This record features a good cast of guest vocalists, from the likes of Erykah Badu and Thom Yorke, to name a couple. And if you're into delving a bit deeper, check out his hip-hop secret identity, Captain Murphy.
Note: As I look at some of my faves this year, I realize a lot of them go into the electronic vein. And I ask myself, “Self, you play in a fairly traditional sounding rock band. What’s up with all these weird-ass records that you dig?” To tell you the truth, I’m not entirely sure what attracts me to the realm of the electronic. Maybe it’s the idea of drum and bass being the true core of a lot of this music. Maybe it’s because these guys aren’t usually frontmen or singers, but rather creators, left to their own devices only to emerge every couple of years with a new collection of sounds that I’ve never heard before. Maybe it’s because I have absolutely no idea how to make that kind of music, and that drives me to listen more and more to see if I can find just a tiny opening that I can pry open and let understanding fly out.
Other Bests of 2012:
The best show I saw in 2012 was most definitely Divine Fits (surprise, surprise) at Union Transfer in Philadelphia. The best thing about a “super group” or any group that hasn’t really existed for very long is that the set will almost always be tight, devoid of filler and then done. That sounds strange, I know: why would a set being “done” be a positive point? As I continue to play shows with the band, and as I continue to watch countless acts play before and after us, sometimes that best thing a band can do is just be done. And not because they’re not good! I’ve seen bands absolutely kill it on stage for 30-40 minutes, only to go on for three songs too long and ruin the mood and the joy. Always leave the stage with your audience wanting more songs. That’s what Divine Fits did. They got up, they played songs off the only record they had, they threw in a Frank Ocean cover, and they were done. I wanted more, despite the fact that there was no more to have. It made me want to see them again after they’ve gotten some more material written. That’s the best thing you can say after seeing any band: I want to see them again.
Enough about other bands. What about The Way Home? My vote for best place we played in 2012 is the Stage On Herr in Harrisburg, PA. Harrisburg is not known for its excellent rooms, or really very many places to play in general. Stage on Herr wants to change that. Their stage is large with plenty of room for a band to spread out and be comfortable. The sound is excellent. The sound guy is excellent. The people who work there are excellent. The people who come to see bands there are excellent. Everything about that place is excellent. If you live in the Harrisburg area, I highly recommend checking the place out on a weekend night, they book some great regional acts, and the place gets an amazingly fun vibe when it’s packed.
So that’s 2012 according to Dan. Thanks for reading and indulging me. If you want to go a little further, I was featured as a writer for Geek Magazine’s end-of-year list, writing about Grizzly Bear’s “Shields”, another record I couldn’t get enough of this year. What does 2013 hold in store for The Way Home? We can’t reveal everything, but it includes more shows, new songs, a new release of some kind (we’re not sure if it will be an EP or full-length yet) and plenty of stories. We loved spending 2012 with all of you, we can’t wait to spend another year with you all as well.
I'll leave you all with some words to mull over in the coming year: Never stop engaging with the music you listen to, never stop demanding that it engages you, and never stop trading tracks and records with friends. You don't have to play an instrument to be part of "the music scene". Be excited about what you hear. Play it for people you know. Discuss what you love, and what you don't love. Keep an open mind, you never know what you'll stumble upon. Music is not a fashion accessory or a series of names to be checked off. It is someone's art, someone's hard work and someone's soul being given to you. Pay for it when you can, especially to guys you see pulling up in vans, looking rather ragged and road weary as they load into a club in your town. The money will be welcome, and you'll make us happy because you care enough to engage with us and with our music.
Happy New Year,
Happy New Year,
Dan
