Glenn Morrow Top 6 songs of 2012
1. Alabama Shakes "Hold On"
2. Cadence Weapon "Conditioning"
3. Bruce Springsteen: "Easy Money"
4. Lana del Rey "Video games"
5. Bob Dylan "Duquesne Whistle"
6. Nada Surf "Waiting For Something"
Mark Lipsitz Top 5 albums of 2012
1. Hop Along Get Disowned
2. Eros and the Eschaton You Know I Do: Love Drunk Session
3. Modest Midas The Wild Honey Pie: Buzzsession
4. Shrag Canines
5. The Coup Sorry to Bother You
Emmy Black Top 5 albums of 2012
1. Ghost Pal Nathan Jones Is Dead
2. Delicate Steve Positive Force
3. Nada Surf - The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy
4. Alt J An Awesome Wave
5. Dustin Wong - Dreams Say, View, Create, Shadow Leads
Gail Job Top 5 albums of 2012
1. Passion Pit - Gossamer
2. The Raveonettes- Observator
3. Norah Jones - Little Broken Hearts
4. Bright Little Field- Tribute to the Replacements
5. Japandroids- Celebration Rock
Ken Beck Top 5 albums of 2012
1. Lee Fields & The Expressions - Faithful Man
2. Tame Impala - Lonerism
3. Spiritualized - Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
4. Dinosaur Jr - I Bet on the Sky
5. Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
Tara Frank Top 5 albums of 2012
1. Deftones - Koi No Yokan
2. Kadavar - S/T
3. Baroness - Yellow & Green
4. Testament - Dark Roots of Earth
5. Flo Rida - Wild Ones
Michael Hill 5 Amazing shows of 2012
Antony and the Johnsons at Radio City Music Hall: Not since seeing the Rockettes as a kid has Radio City seemed such an awesome place. Antony Hegarty turned the venue into an incredible art installation. And Tilda Swinton was in the audience.
Kraftwerk at the Museum of Modern Art: These 60-something guys in neon unitards turned an art space into an incredible music venue. It was clear that so much of modern music, from hip hop to electronic dance music and even Coldplay, took its cues from Kraftwerk. Or just stole its riffs. And Ryuichi Sakamoto was in the audience.
Bjork at the Queens Hall of Science. More fun than a middle school field trip.
Einstein on the Beach at BAM: Took me my entire adult life to get to see this and it was breathtaking. I only got up once to pee in four and half hours. And yes, lots of modern music and theatre, took its cues from this epic.
Loney, Dear at South Street Seaport. Why isn't the world in love with this guy? Combined heart on his sleeve indie rock with a rhythmic pulse straight out of Steve Reich.
Honorable Mention: The Bang on a Can Marathon at the World Financial Center and the Yo La Tengo Hanukkah shows.
Matthew Kaplan Esq. Non-client related top 11 releases of 2012:
1. Allah-Las: Allah-Las/ Innovative Leisure Records
2. Captain Beefheart: Diddy Wah Diddy B/W Who Do You Think You're Fooling + Moonchild B/W Frying Pan/ Sundazed-A&M Records Sep2-243 2x7
3. Mara Carlyle: Floreat/ Ancient & Modern Records
4. The English Beat: The Complete Beat/ Shout Factory Records 5xcd Box
5. Sam Flax: Sam Flax/ Bergur Records
6. Robert Glasper Experiment: Black Radio/ Blue Note Records
7. The Groove Farm: I Know Its Only Indiepop But I Like It!/ Big Pink Cake Records
8. Carole King: The Legendary Demos/ Concord Records
9. Kronos Quartet: Music Of Vladimir Martynov/ Nonesuch Records
10. Rhett Miller: The Dreamer/ Maximum Sunshine Records
11. Krzysztof Penderecki + Jonny Greenwood: Threnody For The Victims Of Hiroshima + Popcorn Superhet Receiver + Polymorphia + 48 Responses To Polymorphia/ Nonesuch Records
Kiani Angus-Torres Top 10 albums of 2012
1. Boys & Girls, Alabama Shakes
2. An Awesome Wave, Alt - J
3. The North, Stars
4. Transcendental Youth, The Mountain Goats
5. Sun, Cat Power
6. The Idler Wheel is Wiser Than The Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do, Fiona Apple
7. Shields, Grizzly Bear
8. Positive Force, Delicate Steve
9. Psychedelic Pill, Neil Young
10. Way Down Low, Kat Edmunson
Dominic Angelella, Drgn King Top 5 albums of 2012
1. Swans "The Seer"
2. Frank Ocean "Channel Orange"
3. Scott Walker "Bish Bosch"
4. Ab-Soul "Control System"
5. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti "Mature Themes"
Chad Matheny, Emperor X Top 5 albums of 2012
1. Ryland Bouchard -- Only You (Swim Slowly)
2. Adel Bengo -- Treasure (self-released)
3. Ital -- Hive Mind (Planet Mu)
4. Kool Skull -- Alluminum (self-released)
5. Stephen Steinbrink -- I Drew a Picture (self-released)
Richard Barone Top 5 albums of 2012
1. Richard Barone: "cool blue halo" 25th Anniversary Concert (RBM/DigSin)
2. Richard Barone: "cool blue halo" 25th Anniversary Special Edition (RBM/DigSin)
3. Kreayshawn: Somethin' Bout Kreay (Columbia)
4. Occupy This Album: Various Artists (Razor & Tie)
5. Bob Dylan: Tempest (Columbia)
Shannon McArdle Misc. Best-Of 2012
1. best cat purchase of 2012:
Cat turntable. Yes, its a real cat scratcher, and yes, I bought it.
2. best quote about relationships of 2012:
I resolve to not let guys treat my heart like monkey meat. That Hannah Horvath from Girls makes me want to be a more insightful woman in 2013. Yes! Monkey meat is how they treat it!
3. favorite bar 2012:
Washington Commons in my own Crown Heights. There is a nook where no one can find me. Ahhh, wish I were in said nook at this moment.
4. best quote from a family member:
Uttered by my father to me in an effort to empower and console (uttered for many years before 2012): Head down, arse up, charge em, Shan!
5. favorite higher-level thinking question asked me by a student in 2012:
Ms. McArdle, why is your mouth open? Why indeed.
Happy holiday to all!
BAR NONE