Here’s the list of my favorite albums outside of Seattle for 2012. You may think it’s late, but you should know I got it done before the Russian New Year. Kevin Shields, you still have a few more days.
1. Exlovers – exlovers (Young And Lost Club)
Exlovers had my favorite single of 2011 and now my favorite record of 2012. Their debut album is a dreampop masterpiece that was a long time coming from this London band. I didn’t think I would ever hear a record this accomplished after the shoegaze/dreampop heyday of the 90’s. I hope that this album being criminally ignored by nearly everyone does not deter this amazing band from persevering and making another one.
You’re So Quiet:
2. Tyvek – On Triple Beams (In the Red)
This is an off the rails punk rock concept album about Tyvek’s hometown of Detroit and its urban blight slowly being turned back into an agrarian based metropolis. On Triple Beams sees Tyvek living up to the promise of their early singles and then exceeding it.
Wayne County Roads:
3. Boomgates – Double Natural (Bedroom Suck)
The half sung half spoken delivery of Eddy Current Suppression Ring frontman Brendan Huntly may be an acquired taste for some, but combined with Steph Hughes’ sweet croon and songs that bring to mind the brilliance of the Go-Betweens Double Natural is a sure winner.
Flood Plains:
4. Hospitality – Hospitality (Merge)
Hospitality effortlessly do cocktail jazz, indiepop and smooth pop, but you get the feeling that they are pulling their ideas from a larger pallet that includes some things that you wouldn’t expect like Steely Dan, Randy Newman and Todd Rundgren to name a few and that is what makes this record sound so familiar but different at once.
Eight Avenue:
5. Frankie Rose – Interstellar (Slumberland)
Frankie Rose sloughed off the distortion and kicked it into hyperdrive on her second album. Slick space-age pop that I imagine if we still had a Space Shuttle program, would be playing in the cockpit on every lift off.
Night Swim:
6. Cate Le Bon – Cyrk (The Control Group)
The Welsh chanteuse melded Velvet Underground with Kevin Ayers to come up with the best psychedelic record I heard all year.
Falcon Eyed:
7. Cats on Fire – All Black Shirts to Me (Matinée)
Pop music rarely sounds this elegant and regal. All Black Shirts To Me is an assured jewel in the Cats On Fire crown.
It’s Clear Your Former Lover:
8. Bored Nothing – Bored Nothing (Spunk)
Seems like anything coming out of Melbourne in 2012 was worthy. Fergus Miller’s (aka Bored Nothing) take on bedroom pop went from sad and introspective to blissed out dreampop. More than just another bedroom pop record and more than worthy.
Popcorn:
9. Sea Pinks – Freak Waves (CF)
Girls Names drummer Neil Brogan is not only prolific, but talented as well. Sea Pinks third album is their best yet. Freak Waves is a jangly take on the classic Beach Boys model.
Lake Superior:
10. Lawrence Arabia – The Sparrow (Bella Union)
New Zealand’s James Milne knows how to do orchestral pop. The Sparrow is his third album as Lawrence Arabia and it’s a moody, pensive and playful feast of the ears.
The Bisexual:
11. Terry Malts – Killing Time (Slumberland)
San Francisco punks delivered a debut record full of blitzkrieg pop. Every song is no holds barred sing-along sweaty mosh pit.
Nauseous:
12. Bäddat För Trubbel – Värdighet (Punks Only)
Not speaking a word of Swedish did not stop me from loving Bäddat För Trubbel’s second album. They employ influences like Eddy Current Supression Ring and Blumfeld and they aren’t afraid to have a guy who plays saxophone the band. True punks!
Det här jobbet:
13. The Intelligence – Everybody’s Got It Easy But Me (In the Red)
Mad thinker Lars Finberg upped and moved his band from Seattle to LA. The only thing I can complain about is that they don’t play Seattle as much any more. Otherwise, the Intelligence deliver another fractured masterpiece.
Techno Tuesday:
14. Deep Time – Deep Time (Hardly Art)
Formerly known as Yellow Fever, Austin, Texas duo Deep Time’s self-titled first album after their rechristening is a pure minimalist’s delight.
Bermuda Triangle:
15. Gap Dream – Gap Dream (Burger)
Gabe Fulvimar’s Gap Dream is a wonderful debut. Kind of a psychedelic droner’s pop paradise.
Feast of the First Morning:
16. Parquet Courts – Light Up Gold (Dull Tools)
Parquet Courts deliver a taut cow punk record out of seemingly nowhere. The proverbial new kid in town Andrew Savage formerly of Fergus & Geronimo moved to Brooklyn, started a new band and came up gold.
Yonder is Closer to the Heart:
17. Eternal Summers – Correct Behavior (Kanine)
Eternal Summers seem to grow leaps and bounds with each release and Correct Behavior continues their upward trajectory. Nicol Yun’s songs get better and bigger sounding and when she lets the drummer have some like on Girls In the City it’s like the frosting on the cake.
Millions:
18. The See See – Fountayne Mountain (The Great Pop Supplement)
The See See go on a wondrous psychedelic tour de force on their second album. Fountayne Mountain is the sound of a band peaking. Drug reference intended.
Automobile:
19. Super Vacations – Heater Pt. II (Funny Not Funny)
I love how after I listen to this album I feel like I have to wash the filth from body. Richmond, Virginia’s Super Vacations know the ins and outs of getting down and dirty and this record is an expressway to those dirty depths.
Faded Leather Jacket:
20. Pop Singles – All Gone (Vacant Valley)
More Melbourne goodness in this year’s list. Pop Singles’s debut record was an unexpected surprise and the best heart-on-the-sleeve-jangle-pop record of the year.
All Gone:
21. The Tough Shits – The Tough Shits (Burger)
Don’t let Philadelphia’s Tough Shits fool you. They want you to think that they’re a bunch of irreverent slackers, but their mothers know that their tender pop loving hombres and this record is all the proof you need.
Cats and Dogs:
22. This Many Boyfriends – This Many Boyfriends (Angular)
The debut album from Leeds’ This Many Boyfriends is love song to records, love songs and misfits. Sometimes songs that are meant to be funny wear off quickly, but this album isn’t too funny for its own good. It’s merely poignant.
Tina Weymouth:
23. Strategy – Strategy (Peak Oil)
Portland, Oregon resident Paul Dickow has many personas. His album using the Strategy moniker was a playful take on electronic music that took notes from Ultramarine and Yello in the way it incorporated pop songs with dub, kraut and weird.
Sugar Drop:
24. Grass Widow – Internal Logic (HLR)
San Francisco trio Grass Widow finally embraced their full pop-selves on album number three. Internal Logic was brilliant for the way it juxtaposed minimalist instrumentation with lush harmonies.
Milo Minute:
25. Peoples Temple – More for the Masses (Hozac)
Either I’m still drinking the Kool-Aid or Lansing, Michigan’s Peoples Temple are. Their second album ups the dose and rattles the psyche. The Rolling Stones’ Their Satanic Majesties Request was a good psychedelic record. Peoples Temple start with that blueprint and out psych the Stones and everyone else for that matter.
Nevermore:
26. Chain and the Gang – In Cool Blood (K)
On Chain and the Gang’s third album leader Ian Svenonius gets a little more playful. He shares vocals with new member Katie Alice Greer and records the entire thing in mono. Kind of throwback but these ears, timeless.
Free Will:
27. Crushed Stars – In the Bright Rain (Simulacra)
In the Bright Rain lives under gray skies and rains down melancholia and cascades of guitars to beautiful effect. Being lonely, sad and out of sorts hasn’t sounded this good since the At Swim Two Birds album back in 2009.
Brighter Now:
28. Prissy Clerks – Bruise Or Be Bruised (Forged Artifacts)
The debut album from this Minneapolis was a sweet bite of 90’s indierock slathered with twee and powerpop condiments. Sweet, sour and definitely hot!
Death Wish:
29. Literature – Arab Spring (Square of Opposition/Austin Town Hall)
Former Austin and now Philadelphia band Literature are well read in the details of adrenaline fueled jangle pop. They deliver a wide eyed beauty in their debut album Arab Spring.
Push Up Bra:
30. Mac DeMarco – Mac DeMarco 2 (Captured Tracks)
On his second album, Montreal’s Mac DeMarco delivers a batch of skewed guitar pop gold. He seems be to posses the songwriting sensibilities of Nilsson, Lennon, Ayers and T Rex and he may be just as eccentric as them too.
Cooking Up Something Good:
the finest kiss 
This is a great list of psych, indie and garage. I was definitely diggin the Parquet Courts and Cate Le Bon throughout the year. Some of the others that you have here almost made my list too like Tyvek and Boomgates. I really liked the People’s Temple’s first album, but based on your review, it sounds like I need to give it another listen. If you or your readers are interested in checking out my list, you can find it at:
http://eclectic-grooves.blogspot.com/2012/12/favorite-albums-of-2012.html