Any chance that the new albums from Katatonia, BTBAM, and The Contortionist are all in your top ten?

I really love one of those bands.

LOL that guy calls your list wack then says Vado is good

With rap these days, it's more about mixtapes then albums. Pretty sure he dropped one and Vado did too. My bad, I respect indie, it's just an acquired taste and has to grow on me. I find that Curren$y's stoned immaculate had a lot of filter however he dropped Cigarette Boats which was a classic. Curren$y has stepped it up since Fraud started producing for him just like DZA. I Highly Recommend you listen to Smoke DZA - K.O.N.Y - came out like a month or 2 ago, a lot of nice production on there from Ski Beatz, 183rd and Harry, dunno if you heard it, been out for a month or 2 now...what was you're thoughts on the new Kendrick and the new Game, Jesus Piece?

You seriously don't think Vado is good?

Not really and i'm part of the Dipset cult.

Considering your love for Opeth (with Heritage being an exception), I'm going to wager that Katatonia will be making the appearance. With that said, however, have you heard the latest work from The Contortionist? Intrinsic is heavily influenced by cynic/other progressive metal artists and offers a major contrast from TC's previous offerings. It's definitely worthy of a listen, as it may be the album of the year for me thus far. (Though I'd still hold your opinion in high regard if the work was not to your liking.)

You haven't taken in Slime Flu ?
Who you thinks the best in the Dipset cult?

Slime Flu was ok. I think Cam'ron is by the best in Dipset.

take in Smoke DZA - K.O.N.Y

He already said Kendrick's album is ranked high on his list. I'm guessing it may be his album of the year.

First Aid Kit is the only band I've heard on your list. Actually, I think they are the only band I've even HEARD OF on your list. I'm lame.

Really? El-P is out repping Brooklyn his whole career and you don't know the man?

Well, that's what I'm here for I suppose.

10. P.O.S. – We Don’t Even Live Here

Lyrically, this is an album about little revolutions. The idea is that if you can’t abide living in a ****ed-up America, that you make scheme and plot and make your own rules. Make your own place to live. Kick down doors, reject notions of private property, lie. It’s a surprisingly upbeat album, given its fairly revolutionary politics. P.O.S.’ stellar solo albums have typically been full of punk rock drums and raw production. On this, his 4th album, things change a bit. There’s more of an electronic, European influence. It feels like a natural extension in some ways from 2011’s Doomtree crew album, No Kings. “**** Your Stuff,” the lead single, is as commercial a track as P.O.S. is likely to ever produce (so of course it’s very lyrically subversive). Stef raps his ass off on fast-paced songs like “Weird Friends” or “All of It” or “Bumper.” The track “How We Land” is my favorite; a beautiful number about overmedication, featuring guest vocals (and a guest rap verse!) from Justin Vernon of Bon Iver fame. Yes, Bon Iver rap exists. There aren’t a lot of highlights on this album, honestly. Stef’s last album, Never Better, was full of great song after great song. We Don’t Even Live Here is a more cohesive ALBUM, however. It’s an engaging album-length listen. It’s catchy, energetic, and doesn’t get old.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4eBRKh1qbDc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PGVaC9Ts30g" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0FY6VcJR2PE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

9. Royal Thunder – CVI

Hard rock album of the year, right here. Hell, it’s the Southern Rock album of the year, too (apologies to Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires, who are awesome but whose album missed mu top 30 because of production). Royal Thunder is a Sabbath-inspired rock quartet from Georgia and they are goddamned heavy. They’re fronted by Mini Parsons (she also plays bass), whose mid-range voice works so beautifully with the sludgy guitar riffs. She’s like a banshee drunk off of bourbon. These songs are timeless in a way; these vocal lines and riffs would play just as well in the ‘70s as they do today. You could call them revivalist, but I just call them good. The soaring vocals, the bar-smell atmosphere. The first half of this album is seriously as good as anything released in 2012. Anything. The back half falls off a bit for various reasons – redundancy, lack of catchiness, etc. – but that first half got wore the hell out on my iTunes. They can do short and sweet (“Whispering World,” “No Good”), or they can masterfully use atmosphere and repetition to craft a killer 10 minute long song (“Shake and Shift”). Opening track “Parsonz Curse” is a top 3 song of 2012 for me. The slow build, the driving vocals, the beautiful crescendo of syrup-thick guitars and layered chorus vocals; this song is so ****ing good. This is a band to watch out for in the future, for sure.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PK8v8QwEE8w" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ouYyHQdHArk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/F2zLGuOQlIo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>