Reaper's Favorite Albums of 2012

[Reaper16]

As always, this is a list of my personal favorite albums of the year. It's not meant to be an objective "best-of" list, because while I listen to hundreds of new albums each year I still fall far short of listening to enough to feel comfortable making an objective claim. My usual genre tendencies towards metal and hip-hop are as present as ever. Hopefully you'll find some albums you will come to dig through this list.

I'll be posting it out over the next day or so. I'm doing 30 albums this year.

30.) Miguel - Kaleidoscope Dream
29.) Kamelot - Silverthorn
28.) Monolithe - III
27.) Arjen Anthony Lucassen - Lost in the New Real
26.) Tame Impala - Lonerism
25.) Heems - Nehru Jackets
24.) Panopticon - Kentucky
23.) Anathema - Weather Systems
22.) Brother Ali - Mourning in America, Dreaming in Color
21.) Dan Deacon - America
20.) Sigh - In Somnophobia
19.) El-P - Cancer 4 Cure
18.) Devin Townsend Project - Epicloud
17.) Ondatropica - Ondatropica
16.) Death Grips - No Love Deep Web
15.) First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar
14.) Pharaoh - Bury the Light
13.) Krallice - Years Past Matter
12.) Enslaved - RIITIIR
11.) Godspeed You! Black Emperor - 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
10.) P.O.S. - We Don't Even Live Here
9.) Royal Thunder - CVI
8.) Lazerbeak - Lava Bangers
7.) Swans - The Seer
6.) Mgla - With Hearts Towards None
5.) Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do
4.) Alcest - Les Voyages De L'Âme
3.) Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music
2.) Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d. city
1.) Death Grips - The Money Store

[Molitoth]

Death Grips: I'm going to just have to say that I do not "get it". Updated: *YET*

Stay Tuned.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by Literature

I'd only heard of Fiona Apple. I think I'm going to listen to her Idler album today.

I'm surprised Frank Ocean didn't make the Reaper list, considering how many accolades it's received. You have some 'splaining to do Reaper! What's your verdict?

Also, did you hear the new Dylan album, Tempest?

I think the Frank Ocean album is mostly boring. Most of the songs are disjointed to me. I like a few of the tracks, especially "Pyramids," but on the whole I think its musically undercooked. Plus, I don't think he's a very good singer. When he sings in a low register it sounds awesome. His falsetto is maximum-effort and strained, like a Byron Leftwich pass.

It's pretty compelling on a narrative level, and people lovelovelove his bisexuality coming-out story, and part of the album's reputation is based on that (in my opinion).

Mostly, I think that white people just like substandard R&B.

p.s. I did listen to Tempest, of course. It didn't grow on my as much as I wanted it to.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

I think the Frank Ocean album is mostly boring. Most of the songs are disjointed to me. I like a few of the tracks, especially "Pyramids," but on the whole I think its musically undercooked. Plus, I don't think he's a very good singer. When he sings in a low register it sounds awesome. His falsetto is maximum-effort and strained, like a Byron Leftwich pass.

It's pretty compelling on a narrative level, and people lovelovelove his bisexuality coming-out story, and part of the album's reputation is based on that (in my opinion).

Mostly, I think that white people just like substandard R&B.

p.s. I did listen to Tempest, of course. It didn't grow on my as much as I wanted it to.

I disagree on Ocean's singing, but I agree on the rest, more or less, especially the coming-out story being a huge catapult for his popularity this year.

I still say his performance of "Bad Religion" on Jimmy Kimmel was absolutely amazing, and I was a little cynical about the coming out story as possibly just being a publicity stunt.

I found the Weeknd before I found Frank Ocean, and I think that sort of made Frank Ocean less interesting/fresh to me (much like you and The Dream, possibly).

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by NewChief

I disagree on Ocean's singing, but I agree on the rest, more or less, especially the coming-out story being a huge catapult for his popularity this year.

I still say his performance of "Bad Religion" on Jimmy Kimmel was absolutely amazing, and I was a little cynical about the coming out story as possibly just being a publicity stunt.

I found the Weeknd before I found Frank Ocean, and I think that sort of made Frank Ocean less interesting/fresh to me (much like you and The Dream, possibly).

I like The Weeknd a lot more than I like Frank Ocean.

[cosmo20002]

I'm not seeing Call Me Maybe on here. List fail.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

I'm not seeing Call Me Maybe on here. List fail.

I listened to Carly Rae Jepsen's Kiss more times than I am ready to admit. It's a very fun album.

[Bo's Pelini]

I'm going to check out that Miguel album really like "sure thing". I didn't even realize he had an album until this thread. Thanks.

[MoreLemonPledge]

Completely agree with Death Grips at number one. There is really no one else out there making music like them.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

I like The Weeknd a lot more than I like Frank Ocean.

Oh, did you have a chance to hear the new album from Deftones? Koi No Yokan took me by complete surprise.

[Bo's Pelini]

Wow this A$ap Rocky album might be the best album of the year even though it doesn't officially come out until jan 15 2013. Do yourself a favor and peep it.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by Bo's Pelini

Wow this A$ap Rocky album might be the best album of the year even though it doesn't officially come out until jan 15 2013. Do yourself a favor and peep it.

I really want to listen to the leak, but the sound quality is only 192kbps right? That will piss me off too much, I think.

[thurman merman]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

19. El-P – Cancer 4 Cure

Dope.

[thurman merman]

Originally Posted by Rugby Thompson

All of those albums are trash, sorry but you don't know what real good rap is. You're stuck on some indie bullshit and it's wack.

Uh, no.

[thurman merman]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

10. P.O.S. – We Don’t Even Live Here

Nice.

[thurman merman]

Reaper, I noticed you have a lot of Rhymesayers stuff on here, but no Aesop Rock. Did you listen to Skelethon?