Best Of 2012

Well, the world didn’t end like so many new age so and so’s were preaching. And I guess that’s a positive thing? haha. Well, at least now I have a more valid excuse as to why I didn’t start work on this sooner. haha. But I will say I did better than the past few years in 2012 as far as output. A few more blog post anyway. But enough of the babbling. Here are my favorite releases of 2012! As always, if you enjoy ANY of these albums, PLEASE SEEK OUT AND BUY THEM!

FULL LENGTHS
Converge – All We Love We Leave Behind

Download The Album Here



Soundgarden – King Animal

Download The Album Here



Bloc Party – Four

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Godspeed You! Black Emperor – 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!

Download The Album Here



Baroness – Yellow And Green

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Deftones – Koi No Yokan

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Steve Moore – Light Echoes

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Lungfish – A.C.R. 1999

Download The Album Here


Torche – Harmonicraft

Download The Album Here


The Life And Times – No One Loves You Like I Do

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Narrows – Painted

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Maserati – VII

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Mission Of Burma – Unsound

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Damages – Indignation

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The Sword – Apocryphon

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Sleeping People – Notruf

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Rush – Clockwork Angels

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The Evens – The Odds

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Unwound – Live Leaves

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Suis La Lune – Riala

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EP’s/Splits
Mouse On The Keys – Machinic Phylum

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Old Baby – Misunderstanding Human Behavior

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Torche – Harmonslaught

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Toe – The Future Is Now

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Black God – II

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Touché Amoré/The Casket Lottery Split

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Local/Friends Bands
Slingshot Dakota – Dark Hearts

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Hidden Hospitals – EP 002

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Black Throat Wind – Between White Worlds

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Patrons Of Sweet – Outnumbered

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Bridge Under Fire – Why Wait?

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Why The Wires – All These Dead Astronauts

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Ohne-ka' And The Burning River – Where The Real Wind Blows

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Slingshot Dakota - Their Dreams Are Dead, But Ours Is The Golden Ghost!

I first heard of Slingshot Dakota years ago. My old band, Ladies & Everyone, played a show with them and the now Alternative Press approved, Polar Bear Club. It was a show that to this day has made me hate kids in the scene. It was very unattended. But if this same show was to happen today, it would be shit packed full. But i digress. At that point in time, slingshot was a 3 piece indie group on the lighter side. Except off course for their drummer Tom who seemed to try to hit his drums as hard a humanly possible. Stewart Copeland what? I enjoyed the band and ended up traveling to Oswego, NY to go see a free show they were playing with Damiera a few weeks later. The surprise came for me when i went up to say hi, and there guitarist was no where to be found. It turned out, and i still don't know all of the info behind the situation, he had suddenly quit the band. That show was interesting to say the least. Watching a band perform that was abruptly forced from a 3 to 2 piece without warning can be nothing but interesting. But they made their way through their set despite a lot of the songs feeling like they were missing something. I left the show feeling uncertain about the band and their future. And i was really bummed. I even told Carly I'd move to NYC and play guitar for them. I think she thought i was joking. haha. NOPE! Anyway, Slingshot Dakota did not break up. And they didn't get a new guitar player or any other musicians for the band. They decided to keep it just the two of them. I don't know when it was that I first saw them as a two piece, but i know i was blown away. They were fucking TIGHT! Jazz players would say they were "in the pocket." I was so glad they stuck it out because it seemed like they were able to get to a new level of comfort ability together musically that was/is awesome to see. “Their Dreams Are Dead, But Ours Is The Golden Ghost!" is the first album the band released as a two piece. And I love it. For those not in the know, Slingshot Dakota is a duo consisting of a drummer and keyboard player. Both of the members sing though Carly sings the majority. They play a brand of indie rock that is very heartfelt and passionate, while being very energetic and almost hardcore influenced at times with the crowd's participation. This is another time where my lack a knowledge leaves me scratching my head to who I would recommend this band for. Its so nice to have a "For fans of.." section. I am very bad at that if you havent noticed from past entries on here. I think another problem for me is, i don’t listen to any other duo's consisting drums and keyboards. I saw Mates Of State live and thought they were a fucking joke. So like i said, no comparisons. Personally, this album could be called "Soundtrack to a ongoing love affair" because my girlfriend and I tend to listen to it a lot when we are driving around going place to place. I took her to go see one of their concerts back in May and ever since, she’s been hooked. We are going to see them this upcoming Tuesday. Which is why I chose to write about this album. I’ve become quite found of the album since that May show because it’s one of the first things my girlfriend and I shared shortly after getting together. So yeah, fuck me because I write blogs with my heart. Haha. Just listen to the album. Its good, I swear.

Go and listen to some of their songs on their myspace

Download This Album Here

You can buy the album directly from them on their myspace page as well.

Rainer Maria - A Better Version of Me

the other night i went to a show with my girlfriend. it was slingshot dakota. i hadn't fucking seen those guys since they played a free show with Damiera at Oswego college YEARS ago. it was good seeing them again. anywho, the first opening band Scudworth was really not doing it for me. it was the simple case of, if they played better, they would be a better band. Lots of potential from a songwriting perspective but maybe a song in, i was just waiting for it to be over so i could see Mistletoe play. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a bright light in a dimly lit set. A outrageously untight cover. BUT, one that even with all of its flaws still had me singing along.  It was "Artificial Light" by Rainer Maria. NOW as pissed as I was that such a great song was getting paid such shit service, AND that this band would forever be known in Syracuse for covering Rainer Maria, it did get me thinking about a band I hadn't thought of in a little while. I was introduced to Rainer Maria in 2003. It was around when Ladies & Everyone was in talks. We had already got Rachel on board, and were just waiting till all of our schedules worked so we could get together. We had started with no thought of being instrumental. Both Rachel and I were going to sing. Anthony in a attempt to show me what he imagined the band would sound like, from at least a singing perspective, showed me a Rainer Maria song. It was "Tinfoil" off of the Past Worn Searching album. Besides enjoying the vocals, i really dug the music. I got more into the band, and would even get to see them for free out at Colgate college. They played a few songs off of this record when i saw them, including Artificial Light. Which was fucking excellent. I don't honestly know if this is their best record. But I know that for me, its the one I've listened to the most, and the one that has the most sentimental attachment. beginning to end, its a fantastic record. 

Download the album here (this is Dan Caf's upload from L.T.T.O. I only have the album on my zune)

Buy it if you like it