the best of 2012.

I finished my best-of 2012 playlist, and, as with every year, it got me thinking about the year as a whole. It's one of the main reasons I pull together a playlist every year; by going over the music I listened to and the songs I kept going back to all year, I remember the ups-and-downs of the year itself and can sort of assess the overall of it all.

With the help of Spotify and the internet, I have discovered a new approach to finding new music, which I love. The obvious difference being that I spend a lot of time absorbing a record before I buy it. Pros: I don't spend money on records that I'll only listen to the one time, and I discover more and more new music that is special to me (without the aid of 120 Minutes, which is how it was in the olden days). Honestly, the only con I can think of right now is that I can't afford to buy a copy of all my favorite finds (yet un-purchased records are listed under: Honorable Mentions with Intentions To Buy). 

Click the links to listen...

Shearwater, Animal Joy

Song: You As You Were

Heartless Bastards, Arrow

Song: Only For You

Light Asylum, Light Asylum

Song: A Certain Person

Lost in the Trees, A Church That Fits Our Needs

Song: Garden

Murder By Death, Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon

Song: Ghost Fields (read about and listen to the full album)

Wye Oak, Civilian

Song: Civilian

Alt-J, An Awesome Wave

Song: Tessellate

Father John Misty, Fear Fun

Song: Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings (Aubrey Plaza!)

Josh Ritter, So Runs the World Away

Song: Change of Time

Kathleen Edwards, Voyageur

Song: Mint ("Mint" isn't on the set-list, but I loved this Tiny Desk Concert.)

Purity Ring, Shrines

Song: Fineshrine

Sharon Van Etten, Tramp

Song: We Are Fine (featuring Zach Condon of Beirut)

David Byrne & St. Vincent, Love This Giant

Song: I Should Watch T.V.

Kishi Bashi, 151a

Song: Bright Whites

Honorable Mentions with Intentions To Buy:

Twin Sister, In Heaven

Bhi Bhiman, Bhiman

Dawes, Nothing Is Wrong

Young Magic, Melt

Tanlines, Mixed Emotions

Shovels and Rope, O' Be Joyful

• • •

And there you have it. In 2012, the ups came steadily with the downs, and I already feel like I'm facing a mountain of tasks/anxieties in 2013...I can only hope for the best, and remain thankful that I have such a wealth of friends and family to lean on when times get tough. Here's to the Year of the Snake: may we all find creativity when we are in a pinch, compassion when facing those less fortunate, people to lean on when times get tough, and a batch of new songs to bring us inspiration, comfort, and joy.