Sound Influx Albums of 2012: Numbers 50-21

It's that time of year again, where we at Sound Influx ask our writers the daunting question: "What are your favourite albums of the year?". Well, the writers answered in force, and their suggestions have been meticulously tallied up into a rather fine list of this year best and boldest. Here are the albums we loved this year, that didn't quite make our top 20 (which is coming soon,) and links to the ones we did original reviews of. Enjoy!

50. Delicate Steve - Positive Force
49. The 2 Bears - Be Strong
48. Actress - RIP

47. ScHoolboy Q - Habits And Contradictions
46. David Byrne and St. Vincent - Love This Giant
45. METZ - METZ  
"The only danger they’re in is that with one record built primarily of tracks under the 3:30 mark, there’s simply not enough to satisfy the ravenous demand." Read Braden Fletcher's review. 
44. Jessie Ware - Devotion 
43. Best Coast - The Only Place 
"The return of Best Coast on the music scene is a welcome one indeed." Read Bella Roach's review.
42. Plan B - Ill Manors
41. Yeasayer - Fragrant World
40. William Boney - Good Vibes

39. How To Dress Well - Total Loss 

"‘Total Loss’ is a haunting and intelligent album that will play well with a particular type of intellectual pop fan" Read Max Sefton's review.

38. Deerhoof - Breakup Song

"Breakup Song is a great party record from a band unafraid to reclaim pop for their own ends."

Read Max Sefton's review. 

37. Bat For Lashes - The Haunted Man

36. Lone - Galaxy Garden

35. Peggy Sue - Play the Songs of Scorpio Rising

34. Dan Deacon - America

33. Lucy Rose - Like I Used To

32. Of Montreal - Paralytic Stalks

31. Sharon Van Etten - Tramp

30. The Men - Open Your Heart

29. Ty Segall Band - Slaughterhouse

"A songwriter playing with the same freedom and love of noise, melody and self-expression that his heroes did all those years before." Read Max Sefton's review

28. The Cribs - In The Belly of the Brazen Bull

"In The Belly of the Brazen Bull is by far the darkest and heaviest Cribs record to date, but also the most important. The Cribs have come to reclaim indie rock." Read Aaron Lewins' review.

27. Sigur Rós - Valtari

26. Tall Ships - Everything Touching

"Time spent with this record is indeed precious, but definitely not forgettable." Read Braden Fletcher's review.

25. Porcelain Raft -  Strange Weekend

"Strange Weekend does however manage to come away feeling like a good pop record, and whilst it may not last a life time, it is at least an enjoyable and interesting listen." Read Will Hall's review.

24. Kindness - World, You Need A Change Of Mind

"World, You Need A Change Of Mind is exactly what you would expect from this Peterborough-based pioneer who seems to be capable of reviving any genre that’s thrown his way and make it relevant." Read Aurora Mitchell's review.

23. Swans - The Seer

  

"The listen is definitely a very long and full experience, but ultimately rewarding and rich, with vast swathes of colour and atmosphere." Read Eliot Humphreys' review.

22. Killer Mike - RAP Music

21. Hot Chip - In Our Heads 

"Accomplished, dreamy and jubilant throughout." Read Holly Read-Challen's review.

That's your lot for now, stay reading for 20-1 of the list coming soon!

Compiled by Toby McCarron

Swans - The Seer

I knew it would be a daunting task, reviewing the new album from the seminal post punk band Swans, which is probably why it has taken me so long to actually finish listening to this two hour monster, and get down to writing how I felt about it. 

Overall, I think I came back from it with feelings of positivity, despite how inappropriate that adjective might seem, considering the material. The first thoughts I had about it, mainly noticeable in the opener ‘Lunacy’, was how much it reminded me of a Pink Floyd record, remade and reworked by a band like Queens Of The Stone Age. The album is long, very epic and atmospheric, yet still has this doomy, stoner/desert rock feel to it, despite all the progression and build up going on. I mean, I had worried that I wouldn’t be able to tolerate such an ambitious and demanding album, considering the length, however, it has a certain charm to it that I couldn’t help but feel comfortable around.

I think one of the main reasons why this album is so enjoyable is that the band don’t try and make ‘a long rock song’, which is probably why a band like Pink Floyd seemed a worthy comparison. It’s not the kind of album someone would stick on to headbang to, mosh to, or do anything truly reactionary to. It incorporates a lot of operatic elements too, soaring vocals, especially on ‘A Piece Of The Sky’. It becomes very apparent very quickly that the album is more like a score than mere album. The moods it gives off are very gloomy, dark and loud, yet there is no rush to build them into something foot-tappin’ good, but more to level it out and to create a chilling and eerie experience. And sure, with such track, and many others, they all progress and do have more drum-led moments, but they are on the band’s terms. 

Also, I felt that the surprising introductory track to the second part of the album, featuring Karan O (entitled ‘Song For A Warrior’), was a really refreshing and a good easer into the second leg of the mammoth journey of the album. The sound of the album is so full of a sound I’ve never quite heard on an album before. The chords and intricate elements dotted throughout the album all seem so well thought out and suiting, so much so that the lengths of the tracks never seem to get tiresome, despite certain repetitive elements (which is what makes the album seem score-like, actually). 

Overall, I would have to say ‘The Seer’ is one of the most interesting and diverse albums i’ve heard in a good while. The listen is definitely a very long and full experience, but ultimately rewarding and rich, with vast swathes of colour and atmosphere. Well advised.

9.1

Eliot Humphreys