To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=148200
17 messages

Best Album-2012

20 Nov 12 - 02:59 AM (#3439064)
Subject: Favorite Album-2012
From: GUEST,Azoic

It is now mid-November and I am curious as to what YOUR favorite album of 2012 is?


20 Nov 12 - 04:46 AM (#3439086)
Subject: RE: Best Album-2012
From: GUEST,Erich

Strong Believer by "Sir" Oliver Mally (Blues)
Customs & Exercise by Jess & Richard Arrowsmith (Folk)


20 Nov 12 - 05:07 AM (#3439090)
Subject: RE: Best Album-2012
From: GUEST,Blandiver

Bat for Lashes : The Haunted Man (Pop).

Hesperion XXI : Ésprit D'Arménie (Classical / Traditional).

Björk : Bastards (Pop).

Scott Walker : Bish Bosch (Pop). (Not out until December 4th but from what I've heard of it so far I reckon its significance in my life is pretty much assured. Even my wife is looking forward to this one....)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfrVuhD8maE


20 Nov 12 - 05:24 AM (#3439095)
Subject: RE: Best Album-2012
From: SteveMansfield

It's a tough call, but I'd probably have to go for the self-titled album by Calum Stewart & Heikki Bourgault - truly top-class flute playing across Irish, Scottish, English, French and Breton musics, a really soulful CD with loads of skill and flash, but never descending into mere top-speed-because-we-can-ishness.

Honourable mentions, and on another day possibly the winning spot, to

The Old Dance School's 'Chasing The Light'
(officially released this year but available last year at gigs and via their Facebook presence so not sure if it counts for 2012 - great widescreen cinematic stuff anyway)

and

Jim Moray - 'Skulk'
(his best and most varied yet, a new-found restraint and lightness of touch on some tracks to offset and complement the impressive wall-of-sound and innovative tracks).

Track of the year, though, has to be Jim Moray's 'Lord Douglas'. My new favourite 'Matty Groves' variant ever.


20 Nov 12 - 05:26 AM (#3439096)
Subject: RE: Best Album-2012
From: Allan Conn

"Royal Southern Brotherhood" by the Royal Southern Brotherhood


20 Nov 12 - 05:39 AM (#3439102)
Subject: RE: Best Album-2012
From: GUEST,Blandiver

Not forgetting...

Various Artists : Wierdlore (Folk). (Yes, I know I'm on it, with our dreamily reflective meditation on The Innocent Hare (sorry about the sleevenote), but that's only one track among many that amount, in my heart at least, to a vindication bordering on solidarity. Shame the festival never happened, but when Telling the Bees, False Beards and Rapunzel & Sedayne all featured their Weirdlore tracks at Mosely Festival back in September I felt a deep sense of inter-connected pride in being but one small part of Nigel's Folk Police vision. Nice one, Spleen - you've done us proud!).

I might also add:

Ewan D. Rodgers : Tomorrow Might be Monday (Folk). (Simply the best).


20 Nov 12 - 11:53 AM (#3439316)
Subject: RE: Best Album-2012
From: GUEST,Jerome Clark

In my judgment, making no later claim than that:

Best album of the year: Tempest, by Bob Dylan (Columbia)

Honorable mentions:

Heart of the Country, by Chris Brashear (Dog Boy)
Old Man Below, by the Dust Busters with John Cohen (Smithsonian Folkways)
Camilla, by Caroline Herring (Signature Sounds)
When My Mama Was Living, by Louisiana Red (Labor)
Troubled in Mind, by Ryan McGiver (self-released)
Calling Me Home, by Kathy Mattea (Sugar Hill)
I'm Gone, by Omar & the Howlers (Big Guitar Music)
The Mando Chronicles, by Peter Ostroushko (3 discs, Red House)
Southern Roots & Branches (Then and Now), by Marty Raybon (Rural Rhythm)
2 Chairs, No Waiting, by Siamese Cousins (Mountain Roads)
Banjo Diary: Lessons from Tradition, by Stephen Wade (Smithsonian Folkways)

Archival:

Lonesome Whistle: An Anthology of American Railroad Song (4 discs, Properbox)


20 Nov 12 - 11:59 AM (#3439321)
Subject: RE: Best Album-2012
From: GUEST,gillymor

My favorites:
Port of Morrow by The Shins
The King is Dead by The Decemberists


20 Nov 12 - 07:44 PM (#3439549)
Subject: RE: Best Album-2012
From: GUEST

Traces - Karine Polwart. Heartbreaking and magnificent.


20 Nov 12 - 07:56 PM (#3439556)
Subject: RE: Best Album-2012
From: Stewie

Tom Paley's Old-Time Moonshine Revue 'Roll on, Roll On' Hornbeam HBR 0001.

--Stewie.


21 Nov 12 - 04:39 AM (#3439707)
Subject: RE: Best Album-2012
From: GUEST,matt milton

Favourite album was Never by Micachu. Didn't think I'd ever hear another pop album I'd like, but that is just the most invigorating, life-affirming headrush that music has given me in years. All sorts of influences that have meant a lot to me in the past - eg Prince, My Bloody Valentine, Os Mutantes, Motown, Harry Partsch, Charles Ives, hip-hop - but never pretentious with it.

As far as folk goes, I only heard one album I liked this year: C Joynes & Stephanie Hladowski "The Wild Wild Berry".


21 Nov 12 - 06:25 PM (#3440081)
Subject: RE: Best Album-2012
From: Elmore

Old Ideas by Leonard Cohen released Jan 2012. No contest. Except everybody has a right to his own opinion.


22 Nov 12 - 02:29 PM (#3440579)
Subject: RE: Best Album-2012
From: GUEST,Guest


22 Nov 12 - 02:31 PM (#3440581)
Subject: RE: Best Album-2012
From: GUEST,Guest

It would have been Rupert Bear - but they stopped doing them!


01 Jan 13 - 08:25 AM (#3459934)
Subject: RE: Best Album-2012
From: ian268

The results ! Thanks to all who took part - this result also ties in with a thread "Best Album-2012" created in November. The clear winner was "The Wild Wild Berry" by Stephanie Hladowski & C. Joynes. The rest are all worth further investigation and a listen to.

1, STEPHANIE HLADOWSKI & C.JOYNES - "The Wild Wild Berry" (boweavilrecordings.com)
2, VOICE OF THE PEOPLE (VARIOUS ARTISTS) - "Good People Take Warning - Ballads sung by British & Irish Traditional Singers"
(Topic Recordings)
3, GERRY DIVER - "Speech Project" (speechproject.net)
4, ED MILLER - "Come Awa' Wi' Me" (Wellfield Records)
5, BRUCE MURDOCH - "Sometimes I Wonder Why The World" (brucemurdoch.com)
6, THE JAY UNGER & MOLLY MASON FAMILY BAND - " A Fiddlers Holiday" (Rounder Records)
7, SIR OLIVER MALLY - "Strong Believer" (Hoanzl - Austria).
8, CALUM STEWART & HEIKKI BOURGAULT - self titled. (calumheikki.com)
9, ROYAL SOUTHERN BROTHERHOOD - self titled. (royalsouthernbrotherhood.com)
10, WEIRDLORE (VARIOUS ARTISTS). (folkpolicerecordings.com)
11, CHRIS BRASHEAR - "Heart Of The Country" (hearthmusic.com)
12, MICACHU - "Never" (rough trade records)

Other notable new albums by more well known acts include KARINE POLWART - "Traces", LEONARD COHEN - "Old Ideas", BAT FOR LASHES - "A Haunted Man", THE SHINS - "Port Of Morrow", BOB DYLAN - "Tempest".

Happy New Year Mudcat followers !


01 Jan 13 - 03:06 PM (#3460115)
Subject: RE: Best Album-2012
From: ian268

Slightly adjusted late votes and compilers incompetence !


The results ! Thanks to all who took part - this result also ties in with a thread "Best Album-2012" created in November. The clear winner was "The Wild Wild Berry" by Stephanie Hladowski & C. Joynes. The rest are all worth further investigation and a listen to.

1, STEPHANIE HLADOWSKI & C.JOYNES - "The Wild Wild Berry" (boweavilrecordings.com)
2, VOICE OF THE PEOPLE (VARIOUS ARTISTS) - "Good People Take Warning - Ballads sung by British & Irish Traditional Singers"
(Topic Recordings)
3, GERRY DIVER - "Speech Project" (speechproject.net)
4, ED MILLER - "Come Awa' Wi' Me" (Wellfield Records)
5, BRUCE MURDOCH - "Sometimes I Wonder Why The World" (brucemurdoch.com)
6, THE JAY UNGER & MOLLY MASON FAMILY BAND - " A Fiddlers Holiday" (Rounder Records)
7, SIR OLIVER MALLY - "Strong Believer" (Hoanzl - Austria).
8, CALUM STEWART & HEIKKI BOURGAULT - self titled. (calumheikki.com)
9, ROYAL SOUTHERN BROTHERHOOD - self titled. (royalsouthernbrotherhood.com)
10, WEIRDLORE (VARIOUS ARTISTS). (folkpolicerecordings.com)
11, CHRIS BRASHEAR - "Heart Of The Country" (hearthmusic.com)
12, MICACHU - "Never" (rough trade records)
13, TOM PALEY - "Old Time Moonshine Revue, Roll On Roll On" (Hornbeam Recordings)
14, RIBBON ROAD - "Roadside Dreams" (theshipbuliders.com)
15, GORDON BOK - "Because You Asked" (gordonbok.com/timberhead music)

Other notable new albums by more well known acts include KARINE POLWART - "Traces", LEONARD COHEN - "Old Ideas", BAT FOR LASHES - "A Haunted Man", THE SHINS - "Port Of Morrow", BOB DYLAN - "Tempest".

Happy New Year Mudcat followers !


02 Jan 13 - 10:13 AM (#3460350)
Subject: RE: Best Album-2012
From: Spleen Cringe

Joynes & Hladowski - The Wild, Wild Berry
Nathan Bowles - A Bottle, A Buckeye
The Baird Sisters - Until You Find Your Green
Hiss Golden Messenger - Poor Moon
Charlie Parr - Keep Your Hands on the Plough
Jason Steel - The Weight of Care
Goat - World Music
Kelan Philip Cohran & The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble - s/t
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
Beaulieu Porch - s/t
Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill
Belbury Poly - The Belbury Tales

Individual song - Dead Maids - James McKeown (from English Dream)

Overall winner:

Goat - World Music

Goat - Goatlord