The Top 10 Pleasant Surprise Albums of 2012

The antithesis of the most disappointing albums of the year, the list calls attention to the records that had no business impressing us as much as they did. How dare they sweep in with low expectations or no expectations, slipping in between releases by more acclaimed bands and artists whom we knew would give us great records, and charm the pants off of us? These pleasant surprises are a nice mix of records from established artists pulling out every bag of tricks they had with monumental payoffs as well as unsung acts that epitomize the idea of a surprise. Some of them may not make the best of the year lists, but all of them deserve recognition for doing a fine job of getting us to hit that repeat button on our iPhones over and over and over… Enio Chiola

 

Artist: Mouse on Mars

Album: Parastrophics

Label: Monkeytown

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List Number: 10

Mouse on Mars
Parastrophics

At this point in their careers, nothing the German duo Jan St. Werner and Andi Toma does should surprise any of their fans. Since their 1994 debut Vulvaland, they have produced ten full-length records of peculiar IDM, none exactly alike another…or much else in existence, for that matter. And yet, to return after a six-year hiatus with an album like Parastrophics is remarkable — a deliriously joyful album that confounds and astounds like the best moments from their nearly two decade long career. Perfectly at home on Monkeytown Records, Parastrophics threads the needle through the contemporary electronic scene and vibrates those myriad genres into a singular whole, made abstract by its sheer variety yet coherent by its distinctly whimsical perspective on dub, drum and bass, disco, acid, and so much more. Case in point, “Chordblocker, Cinnamon Toasted” sees the German duo take it down to a bit of deconstructed trap music, oddly yet aptly peaking with Hawaiian guitars and whistling, seemingly addressing the boundaries of genre distinction from the outside looking in. Yet, for all its mania, the album flows from start to finish, its evolving textures and sound palette clashes smoothed over by an overarching vision, its experimental aural assault tempered by a playful genius that will belong to the ages. Alan Ranta

 

Artist: Masta Ace & MF DOOM

Album: MA DOOM: Son of Yvonne

Label: M3

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List Number: 8

Masta Ace & MF DOOM
MA: Son of Yvonne

This album has no right being as good as it is. When Masta Ace stumbled upon MF DOOM’s Special Herbs instrumental series and decided they should be used for the umpteenth time, hip-hop collectively rolled its eyes and sighed. By now everybody and their mother had rapped over these beats, and to be honest we were growing tired of them. But then something amazing happened: the album turned out to not only be good, but pretty damn amazing. Ace breathes new life into these tried-and-true instrumentals, and the simple, but effective concept (the album is an homage to Ace’s mother and his childhood in general) turns out to be a magical nostalgia-filled tour through one man’s past. Adam Maylone

 

Artist: Neil Young & Crazy Horse

Album: Psychedelic Pill

Label: Reprise

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List Number: 8

Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Psychedelic Pill

Every fan knows by now to approach a new Neil Young album with caution. Occasional brilliant flourishes get paired with dry, self-indulgent LPs. It’s expected. And why not? Young has given us enough music to last three lifetimes. But returning to the fold with his longtime band Crazy Horse can definitely tip the scale from “curious” to “committed”. Americana, Young & Crazy Horse’s collection of electrified folk tunes, was a just a warm-up for the superb Psychedelic Pill. If Americana was a wine and cheese appetizer, Psychedelic Pill is a plate full of steak and potatoes. It contains every fine-tuned brick of the Neil Young & Crazy Horse foundation: anthemic guitar noise, epic song runtimes, and Young’s vigilant lyrical observations. Nothing on Psychedelic Pill, even at its massive 85-minute runtime, feels extraneous. From the Zen-drone experience of “Driftin’ Back” to the classic stomp of “Born In Ontario”, Neil Young & Crazy Horse squeeze more mileage out of two guitars, bass, and drums than a dozen rock bands half their age. Even when he’s reflective, Young still looks forward, eager to press on. And, at age 67, he’s determined to not fade away — a simple feat when you create an LP of this scale. Walk like a giant, indeed. Scott Elingburg

 

Artist: Light Asylum

Album: Light Asylum

Label: Mexican Summer

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List Number: 7

Light Asylum
Light Asylum

In my original review for Light Asylum’s self-titled debut, a good-but-not-glowing 6 out of 10, I noted that the album worked better taken in small pieces of a few tracks at a time rather than as a collective whole. But while I would still say this is true, and in many ways I still stand by my original critique, Light Asylum grew to be one of my absolute favorites of the year, due in large part to the heavy replayability value that’s a natural result of the record’s structure. Because this is better taken in smaller pieces, and each of these small pieces is unbelievably catchy and intriguing, you’ll find yourself listening to different segments of the album quite often. The duo of Bruno Coviello and vocalist extraordinaire Shannon Funchess are no strangers to powerful “darkwave” synth music, as evidenced by their 2011 In Tension EP, and this debut only solidifies their prime stance in the ever-growing Brooklyn music scene. Though Light Asylum is still better as a collection of similarly excellent singles rather than as a cohesive album, it’s how well the former is done that makes it the most pleasant of surprises. Brice Ezell

 

Artist: Ja Rule

Album:PIL2

Label:Fontana

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List Number: 6

Ja Rule
PIL2

Eight years after his last hit, on his own tiny label that only releases mixtapes and Ja Rule albums, it’s fair to say nobody expected greatness from the incarcerated Queens rapper. As they teach you to say in job interview seminars, Ja Rule turns his weaknesses into strengths, crafting a first-rate emo-rap album with producer 7 Aurelius. The rapper spends the album hating his own fame and wondering what constitutes real life (a “Bohemian Rhapsody” sample was denied.) Sometimes he slurs his bark beyond comprehension, giving the whole thing a desperate and confused feel, especially when he starts praying in the middle of his sex jams (for reasons unknown, he also shouts out that wack Nine Days song, “Story of a Girl”.) But things still cut through the murk: the hook singers’ clear voices, the producer’s vivid production touches, and especially Ja Rule’s love of syncopation, making his syllables snap even when he seems to lose his tether to reality. Josh Langhoff

5 – 1

Artist: James Iha

Album: Look to the Sky

Label: The End

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List Number: 5

James Iha
Look to the Sky

It had been 14 years since Smashing Pumpkins lead guitarist James Iha released his fairly anticipated solo debut. Let it Come Down essentially affirmed that Billy Corgan was truly the brains of Smashing Pumpkins. The record was straight out of left field leaving many Pumpkins fans puzzled at the bizarre lovelorn acoustic neo-country tunes. Fourteen years later, no one was expecting a new Iha record. He had all but disappeared from the limelight after Smashing Pumpkins disbanded. But with the dissipated sour taste of Let It Come Down, Iha managed to slip in with a beautifully produced record that manages to stay true to his love-song tendencies while reinventing his acoustic/indie-pop vibe. Look to the Sky’s main achievement is its charm. While lyrics like “New Year’s Day / New Year’s Day / We’re running up a hill” sound hokey at times, it’s difficult not to fall for Iha’s boy-like charisma and wide-eyed wonder. Iha paints a perfect setting of young love under a starry night, with uncomplicated sentiments and beautiful instrumentation. Enio Chiola

 

Artist: The Shins

Album: Port of Morrow

Label: Columbia

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List Number: 4

The Shins
Port of Morrow

For all intents and purposes, Port of Morrow should have sucked. James Mercer disbanded the Shins about five years back, rebuilding it from the ground up, which should have left the band in shambles, a mere reflection of what it used to be. And with the underwhelming Wincing the Night Away, the band’s last record, all signs pointed to a downward spiral for the Shins. However, Port of Morrow, while a slicker version than previous efforts, brims with enticing choruses and interesting production choices. Tracks like “Simple Song”, “Bait and Switch”, “It’s Only Life”, and “Fall of ’82” are evidence of just how hard Mercer and his plethora of guest players worked on getting this record to be a super condensed batch of sophisticated ultra-pop tracks. While many may not have expected much from Mercer and Co., Port of Morrow proves that the Shins are long from over — all it takes is a little dedication and perseverance. Enio Chiola

 

Artist: Aimee Mann

Album: Charmer

Label: Super Ego

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List Number: 3

Aimee Mann
Charmer

Aimee Mann, for a few years now, was beginning to show her lack in adapting and changing with each new record. Although she managed to make some interesting leaps and bounds with producer-genius extraordinaire Jon Brion back in the day, her previous two records @#%&*! Smilers and to a lesser degree The Forgotten Arm showed signs of fatigue on Mann’s part to come up with some interesting pop/folk/rock tunes. Although The Forgotten Arm had the brilliant “Video” and “I Just Can’t Help You Anymore”, it was @#%&*! Smilers that lacked a single intriguing tune anywhere on the record. Even the mellow “Little Tornado” (in Mann’s classic touching ballad style) failed to invoke any real emotion in the way that most tear-jerkers on Lost in Space managed to do. It was starting to look like Aimee Mann was going the way of many ’90s artists –monumentally less interesting. Along comes Charmer, a charming pop record overflowing with eclectic synth instrumentation and enough twists and turns to lay claim as some of Mann’s best work in years. And lyrics like “But fetching sticks was the best I had for tricks / You got bored / You got mad / Then you got crazy” is veritable proof that Mann is still the best lyricist around. Enio Chiola

 

Artist: Amanda Palmer & the Grand Theft Orchestra

Album: Theatre Is Evil

Label: 8ft

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Amanda Palmer & the Grand Theft Orchestra
Theatre Is Evil

Amanda Palmer is a frustrating character. Her actions seem to be dictated by an insatiable lust for attention. Her know-how of ways to attain it is often staggering. Before she became the crowned Queen of Twitter, she was playing an intriguing cabaret-punk angle with her old duo, the Dresden Dolls. They took a break and Palmer dropped Who Killed Amanda Palmer, which suggested she hadn’t fully revealed her musical talents. One record-setting Kickstarter campaign later, she finally has. With all of the attention surrounding Theatre Is Evil, it was a record that seemed doomed to fail. Then the thing came out and absolutely blew me away, starting with the fact that Theatre Is Evil not only had teeth but downright fangs. From the vicious lead-off single “The Killing Type” to the ferocious closer, the record’s vigor rarely wanes. When it does, it allows for some of Palmer’s finest work. Most notably, the devastating “The Bed Song”, which is not only Palmer’s personal best but one of the best tracks of the year. At nearly 76 minutes, the record never ceases to be engaging and, more importantly, seems more than worth the $1,000,000+ that was attained in funding it. Steven Spoerl

 

Artist: Cat Power

Album: Sun

Label: Matador

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Cat Power
Sun

Put Chan Marshall’s erratic reputation together with the seeming trend — on the The Greatest (2006), the covers album Jukebox (2008), and multiple tours — towards a career as a soul/blues crooner of sorts, and few people likely predicted that Sun would be as strange and exciting as it is. She’s recaptured the bohemian/mystic/street poet side of her earliest albums while carrying more power, confidence, and talent in her approach as a singer, songwriter, and artist. Sun carries forth all of her idiosyncrasies and her capable ability to speak for the lonely, strange, and pained. Yet it’s also less inward-focused, with songs that speak strongly to national and human crises and quandaries. Musically, as a somewhat futuristic reinvention and exploration of the basic Cat Power sound, it’s breathtaking. There are moments small and big — especially the 11-minute, life-affirming “Nothin’ But Time”, where Iggy Pop makes a majestic, understated appearance near the very end — that at once are anguished, strange, and some of the most beautiful music released in 2012. Dave Heaton