Despite being only six months in, 2012 is shaping up to be a great year in music.  We have seen stellar debut releases (Grimes, Alabama Shakes), worthy sophomore follow ups (Best Coast, Sleigh Bells, Chairlift) and records from indie heavy weights (the Shins, Beach House, the Walkmen, Spiritualized) that prove their staying power.  While the second half of 2012 is certainly one to look forward to as new albums from Tallest Man on Earth, Fiona Apple, Yeasayer, and more will keep our ear buds waiting in anticipation, let's take our foot off the gas for a moment and soak up what January through May had to offer.  Check out our staff selections for our favorite albums and songs of the year....so far.


Cliff
Favorite Album so far:  Bloom by Beach House
Not only has the magic of 2010's Teen Dream been recaptured on this new album, it's been surpassed.  A superb collection of songs, it marks a brilliant return for Beach House, who gets better with each album.












Favorite Song so far:  "King and Lionheart" by Of Monsters and Men 
This gentle yet fierce ditty puts a big smile on my face. I saw Of Monsters and Men in Rochester last month and this was one of the clear highlights of their set.






Jon
Favorite Album so far:  Attack on Memory by Cloud Nothings
Straying from Cloud Nothings previous candy coated pop punk tendencies AoM has a much more strained feel. The songs are sparse and angry, almost antagonistic. There is much more of a sense of urgency on this record. The songs are still dripping with melody, but there is an undeniable tension-release relationship on this record as opposed to Turning On and Cloud Nothings. A band to watch in the future.


Favorite Song so far:  "The Only Place" by Best Coast  
A tribute to all things California, this pop ditty shoots an arpeggiated homage to the previous record while expanding into a more mature alt country sound. The whole album is dope, but this jam in particular is killer.






Drew
Favorite Album so far:  Echo Ono by Pontiak
Favorite Song so far:  "Lions of Least" by Pontiak
Echo Ono, the 2012 album by Pontiac is definitely one of the hardest rocking cuts I have heard so far this year. "Lions of Least", the first track on the album starts off with blistering intensity which transitions into a bass groove that carries throughout the rest of the song. The best way to describe it is in the words of Pontiak themselves, as printed on the sleeve, "no distortion pedals were used in the making of this record", "please listen at full volume". 





Mac
Favorite Album so far:  Heaven by the Walkmen
After celebrating their 10 year anniversary In January, indie rock's most consistent band releases it's 7th studio album on June 5th.  While the band has slowed down over the years, most notably on the folky, soul filled harmonies of "We Can't be Beat" and the gorgeous, dream like "Line by Line", tunes like "Nightingales" shows that their signature nervy guitar work will never be a thing of the past.  The Walkmen make aging look good.


Favorite Song so far:  "The House that Heaven Built" by Japandroids
The Vancouver duo have a pretty simple formula:  lots guitar, drums, and yelling, and damn do they do it well.  The lead single off their sophomore album Celebration Rock (also out on June 5th), is another call to arms assault of nostalgic lyrics paired with arena rock riffs.





Tom
Favorite Album so far:  Hospitality by Hospitality
One of the more overlooked albums of 2012 thus far, the self-titled LP by Brooklyn trio Hospitality, came to my ears at the perfect time. Songs like “Liberal Arts” and “Friends of Friends” typify the plight of the meandering, post-undergrad 22-year-old, sifting through the all too serious ideas of career, direction, and relationships. The ten song LP is extremely well-balanced, with Amber Papini purring luscious melodies that can be witty, danceable, haunting, and profound, sometimes all at once. It’s one of the few albums so far this year that I drop a needle on and revel in every single track. There are certainly no skippable moments on Hospitality, so go listen to it already.


Favorite Song so far:  "No Sentiment" by Cloud Nothing
I have a love/hate relationship with favorite track lists. God knows they're fun as ever to read, but it’s so unfair to compare individual songs against one another, even more than it is with albums. So I wont say that Cloud Nothing’s “No Sentiment” is necessarily better than every other track I’ve heard so far this year, but I will say that it definitely kicks the shit out of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know”. Facts are facts.






Brian
Favorite Album so far:  Wonky by Orbital
The current electronic music zeitgeist has become saturated with scenester posturing and historical ignorance, which is why a new album from these UK based pioneers is so important to me. Also, the fact that it's their best album since In Sides doesn't hurt. 








Favorite Song so far:  "August" by Catcall
This Australian singers debut is a slice of synth pop heaven. This song is already the soundtrack to my summer. 



Steve
Favorite Album so far:  Kill for Love by Chromatics
Easily my most anticipated release of 2012 Kill For Love not only met my expectations, it blew them clear out of the water.  After a five-year gap between albums Chromatics re-arrived in a big way, making an album full of paranoid electronica that evokes bleak scenes of urban decay and lost love.  The subject matter may be on the darker side but Kill for Love is beautiful and nothing short of triumphant.  If you've yet to get wise to this Portland quartet do yourself a favor and have a taste.


Favorite Song so far:  "Swing Star Pts. 1 & 2" by Todd Terje
Space Disco had its moment in the sun a few years ago, but it seems no one told Todd Terje.  Released in January as part of the It's the Arps EP 'Swing Star' is 11 minutes of blissful loops and arpeggios that Terje constructed using only the vintage ARP 2600 synthesizer (aka the voice of R2D2).  It was love at first listen.



Chris
Favorite Album so far:  Blunderbuss by Jack White
After countless collaborations, White releases his first solo album with the freedom to do whatever he wanted.  Blunderbuss is an excellent mix of country, rock, and plenty of White Stripey tones.  Jack White can make even the most depressing of songs sound energetic.








Favorite Song so far:  "Language" by Porter Robinson
Porter Robinson set out to make a new track that encompassed everything his music is about and did so very well.  The song touches on electro, house, and excellent vocal use.  This track could easily end up being a summer house music staple.



Mike
Favorite Album so far:  Fear Fun by Father John Misty
My favorite albums often turn out to be the ones I had not heard about until a week or two after their release.  J. Tillman, who has already released a great deal under his own name, left Fleet Foxes and returned as Father John Misty.  Released this spring, Fear Fun is a wonderfully listenable album that is strong from start to finish.  Tillman proves himself to be a clever lyricist as well as deftly capable of writing excellent melodies.  The surreal album cover, done by Dimitri Drjunchin, is also worth a mention.  Be sure to catch him opening for Youth Lagoon on July 10th at Town Ballroom. 


Favorite Song so far:  "Open Your Heart" by The Men 
The Men's most recent LP, Open Your Hearth, was a close call for my favorite album this year.  A mix of Sonic Youth and early Mission of Burma, the album was a diverse and definite evolution of their sound.  "Open Your Heart," is propulsive and unflagging, featuring  great vocals and a fantastic bridge.  The band recently had some lineup changes, so I am hopeful that this song/album are only the beginning. 





Katie
Favorite Album so far:  Boys & Girls by Alabama Shakes
The Alabama Shakes dominated the first half of 2012. The release of their debut album also came with landing the gig as Jack White's opener and selling out nearly all of their shows on their tour. There is no doubt this band has talent and I've been loving their album everyday since its release. In my opinion, its the perfect combination of blues, soul and rock that everyone needs in their life. 


Favorite Song so far:  "Every Single Night" by Fiona Apple


Michael
Favorite Album so far:  Attack on Memory by Cloud Nothings
2012 will be the year of Cloud Nothings. This former lo-fi power-pop foursome has come a long way this year, releasing a near-perfect album in the beginning of the year, and supporting Attack on Memory with a nation-wide tour that exceeded most expectations. The band has graduated from their low-fi beginnings, which for many other bands is the start of their demise, but for Cloud Nothings it makes you appreciate their back catalog even more. Their show on April 2, 2012 at Babeville’s Ninth Ward consisted of Attack on Memory in it’s entirety and unless Bear Hands pull something crazy July 24th at Mohawk Place, it will go down as my favorite show of 2012.  Cloud Nothing’s sound is incredible powerful and straightforward.  buffaBLOGGER Jon Krol said it best that this quartet are masters of tension and release. Dylan Baldi’s catchy sing-a-along power-pop hooks along with it’s driving instrumentation has been on constant rotation in my head all year. I NEED TIMEEE TO STOP MOVIN’, I NEED TIME TO STAY USELESS.

Favorite Song so far:  "Ropes That Way" by Dirty Ghosts
How this song isn’t already on a BMW commercial is beyond me. San Francisco’s Dirty Ghosts, comprised of primarily Allyson Baker with a constant-rotating gang of merry men, is raw rock at it’s finest with a heavy helping of post-punk backing (think a Joan Jett fronted Gang Of Four).  “Ropes That Way” off of the band’s debut full length Metal Moon, released by Last Gang Records, is an iTUNES must-have.  Take a listen to this now, because soon enough you’ll hear it all over the place. Fun Allyson Baker fact:  she’s married to Aesop Rock.

Fans of electronic music can be fickle bitches.  As we go deeper down the rabbit hole from genre to sub-genre to sub-sub-genre, the slightest inconsistency can turn a crowd of ebullient candy ravers into sneering nihilists.  This phenomenon is partly to blame for the intense backlash felt by musicians who transition from cutting edge trailblazers to washed up sell outs seemingly overnight.  A discouraging side effect is when established artists desperately try to play catch up with the current flavors of the month.  Even the Rolling Stones couldn't resist making a disco song, even though they ran screaming back to their comfort zone of wiggling awkwardly to the same guitar lick for the next 34 years.  As Orbital demonstrate on their first studio album since disbanding in 2004, sometimes it's better to dip your toes in the pool than to dive in head first.

I make no secret that I'm a big Orbital fan.  When my friends were trading Phish bootlegs back in high school, I was dissecting every note of Orbital's Insides.  You'd be hard pressed to find an act with a more impressive string of output during the 90's.  From the acid house anthems of The Green Album, to the breakbeat excursions of Snivilisation, to the melodically adventurous Middle of Nowhere, Orbital never let their success plateau their creative vigor.  I was disappointed with 2001's The Altogether, despite it's hidden treasures, such as the evil surf of "Tension" and the expansive drum 'n bass of album closer "Meltdown".  It was a bit like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, where all of the elements were there, but you couldn't quite put your finger on why you weren't over the moon about it.

If The Altogether was their Temple of Doom, then 2004's Blue Album was their Last Crusade.  After announcing their breakup, the album was meant to be their swan song, ending their story with a charming bit of nostalgia meant to leave fans with fond memories of the duo at their best.  After this, there was no need to continue on.  Their catalog stands up to any other electronic artist out there, and there was nothing left to prove to anyone but themselves.  This is why, when Orbital announced their reunion for some festival gigs in 2009, I was apprehensive. Was this a shameless Rage Against The Machine-esque cash grab?  No one wants to endure their favorite musicians sullying themselves through an uninspired tour of the same old songs, do they?

Fortunately for us, this is not the case (this is the part where I actually talk about the album).  The barely discernible layers of vocal samples on Wonky's opening track "One Big Moment" immediately call to mind the opening track from Snivilisation, "Forever".  Light, angelic synths dance around the samples for a few moments before a rough drum fill slaps you in the face, announcing loud and clear that this is going to be an upbeat affair.  It's a grand reintroduction to the group, and one of the strongest melodic tracks on the album.  Following that are the one-two punch of "Straight Sun" and "Never", two songs that Orbital previously released online.  "Straight Sun" works as a more straightforward dance track, and feels a bit like a continuation of the reintroduction from "One Big Moment".  "Never", which was my favorite track of 2011, ranks up there with Orbital's best work, layering vocal stabs over one of their trademark melody lines that take forever to resolve.

"New France" features one of the few collaborations on the album, with vocal contributions from Zola Jesus.  Their styles mesh rather well, with ZJ's voice acting as more of a layering synth as opposed to a traditional vocal, in the spirit of Alison Goldfrapp's contributions to Orbital's work in the mid to late 90's.  "New France" was also released as a single with a hilarious music video, making it a poignant statement on the tragedy of losing your youthful innocence. "Distractions" follows, and is in the running for my favorite track on the album.  This is one of Wonky's excursions into a more current sound, with a heavy downtempo beat layered with cut up female vocal samples courtesy of Emily Portman.  The track transitions smoothly into "Stringy Acid", a song straight from the early acid house raves that Orbital were born from.  If it were up to me, every album would have a healthy dose of acid bass, so I don't know what Orbital were thinking sitting on this track for so long.

The next track will likely the be the most polarizing on the album.  When I heard that Orbital were attempting a dubstep track, my face contorted in that disapproving fashion that my body can no longer control.  "Beezledub" is a dubstep reworking of the Orbital classic "Satan".  The song is a result of the live excursions that the duo explored while performing "Satan" live over the years, which deviated in such great fashion from the original that it morphed into an entirely different track.  I appreciate dubstep in small doses, so I'm relieved that the wobbling bassline doesn't outstay it's welcome.  The song manages to double time it's beat into an frenetic drum 'n bass crescendo, demonstrating to dubstep DJ's everywhere that it's okay if your songs actually go somewhere.  Title track "Wonky" may also turn off diehard fans for it's collaboration with rapper Lady Leshurr.  It may not be the album standout, but it's a fun dance track  that confirms my suspicion that cats are soulless, evil creatures.

Closing out the album is the wonderfully grand "Where is it Going?"  Fans of The Brown Album will dig this track, as it's big four on the floor beat and dazzling arpeggiators would feel right at home with the "Lush" series.  The Hartnoll brothers revealed in their amusing studio updates that they were sticking to analog gear for this album, and it shows.  There's a vibrant crispness to it that you just can't achieve with a laptop, making the album feel more unique and alive.  Sometimes, in order to be innovative, you have to do things the old fashioned way.  My hope is, due to the nature of the closing track title, that Orbital are just getting started... again.

This weeks music video comes with a biased opinion. Orbital is still far and away my favorite electronic music act, and their mid 90's masterpieces Snivilization and Insides hold up remarkably well. In 2004 the group, consisting of brothers Paul and Phil Hartnoll, decided to call it quits.  Since that time Phil has continued DJing and Paul released an underrated solo album called The Ideal Condition. Recently the brothers reunited for some high profile festival gigs and announced they were working on a new album.  Amidst all the hullabaloo of the "new rave culture" and the rise of subgenres such as dubstep and moombahton, it's refreshing to hear some old pros come back into the fold to show the kiddies how it's done. Their new single "Never", shows they haven't missed a step, creating a euphoric layer of melodies that could stand up to anything in their vast catalog. The video is pretty straightforward and plays more like a visualization than a high concept, but the execution is beautiful nonetheless. They are offering a free download of the track  which you can get here, and you can enjoy their fever dream drive through London below.