My Favorite Albums From Last Year That I Didn't Get Into Until This Year

As with every year, there are albums either I don't buy or I buy too late to really fully appreciate and dive into before writing my Favorite Albums of the Year post. Then I feel bad because I end up really loving these albums, sometimes way more than the albums that make the list. So I'm dedicating this post to the albums of last year that are easily favorites but did not make my Top 10, not because I don't like them as much, but because I didn't have them in time. Most of these could have easily booted out other albums.

This post will probably happen again next year as there are still about 15 albums on my list that I want to buy and I am running out of time. Stupid money.

So, presented in alphabetical order, I give you my Favorite Albums of 2012 That Arrived Too Late But Would Totally Be in My Top Ten Now.

Beach House: Bloom
I've totally ignored this band until about 2 or 3 months ago when I heard a song of theirs on the radio while driving to work (the power of radio play is still so very important). I thought it was amazing and put them on my must get list. I decided to go with their most recent release first, which is Bloom.

I've got a thing for songs with driving beats and slight, distorted feedback going on a continuous loop for a while and this album is full of that. Excellent musical intros and outros abound - yet it is easily digestible. There is still a poppiness to it. A great album for just putting on and not thinking about anything for a while.

Top 3 Tracks: "Wishes", "Irene", "Myth"

Dark Dark Dark: Who Needs Who
Where has this band been all my life? I guess they've been right in front of me as they are from the Twin Cities. Once again, I heard them do an in studio performance on 89.3 The Current and it stuck with me. I was at a record store, saw their name, and grabbed this album. LOVE IT. Excellent lyrics. Excellent music. Excellent voice. Somewhat throwback, somewhat modern, piano driven music. Trumpets galore. I know I must have said at some point how much I love trumpets.


 Top 3 Tracks: "How It Went Down", "It's a Secret", "Patsy Cline"

Prissy Clerks: Bruise or Be Bruised
If I remember correctly, this album came out the day after I put up my Favorite Albums of 2012 post. I'm really going to try to hold out a few more weeks before posting my list for this year because I love this album. Super fun. Super catchy. Musically and lyrically fantastic. Power pop distortion fuzzed out candy sweet drive really fast with the windows down type of fantastic.

 Top 3 Tracks: "No Sir", "Stay Glad", "Blast-Off Girls"

Southside Desire: Songs to Love and Die To
I don't know how this album missed the list from last year. I don't know if it's because I had it on vinyl and hadn't yet transferred it to the computer so when I was looking at my options, it just wasn't there or what happened, but I love this album. Old school girl group for the modern age. Songs about heartbreak with a modern twist.

Top 3 Tracks: "Keepsake", "When I Was Your Queen", "The Ballad of a Flickering Flame"