Best of 2012

 My "Best of 2012" list starts here...

    Beginning with the postulate that good music is good music regardless of it's date of issue my "Best of..." will consist of music I found captivating this year; the stuff that got/gets played the most without regard to its release date.
   Like many folks I've been leaning toward the sound of vinyl records more heavily this year. The list will reflect that- surprises from the shelves of local thrifts. Most of these cost me a buck. Do I like 180 gram vinyl? You bet I do. Do I like discovering new music? Sure! Would I have paid $18.99 for any of these not having heard them first? Likely not. (With the exception of Ween "Quebec")

   The list:
      Emmylou Harris: "Luxury Liner"  1977 Warner Bros.
  When you've got Albert Lee, James Burton and Ricky Skaggs working together on your record,
you're somebody. One of a few singers to eschew vibrato for tremolo...unbelievable ability to record her own harmony parts in pitch.Backing harmony is so subtle I missed it the first couple of times through.
      Supertramp: "Breakfast in America" 1979 A&M Records
 Okay it's cheesy, I know.The guys voice bugs me sometimes.The cymbals are sibilant crap on this recording. The bass line/drum pacing during the "Take a look at my girlfriend..." bit (title track) is a good indicator of system synergy- speakers/amps with weak bass will wimp out.
       XTC:  "English Settlement"   1982 Virgin Records
 Hugh Padgham production. Superior sonics meet the unique nasal-whine of Andy Partridge. Rickenbackers aplenty and lots of toms sprinkled with percussive fairy dust and imaginative production. Odd meter will sneak past you and you may not notice the effortless fretless bass.
      Elvis Costello: "King of America"  1986 CBS Records
T-Bone Burnett produced this rather odd sampling of Elvis Costello's attempt at Americanized pop- or at least leaning toward traditionally American instrumentation/musicians.  Jim Keltner, James Burton, David Hidalgo (Los Lobos) bring a unique flavor to table here. The cover "Don't let me be misunderstood" is well done- the marimba in particular...
      Ten Years After: "A Space in Time"   1971 Chrysalis Records
 Alvin Lee covers a lot of ground here- heavy blues, acoustic space-rock, heartfelt confessions of drug-abuse, straight up rock-n-roll (Jimmy Page might/should buy Alvin a drink at the very least;not a note-for note theft, but he sure as hell copped the feel!).  I've been listening to Ten Years After "Cricklewood Green" for years, "A Space in Time" allows a more human side of Alvin Lee to come through.
     Ween: "Quebec"  2003 Sanctuary
  I'm not going to mince words; I love this record. It's a touch windy and conceptual in one or two spots but the good bits are fantastic. These guys (Dean and Gene Ween) are master satirists ala TheTubes, or Frank Zappa, but somehow manage to be satirical without resorting to blatant parody. If you haven't heard them or doubt their songwriting ability, Listen to "Chocolate Town" or "Transdermal Celebration". Frequently I have no idea what in the f*&^ it is that they're singing about. I guess it's a part of what keeps bringing me back.                                        (to be continued...)