Top 15 Concerts of 2012

These were the top 15 concerts I attended in 2012.  Feel free to make your own list in the comments.

15. Diamond Rugs - 06.24, Rumsey Playfield, New York, NY
"Totally Lonely" was exponentially better live than recorded, with all the members joining producer Justin Collins on the final refrain. For the set-closing "Christmas in a Chinese Restaurant," the group thinned its ranks to a duo of McCauley and Los Lobos' Steve Berlin. The fact that it was merely days after the summer solstice only amplified the beautiful sadness of the song." (Read full review)

14. Deer Tick - 12.19, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY

"With a loud "Kick it!" they crunched into "Fight for Your Right." Matt Vasquez of Delta Spirit now had the oft-traded Mustang, but his most memorable contribution to the song was throwing pitcher after pitcher of beer onto the crowd. This insane final display was the ultimate example of why we go to Deer Tick shows: Because anything can happen because it's a goddam party." (Read full review)

13. Alabama Shakes - 10.06, Merriweather Post Pavilion (Virgin Mobile Freefest), Columbia, MD

"While bassist Zac Cockrell still only moved slightly more than a well-timed bobblehead, Brittany Howard was absolutely magnetic.  She was wearing a blue dress with red dots and sporting a straightened hairdo, but you couldn't take your eyes off her face.  If you were a deaf person, you could've learned all the vowel sounds just by the way her mouth moved, soulful howls bursting out of the gaping hole." (Read full review)

12. Mayer Hawthorne - 04.16, Webster Hall, New York, NY
"This isn't a concert; it's a show," Hawthorne announced at the onset.  Backed by his band, the County, MH dazzled fans with a set of soulful originals from both of his albums, and even a few Hall & Oates covers.  For final song "Henny & Gingerale," Hawthorne played bartender and made drinks for those in the front row as he sang.

11. Matt Embree - 09.11, The Acheron, Brooklyn, NY

"The banter became downright ridiculous, Embree claiming he knew half the people in the room, even their "drunken-ass aliases, like when you get so drunk you're another person." While he may have seemed like another person between songs, his drunkenness had no effect on his musicianship. His guitar solo in "Taking Chase as the Serpent Slithers" was absolutely ferocious, and he proved his vocal prowess on a soulful cover of Hendrix's "Castles Made of Sand." (Read full review)

10. 10 Ft. Ganja Plant - 04.20, The Middle East, Cambridge, MA

This was the third ever live performance for the secretive reggae band.  The sweaty night of dub in the basement of the club was a night to remember... though due to obvious reasons, somewhat forgotten. 

9. Phish - 12.30, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

"Disarmed by the first set, we were all ready for Phish to drop the real jams on us.  Kicking things off with "Down with Disease," the boys made it through the main part, and then unearthed a subterranean monster toward its end.  Knowing glances around the room as we lapped up the amazingly funked-out puzzle where all the pieces fit properly." (Read full review)

8. Ben Harper - 10.10, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
"That was only the start of what would be the 54-minute encore, where Harper reached back into his catalog to revive old favorites like "Not Fire Not Ice," "Power of the Gospel," and "Welcome to the Cruel World."  The show could have bookended with the instrumental "Exhale," but surprisingly, Ben brought his chair downstage, even in front of the suspended stage mic, to play "Suzie Blue" on ukulele." (Read full review)

7. Kishi Bashi - 05.16, Le Poisson Rouge, New York, NY

It's hard to upstage the Barr Brothers, but with a violin, a microphone, and some looping pedals, he did it.  Everyone stared silently in awe as he magically constructed his songs piece by piece.  Best of the three times I saw him.

6. The Heavy - 08.30, Irving Plaza, New York, NY

A live staple for years, "The Big Bad Wolf" followed it like Little Red Riding Hood, but this wasn't the sneaky trickster from the children's tale.  This was a fucking monster.  With the crowd howling and screaming, "What you say!" it was incredible to realize that I was in a room full of adults singing along, "I'm gonna huff and puff, and blow your house down!" (Read full review)

5. Ben Taylor - 05.17, City Winery, New York, NYBen and band unveiled several new songs from his upcoming album Listening in the sonically sweet space.  Audience member John Forté sat in for a few tunes, including the fan-suggested encore "Digest."

4. Animal Liberation Orchestra - 07.23, Rocks Off Boat Cruise, New York, NY
"You guys are yelling out some really old ones," noted Dan.  "Should we do 'Sexo y Drogas?'"  And they did.  For the first time in over a year.  It was like watching 2004-era ALO all over again.  Before launching into the singalong "Walls of Jericho," I heard Lebo tuning a little ghost of "They Love Each Other."  My ears didn't deceive me, the Garcia ditty exhuming itself from the remains of "Walls." (Read full review)

3. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - 06.14, Irving Plaza, New York, NY

"At 9:37, the band took the stage to the tribal drums of the title track off their newest  album, The Lion the Beast the Beat. Having released the LP on Tuesday, the set was heaped with fresh tunes, and Grace wasn't ashamed of it. "If you don't know it, just fucking pretend you do." (Read full review)

 

2. Band of Horses - 09.18, House of Vans, Brooklyn, NY

"What was evident was that these boys love playing music. Ben sang with such gusto, you could witness the veins bulging in his tattooed neck. Every member had a wide grin for the show's duration; even the typically stoic Ramsey sneaking out a smirk from somewhere in the center of his beard." (Read full review)

 

1. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - 09.29, Central Park Great Lawn (Global Festival), New York, NY

"Neil Young and Crazy Horse played a blistering mix of new songs from the upcoming Psychedelic Pill, and classics like the 15-minute opener "Love & Only Love." Young, Poncho, and Billy Talbot huddled together in the center of the stage, churning out waves of distortion into the crisp night air." (Read full review)

Top 10 Albums of 2012

The Top 10 Albums of 2012

10. Ben Taylor - Listening
If Another Run Around the Sun is his Sweet Baby James, Listening is his JT: still rootsy but more pop-oriented.  He has a similar honey voice to his father, but made by feistier bees.  The last track "Next Time Around" uses the same progression as James' "Bartender's Blues," which someone should've noticed, but overall, still a solid record.

9. ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) - Sounds Like This
When a band meshes so well onstage, sometimes that energy doesn't translate into the studio, but ALO have done it... with the first six songs on this album.  "Cowboys & Chorus Girls" ends with a funky keyboard jam, but then the songs start to sound like different renditions of tunes they've already recorded.  "Bark of a Tree" recalls "The Champ."  "Combat Zone" is "Monday" with different lyrics, and "Room for Bloomin" is similar to "I Love Music."  Fortunately, aside from "Bloomin," they are better versions.

8. Bill Baird - Career
Sound Team's Movie Monster is one of my favorite indie records ever. Unfortunately, the band split, with Bill Baird going solo and Matt Oliver and Jordan Johns forming TV Torso. Fortunately, both are still making good music.  Baird took a more experimental route in crafting Career, a noisy grab bag of lo-fi ambition.

7. Gary Clark, Jr. - Blak & Blu
Some are dubbing GCJ a "legend in the making," and while his eclectic major label debut may not confirm that, it's a fun ride.  In fact, Clark had previously released all but 5 of the songs in some manner, but it's exactly these songs that show his experimentation, from the horn-accented opener "Ain't Messin' 'Round" to the Lenny Kravitz-esque "Glitter Ain't Gold."

6. Diamond Rugs - Diamond Rugs
John McCauley rounds up a different batch of friends, including Steve Berlin of Los Lobos, for a 14-song drunken romp.  "Call Girl Blues" is an easy contender for song of the year with its bouncy horns and catchy backup vocals.  I saw them perform it straight-through in June, and it holds up live too!

5. Kishi Bashi - 151a
At nine tracks, it's a breeze, but it's the only violin-based album I've been digging this year.  It's clear Kevin Barnes' influence has worn off during his touring with Of Montreal, and yet Mr. Ishibashi manages a sound all his own.  Beat-boxing, loops, and an impressive vocal range only add to its diverse beauty.

4. Jack White - Blunderbuss

First off, I've never liked the White Stripes, so this came as a shocker even to me.  After seeing White and the Peacocks play Virgin Freefest in October, I was intrigued enough to check out his solo debut.  "Sixteen Saltines" is a fucking rocker, the "I'm Shakin'" cover is fun and faithful, and oodles of piano move the album along nicely.  My brother said that Jack White would convert me, and he has.

3. Rayland Baxter - Feathers & Fishhooks

I had to specially order the vinyl from a record store in Texas, and it proved entirely worth it.  It's a beautifully textured country/folk album, with accomplished songwriting that belies Baxter's 28 years of age.

2. Fun - Some Nights

While not as stylistically variant as their debut Aim & Ignite, this collection of songs makes a nice addition to the Fun canon.  The singles were picked correctly, but "Stars" is the hero of the album, with its self-referential lyrics building to an Autotuned climax.  I listened to this album more than any other new release this year, and correctly predicted their Best New Artist Grammy nom.

1. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill

After seeing Neil Young & Crazy Horse play new songs at Farm Aid and Global Festival, this became my number one LP to pre-order.  Though the 27:35 opening track "Driftin' Back" makes this a daunting listen, those who make it through will be well-rewarded.  Fellow 16-minute+ epics "Ramada Inn" and closer "Walk Like a Giant," with its whistling and dinosauric instrumentation, are the best songs on the album.

Alabama Shakes Don't Live Up to Hype & March of the Penguin Prison

I did a double-header last Sunday: Alabama Shakes at Rumsey Playfield, followed by Penguin Prison at Brooklyn Bowl. I'm probably going to upset a number of you when I say Alabama Shakes are really good, but not great, live. If you want to just believe all the hype and quit reading now, I understand. You're a hipster. But if you're a real music fan, I encourage you to read on.

Doors for the 3pm show were at 1:45, and I was actually freaking out during my commute, believing that I wasn't going to get in because I was going to arrive around 2:15. Thankfully, there was no line, and I made my way to a choice spot in the center. The standing room tightened with each minute and by the time Houston-based Robert Ellis walked onstage, the venue was about 500 humans short of capacity. Those who made it early were exposed to his take on outlaw country, from barnstormers like "No Fun" to introspective ballads like "Photographs," the title track off his latest release (which I would've bought if the vinyl wasn't fucking $25. Come on.). Having played to eight people, one of which was his wife, the previous night in West Virginia, Ellis and his band lapped up the energy from the mass of people, and injected it back into the highlight of the set, a cover of the bluegrass tune, "Ruby, Are You Mad?"

After a short break, the nine to eleven members of Diamond Rugs, who I was almost more excited to see than Alabama Shakes, piled onto the stage. After about a minute of incoherent chatter, they oozed into "Hightail," the first song off their eponymous album. John McCauley of Deer Tick fame grabbed the mic for second song, "Gimme a Beer," with joyous trombone and baritone sax parts punctuating the chorus. Hardy Morris of Dead Confederate took the reigns for "Big God" and traded the microphone back to McCauley for what is sure to become one of my favorite songs this year, "Call Girl Blues." It was at this point I realized they were playing their album in order, and they kept this formula for their set. It worked well, though, because no one member sang lead vocals for more than two songs in a row. "Totally Lonely" was exponentially better live than recorded, with all the members joining producer Justin Collins on the final refrain. For the set-closing "Christmas in a Chinese Restaurant," which I had seen Deer Tick perform before, the group thinned its ranks to a duo of McCauley and Los Lobos' Steve Berlin. The fact that it was merely days after the summer solstice only amplified the beautiful sadness of the song.

The most glorified band of the year, Alabama Shakes, were up next, packing Summerstage to its limits. Thankfully they chose to forgo the rigidity of their album, quietly welcoming the crowd with "Goin' to the Party," which I had predicted would be the only placement for the song in a live setting (It kind of kills the momentum of the album, but it probably wouldn't work as an album lead-off track either.). Exploding into "Hang Loose" and "Hold On," the Shakes had the crowd eating it up, but I wasn't totally sold.

Here's the deal. Frontwoman Brittany Howard is a sight to behold. Her powerful voice, accentuated by the pronounced shapes of her mouth while she's howling out her lyrics, makes her the prime candidate to lead a band. Unfortunately, the rest of the members don't live up to her. Don't get me wrong; the Shakes are all great musicians and they do sound better live than on record. But they made me realize how important stage presence is. Save for a few smiles from guitarist Heath Fogg, you couldn't

tell if the band members were actually enjoying it, or even if they knew they were playing to a crowd. Perhaps this concentration is what keeps them on top of things musically, but I like a little showmanship with my rock 'n' roll. When Brittany set aside her seafoam green Gibson and took the mic from its stand for "Be Mine," things improved. Stuck behind her stand for the previous numbers, she barely moved, aside from her aforementioned mouth and her curls billowing in the summer breeze. When she traversed the stage, you could follow her with her eyes, distracting you from the statues making the bluesy funk behind her. I hope that with more and more stage time, the young band will develop a little more sizzle in the future, or at least acknowledge that they are playing to 5000 adoring fans.

I hightailed it home so I could eat dinner and a half a brownie before heading over to Brooklyn Bowl for the next show. It started an hour later than advertised, so I made it in time to see two shitty support acts. Before Penguin Prison's set, I situated myself about three people back in the center. Chris Glover and band geared up and took us on a trip on the "Golden Train," with Glover climbing off the stage and into the crowd, pacing through us as he sang. It's not uncommon for artists to bring the show onto the floor, but I don't think I've ever seen it happen during the first song. I think it represents Chris Glover's newfound confidence by using the Penguin Prison moniker. He has always seemed a little socially awkward introducing songs, though it usually came off as funny, almost Hedbergian. Now that he has reincarnated himself as a new disco/remix artist with a ridiculous name, he seems more comfortable in that he's playing a game, not baring his soul. Hell, even when he performed as Chris Glover, he made sure to put it in quotation marks ("Chris Glover"). "Golden Train" segued nicely into "The Worse It Gets," as did "Animal Animal" into "A Funny Thing." He finished the set with "Blue Jeans," a remix/cover of a Lana Del Rey song, which you can download here. As I could give two shits about Lana Del Rey, it was a little disappointing. For the encore, he broke out "Multi-Millionaire," this time entering the crowd with his guitar. My main criticism would be the meager 47-minute set duration. Chris Glover has several unreleased songs from the period of his career directly preceding Penguin Prison that I find to be his best work. A well-placed "Hold My Soul" or "Tear Stains" would not be too much of a departure from his new sound, and would undoubtedly prove his versatility. I can't really complain. I had a great time dancing and singing along, and isn't that what it's all about?

ROBERT ELLIS – 06.24.12 – RUMSEY PLAYFIELD

SET –

Westbound Train / Comin’ Home / What’s in It for Me? / Two Cans of Paint / Flames of Hell* / Pride / No Fun / Photographs / Jam > Ruby, Are You Mad?

DIAMOND RUGS – 06.24.12 – RUMSEY PLAYFIELD (58 minutes)

SET –

Hightail / Gimme a Beer / Big God / Call Girl Blues / Out on My Own / Country Mile / Totally Lonely / I Took Note / Blue Mountains / Motherland / Tell Me Why / 100 Sheets / Hungover & Horny / Christmas in a Chinese Restaurant

ALABAMA SHAKES – 06.24.12 – RUMSEY PLAYFIELD (1 hour, 4 minutes)

SET –

Goin’ to the Party / Hang Loose / Hold On / I Found You / Rise to the Sun / Always Alright > Boys & Girls / Be Mine / I Ain’t the Same / Mama / Hurricane Strut / Makin’ Me Itch / Heavy Chevy / You Ain’t Alone

ENCORE –

Worryin’ Blues / On Your Way / Heat Lightning

PENGUIN PRISON – 06.24.12 – BROOKLYN BOWL (47 minutes)

SET –

Golden Train > The Worse It Gets / Something I’m Not / Animal Animal > A Funny Thing / Fair Warning / Don’t Fuck with My Money / Hollywood / Blue Jeans

ENCORE –

Multi-Millionaire