A little time off...

Just as a heads up to everyone, I'll be taking about a week and a half off from my blog. I know some people have been used to my daily reviews, and I'd like to get back to that amount of posting regularly. But until January 8, there aren't any releases coming out. So you'll start seeing me back around here around that time. Enjoy your holidays and I'll see you back here on Discovery Sessions for 2013!

Best of 2012 (Full List)

So here it is people. My full list of top records for the year. If you'd like to see my thoughts on the top 25, be sure to read my reviews. I've been posting all month, one a day, but not in any particular order.
Top 25 are presented, then honorable mentions. Also, there are two playlists of the music, they're featured after the jump as well.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 25: Of Monsters and Men

There were so many great records this year. I say that every year, but 2012 was definitely a big year for new artists. Normally I keep new artists and established artists separate, but the new bands this year were so good they made my top list of 25. It’s sort of like a writing muse, when it won’t get off your back until you give it the time its due. My #1 album of the year is from a band that garnered a lot of buzz late last year, and I’ll admit, I believed the hype. And boy, do they live up to it. Of Monsters and Men, with their debut My Head Is An Animal.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 24: Ben Howard

Music that takes me to a place of comfort, a place where I can be myself, is truly the best type of music I can listen to. Creating a moment in a song is part of making it popular. No one else seems to know this better than Ben Howard. His debut album came out this year, and each song on Every Kingdom is beautiful, and moving. And it’s not just the music either. His lyricism, among other things, keep me coming back over and over. That’s why he came in at number 2 for me this year.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 23: Birdy

Last year, Adele topped my list. In fact, she topped a lot of lists, and for good reason. Having the best selling record of the past nearly 5 years will do that. Early this year I thought I’d have a repeat in my top record of the year, with a female singer gracing my top ten. While she is a certain kind of special, Birdy didn’t make my number one record. But she did come in at number 3. Her debut self-titled record came out early in 2012, and I’ve been spinning it weekly, if not more, ever since.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 22: Kait Lawson

When it comes to reviews and music, I don’t play favorites. *snorts* Okay, who am I kidding? I’m writing my top 25 records of the year, of course I play favorites. Especially when it comes to music. And when it comes to favorites, I always have to find someone from Memphis (or wherever I happen to be at the time) to include. Fortunately, I discovered a fantastic Memphis-bred artist this year, and she made my top 25 records list. May I introduce Kait Lawson, with her debut full-length album, Until We Drown.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 21: Imagine Dragons

I’ll be the first to say: I love dubstep. I love how electronic music is infiltrating indie rock and other types of music to create some fantastic new sounds. While not necessarily a new thing, electronic-infused music has been gaining a lot more speed and recognition recently, particularly due to solo artists like Skrillex. But this isn’t a Skrillex review. That’s for another day. Today’s record is from a group that takes the electronic genre and flips it upside down. Introducing: Imagine Dragons, and their debut album Night Visions.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 20: Paper Route

Some people would say that waiting three years between records is typical, while others will say it’s much too long. Some artists can lose fans without putting out music in a timely manner. Personally, if the artist is worth it, you’ll remember them and be willing to wait. Paper Route has been working on their newest release for about that long, and I was really excited to see where the band would go after their fantastic debut, Absence. I wondered if the long time period between their debut and this new album would have changed everything they stood for back in 2009.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 19: Two Door Cinema Club

After a stellar debut, Irish rockers Two Door Cinema Club found immense success, following in similar footsteps of label-mates Mumford and Sons. Their first record was a solid indie-rock record, and subsequent touring has made them known worldwide. However, their second installment, Beacon, didn’t seem to debut to as much anticipation as I expected. I felt like I was the only one who was really excited for more dance-infused rock tunes from these guys.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 18: Mumford and Sons

Easily one of the biggest breakout stars from 2010 and 2011, Mumford and Sons has been on my radar since their debut came out. With their introspective and personal lyrics, and folk-indie leanings, the band quickly became a favorite among friends of mine, and I was eager to hear their much anticipated follow-up. I wondered if it was possible for them to conquer the success of their debut, since it had been such a huge accomplishment to begin with. So does Babel hold up to Sigh No More?

25 Records of Christmas, Day 17: Brandon Heath

One of the few Christian albums that made my list this year almost didn’t make it. I almost missed Brandon Heath’s album. He’s been one of my favorite Christian artists, simply because there’s always been a unique feel to his music. It’s much better than the other contemporary stuff that’s out there, particularly on Christian radio. Heath always has a way about him that makes his songwriting stand out, and not sound cheesy when he sings. Blue Mountain takes his artistry a step further.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 16: The Gaslight Anthem

A good solid rock record was sort of hard to come by this year. Sure we had some good ones throughout the year, but when it came to the real genre of rock music, the indie folk groups and electronic-infused groups didn’t really fit into that mold. The Gaslight Anthem returned this year with Handwritten, a collection of 14 tracks that continue their raw and rash version of simply good rock tunes. I hadn’t listened to the band much before this, but I got into Handwritten for a pretty good reason (at least I think so).

25 Records of Christmas, Day 15: Gary Clark Jr.

Normally I don’t just listen to an album once and make a decision on it. Sometimes it happens, especially if the first few tracks aren’t the best. I’m not one to skip through and look for the best songs. That said, I made a decision on Gary Clark Jr. pretty early on, when I first heard his debut. I’m including it in my top albums of the year, even though my feelings are still mixed. Despite my issues with it, I’m still listening to the album pretty regularly. So what gives?

25 Records of Christmas, Day 14: No Doubt

Pop music these days isn’t what it used to be. If you’re a regular reader of my blog, or you know me, you know that I don’t usually like the mainstream pop stuff, nor do I listen to the radio. I’ve listened to more of the pop music this year just because of being at my job and hearing it, and also because a few older artists have returned to release a new album. I never thought we’d see No Doubt come back, but we’ve got a new record from them. I was really worried that it was going to be lots of new sounds and dubstep influences, and that it was going to be terrible. I’m glad it seems like I was wrong.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 13: Alabama Shakes

This had to be a record year for new artists. I found so much great music this year, and was even more surprised that most of them hadn’t released anything yet. Alabama Shakes is a southern blues-tinged band from Athens, Alabama (go figure). They’ve had some immense success in just a short amount of time with their debut album, Boys and Girls. It’s a record about love and loss, and the home-spun blues sound is just one of the many great things happening here.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 12: JD McPherson

Some of the best music was made in the 50s and 60s. It's just a fact. Things were simpler back then, and the music was just emotion-filled. We didn't have electronics and tons of options when it came to making music. So in a way, the music felt more real. JD McPherson's debut album came out this year and when you put it in, you feel like you're transported back to those old days, the days of simpler times.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 11: Brandi Carlile

I decided something big this year. Well, to some people, it might be big. Those who know me, will probably be surprised to hear me actually say it but: I like country music. To some people, this might not come as a surprise, just because I love folk music. But I’ve embraced the whole genre now. Today’s record is probably the one that sent me over the edge. Brandi Carlile has a way about her, and Bear Creek is a true, down south record.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 10: Cat Power

In the past couple of years, I've found myself enjoying all types of electronic music more. Some might say this is just the vein that music is going into, with the rise of dubstep and more electronic features being used in music, and I would agree. There are so many bands and artists using the electronic sound to their advantage, for better or worse. Cat Power (or Chan Marshall) has been always known for her punk, folk, blues type tunes, but her newest release took on this electronic format, and for the better.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 9: John Mayer

I’ve been a fan of John Mayer since Continuum, even though he’s had albums before that. I feel like I’m just another band wagon jumper as a fan, but in all honesty, his best album was Continuum. Go ahead, argue with me. I’ll show you that most of his hits and fans are from that record, and the subsequent live album that came with it. But we’re two albums past that, and it’s time to talk about Born & Raised.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 8: For Today

This year I started buying vinyl. I’ve never really thought of myself as an audiophile, but since I started buying it, I’ve found the need to have higher quality. The first metal album I bought on vinyl this year was the record I’m writing about today. For Today is known for their heavy drops and driving melodies, and even my roommate at the time couldn’t imagine such a heavy album sounding good on vinyl. But as I put the white record on and dropped the needle, I knew we were in for a treat. 

25 Records of Christmas, Day 7: Silversun Pickups

The first thing I heard from this album was “Skin Graph”, and immediately I was drawn in by how good the drums sounded. Again, I have to say that I’m a full-length album guy. though. I heard “Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)” shortly after that, from Silversun Pickups’ newest release, Neck of the Woods. I was a bit scared. I couldn’t believe how much I liked the tracks, so I immediately assumed that the resulting record couldn’t be as good as those tunes. Turns out, I was wrong. (Also, check out that awesome album cover.)

25 Records of Christmas, Day 6: The Killers

I’ve never been a huge fan of The Killers. I’ve always felt like they were kind of bland, and I never really got into any of their albums. I liked a bit of each album, but when it comes to a record, I’m a full-length kind of guy. Sure, I like singles just as much as the next person, but I like listening to the full-length album and seeing how those songs fit with the others, and the track listing order, and all the exciting aspects that make it such a nostalgic feel: listening to an album. Fortunately, I feel like The Killers have made that album that is a full-length masterpiece, at least to me.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 5: Jack White

This year saw the end of one of my favorite groups, but it also saw the establishment of Jack White as a solo performer and collaborator. I'm sure when people picked up Blunderbuss, they were hoping for more of a White Stripes feel, stripped down and raw, like the band had always been. I think Jack White expected people to think they'd be getting that as well. With Blunderbuss, he was able to prove he can do so much more than The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, or even The Dead Weather.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 4: Thousand Foot Krutch

There's a phrase that is known in the music industry as a "return to form". While I know many people who read my blog are familiar with the concept, let me explain to be sure everyone understands. A return to form is when a band, for whatever reason, moves back to the style that made them popular at the beginning of their careers. Today's record is probably the biggest example from 2012 I can give for a return to form. The return of Thousand Foot Krutch.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 3: Ellie Goulding

Time can change people. So can experience. When it comes to someone like Ellie Goulding, both time and experience seem to have been things that have given her quite a handle on what she's doing now. Her first release, Lights, proved her to be a fantastic artist on recording, with stellar production and innovative songwriting. But live, she couldn't deliver. So what happened to turn her into such an icon in current dance music scene?

25 Records of Christmas, Day 2: Linkin Park

I've been listening to Linkin Park since high school. They started in 1996, and I graduated from high school in 2005. So they stuck through high school with me, in a way. They were one of those bands I could always come to when I was upset, and their music met me in a place I didn't like being in. In a way, part of their music helped me continue on, knowing that someone had been going through the same things I had been. Fast forward to today. Through a lot of criticism, the band is still here. They've completely restructured their band, from the ground up. Minutes to Midnight (2007) was a step past (and away) from the first two albums. Many people still wish they would go back to the way they were. I have to admit, even I thought the same at one point.

25 Records of Christmas, Day 1: The Maccabees

I love discovering new music. As you know if you're on this blog, this is a discovery blog for music. I'm finally writing again and putting it out there for the world to see. As with other music blogs and music sites, December is a time to recap the year's music. This year will be slightly different for me. I plan to highlight one record per day of Christmas, starting with today and ending on Christmas Day. I'm calling it the 25 Records of Christmas series. I'll also be posting a generic list of my favorite records, runners up, stuff I missed, and best new artists as well. So let's get started with today.

Thenewno2, "Station"

Thenewno2 is Dhani Harrison's band, and this song is the lead single from their new album, "thefearofmissingout". Boy are these guys good. Every time I heard Dhani sing I feel like I'm listening to George Harrison again, just with current sounds around him. Essentially this is the continuation of what Harrison could have done, just with his son's vision behind it. Dhani seems to really like the experimental, and he shows that with his band on this record. I especially love the sample used before the second verse, which is a glitched out sample from Time Bandits. It just adds such an interesting dynamic to these guys.

Brandi Carlile, "Raise Hell" Vevo Session

Brandi Carlile is an artist I feel like I should have discovered a long time ago. But at the same time, I'm glad I discovered her music this past year, since her new album "Bear Creek" is pretty much phenomenal. Such simplistic songs like "Keep Your Heart Young", talking about how we can't take life too seriously, remind me of easier times, before I had a steady job and monthly bills to pay. Sometimes I get hung up on all the responsibilities I have, and forget that I need to remember, I'm only 26. I have my whole life to work and I need to keep enjoying myself and my life from time to time. Other tunes like "100" and "That Wasn't Me" give off such an old, back porch country sound that you'll feel like you've been transported to the country-side of Tennessee. The song I'm sharing is "Raise Hell", which she describes a little about at the beginning of the video. Read on if you wish to hear why I posted this video. If not, just enjoy the video.

Miner, "Hey Love"

In a current indie world of music dominated by the likes of Mumford and Sons and Arcade Fire, it seems like a new duo is going to start to steal the spotlight. I just discovered Buzzbands.la today and I have to say, this music is certainly refreshing (and fun). The video demonstrates the only music husband and wife duo Miner have to offer, but rest assured: they're not going anywhere just yet. Check out their video for "Hey Love", which features a great summer feel, and is surely a song that will make groups like The Lumineers jealous.

Passion Pit, Tiny Desk Concert Performance

I'm sharing a video of a great series from NPR Music called Tiny Desk Concerts. I've been following NPR Music for only about six months, but I've been impressed with the constant amount of relevant and amazing content the organization continues to push. One of the few podcasts I listen to is All Songs Considered, and hosts Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton prove to be quite rehearsed in discovering great music. That's what this blog is about. It's called Discovery Tactic. The reasoning behind that is simple: how do you discover music? What are the tactics you use? NPR is one of my ways, and Passion Pit is one of the bands I've discovered through NPR.

Measurement and Its Importance

For our chapter this week, we read about the importance of measurement. Measuring the analytics and stats of your sites is important, whether you think so or not. In fact, I read an article just today that talked about how 57% of marketers found that measuring their engagement was a key part of their success. But one thing the article made abundantly clear was to take the information you discover in that data and work through in on how to conquer your conversion rate. Your conversion rate is how many people come to your site as visitors and then come later as buyers.

Oversharing

As I've been going through my social media networks this week, I've seen a lot of artists, bands, businesses, brands, companies, and anything else you can think of, posting what seems to be too much. Social media is a key part of marketing, I'll never disagree with that. But when it comes to actual quality of posting, so many people seem to get it wrong. Below, I've outlined a few key things to do with each of your updates to keep your audience coming back, rather than drive them away.

JCPenney

I don't always do a lot of shopping at one time. When I go shopping, I have a few specific things I need to get and I usually try to go to the closest store, where I can get everything I need. From time to time, I need to get things that aren't available everywhere. Like today, I had to go to JCPenney because I have to get tall shirts, being that I am 6'1". I don't always like driving out to the Wolfchase Mall since I live downtown, but I needed to go out there to get clothes so I sucked it up and went.

How Important Is Marketing?

I was at a show recently and started thinking about this concept. How important is marketing? In the music business, it's pretty darn important. But many artists tend to think that just because they're good or they have a great group of fans, they're bound for greatness. Is this really how it is?

Subscription Services and Piracy

I recently did an assignment for Marketing class that talked about the so-called "controversies" surrounding new subscription services like MOG, Rdio, Spotify and others. The big thing I took away from this article was that these kinds of "issues" come up every time something big and new comes around. I love the example of YouTube. When YouTube launched, everyone was up in arms on how artists were going to get paid, and how it was going to kill off music television. Well, the first issue was taken care of pretty quickly, and quite well at that. Artists get paid from ads and also get paid performance royalties for the views of a video.

Facebook Shopping

Why Are Brands Shutting Their Facebook Stores?


This article brought up some interesting points about marketing and brands recently. Reading through the article, I tended to wonder and question why so many large brands (such as Gamestop or JCPenney) were trying to incorporate Facebook into the shopping world. Facebook is a place where you talk about a brand, not necessarily interact so much with it that you're shopping on Facebook. 


“We just didn’t get the return on investment we needed from the Facebook market, so we shut it down pretty quickly,” Ashley Sheetz, VP of marketing and strategy at GameStop, told Bloomberg. “For us, it’s been a way we communicate with customers on deals, not a place to sell.”