We continue our top 40 albums of 2012 countdown with the third part of our journey to the number one spot…
Lana Del Rey – Born To Die
When I first heard the song “Born To Die” I was blown away. I felt liked I was hearing something different, something I had been craving to hear. I remember wishing I was blown away by an Aussie artist but that wasn’t to be. I then heard “Off To The Races” and I immediately bought the CD. Those two songs are my favourites. I don’t get tired of listening to either song. Born to Die is filled with passion, intrigue, love lost and amazing music. “Off To The Races” is a catchy, quirky song that sets a fast pace. The rest of the album I am not so blown away with, but I listened to these songs over and over again all the same. Lana’s vocals are amazing on the album (not so live unfortunately) and I hope her second album doesn’t stray too much from the quirky or passionate formula and cascade into a dreary vortex of slow love songs. – Lyn Geisel
Beach House – Bloom
…Bloom will lift you up, it will swirl around you, and it will whisper tales of wisdom and life in your ears… this is Beach House doing what Beach House do best – and better this time around too. Here’s hoping they continue that trend of growth well into the future. – Jeremy Stevens
Chet Faker – Thinking In Textures
No other Australian artist has been this original and interesting in years. Adding to the bones of American R’n’B, Chet Faker throws pop, indie and electronic elements at Thinking In Textures, and all of it sticks. The fact that this is an independent release just shows the quality of musicians in this country and what is possible with a little help and a lot of talent. – Ben Cook
Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid M.A.A.D City
It’s the best hip hop album to come out in a long while, and finally a concept album with a decent concept worth following. Kendrick eschews hip-hop cliches to tell stories; of himself and the city around him. It’s dark yet positive, energetic intelligent and excellent to listen to. Finally a young rapper who’s adamant on sticking to his convictions rather than falling into the glamour and dollars trap. – Julian Ramundi
Kate Miller-Heidke – Nightflight
This album is just incredible. I listened to it non-stop for weeks, with nothing else in between, and it’s an album I can’t tire of to be honest. The variety throughout is breathtaking. KMH has developed vastly as a songwriter and singer over the years. There are haunting songs that will linger on your mind for months – catchy songs that you can’t get out of your head, and songs that tell stories that will change the way you see the world. A stellar album. – Tanya Ali
Grimes – Visions
It was a real standout for me this year. I’d not really heard anything like it. The songs twist and change but yet are so catchy. I love that there’s so little consistency and the songs just jump around, but they work so well by themselves and as an album. In the start I found it harder to appreciate her vocals but the more you listen the more it really grows on you. – Sabina Rysnik
Cat Power – Sun
Cat Power was born seventeen years ago, the sound of a young Chan Marshall in Georgia. Nine albums later, and Cat Power feels like a sister to us. We’ve listened to her heartbreaks and her hysteria, her hopelessness. She gave us sad songs, she told us to dance to them. From mental breakdowns and bankruptcy, from alcoholism and misery, we knew she would rise. Sun is triumphant. Nothin but time is almost a Mariah worthy ballad, only Mariah never had Iggy Pop telling us to live. Manhattan is Chan at her best – bittersweet and melodic. Though I will miss her raw vocals and naked guitar, I am happy to see her in this new place; it is full of promise. – Sanja Grozdanic
The Presets – Pacifica
It’s the Presets we love but extended in more directions. More of the grit, yet more of the melody. The boys have always written songs for the dancefloor as opposed to simple club tracks, so there’s much more in the way of songwriting here and a huge range of genres and dynamics, from progressive house to electro to downbeat, and all with a healthy throwback to Aus rock that we’ve come used to from the duo. – Julian Ramundi
Ball Park Music – Museum
Museum by Ball Park Music has to be one of my favourites for the pure fact that is such a chilled album. It’s got a great consistency that you can dance around to but it also has the melodies that you would expect from them. It is a great follow up from Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs. – Emma Reeves
Deep Sea Arcade – Outlands
Deep Sea Arcade have proven once and for all that they can produce amazing music and create something that is truly an entity unto itself. The album was well worth the wait. – Bree Cohen
The Top 40 Countdown: Part 1 (40-31) | Part 2 (30-21) | Part 3 (20-11) | Part 4 (10-1)
