The Best Under-the-Radar Albums of 2012

By November 29, 2012

While Frank Ocean, Grizzly Bear, The Shins and Beach House will be topping music critics’ and college kids’ best-of lists alike, there are bound to be albums that everyone missed, albums that were great but didn’t get as much attention as they should have. With that in mind, here are some of the best albums of 2012 that are neither from major labels nor larger indie labels.

 

Mac DeMarco: 2

One listen to “2″ and you’ll be convinced: Mac DeMarco is one funny dude. Yet within that oddity is a sort of sonic magnetism, and a songwriting ability that recalls Lou Reed — that is, Lou Reed if he were younger, more unknown and more akin to creating what is best described as garage pop. Making use of jangly guitars, melodic bass lines and slightly out-of-tune everything, DeMarco manages to craft undeniably catchy tunes while still maintaining his eccentric persona. Check out “Freaking Out the Neighborhood” or “Ode to Viceroy.”

 

Ty Segall/White Fence:  Hair

Out of Ty Segall’s three — yes, three — full-length releases this year, “Hair” is the most rambunctious, surreal and downright fun. Ty Segall teamed up with garage group the Strange Boys’ Timothy Presley (under the moniker White Fence) to create this 29-minute, eight-track album. Some of the tracks get a little jammy, but more than anything, the feeling that these two guys are having a lot of fun together pervades. Segall’s punk tendencies and Presley’s psychedelic influences marry in a amalgam of garage-rock goodness that’s better than the sum of its parts. Jam out to the fuzz of either of “Scissor People” or “I Am Not a Game.”

 

Oddisee: People Hear What They See

Admittedly, I am no hip-hop aficionado, but Oddisee has been one of my favorite new artists since last year’s instrumental “Rock Creek Park.” Having just evolved from full-time producer/beatmaker to full-fledged rap artist, Oddisee’s vocal delivery is still a little stiff, but what he lacks in rhymes he more than makes up for in production and beats. The first time I heard the opening of standout track “Let It Go,” I assumed he was sampling from Isaac Hayes, only to find that “People Hear What They See” features very little sampling from other artists. Oddisee’s lyrics are a welcome breath of fresh air from the usual rap repertoire, musing on social inequality, work ethic and the American dream. With this album, Oddisee injects a lot more creativity into a genre often plagued with imitation and provides a visual, thoughtful and delightfully upbeat listening experience. I recommend “Let it Go” and “Do It All.”

 

Lotus Plaza: Spooky Action at a Distance

The success of Deerhunter has catapulted the band’s quirky frontman, Bradford Cox, to indie stardom. What’s often forgotten, however, is the other half of what makes Deerhunter such a fantastic band: Lockett Pundt, co-songwriter and penner of Deerhunter classics like “Desire Lines” and “Agoraphobia.” Lotus Plaza is Pundt’s solo moniker, and “Spooky Action at a Distance” contends with the best that either Cox or Pundt has released. The songs on the album are melody-driven but still retain much of the noise and experimental tendencies expected from both Pundt and his label, Kranky. Structured yet atmospheric, “Spooky Action” is the more grounded and introspective side of Deerhunter. Get lost in “Monoliths” or “White Galactic One.”

 

Tame Impala: Lonerism

Tame Impala broke into the indie scene in 2010 with their blissed-out debut “InnerSpeaker,” and expectations were high for their second full-length, “Lonerism,” which came out in October. Fortunately, the Perth-based band exceeded all expectations on this album; the only complaint that could be made is that this new set of songs is a less guitar-heavy and more electronic than the first one. But regardless of the medium frontman Kevin Parker uses, Tame Impala’s music always sounds part ’60s throwback, part modern innovation, as if John Lennon were born in 1980 rather than 1940. “Lonerism” is thick and dense, without sacrificing any breathing room, and celebrates the joy and complexity of inner life. Channel your inner Black Sabbath with “Elephant” or get lost in the layered “Apocalypse Dreams.”

 

Julia Holter: Ekstasis

There are a lot of ways in which bedroom pop can go wrong, which explains why much of it never leaves the 4-track in the bedroom. Julia Holter’s sophomore release “Ekstasis,” however, showcases a true composer and her craft. Combining lush, atmospheric noise with carefully crafted classical elements, “Ekstasis” is easily the year’s best experimental electronic album. Fans the avant-garde should check out “In the Same Room” or “Goddess Eyes I.”

 

Honorable Mentions:

Sweetheart twee pop darlings Allo Darlin’s sophomore release, “Europe”; Lord Huron’s folksy, Fleet Foxes-esque “Lonesome Dreams”; Cloud Nothings’ energetic, punk-driven “Attack on Memory”; Wild Nothing’s rich, reverb-filled dream-pop standout “Nocturne”; Cult of Youth’s layered, genre-bending “Love Will Prevail”; Melody’s Echo Chamber’s psych-tinged and lush self-titled album; Weird Dreams’ shoegaze tour de force “Choreography.”