Now that the year 2012 is coming to a close us here at WKNC look back at our top five albums of the year once again. Although we might not always agree on what is the most amazing, the love of great music not only kept us excited throughout 2012, but we look forward to the amazing music that it will bring as well. Take a gander at what are a few of the albums we loved throughout this year, as chosen by WKNC DJs. See you in 2013!

 

Sarahnade

1. Caspian – Waking Season
2. El Ten Eleven – Transitions
3. Spider Bags – Shake My Head
4. Pinback – Information Retrieved
5. Divine Fits – A Thing Called Divine Fits

 

C. Deuce

1. Yeasayer – Fragrant World
2. Alt-J – An Awesome Wave
3. Hundred Waters – Hundred Waters
4. Sweet Valley – Eternal Champ
5. Miike Snow – Happy to You

 

CMYK

1. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
2. Andrew Bird – Break It Yourself
3. Beach House – Bloom
4. The Mountain Goats – Transcendental Youth
5. Oceanics – Bright People

 

JKG

1. Dan Deacon – America
2. MAKE – Trephine
3. The Album Leaf – Forward/Return
4. Dads – American Radass (this is important)
4. El Ten Eleven – Transitions

 

Zaps

1. Father John Misty – Fear Fun
2. First Aid Kit – The Lion’s Roar
3. Bowerbirds – The Clearing
4. Lost In The Trees – A Church That Fits Our Needs
5. Jukebox the Ghost- Safe Travels

 

Seagull

1. DIIV – Oshin
2. Tame Impala – Lonerism
3. Ty Segall Band – Slaughterhouse
4. Mac Demarco – 2
5. Beach House – Bloom

 

DJ DiGiorno

1. Howler – America Give Up
2. Beach House – Bloom
3. Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan
4. Father John Misty- Fear Fun
5. Dr. Dog- Be The Void

 

DJ GRZA

1.  Flying Lotus – Until The Quiet Comes
2.  Andrew Bird – Break It Yourself
3.  Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
4.  Kendrick Lamar – good kid, M.A.D.D city
5.  Alt-J – An Awesome Wave

 

The Mattador

1. Grouplove – Never Trust a Happy Song (Released 2011)
2. Dr. Dog – Be the Void
3. Passion Pit – Gossamer
4. Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory
5. Supreme Cuts – Whispers in the Dark

 

DJ Smitty

1. The Menzingers – On The Impossible Past
2. Red Collar – Welcome Home
3. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
4. Murder By Death – Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon
5. Hop Along – Get Disowned

 

DJ Ones

1. Andrew Bird – Break if Yourself
2. Tame Impala – Lonerism
3. Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
4. Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan
5. Grizzly Bear – Shields

 

DJ Salinger

1. The Avett Brothers – The Carpenter
2. Grimes – Visions
3. The XX – Coexist
4. Toro y Moi – June 2009
5. Oberhofer – Time Capsules II

 

Muta

1. GRiZ – Mad Liberation
2. Purity Ring – Shrines
3. Submotion Orchestra – Fragments
4. Badbadnotgood – BBNG2
5. XXYYXX – XXYYXX

 

May Day

1. Beach House – Bloom
2. Purity Ring – Shrines
3. The Walkmen – Heaven
4. The Helio Sequence – Negotiations
5. Oberhofer – Time Capsules II

 

Billy

1.Stripmines – Crimes of Dispassion
2. Oiltanker/No Tomorrow – Split LP
3. The Sword – Apogryphon
4. High On Fire – De Vermis Mysteriis
5. Mob Rules – The Donor

 

Walter-Ego

1. Dan Deacon – America
2. Death Grips – The Money Store
3. Spider Bags – Shake My Head
4. The Mountain Goats – Transcendental Youth
5. Dr. Dog – Be The Void

 

DJ Sweet D

1. Grimes – Visions
2. Purity Ring – Shrines
3. First Aid Kit – The Lion’s Roar
4. Andrew Bird – Break It Yourself
5. Grizzly Bear – Shields

 

Major Tom

1. Alt-J – An Awesome Wave
2. Cloud Nothings – Attack On Memory
3. Tame Impala – Mind Mischief
4. The Shins – Port Of Morrow
5. Beach House – Bloom

 

DJ ACORN

1. Micachu & The Shapes – Never
2. Daughn Gibson – All Hell
3. The Music Tapes – Mary’s Voice
4. Schoolboy Q – Habits & Contradictions
5. Murder by Death – Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon

 

Anastassia

1. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
2. Ty Segall Band – Slaughterhouse
3. DIIV – Oshin
4. Grass Widow – Internal Logic
5. Grimes – Visions

 

Spaceman Spiff

1.  Chromatics – Kill for Love
2.  Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory
3.  Wild Nothing – Nocturne
4.  Grimes – Visions
5.  Divine Fits – A Thing Called Divine Fits

 

DJ CJ

1. Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Psychedelic Pill
2. Carolina Chocolate Drops – Leaving Eden
3. Steep Canyon Rangers – Nobody Knows You
4. Trampled By Turtles – Stars & Satellites
5. Old Crow Medicine Show – Carry Me Back To Virginia

 

ALASKA

1. Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra – Theatre is Evil
2. Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
3. White Lung – Sorry
4. Perfume Genius – Put Your Back N 2 It
5. La Sera – Sees the Light

 

DJ Mason

1. Lost in the Trees – A Church That Fits Our Needs
2. Beach House – Bloom
3. Death Grips – The Money Store
4. Grimes – Visions
5. Here We Go Magic – A Different Ship

 

We talk about this year’s Mercury Prize winner, Morrissey’s controversial comments on the Chinese, and review new albums from Band of Horses and Magic Kids. Remember to email us at soundoff@wknc.org and follow us on twitter @wkncSoundOff

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Every year the Mercury Prize is awarded to an act who is considered to have put out the best British album within the past year. This year, after much anticipation among British music aficionados, The XX have been declared the winner for their album XX. Facing a tremendous amount of competition from acts including Mumford and Sons, Laura Marling, and Paul Weller, The XX came out on top at the end of the wait.

After it was announced that The XX won the prize on September 7, band member Oliver Sim went on to say “Thank you so much, we’ve had the most incredible year.” He later added, “Everyday we’ve woken up to something incredible.”

The XX now join a group of artists that include Klaxons, Franz Ferdinand, and Arctic Monkeys.

Since 1992 the Mercury Prize has been celebrating some of the best albums from the UK and Ireland. Each year a handful of albums released between June 30 of last year and July 1 of this year are selected by an exclusive panel of music experts. In previous years the Mercury Prize has gone to acts including Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys and Klaxons. This year the shortlist has been announced, with the winner receiving the Mercury Prize on September 7.

This year’s nominees Are:

Biffy Clyro- Only Revolutions

Corinne Bailey Rae- The Sea

Dizzee Rascal- Tongue N’ Cheek

Mumford & Sons- Sigh No More

Kit Downes Trio- Golden

Foals- Total Life Forever

I Am Kloot- Sky At Night

Laura Marling- I Speak Because I Can

Paul Weller- Wake Up The Nation

Villagers- Becoming A Jackal

Wild Beasts- Two Dancers

The XX- XX

Personally I think The XX have this one in the bag. However, the favorite to win last year, Florence and the Machine, was greatly upset after she was defeated by a rather obscure British rapper who had only sold a handful of albums in comparison. I doubt they would give it to Dizzee Rascal twice, and it should be interesting to see how the folk powers (and two of my favorites from this year) Laura Marling and Mumford & Sons will fair. Also, it came to me as a great surprise to see the newcomer Villagers and the jazz ensemble Kit Downes Trio nominated. This should be another interesting year for the Mercury Prize. It’s just a shame we’ll have to wait until September to find out who wins.

Who do you think should win? Leave your opinion about who you think will take home the prize in the comment section below.

Check out the top 30 albums played during the past week, compiled by Daytime Music Director Jenna St. Pierre:

1. James Husband - A Parallax I
2. Brazos – Phosphorescent Blues
3. Bear in Heaven – Beast Rest Forth Mouth
4. Headlights – Wildlife
5. Temper Trap – Conditions
6. LAKE – Let’s Build A Roof
7. Middle East – The Recordings Of The Middle East
8. Happy Hollows – Spells
9. Via Tania -  Moon Sweet Moon
10. Noah and the Whale – The First Days Of Spring
11. No Age – Losing Feeling [EP]
12. Royal Bangs – Let It Beep
13. Vivian Girls – Everything Goes Wrong
14. Depreciation Guild – In Her Gentle Jaws
15. Boat -  Setting The Paces
16. Le Loup – Family
17. Big Pink – A Brief History Of Love
18. Flaming Lips – Embryonic
19. The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You
20. Stricken City – Songs About People I Know
21. Kitty, Daisy & Lewis – Kitty Daisy And Lewis
22. Da Vincis -  See You Tonight
23. Gospel Gossip – Dreamland
24. Maps – Turning The Mind
25. Kurt Vile – Childish Prodigy
26. King Khan and BBQ Show – Invisible Girl
27. The XX – The Xx
28. Heavy – The House That Dirt Built
29. Lou Barlow – Goodnight Unknown
30. Letting Up Despite Great Faults – Letting Up Despite Great Faults

Check out the top 30 albums played during the past week, compiled by Daytime Music Director Jenna St. Pierre:

1. Temper Trap – Conditions
2. Headlights – Wildlife
3. Via Tania – Moon Sweet Moon
4. Big Pink – A Brief History Of Love
5. James Husband – A Parallex
6. Noah and the Whale – The First Days Of Spring
7.  Happy Hollows – Spells
8. Royal Bangs – Let It Beep
9. No Age – Losing Feeling [EP]
10. Depreciation Guild – In Her Gentle Jaws
11. Fool’s Gold – Fool’s Gold
12. Vivian Girls – Everything Goes Wrong
13. Brazos – Phosphorescent Blues
14. Flaming Lips – Embryonic
15. Port O’Brien – Threadbare
16. Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs
17. Lake – Let’s Build A Roof
18. Bear in Heaven –  Beast Rest Forth Mouth
19. Le Loup – Family
20. Kitty Daisy and Lewis – Kitty Daisy And Lewis
21. Sea Wolf – White Water, White Bloom
22. Sissy Wish – Beauties Never Die
23. The XX – The Xx
24. Gospel Gossip – Dreamland
25. Rubik – Dada Bandits
26. Why? – Eskimo Snow
27. Kurt Vile – Childish Prodigy
28. Very Best – Warm Heart Of Africa
29. Lou Barlow – Goodnight Unknown
30. Soundtrack – Where The Wild Things Are

Check out the top 30 albums played during the past week, compiled by Daytime Music Director Jenna St. Pierre:

1. Royal Bangs – Let It Beep
2. Big Pink – A Brief History Of Love

3. Port O’Brien – Threadbare
4. Depreciation Guild – In Her Gentle Jaws
5. Happy Hollows - Spells
6. Le Loup – Family
7. Fool’s Gold - Fool’s Gold
8. No Age – Losing Feeling [EP]
9. Vivian Girls – Everything Goes Wrong
10. Ettes - Do You Want Power
11. Polvo – In Prism
12. Fanfarlo – Reservoir
13. Still Life Still – Girls Come Too
14. Darlings – Yeah, I Know
15. Fresh and Onlys – Grey-Eyed Girls
16. Islands – Vapours
17. Various Artists – Hear Here: The Triangle
18. Raveonettes – In And Out Of Control
19. Very Best – Warm Heart Of Africa
20. Why? – Eskimo Snow
21. XX -  The Xx XL
22. Noah and the Whale – The First Days Of Spring
23. A Sunny Day in Glasgow - Ashes
24. Mission of Burma – The Sound The Speed The Light
25. Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Higher Than The Stars [EP]
26. Kitty Daisy and Lewis – Kitty Daisy And Lewis
27. Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs
28. Lou Barlow – Goodnight Unknown
29. Slaraffenland – We’re On Your Side
30. Via Tania - Moon Sweet Moon

Albums added to our library this week:
1. Bear in Heaven – Beast Rest Forth Mouth
2. Sissy Wish – Beauties Never Die