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

 

For Valentine’s day this year, AC Entertainment decided to give its fans one of the best loving gifts any music festival-goer could ask for, the lineup for Bonnaroo’s 11th year.

The headliners include Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phish and The Beach Boys. What I found particularly neat about this year’s lineup is many of the acts chosen for Bonnaroo have made visits to the Triangle’s venues in the past year or plan to in the next few months — The Beach Boys (coming in April), Bon Iver, The Avett Brothers (coming in March), Feist (coming in May), Ludacris (N.C. State University’s campus last year), Ben Folds Five, Umphrey’s McGee, Punch Brothers, Yelawolf, Dawes, The Black Lips, Phantogram, The Joy Formidable, The Antlers, Kurt Vile and the Violators, Das Racist, Delta Spirit, Trampled by Turtles, The War on Drugs (coming in March), and Fruit Bats, just to name a few.

This is just another reason to pat yourselves on the back for being a part of the Triangle’s taste-making community, whether you’re a venue, musician, concert goer, radio listener, or even blog reader. You’re awesome.

The festival will take place about nine hours away from Raleigh in Manchester, Tenn. on June 7-10.  Tickets will go on sale Saturday, Feb. 18, at noon.

I like turtles…

On Thursday, Oct. 20 at Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, These United States was the opening band for a packed house. They consist of a drummer, acoustic, two electric, and bass guitar (sometimes keys). They were a high energy alt-country band that kept the audience prepped and psyched for what everyone came to see: Trampled By Turtles.

TBT came out playing. Their insightful lyrics and skillful instrumentation across the band led to a truly awesome show. Trampled By Turtles cannot be exactly classified as a true bluegrass band but rather a mix of genres, incorporating indie, folk, and bluegrass. Their style of music is applicable to all audiences and was very evident in the eclectic nature of the crowd. The crowd especially responded to “Victory” and “Codeine” before they ended their set with “Wait So Long,” which was truly the climax of the show. The audience sang along with every word. After cancelling their show in Carrboro a year ago, this show was long-awaited and met all expectations.

The Mynabirds- What We Lost in the Fire We Gain in the Flood

WORD, this is my new jam. I am always a sucker for female vocals, and ta-boot, she is the woman from Georgie James! This album has an older feeling, reminiscent of the Dusty Springfield  era. A mixture of soul and country makes this album extremely hard to put down. Infectious R&B numbers filled with blues and country influences soaks up all your feelings like a sponge, and when it’s over it squeezes everything out of you and you feel so much better for having experienced it.

Kings Go Forth-The Outsider’s Are Back

This is exhilarating. You start instantly sweating listening to this, your heart beats faster, your feet start tapping, your body starts moving.  Kings Go Forth bring a 70′s soul band sound and an extremely happy vibe all around. I don’t know what else I can say about this but enjoy!

New Young Pony Club- The Optimist

There is a clear distinction between this album and their first. Both include dance-able rock music, an evolution of the almost forgotten new wave genre, but this album feels much darker. There is a more mature feeling in the music and in their lyrics. Regardless, this will keep your ass moving!

Sarah Jaffe-Suburban Nature

Remember Cat Power back in the day, all she had was her depressing lyrics and a guitar? That is pretty much Sarah Jaffe, except Jaffe includes musical compositions that resemble Neutral Milk Hotel. I know, right? Awesome.

Trampled by Turtles-Palomino

Now this is for the people who like to bring the house down with BLUEGRASS. Extremely frantic, upbeat bluegrass music that is so damn catchy I needed to get tested after listening to this album. If you enjoy listening to those Avett guys you will probably enjoy listening to this band.

Mantler-Monody

Hmm, now this was the only album I listened to that I just didn’t get. Sounds like mixture of Chromeo and Kings of Convenience. Sort of has an 80′s retro R&B theme to it, but sometimes that doesn’t translate as well as he wanted it to. However, there are some catchy tunes so take a listen and judge for yourself!

The Radio Dept.- Clinging to a Scheme

This dreamy pop album cues light synths at the best moments possible and relies on a steady drum beat. This is alongside distorted, atmospheric vocals that have you feel like you’re walking on air.

Inlets- Inter Arbiter

Singer/songwriter baroque pop that layers vocals and incorporates more fanciful instruments in a way that distinguishes themselves from the typical lounge act.

Family Cactus- Come Howling

Slower, darker vocals match on top of faster paced rock songs. They range from light to heavy in sound, and this breaks the album away from what could have been rather mundane.

Kate Nash- My Best Friend is You

More relationship enraged pop. This time Nash diversifies her sound well. She mixes high energy pop songs with cynical and jealous lyrics to create another fun experience.

The Pack A.D. – We Kill Computers

Think White Stripes. Garage rock duo who are unapologetic and take no prisoners especially on their instruments. A showcase of spill out your guts vocals, distorted guitars, and relentless drumming that rarely lets up.

Sally Seltmann – Heart That’s Pounding

Verging on FROU FROU, this album is a JEM and pretty FEIST-y. Sally is a bright and sunny Australian who warms your heart from the start and invites you to listen to the rest of her album. I feel like she was in wistful love when she wrote all these cheerful pop melodies. Play on a pretty day!

Wesley Wolfe – Storage

A very short and seamless collection of acoustic songs played mainly by Wolfe himself. The lyrics and melodies contradict themselves somewhat – introspective vs upbeat and it totally works! You might think he’s just another songwriter making music to complain, but check it out and you will be pleasantly surprised.

Cate le Bon – Me Oh My

This album creeps up on you. Beginning with a slow bass line and then added dark layers of crystal clear vocals and psychedelic guitar riffs, Cate really likes to mix things up but the albums main sound is folky. A Welsh version of Nico, even looks wise, Cate’s sometimes weird and awkward vocals have created a hauntingly beautiful album.

Two Door Cinema Club – Tourist History

This could quite possibly become the anthem for your summer. Catchy, upbeat, synthy… could be categorized as electro-pop. You can’t help but bop your head and pretend to know the lyrics when listening to this. Not quite sure if these guys have their own sound  just yet, but this debut is very promising.