No Moon Landing's X Of The Year: Music of the Year 2012

Music is cool and here are the albums that are good enough to write about for 2012

Allo Darlin - Europe
Capricornia 

Hunx - Hairdresser Blues
Private Room

Jens Lekman - I Know What Love Isn't
Become Someone Else's

The Mountain Goats - Transcendental Youth
Cry for Judas

Europe by Allo Darlin

This record is everything great about Allo Darlin's debut full length from 2010 doubled-down on and wrapped in that sense of being where you need to be, even if its not where you want to be. The ukulele-and-electric guitar sound, the tonal blending of Darren Hayman and Amelia Fletcher, that Allo Darlin is known for, and constantly references, shines through the production and pared-down lineup.

Hairdresser Blues by Hunx

Hunx, in his first solo release without his Punx, is in fine form, creating a record with maybe less of a garage punk edge and more of shimmering, Phil Specter, 60s Girl Group sound. Hairdresser Blues shows off the range that Hunx is truly capable of, not just the goofy, sexy dude from the old Gravy Train!!!! records. With this record, he's crafted a meaningful, intimate pop album in rare style.

I Know What Love Isn't by Jens Lekman

When I Said I Wanted To Be Your Dog was an incredibly strong debut record. Night Falls Over Kortedala is flatout one of the greatest albums of all time. I Know What Love Isn't had a strong pedigree to live up to when it came out earlier this year. While it doesn't quite deliver on the range Jens proved he was capable of on Night Falls, he delivers a breakup record like no one else. At once melancholy, hopeful, and self-critical, I Know What Love Isn't is a must.

Transcendental Youth by The Mountain Goats

The Mountain Goats have an absolutely massive body of work. Some of it weaker than others. His previous two records were among his weakest. The Life of the World To Come and All Eternals Deck were competently performed albums but they lacked something, something essential, something Mountain Goats. Transcendental Youth picks up as the flipside of All Eternals Deck. Where All Eternals Deck was an album about making it to the end and living with the scars,  Transcendental Youth is an album about being lost in the middle, scarring yourself. Where The Life of the World To Come was an album about redemption in death, Transcendental Youth is an album about damnation in life. That's not to say AED and TLotWTC were happy records and this is a sad one, to the contrary really. It puts a huge spotlight on JD's writing ability, that he's able to make an album conjure the feelings of complete isolation and make it feel like a brotherhood. Transcendental Youth is a powerful thing, an incredibly powerful thing.

Other Albums Worth Mentioning For One Reason Or Another:

Shrines by Purity Ring  (This year's Most Important Pop Album)

Love at the Bottom of the Sea by The Magnetic Fields (Stephin Merritt.)

Believe Me by The Smittens (The Smittens at their least insipid)
Power & Passion by Mr Muthafuckin eXquire (Interesting evolution of the focused anger seen on 2010's Lost in Translation)

Ye Are Gods by Sabbath Assembly (Gospel music for a really real dead cult, absolutely fascinating)

Serpent Sermon by Marduk (Best black metal album of 2012)

Love This Giant by David Byrne & St. Vincent (The whitest hip hop record of 2012)

Cancer 4 Cure by El-P (The second whitest hip hop record of 2012)

Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded: The Re-Up by Nicki Minaj (The third whitest hip hop record of 2012)

Visions by Grimes (Again, an album very important to this year's pop discourse)

Don't Try by FIDLAR (The Sum-41 to Wavves' blink-182 and that's a compliment)

Some Albums I Didn't Listen To But Wish I Did
10 Songs About Girls by Tender Trap
Red by Taylor Swift
R.A.P. Music by Killer Mike
Lido by Darren Hayman
Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II by Earth