Dirty Projectors: Swing Lo Magellan

Here's another tremendous 2012 album. This was sort of a stripped down record for this band, and the change up in style was brilliant.

Alabama Shakes: Boys & Girls

I mentioned this group earlier this year and their debut album has yet to lose its vitality after numerous listens. Brittany Howard’s voice is one of the most interesting in the business right now.

Sharon Van Etten: Tramp

While I simply cannot come up with numbered "best of" lists, this album may very well be my favorite of 2012. Yep, that's the best I can do.

Frank Ocean: Channel Orange

I've mentioned Frank Ocean on the blog before, and I don't think there will be a best of 2012 list out there that doesn't have his Channel Orange near the top. The album is thoughtful, well-layered hip hop, with equal dashes of R&B, Soul.

Merry Christmas!

Maddy Prior and The Carnival Band: Ding Dong Merrily on High

Exterminador: El Baile Del Santa Clos

Guster: Donde Esta Santa Claus

Sufjan Stevens: I'll Be Home for Christmas

Howler: Back of Your Neck

Off the 2012 album, America Give Up.

Adios 2012!

Thank you, dear readers, for another great year. I appreciate your comments, e-mails and suggestions throughout the year. This blog has readers all over the world, from Malaysia to the Netherlands, and I look forward to sharing another year of music with you in 2013!

That being said, I'm going to finish this year up by posting a few Christmas songs, and then I'll also list a slew of tracks / albums that were my favorites this year.

Punch Brothers

Progressive bluegrass out of Brooklyn? Yes, indeed. Let me know what you think of this track off the 2012 album, Who's Feeling Young Now?

A Fine Frenzy: Avalanches

Off the recently released album, Pines. At its best, Alison Sudol's voice is captivating, and this song is a good example. Enjoy.

Tanlines: All of Me

Here's an addictive track off this Brooklyn, NY-based band's 2012 album, Mixed Emotions.

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

This is the track, Only in My Dreams, off the album Mature Themes, which was released in August on the 4AD label. The soulful song Baby, off the same album, has also garnered some attention and is worth a listen.

Ballake Sissoko & Vincent Segal

Off the 2009 album, Chamber Music, which I think melds theses artists musical traditions very well. Sissoko hails from Mali and is from a musical family, while the French cellist Segal is a former member of the French National Orchestra.

Friday Cover: Poolside plays Neil Young

Here's a slick cover by this CA pop duo.

Victor Bermon: We Face Each Other

Off this Australian artist's 2007 release, Arriving at Night.

Deerhoof: Fête D'Adieu

Off this California-based band's recent release, Breakup Song.

Rana Santacruz

From this artist's website, which you can find here: "As the ethnic make-up of America changes, so does its music. And with a passel of influences under his belt, Rana Santacruz makes music for that new America."

Artie Shaw

A little big band from a man they call the King of the Clarinet.

Poolside: Slow Down

Off the album Pacific Standard Time. Learn more here.

Bill Fay: The Coast No Man Can Tell

Just a man and his piano. Off the recently released album, Life is People.

Astrid Hadad

Fun song and incredible video. This Mexican artist combines music and theater in a wonderful way.

Bright Moments: Milwaukee Protocol

Kelly Pratt is a multi-instrumentalist that has played brass for Beirut and Arcade Fire among others. If you like either of those bands you will like this tune, off his debut solo record.

Sea of Bees

Sea of Bees is Californian artist Jules Bee. Learn more about her here

Silversun Pickups

This track is off the 2012 album, Neck of the Woods.

Diane Cluck

Enjoy this live in the studio performance by this New York-based artist who describes her music as "intuitive folk." Her voice is captivating.

The Spinto Band: Take It

This is a fun video for a springy summer pop song. The Spinto Band might be the first band from Delaware to be featured on this blog. Let me know what you think.

Breton: Pacemaker

Here's a bit of toe-tapping London-based rock. Off of their recently released debut album, Other People's Problems.

Kris Kristofferson: Loving Her Was Easier

Here is a vintage 1972 performance of a song that should be on everyone's "all time greatest" list.

Nick Waterhouse: Some Place

I have commented often on this blog about how thrilled I am that there is so much soul out there these days. If you agree, you're going to love this song off Waterhouse's debut album that was release last month on Innovative Leisure Records.

Ben Howard: Keep Your Head Up

I like the upbeat feel to this folksy-pop bit by this English artist. This is off his 2011 album Every Kingdom.

Here We Go Magic: Alone but Moving

This is another tremendous Brooklyn-based band. One critic hit it spot on when he described this group's music as walking "the line between ambient hypnotica and melodic indie rock."

Marie-Pierre Arthur: Alright

Here's a catchy tune off this Canadian artist's recent release.

The Wooden Birds: Long Time to Lose It

Austin, Texas and Brooklyn, NY combine to make this band, who released their second album, Two Matchsticks, last year. Learn more about the band here.

JMSN

Detroit-based JMSN (Christian Berishaj) lists Prince, Phil Collins, Fiona Apple, Radiohead, Hatiras, and Boys Noize as influences on his music and I can hear them all in the song below. His 2012 album, Priscilla, is a fascinating and unique approach to hip hop. It is also worth noting that he is a one man show, having written and produced all the tracks on the album; he even filmed the music videos himself.

Madi Diaz: Love You Now

This Nashville-based artist's 2012 release Plastic Moon is filled with catchy, well written, folksy pop. I'm usually wrong when predicting the popularity of artists, but I get the feeling that if she gets a few breaks, we could be hearing a lot of this album.

Charles Bradley: Heartaches & Pain

We are in the middle of a sort of 1960's soul music revival fueled in large part by the success of Daptone Records , which is the label that relesed Bradley's 2011 album No Time for Dreaming, where you'll find this song. By all accounts, Charles Bradley has had a life filled with many difficulties, and it is that which brings the gravitas to his sound. When you listen to the song below, not only are you blown away by the performance, but when you hear him sing about heartaches and pain, he is credible. Not all artists possess that quality, and that is what separates good soul from the very best. Let me know what you think.

Blind Pilot: We Are the Tide

Here's the title track off of this Portland, Oregon-based band's 2011 album. It's a brilliantly feel-good tune.

Wilco Cover

Rarely does a cover outshine the original, but below, I think you'll find that JC Brooks and the Uptown Band have done it. They've taken a good song and totally made it their own, and I don't know that I'll ever listen to the original they same way again. Both songs have been around for a while, but I only recently heard the Brooks version. Hear both below and let me know what you think:

The Peach Kings

This Los Angeles-based duo can crank out rock that seems simultaneously familiar yet innovative. I like it when bands can respect the past while doing their own thing. Learn more about them here.

Gotye: Somebody That I Used to Know

Here is a quirky (and addictive) song from last Summer by this Australian/Belgian artist. Learn more about him here. Gotye will be touring North America later this year.

Cate Le Bon: Fold the Cloth

This Welsh artist's latest album, Cyrk, is set to be released next week. Learn more about her here.

Lengualerta: True Love

Off the 2010 album, Resonante.

Magnetic Fields: Andrew in Drag

New Magnetic Fields! Off the upcoming 2012 album, Love At The Bottom Of The Sea. The album is set to be released in March by Merge Records.

O'Death: Bugs

Alt-country from Brooklyn. Off the 2011 album, Outside.