Thoughts towards a list of my favorite music of the year

While one part of my mind is still busy processing and weeping over the tragedy in Newtown, CT as both a teacher and a parent, I’m going to let another part of my brain wander into other thoughts.  Here are some of the records I know I’ll need to include once I fully make my list.  These are the cd’s that spent the most time on the front seat of my car or the records that sat on the coffee table more than others and the bands that helped shape the amazing year of music 2012 was, in my humble opinion:

• Until the Quiet Comes – Flying Lotus
• Shields – Grizzly Bear
• Kill for Love – Chromatics
• Lonerism – Tame Impala
• Blak and Blu – Gary Clark, Jr.
• Off! – Off!
• Blunderbuss – Jack White
• Researching the Blues – Redd Kross
• Loma Vista – Family of the Year
• Twins; Slaughterhouse; Hair – Ty Segall; Ty Segall Band; Ty Segall & White Fence
• Maraqopa – Damien Jurado
• Cancer 4 Cure – El-P
• Open Your Heart – The Men
• Celebration Rock – Japandroids
• Channel Orange – Frank Ocean
• Home Again – Michael Kiwanuka
• An Awesome Wave – alt-J
• The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy – Nada Surf
• Between the Times and the Tides – Lee Ranaldo
• Radar Eyes – Radar Eyes

That’s how it stands right now – no jazz on there, or reissues or other music I heard for the first time this year but was originally released earlier.  Commentary to follow!