Best Albums of 2012

Having myself, cocked a snook at Uncut Magazine's best albums of 2012 list, I should not be surprised if readers of this blog raise an eyebrow at some of our choices for records of the year. While Tame Impala, Sharon Van Etten and Richard Hawley are probably going to appear in a large number of best of 2012 lists, I wonder how many will feature The Pre-New, Karriem Riggins or ZZ Top? Not many, I guess. But quite frankly, who cares? These were the Velvet Owl Gig Collective's favourite records of 2012. We played them, sang along to them, danced to them, heard some of them performed live, but most importantly, they reminded us why we love this crazy mixed up kid that we call pop music. 

Have a great Christmas everyone. We'll see you on the other side. 

1. One Day I'm Going to Soar - Dexys 
2. Tramp - Sharon Van Etten 
3. Standing at the Sky's Edge - Richard Hawley 
4. The Lion's Roar - First Aid Kit 
5. Give You The Ghost - Policia 
6. Lonerism - Tame Impala 
7. Django Django - Django Django
8. Put Yr Back Into It - Perfume Genius 
9. Kill for Love - Chromatics 
10. The Echo Show - Yeti Lane 
11. Given To The Wild - The Maccabees 
12. Coexist - The XX 
13. Boys and Girls - Alabama Shakes 
14. Heaven - The Walkmen 
15. World Music - Goat
16. Lido - Darren Hayman
17. A & E - Graham Coxon
18. Blunderbuss - Jack White
19. Cyrk - Cate Le Bon
20. Bloom - Beach House
21. Music for People Who Hate Themselves - The Pre-New
22. Visions - Grimes 
23. WIXIW - Liars
24. My Head is an Animal - Of Monsters and Men
25. Circles - Moon Duo
26. Persistnet Malaise - Cold Pumas
27. Manifest - Friends
28. Both Lights - AU
29. Words and Music - Saint Etienne
30. Shields - Grizzly Bear
31. Nootropics - Lower Dens
32. Piramida - Efterklang
33. Sorry to Bother You - The Coup
34. Port of Morrow - The Shins
35. Alone Together - Karriem Riggins
36. Tosta Mista - Hooded Fang
37. Sweet Heart, Sweet Light - Spiritualized
38. Young & Old - Tennis
39. Wild Peace - Echo Lakes
40. >> - Beak
41. Allah-Las - Allah-Las
42. Calendar - Motorama
43. Furniture - Race Horses
44. Sweet Sour - Band of Skulls
45. Algiers - Calexico
46. Blues Funeral - Mark Lanegan
47. King Animal - Sound Garden
48. La Futura - ZZ Top
49. The Haunted Man - Bat for Lashes
50. Choice of Weapon - The Cult