Top 10 albums of 2012 (in haiku)

(Above: Patti Smith delivers a track from the excellent “Banga.” The album barely missed our list.)

Here are The Daily Record’s favorite albums from 2012. As always, they are presented in haiku format.

1. Christian Scott – “Christian aTunde Adjuah”christian scott

Ambitions jazzman

drops double album, maintains

passion, quality.

2. Miguel – “Kaleidoscope Dream”

Usher’s songwriter

gets more creative control.

Blends Gaye, Prince, Zombies.

3. Japandroids – “Celebration Rock”miguel-kaleidoscope-dream-cover

A friend said album

title should be a genre.

I can’t agree more.

4. Jack White – “Blunderbuss”

Solo effort from

collaborator-in-chief

rewards long-time fans.

5. Santigold – “Master of my Make Believe”

Copycats creep in

after four years away, but

Santi reclaims throne.

6. Lupe Fiasco – “Food and Liquor II”corin tucker

Divisive MC

creates more controversy.

Thinking man’s hip hop.

7. Jimmy Cliff – “Rebirth”

Bob Dylan’s favorite

protest singer back after

eight long years away.

8. Corin Tucker Band – “Kill My Blues”glasper

Ex-S/K singer

returns lob from Wild Flag.

Confidence abounds.

9. Robert Glasper Experiment – “Black Radio”

Boundaries blow up on

Wynton’s least favorite album.

Purists will miss out.

10. Bob Dylan – “Tempest”

With gravel in voice,

blood in the stories, legend

adds to legacy.

Keep reading:

Top 10 albums of 2011

Top 10 albums of 2010

Top 10 Albums of 2009

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Green Ribbon Haikus

feedtheanimals_news
By Joel Francis

Before we bid farewell to 2008, let’s have some more haiku fun and revisit five albums that may not have made The Daily Record’s year-end, best-of list but still merit a listen.

Girl Talk – “Feed The Animals”
Is it art? Question
eclipses legalities.
WTF? Dance! Dance!

The Hold Steady – “Stay Positive”
Great songwriting, strong
performances. Forget Bruce,
Craig Finn holds his own.

Rachel Yamagata – “Elephants…Teeth Sinking into Heart”
Aching ballads and
torrid rockers on two discs.
Schizophrenic’s OK. 

Sigur Ros – “Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust”
Don’t speak Icelandic?
Who does? Same great songwriting,
new stripped-down approach.

The Roots – “Rising Down”
For once, band doesn’t
reinvent themselves. Solid,
if similar; guests thrive.

Top 10 Albums of 2008 (haiku remix)

raphael_saadiq_-_the_way_i_see_it

By Joel Francis

Raphael Saadiq – The Way I See It
Classic soul throwback.
Avoids tribute clichés by
keeping spirit true.

TV on the Radio – Dear Science
Great band gets better.
Bowie-meets-doo-wop epics.
Tunes for brain and feet.

Wynton Marsalis and Willie Nelson – Two Men with the Blues
Disparate worlds?
Not so fast. Legends say no.
Smiles all around.

David Byrne/Brian Eno – Everything That Happens…
Restless souls rejoin.
Straight-ahead compared to last album
Twenty-three years ago.

Randy Newman – Harps and Angels
Not Pixar film score.
Track 4 tears Dub-ya new one.
Mark Twain of music.

Justin Townes Earle – The Good Life
Old country played right.
More Hank Williams than Junior.
Dad Steve should be proud.

Erykah Badu – New Amerykah, Pt. 1
Esoteric beats
and furious politics
make for dark album.

Portishead – Third
More dark atmospheres,
Dormant band surprises all;
Not trip-hop retread.

She and Him – Vol. 1
Vanity project?
Hell no. Zooey is for real.
M. Ward is great foil.

Q-Tip – The Renaissance
Ten years not Tip’s fault,
stupid labels shelve three tries.
Glad to have you back.