In 2012, I did my first backflip into water. I stage-dove during Andrew W.K.’s “Party Hard.” And I received my first coffee from my neighborhood barista before I even asked for it.
It was the best year of my life — I pounded my steering wheel and screamed out my lungs. And it featured some of the saddest days of my life, when I just wanted to close the blinds and stay in bed.
I went on my second Love Drunk video tour, and my sixth SXSW Music Festival. I attended neighborhood vigils and community celebrations. I met new friends, and lost old ones.
Light and dark, slow and fast, beautiful and ugly, it was all surrounded by music. Here’s what I discovered.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best national albums | Best local albums | Best new songs (nationally) | Best new songs (locally) | Best new local bands | Best shows of the year | Best music videos
Best national albums
1. On the Impossible Past by The Menzingers
Easy choice. The Philadelphia band’s Epitaph Records debut has been playing on repeat since the day it came out. Cover to cover, immediately, a classic punk rock record.
2. The Bloom and the Blight by Two Gallants
The San Francisco duo came back from hiatus with their hardest-rocking (saying that sounds so lame) album yet. There’s a song on this record for every moment of my day.
3. Mutt by Cory Branan
Branan’s gruff croon cuts like a rusty piece of steel, and his intricate — sometimes furious — guitar picking heals just as fast. Gritty Americana stories full of dark imagery and catchy choruses.
Honorable Mention: Giant Orange by Cheap Girls.
Best local albums
1. Plays Piano by McCarthy Trenching
Dan McCarthy (with bassist James Maakestad) transported me to 1890 with these originals and Scott Joplin ragtime covers, made me fall in love again with Dorothy Lynch and made me realize how lucky Nebraska is to have McCarthy making music here.
Bonus: Watching them score a masterful soundtrack for Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr. at Film Streams.
2. Ghosts by Simon Joyner
Backed by a bevy of noise-making friends, the Omaha legend crafted another incredible batch of dark folk songs, which flow together beautifully on this double-LP. He more than delivered on his end, after more than doubling his Kickstarter goal to self-produce the record.
3. I Am Gemini by Cursive
Cursive rocks so damned hard. And like their previous two records — Mama, I’m Swollen and Happy Hollow — this album just gets better the more you hear it. Unlike those albums, this concept record’s story scares the shit out of me.
Honorable Mention: Tired of Being Me by Lloyd McCarter and the Honky Tonk Revival
Good, old-fashioned honky tonk from the ex-FortyTwenty McCarter. This record should come standard with every new John Deere combine.
Best songs (nationally)
1. “The House that Heaven Built” by Japandroids (from Celebration Rock)
An anthem for risk-takers. Good luck not singing along.
2. “A Man With the Passion of Tennessee Williams” by Brendan Kelly and the Wandering Birds (from I’d Rather Die than Live Forever)
I’m not entirely sure where the Lawrence Arms bassist is going with his new solo project, but I love it. It’s not punk. It’s not folk. It’s kind of dancey. It’s definitely dark.
3. “Communication Blues” by Cheap Girls (from Giant Orange)
A catchy, crunchy, melancholy pop song from the band that has that signal dialed in better than anyone since The Replacements.
Best songs (locally)
1. “2:47, July 18, 2011” by McCarthy Trenching (from Plays the Piano)
I’m pretty sure Dan McCarthy doesn’t love it when you sit next to him and sing along to the chorus. But I don’t care.
2. “Generals” by The Mynabirds
Laura Burhenn just fucks it right up in all the right ways in her 2012 album’s title track.
3. “Snake Stand” by Universe Contest
This Lincoln band broke out this year, with consistently unpredictable on- and off-stage antics. But if their music sucked, it wouldn’t matter. It doesn’t, and this is the song that first made me realize that.
Best new local bands
1. Worried Mothers
Weird, glorious garage rock from Sioux City transplants.
photo by Chevy Anderson
2. Mint Wad Willy
Rock ‘n’ roll. Dirty. Listen to their 2012 album, The Fucking Sidewalk, and expect a big 2013 from this Omaha band.
photo by Chevy Anderson
3. Black Cohosh
Americana metal — that’s right.
Black Cohosh from Michael Thurber on Vimeo.
Best shows of the year
1. Simon Joyner/Laura Burhenn (The Mynabirds) performances at “An Evening” at DP Muller Studio in Benson (March 25 and Nov. 18)
I was lucky to watch two of Nebraska’s most talented artists each play intimate sets featuring new songs and old favorites to a small group of people. Playing in such a stripped-down setting, there’s nowhere to hide, and these two performers (with guests) owned it.
ticket and poster design by Quentin Lueninghoener
2. Bright Eyes at Krug Park in Benson (Jan. 15)
Crammed like skinny jeaned sardines into the brand new (and incredible) Benson restaurant, I watched Conor Oberst play songs stretching across his entire catalog, joined by friends including Ben Brodin, Orenda Fink and Kaitlyn Maria Filippini. This was a you-had-to-be-there show.
photo by Daniel Muller
3. Kill County at The Zoo Bar in Lincoln (Feb. 25)
I’m an unabashed shill for this band, which somehow continues creating music and touring with its two chief songwriters spread in Michigan and Texas, and the rest of its members in Lincoln. Seeing them play on the Zoo Bar stage was a treat made even better because they were followed by Simon Joyner.
photo by Shannon Claire
Best music videos
1. “Grease” by Future Islands
2. "This House Alive" by Cursive
3. “Perfect Vision” by Icky Blossoms
Andrew Norman is Hear Nebraska's editor-in-chief. He looks forward to 2013 albums by UUVVWWZ, Kill County, Big Harp, Ladyfinger, Masses, Frontier Ruckus. Reach him at andrewn@hearnebraska.org.