2012 - My Personal Year in Music

Some might say this past year has not been the best for music. With hits such as Gangnam Style's coordinated spasms, and Carly Rae Jepson's stalker sensation 'Call Me Maybe', these past twelve months seem to have been littered with musical mishaps more than they have marvels.

But for me personally, I will always remember 2012 to be the year music mattered to me. Don't get me wrong, before now I have of course called myself a music lover - I mean, who doesn't? But, this year was the year I actually discovered its merit. Before now, I used to be a straight-up rock girl (in a phase I would affectionately call the 'grunge monkey' days), turning up my nose at genre's such as country, folk or jazz. It was this year that my eyes (or more appropriately, ears) were opened. Mostly through my vinyl collection I have been slowly building since January, but some through the different musical individuals I have met over the course of this year. Whether it be a record store owner that puts on free gigs to whoever has the time to listen, the people that play there, or a duo of intelligent musicians who wanted to tell the story of a Blank Room - I have been shown what music means. And more than that, what music can do.

So yes, Muse has brought out a new album that I loved, Adele has written a Bond theme I actually like, and Gotye got me singing to the radio every so often with his hit 'Somebody I Used to Know'. However, I think these artists have had enough coverage, especially with the nostalgic new year reviews littering the television. No, I want to shed light on some of the independent artists I have come to enjoy this year.

Brandall/Tyrrell - Blank Room





Here are some personal friends of mine that have decided to try to bring something new to the musical spectrum - something that seems to hardly happen nowadays. A far cry from the pointless lyrics and robotic voices of this year's hits, Blank Room creates a complex picture of entrapment and solitude. Here, we can hear intelligent lyrics that still seem to hit your heart, and music that actually transform your surroundings. When listening to this EP, I find myself in that Blank Room. This is so transcendent, you feel in a state of being that is both solitary and comfortable, being helped along the way by the friendly vocals of the rapper. It's hard to define this genre as rap, as I find it a spoken word masterpiece that transcends any genre, and is rather worth a listen.

Since this EP has been announced to be only half of a full album (the rest supposedly coming some time next year), it is available for free download on Bandcamp, and streaming on soundcloud (both links below).

Soundcloud

Bandcamp

Jack Carty - Break Your Own Heart
 I am aware that acoustic singer-songwriters aren't scarce today - you can find one in your nearest Grill'd on a Saturday night. Jack Carty, however, speaks to me like poetry. His song given the most coverage, She's Got A Boyfriend, seems to have picked the most accessible out of the bunch - in this case showcasing the weakest song on the album. When I saw him back when I first started this blog, the simple guitar arrangement and honesty in the vocals affected me deeply. This wasn't just music - this was a man's feelings and poetry put forward in musical form.

The best song that expresses this seems to be Travelling Shoes. To me, it conveys an honesty that isn't found in the poppy styling of She's Got A Boyfriend. Below is Jack himself just singing it as I first heard it, live with just a guitar.

So, my year in music sure has been an interesting one. I would like to thank those who made me come to the realizations that I have this year, and also those who have stuck with this blog since the beginning. I hope in the next year to come, I will find many more interesting artists with something new to bring to the table.