Wini’s Top Albums/Songs/Shows 2012

2012 was a big year for me. I finally moved to Toronto, full-time – which meant I was finally a real adult with responsibilities and a mortgage! Um, yay? I also turned 30 this year… and I’m just going to leave that there.

Moving to Toronto meant attending lots of shows, which made me feel like a kid again, when music and attending shows were all that mattered. Music-wise, it was all about throwbacks and flashbacks for me – so many bands and musicians I loved in my younger years – Fiona Apple, Aimee Mann, Garbage, Ben GIbbard of Death Cab for Cutie, to name a few – returned with albums and tours. I can safely say that the highlight of my year – concert-wise – was seeing Ben Gibbard (who I’ve never seen before, solo or with Death Cab) doing a solo acoustic rendition of “Such Great Heights” and “Passenger Seat” on piano. Oh, and Fiona Apple (who I’ve also never seen before) singing “Paper Bag” (even though the show was at the Suck, er… Sound Academy).

I also discovered a couple cool new bands too. I guess Divine Fits qualifies as a new band (even though I’ve always been a big Spoon fan and a Wolf Parade fan, so it’s pretty much by default, right?). Father John Misty was probably my favourite new discovery of 2012. This was my first year attending NXNE, which allowed me to witness so many great bands and nervously interview Eternal Summers in their van!

So, for the part where I get sentimental – the best part of my year (aside from the things I already mentioned above) was joining The Singing Lamb team and writing on a regular basis again. I hope we keep doing it and I hope you keep reading. Now, how about some lists, yeah?

Top 10 Albums
(and favourite songs) 

1. Divine Fits – A Thing Called Divine Fits
Fave songs: “Would That Not Be Nice,” “Baby Gets Worse,” “Flaggin a Ride”

2. Father John Misty – Fear Fun
Fave songs: “I’m Writing A Novel,” “Well, You Can Do It Without Me,” “Tee Pees 1-12”

3. Beach House – Bloom
Fave songs: “Myth,” “Other People,” “The Hours,” “On the Sea,” “Irene”

4. Eternal Summers – Correct Behavior
Fave songs: “Good As You,” “Disappear,” “It’s Easy”

5. The Walkmen – Heaven
Fave songs: “Heartbreaker,” “We Can’t Be Beat,” “Love Is Luck”

6. Tennis – Young & Old
Fave songs: “Origins,” “My Better Self,” “Take Me To Heaven,”
Bonus fave: “Deep in the Woods” (from the “Origins” 7” single)

7. Aimee Mann – Charmer
Fave songs: “Crazytown,” “Living A Lie” (with James Mercer of The Shins)

8. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel…
Fave songs: “Werewolf,” “Hot Knife”

9. M. Ward – A Wasteland Companion
Fave songs: “Primitive Girl,” “Sweetheart” (with Zooey Deschanel)

10. Benjamin Gibbard – Former Lives
Fave songs: “Dream Song,” “Bigger Than Love” (with Aimee Mann)

Honourable Mentions

Cuff the Duke – Union
Fave songs: “Stay” (with Basia Bulat), “Night After Night,” “Live My Life”

La Sera – Sees The Light
Fave song: “Real Boy”

Dum Dum Girls – End of Daze EP
Fave song: “I Got Nothing”

Jack White – Blunderbuss
Fave songs: “Love Interruption,” “Trash Tongue Talker”

Top 10 Shows

Divine Fits @ Lee’s Palace, September 5

Father John Misty/La Sera @ Lee’s Palace, October 27

Ben Gibbard/Julie Doiron @ Danforth Music Hall, October 14

Andre Williams with The Sadies @ Horseshoe Tavern, June 15 (NXNE show)

Loretta Lynn @ Massey Hall, September 15

Jack White @ Sony Centre, October 4

Cuff the Duke/Jenn Grant @ Winter Garden Theatre, November 24

Rufus Wainwright @ David Pecault Square, June 10 (Luminato)

Eternal Summers @ The Garrison, August 7

Best Coast/Those Darlins @ The Phoenix, July 21

Honourable Mention

Tennis @ The Horseshoe, February 29