Don't Call It a Comeback: Which Vet Did Best in 2012?

A lot of TP legends released good to great albums this year. Who do you think released the best effort? It seems that Bob Mould would be the easy winner, but I think Dinosaur Jr. continues to release great, great work without tweaking a dang thing: bludgeoning and sludge with hook-craft rising through. Ultravox was solid but didn't knock me out. . .

I'm sure others were listening more attentively than I, however, and I'm interested to hear. . .



Post Edited (01-02-13 09:19)

My personal opinion is that Mould's album is the best album of the year, not just the best by a TP vet, so that's where I stand on that.

Dinosaur Jr., the dB's, Scott Walker, Gallon Drunk and Ian Hunter also put out some of the year's best music, methinks.

Redd Kross, Swans, Unsane, Bad Brains, Giant Sand (as Giant Giant Sand), Barry Adamson, Dirty Three and Dead Can Dance also released solid-to-great LPs this year.

After I posted this, I thought of Scott Walker. I often forget him because he seems to be in a league of his own. Off to check out some of these others. . .

Scott Walker is in his own universe, that's for sure. I almost think of him more as a modern classical composer than a rock/pop musician.

I suppose I should've mentioned Neil Young, but I haven't heard Psychedelic Pill yet, so I can't say yay or nay on its validity. (Though I did enjoy the songs live when I saw him a couple of months ago.)

Mould gets my vote. I don't think any 2012 release by any artist gave me more listening pleasure.

How long does someone have to be around before they are a vet?

My most listened to albums by Vets:
Spiritualized - Sweet Heart Sweet Light
Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas

I would also consider GBV vets, but I am not sure in this context.

I need more time with:
Psychedelic Pill and Tempest.

Favorite Reissues: Lee Hazelwood especially A House Safe For Tigers but also The LHI Years.

Lee Mutherfuckin Hazelwood: I can't recommend Tigers enough (its on Spotify.)

(Using best Jon Gruden voice) "This guy is a wrangler. Look at that mustache! He'll come over and fuck your wife while you cook him dinner. Every song is about doing the wrong thing, or feeling bad because it has already been done! He is one bad dude.
Do yourself a favor. While you are kicking back with a glass of your favorite bourbon tonight, have "Souls Island" on repeat." or some shit...

Fave rave this year is John Foxx + The Maths "Evidence." I am spellbound at how a guy in his mid 60s is PEAKING even though his back catalogue is nothing to sneeze at. "Evidence" is pushing far outside of the comfort zone like a deep space probe of rock shooting past Io right now. I can't wait to hear where they go next. Benge is Foxx's best collaborator by far. You can't beat that analog synth sound! Best of all, they have released three albums in less than two years. There's a real sense of urgency that mirrors the band's rapid development.

As for his former bandmates efforts, I will say that "Brilliant" was the straw that broke this Ultravox fan's back after 32 years. I found it to be their worst album ever. Yes, it trumps "U-Vox!" Midge Ure has a lot to answer for. His wretched, emaciated vocals on so many of the already lame tracks sound like he's been listening to Scott Walker's "Tilt" or "Drift" and decided to once more sop up some of that Walker sauce without beginning to understand what Walker's doing! There's an EPs worth of tunes on par with "Quartet" [not too shabby], but the other eight tracks plumb new depths for this band. Plodding, interminable cuts with Ure's vocals that sounded like he was passing a kidney stone while recording do nothing for me at all! All in all, a huge stain on their already tarnished legacy.

Reissues were mentioned. Huge accolades are in order for Simple Minds' "X5" boxed set of their first 5 [technically 6] albums, with bonus tracks for the first time. Those Arista era B-sodes finally got their masters dusted off and it was a long time coming! In that box is everything that was indisputably brilliant about the band, and all for a pittance of cost!

Another reissue that knocked me out was 4ADs Colourbox Boxed Set Of God® at a low, must consume-it-now price. $30 [full retail] netted the listener 4xCDs with everything released by the band and then some. They careened stylistically all over the map, but their strength was essentially, that it was all great! Myself, I prefer their electro dub sound, but the pop, reggae, soul, and rock is all very accomplished.



Post Edited (01-02-13 17:09)

Former TP subscriber [81, 82, 83, 84]

[postpunkmonk.com]
For further rumination on the Fresh New Sound of Yesterday®

It was a pretty good year for the old school:

Madness ~ OuiOuiSiSiJaJaDaDa
Dexys ~ One Day I'm Going to Soar
Paul Kelly ~ Spring and Fall
Paul Buchanan (Blue Nile) ~ Mid-Air
Frank and Walters ~ Greenwich Mean Time
Stranglers ~ Giants
Hugh Cornwell ~ Totem and Taboo
Jazz Butcher Conspiracy ~ Last of the Gentleman Adventurers
Wedding Present ~ Valentina
Saint-Etienne ~ Words and Music
Shoes ~ Ignition
Big Dipper ~ Big Dipper Crashes on the Platinum Planet
Bill Mallonee (Vigilantes of Love) ~ Amber Waves
Tracey Thorn (Everything but the Girl) ~ Tinsel and Lights

Great list, Wade. . . I had forgotten to consider the F&W a vet band, though they made my top 10.

Well, considering that when the Franks formed in 1990 I was barely old enough to buy alcohol.....yeah, we're all geezers now...