Eric Fine Poop ’12


Ladies and gentlemen, I now present to you by favorite records of 2012. It wasn’t easy admitting to all of these R&B records, but dammit, I am comfortable in my music skin!

cover of Kelly Hogan – I Like To Keep Myself in Pain   Buy New or Used via Amazon
1. Kelly HoganI Like To Keep Myself in Pain Genres aside, her beautiful voice, slight twang, and vibrant melodies make this a winner.

cover of Best Coast – The Only Place   Buy New or Used via Amazon
2. Best CoastThe Only Place Ah, a nice breath of fresh air. Jangly pop to soothe the soul. A real warm record.

cover of Frank Ocean – channel ORANGE   Buy New or Used via Amazon
3. Frank Oceanchannel ORANGE I will admit it – I really loved some of this record and it is what I listened the most this year.

cover of Redd Kross – Researching The Blues   Buy New or Used via Amazon
4. Redd KrossResearching The Blues Great hooks, solid background singing, and completely melodic.

cover of Andrew Bird – Break It Yourself   Buy New or Used via Amazon
5. Andrew BirdBreak It Yourself A sweet, straighter Rufus Wainwright. I am just getting up to speed on his violin prowess.

cover of The Sea & Cake - Runner   Buy New or Used via Amazon
6. The Sea & CakeRunner I thought their best years where behind them. I was very mistaken. Still tight; they can still generate their own breezy atmosphere.

cover of Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan   Buy New or Used via Amazon
7. Dirty ProjectorsSwing Lo Magellan An expansive, diverse gathering of songs that somehow work together.

cover of Grizzly Bear – Shields   Buy New or Used via Amazon
8. Grizzly BearShields At times volatile and ready to explode melodically; at other times completely mainstream and pedestrian.

cover of Stew & The Negro Problem   Buy New or Used via Amazon
9. Stew & The Negro ProblemMaking It Not sure how I missed out on Stew previously, but the dude knows how to write a song with big hooks.

cover of Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Psychedelic Pill   Buy New or Used via Amazon
10. Neil Young & Crazy HorsePsychedelic Pill Opening track is 27 minutes long. 4 songs over 8 minutes. Really? Yes, really, and his most inspired effort in years.

11. Dinosaur Jr. – I Bet on Sky Definitely aided by reliving my youth and celebrating the 20th Anniversary of You’re Living All Over Me live with a who’s who of 90’s indie rockers. With zero expectations going in, I was pleasantly surprised.
12. Esperanza SpaldingRadio Music Society Ambitious, broad, and soulful, this neo-soul/jazz LP features a stellar band.
13. Robert GlasperBlack Radio The opening track “Lift Off” featuring Shafiq Husayn and Mic Check is Gil Scott Heron for the new millennium. “Why Do We Try” featuring Stokley Williams sounds like a modern Stevie Wonder cut.
14. The Bad PlusMade Possible More diverse than their previous records, this is their tightest collection of originals to date.
15. Christian ScottChristian aTunde Adjuah A comprehensive mixture covering almost every era of jazz in a meaty, double album.
16. Pat Metheny BandUnity Band Harking back to 80/81, this new incarnation is a pure jazz classic.

ETC., ETC., ETC…

The Temper TrapThe Temper Trap; Sun Kil MoonAmong The Leaves; CalexicoAlgiers; Neil HalsteadPalindrome Hunches; Aimee MannCharmer; Mark EitzelDon’t Be A Stranger; …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of DeadLost Songs; Hot ChipIn Our Heads; Animal CollectiveCentipede Hz; Ben GibbardFormer Lives; Jack WhiteBlunderbuss; Brendon BensonWhat Kind Of World; Bob MouldSilver Age

Reissues, Box Sets, Compilations, Live Recordings, other stuff…

1. The Velvet UndergroundThe Velvet Underground & Nico Not sure it could get any more definitive, but the live recordings from this box set are truly historic.
2. Paul SimonGraceland Wow, 25 freakin’ years old!!! And just as fresh. A record way ahead of its time.
3. SugarCopper Blue/Beaster Bob Mould ages quite well. Read his autobiography. I feel like even he doesn’t understand the impact he’s had on music throughout his career.
4. My Bloody ValentineEPs 1988-1991 Sonic masterpieces that sound as relevant now as they did when they were released 20 years ago,
5. The Kinks – The Kinks at the BBC A great collection of live material when the band was at their peak.
6. Marvin GayeTrouble Man Recorded 40 years ago, this never gets old. This new version has tons of alternative takes.
7. The Jackson 5Come and Get It: The Rare Pearls An amazing assortment of unreleased material. Truly timeless. “Feelin’ Alight”, oh yeah…
8. fIREHOSElowFLOWs: The Columbia Anthology (’91-’93) Not their finest years, but better than most performers best.
9. Alex ChiltonFree Again: The 1970 Sessions A perfect bridge between The Box Tops and Big Star.
10. Donny HathawayIn Performance A legend whose name can easily be thrown in circles with the likes of Marvin Gaye and Otis Redding, he died a tragic death way too early.

A change is in the air. I can smell it. I’d like to believe it is not a matter of age, but one of choice. My tastes, desires and needs are shifting. There was more R&B then previous year, more general listening and more reflection. Hope I can build off of this for the upcoming year. It should be easy – there is plenty of inspiration at home to look at.

Eric Fine
… NYC, still…