GRIMEY'S STAFF PICKS 2012 - The Best Things We've Heard All Year
Here are our lists of all things musical that rang our bells this year.

Click here to see the previous Staff Picks

D~Funk

Doyle "D-Funk" Davis:
(vinylist/co-owner/host of Indie Underground Hour):

The New Hotness:
Dr. John - Locked Down
Tame Impala - Lonerism
Melody's Echo Chamber - Melody's Echo Chamber
Pond - Beard, Wives, Denim
Lee Fields - Faithful Man
Kelly Hogan - I Like To Keep Myself In Pain
Lambchop - Mr. M
Dr. Dog - Be The Void & Wild Race EP
Jimmy Cliff - Rebirth
Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill
Rush - Clockwork Angels
Hospitality - Hospitality
Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again
Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls

Reissues & From The Archives:
Can - The Lost Tapes
Tim Maia - Nobody Can Live Forever: World Psychedelic Classics 4
Ghetto Brothers - Power Fuerza
Various - Country Funk 1969-1975
The Grateful Dead - Live At Winterland 1971
English Beat - The Complete Beat box set
The Beatles - Stereo Vinyl Box
The Velvet Underground - The Verve/MGM Albums vinyl box + Scepter Studios Acetate

Live Shows:
The Who at Bridgestone Arena
Pond at Grimey's
Little Barrie at The Basement
Dr. John at Live On The Green
Michael Kiwanuka at 3rd & Lindsley
David Byrne & St Vincent at The Ryman
Roger Waters - The Wall at Bridgestone Arena
Lambchop at the VFW
Luella & The Sun at Grimey's
My Morning Jacket, Wilco & Kelly Hogan at Forecastle Fest, Louisville
BR5-49 at Fontanel (reunion of original line-up)
Dr. Dog at War Memorial
Lee Fields & The Expressions at Mercy Lounge
Big Star Tribute at The Rutledge
Alabama Shakes at Live On The Green
Rush at Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre, Atlanta
Crosby, Stills & Nash at The Ryman

Mike "Grimey" Grimes (Grimey's co-owner / Basement proprietor):

1. Hospitality
2. JD McPherson 'Signs and Signifiers'
3. Jessie Baylin 'LIttle Spark'
4. Little Barrie 'King of the Waves'
5. Langhorne Slim 'The Way We Move'
6. Shovels and Rope O' Be Joyful
7. Todd Snider 'Agnostic Hymns and Stoner Fables'
8. Black Moth Super Rainbow 'Cobra Juicy'
9. Titus Andronicus 'Local Business'
10. John Hartford 'Aereo-Plain/Morning Bugle' Reissue
(Aero-Plain is in my Top 20 Records of All Time, Long out of print, words fail, indescribably real and beautiful. It will enhance your life.)

Top Instore at Grimey's
Tie between Pond and Jason Isbell

Anna Lundy (Indie Pop Princess / store manager):

Favorite Records of 2012, alphabetically:
Dr. John - Locked Down (Nonesuch)
Father John Misty - Fear Fun (Subpop)
Fergus & Geronimo - Funky Was the State of Affairs (Hardly Art)
Hospitality - Hospitality (Merge)
Melody's Echo Chamber - Melody's Echo Chamber (Fat Possum)
The Men - Open Your Heart (Sacred Bones)
Nü Sensae - Sundowning (Suicide Squeeze)
Rockin' Horse - Yes It Is (Sing Sing)
Seapony - Falling (Hardly Art)
Ty Segall - Twins (Drag City)
Spiritualized - Sweet Heart Sweet Light (Fat Possum)
Tame Impalla - Lonerism (Modular)
Tennis - Young & Old (Fat Possum)
Walkmen - Heaven (Fat Possum)
White Fence - Family Perfume Vol. 1 & 2 (Woodsist)

Anna's Favorite Local Records of 2012, alphabetically:
Bad Friend - Let It Go LP
Jessie Baylin - Little Spark LP
Cheap Time - Wallpaper Music LP
D. Watusi - Brother & Sister/No Love Lost 7"
Diana Darby - IV (intravenous) LP
Jeff the Brotherhood - Hypnotic Nights LP
Lambchop - Mr. M LP
Luella & the Sun - Luella & the Sun 10"
Ponychase - Ponychase 10"

Anna's Favorite Concerts of 2012:
Jeff Mangum with Andrew, Laura & Scott at The 40 Watt (Athens, GA)
Pond at Grimey's
White Fence at The End
Old Crow Medicine Show at Grimey's
sentridoh at Mercy Lounge
David Byrne & St. Vincents at The Ryman Auditorium
Thee Oh Sees at The Zombie Shop

Mia Krout (Beer Wench / Finder of Lost Things / Straight-A Student ):

Here's my tops in no particular order:
Air -- Le Voyage Dans La Lune
Beach House -- Bloom
Beak> -- >>
Can -- The Lost Tapes
Coupler -- America In The Coming Age of Electronics
Lambchop -- Mr. M
Langhorne Slim & The Law -- The Way We Move
Lee Hazlewood -- LHI Years
Spiritualized -- Sweet Heart Sweet Light
Velvet Underground -- Scepter Studio Sessions Acetate

Ryan

Ryan "Ryno" Norris (Hardest Workin' Man In Show Business /
Resident Music Snob):

In no particular order:
Can - The Lost Tapes
Beak> - >>
Melody's Echo Chamber - s/t
Tame Impala - Lonerism
Brian Eno - Lux
Beach House - Bloom
Air - Le Voyage Dans La Lune
Daphni - Jiaolong
Lee Hazlewood - The LHI Years
The Velvet Underground - The Scepter Studios Sessions Acetate
The Walkmen - Heaven

Zammuto - Zammuto
Hospital ships - New Discovery!
Lava Children - Lava Children
Black Moth Super Rainbow - Cobra Juicy
The Walkmen - Heaven
Tame Impala - Lonerism
Pond - Beard Wives Denim
Sleep - Dopesmoker reissue
Om - Advaitic Songs
Lower Dens - Nootropics
High on Fire - Art of Self Defense

Listmania...

First the albums, in alphabetical order by artist:
Allo Darlin' - Europe
Neneh Cherry & The Thing - The Cherry Thing
Jimmy Cliff - Rebirth
Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas
Mark Crozer & The Rels
Diamond Rugs
Bob Dylan - Tempest
Fresh & Onlys - Long Slow Dance
Henry Clay People - Twenty-Five For The Rest Of Our Lives
Japandroids - Celebration Rock
Bettye LaVette - Thankful n' Thoughtful
Low-Cut Connie - Call Me Sylvia
Mountain Goats - Transcendental Youth
Ty Segall - Twins
Todd Snider - Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables
Spider Bags - Shake My Head
Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball
Titus Andronicus - Local Business
Jack White - Blunderbuss
Woods - Bend Beyond
Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill

Then the reissues, also in alphabetical order:
Codeine - When I See The Sun
The English Beat - The Complete Beat
Lyres - Lyres Lyres & On Fyre
Paul & Linda McCartney - Ram
R.E.M. - Document (25th Anniversary Edition)
Royal Trux - Accelerator
Shoes - 35 Years: The Definitive Shoes Collection 1977-2012
Small Faces - Small Faces, In The Beginning & Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
Sugar - Copper Blue, Beaster & File Under: Easy Listening
Bill Wilson - Ever Changing Minstrel

Lastly, a few odds and sods:

Live Album: Led Zeppelin - Celebration Day
DVD: George Harrison: Living In The Material World
Book: Talking Heads' Fear Of Music (33 & 1/3rd) by Jonathan Lethem

Rollum

Rollum Haas (our FEATURED staff drummer):

Liars-WIXIW
Can-The Lost Tapes
Beak->>
Blur-21 Box
Walkmen-Heaven
Lower Dens-Nootropics
Beach House-Bloom
Mission Of Burma-Unsound
Brian Eno-Lux
Quakers-s/t

Tyler

Tyler "T-Glaze" Glaser (Resident Film Buff / Semi-Vinylist):

Top 10
1. Dr. John - Locked Down
2. White Fence - Family Perfume Vol. 1&2
3. Josh Ritter - Bringing in The Darlings
4. Lambchop - Mr. M
5. Pujol - United States of Being
6. Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball
7. Bill Fay - Life Is People
8. Jeff The Brotherhood - Hypnotic Nights
9. Guided By Voices - Class Clown Spots A UFO
10. Rayland Baxter - Feathers and Fishhooks

Rodrigo

Rodrigo "Rodriguez EvanDando" Avendando (Bows & Arrows main man):

My 10 favorite albums of 2012 (alphabetical):
Cheap Time- Wallpaper Music
Coupler- America in the Coming Age of Electronics (vinyl release)
D. Watusi- Dark Party
Killer Mike- R.A.P. Music
Lambchop- Mr. M
Lotus Plaza- Spooky Action at a Distance
Melody's Echo Chamber- S/T
Quakers- S/T
Spiritualized- Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
Tame Impala- Lonerism

My 10 Favorite 7's/EPs of 2012 (I didn't realize until afterwards that
all these releases are local. Good job, Nashville!):
D. Watusi- Brother & Sister/No Love Lost
Echo Group/Mom & Dad- Split 7"
Fox Fun- Squak/Smile
Grand Strand- Cactus Blooms/Strange Bedfellows
The Joy of Painting- Lighten Up
Nashville's Dead- Live at Glenn Danzig's House
Poly- 3 Songs by Poly
Ponychase- Ponychase EP
Ranch Ghost- New News/The Water
Ttotals- Silver on Black EP
Ranch Ghost- New News/The Water

My Favorite Preloved LPs I found at Grimey's in 2012
Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill
Brian Eno- Ambient #4 On Land
Stan Getz feat. Astrud Gilberto- Getz Au Go Go
Konk- The Sound of Konk
Les Paul & Mary Ford- Time to Dream
Pylon- Chomp
Emitt Rhodes- S/T
Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers- Rockin' & Romance
Paul Simon- Live Rhymin'
The Upsetters- Blackboard Jungle Dub
Dennis Wilson- Pacific Ocean Blue

My favorite new (to me) artists recommended to me by Noah Uman
C.O.C.O.
ESG
James Chance
John's Children
Liquid Liquid

Noah

Noah Uman (The Hip-Hop Professor):

Noah's Top 12 is no particular order and includes 2 number ones:
1. Fat Boys - Self Titled Debut re-issue (Pizza Box LP)
1. Lord Finesse x Percee P - Kicking Flavor With My Man (Remix) 7"
single (Slice-of-Spice)
2. Luella & The Sun - Fly So Free 10" single (self-released)
3. Roger Miller - Big Steam 7" single (Good Road)
4. Ranch Ghost - Nahla 7" single (Cass Records)
5. Nashville's Dead's Third Birthday Party (D. Watusi, Useless Eaters,
Ex-Cult, Thee Oh Sees & Ty Segall) (The Zombie Shop 9/20/12)
6. Hopewell - Needle In The Camel's Eye feat. Mark Gardener 7" single
(Tee Pee Records)
7. Punk: An Aesthetic - Jon Savage & Johan Kugelberg (Rizzoli)
8. JD McPherson - Signs And Signifiers LP Re-issue (Rounder Records)
9. JEFF The Brotherhood - Leave Me Out video (directed by my lady Jen
Uman & Bucky Fukumoto)
10. The Spartan Dreggs - Dreggradation LP (Damaged Goods)
11. Sweet 16th Bakery's Breakfast Sandwich
12. De La Soul's Plug 1 & Plug 2 Present: First Serve (Jesgrew Records)

Katie

Katie "Fancytramp" Banyay:

No particular order other than loosely by genre
(rock/indie - pop/electro - punk/hardcore):
Anya Marina - Felony Flats
King Tuff - S/T
Ri¢hie - Welcome to My Dreams
Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the
Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes
Will Ever Do
The Raveonettes - Observerator
Chromatics - Kill For Love
Melody's Echo Chamber - S/T
Grimes - Visions
Nü Sensae - Sundowning
Trash Talk - 119

VK

Erin "Vicious Kitty" Lux (The Web Mistress):

Top 10 of 2012!
Kelly Hogan - I Like To Keep Myself in Pain
Husky - Forever So
Father John Misty - Fear Fun
Dr. Dog - Be The Void
Best Coast - The Only Place
Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits
Old Crow Medicine Show - Carry Me Back
Dr. John - Locked Down
Rush - Clockwork Angels
Pujol - United States of Being

Will

(lil) Will Orman:

1. How to Dress Well - Total Loss
2. Andy Stott - Luxury Problems
3. Beach House - Bloom
4. Purity Ring - Shrines
5. Xiu Xiu - Always
6. Ava Luna - Ice Level
7. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel...
8. Deerhoof - Breakup Song
9. Värttinä - Utu
10. Grimes - Visions
11. Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellan
12. Vessel - Order of Noise
13. Sleigh Bells - Reign of Terror
14. Holy Other - Held
15. Chairlift - Something
16. Clams Casino - Instrumental Mixtape 2
17. John Talabot - ƒin
18. THEESatisfaction - awE naturalE
19. The Chap - We Are Nobody
20. Mirrorring - Foreign Body

Jacob

Jakob "The Kid" Eckert:

Best new releases
-Tame Impala - Lonerism
-Swans - The Seer
-Dr. John - Locked Down
-Death Grips - Money Store
-Spiritualized - Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
-Om - Advaitic Songs
-Beak - >>
-Scott Walker - Bish Bosh
-X-TG - Desertshore / The Final Report

Reissues/Archivals
-Stereolab Vinyl Reissues
-Can Lost Tapes
-Karen Dalton - 1966
-Lee Hazlewood Reissues
-Eraserhead OST
-Sleep - Dopesmoker
-Wicked Lady - Axeman Cometh
-Reservoir Dogs OST
-Velvet Underground - Scepter Studios

Aaron

Aaron Briggs (the pinch hitter):

My list of my favorite musical things that came out in 2012,
with no particular regard to order or format:
Father John Misty -- "Fear Fun"
The Walkmen -- "Heaven"
The Walkmen -- "Dance with Your Partner" 7 inch (those songs
should have been on the record)
Japandroids -- "Celebration Rock"
Grizzly Bear -- "Shields"
Tame Impala -- "Lonerism"
Wild Nothing -- "Nocturne"
Twin Shadow -- "Confess"
Lower Dens -- "Nootropics"
The Men -- "Open Your Heart"
Lotus Plaza -- "Spooky Action at a Distance"
Jessie Baylin -- "Little Spark"
Lambchop -- "Mr. M"
Daniel Rossen -- "Silent Hour / Golden Mile" EP