Musoscribe’s Best 12 of 2012, Part Two
Yesterday I covered six of the best and most notable (but under-the-radar) releases of 2012. Here are six more.
World Party – Arkeology
Karl Wallinger was one of those artists we feared “lost in action.” He suffered an aneurysm a few years back, and that meant (among other more serious things) that there was no World Party music for quite some time. But this lavish box set brings together old and new(ish) music that shows Karl is still at or near the top of his game.
Various Artists – Red Bird Girls
Phil Spector wasn’t the only auteur creating great female vocal pop in the early 60s. And while the approach might’ve been merely to create disposable, short shelf life pop, the music on this set (of the sort that hasn’t been played to death, I should add) is timeless fun.
Todd Rundgren’s Utopia – Live at Hammersmith Odeon ’75
This set has long circulated among collectors as a bootleg, but it’s nice to see (and hear) it get an official release. This is early-ish Utopia in the period during which they were changing their approach from a Mahavishnu Orchestra-style prog group to a powerpop one. This recording captures the best of both those worlds, live and onstage.
Bill Evans – Live at Art D’Lugoff’s Top of the Gate
There are many Bill Evans Trio recordings out there, but this previously-unrleased archival recording captures the jazz trio sharing the room with a noisy (and sometimes disinterested) audience at a Greenwich Village restaurant. It’s the “second trio” here, and the performances are simply sublime.
Various Artists – Surf Age Nuggets
Picking up where Rhino seems to have given up, Rock Beat has put together and amazing box set (a book set, if we’re being literal) of great instro-surf you’ve never heard. Interestingly, it beats the hell out of a pair of new Dick Dale reissue/comps from the same label. Sometimes – like here – the unheralded stuff beats the better-known material.
The dB’s – Falling Off the Sky
One of those bands whose influence has outpaced their commercial impact, The dB’s roared back after a lengthy quiet period. The result is what I believe to be their finest album ever. I know it’s a pejorative term for some, but the songs on Falling Off the Sky are mature. Tied, in fact, with The Explorers Club‘s Grand Hotel for my choice of the best album of 2012.
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About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.