Stuff Lindsay Bought: My Favourite Songs of 2012

A few weeks ago, when I first put this list together, I was really struggling to fill in the last three slots. Then I started flipping through other people’s top-tracks-of-2012 lists and I quickly found myself with way more than 10 songs. But after a bit of thinking and a lot of listening, I narrowed things down to the listen below, which is presented alphabetically because it’s just easier that way.

Also, just in case the title of this blog wasn't clear enough, these are my favourite songs of 2012, not the best. That would be a separate list that would require way more time than I have on my hands right now.

1. Chromatics: Kill For Love
Chromatics’ album of the same name is one of my favourites of this year due to its icy, ‘80s-filtered sound electro sound. This track, with its simple lyrics and strong melody, sums it up perfectly.

2. Crystal Castles: Affection
Another one of my favourite albums of 2012 is Crystal Castles’ III, which, like this track, showcases the band’s maturing but still dark-and-dance floor friendly sound. Now if only the band’s live show would grow up I could attend one without fear of an obnoxious crowd or a multi-hour delayed start.

3. Kathleen Edwards: A Soft Place To Land
This is a downer of a song but it’s so pretty! In full honesty I actually thought it was a bit melodramatic the first few times I heard but it grew on me. And then I heard Kathleen perform it live and I knew that it had a spot on this list. (Sorry, this track isn't on Soundcloud but you can find it over on Hype Machine.)

4. Grimes: Oblivion
Technically this is a 2011 song but if Pitchfork can include it on its 2012 list, so can I. And why am I including it? Because its shiny production, sweet-yet-odd melody and Claire Boucher’s layered little girl vocals create an electronic track that’s incredibly charming.

5. Japandroids: The House That Heave Built
The main reason I love the Japandroids is because every high-energy note its two members play radiates with love, respect and complete devotion to rock and roll. The second reason is because of lyrics like this: “"When they love you and they will/ Tell them all they'll love in my shadow/ And if they try to slow you down/ Tell them all to go to hell." Listen to It Here

6. Passion Pit: Take A Walk
The first single off Passion Pit’s second album got a ton of play on my iTunes because it’s just so catchy and has some really vivid lyrics (according to frontman Michael Angelakos each verse is about a different family member). Sadly, I found Gossamer overall rather disappointing.

7. Solange: Losing You
This isn't the type of song that I usually go for but there’s something about this slickly produced number about a doomed relationship that I just love. Yes, Solange’s voice is gorgeous but I think it’s the background “party noise” that really catches my interest.

8. Tanlines: All of Me
I'm a sucker for a sunny, synth-powered indie pop song so it’s no surprise that I love this track by Brooklyn-based duo Tanlines.

9. Tegan and Sara: Closer

This is one of those rare songs that maybe 25 seconds in I knew I loved and that the world would love too. It’s just so damn catchy and fun and if the rest of Tegan and Sara’s new album is even half as good as this one track, they’re going to have a huge hit on their well-deserved hands.