Best albums of 2012: the near misses

Very late, almost embarrasingly so, and slightly less detailed than usual, but for the record here are the Geography of Hope albums of 2012. Starting with the near misses, the top 10 will follow as quickly as I can manage.

Saint Etienne – Words and Music

It doesn't have the subtlety or the charm of earlier albums, but there are still some flashes of brilliance to remind me of the glory days. Lots of shiny big pop numbers, chiming piano chords and pumping drum beats, but Sarah Cracknell's vocals always seem to have an edge of melancholy and Words and Music seems especially nostalgic for those teenage/early adult years of mix-tapes, a music press that mattered and when music was an essential part of defining who you are.

Richard Hawley – Standing at the Sky's Edge

His vocal delivery and guitar histrionics remind me a bit of Eric Clapton and that would normally be enough to have me running screaming from the room, but somehow he turns it into something resembling a mythical lost Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood album. Full of swirling, menacing harmonies, the languid vocals are mostly undecipherable and when you can hear them you realise that is probably a good thing. Even so this is a gloriously uplifting and out of time album that sounds immediately recognisable and also like nothing else you have ever heard before.

Song for Sunday

Tindersticks – Travelling Light

Band/artist of the week: The National
Song of the week: Adam and the Amethysts – Drinking in LA

Song for Sunday

Efterklang (with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra) – Ghosts

Band/artist of the week: Burial
Song of the week: Best Coast – Angsty

Bit late this week, apologies. Losing track of the days of the week. Anyway, a bit of culture to make up for the delay ...

Song for Sunday

Michael Kiwanuka – I'm Getting Ready

Band/artist of the week: Best Coast
Song of the week: The xx – Unfold

Song for Sunday

M83 – Wait

Band/artist of the week: The Swell Season
Song of the week: Beach House – Myth

Song for Sunday

Of Monsters and Men – Little Talks

Especially for Finn this week ...

Band/artist of the week: Beach House
Song of the week: Beach House – Myth

Song for Sunday

Beach House – Myth

Band/artist of the week: Ghost Society
Song of the week: Low – Nothing But Heart

Song for Sunday

Throwing Muses – Dizzy

Band/artist of the week: Mystery Jets
Song of the Week: Soft Swells – Every Little Thing

Song for Sunday

Winter People – Gallons

Band/artist of the week: Sharon van Etten
Song of the week: Sharon van Etten – All I Can

Song for Sunday

Band/artist of the week: Bruce Springsteen
Song of the week: The Jesus and Mary Chain – Darklands

Song for Sunday

The girl with the replaceable head – Bad Dreams

Band/artist of the week: Sigur Rós
Song of the week: The xx – Missing

Song for Sunday

Young Prisms – Midnight's When

Band/artist of the week: Mogwai
Song of the week: Love Like Hate – 21

Song for Sunday

Soft Swells – Every Little Thing

Band/artist of the week: All India Radio
Song of the week: Trembling Blue Stars – As Long As She's Needed

Song for Sunday

Eurythmics – When Tomorrow Comes

Anyone else remember the 80s?

Band/artist of the week: Gil Scott-Heron
Song of the week: Neil Young – Cinnamon Girl

Song for Sunday

All India Radio -- Golden

Song for Sunday

Love Like Hate – 21

Band/artist of the week: The xx
Song of the week: Love Comes in Waves – Malcolm Middleton

Song for Sunday

Love Migrate – Making this Hard

Band/artist of the week: The xx
Song of the week: New Order – In a Lonely Place (Alternate Mix)

Song for Sunday

Delay Trees – Cassette 2012

Band/artist of the week: Mogwai
Song of the week: Gold Motel – Cold Shoulders

Song for Sunday

Gold Motel – Cold Shoulders

Band/artist of the week: Yo La Tengo
Song of the week: Yo La Tengo – Stockholm Syndrome

Song for Sunday

Efterklang – Hollow Mountain

Band/artist of the week: Gravenhurst
Song of the week: Bruce Springsteen – Atlantic City

Song for Sunday

For a Minor Reflection – Impulse

Song of the week: Moby – Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?
Band/artist of the week: Seeker Lover Keeper

Song for Sunday

Blur – Under the Westway

So, farewell Olympics. Enjoy the after party ...

Song of the week: Shearwater – Dread Sovereign
Band/artist of the week: Ghost Society

Song for Sunday

10,000 Maniacs – Scorpio Rising

Band/artist of the week: Ghost Society
Song of the week: Ghost Society – Your Hands

Song for Sunday

The Clash – London Calling

My favourite Clash song ... seemed appropriate this week for some reason.

Band/artist of the week: Ghost Society
Song of the week: 10,000 Maniacs – Scorpio Rising

Song for Sunday

The Jam – Going Underground

Special Bradley Wiggins tribute Song for Sunday this week. Allez Wiggo!

Band/artist of the week: Mogwai
Song of the week: Mogwai – How to be a Werewolf